Page 62 of Girl, Reformed

Leatherworth said, ‘Not really. He was aclosed book. Showed up, took his licks, tipped well and toddled off. The onlytime I ever saw him let his hair down was this one night, he came in half inthe bag...'

Ella perked up. ‘Drunk? How'd he act?’

‘A complete one-eighty. Loud, rude,shooting his mouth off to anyone who'd listen. I had to take him aside, soberhim up a bit before we could play.’

Well,well.Ella caught Luca's gaze and held it. Another piece of the puzzle snapping intoplace. Booze the great equalizer, the skeleton key to the deepest, darkestparts of the psyche.

Leatherworth continued, ‘How’d you connectHarry to me, anyway?’

‘He had your business card in his wallet.’

‘And you think I might have killed him?Why would I do that?’

Ella shot for raw honesty. ‘We don’t thinkyou killed him, but Harry’s death isn’t the only homicide in the past week.There’ve been others, and we believe our perp might have a connection to your…scene.’

‘Is this the… stocks thing?’ Leatherworthasked. ‘I heard rumors. Some girl in the park.’

‘It’s connected.’

Leatherworth pursed his lips and looked upto the ceiling. ‘And you found Harry in stocks too?’

‘Not quite. No torture devices on Harry,but he was restrained.’

Luca stepped up, ‘Mr. Leatherworth, didHarry…’

‘Please, call me Paul,’ the dom chimed in.‘And before you ask, no. Harry’s tastes were simple. No restraints. Just anover-the-knee thrashing once a week.’

'Not a sniff of torture devices orhandcuffs?'

‘Lovelies, you’ve both mentioned torturedevices, but you know that stocks are far from that, right?’

Ella paused. Wheels turning. ‘How do youmean?’

Paul regarded Luca from head to toe.Somehow, the man found space to perv in the middle of an interrogation. ‘Youever been in stocks? It’s just a little pressure around the wrists and neck.Not exactly torment.’

Ella could safely say she’d never been instocks in her life. ‘So, what are they?’

Paul shrugged his oil-slicked shoulders.‘Humiliation, mostly. I mean, think about it. What's more degrading than beingtrussed up like a pig, unable to move while the world gawks and laughs?’ Apause, wheels turning behind those bedroom eyes. ‘It's about shame, sugarplum.Stripping someone down to their basest bits and putting it all on display.’

Ella rocked back on her heels, piecesclicking together like tumblers in a lock. The vics, the loudmouths andtough-talkers. All choked out and strung up, their darkest vulnerabilities laidbare for all to see.

It wasn't about the pain. It wasn't aboutthe kill. It was about the spectacle, the sick theater of it all.Making a mockery of all their bluster and bravado, their pretensions of power.

Luca asked, ‘That’s how they’re used in anS&M context?’

‘That’s how they’re used in every context.They’re for bad boys and girls. Nothing torturous about them.’

Ella's mind whirred like a busted clock.She looked over at her partner. Similar gears were spinning behind those prettyblues and flushed cheeks.

Time to get out of here. Leatherworthwasn’t her man. He didn’t fit the physical profile, and despite his brawn, theman clearly had brains too. He wasn’t stupid enough to embark on a homicidaladventure, least of all with clients who likely had paper trails to him.

‘Paul, thank you for your time. You’vebeen a real help.’

The big man nodded, still looking a bitshell-shocked. ‘I’m sorry I couldn’t be more help.’ He reached out and put aweary hand on Ella’s shoulder. ‘Please find this guy. Harry was sweet as sugar.I know this scene might look bizarre to the outside, but we’re harmless.’

‘Count on it,’ she said.

‘Take care, both of you,’ finishedLeatherworth.

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