Page 5 of Dissension

“Squeeze harder. More leg.”

“I’m giving him all the leg I have. He’s not moving!”

“Well, he’s an ass, what do you expect?”

She’d ended up in the dirt after the fat bastard dumped her, trotting off to eat more grass. She’d watched Dieter kiss the grouchy beast on the nose when they untacked him and figured he must have a heart in his chest somewhere, considering he’d kept the horse for nearly twenty years and planned to have him until he passed.

When they finish eating and return to the house, Dieter mentions to her, “I’m told that I should expect a call from detectives soon about answering some questions at the station. Over Paxton’s little problem with theDark Mirageand those oh-so gruesome torture videos.”

Kara feels her heart still. This brewing situation has been on her mind as of late, haunting her. “Um…about that. Do you need Gale to be with you for it? It could be looked at poorly if I’m with you. Considering my connection to prosecuting Paxton Brooker in the past for the Debra Mills case.”

Something flickers on his face. A certain slimy knowing. “I see no issue on the matter.Youhave no client wishing to prosecute him anymore. Benson won’t waste time on a job that doesn’t pay, and why should he? The State or the Feds are probably going to claim jurisdiction for those nasty basement tapes. It won’t be your problem anymore. You’ll be fine,chickadee.”

Dieter hears a lot of things- and never through reputable means, as Kara is starting to learn. She suspects he’s got his fingers in more pockets than he should. Money makes people forget their morals.

“You aren’t worried?” She tries to assess behind his mask of cool. “I mean…isn’t Paxton Brooker your friend? This is aseriouscrime we’re talking about. This isn’t about a parking ticket.”

“I’m aware of the sordid details.” It’s been on the news, after all. Footage of the terrifying warehouse that was found, a wretched, dark place where gruesome videos of those tortured had been taken. Rooms with dark stains. Empty, hanging chains. Instruments of torment sitting beside empty gurneys. Rusted dog cages-

Giving him the stink eye, Kara says, “…and that doesn’t bother you in the slightest?”

“Pax says he’s never heard of such tapes or films being done on the property. Hell, he didn’t even know hehadthe property. Which issoodd, I mean, he owns it.” Dieter walks her to the front hall. “Then again, he does haveso manyproperties, after all. He doesn’t keep track of them too well, so it’s plausible that it’s been going on without his knowledge.”

That sounds nice and neat.

“I don’t believe it. Shit, Dieter, I spoke to one of the women from that place. She wasrough. I don’t know how she evenlives.” She shudders, remembering. “Someone has to go down for it. The cops aren’t going to let this go and your freaking pal is in the immediate crosshairs.”

He’s leaning against the imposing double doors, the immediate exit of his home. Blocking her way out, as if to say, ‘you leave when I allow and not a moment before’. Kara shifts on her feet, wanting to go home. Her client is hard to read, in moments like these. There are times that she gets a hint of his desire to be less domineering in nature, but he’s also the type that makes a person work for it.

She can’t tell which is the mask; the powerful financier or the sly man that bares his neck for fun. It doesn’t matter; at the end of the day, Kara works for him and that’sall. It isn’t her job to dissect his brain and his odd tendencies.

Getting close to him would be dangerous. Gale has told her as much.Repeatedly.

Staring him down seriously, trying to keep her nerves in check, to hide the way her mouth is drying, Kara asks, “Is there something else you need from me today? I have other engagements.”You are not my only client, you wonderful, terrible, spoiled brat.

For a moment, it gets her no reaction. Then, slowly, he pushes away from the doors, giving her room to leave. A whiff of his fresh cologne reaches her senses, like crisp apples and hints of icy pine. “I’m not holding you hostage.”

The door opens and a soft breeze carrying the aroma of trees flows in. “Fabulous. I was worried for a moment there.” Stepping outside, Kara pauses, waiting on the large stone porch, waiting to be officially dismissed.

Dieter is in the doorway, hands in his pockets. “It was very sweet of you,” he tells her, a pleasant expression back on his clean-cut face. Voice soft, almost enticing. “To make me breakfast.”

It’s like whiplash with him. How fast he can repulse and then draw a girl in.

Kara feels her heart leap, secretly delighted that she’s gotten him to admit to being happy aboutsomethingshe’s done. He’s nearimpossibleto please. “You’re welcome.”

But then, he cracks his neck idly and Kara knows something bad is around the corner.

He steps forward into her space and twirls a lock of her hair around his fingers. He’s watching the strands wrap around and release, an unpleasant smirk slipping onto his lips slowly. Dieter looks back up at her, a flat expression in his gaze. Gone is his persuasive, sultry tone when he coldly says, “Now, I expect you to find the candidates to replace my head of housing staffandmy chef. Pick them. Hire them. Be fucking done with it. Then, arrange for our interview with the police.”

The door shuts in her face and Kara feels her cheeks redden.He’s awful. Absolutely horrid.

Chapter 3

It’s almost as if a terrible prophecy has been put in place after the visit with Dieter. His sly words, an unwanted omen of doom. The mention of the case, of the fact that it will probably be taken over by the State prosecutors, that the Feds might even get involved due to the nature of the crime. A part of Kara isn’t sorry to see the case go…but a part of her wants tosolve it.The tenacious part of her doesn’t want to just drop it.

People, tortured in her city…the thought of it brings colors of red and black to her vision, chills down her spine. To know that somewhere, around any corner, there could be a doorway that leads to some private, secret hell. Full of knives, needles, whips, and brands. Of wicked men, eager to film the suffering of another human. Filled with the desire to turn them intonothing.To sell that to others for profit.

The cops have videos from the successful raid months back. Her Detective contact…slash ally…Ray Wellis, has seen them, but won’t say a word about what he’s seen. He told her some of the squad threw up when they watched the tapes, shaken.

---