Page 50 of Deadly Designs

“Does Ms. LaLonde want to press charges?”

Since he had the call on speaker, Aja Blue answered,“Absolutely.”

After he disconnected, Aja Blue said, “Do you thinkhe killed Jay?”

The guy was a bigot and a racist, but he didn’tstrike Christian as a killer. Junior looked like the kind of guywho would faint at the sight of blood. “No, but I think he’sresponsible for the harassing messages and the vandalism to youroffice.”

“Then where is Jay? Why isn’t he answering hismessages?”

“I had my office check his phone. It’s turned off, soit’s untraceable. They pulled up his vehicle registration, thinkingthey could get GPS from it, but it was too old to trace.”

“He drives a twenty-year-old Toyota Camry with almosttwo-hundred-thousand miles. I told you he was frugal.” She turnedto face him. “You said you thought Junior was liable for thegraffiti and messages. Do you think he was responsible for thedestruction at Jay’s and my apartments? Or the attemptedkidnapping?”

Christian rubbed a hand over his chin. It made sensethat the crimes were related, but he didn’t see Junior rappellingdown the side of a building and using a carbide tip bit to etch ahole in Aja Blue’s condo window. “He’s not the mastermind, that’sfor sure. If anything, he’s a follower.”

“You think someone instructed him to do it?”

“It’s the most logical scenario. I’m having theoffice dig into his internet life.”

“You know what I think?” Kayne offered. “Junior is acloset homosexual. He’s overcompensating for his truefeelings.”

“You’re probably right,” Christian agreed. “It soundslike his momma was overbearing. Probably dragged him to church anddrilled her bigotry into his head. He was too afraid to come out ofthe closet.”

They stopped at a steak restaurant for dinner. Kaynehad a favorite from when he’d lived in Norfolk before with his SEALteam, so they indulged him. The food was delicious, and the companyfantastic. Time passed in the blink of an eye.

They checked for updates when they returned to thehouse, but all was quiet. Everyone changed into comfortable clothesand watched television until it was time for bed.

Christian nonchalantly bade his coworkers goodnightand jogged up the steps. Aja Blue had preceded him by fifteenminutes. He glanced over his shoulder to ensure no one had followedhim, though he knew they hadn’t. His hand hovered over the handleto her door, but he couldn’t make himself clasp it.

He needed to keep things professional between them,especially now that Kayne and Presley were in the same house. Itwould be best to end things now before he got in too deep. Heignored the voice in his head that whisperedtoo late.

With a sigh, he turned and twisted the knob to hisdoor before screeching to a stop.

Aja Blue had casually draped herself on the bed, withher back against the headboard and arms spread out beside her. Hersmile could only be described as wicked. She was tantalizingly,beautifully naked.

Christian couldn’t have cared less if both hiscoworkers had followed him or, frankly, about anything else in theworld, including his vow to keep things professional between them.Clothes littered his wake as he stripped in record time. Then hedove for her, reveling in her excited squeal as their limbs andtongues tangled.

It didn’t take long before she blew his mind.

#

Christian’s phone woke him from a light slumber. AjaBlue lifted her head from his chest when he reached over to checkthe display. Calls this late—or early—were never good.

“It’s Detective Herbert.”

Aja Blue sat up, and the sheet fell, exposing herbeautiful breasts. He was momentarily distracted.

“Christian,” she prompted, gesturing to hisphone.

With a shake of his head to clear the instant lust,he answered. “Hey, Detective Herbert.”

“I’m sorry to wake you this late. There’s been anincident.”

He glanced at Aja Blue, who noticed his hesitationand looked at him with concern.

“What happened?”

“There’s no easy way to say it, so here it is. Ms.LaLonde’s shop was firebombed tonight.”

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