Page 11 of Nothing But the Night (Basic Instincts 2)

Marc loved a man with a good appetite. Jack had been the same for most of their relationship. He’d always been the first to clear his plate at any meal and never refused an extra helping. Did Jason remind him of Jack? Physically, no. They were nothing alike, but there was something about his spirit that triggered a connection.

“What brings you into the city? Your factory is outside of town, right?” He dunked the rest of the cookie in his coffee then stuffed it in his mouth.

So, he’s done his research on me too.“Meetings. A couple of potential clients and I had to see my accountant this morning too. Run-of-the-mill stuff, but it had to be done.”

Jason nodded, picking up a napkin to wipe his mouth. “I try to leave most of that stuff to Ryman, though he makes me do my fair share of the boring work.”

“You two are full partners?”

“We are, but Ryman started the agency so it’s only fair we keep it in his name. I left the Navy around four years ago and started working for him. When he was looking for an investor to expand, I thought what the hell. Between my savings and a business loan I was able to join him.”

Marc had suspected there was military discipline in Jason’s background.

He pushed the second cookie across to him. “Have that. I’m not hungry anymore.”

Jason looked at him with wide, hopeful eyes. “Only if you’re sure.”

“Take it.”

He didn’t need any further encouragement. Marc waited for him to finish. He tried not to stare, but he enjoyed watching Jason eat.

When was done he wiped his mouth and fingers. “I’m not usually a fan of sweet treats, but those are amazing.” He took another drink of coffee to clear his mouth. “Now, I really need to tell you about what you came here for.” Jason removed his jacket and rolled up his sleeves. Marc was drawn to his strong forearms and hands and suddenly imagined those hands roaming over his body.

As much as he wanted an update, Marc didn’t want business talk to spoil the light, fun moment they were sharing.Get a grip, Glass.You’re paying him to find out what happened to Theo, not to sit there looking handsome for you to gawp over.

“What have you got?”

“Well, I’m pretty sure there’s something to be learnt from Soloman Archer. It might not be what we’re hoping for, but the people at his office guard him like lions. He’s got this PA called Chantelle and nothing will get past her without approval.”

“Is that so unusual? He’s an MP after all. They must hear from all kinds of nutters on a daily basis. It will be her job to protect him from them.”

“True, but when I mentioned your brother’s name, she knew who I was talking about.”

“So, you’ve been to his office? Or did you talk to her on the phone?”

Jason told him what had happened when he’d called to see Soloman Archer. How the MP was out of town and his staff had blocked all attempts to speak with him. “She hid it well, Chantelle. When I mentioned Theo’s name she was stoney-faced, but I saw the flicker of recognition. She knew who he was. Which means she’s hiding something on behalf of her boss. Which means it’s highly likely that your brother wasn’t just bragging when he told you he had a relationship with Soloman Archer. I just don’t have any proof yet.”

Marc nodded. He reached under the table and produced a laptop, an iPad and a notebook from his briefcase. “You might find something in these. I should have brought them in at the start of the investigation, but I didn’t know whether you would take the case then. Theo’s passwords are all written down in the backof the book. I’ve highlighted the ones you need to gain access.”

“Have you looked through these yourself?”

“Only briefly. I’ve told you before, I don’t really want to watch my brother’s sex tapes.”

“Not a problem,” Jason said. He lifted all three and slid them into his leather satchel. “I’ll go through them and see what they can tell us. Your brother wasn’t stupid. I’m sure he’ll have protected himself with some kind of evidence.”

It was a relief to hear Jason talk about Theo in such an open and matter-of-fact way, without judgement. Marc struggled to admit it, but he was ashamed of what his brother had been doing when he was alive. Marc hadn’t been involved in the celebrity circuit in years, but it would reflect badly on him if it all came out. He hated himself for feeling that way. Theo was dead, he shouldn’t hold a grudge against him now, but he couldn’t stop that needling little voice that said it would destroy his reputation.

“Probably the biggest breakthrough I’ve had so far is with the men Theo shot his adult content with,” Jason said. “I reached out to a bunch on the night after our meeting, and I’ve heard back from four so far. One of them lives right here in Blyham and has agreed to talk to me. Tonight.” He took out his phone, pulled up a photo, and handed it to Marc.

It showed a very good-looking black man in his late twenties with a great smile.

“That’s Dan,” Jason continued. “He uses the name Cummer X when he’s making sexual content. He’s got a Hot-4-Fans account of his own and would frequently team up with Theo to shoot videos. They would sharethe costs of filming and editing and then post the clips on their respective accounts.”

Marc stared at the picture and nodded. He was naïve when it came to all this stuff. He’d never subscribed to any of the online sex sites. He didn’t even have any personal social media accounts. When it came to watching porn, he was old-school, and opted for the stash of DVDs he and Jack had collected over the years, the most recent of which was probably ten years old.

“He manages a gym in the West End of the city,” Jason went on. “The whole content creation thing is just a side hustle. Why not, eh? When you’re in a job that keeps your body in peak condition, might as well make a little something on the side.”

That was one way of looking at it. “How long did he know Theo?”

---