Assassin Affairs (4 page)

She could
only mumble a little.

“Manuela
sent her people to get me before I could get to her. This is the
first time anybody ever knew my exact whereabouts,” Renée
said.

Captain
Mahoney attempted to speak as the other officers rushed in. “We
got three of them,” one of the cops claimed. She was taken to
the hospital moments later, struggling to breathe.

“We'll
need you two to come down to the station and make a statement,”
said the lead officer.

“Okay,
we'll be there directly,” Danny told him.

Renée
leaned close and whispered, “Danny, we won't be safe there.
Those guys that got away went for reinforcements. They'll be back in
an hour with more help and major firepower. I know how Manuela
operates. They'll destroy that small police station and everybody in
it.”

He picked
up a weapon from one of the dead attackers, then he and Renée
went to their car and promptly departed.

“I
want to go home, Danny, my home.”

“After
stopping for more ammunition, our next stop is New York. Happy?”

“Yes!
I want you to meet the uncles. There's really a lot to like about the
city, honey. You'll see, I promise, and we'll be safe there. Well,
safer anyway.”

It was
midnight several days later when they arrived at her Brooklyn
apartment.

“Um,
Danny, there's something I need to tell you about before we go
inside. I suspect Jennifer was about to mention it.”

“Unless
it's about having a husband waiting, it can wait until tomorrow. I'm
beat after all that driving. Is that okay, Renée?”

“Yes,
I've been finding excuses to not bring it up and that sounds like
another good one to me. It's a loft apartment. Do you think you can
make it up the stairs?”

When they
walked in, he noticed a large photo on the wall of her and one of her
girlfriends.

“I
see you use that cross-eyed expression a lot,” he observed.

“Yeah,
that's my silly-girl look. Would you believe you're the first man
I've ever invited up here?”

“What
about Chris?”

“Chris
wanted to get married, but as much as I wanted that, and as much as I
wanted to please Chris, I could never say 'yes'. When the subject
finally came up, all I could do was cry. When it came right down to
it, I realized there was something missing in that relationship. I
don't feel that way about us.”

As they got
settled in, she turned on some music. “I'd dim the lights, too,
but I don't want you falling asleep on me. Being a girl of many
contrasts, I go both ways on a lot of things. I can be on top, I can
be on the bottom, I can go north, I can go south, I can be
wicked-girl, and I can be good-girl. I can be a prude, but also a
vixen.”

“Don't
forget silly-girl, fantasy-girl, and naughty-girl.”

“Yes,
them, too. You're about to meet playtime-girl. There are lots of
girls for you to get to know, if you stick around long enough.”

“What's
with all the insecurity, honey? I'm not sure exactly what you're
trying to say, but the part about going south sounds interesting. I
like to go south, too,” he said with a wry grin.

“Oh,
a man after my own heart. That's one of my favorite things. Let's
both go south together. We've been platonic long enough, maybe too
long. How about we drink some wine and get naked?” she asked.

“Naked?”
His road-fatigue began to fade.

As she
struggled with the corkscrew, she asked “How come you've been
so patient and caring with me, Danny? I've never known a man to be
like that before.”

“I've
known a lot of women over the years, Renée. I experienced
physical intimacy with a lot of them, but the emotional intimacy with
you has been better, the best. My physical needs take a back seat to
the rest. We've shared a lot of emotional intensity in our short time
together.”

She poured
them both some wine, then straddled him face-to-face as he sat on the
couch. “How about a toast to adding some physical intensity?”

He watched
intently as she began undoing the buttons on her blouse while sipping
her wine. She slipped it off, then tossed it across the room, quickly
followed by her bra.

“Are
you sure about this, honey?” he asked, staring at her firm
nipples. It was her show; he would let her run with it. He sipped
wine with one hand, with the other he caressed a breast.

Renée
stood up and undid her skirt. It fell to the floor, leaving her
standing there wearing just her panties.

“I'm
glad I agreed to come to Brooklyn,” he said. “This loft
brings out a different side of you. I'm liking it, a lot.”

As she slid
off her panties, her eyes revealed a look of vulnerability. The magic
words were like music to his ears as they softly flowed across her
lips for the very first time, “I love you, Danny.”

Dumbfounded
and finding it hard to believe his good fortune, he continued sipping
his wine while admiring the view. She got down on her knees and
loosened his pants, and then lowered his fly with her teeth. Soon
they were making love. Then they made love again, and again.
Exhausted and both on the verge of falling into a deep, overdue
sleep, the rising sun reawakened them. With their nude bodies
completely intertwined, Danny determined it was time to find out what
she'd been keeping from him.

“What
was it you wanted to tell me that's so important?” he asked.

“It
could be a deal-breaker,” she confessed. “That's why I
selfishly wanted to make love with you first.”

“You
have nothing to worry about, Renée. I love you, too,” he
confessed.

“You've
been so tolerant letting me ramble on about my romance with Chris so
much. Most men would just tell me to shut up. I'd rather you learn
about this now from me than later from when we visit Uncle Chip.”
She pointed up to the large picture adorning the wall over their
heads, the one of the two girls looking so happy together.

“What?”
he asked, confused.

“Danny,
that's Christine.”

“Oh,
okay, and?”

“Danny,
I'm bisexual. Manuela tortured and killed her. That's my Chris!”

The next
day Renée gave him the tour of New York City. They went to the
ground zero memorial, Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, rode the
subway, and visited Harlem. They chatted as they toured and then
headed for Uncle Chip's place.

“So
you're okay with last night's revelation?” she asked.

“More
than okay. To me, it's an added turn-on, not that one is needed. I'm
thinking we could be having some interesting times together in our
future. Life with you will never be mundane and dull. I like that.”

She
affectionately grabbed him by the butt and said, “Good.”

“How
much do you trust this Uncle Chip?”

“Why?”

“Considering
his strange relationship with Manuela, and the fact that he and his
daughter were somewhat estranged as you put it, I leap to the
conclusion that he might not have approved of her lifestyle with you.
Manuela's needs may be his priority.”

“You
might be right. I never looked at it that way. See, I need you around
to help me keep things in their proper perspective. He does pay well,
though. He's how I got started in this line of work. Chris brought me
home and one thing led to another.”

“Does
he know Uncle Jack?” Danny asked.

“Not
officially, but they grew up together. Their dads were altar boys
together. They're best friends, but it's a major secret. They'd be
willing to kill to protect it. Sorry to have just put your life in
danger, but I figure you can handle it. Be discrete!”

“And
you've killed for him? For them?”

“I'd
ask if you were wearing a wire, officer, but since I helped dress you
this morning, I'll skip that part,” she said with a chuckle.
“Yes, sweetheart, that's what I do. Do you want a body count,
too?”

“No,
then I'd have to tell you mine from my black ops days, and I don't
want to talk about it. Frankly, I don't even know it, I never kept
track. I would like to hear some of your stories though, seeing how
you were with me that night we met.”

“Oh,
there are some good ones. I do try to have fun with it, as you saw. I
figure if you can't enjoy your work, you're doing something wrong.
That's when I become vixen-girl, or naughty-girl as you called me.”

“What
if they don't like me, Renée? What if they give you a contract
to kill me?”

“It
would depend on how much they were paying. Just kidding, Danny!
Anybody who comes after you will have to get through me first,
lover!”

“I'm
seeing a slightly different side of you today, babe.”

“I'm
not all about revenge, Danny. I kill people. It's what I do; I'm good
at it and I enjoy it. Does that scare you?”

“I
suspected your 'special projects' involved such things, but not to
such a degree.”

“Well,
let's just take one day at a time, good sir. I can be flexible. My
top priority is keeping you happy. Seriously!”

“If
that's really how you feel, we won't have any issues, Renée.”

She smiled
at that comment, then added “Mob bosses in all five boroughs
know me. I take risks, but I'm human and make mistakes. I admit to it
and you've experienced it first hand, lucky for me. Now that I have
you in my life, I'll take fewer risks. If we become a team, there
will be fewer mistakes, less risk and more fun.”

“This
is actually bigger news than what you told me last night about being
bisexual.”

“Keep
it in mind in case you ever consider cheating on me,” she said
with a wink. “The uncles provided me with valuable training.
That's where I learned the gymnastics maneuver I used at your place.
They also introduced me to weapons training, lock-picking, alarm
disabling, hand-to-hand combat, use of poisons and drugs, and believe
it or not, knife-fight training. I obviously need more work there. I
also need to learn martial arts. I've had only a few lessons.”

“I
can help you there, honey. The fun part of your routine sounds too
foolish and risky. You need to be brief, be bright and be gone.”

“You're
right. I know it, but it's like the icing on the cake and it's
addictive, Danny.”

“So
your 'show me some happiness' line is a part of your normal
repertoire?”

“My
victims are inclined to hear variations. It can be fun being naughty.
I hope you'll give me the chance to share that experience with you.
When people realize their life is on the line, some are willing to go
to great lengths to please. They beg and I give them hope. Like I
told you earlier, they're all criminal-types and deserve it, so I
feel no guilt. The trick is to never lose control of the situation
like I did with you!”

As she
finished her sentence, their elevator reached its floor, a little
bell rang and the doors opened at Uncle Chip's hi-rise, large
luxury-penthouse condo. Two over-sized goons frisked them, removed
her concealed weapon which Uncle Jack had gotten her a license to
carry, then opened the unit's door for her.

“Hi,
Uncle Chip!”

He walked
over and gave her a hug. “Is this the naked detective you were
so excited about on the phone?”

“Hello,
sir. My name is Danny,” he said, a little embarrassed. They
shook hands. “I'm not sure about the detective part anymore.
I'm suspecting that chapter of my life is over. Regardless, it's nice
to finally meet you, Mr....I'm sorry, sir, I don't know your last
name.”

“Cicero,
Charles Cicero, Danny, and welcome to my humble home.”

Danny's
eyes opened wide.

“Is
anything wrong? You look as though you've seen a ghost, young man,”
Cicero said.

“Oh,
sorry, sir, it's just that I've seen your name in the news so many
times, and in connection with so many unsolved cases, I never
expected to actually meet you. I've only heard Renée refer to
you as Uncle Chip and never made the connection.”

She stood
behind him smirking.

“So I
see you've changed teams, Renée. You're a woman of varied
tastes, aren't you?”

“Yes,
Uncle Chip, varied tastes, but always both teams.”

“She's
a good girl, a young woman of many talents. She's even a writer,
Danny. You should ask to read her creations sometime. I like
creative-types, people that can think outside-the-box.”

“I'm
learning that about her, sir. I've never met anyone else like Renée.”

“I
hope you two will be able to join me for dinner. It's a fabulous view
from up here. I've had two extra places set for you. Tonight's meal
is filet mignon with fresh mixed vegetables. My associate Misty will
be joining us; she's cleaning up at the moment.”

They looked
at one another and decided it was a good plan.

“What's
your poison, Danny? I have a fully-stocked bar.”

“Gin
martini, sir, shaken, not stirred, with olives.”

Misty soon
joined them and impressed Danny as probably a high-priced call girl.
The foursome sat down to an enjoyable meal, then as they awaited
their dessert, Uncle Chip asked, “So Renée, can we talk
shop?”

“I
have no secrets from Danny, if that's what you're asking. He and I
may become a team. If you're comfortable talking shop in front of
Misty, have at it.”

“First,
we need to talk about Manuela. She insists she had nothing to do with
Chris' death and wants me to negotiate a truce between you two.
Frankly, I'm inclined to believe her as she'd have too much to lose
going against me like that, and I think I know her well enough to
believe her. Second, with you having been preoccupied on your mission
lately, I've had to give all the serious enforcement assignments to
Bernice. Although there are no major collection issues right now, I
do have a half-dozen smaller ones, twenty-five to fifty thousand in
size, to keep you busy and help you pay the bills. I just want you to
give these deadbeats some stress, some emotional and mental distress,
but no physical harm at this point in time. Do you think you can do
that?”