Bound and Freed Boxed Set (27 page)

"Where to?"

"Holladay Park."

"Fine," Lorenzo said with another frown.

While on the job, Lorenzo had found there were bad
criminals - the kind that were just plain BAD. And there were mad criminals,
the real fruitcakes, and they were just plain MAD. But this guy, he had to be
the full deal, both BAD and MAD. And they were the worst of all.

What was this good-looking bastard up to? Christ on a
fucking cracker, the man should have been a model. Lorenzo never usually gave
the subject much thought, but it seemed to him that a man like John Taylor
would be a serious chick magnet. What was the saying? Beauty is only skin deep,
but ugly cuts right to the bone?

Well, in that case John Taylor, the sociopathic murdering
bastard, was both seriously beautiful and bone deep ugly.

Taylor was wearing blue jeans of some expensive type that
was out of Lorenzo's pay scale. A shiny name brand button down shirt, and
casual leather shoes and matching belt that also looked above his pay grade
finished this ensemble. Casual as it seemed, John Taylor, with his dark
handsome features and nice clothes, looked like he had just hopped off a
catwalk in Italy maybe.

Both men remained silent as Lorenzo drove, and he was
happy for the peace.

Bloody Lucille drove him nuts with her constant
complaining chatter. The woman would subtly grumble that he was late back from
lunch, but tough titties. Lorenzo parked the white and black police cruiser and
got out. Taylor got out, too, and without a word, started walking at a pretty
fast stride. Where was the bastard going?

Well, that was okay with Lorenzo. He could use the fresh
air. Keeping up with Taylor's brutal stride, Lorenzo walked behind him with an
open careful eye.

Holladay Park could be a little sketchy at times as it had
been the end of the line for MAX's Free Rail Zone (which was no longer free).
It was also across the street from the mall. Mostly it was filled with harmless
transients. There were also high school kids skipping class, or else hanging
out there after school.

Lorenzo checked his watch, surprised to find that he had
been diverted from his job completely, just by enjoying a good pace and
watching the people go by. Christ, they had been walking for over a half an
hour.

"Hey, Taylor,
"
Lorenzo said. "Alright already. Why Holladay park? What are you going to
show me? Or are we here to talk? If so I think we are far enough away from
anyone. No one can overhear us, you paranoid bastard."

Taylor laughed at this
masterful and engaging description of himself. And despite having a casual
stroll with a killer, Lorenzo found he was smiling back at him anyway. It was a
nice day for it. As the weather was warmish, various people, mothers and their
kids were hanging out and having a picnic. There were children playing near a
fountain, screaming and laughing as kids do. The young kids were all running
wild with the other kids. It was almost like summertime.

John Taylor drew closer, so that both men were walking
together along a little pathway. "So," Taylor said. "I see that
your partner, Lucille
Irwin
violated protocol and
showed my file to my girlfriend's parents. That was rather overstepping her
bounds, wasn't it?"

"Yeah? So? Make a complaint."

Taylor stopped suddenly, giving Lorenzo a crooked smile and
a shrewd knowing look. "I didn’t think you knew anything about it. Irwin
went off on her own, didn't she?" Taylor clearly read Lorenzo's expression
of chagrin. "Ha. I thought so. I bet you tore her a new one, didn’t you?
Well, good for you."

Lorenzo tried to maintain a disinterested face, but this
weird bastard was just a little too acute. How did he know? It was like he was
a mind-reader. Lorenzo said nothing.

"Anyway, I should make a complaint," Taylor
said, and his tone abruptly became fierce. "Your partner upset
Kelly."

Lorenzo slowed his walk in order to study Taylor's body
language.
Now that right there is the most honest and clear emotion I've
seen from the icy bastard,
Lorenzo thought.
Lucille upset Taylor's girl.
Interesting.

"My lawyer feels, as lawyers often do, that suing
the police bureau would be a good move," John Taylor added, once more
using that calm, unreadable expression of his. "Apparently I could have
her charged for some breach or another in the Privacy Act and she would lose
her job. It would all go to court, of course, and it would no doubt be pretty
ugly. If I did that, some of that dirt may just fall on you."

Lorenzo came to a full stop. "Listen Taylor, what
the fuck do you want? Are you trying to threaten me or something? Because I
don’t give a rats."

The truth was, Lorenzo did care. If this bastard went to
court, it would begin a long tedious investigative process with numerous
irritating and time wasting interviews - not unlike a witch hunt. No matter
what the outcome, it would end up looking bad on Lorenzo's record.

"Actually," Taylor added turning and starting
the long walk back to the police cruiser. "Now that I've cooled down I've
decided not to make an issue out of it. I was pretty happy to find out what was
in that file. It made fascinating reading."

"Is that right?" Lorenzo growled. "Well I
can't see how there would be any surprises. You ought to know what you've done,
unless you're getting a bit demented. Do you think dementia is setting in,
Taylor? Because maybe you should see a doctor. Oh, that's right, you'll have to
find one first. You already killed your shrink."

Taylor froze abruptly and unexpectedly, and even with a
totally emotionless expression, the well built, slightly taller man looked
scary.

Dangerous scary.

Lorenzo had to consciously prevent his hand from
instinctively moving toward his gun.
Wow. I sure pissed him off,
Lorenzo
thought.

They continued walking and Taylor returned to his normal,
inscrutable manner. When they got to the car, the drive back was silent once
more.
What the fuck? Why did this guy drag me out there anyway?
Lorenzo
wondered.
And why Holladay park? What was Taylor going to show me?

Lorenzo parked his car in the police parking lot. John
Taylor released his seat belt, making no move to get out of the cruiser.
Looking at Lorenzo, Taylor met his gaze, eye to eye. From his top pocket,
Taylor pulled out a USB stick.

"This is for you."

"Oh yeah?" Lorenzo said. "What is it? And
why didn’t the search warrant find it?"

Taylor just gave him raised eyebrows. "Listen to me
now, Lorenzo," he said in a tremendously compelling voice. "This
memory stick is full of information that no one has. It's extremely dangerous.
If I were you I would view it in my home, away from prying eyes. I would treat
it like high octane. Don't say I didn’t warn you."

"Oh, so we're on first name basis now are we?"

"Yeah. I don't know why, but I like you,
Lorenzo," John Taylor said. "I think you're a good cop."

Lorenzo's hollow laugh dripped with scorn. "Well
isn’t that flattering? The sociopathic killer likes me. Thanks so much."

Unperturbed, Taylor gave him a sardonic smile and got out
of the car. Taylor bent to look at Lorenzo through the open passenger door.
"Watch that and get back to me," he said.

"Why me?" Lorenzo said getting out of the
police cruiser and locking it.

Taylor unlocked his Mercedes with a beep, opened it and
got in. The driver's side electric window rolled down and Taylor leaned out of
the window slightly to speak. He waited for Lorenzo to come closer.

"You want to know why you? I'll tell you. Because
sometimes the best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to simply go
ahead and trust them."

Lorenzo frowned and a long moment passed while he
processed this cryptic little comment.
WTF? So Taylor, the animal torturing
killer has decided to trust me, huh? Why? Does he think I'll be flattered when
any normal man would be sickened?

"Are you listening to me, Lorenzo?" John asked
breaking the Detective's train of thought.

Something in Taylor's commanding voice or gaze snapped
Lorenzo into attention and he stared at the handsome compelling murderer
sitting in the classy car in front of him.

"You really need to hear this, Lorenzo," Taylor
said. "Only three people in the world have ever seen what's on that USB
stick. I'm one. You know the other, and the last one is dead, recently
murdered." Taylor's dark eyes stared into Lorenzo's intently, and Lorenzo
felt a chill of threat and foreboding. "You'll want to keep that in mind,
Lorenzo," Taylor said as the Mercedes purred to life.

"Hey, Taylor," Lorenzo spoke up as his suspect
put the car into gear. "Why Holladay park? What were you going to show
me?"

Taylor smiled broadly, and once more Lorenzo felt the
mesmerizing charm of that smile. Fuck me. The man was definitely a chick
magnet, Lorenzo decided.

"Oh," Taylor said in his deep, cultured voice.
"Why nothing at all, actually. It’s a nice day, Lorenzo. We went to the
park because I wanted you to have a chance to enjoy the weather, and a pleasant
outdoor walk in the sun. I thought you could use the break." Taylor's eyes
narrowed and he intently studied the Detective, as if testing that possibility
or uncovering all of Lorenzo's secrets. Then his lips twitched and he nodded.
"I was right, wasn't I?"

Lorenzo watched as his main suspect, John Taylor drove
off with his expensive clothes in his expensive sports car.

This shifty bastard is too acute,
Detective Lorenzo Martin thought.
Much too
aware
of everything and everyone.

Kelly sat at John's kitchen table fascinated.

John really was an unusual person. Tonight he had made a
kind of salad thing for dinner. It had fresh mango and cucumber in a bowl and
on top were giant shrimp that had been fried with ginger, chili and garlic.
Kelly who loved cooking was blown away. The meal was something she might have
made, except the price of fresh shrimp would have put her off buying it. John
had endless money so never thought like that.

"John," Kelly said bubbling with admiration
after her first bite. "You are amazing. I LOVE this. So yummy. I've never
tasted anything like it."

John smiled that smile of his that always made Kelly want
to melt. Even his dark brown eyes had a laugh in them. As per usual, John was
eye bleeding, lung collapsing, heart stopping, drop dead beautiful.

John was wearing a pair of blue jeans that accented his
trim hips and waist, not to mention his perfect butt. He was wearing a dark blue
button down shirt that he had tucked in, and his brown belt accented his
perfect physical proportions. Something about the open neck collar, with a
small scattering of chest hair drew her attention.

Kelly wanted to kiss that neck and chest. Jesus, the man
was simply gorgeous. And he had her heart completely.

"I thought you'd like it," John said. "It
is unique and creative, kind of like you, Kelly."

Kelly just grinned at him. John was constantly praising
and flattering her, but everything he said was completely sincere. He took her
breath away, and more surprisingly, he took her words away. How did someone
reply to a compliment as nice as that?

Kelly's phone rang and she swallowed her mouthful and
answered it when she saw that it was her older brother.

"Hey, Richard," she said. Kelly hadn't spoken
to her parents for two weeks. Richard was the intermediary, and her poor
brother hated being piggy in the middle.

"How are you doing?" Richard asked. "Any
news?"

Kelly had told Richard everything. Other than her sexual
kinks, she had never kept secrets from her big brother, and he returned the
favor. Richard knew the score. Maria Lopez's killer had to be found before that
female detective got off their case, although after John had threatened to sue all
had become strangely quiet.

Had John's father killed Maria Lopez and set John up? It
seemed likely, but why?

"Sorry, Richard," Kelly said. "No news,
except that John and I are formally engaged." Kelly looked at her daisy
ring that she was wearing on her left hand, and smiled across at John. He gave
her an intense possessive gaze of total ownership that made her catch her
breath. God the man was such a distraction.

"Good for you, Kelly," Richard said.
"Congratulations. I like him. Even in grade school he was weird, but he
wasn't an asshole. I understand now. It's amazing he turned out okay, with all
he went through. Anyway, I know how much he adores you. I don’t think anyone
could love you the way that man loves you, Kelly. You're the most important
person in the world to him, and that is just as it should be. He's protective,
too. Those security guards that follow you around are really something. But
there was a murder, and one can't be too careful. I am really, really happy for
you."

"Thanks, Richard." John was in the kitchen,
pouring himself a glass of mango juice. He lifted up a glass with a questioning
look and Kelly nodded.

"So," Richard said. "Mom and dad got your
second long newsy letter. I think they are chilling out a bit. This
estrangement can’t go on much longer - Dad will definitely crack. He misses you
so much. You know he has always liked you best, you little favorite."
Richard said this without any malicious intent or jealousy. Dad and Kelly had
always been close, probably because they had such similar, naturally upbeat
personalities. "Oh, Maria, Katrina and Jamie all send their love, too. Dad
asked me for John's phone number and I gave it to him."

John put a glass of mango juice on the table in front of
her and sat back down. Kelly smiled her thanks, and took a sip. Kelly had given
John's number to Richard in case he needed it. Her older brother, Richard, was
completely on Kelly and John's side. The unwavering trust Richard had in Kelly’s
judgment and the love he had for her, his little sister, warmed Kelly’s heart.

"I hope that's okay," Richard said.

"Oh," Kelly said. "I think that's a great
idea. I'll tell John." Kelly briefly explained what Richard had said.

With a considering expression, John nodded.

They didn’t chat long, as Richard had simply wanted to
warn John to expect a phone call. Kelly thanked Richard, told him she loved
him, and hung up. John's eyes were bright. He looked happy, and that made her
happy.

"It's all going to be okay, Kelly," John said.
"I know it will."

"Yes," she said. "Because living without
us being together is not an option."

Kelly had given notice at her apartment and had already
moved a lot of her stuff into John's house. It was stupid to have separate
dwellings, because they spent every minute together anyway. That would never
change. It may seem fast to some, but when it was right, it was right. There
was no reason to wait. Kelly knew that she genuinely was in love with John from
that first night they had spent together.

Kelly now looked at life as 'before John' and 'after
John.'

'Before John' was a stupid, pointless existence with
anxious petty problems it seemed to her. Kelly had spent so much time worrying
about what her mother said or thought. She had felt anxious about her
profession, needing to do something interesting that would be acceptable. She
also wasted time putting herself down, and being hyper critical of her boyish
body, her mouth, her manly jaw, her hair.

In the 'after John' Kelly knew what was really important.

John's constant genuine praise made her self-esteem soar.
Why had she been focused on her physical imperfections? And on what others
thought? Now she was considering continuing in a musical career, perhaps
joining a choir, because it was what she wanted to do. Not for the money, or her
mother – but because it was
her.
And as for her mother… well, everything
with her family would work out in time.

John had finished his meal. Kelly continued eating, while
John intently watched her take in each mouthful. There was unconcealed lust in
his eyes. Fuck could this man turn her on or what?

He was always the mind-reader, but she knew him pretty
well now, too.

John was studying her lips, and imagining his cock
sliding between them. John saw her awareness, and gave her a sexy, seductive
smile, an acknowledgment that she was right. John planned to have her on her
knees in front of the mirror in his bedroom, right after dinner. Yum. They
simply couldn’t get enough of each other. Ever. They were still screwing
probably twenty times a day. Would this mutual sexual craving and obsession of
theirs ever go away?

I sure hope not,
Kelly thought.
My life might be falling apart because I've disowned my
parents, my boyfriend is wanted for murder, and there is a psychopathic killer
out there who most likely has me on the top of his 'To-do' list. But other than
that – things couldn't be going better!