Complicated Ties (The Ties Trilogy (A Contemporary Erotic Romance Novel)) (18 page)

“Where to?”,

“Somewhere expensive Daniel”,

“Very well Miss”, knowing he was pulling my leg we enjoyed the journey across town.

“Shall we go topless Maddie?”,

“I am not taking my top and going topless”,

“No I mean the roof!”,

“I know Daniel, I'm just messing”, Daniel pressed a button on the dashboard and the roof retracted into the trunk.

Arriving outside the Armani exchange on Post Street,

“Just gonna pop in there and get Ant's tee shirts”,

“Sure Maddie, I'll be out here just in case a meter maid turns up”,

“Won't be long”.

Walking into the store it felt like I was out of place, a snooty salesperson came up to me,

“Can I help you Miss?”,

“Yeah, four tee shirts, black size medium, single breasted suit chest 40, pants 32”,

“Of course what color would you like the suit in?”,

“Gray and one in black”,

“Yes Ma'am”, moving towards the checkout I had the man wrap the suit before I left, Daniel would love the suit and it would be a surprise for him.

Popping my head out of the shop, Daniel was still waiting.

“Chanel is calling me, those handbags and dresses”,

“Knock yourself out Maddie, do you want those bags in the trunk?”, Daniel pushed another button and the trunk opened slowly.

“Yeah, but no peeking”, placing the bags carefully in the trunk and hiding Daniel's suit underneath.

“Promise, no peeking!”.

In and out of the Chanel shop with more bags, a little boy Chanel flap bag for a very cheap price, and a little black number that fitted me rather well.

The Barney Drug store was next, having to get a new toothbrush for me and Ant, the elderly gentleman being pleasant and jovial.

“Is there anything else you need little lady?”,

“Yeah some decent shavers, deodorant”,

“Sure, hold on a mo and I'll fetch some for you”, he came back with two packs of disposable razors and two cans of Axe.

“Thanks, how much do I owe you?”,

“$9.50 please”, handing him a ten dollar note and putting the fifty cent change into a charity box I left the drug store and headed back to the car.

“All done?”,

“Nearly, just need underwear now”, Daniel returned to his Agatha Christie book as I headed for Agent Provocateur to pick myself some neat looking underwear, then into Footlocker to get sweat pants and a pair of sneakers.

Eventually Daniel joined me in a small pet store where the smell of the pets made me long for my dogs,

“Shall we get some toys for the dogs?”,

“Yeah I'll get them Maddie”,

“You sure?, thanks Daniel

“Yeah, I want to treat them, it's the least I can do for you”,

An hour later we had arrived back at his penthouse laden with a dozen bags and packages, what I had not realized that a cream colored sedan had followed us, thinking nothing of it. It couldn't be the madman, his van had been found burnt out in Santa Monica with a body left in it.

Briefly after getting changed two police detectives were waiting in the living room as I emerged,

“You must be Miss White, This is Detective Ramirez and I'm Morris, we need to take a statement from you in regards to the events that led up to the death of your pet”,

“Sophie, her name was Sophie”,

“We understand that the events started with a phone call, then a box of dead roses and on several occasions a black vehicle following you. You do know that the van was found in Santa Monica burnt out”,

“Yeah, Daniel did mention it in passing, do you think it's over then?”,

“Quite possibly, but don't underestimate the man who was behind it, he could be pulling a fast one. We have yet to identify the body that was found in the van”,

“So what happens now then?”,

“We'll take your statement and then the postmortem on your dog will be completed by a police vet and we should get the results in a few days”.

“So when can I return to my own home Detective?”, although I was enjoying my time at Daniels, the need to go home was my priority.

“You can go home on Thursday once Forensics has completed their job”,

“Sure, I’ll have to wait then shan’t I?'.

The Detectives left the penthouse and Daniel had lunch ready for us on the dining table,

“Hungry?”,

“Well after the shopping spree that we endured I suppose I am”,

“Tuck in then!”, Daniel led me to the table where sandwiches had been prepared, an array of platters with neatly arranged sandwiches and cold meats, my tongue salivating at it all,

“I've got work at 4, should be back around 6, I need to get my head out of this shit that has happened the last few days”,

“Yeah but it could be over you know, that asshole could be Mr Crispy in that van”,

“Will you order out tonight, I fancy Cantonese”,

“Sure Maddie, Cantonese it is then”,

“Don’t forget the fortune cookies Daniel”,

“Well we don't want to forget them do we?”, Daniel placed his hand on mine.

“This week has been an experience you know”,

“Yeah I know sweetheart, I can't thank you enough for putting us up, I do hope we haven't put you out Daniel?”,

“No Maddie, your always welcome in my home and one of these days I'll take you to my home in Malibu, right on the edge of a cliff”, he held my hand tighter but still with the softness that betrayed his feelings.

“It all started with that little meeting we had, all those days ago, someone who caught my eye in the right way”,

“Caught your eye Daniel?, anyway things to do sweetie”,

“Yeah things to do, be careful would you, even though they think this psycho is dead I want you to be careful today, I wouldn't know what to do if anything happened to you”,

“Shh!, remember our arrangement...it's just sex nothing else ok?”, Daniel looked into my eyes and I knew what he was thinking.

“Yeah I know Maddie, have a good day would you?”,

By the time we had finished the big lunch it was 3:30 and heading across the parking lot, got into my Evoque and driving the long way around town to think about what I could get Daniel as a little thank you.

Pulling onto the street where United Watch Services stood and entering the store I knew what I wanted to buy Daniel, a watch but not any watch, a Rolex President.

Having the store clerk engrave the back with Daniel's initials and thanks for everything you have done for me Maddie x, made it special, the store clerk placed the watch carefully in its box.

As I sat in my car, the watch reflecting myself as I looked at it,

'Hope he likes it',
the thought running through my head, he would like it because it was Daniel and he had good taste.

Locking the box in my glove compartment and heading to Eden Hills across the midtown traffic, parked in my usual spot I pulled out my phone and called Lisha,

“Hey Lish, Just thought I let you know I'll be around 8 tonight”,

“You ok Mad?”,

“Yeah just got to work, thought I let you know the police came earlier to take a statement and let me know about the postmortem”,

“Don't worry about it, I'll see you later ok?”,

“Sure Lish, say hello to your dad for me”. The buzzing noise of the end of the call filled my ear as I got out of my car and locked the doors.

The clouds had come across the sun which cast a dull shadow across the street, my keys in my hand as I walked towards the main gates that led to work, a good looking man walked past me with a small Chihuahua with the cutest looking pink tee shirt on, the man smiled at me as he walked past,

“Good Afternoon Miss”,

“Yeah it is isn’t it?” as I opened the gates to the vets, a highly polished white van with AT&T blazoned on the side drove past me and pulled up by a telegraph pole

'Probably doing repairs, the phones have played up recently'
, the thought interrupted by a horn blaring from a car who was stuck behind a milk truck across the road.

As the gates opened I could hear footsteps behind me but thought nothing of it and without warning I felt a hand come around my face and pull me behind the wall of the parking lot.

“Fucking move and I'll kill you Maddie White”, my reply didn't come as a needle was stuck in my back. Beginning to fall in and out of consciousness and hearing a van pulling into the lot and the side door opening, a conversation between the man who had restrained me and the man by the van.

“Is she hurt?”,

“No she's not, but this is gonna cost you more”,

“More?, I fucking paid you enough damn money,  just put her in the van would you”.

Feeling the man grab me underneath my arms and being pushed onto the floor I could not speak, the liquid which had been injected into me had begun to take its toll on me, the sensation of pins and needles running down my back, unable to move or speak; what I heard next chilled me to the bone,

“Like I told you, it will cost you more”,

“Unfortunately I believe our arrangement has come to an end, you had a simple task of finding someone who looked like me and make it difficult to identify the body, but no you didn’t. You're a fucking schmuck who can’t set fire to a van and make sure the   the police think I was dead. You simply cannot find the staff nowadays. Simple enough isn’t it?”, hearing a clicking noise and then what sounded like a firecracker being set off and then a thump as the arrangement between them had come to an end.

“Fucking schmuck, here's your extra money”, the fluttering noise of dollar bills move across the floor as the wind picked up and the clouds became gray.

“Now Miss White are you sitting comfortably? Good”,

“Unfortunately you cannot answer me as the liquid that was injected into your bloodstream has paralyzed you from the neck down and immobilized your vocal cords”,

“We're going on a little journey where I shall have a little fun with you, how did it feel to know at every moment I was there, watching and waiting”,

“What no answer?, now that's just how I like my women to be. Fucking seen and not heard!”.

“And for my next trick, you shall sleep awhile, I don't want you to know where we are going Miss White but the probability of your return to work is slim, we're going to have some fun Miss White, lots of fun!”.

The glint of the syringe as it came towards me, wanting to scream but couldn't, the madman behind the mask pulled my arm up and inserted the needle into me, not feeling anything,
‘Oh please God don’t let me die, Daniel where are you, I need you’
, the single thought merging into unconsciousness.

“Good night Miss White, I shall see you later”.

J.A.Roberts-Parkes lives in South Wales with her husband, four dogs, three cats and two budgies. She spends her time writing and visiting the beach which is only five minutes from her house. Complicated Ties is her first novel but not her last.