Their Seductress [The Hot Millionaires #1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (14 page)

“Can’t do it,” Weir said. “Don’t have enough to justify it. I like him for it, too, but don’t have a hope in hell of proving it as things stand. We need to give him some rope. Let him think he’s gotten away with it and see what shakes loose.”

Isaac hung up, in a foul temper. That Weir was right did little to improve his mood. Right now, Paige was their only hope.

“Remember,” he said that evening, clutching her by the shoulders and forcing her to look directly at him. “No risks. Better to find out nothing than put yourself in danger.”

“It’ll be fine.” Paige twisted out of his grasp. “Go and hide in the camera room. He’ll be here soon.”

“She can look after herself,” Nick said as they trudged to the back door of the garage. “And if she gets into trouble, we can be there in seconds.”

It was true but didn’t make Isaac feel much better. His deep feelings for Paige, his determination to keep her safe, surprised even him. She was his, even if she wasn’t ready to accept it yet, and Isaac wasn’t in the habit of hiding behind a woman and letting her take all the risks.

He glanced at her on the camera as she paced the den, waiting for Talbot to arrive. She wore tight-fitting jeans that showcased her endless legs and tight butt, with a high-necked top tucked into them, making it hard for Talbot to get near naked flesh.

Or so Isaac hoped.

The bell rang.

“Show time,” Paige said to the camera, grinning.

“Be careful!” Isaac yelled, even though she couldn’t hear him.

She escorted Talbot into the den. As with Mel the night before, he sat exactly where they wanted him to, watching Paige’s butt as she poured drinks and sat beside him.

“Thanks for coming,” she said.

“No sweat. Can’t have you getting all lonely here on your own.”

“Nick’s around some of the time.”

Talbot scowled. “I’ll just bet he is.”

“He does live here on Ellie’s boat.”

“Don’t know why Ellie put so much trust in the guy. No one knows much about him.”

“Ellie obviously felt comfortable with him, and she was a good judge of character.”

“I guess Fuller will be out of work now,” Talbot said, smirking. “The gravy train’s come to an end.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, Ellie doesn’t need a skipper for her boat now, does she?”

Paige winced. “Lawson hasn’t said anything about him leaving.”

“Presumably the family will wait until after the funeral.”

“Have you heard when that will be?”

“No, I don’t think the police have released the body yet.”

“Oh, why’s that?” Paige asked.

Isaac and Nick shared a brief smile. Her innocence was pretty convincing, and she’d gotten him straight onto the subject they needed to discuss.

“No idea.” He took a long gulp of his drink. “You wanted to show me the papers for the Savage campaign?”

His determination to change the subject put Isaac on full alert.

“I think your guy in London has gone too far with this,” she said, producing some papers and handing them to him, waiting as he flipped through them. “Savage is an ex-politician who got caught having an affair. We need to reinvent him. I get that, but trying to paint him as whiter than white just won’t work. People aren’t stupid. They know what he did but don’t really give a damn.”

“Then how would you play it?”

“I’d let his bad behaviour be his
cause
célèbre
. People will know who he is because of it, so it doesn’t need to be mentioned.”

“Focus on his business ventures, make subtle allusions to his political background and the things he achieved in office. Things which make him the right man to see those ventures through. Is that what you mean?” Talbot paused, stroking his chin. There were many things about him that Isaac disliked, but he was a damned good advertising director. That was why Ellie had forgiven his transgressions so often. “You know, I think you might have something there.”

“He doesn’t need to be photographed with scantily clad women. It’s the wrong approach. I mean, he’s not exactly a sex symbol. He probably was only able to attract the woman he had an affair with because he was a political figure with his finger on the pulse of government. Power is an aphrodisiac, so I’m told,” she said with a faint smile.

“Is it now?” He chuckled, and his eyes lingered on her profile as though he wanted to pursue that tenet. Something in her expression obviously decided him against it. “Leave it with me, and I’ll see what we can work up.”

“Thanks, Peter. I appreciate it.”

“Nothing’s too much trouble for you.” Talbot’s smarmy smile made Isaac cringe.

“I can see why Ellie rated you so highly.”

“Oh, Ellie and I understood one another very well.” Isaac shared a glance with Nick. What the hell was that supposed to mean? Nick spread his hands, like he had no idea either. “Nice house, this,” he said.

“Have you been here before?”

“Only to a couple of parties.” He shifted a little closer to Paige. “Must say, I’m surprised that you’re staying here, knowing how close you and Ellie had become. Don’t you find it distressing?”

“I wasn’t sure if I’d be up to it, but somehow it gives me comfort.”

“I can do that,” he said, reaching for her.

“I knew it,” Isaac hissed. “The bastard hasn’t been here for five minutes and he can’t keep his clammy hands to himself.” He reached for the door. “I’m going in there.”

“Give it a moment,” Nick said. “Give Paige a chance. She can handle him.”

“Two minutes,” Isaac said, grinding his teeth. “That’s all he gets.”

Paige fended Talbot off by holding out one hand. “I can’t,” she said. “Nothing personal, but this is Ellie’s house, and it wouldn’t be right.”

“You’re a beautiful, sensual woman, Paige, but I guess you already know that. You must have been told enough times.”

“Thanks,” she said. “But I still can’t seem to…” She flapped her hands at the room in general and let her words trail off.

“I’ll soon make you forget about this being Ellie’s house. About everything except—”

Isaac growled, pointing to the bulge in Talbot’s pants. “Just try it, buster,” he said aloud, clenching his fists. “Give me an excuse. That’s all I ask.”

“All the time Ellie’s murderer’s at large, I can’t think about anything else.” Paige covered her mouth with her hand. “I hope that’s not why you thought I asked you here. Did I give you the wrong idea?”

Isaac chuckled at her display of naïveté. “Attagirl!” he muttered.

“We’d better hope that the police get their act together then,” he said with a heavy sigh. “Right now I don’t think they could find their way up their own backsides even with a torch to light the way.”

“Charming,” Nick said. “He has such a way with words.”

“He’s a smarmy jerk who needs bringing down a peg or six,” Isaac stated emphatically.

“Don’t they have any suspects?” Paige asked.

“Give me a kiss and I’ll tell you.”

“Peter, be serious.”

“I was.” Her forbidding expression elicited a long exhalation from her guest. “Oh, all right then. Obviously Ellie was killed by someone she knew. She was a dominatrix, so it seems most likely that someone from that life was at odds with her.”

Isaac and Nick exchanged a glance. “Why?” Isaac asked. “How did he work that one out?”

“Why?” Paige unconsciously echoed. “And how did they get into the office without being detected?”

Talbot shrugged. “Anyone can get in there, especially at lunchtime, if they really want to.” His gaze rested on Paige’s profile. “You didn’t seem surprised when I said she was a dominatrix. Did you know?”

“Say
no,
” Isaac willed.

“Yes,” Paige said.

Isaac and Nick both groaned.

Talbot twitched a brow. “Through personal experience?”

“Ellie didn’t make a secret of a personal life.”

“She didn’t advertise it either.”

“So how did you know?”

Talbot wagged a finger beneath Paige’s nose. “I asked first.”

“She gave me some advice once when she was in London and I was having man trouble.” Paige shrugged. “It sort of came up in conversation.”

“Drake’s brother?”

Isaac ground his teeth so hard this time that he thought he might actually crack them.

“Yes,” Paige said quietly. “Isaac’s brother. He died, you know.”

“You don’t have much luck, do you, sweetheart.” He reached out a hand and gently stroked the curve of Paige’s face. “I wish you’d let me comfort you.”

“So, who do you think did it?” Paige asked, phrasing her earlier question a different way and not, Isaac was disgusted to notice, flinching from Talbot’s touch. “Come on, you must have some idea.”

“I really don’t have a clue. The police have questioned us all, but as far as I know, none of us are suspects.”

“There was a directors’ meeting that day?”

“Yes, it broke up right before lunch.”

“Did you all lunch together?”

“No, sweetheart, we all got out of there as soon as we could.” He laughed, removing his hand from her face and dropping it onto her thigh. “It was an acrimonious meeting, and we’d all had more than enough of one another’s company.”

“Oh, I see.”

“Tell his to move his fucking hand,” Isaac muttered, “or I’ll come in there and move it for him.”

“I had a quick lunch upstairs.”

“Who with?”

Talbot grimaced. “No one. I never lunch alone, but that day I did. To tell you the truth, I was hoping to see Sue up there.”

Paige elevated both brows. “Ellie’s Sue?”

“Sue was in demand that day,” muttered Nick.

“Yeah. I’ve been trying to coax her into having a drink with me. I thought I was getting somewhere and wanted to consolidate my progress over lunch. Unfortunately she wasn’t up there that day. Apparently someone from the general office was leaving, and she went to the party.” Talbot shrugged. “Just my luck.”

Isaac smirked. “She wasn’t at a party, you arrogant prick,” he said aloud. “She was getting herself fucked by another woman.”

“She’s married, isn’t she?” Paige said.

Talbot chuckled. “So am I.”

When Paige got up to refill their glasses, Talbot followed her ass with his gaze, rubbing his erection through his pants. Isaac had had just about enough of him and was ready to commit murder.

“Calm down,” Nick said, placing a hand on his arm. “She’s doing all right without us.”

The next moment Talbot sprang up from his seat and wrapped his arms round Paige from behind.

“That’s it!” Isaac fumed.

“Let me go, Peter,” Paige said in a firm tone. “I’m not interested.”

“Sure you are,” he said, nudging her rear with his erection. “You’re uptight and upset, but I can fix both those things.”

“Let me go,” Nick said, reaching for the door. “It won’t take two of us, and we don’t want you blowing your cover.”

“Go then!” Isaac gave him a shove.

Nick sauntered through the back door as though he’d just walked up the dock from the boat.

“Paige, where are you?”

“Damn!” Talbot immediately released her.

“In here, Nick.”

“Didn’t know he was around.” Talbot said nastily. “Got a little thing going with him, have you?”

“He lives here. Anyway, there’s nothing little about Nick.” She linked her arm though his as he entered the room, and kissed his lips. “Hey,” she said, “I wondered where you were.”

“I need to get going,” Talbot said. “Thanks for the drink, Paige.”

“I think that’s probably a good idea,” Nick said, following him to the door and closing it firmly behind him.

Isaac appeared as soon as he’d gone.

“That went well,” he said.

“I hate to admit it, but I believed him,” Paige said.

Nick nodded. “I did, too. He wasn’t lying.”

“Unfortunately I have to agree.” Isaac turned toward Paige, caressing her with his eyes. “You all right?”

“Yeah, just glad he’s gone.” She sighed. “Okay, two down and one to go.”

“Can’t we just tell Weir what we know?” Nick asked. “If Melanie and Talbot didn’t do it, it must have been Mike.”

Isaac shook his head. “Not necessarily. Those were three possible suspects, but it could have been anyone else. Talbot’s right. It’s not that difficult to get onto the floor at lunchtime if you really want to.”

“So you’ve invited Mike round for tomorrow,” Paige said.

“Yeah, he’s agreed to come.”

Nick moved into the kitchen. “I’ll start dinner.”

“What would you like to do tonight?” Isaac asked Paige.

“Well,” she said, encompassing both men with her eyes and licking her lips. “That karada. You mentioned something about a rope that goes round the crotch.” The two men exchanged a glance.