Searching



Sergey sighed with exasperation and typed another string into the search engine on his computer. He was hopeless at this. Oh, he understood computers pretty well, but when it came to working out where to look for particular data, he always got lost.
Richard had just come into the room. He laughed at the groans and growls his friend was making as he worked.
“I just came in to see if you’re still on for tennis tonight, but it seems you’re caught up in something,” he laughed.






“I’m too busy tonight. I’m still trying to see if I can find anything about Suzanne and Irissa’s past. I know that the name they use is fake and I don’t know where to look to track down the truth. There has to be someone out there who knows Irissa. She must have a father somewhere.
“Sergey, her mother is a whore. Who knows who got her pregnant? Or if she even knows....” Richard pointed out.
“I know that. But I have to try. I want her away from Suzanne and the Cappelli’s. She’s a sweet kid and deserves more,” Sergey sighed.
“Ask Brooke to help you. She can track down anyone,” Richard suggested.
Sergey looked at once interested and discomfited. Richard grinned to himself. He had mentioned the pretty young detective deliberately. He had noticed Sergey’s eyes on her a few times. He stepped to the door and called.







Brooke Shand came into the room feeling curious. Richard Martin gestured to his partner then sat on the sofa.
“Sergey needs your help with something.”
Brooke felt the colour rise in her cheeks as she turned her attention to the older detective.
“Umm, what can I do for you, Detective Solarin?” she asked, keeping her voice calm and professional, in spite of the way her traitorous mind put a different inflection on the words.
Sergey indicated that she should sit down.
“I need to try to find some information. I need to find out where a particular woman came from. Who her family are...” he began.
Brooke’s heart dropped a little, but she kept listening.




“She’s one of the Cappelli’s whores. She uses a false name. I need to find where she came from. Track down her roots,” Sergey continued.
“She has a child and Sergey wants to get the girl to a safe place,” Richard added.
“Oh. Yes, I can try to help you. Just give me all the details you have,” Brooke said.
“I’d be very grateful,” Sergey told her.





She stood up with every intention of going to work straight away, but Sergey hadn’t moved and she found herself standing so close to him that she could feel the heat of his body and smell his saving lotion. Colour rose in her cheeks again.
“This is really good of you, Brooke,” Sergey said awkwardly.


“Really, it isn’t a big deal,” Brooke said. “I’ll get on it right now.”
She almost ran from the room, catching a glimpse of the wicked grin on Richard’s face.




“That was hilarious,” Richard laughed at his friend. “You two are so hot for each other the air was practically crackling. You should ask her out.”
“Don’t be absurd,” Sergey said gruffly. “She’s too young.”
“No she’s not. You make it sound like you are an old man.”
Sergey scowled. He felt it, sometimes. And in terms of dating women, he had been with out with only two since his wife died and those had been disasters. He had still been mourning too much and the women had sensed his lack of real interest.






Brooke returned to her desk trembling slightly. The first thing she did was to check the personnel records and take a note of an address. Then she looked at the data Sergey had given her and opened up her computer. She would have this information in no time.

Secrets



Suzanne dressed as soon as Irissa left for school the next morning and went out to the car. She had lain awake all night thinking about how to deal with her problem. A solution had come to mind, but she needed help.
At the club Sandy was waiting for her. The girl had been phoning her every night since the Baxter incident and Suzanne knew that the younger woman was wrapped around her finger. She had kept her sweet with love talk and promises of some private time together.
Which she had not intended keeping, until now. Sandy knew everything that went on in the underworld of Darksprings, but generally kept closed mouthed about her knowledge.
“Marco isn’t in yet, so we have some time together before the club opens,” Suzanne beamed, pulling Suzanne to one of the upstairs rooms.




“I thought you weren’t really going to come over,” Sandy breathed as Suzanne wrapped her arms around her and kissed her.
Suzanne kissed her, long and sweet, her tongue circling and teasing inside Sandy’s mouth. The younger woman whimpered with pleasure and clung to Suzanne.
Remembering everything that had evoked pleasurable reactions the last time they had been together, Suzanne cold bloodedly brought Sandy to the brink before whispering,
“I need you, Sandy. I need your help...”
Sandy gasped in frustration and need.
“Later...anything...don’t stop... oh yes...like that...” she moaned.
“Promise?” Suzanne insisted.
“I promise... SUZANNE!”





Suzanne used her fingers and tongue to satisfy Sandy then and twice more after. The blonde woman looked up at her in dazed pleasure.
“I love you,” Sandy told her. “No one has ever made me feel like you do.”
Suzanne smiled triumphantly to herself. Her natural sex appeal did not just work on men.


She let Sandy turn her onto her back and return the favour. On their last encounter she had been surprised to find that she could take pleasure from a woman and Sandy’s touch was very adept.
She left some time later with a telephone number in her purse. A dangerous telephone number that Sandy had been reluctant to give her, afraid that she was putting herself in danger.



Back at home Suzanne dialled the number and arranged a rendezvous.

Courage




Brooke finished up for the day. Most of the dayshift had already gone. She closed down her computer and tidied her cubicle and headed for home.
As soon as she got home she logged on to her home computer, using the disk she had brought from the office and spent an hour checking the last of her data. Finally she stood up and switched off the computer. She was sure Sergey had not intended her to invest her private time in the request he had made, but she had the information he wanted. Now, if she had the courage....





She went to the wardrobe and pulled out a dress. It showed of her legs and the colour suited her well, but... It looked too much like she was going clubbing.




She pulled on a pair of jeans and a pretty but very low cut top with some very sexy detail..... Too obvious, she sighed.




“Far too office like,” she thought, checking out her next choice. Boring. She wanted something sexy but not tarty. Damn why was this so hard. She hadn’t spent this much time deciding what to wear since she was a teen.





“This one,” she thought. “Casual but sexy. Shows off my legs. I’ve seen him looking at girls legs. Doesn’t look like I’m trying too hard.”
Then she laughed ironically to herself.
Like turning up at his house didn’t look like she was interested?
It was a personal favour he had asked, though.


Be Mine



“Enough!” Sergey laughed as Ladislaus thumped him again with a pillow. “I’m not coming home early again if you’re going to attack me. You could do something constructive and make dinner while I shower.”
“Not a chance. I did it last night. I’m for a swim while you cook,” Ladislaus retorted.
Sergey sighed.
“Slave driver. Spaghetti ok?”
“Fine. I’m not fussy. Well I wouldn’t need to be with your cooking,” Ladislaus grinned.
“Brat! I should let you starve,” Sergey retorted amiably, walking towards the stairs.




“Excuse me?” A voice called nervously.
A young woman walked into the garage, looking apprehensive.
“Are you lost?” Ladislaus asked.
“I’m looking for Sergey Solarin,” the woman replied.





Ladislaus looked at the woman with new interest. She was pretty hot. It was about time his dad had some female interest in his life. Besides his friendships with Amarose and Irissa.
“He’s upstairs cooking dinner,” Ladislaus told her.
“Maybe I should leave it...” the woman sounded very nervous.
“Are you a friend of his?” Belatedly Ladislaus realised he should find out who the hot woman was.
“A work colleague,” she nodded.
“Why don’t you just go on up?” Ladislaus suggested.






Grinning Ladislaus got into the pool. Having that swim would give his dad and the babe some time to talk.




Sergey had showered and changed and was en route to the kitchen when he heard footsteps that were too delicate to be his son’s on the stairs. When Brooke walked into the room he felt his face break into an idiot grin.
“Hi! What are you doing here?” He asked.
“I found that information you wanted. You seemed to think it was pretty urgent, so I brought it over,” she said.
Sergey looked surreptitiously at her. She had let her hair down and the clothes she was wearing were nothing like the sensible ensembles she wore in work. Was he being optimistic in thinking that she might have come over for reasons other than just delivering the information? After all, she must have looked up his address...



“So you know where she came from? What else did you find?” Sergey asked.
“I have a print out and a disk. It wasn’t easy to trace all her movements. She’s had a colourful life. It was only possible because she has had several run ins with the Police in several states,” Brooke told him.
“Look, I’m about to cook dinner. Stay and we can talk,” Sergey suggested.
During dinner the conversation did not touch once on the file or the Galloways. Sergey and Brooke found themselves chatting first about food, then a host of other subjects. Brooke quickly found herself relaxed and comfortable in his company.




Ladislaus appeared partway through the meal, before his own food had gone completely cold. The boy gave her the same warm welcome as he had downstairs, which surprised and pleased her. Knowing how he had lost his mother Brooke had wondered if he would be resentful of his father having female friends.
In fact Ladislaus’ arrival at the table relaxed things even further. The boy laughed, chatted and joked with both his father and Brooke.
“You guys go sit down, I’ll clean up,” he said cheerfully when they had finished.
Brooke noticed that he disappeared to his room as soon as he had finished.



Brooke couldn’t remember later how they came to be sitting so close, or when he took her hand and leaned his head on her shoulder. She slipped her arm across his shoulders. It felt natural and comfortable.





He turned to her and pulled her into his arms.
“You really came just to deliver the file?” He teased gently.
“Why else?” She smiled.





He kissed her then, tentatively, as if still uncertain of her reaction. Brooke could almost have laughed if it hadn’t been so sweet and so much what she wanted. Big strong Detective Solarin nervous of kissing a woman.
Very quickly, though, the uncertainty was gone and he was kissing her passionately. Her stomach flipped and he shifted his weight and lowered her back onto the sofa.




Sergey whispered her name as he lowered his weight on to her and sought her lips again. For what seemed like hours they held each other and were lost in the exploration of each other’s lips and mouths. Brooke felt like a teenager for the second time that night, engaged in the long make out session.
At some point the kisses slowed and they held each other close. Sergey slipped down full length along the sofa, drawing her down beside him, just holding her.




The sound of someone moving around roused them from sleep. It was morning and Ladislaus was preparing to go to school. Sergey sat up and pulled her onto his lap.
“I want to do this again,” he whispered against her ear.
Surprising herself with her daring she whispered back,
“So do I, but I’d like to sleep in the bed next time.”
Sergey didn’t answer, but crushed her against him and kissed her neck.
Brooke’s heart was singing in her chest.


Sold Out





The atmosphere in the house was strange when Irissa came home from school. Suzanne was sitting on the sofa with a strange expression on her face. It was Irissa’s night off so she considered going to her room for the evening. Experience told her that if she did, though, it would be another fight. She would be accused of ‘skulking in her room in a huff’.



She settled down to do her homework. The atmosphere was thick and there was an uncomfortable sensation between her shoulder blades, as if she was being watched.
As she finished up, confidant that she had done a good job, Suzanne came to sit opposite her. Irissa felt the strange energy entity forming around the room. Coalescing at the breakfast bar. The smile on Suzanne’s face seemed forced and unnatural.






“You’ve worked hard tonight, and you have the night off. I’ve got some extra money. How do you fancy we get dressed up and go out for a meal? I’ve heard that new restaurant downtown is really nice,” Suzanne smiled.






Torn between her discomfort at her mother’s strange friendliness and her desire to avoid another argument Irissa forced a smile to her face.
“Sounds great,” she enthused.
She changed quickly into the one formal dress she owned and joined her mother at the car. Suzanne already had the engine started. She smiled brightly as Irissa got into the car.




At the restaurant they were greeted by name, as if the table had been reserved. Irissa’s uncertainty had increased the moment they had entered the tall building.
Something on the ground floor as they had reached the bottom of the stairs had made her fell worried and a little afraid. Trying to push the feelings aside she had followed her mother up the stairs to the plush dining room.






Zara Ottaker sat with her parents, discussing the menu and the restaurant. It was her father’s birthday and they were out to celebrate. She noticed Irissa come in, but the other girl did not see her. There was a slightly worried look on her face as she passed Zara’s table.




The Ottakers made their selection and called to the waiter, who took their order. Mariam Ottaker turned the conversation once again to her daughter’s upcoming prom night and the fact that she would need a new formal gown.
“And how much is it going to set me back this time?” Aron teased. “No doubt there will also be new shoes and a ridiculously priced purse big enough to hold a lipstick and a tissue.”




Suzanne made small talk with her daughter, but Irissa felt that she was tense and she kept looking at the door, as if she were expecting someone. Irissa felt her own nervousness increase.





They had been sitting for some fifteen minutes when a well dressed Oriental man appeared at their table. Suzanne greeted him enthusiastically. She rose from the table and she and the man moved a short distance away and began to converse in low tones.





The man came to sit at the table with them.
“This is Mr Han, an associate of mine, Irissa. He was keen to meet my family,” Suzanne said in her false bright voice. Irissa looked at the man and forced a smile to her face. Associate? Client? Or whatever word her mother used. Irissa felt her flesh creep at the man’s presence.
Mr Han studied Irissa coolly as he began to make conversation with her. Irissa felt much as she had when Marco had been checking her out. Like a slab of meat laid out in a butcher’s shop.
“Your mother tells me you work hard at school. What subjects do you study?” He asked.
Irissa answered quietly, feeling that she was being tested and that he was mentally recording her answers for future perusal.





His next questions made her even more uncomfortable. He asked her how many boyfriends she had had, how many boys she knew, did they treat her respectfully. As Irissa had never dated anyone her answers were repetitive, but her persisted, as if he didn’t believe her.
She glanced at her mother, hoping that she would tell this creepy man to back off, but Suzanne continued to eat, a placid smile on her face.




For a second she lost all feeling of time and place. She was sitting on the beach with her teacher.
“You are in danger, Irissa. You must get away from here,” he warned her.
“I was getting that impression,” Irissa replied dryly.
Mr Han leaned close to Suzanne and began to speak to her in low tones, too quietly for Irissa to hear. Suzanne smiled like a Cheshire cat.




Irissa stood up and began to walk away from the table Suzanne stepped in front of her, barring her way.
“Where are you going, Sweetie?” She asked.
“Powder room,” Irissa replied.
Suzanne smiled and let her go.




On her way to the powder room Irissa checked out the layout of the restaurant. She really wanted to leave, to get outside and away from here, but the only way out was down the stairs, which meant going past her mother and the unpleasant Mr Han. If they tried to stop her it would draw attention to them.
“You are a million miles away, Irissa. Penny for your thoughts,” The girl standing beside her said.
“Zara! Oh I don’t think they would be worth that much,” Irissa replied glibly.
Zara looked up sharply.
“I see you and your mother...is it your mother? ... are dining with Mr Han. He has a nice restaurant, don’t you think?”
“This is his restaurant?” Irissa gasped.






“Irissa, are you all right? You’ve gone chalk white!” Zara gasped.
“I need to get out of here,” Irissa replied in a small voice.
“You look terrified. Tell me what’s happening!” Zara demanded.
The look in Irissa’s eyes worried her. Whatever was wrong was serious.
“I think I’m in real trouble. My mother and Mr Han are up to something.”





Zara scowled. She knew what Irissa’s mother was. It was known all over the town and some parents had warned their kids away from Irissa because of that, but Zara’s parents never judged people by their background.
“Come out to our table. We’ll keep you safe. I’ll get my parents to leave now and you can come with us,” Zara offered.
Irissa bit her lip, frowning. Was she being stupid and melodramatic? Really, why was she so afraid? How could she explain to Zara’s nice, normal family that she was scared that he mother and the restaurant owner were involved in some kind of conspiracy against her?
Her fears were not logical.
Zara looked earnestly at her.





A series of sharp reports from outside the bathroom startled both girls.
“What was that?” Zara gasped.
Irissa became even paler. She had heard sounds like that twice before.
“It sounds like gunfire!” She replied, her voice dropping to a whisper.
There was a repeat of the sounds, several shots.
This time, listening for the sounds, Zara had to agree with Irissa. It sounded very like the gunfire she had heard in TV movies.




Zara clung to Irissa.
“What’s going on out there?” she cried. “What do we do.”