Blood Money (Bad Money #1) Read online

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pad of paper before nodding to the barstool next to him. "Mind if I sit down?"

  "Help yourself."

  He slid onto the seat and pressed his forearms against the wood, his eyes moving across her pretty features. She was model material, the perfect pin-up for all the boys to groan and lose their loads to. Chances are she knew that good and well.

  "How long have you owned the bar?"

  "Couple of years. Gift from my old man."

  "Thought you were a run-away."

  "I was. My stepfather watched me sleep every night and licked his lips every time I walked in the room when I was a girl. I left before he could touch me. It was just a matter of time." She shrugged as if her heart-breaking story were simply a fact of life. "Marcus found my biological father about three years ago. The old man pulled me off the street and gave me and Marcus a place to work."

  "Marcus is?"

  "My dad passed not long after that and the deed to the place went in my name." She picked up another towel and started drying glasses, steam lifting in front of her and somehow making her appear more ethereal.

  "Marcus is?"

  "He's my partner."

  "Your boyfriend?"

  "That's none of your business nor does it have anything to do with why you're here. Stick to the script. I have lots to do today and I've been acquitted. Unless there is new evidence..." Her voice dropped off as a smirk lifted Jon's lips. Pretty, ballsy and smart.

  "The DNA came back with yours and Adam's blood mixed together. Your gun wasn't used, but the murder weapon hasn't been found yet. Your story seems to be consistent, but I'd like to hear it again."

  "Don't you have a partner you should be working on this case with?"

  "Why do you ask?"

  "Because it seems odd that you would be working on it alone."

  "His name’s Seth and he's too much of a pretty boy to be involved in things this dark and tainted." Jon shrugged, enjoying the expression on her face more than he should.

  "Sounds hot." She smirked and turned the conversation. "The murder weapon wasn't found because it's still tucked in the back of the mother fucker who did its pants. Find him and you'll find the weapon."

  "Give me details."

  "He was your brother. You want to hear how I held him as he died? How he didn't have a life before that because your parents were assholes? How about that? That what you came for officer?"

  "I haven't ruled out anything yet, Miss Jarret. You're still very much a suspect and the only one with the victim when he bled out. Play your games, but it will be me who is your judge and jury."

  She tilted her head to the side, her hair covering her shoulder as her eyes narrowed. His body hardened as she glared at him. What was it with this woman?

  "Do you think by referring to Adam as 'the victim' that you can stay clearheaded in finding his murderer?"

  "Did you kill my brother, Miss Jarret?"

  "It's Kate and of course not. He was a friend of mine."

  "Then tell me what happened that night." Jon put his pen down, leaning in and watching the bombshell closely.

  "She's already given her statement to the cops. Pull the record and stop wasting your time and hers." Marcus's voice sounded by the back door, the large man walking in and heading toward the bar.

  He was quite a bit bigger than Jon, but he didn't flinch or respond other than looking back over his shoulder.

  "Marcus the partner boyfriend, I suppose?" Jon called out to the other man, his impression of the giant less than positive. The big guy was a thug. The teardrop tattoos under his right eye screamed of gang activity, his size of steroids.

  "Who I am is irrelevant. I was in the club with a million alibis and Kate's story checks out. So... get out." Marcus moved to stand beside Jon, the look on his face a serious warning. Jon pretended not to notice.

  "The lady let me in and until she tells me to leave, I'm not." Jon looked up at him as if Marcus was a fifteen-year-old kid bitching about a hangnail.

  "Marcus, it's okay. Let me just answer his questions and then he'll go."

  Jon looked over at Kate as he tapped his pen on the wooden tabletop before him. "The lady is right. I'm not trying to mess up your Sunday afternoon. Just trying to do my job."

  "Are you new on the case because your questions are old and tired. They have a file of all the shit they asked."

  Jon turned to the behemoth and looked up at him. "Us cops, the good guys, ask all sorts of repeat questions. It's to catch you criminals, the bad guys, in your lies."

  Marcus laughed and looked at Kate. "Holler if this prick gets on your nerves. I'm happy to throw his ass out."

  "Will do." Kate leaned over, her gaze locking on Jon's as he worked hard not to take her in. The bright pink of her bra called to him as her shirt opened. He looked back down at the pad of paper, the visual of her breast the only thing on his mind for a few seconds. He was so assured that she was the killer and now she flashes a little tit and smiles a few times and he's not? Kate started talking again.

  "I had a feeling that something was off. I don't know how to explain it, so don't ask me to. I went out back, Adam was beating on the door. I went out and pulled my gun, making sure there wasn't anyone but him in the alley. He fell and I caught him, going down with him. I called 9-1-1 and tried to stop the bleeding. He was hit five times in the chest and there was nothing I could do." She glanced down as Jon looked up at her, the sadness on her features not hidden well. She let out a shaky breath and looked up. "He was a good kid and got into some really bad shit. Drugs are everything in the world he was playing in. He fucked with the wrong guys and I would assume didn't pay them back. We didn't talk about it."

  "When was the last time you saw him before the other night?"

  "A year ago I guess? I got cleaned up a few years back, but some of my friends are still deep in that shit." She reached up and ran her fingers through her wet locks, her breasts rising with her efforts. His eyes moved down, the faint line of her hardened nipple tearing his focus down quickly.

  "Are you doing drugs now, Miss Jarret?"

  "It's Kate and no. I smoke weed as much as the next guy, but nothing more damning. I'm not a part of that life anymore. I can't be. It takes too much of your soul away."

  Jon sat back, his curiosity getting the better of him. "Did you ever sleep with my brother?"

  "What? No. What does that have to do with anything?"

  "Just trying to establish the relationship between the two of you. You react like he meant something to you and yet you guys hadn't seen each other in a few years? Seems odd."

  "He was a kid and we were friends." She leaned forward, her hard stare more attractive than intimidating. "When is the last time you saw him?"

  "I'm not on trial for murder. You are."

  "I'm not on trial. I've been released from this."

  "Not exactly. The evidence at present shows that it's less than likely that you pulled the trigger. My job as an investigator is to determine if you're going to be brought up once again on assisting in first degree manslaughter charges. Your history screams that you’re guilty, that you are the same trash now that you were back then."

  "Once a criminal, always a criminal?"

  "If the shoe fits..."

  She laughed and turned to walk around the bar, her voice losing all warmth. "Good day, cop. Go pull your judge and jury card somewhere else. I've given all I'm giving to you. Perhaps as Adam's brother you should start thinking outside of the box and looking for clues that he left just for you. Oh wait... you're too busy condemning innocent people. See yourself out. I have things to do."

  Jon watched her go, the soft sway of her hips only outdone by the stiffening of her shoulders. She hated her past. That much was apparent. Good. Maybe she wasn't the same riff-raff that he thought she might turn out to be. He got up and tucked his notepad in his pocket, walking behind her as she made a turn into one of the rooms down the hall. He moved past it in time
to see Marcus wrap his arms around the beautiful woman, the large giant devouring her mouth much to Jon's displeasure.

  Of course they were together. It only made sense that they would be.

  He pushed the door open, something inside of him roaring to life. He didn't like her with Marcus and wanted to go back in the club and put his foot in the dude's crotch.

  "What's wrong with me?" he grumbled to himself as he walked down the alley, the sun warming his face and arms. She had been right in her accusation, as much as the preacher had.

  "God didn't make you judge over the world. He is the supreme redeemer and he alone will judge each of us. You have no place or right to impose your subjugation of those around you. You deserve death for your sins as do the rest of us."

  "What sins are you hiding, Kate Jarret?"

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Kate

  Kate let out a breath she didn't know she was holding as he left, her mind racing. He played a dangerous game working his brother's case. Surely the police department was ignorant to his relationship with Adam. No way would they allow him to investigate his own brother's death. She wanted Adam's murderer found too, but knowing that his life was forfeited for blood money changed things - a lot.

  Not having been involved in the narcotics circle for a long time, she wouldn't really even know how to point Jon in the right direction. Not that she would. Losing Adam was a huge tragedy, but the cop would lose his life, no doubt, if he fucked with the drug lords that gunned down his brother. Did she care? Because the handsome detective was Adam's brother... no other reason.

  Kate reached the store room and walked in as Marcus looked up, his brow glistening as he set a box down.

  "Is he gone?"

  She stopped in front of the large man and slid her arms around him, lifting to her toes as he moved down to kiss her. They weren't intimate outside of sex, but she didn't need the cop questioning truth. She had implicated Marcus as being in a relationship with her. She needed to make sure that's what the detective saw.

  "He's coming down the hall. Kiss me like we're lovers."

  "We are, Kate." Marcus slid his hands into her wet hair and molded his large body to her as his lips pressed softy against her mouth. His thick, wet tongue slid into her mouth, Kate opening her lips and tilting her head as she pulled him closer, the soft moan from her not part of the show. He pressed his fingers against the back of her head, the pressure causing her to relax. His tongue worked magic, his lips and teeth leaving her wanting more.

  She pressed her hand to his chest, moving back with dizziness. Marcus was sex incarnate, the most pleasure she had ever experienced. He took her arms into his hands and looked over her shoulder.

  "You all right, babe?" He leaned down and brushed his lips across hers again.

  "Yeah, just taken by you, you bastard."

  "Take off your jeans and I'll eat you out before we get busy. I wanted to taste you last night. Fucking meetings."

  "Not now. It won’t stop there and I need to get everything ready for the crowd tomorrow." She breathed in a quick, shallow breath as her body tingled in all the right places.

  "I offered." He moved back and shrugged before starting to sort through boxes again.

  "That you did." She turned and walked back into the club, her imagination opening up to the possibility of kissing Jon. How aggressive was he? No one was Marcus, but she couldn't shake the desire to see if Jon measured up.

  Her hormones whispered that perhaps she should find out.

  Having worked all afternoon on decorating the front entrance for Mardi Gras, Kate needed a break, a nap and a cheeseburger sounded right too. She slipped into the darkness of the back hall, walking to see if Marcus might want to go with her to grab something to eat. Moving quietly toward her office, she heard Marcus speaking in hushed, muffled tones.

  She stopped just outside the door, her sense of loyalty to the man that had protected her back forcing her to push the door open, though eavesdropping would've been much more settling. Did he know anything about Adam's death or the guys that did it? She hadn't even thought to ask him.

  Of course he did. He was the right hand of the biggest drug lord in New Orleans. Marcus was working his way up in a universe that scared her far too much to consider being part of it anymore.

  He looked up and shook his head, alerting her not to speak until he was done. He motioned for her to sit in the chair in front of him, his large hand moving from the motion to touch his lips in an effort to remind her of the need for silence.

  "... Yes, I'm quite aware. The cops were here again today, harassing Kate. No, she doesn't know anything and didn't answer any of their questions." He ran his fingers over his bald scalp as Kate's eyes widened. His eyes moved slowly across her face, concern touching his brow. "I think this would be better if you talked with her about it. I don't sell for you... I sell for me. I didn't know the boy and Kate didn't either. Got it?"

  Marcus paused, his eyes closing as he leaned his head back. "Fine. Come over and we'll talk. No, she's not coming out. She's asleep."

  Kate's brow furrowed as she sunk back into her seat, the sound of Marcus's voice fading as her mind began to race. Was Adam's death somehow connected to the new drugs Marcus had started selling? They hadn't spoken about Marcus's involvement in selling in a long time. She tried hard to keep clear of knowing too much. It was safer that way.

  "Kate. Hello?" He stood and the movement pulled her from her reverie, the sound of his voice already moved into the past, pulling at her memories of the days when she ran for her life all the time. She looked up at him as he moved around the desk and reached down to pull at her shoulder, concern on his face. She shook her head a little, hoping to physically clear her thoughts.

  What did he say?

  "Yeah, I'm sorry. Lost in thought. Who was that and what did they want, Marcus? Don't bullshit with me either," she growled at him and backed up a little.

  A look of hurt moved across his strong face, his eyes narrowing in confusion as he moved forward to maintain contact.

  "You know things have changed since you were in the game, Katie. Shorty got a new product a week or so ago from a new drug lord and it's the rage right now. Our boss isn't too happy with it. A war is on the horizon, this new form of meth cooked up in the heart of hell. One hit and you would dance naked across barbwire. It's mind-blowing."

  "Who is this new guy and what does that have to do with your phone call? What does it have to do with me? With Adam?"

  "Seems your friend was caught up with these guys. The new drug lord is a vicious man. He takes what he wants, fucks some of it and kills the rest. Adam was trying to get in with him and I guess the boy smoked up the product."

  "I knew it was something like that, Marcus. But what about me? You were talking to them as if they knew me and knew what happened in the street the other night."

  "Let's talk about this later. They are sending someone this way to meet me. They want to establish a relationship with us to make sure we don't give the cops any information about what happened."

  "They want to threaten us. These guys don't talk. They gunned Adam down and you invited them to stop by? Why didn't you fucking tell me that you knew who killed him?"

  "How would that have made a difference? You need to gain their trust or they are likely to gun us down too."

  "Why now? It's been a fucking week. Why just now are you coming clean? Why just now are they wanting to meet?"

  "They’re watching us I would assume. Your cop friend just set them back on the path to clean up their shit. I guess they haven't established themselves well enough and don't have a rat on the force. That being the case, they have to clean up the hard way."

  "By killing everyone who might have eyes to implicate their actions."

  "Exactly. I need you to go. They're headed this way. Just go up to your place and I'll take care of it."

  "What? No. I'm not cowering in my bedroom while you deal with these guys. It's probably just one of this
new guy’s lackeys. If I don't show my face they'll think they can run over me, scare me and push me around." She stood and shook her head, reiterating that she wasn't going anywhere.

  "Stop fucking around and get out of here. I told you that they're on their way over here, Katie. Victor is the new guy over there and he's no one to mess with. Things have changed a lot since you left the streets. Go and let me handle it." He walked around the desk and turned her around, physically forcing her to move toward the door. She dug her heels into the ground and pushed back, spinning her body and sending him tumbling toward the open door behind her.

  "No. This is my club and my territory. I've worked hard for this place, both physically and metaphorically speaking. Let him come over here. I'm tough, Marcus. Don't you dare turn me into a little girl that needs help. I will never be that." She moved to the safe in the back of the office and knelt before it.

  She typed in her numbers on the keypad and tugged at the small metal door. It groaned at her as she tugged it open, the smell of weed rising up to greet her. Money, drugs, I.D.'s and guns were all safely tucked away for a time such as this. She pulled out her pistol and some ammo, sliding the gun into the back of her jeans and tucking the ammo in her back pocket. She closed the safe and stood, Marcus breathing down her neck.

  "I need my glock back. Fucking cops," she mumbled and moved toward him, his stare pinning her in place for a minute.

  "Goddammit, Kate. These aren't people like Shady and me. They are from another place and respect amongst you and them has yet to be established. Listen to me... they are not coming to see what you're made of, they are coming to tell you what you get to do and what you won't be doing. Get outta here and just let me deal with them." He pulled her face into his large palms, and looked down at her with foreign emotion. "Please..."

  She laughed and it fell flat. A knock resounded at the back door and she pulled from him, moving toward it. "I'm not that girl, Marcus. You've domesticated me in your mind. Shame really."