Hello My Angel - Sue Brown Page 0,40
sounded grimmer than Josh had ever heard him.
“What’s that?” Josh asked.
“His balls were shoved in his mouth.”
“Fuck,” Cal breathed out.
“Yeah,” Stephen said.
Josh wanted to cross his legs in sympathy for the dead man. Poor fucking bastard. She’d emasculated him.
“Where are you now, Stephen?” Cal asked.
“I’m on my way to the agency. I’ve got to warn you. The police are already asking questions about you and Josh. They know you had an argument with him last night at the Southbank. And that Cal threatened to kill him.”
They did? The police already knew Cal had a meeting with Mullins? How?
“And we have indisputable proof we were in the office when he was killed,” Josh said. “Moles tried to kill us too.”
“She did what?” Stephen blurted out, but he swiftly recovered. “You’d better get that proof, because Graham Herring is baying for blood, and he doesn’t mind if it’s yours.”
“What’s Herring got to do with it?”
“He and Mullins went back a long way. They were at school together; Eton or Harrow, I’m not sure which. Herring was pushing for Mullins to take over the agency. I just wanted to warn you. He won’t be happy until he has you charged with Mullins’s murder.”
“Oh great. Just what we need.” Josh got to his feet and stretched. “Who’s your police contact?”
“I was afraid you’d ask that. You need to stay well away from this, Josh.”
“Why?”
“It’s Dirk Brenner.”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Josh said, conscious of Cal growling beside him.
“I wish I were,” Stephen said.
“He works in white collar crime.”
“He’s transferred to the murder squad. And guess what! He’s been promoted. Detective Inspector.”
Josh groaned. “Fuck me.”
“I’d have to ask my wife.”
Josh blinked. Did Stephen just say—?
“Down boy,” Cal growled.
“Sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to be inappropriate.”
“It’s us you’re talking to,” Josh said. “I’m always inappropriate. But Brenner being involved isn’t gonna help.”
“I’m going to keep you out of this as much as I can, but you will get a visit from him.”
“Understood.”
“I’ll call you when I know more but I’ve got to go.”
Stephen disconnected abruptly.
Cal stroked down Josh’s back as Josh sighed. “That’s all we need, Cal. Fucking hell. Why did Chyna kill Mullins?”
“She’s killed Sir Gee,” Cal said, “and tortured Weatherly. Mullins was inevitably on her wishlist. Goddammit, we’re in her crosshairs.”
Josh raised an eyebrow. “Wishlist?”
“Kill list, then.”
“She didn’t just kill him though, did she?”
“No, she didn’t,” Cal growled. “Poor fucking bastard.”
“Why kill the men but torture Weatherly?” Josh mused.
“Weatherly was Jesse’s ultimate boss. Sam was his handler, but Weatherly would have approved the kill.” Cal swung his legs off the bed. “I need coffee.”
“You make the coffee. I’m going to check what’s happening with Mullins.”
Josh shivered; their bedroom was chilly in the early morning. He reached for a sweater in his bag. “Do you wanna wake the others?” he asked as he tugged the sweater over his head.
Cal flicked a switch and Josh blinked rapidly at the overhead light. They’d made love until they fell asleep in each other’s arms. He hadn’t anticipated being woken up an hour later.
“Let them sleep. It’s going to be another long day.”
Josh grimaced. Why did they get to sleep and he had to pretend to function as a human being?
“Angel?”
Cal pressed a kiss to the nape of Josh’s neck. Josh sighed, relishing his touch. “You don’t have to deal with Brenner. Gil and I can handle him.”
Josh reached back to hold Cal’s thigh, needing him to be close. “Brenner is a dick but he’s a good detective.”
There was silence. Josh tilted his head. Cal gave him a disbelieving look.
“You think he’s a good detective?”
“Hell, no. He’s just a dick. I was being polite.”
Josh knuckled his eyes. It was too fucking early to think about Brenner. “Gimme coffee. We need to be prepared.”
“We’ve got the best alibi, Angel. The cops were with us for several hours. He can’t dick us around too much.”
“This is Dirk Brenner we’re talking about,” Josh said sourly. “Of course he’s going to dick us around.”
Cal turned him around and Josh’s breath caught in his throat at the depth of emotion in Cal’s green eyes. Josh cupped Cal’s chin, feeling the short raspy hairs tickle his palm.
“I love you, my angel.”
Josh pressed a soft kiss against the side of his mouth. “I love you too, Charlie.”
Cal turned a fraction to claim his mouth, licking his lips to request admittance. Josh parted his lips and Cal slipped his tongue into his mouth. They kissed lazily, almost sleepily, no arousal involved, just love and needing