Daddy PI: Book 1 of the Daddy PI Casefiles, Frost, J [great novels to read .txt] 📗

When did I say that?

“No. I took a look at his social media accounts. He’s definitely the man who went into Black’s cabin on Saturday. I’m pretty sure you’re right about him being a pro top. He knows about the brick.”

“What? He admitted it?”

“No, and I didn’t ask him directly. But I need to. I also need to ask him if he knows any of our other victims. I held off because you told me to handle him with kid gloves, but he knows, and we need to pin him down.”

I hear Ed tapping his pen against something in agitation. “Logan, I respect your methods. You’ve made amazing progress. But I’m not authorizing further contact with Rod McCall. He’s a frequent guest. He recommends other guests to us. He has a visible presence in the lifestyle. We don’t have him locked down with an NDA. He could crucify us in public, and other than your gut feeling that he knows, we’ve got nothing linking him—”

“Merullo lied about knowing McCall. I don’t know if they’re in it together or if McCall’s just sending submissives to Merullo, but there’s some connection and we need to find out what it is.”

“No,” Ed says firmly. “Pursue the thing through the spa. I’m fine with that. If you find the brick, that’s all we need to satisfy the insurers. You’ve done your job.”

I rub my forehead while I try to get a handle on my frustration.

“Look, if McCall is distributing the brick, or has some other way to get it, then stopping Merullo doesn’t guarantee your guests’ safety.”

“It’s enough,” Ed insists. “I don’t want you contacting Rod McCall again without my specific authorization.”

Damn him. “What about Sarah McCall? I’ve got her number at work. I want to pin her down before she has time to talk to her husband and coordinate stories.”

“No. Stay away from the McCalls for now.”

I grind my teeth in frustration. “I think you’re making a mistake.”

Ed’s silent for a minute. I’ve gone too far, but I don’t take it back. He is making a mistake. He hired me for my expertise and now he’s hamstringing my investigation. He’s not the first client to do so, but it still winds me up.

“Stick with the spa for now. I’ll get our lawyers on it and see if we can get the McCalls to sign an NDA. Then you can question them to your heart’s content.”

“Right.” It’s not right, but he’s my client and the client is always right. Even when the client is making a stupid mistake. “McCall also mentioned that his scene on Sunday was monitored by a staff member named Rebecca. Do you have more than one Rebecca aboard who would act as a scene monitor?”

“Just a moment.” I hear him tapping. “Rebecca Harvey. Pro-Domme and fitness instructor. She’s the only Rebecca who would have acted as a scene monitor. Do you want me to set up an interview with her?”

“No, I’m meeting her for lunch tomorrow, as luck would have it. I’ll ask her if she remembers the scene with Black.”

I wouldn’t be surprised if she doesn’t. It was weeks ago, and I’m sure she’s monitored dozens of scenes since then, but I’ll ask.

“Okay. Any other interviews you want me to set up?”

“Not for now. I’ve got more CCTV footage to watch and bills to go through.” Although I’m probably not going to bother with the room service bills now. I’ll focus on the spa bills.

“Okay, keep me posted.” Ed blows out a breath. “Logan, I know you don’t agree with me about the approach to the McCalls. Give me a little time and let me see if I can get them tied up with an NDA. Publicity is important. I have the company’s reputation to think about. That goes beyond just this one cruise.”

“I understand.” And I do, even if I don’t agree with him. “I’ll call you tomorrow morning by ten-thirty with an update and to see where you’re up to with the NDA.”

“Sounds good. Thanks for working with me, Logan.”

That’s my job, but I don’t remind him. “No problem. I’ll check email again this afternoon and I’ve got my phone with me at all times.”

“Thanks.”

After we say our good byes, I sit and look out the windows at the white-caps. Ashton’s right. There’s a hard squall coming and the staff will be handing out anti-sea-sickness pills before long. Six years, much of it on small, bouncy, gun boats, rid me of any motion sickness I had, but I know from our tender ride back from Cabo that Emily gets sea sick. I’ll have to make sure she wears her sea-bands and if she feels sick, plan something other than edging her for the rest of the day. If she got that angry at me this morning, edging on a rocky tummy will really make her mental.

I check my phone for the time. Still ten minutes before I need to knock on Emily’s door. But I want to see her now. Being with her will relieve the lingering annoyance of Ed Isaak ring-fencing my investigation. And I want to make sure that she hasn’t gone into a downward spiral after her doubts of this morning. But mostly I just crave her company. Crazy, since I’ve been perfectly fine being alone in the past. Now that I know how spending time with Emily makes me feel, I can’t get enough.

I pack up my notebook and laptop, put them in the safe, change quickly into a tee and sweats, and knock on the adjoining door.

14

Daddy’s early. But I don’t mind. Even after this morning, I’m so excited to see him that I’m up from my desk and racing for the adjoining door before he has it all the way open. He catches me when I jump and wrap my legs around him. He kisses me all over my face and neck, tickling me with his lips, rubbing me with