Free She Shouldnt, But She Will by Francis Drake Page B

“Is she yours?”
    “She’s her own woman,” Derek said brusquely.
    Peter quirked his brows then changed the subject. “I showed your work to my clients and they like what you do. In fact, your particular style and uh, shall we say, subject matter intrigues them. They’ve given me permission to reveal who they are and to invite you to visit their home for further discussion. In that regard, the invitation I mentioned will suit.”
    “Who are your clients? If they like my work, I can’t believe I haven’t met them before. After all, there are few artists who deal in this area of erotic art.” Derek’s pulse raced. At last he was catching a break.
    He’d been an agent with the Drug Enforcement Agency for twenty years before starting his own business, Hawk Investigations, five years ago. For months he had devoted most of his energies, and a big chunk of his investigative agency’s, into making contact with Lilly and Sylvester Oglethorpe. He could swear Peter was about to give him access to them.
    When his former boss approached him about consulting on a job, he’d hesitated, wondering why the government needed him when they had far greater resources at their disposal. Experience and non-accountability, Jim Taylor told him with a smile. The smile was what convinced Derek to take on the contract.
    That, and a chance to end one of the largest influxes of heroine and other opiates in the Bay area. Being undercover again had been fun, but now the real reason he’d hired back on with his previous employers was at hand, his introduction to the Oglethorpes.
    “They live as recluses when they’re in the States,” Peter explained. “They have an amazing but remote mansion north of the Bay. In fact, you get there by boat or helicopter or not at all. Sylvester Oglethorpe and his wife Lilly are my clients. As you will see when you get there, the décor in the house has a bit of erotic effect but the owner wants to enhance it.”
    Peter seemed to study him to see if the names meant anything, so Derek kept a neutral expression. Shaking his head he said, “I’m sure I’ve never met them.”
    Peter looked satisfied with his answer. “Not surprising. As I said, they aren’t social and they’re gone a good bit of the time.”
    “Travel a lot, do they?”
    “Their yacht would be better described as a ship, and they sail to the Far East frequently.” He waved his hand. “I have no idea what their business is, but whatever it is, it’s lucrative. Wish I had a piece of it.” He sipped his coffee which the waitress had just brought.
    “The Far East? Like Japan and China?”
    Peter looked at Derek carefully. “I don’t ask questions of my clients. I decorate for them.”
    Derek shrugged. “Idle curiosity. I look forward to meeting Mr. and Mrs. Oglethorpe. Tell me more about this event the invitations are for.”
    A moment passed before Peter answered. “It’s a masquerade. A charity event, but their parties are never what they seem on the surface. Be prepared for some surprise activities, wild but in good taste, of course. This will give you a chance to see the rooms I mentioned in our previous meeting and to get an impression of Sylvester and Lilly. Then we’ll talk again.”
    After another sip of coffee, he stood. “Will you be escorting the luscious lady to the masquerade?”
    Derek stood, too. “No, I have another date in mind.”
    Peter slapped Derek’s arm. “You artists. Babe magnets, all of you. Tell her goodbye for me, will you?”
    “Will do.” They shook hands and Derek watched Peter walk away. He folded the portfolio of his work and sat to finish his coffee before going to find Thia.
    Peter’s open interest in Thia disturbed him, though he couldn’t put a finger on why. He was glad the chance of Thia’s running into Peter would be slim. Somehow, he didn’t think she was ready for the kind of appetite he sensed Peter had for women.
    He put aside thoughts of Peter and Thia and concentrated on his