Free AtHerCommand by Marcia James

Jason’s journal that customers have limited access to the
club.”
    Suzi leaned forward in her chair. “Jason kept a journal?”
    “Yep, he had several covering all his cases. He wanted to be
a crime novelist, like Joseph Waumbaugh,” Dalton explained.
    “There anything that could help us in his latest journal?”
    “Most of it was about Mistress Tori,” he said. “But after
her interrogation the other day, I don’t think she’s involved in what
happened.”
    On Tuesday, Dalton had joined Suzi observing Tori Preston’s
questioning through the two-way mirror of the screening room. Comparing notes
afterward, they’d agreed the S&M moonlighting coed had been sincerely
distraught over Jason’s death.
    “If you don’t mind,” Dalton said, “I’d like to take a look
at the tape of Tori’s interrogation in case we missed anything.”
    “Sure. I’ll put my copy in an envelope on your desk when we
get back,” Suzi said. “Just keep a low profile, okay, so Bennett doesn’t chew
my ass out.”
    Dalton nodded and took another drink of his coffee. The dark
roast was pleasantly bitter on his tongue and the caffeine was finally hitting
his brain. It was time to tell Suzi the rest. He cleared his throat and took
the plunge. “Even though the club’s customers can’t wander around the place at
will, I purchased my membership card last night.”
    “You what?” Her voice rose an octave.
    “I went undercover as the owner of a security firm—a guy
with a craving for some domination.”
    This time the creative curse words were from Suzi’s lips and
the couple next to them angrily moved to a corner table. Neither detective
spared them a second look.
    “Are you nuts ?” Suzi asked.
    “Cool it, Cho,” Dalton tried to hush her As he glanced
around the dimly lit Starbucks. Curious patrons turned away from his glare. He
faced Suzi again. “There’s nothing you can say to talk me out of it. And if you
think bringing the captain into this will stop me, you’re dreaming.”
    Suzi searched his eyes then capitulated. “Okay, you win. I
owe you and Jason for saving my butt during that riot so I won’t tell Bennett.
But while you’re being some S&M loose cannon, try not to blow my cover and
get us both killed.”
    Dalton leaned forward. “It’s not as if I’ll be at the club
every night. You can feed me names of staffers and I can do some legwork. I’ll
stakeout their homes, follow their cars, whatever you need. And I’ll let you
know what I find out.”
    “Like what?” Suzi’s voice held an edge of sarcasm. “Which
whip is Mistress Tori’s favorite?”
    “For your information, Tori Preston quit the club.”
    Suzi’s curiosity beat out her irritation. “That’s
interesting. She claimed she was moving back to Pennsylvania, so maybe she did.
I guess we can check up on her.”
    “Consider it done,” Dalton said. “The woman who’s taking
Tori’s clients goes by Mistress Bella. Think you can get me her real name so I
can dig up the dirt?”
    “Consider it done,” Suzi parroted with a reluctant smile.
“As long as I get the masseuse job, we can share information.” She took a sip
of her drink. “My interview’s tomorrow so I’ll have to ‘cram for the exam’
tonight. If the club’s personnel director has the poor judgment to hire me,
I’ll try to meet Bella as soon as I’m on the job.”
    “Thanks, Suzi,” Dalton didn’t conceal his gratitude. “We’ve
got to start somewhere. I just can’t believe Jason was killed because he
uncovered a bunch of underage girls working at the club. There may be runaways
on the staff but I’ve got a gut feeling there’s something bigger behind all of
this.”
    * * * * *
    Dalton used the remote on Jason’s coffee table to pause the
videotape. Tori Preston’s pale, tear-stained face loomed larger than life on
the big-screen television. Her unblinking blue eyes shone with a pain that
matched the misery Dalton viewed in the mirror every morning. This girl