Free P I Honeytrap by Kristal Baird

sure Paolo is set up for the job this evening. I’ll be back in plenty of time.’ It was her business; she could run it how she wanted.
    Grabbing the digital back-up from last night out of the locked safe, Hayley left as quickly as she’d arrived. Had to get out of there. Couldn’t deal with Alice’s inquisitive glances. And if the girl even dared to ask her if she was all right … She was haunted by the same question.
    Hayley took a different route home than she’d taken last night, obeying her own rules even in daylight. She’d be damned if she was driving past that gym again. In case she caught a glimpse of Reuben standing there.
    He hadn’t understood her attitude over the stupid breakfast. He was never going to understand her rushing off like that. Hell, she didn’t even understand it. But she wasn’t about to investigate her own feelings either. Or care about Reuben’s. It was what it was. She wanted a scalding hot shower. Wanted to wash this off her the way she did with her clients.
    Something prickled behind her eyes.
    By the time Hayley returned to the office, last night’s footage was edited, she’d gathered the latest updates from tonight’s client, and was feeling brighter: focused on her job and not her life. Her team gathered around her for the briefing.
    ‘I’m pretty certain I know the reason Don Friar strays. If you look at the facts we have already it’s obvious.’
    ‘Even you can be surprised at times, boss.’
    ‘Thank you for pointing out my flaws to everyone, Paolo.’ Hayley gave him a mock-withering look.
    The intensity of the work they did made her crew a real team.
    ‘What have we got, Hayley?’ Marty enquired.
    Hayley considered Marty a valuable colleague, one she was glad to have on her side in many tricky situations. ‘Our client –’
    ‘Mrs Donald Friar.’
    ‘Thank you, Alice. Our client, Mrs Donald Friar, is a pretty straight-laced sort of woman. Married to Donald, 53, for nearly 25 years. From my conversations with her, I’d figure she’s not into anything one might think of as kinky sex.’ For some reason, the phrase made her think of Reuben and her in the sauna that morning. Except that wasn’t remotely kinky. So she had to stop thinking about it. About him. She continued. ‘We’ve observed Don Friar in several locations and they all point to one thing.’
    ‘Dominant or submissive sex.’ Alice seemed to enjoy providing the missing details before anyone else could, this evening. ‘And bondage.’
    ‘Thank you again, Alice. Is this a field of expertise?’ They all laughed as Alice’s face grew pink. ‘I’ve spoken to Mrs Friar about the possibility, but she simply won’t believe it of Donald.’
    It was Paolo’s turn to join the dots. ‘So you’re going to have to get him in the act, so to speak. And I’ll film it.’
    ‘You needn’t sound so happy about the situation, Paolo. I’m the one who gets shafted every time.’
    Everyone grew silent for a moment and looked at each other. Hayley threw her hands up over her face, breaking the tension, and they all burst out laughing.
    ‘Your sympathy has been noted,’ Hayley quipped.
    ‘So which are you hoping for, boss?’ Paolo teased. ‘Dominant or submissive?’
    ‘I have no strong preferences. I’ll take whatever’s thrown at me.’ That had them all laughing again. It was a night to laugh away troubles. ‘Everyone know their job?’
    They nodded, so Hayley went out back to get changed. She wanted to cover a hint of both persuasions in her manner of costume – dominant and submissive – but tonight was mostly about location.
    Paolo drove the van to the Blue Booty Club, a renowned meeting place for BDSM players and where, as she entered, Hayley could immediately see Don Friar, dressed like a booted lord of the manor. Submissive it was, then.
    She drew a studded leather collar out of her handbag which matched her existing leather cuffs, and fixed it snugly around her neck. She sought out