sex wasn’t why she wanted to talk to Threadway. She wanted to see if he could tell her anything about Virginia.
She thought about what Titan had said last night, about the possibility that Threadway wanted to have his way with her, or give her a taste of his belt. She needed to see him, and the best way to make sure the detective knew it was purely professional, just in case Titan was right, was to have Titan here with her when the officer visited.
She told Misty what she was thinking, and about what Titan had said.
“He could be right,” her friend replied. “Threadway likes to make new conquests. Once he figured out you were submissive, and like to have your ass reddened, he probably thought you would be perfect to take over his knee.”
April thought about how she could get Threadway there while Titan was in the store. She didn’t have any new information to tell him, since she hadn’t remembered anything. Should she make something up? She quickly dismissed that idea. Lying to the cops could only get her into trouble, and it would lead them in the wrong direction.
She wanted them to find Virginia’s killer, and she wanted them to do it fast. She felt a little strange about the whole situation, since she and Virginia had not even been that good of friends. They didn’t go to each other’s houses, or eat together. She said as much to Misty.
“I think you might see a little bit of yourself in her,” Misty replied. “She was a reader, and you both enjoy the same type of books. Plus you’re both submissive. I think that’s why this has rattled you so much.”
April didn’t see it, but she didn’t say as much. She just nodded, as if she agreed, even though she wasn’t sure it was true.
“I need to talk to Titan about getting together with the cops.”
“Yeah, because the two of them like each other so much,” Misty said with a laugh. “Maybe you should invite him over for dinner, and afterward they can flip to see who will spank you.”
April was about to tell her that wasn’t necessary, because she didn’t want anyone but Titan to spank her. Before she could say anything the door opened, and Threadway came inside, followed by his partner. He had a paper sack in his hand, which he placed on the counter.
“April,” he said as he opened the sack. “I want you to look at these books for me.”
He placed them on the counter and she went over and studied them. “That’s easy, they’re all by T. G. Red. She’s one of the most popular authors in Regency romance fiction.”
“Hmm.” Threadway tapped a book. “T. G. Red was the pen name of Virginia Midland. Did you know that?”
Chapter Seven
April’s mouth hung open. It took a few, long moments before it closed and she shook her head. “No way.”
“Way,” Threadway responded, his voice dripping in sarcasm. But, she noticed that he was grinning.
“She would have told me,” April said, her voice rising. “After all, I own a bookstore, and we could have done a signing here, to, you now, sell books .”
Threadway shrugged. “All I know is her tax forms report income from publishers, and she has files on her computer that show she was in the middle of a book, written by T. G. Red. Our techs found it for us.”
His confirmation of facts felt like a punch in the gut. April stumbled back and sat in the chair. All this time, when she’d been talking to Virginia, she’d been talking to one her favorite authors; and she hadn’t had a clue.
Anger swelled up inside her. Why hadn’t Virginia told her? She could see her friend not telling people she met at parties: “Oh, by the way, I write books.” But for her not to tell the owner of the bookstore where she made trades and purchased other books? It was like a betrayal. How could she come in here and talk books with April, but not reveal her writing persona?
“You really didn’t know, did you?” Threadway sounded amazed.
“No, detective, I didn’t,” she
She thought about what Titan had said last night, about the possibility that Threadway wanted to have his way with her, or give her a taste of his belt. She needed to see him, and the best way to make sure the detective knew it was purely professional, just in case Titan was right, was to have Titan here with her when the officer visited.
She told Misty what she was thinking, and about what Titan had said.
“He could be right,” her friend replied. “Threadway likes to make new conquests. Once he figured out you were submissive, and like to have your ass reddened, he probably thought you would be perfect to take over his knee.”
April thought about how she could get Threadway there while Titan was in the store. She didn’t have any new information to tell him, since she hadn’t remembered anything. Should she make something up? She quickly dismissed that idea. Lying to the cops could only get her into trouble, and it would lead them in the wrong direction.
She wanted them to find Virginia’s killer, and she wanted them to do it fast. She felt a little strange about the whole situation, since she and Virginia had not even been that good of friends. They didn’t go to each other’s houses, or eat together. She said as much to Misty.
“I think you might see a little bit of yourself in her,” Misty replied. “She was a reader, and you both enjoy the same type of books. Plus you’re both submissive. I think that’s why this has rattled you so much.”
April didn’t see it, but she didn’t say as much. She just nodded, as if she agreed, even though she wasn’t sure it was true.
“I need to talk to Titan about getting together with the cops.”
“Yeah, because the two of them like each other so much,” Misty said with a laugh. “Maybe you should invite him over for dinner, and afterward they can flip to see who will spank you.”
April was about to tell her that wasn’t necessary, because she didn’t want anyone but Titan to spank her. Before she could say anything the door opened, and Threadway came inside, followed by his partner. He had a paper sack in his hand, which he placed on the counter.
“April,” he said as he opened the sack. “I want you to look at these books for me.”
He placed them on the counter and she went over and studied them. “That’s easy, they’re all by T. G. Red. She’s one of the most popular authors in Regency romance fiction.”
“Hmm.” Threadway tapped a book. “T. G. Red was the pen name of Virginia Midland. Did you know that?”
Chapter Seven
April’s mouth hung open. It took a few, long moments before it closed and she shook her head. “No way.”
“Way,” Threadway responded, his voice dripping in sarcasm. But, she noticed that he was grinning.
“She would have told me,” April said, her voice rising. “After all, I own a bookstore, and we could have done a signing here, to, you now, sell books .”
Threadway shrugged. “All I know is her tax forms report income from publishers, and she has files on her computer that show she was in the middle of a book, written by T. G. Red. Our techs found it for us.”
His confirmation of facts felt like a punch in the gut. April stumbled back and sat in the chair. All this time, when she’d been talking to Virginia, she’d been talking to one her favorite authors; and she hadn’t had a clue.
Anger swelled up inside her. Why hadn’t Virginia told her? She could see her friend not telling people she met at parties: “Oh, by the way, I write books.” But for her not to tell the owner of the bookstore where she made trades and purchased other books? It was like a betrayal. How could she come in here and talk books with April, but not reveal her writing persona?
“You really didn’t know, did you?” Threadway sounded amazed.
“No, detective, I didn’t,” she
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