At last, he reached his destination – a wall of filigreed iron closed off the road ahead. He got out of the car and pressed the intercom button on one of the posts.
“This is Inspector Goddard – I’m here to see Mrs. Bascomb.”
After a moment there was a “click”; the gates swung open and he continued on his way.Traveling on another long, curving stretch, he finally arrived at the house. It was large, but not as ostentatious as some of the other mansions that he had seen on his way to his destination. As he pulled into the port-cochere, the door opened and a woman stepped out to greet him.
He got out of the car. “Mrs. Bascomb? I’m Inspector Iain Goddard of Scotland Yard. Thank you for taking the time to see me.”
“Please call me Jessie, Inspector … no need to be so formal around me! I thought we’d talk in the solarium – it’s so much cooler in there. Please follow me.”
“Lemonade or iced tea, Inspector?” She reminds me so much of my granny…
“Lemonade, thank you. And please call me Iain.”
“Now, what can I do to help you, Iain?”
He took a sip of the cool liquid. “You see, I’ve been investigating a number of crimes here in Europe – forgeries, confidence games and various thefts. I’m of the mind that they were committed by one man – even though my superiors believe me daft.”
He leaned forward. “I understand that you’ve recently put in an insurance claim for a lost diamond necklace – is that correct?”
The older woman gave him a smile. “Oh, that … well, it was actually my daughter that filed the claim. Jeanne can be a little … possessive … when it comes to my jewelry.” She sighed. “I love her dearly, but her father had spoiled her rotten and she threw a hissy fit when she found the necklace missing.”
“About two weeks ago …” She stopped as she realized the trap the Inspector had set for her.
He gave her a wink and smile. “Among the other areas of my investigations were jewel robberies. Now … is there anything you’d like to tell me, Jessie?”
She patted his knee. “Oh, you’re good, Iain. Very good. Well, the necklace wasn’t exactly lost. I sort of let Alec steal it.”
* * *
“What???”
She arched an eyebrow. “Inspector, if you did your homework, you'd know my husband was Harry Bascomb – one of the most successful con men in America about 20 years ago. When things got a little too hot for us there, we had to leave in a hurry. Randy – my husband’s old partner – he was a jewel thief, you know – helped us retire here.”
Iain was amazed at the tale spinning out before him.
“So when Alec came arrived at the villa, I knew he was a con-man immediately. But he reminded me so much of Harry at his age, that I just had to test his skills.” She gave him a sweet smile. “I’m a romantic, Inspector. You’ll have to forgive me for being a silly old woman.”
“You mentioned the name Alec – do you have a last name?”
“Alec Reynard. But I’m sure that’s an alias. He had several passports as well – all with different names and nationalities. Alan Cooke, Carlo Vincenti, Aaron Carstairs … but he’s definitely an American, I can tell you that.”
“What did he look like?”
“Jessie, would you be willing to have a police artist come by to give me a sketch of this Reynard?”
Bascomb laughed. “Oh, I can do better than that, Iain – I’m sure Joseph has some photos!”
“Joseph?” Goddard somehow felt Jessie was the one now running the interview, not him.
Her eyes twinkled. “My … driver. He’s also in charge of security here at the villa. Alec and he became very close. I think he’s out by the pool. He usually does his laps around this time of day.”
* * *
The two got up and walked through the house and stopped at another door. Jessie knocked, turned the knob and they walked in.
A well-trimmed, tightly cropped beard accented a square jaw and full lips and wavy black hair topped a pair of brilliant verdant eyes. The glow from the Mediterranean sun made Joseph inhumanly beautiful against the backdrop of the airy room. Iain stared at a male body of such temptation that he had no doubt Satan himself had laughed on the day of its creation. Goddard felt his cock begin to slither down his pants leg and the naked man quickly noticed the response and gave him a wicked smirk.
“Joseph, dear, this is Inspector Goddard. From Scotland Yard. Pull on a Speedo or something and meet us out at the pool. We need to talk about Alec and the necklace.”
“Sure Jessie … I’ll be right out.” He gave both of them a happy grin and proceeded to walk over to the dresser to find a swimsuit.
Jessie and the inspector strolled thru the French doors and onto the patio surrounding a large pool. The two settled under a large umbrella to wait for the chauffeur. As in the solarium, a pitcher of iced tea and lemonade was present on the table.
In a few moments, the door opened and Joseph walked out to join them. Loped would have been a better term; every step he took incited erotic thoughts. He was wearing a small black Speedo that did nothing to hide the etched abs, trim torso and substantial manhood. The swimsuit set off his lightly oiled skin and tattoos. Iain could not take his eyes off of him. He gave Jessie a kiss on the top of her head and put his hand out to Goddard. The two shook.
He sat down.
Iain spoke first. “Jessie, forgive me for being blunt, but are you and Joseph…??”
She laughed. It was such a wonderful sound. “Inspector, at my age, I prefer a nice hot bath and a good book. Although Joseph definitely keeps the tongues wagging among the neighbors with his appearance. I just love the scandal he and I invent!”
The chauffeur grinned. “Uh-huh … Jessie and I definitely come up with things to make their blood boil!”
Bascomb continued. “And I can safely say that all of us present here prefer our men tall, dark, handsome and with a dash of scoundrel thrown in. And naked - or near naked, of course.”
“I … I…” Goddard blushed scarlet.
“Oh, come on now, Inspector…” Joseph grinned as his long fingers danced along Goddard’s thigh. “… Jessie’s gaydar is second to none. I’m as queer as a three-dollar bill and from the way you reacted to me in the room and now at the pool... So. Are. You.” He gave the Scot's crotch a gentle squeeze.Jessie cleared her throat. “Play time later, sweetie. The Inspector came up to talk about Alec. Do you have any pictures of him?”
Franklin nodded. “Got a bunch. He turned to the ginger-haired policeman. “G-rated ones, right?”
“Y-yes… thank you.” Goddard nodded weakly.
“Be right back.” He jogged back into the house.
Iain turned back to Jessie, who was giving him a sweet smile. “How well did Alec and Joseph get to know each other?”
She gave him an exaggerated wink. “Biblically.”Goddard ran a hand through his short hair and closed his eyes. He had no idea how the interview went sideways so quickly. Darkly sexual images flashed through his mind. Tanned inked flesh in a back alley. Sweaty sex against a brick wall. No!! I’ve a job to do and a criminal to catch. After a deep, shaky exhalation, the inspector had regained his composure and hopefully, control of the situation.
Franklin returned and handed Goddard a couple of photos. Iain just stared at the pictures in his hands.
“Stunning, isn’t he?” JD leaned back in the chair. The Speedo’s tight silky material accented the driver’s package. Damn, he’s at least seven inches soft. Cut, too.
Iain traced a finger along the jawline in the photo. “Can you tell me how he managed to steal the necklace?”
Joseph nodded. “Well, after a marathon suck and fuck session, we were both exhausted. I think he melted me or something. We fell asleep in each others' arms. However, he obviously wasn’t as tired as I was and he managed to get my keycards for the room where Jessie’s safe was located.”
“How did you find out?”
“I have proximity sensors built into the plastic. The clock-radio next to my bed starts flashing if the cards are further than 2 feet from the bed. The light gets brighter and brighter the further the cards get. Naturally I woke up with the room flashing like a demented disco and knew exactly what happened. I can tell you, I was fucking pissed that I got fooled so easily.”
“What happened then?”
“I was so goddamn angry that I got out of bed – still naked – and went after Alec. I crept into Jessie’s dressing room and I found him. He had cracked the safe combination and was just looking at the necklace in his hands. I didn’t really notice it then, but he had a really sad expression. I grabbed him by the shoulder, spun him around and punched him in the face.”
“I stunned him and the necklace dropped to the carpet. We started attacking each other. Then I tackled him. We were rolling on the floor, exchanging blows, knocking furniture over and causing a major ruckus.”
Jessie broke in. “I heard the crash of the Waterford table lamp and rushed out of my bedroom. Now, picture this – I was in my nightgown and curlers … I see Joseph and Alec – naked as jay birds – pummeling each other on the floor. I couldn’t help myself – I started laughing and I said the first thing that came to mind.”
She waited a beat. “ ‘Don’t you boys need lube for that?’ ”
As the saga unfurled, Goddard had been sipping a glass of lemonade. At that moment, he had taken a mouthful of the tangy drink and when Bascomb recounted the line, he sprayed the liquid out and began to choke.Joseph jumped up and thumped him on the back. As the coughing fit subsided, Iain started laughing and was joined by the other two. It took a while for the gales of laughter to subside to weak chuckles.
“That stopped them fighting then and there. Alec looked terribly embarrassed and tried to cover himself up with a doily.”
JD raised dark eyebrows and chimed in. “And I didn’t look embarrassed?”
Jessie patted his muscular thigh and smiled. “Of course not, Joseph dear, you’re absolutely shameless… and I wouldn’t have you any other way…”
He gave a happy shrug and nodded. “Yep. True. Very true.”
Jessie turned to the inspector. “After the boys got dressed, I sat Alec down and went through some of the obvious mistakes he had made. He was shocked – shocked that I had caught onto him so quickly. And that I had played the supposed player so well. At that point, I did let him know my pedigree, so it actually became more of a learning experience for him. I do see a great deal of potential in him, Iain – as I think you have as well. I don’t think many men would have leapt to the conclusion you did that all of these different crimes were done by a single man. And … Alec is a very impressive man in so many ways.” Her eyes sparkled.
“You still haven’t told me what happened to the necklace, Jessie.”
“Well, he had to do some community service for me, Iain … until his bruises healed, I had dark-haired, beat up bad boys on each arm. I can tell you that some of the other French biddies here were absolutely seething with jealousy – the look on their faces was well worth it!”
Jessie laughter tinkled. “Not as often as I’d like, but when you say it with that burr of yours, it sounds so naughty!”
“But back to the necklace. After I pointed out some improvements, I told him that I wouldn’t report him to the authorities if he could pull off a caper to my and Joseph’s satisfaction.”
At his puzzled look, Jessie continued. “Joseph is my godson and Randy Franklin’s son. I daresay that Joseph is an even better jewel thief than his father.”
“You forgot 'expert pickpocket' as well, Jessie.”
Franklin gave the items back to Goddard and then picked up the story. “So Jessie and I gave Alec an assignment. Diedre Van Huele was having an affair behind her husband’s back and we told Alec he had to steal her necklace and plant it on her boyfriend.”
“Good Lord, that was Alec's doing?” Goddard was stunned. The case had been completely airtight against Van Huele’s lover and he was currently serving 20 years in prison.
“So for a job well done, I gave Alec my necklace.” Jessie sighed. “If only Jeanne hadn’t been in such a tizzy to deck herself out in my jewels, this whole incident would have been too obscure to anything else for you to make a connection.”
She patted Goddard’s thigh once more. “But then again, I wouldn’t have had a chance to meet such a handsome and brilliant man as yourself. If you catch Alec, Inspector, promise me you won’t hurt him?”
Goddard stood up and tucked the photos into his coat pocket. He took Jessie’s hand and gave it a kiss. “It’s ‘When’, Jessie – not ‘If’ – and I promise I’ll do my best. But I have to get moving on this information. Perhaps my superiors will finally begin listening to me. Thank you both for your help…”
He smiled. “… and the lemonade. I can see myself out.” The broad-shouldered policeman walked down the driveway to his car.
* * *
Joseph stretched in the chair. “Well, Alec was right about our esteemed Inspector Goddard … brilliant, handsome and so deep in the closet you'd need the jaws of life to get him out. You think Iain is falling in love with him?”“Is falling? Has fallen. You saw how he was stroking those photos. They’re perfect for each other. Alec has already fallen for him. I know so, sweetie. At last I can tell him the feelings are mutual. It's just going to take a little nudge here and there to get those two together.”
“What does Lucio think of his Mediterranean chief of operations playing matchmaker?”
“Lucio is always looking for new talent, Joseph. It’s up to us – all of us, you included – to keep our eyes out. When are you finishing your soldieri Training?”
“I go back to Marseilles for the Full Training in two weeks. I’m afraid the biddies around here will have nothing to gossip about for a month and half with both myself and Alec in absentia.”
“I’ll figure something out…” A playful moue brightened her face. “… maybe that I sent you to a Swiss clinic that specializes in enhancing already huge male endowments…”
JD cocked an eyebrow and gave her a dark look as he dove into the pool.
* * *
Stay tuned!!
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