A Romantic Crime Thriller

The last chapter of this romantic crime thriller and the love story of Michael and Libby - will it have a happy ending?

*

Michael stood next to a sulky Libby in the car hire office, "We're very sorry about the bump, Miss Higham here didn't notice the bollard where it stuck up as she reversed." And handing over his credit card told the receptionist, "There's a small dent in the back bumper, but no-one else got damaged, and Miss Higham is not hurt."

The receptionist took the swipe out of his credit card for the five hundred excess and phoned an engineer to do a check of the damage, asking Michael and Libby to sit in the waiting room.

After a while the receptionist called Michael and Libby over and after signing a pile of paperwork they left.

Taking her hand in his even though she tried to tug it free Michael walked her up the road to where he had parked his car. Opening the door he told her to get in and then walked around to sit in the driver's seat.

"We can do one of a couple of things. We can go back to the cottage, sit around all day waiting until later when your dad is due to call. Or we can go out into the countryside, find a nice pub, have lunch, go for a walk, get some fresh air then go back. Or we can do something else. Whatever you want."

Libby just sat there sulky and quiet. She had been like that ever since she woke up that morning. Michael had made some toast for them, which she didn't eat, but she had barely acknowledged him at all.

Looking at her as she sat staring out the front windscreen Michael started the car, "Pub lunch and walk it is then." And he drove out of town and into the hills surrounding the city.

Libby watched the scenery go by without seeing it. Her head felt as if it was going to explode with worry, and she felt numb. Last night she had expected Michael to try to have sex with her, but he had only held her to him gently until she had fallen asleep, and in the morning when she had woken up he was already up and dressed and sitting in her kitchen, the radio tuned to a local news station.

Michael pulled the car into a large countryside pub car park, turned off the ignition and sat there looking out at the rolling hills in the distance. After a while he said, "I didn't alter the files, I didn't kill McMasters, I'm not the one who is accusing your father of theft, I just told you what Derosa said. I hope to God he's lying, that your dad is innocent and has been set up, and that he can prove it. In the last four days we've been together I haven't once hurt you, forced myself on you or deliberately lied to you. If you really want me to leave you alone I will. Tonight after you've spoken to your dad if you want me to go, I'll go." And he climbed out of the car without seeing if she was following him and went into the pub.

Libby sat there tears running down her face. He had been right. He had never hurt her, not once. He had helped her get the files; put himself on the line for her. Treated her like she was special, made her body sing. And he was right. He gave her the files, and he had nothing to do with what was in them.

She was just taking out her anger and worry on him. And like the warrior he was, he let her. Climbing out the car she followed him into the pub.

*

Michael watched as she walked towards him and sat down at the table facing him.

"I'm sorry....."

"No need to be sugar....I understand."

"You're a good man Michael.....I shouldn't have hit you last night."

"Didn't hurt too much, only to my pride."

"Still I shouldn't have hit you...."

"Forget it....lets order lunch and try to put all the worry aside for now. You can tell me all about yourself whilst we eat. I don't even know what you do for a living."

"I'm a freelance journalist."

Laughing Michael told her as he passed her the menu from the next table, "Well if ever you decide to hang up your pen you could probably earn a good living breaking and entering. "

Giving him the first smile since he got back to the cottage last night she told him, "Or as a con man. I played Smiths wife yesterday like a pro."

"That you did."

*

When they got back to the cottage Libby took Michaels hand in hers and pulling him up the stairs said, "Make love to me Michael. This one won't count out of the three I owe you. This one is for me."

"Willingly."

In the bedroom Libby took off her clothes, Michael sat on the bed and watched as she shucked her jeans, took off her sweater, unhooked her bra and then stepped forward to stand between his splayed out thighs, her hands resting on his shoulders. His hands swept up from the side of her hips, up over the gentle flare of her waist, past her rib cage and up to the side of her breasts and then gently down again. Smiling at him she pushed the leather jacket off his shoulders and he shrugged out of it, throwing it down to join her clothes on the floor. Kneeling down in front of him she pulled up and off his tee shirt, and then never taking her eyes from his undid the button on his jeans and pulled down the zip. Michael lifted his hips and she pulled down his jeans and pulled them off along with his shoes and socks.

Leaning forward she took his hardening penis in her mouth and ran her tongue around it. Michael's hands burrowed into her hair, his head dropping forward, the erotic sight of her head nestled in his groin, and the warm wet feeling of her mouth as she kissed the end of his growing cock took his breath away.

Libby held his turgid rod and licked the length of it, swirling her tongue over and around, feeling the raised vein, the velvet skin, the salty taste of the pre cum. Taking the end she drew it in past her lips and slid her mouth down, taking it deep into her mouth. Michaels head went back and his eyes closed in ecstasy. His cock grew more and more rigid, his balls drawing up tight, as she sucked and bobbed her head as she worked on him. His fingers tightened in her hair, his hips rose slightly off the bed, pushing himself deeper into the glorious hot damp cavern of her mouth. He felt her tongue flick back and forth across the sensitive tip and then her hands holding and manipulating his balls, and a deep primal groan escaped his throat as she slowly slid her lips down the rod once again.

Speeding up the movement Libby milked him until he exploded into her mouth and she swallowed the thick white cum, licking his penis clean, and giving it one last kiss before she then sat back on her heels looking up at her lover, a beautific smile on her face.

*

Sitting back in the lounge on the sofa, his arm around her shoulders, her head resting against him they waited in silence for the phone to ring. The minutes seemed like hours as time dragged by, and as the light in the room dulled they sat there, not turning on the light but preferring to sit in the gloom which matched their mood.

Finally the phone rung making Libby jump. Slowly with dread she got up and walked across the room to answer it. On the other end was her father calling from the prison phone using the phone card she had sent in to him. After greeting him she asked if he was alright. Brushing aside her query he asked her, "Did you get it?"

"Yes...."

"Any problems...."

"No...."

"You have all of it.....everything?"

"Yes.....dad..."

But he interrupted her, "Destroy it.....all of it."

A lump formed in her throat making her unable to speak.

"Did you hear me, get rid of it.....I can't talk now....come and visit me soon....just do as I say. I love you." And then he was gone.

Libby stood there with the silent phone to her ear....absorbing the reality of what her father had asked her to do and what it meant.

Michael came up behind her, slipped his arms around her and balancing his chin on the top of her head asked her what she wanted to do.

Putting the phone back in its holder she then turned around, slipped her arms around his waist and burst into tears as the truth about her father and what he had done, and what he had made her do for him shuddered through her. Michael held her and let her cry. He felt her body shudder with each breath, and each shudder and sound hurt him deep in his soul. If he could have taken the pain away from her and placed it on himself he would have, but all he could do was hold her and let her cry it out.

Eventually she quietened down and there was just the occasional sniffle. Then in a shaky voice she said, "He wants me to destroy it. He told me to get rid of it.....you were right, it's proof of his guilt."

"What do you want to do?"

"I don't know."

"No rush."

"What if the police find it?"

"Why should they?"

"I don't know....what if they search the cottage and find it."

"Why should they search the cottage? You're not a suspect."

Looking up at him with her tear stained face she said, "But you are. For the murder."

"Mmm...."

Hugging him tight she told him, "Oh Michael I'm so sorry you got pulled into this mess...you don't deserve it...being a suspect in a murder you didn't commit and the one thing that can connect you to McMasters is sitting upstairs in my office."

"I'll survive....been in worse fixes in my life believe me."

"We have to destroy it...but how...what do I do with it?"

"Burn the hard copy stuff....the discs are going to be a little more difficult....do you know where there is a very deep body of water around here?"

"Why?"

"We break them into bits...put them in a box weighted down and drop them into deep water....police haven't got anything on me being at the scene of the murder because of you backing up my alibi...no prints...no connection between McMasters and myself...just the fact my car was parked nearby....we get rid of the file and what's there to tie me to him or to give them more ammunition to prosecute your dad."

"Let's do it....now...as soon as possible."

"That's my girl."

So they went and got the file, and Libby found an old wooden box in which they placed the now snapped into bits discs. Michael took the box and file, and he and Libby went out to his car. Driving at her directions and only stopping off to buy a box of matches they went up into the hills until they arrived at an old abandoned quarry. Getting out the car they walked hand in hand to stand next to the large body of water that had formed a lake at the bottom of the large depression of land.

Building a small bonfire Michael fed the paper files and the folder to burn, and Libby and he watched as that part of the proof went up in flames. Then gathering stones to weight down the box with the broken discs in they tied it securely with string they had brought for the purpose, and Michael stripped of all his clothes, kissed Libby on her nose and waded into the water.

Libby watched him as he walked deeper into the lake carrying the box in his hands and then as he started to swim towards the centre of the large expanse of water, her heart beating with worry as the dark of the night swallowed up any sight of him.

In the centre of the lake Michael let go of the box and watched it disappear, bubbles rising up to the surface as it went away from sight. Turning back to shore he swam until his feet could touch the bottom and then he waded out, took the towel Libby offered him and smiling asked her, "Ever made love out in the open air?"

"Nope. And if we are going to, it won't be here."

Shrugging he got dressed, "So does that mean you're not adverse to the idea of sex in the outside."

"Not adverse.....maybe on the way back...."

Kicking the last of the embers and ash from the small fire with his shoe Michael looked at Libby. "You know what this means don't you. Derosa is now in the clear for the fraud unless your dad implicates him, which he's not liable to do as it would be an admission on his part. It also means the bastard gets away with murder. You ok with that?"

"If you are."

"I can live with it....what I can't live without is you Libby."

Libby's heart melted and she threw her arms around him, "I love you Michael."

"I love you too sugar.....I guess were stuck with each other. Can you live with someone who makes a living like I do? I'm likely to be away for three to six month periods at a time on assignments. I'm not your best bet as a family type man....I've never even been part of a family before....but I'll give it a try."

"Is this a proposal Michael?"

"I guess it is."

"The answers yes....yes I can live with someone who makes a living like you do....I can be there waiting for you, worrying about you and making you a place to come home to at the end of each assignment. I can give you family. You and me."

"In that case I'll cancel the three other nights payment for retrieving the files, and pledge the rest of my life to loving you."

"Well then let's go find somewhere a little more convivial to make love on the way back home."

Home.

That to Michael sounded perfect. At last he had found a place to really call his home and someone to share it with.

*