Chapter Eighteen
(Monday 7th June 2010)
Mary Rose wasn't answering calls tonight because she was in her trendy local wine bar, and in there mobiles were verboten. At the time it was a "London thing". Not that she'd anticipated being there and being incommunicado. Although she was by no means a stranger in that bar, her visits were relatively rare. If it hadn't been for Jo she would never have considered dropping by.
Well, probably not . . .
And not that she really needed her phone.
She was on the damned blower all day. Why on earth should she carry on out of hours?
Judging from her entrance, Jo had different standards for different parts of town. Mary Rose went for an air kiss but, blithely disregarding the no-lips precedence she'd made yesterday in the Blind Beggar, Jo met her with a full lover's kiss.
Hey ho, there went Mare's reputation.
As if she was concerned about reputation. She was often out and about with lovers of both sexes and had a reputation the size of a mountain . . . meaning Himalayan, not merely Alpine. The way she saw it, being out loud and proud with Jo in here could only add to her overall notoriety.
I'm me, was forever her approach. Take me or leave me.
Armed with glasses and a bottle of icy Pinot they took a table. And this time Mary Rose bagged the cop's seat in the corner. Jo sat beside her, taking hold of Mare's hand and planting it on her leg.
'Twice in two days,' she said throatily. 'Folk will be talking.'
As if they weren't after that kiss!
'Let them talk,' Mary Rose replied, inching her hand upwards until it settled in the best position of all: in limbo on that thin band of Jo's warm inside thigh between her stocking-top and panties.
On second thoughts make that: the very clammy band of Jo's inside thigh between her silky stocking-top and an ever-so-slightly damp thong.
Or maybe it was Mare's palm that was clammy . . .
'Okay by me,' said Jo. 'I don't care what they say. We're on your patch, not mine.'
Mary Rose chuckled and inched a little higher. Jo didn't protest.
'I was wondering,' Mare began.
'More roaming than wandering,' the DI replied, arching a sexy eyebrow and sipping her wine.
'That missing heiress; are the results in yet?'
Jo sighed. 'And I thought you were going to ask if my divorce was imminent.'
'You'd have said already if it was. And trust me; I'd be in like a shot. But seeing as it isn't; what about those results?'
Another, even deeper sigh ensued. 'We're still waiting, Jo said after a lengthy pause. 'But her father's convinced she fell into the river and wants it all over and done with. Off the record, he's pressing us to release the body so he can cremate her.'
Her matter-of-fact response made Mare smile, in spite of the grim topic . . . or maybe because of the grim topic.
'Is that what he believes in?' she said. 'Burning the evidence?'
'He comes across as genuinely grieving. I can't blame him, to be honest. I'd probably be the same in his position.'
'So that's the story: She was drunk and fell in?'
'We're still waiting toxicology, as per always. But everything points that way.'
'And we're saying this happened when? Saturday night?'
'Yes. Theory is she called a taxi but a better offer came along before it arrived.'
'By that you mean a better offer from the mysterious Mr K.'
'We're still looking for him, naturally. But I'd be lying if I said the case is still top priority. We seem to be dotting I's and crossing T's.'
Mary Rose nodded. Tragic as it was, the case was as good as closed. Thank God she hadn't passed on her silly suspicions to Heather. Hev was a lovely person but she could be such a grouch.
Way Hev went on, anyone would have thought they were joined at the hip, vows and promises made.
And they weren't joined, were they? Their relationship could never work that way. They'd debated and argued at great length. Free as birds; that was them.
End of.
'That's enough shop talk,' Mare said, topping up glasses. 'Let's talk about us.'
'Are you sure it's talking you want to do?' Jo's hand landed on Mare's as she spoke, urging it up a tad.
Electric jolts of excitement raced through Mary Rose. Here they were in a public place and Jo wanted her to . . . to touch and . . . and . . .
'Oh,' she went, breathlessly.
'Go on,' Jo purred, 'surely a bright girl like you can multitask. Surely you can drink vino, talk and feel at the same time.'
Duly encouraged and with a (long lost) reputation to live up to, her hand hidden by the table-top, more or less, Mary Rose explored. And she was not disappointed. Jo's pussy was engorged with hot blood and throbbing.
And oh my, wasn't she wet!
'I want us to try something different tonight,' the DI said, her voice huskier, sexier than ever, rising and falling in time with Mare's undercover stroking.
'Different?'
'Look in my bag.'
Jo didn't usually carry a bag, not conspicuously, anyway. Today's was an exception. Today's was big and probably cost half a month's wage. Louis Vuitton would have been proud of a bag like that.
Cautiously, Mary Rose slipped her free hand inside the expensive leather.
'Oh dearie me,' she gasped. 'Don't say you've come across at last.'
Jo laughed.
Mary Rose had another feel. No doubt about it, that was a pair of handcuffs in there.
Her heart leapt. She'd been nagging on about handcuffs for just about ever. Jo had maintained she'd given up her bracelets long ago, when she'd been promoted out of uniform.
But exceptions could arise . . . obviously!
'Absolutely brill,' said Mary Rose, doing her best to whisper. 'When and where?'
'As soon as poss, and at yours; drink your drink.'
Mary Rose had planned on having an early night. But this was too good to miss or even think about postponing. She drained 250 mils of chilled white in the blink of an eye.
Chapter Nineteen
Within what seemed like seconds Mary Rose had dragged Jo into her bedroom. Or maybe it'd been the other way around and Jo had dragged her. But who cared? Whichever way it was neither of them had been kicking and screaming, so why not go with the flow?
Fact was they were in there, fully dressed and mouths locked.
Kissing was, in Mare's considered opinion, an under-rated occupation. Okay, there were lots of better things to do, but kissing was excellent.
Kissing a guy wasn't bad. Kissing a girl, however . . .
Well like wow!
After perhaps twenty minutes of devout necking Mary Rose squeezed Jo's ass. It was not for the first time, but with a certain degree of intent. Instinctively understanding, Jo responded by stopping kissing and becoming bossy.
'Get your kit off,' she commanded.
Mare stared at her, momentarily nonplussed.