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That electric spark of pleasure worked its way up my spine. Each push against my prostate only made it more intense. My eyes rolled into my head as I yelled, “FUUUCK!” when my orgasm tore through me. I hadn’t even touched myself when cum flew from my cock, hitting the subway tile and mingling with the swirling water below. My ass clenched through my release, and his thrusts increased, showing he was close.

“Jesus. Fuck,” he roared, pushing his forehead against my neck. I felt the warm rush of his cum paint my insides. It seemed to last forever until he slowed and fell against me. We remained like that until our breathing evened out. He slowly pulled out, cum seeping from my stretched hole. The sensation of suddenly feeling empty was replaced by Jonesy gently caressing my ass cheeks.

“Mine,” was all he said, making me chuckle. When he heard me, he laughed at his declaration, then ran a string of light kisses across my shoulders before stepping back.

“I think we just relieved a bit of stress, babe,” I said, turning to lean against the shower wall.

He reached for the shower gel, washed my body, and his eyes never left mine.

It was the best way to end one crazy, fucked-up but productive day.

43

JONESY

The next morning, before Craig and I headed to the precinct, we went to the hospital to check on Jasmine and Lindsey. Both were doing well, and the doctor deemed them ready to go home later that day. Jasmine’s parents were there when we walked in. We introduced ourselves and told them we were happy with the outcome, as they were. Knowing we’d helped save both ladies brought Jasmine’s mother to tears.

I’d returned the diamond stud Craig had found to him in an evidence jar after we’d processed it. Epithelial tests confirmed Jasmine had been wearing it, and he wanted to present it to her.

“I think this belongs to you,” Craig said, holding out the clear container to her. She frowned as she took it. After seeing what it was, she reached to her right ear and touched the matching earring she was still wearing. Suddenly, tears filled her eyes, and she covered them with her hand. “It’s okay, Jasmine. I was lucky to have seen it under the bed when I checked your room after you’d been abducted. I just wanted to make sure you got it back.”

She let out a soft sob and lowered her hand, sniffling. “No, no. I mean, I appreciate you found it, but it’s not mine. It matches the one in my ear, but they’re not mine.”

Craig’s puzzled look in my direction made me frown. The room remained silent.

Jasmine took a deep breath and composed herself. “These were Gretchen’s. I admired them on her the first night we arrived. I didn’t own any jewelry like this and told her. The next morning, she came to my hotel room and presented me with them, telling me I could borrow them for the week. She said she had others. It…it was such a special thing for her to do.”

She set the container with the one Craig found in her lap and, with both hands, took the earring she was wearing out of her ear, unscrewed the lid, and set it next to the other one. “I heard she’d been killed, and these need to go back to her parents. I can’t keep them.” She put the lid back on and handed it back to Craig, who cradled it in his hands.

My throat tightened as I took in Jasmine’s words. From what other contestants had said about Gretchen, she was not only beautiful but a generous, kind soul everyone seemed to like. We stayed a few more minutes before we needed to get to the precinct. I told them we’d need their statements about their ordeal in the next couple of days, and that someone would coordinate it.

As we walked to the car, my thoughts went to Gretchen again. I had a feeling I’d never forget her and what she’d gone through. The fear, the determination to get free from the men, only solidified what a fighter she had been. Why is it that the good ones seem to leave us too soon? We remained quiet, lost in our own thoughts as we drove to the precinct.

Craig needed to make a statement about his confrontation with Sami, and since he would be around, I saw no harm in him observing the interrogations of the five men we’d arrested. It was a joint effort between the SFPD and the FBI because all five men would face state and federal charges.

They would all face state charges for Gretchen’s murder and related crimes. The FBI would work with federal prosecutors on the multi-state trafficking ring. All five would be heading to California state court and federal court to answer for their crimes.

All of them had been sequestered from each other during their interrogations, and as their plan unfolded, it helped put more pieces of the puzzle together.

Sami Farouk eventually gave us the most information, hoping to cut a deal. He rolled on the others, explaining that Gretchen Swenson had been a tougher fighter than they’d thought and during her transport to San Francisco, Boris had grown careless, strangled her with her pageant sash, and simply dumped her body. He also told us it was Luca who’d forced Craig off the highway in the black SUV. With charges ranging from kidnapping, murder, attempted murder, witness tampering, and human trafficking, they would be put away for some time.

As for Oliver, he’d slipped away from San Francisco after his nephew’s failed attempt to steal away Craig’s best friend, Wynn, three years ago. He’d changed his name and moved to Lake Tahoe, keeping a low profile as the concierge supervisor at Bally’s. I was certain that, being a smooth talker, he’d found it easy to gain that position. As for how he got involved with human trafficking, that still needed to be explained. Was it easy money, or was it because he’d had a taste of kidnapping in his past? I suspected it was a combination, and in his mind, it came down to survival.

Sheriff Chet Landon was the worst of them all. He’d been in law enforcement for years, so for him to be seduced into a scheme like that and betray the badge was unfathomable to me. Perhaps he’d always been a dirty cop, and I was certain all aspects of his past would be brought to light.

As I left Oliver’s interrogation room, Craig came out of the one-way-glass observation room to meet me. “He really is a fucking piece of work, isn’t he?” Craig said. I could tell just seeing Oliver smug and defiant made Craig’s neck turn red with anger.

“Between us and the FBI, we’ll get more out of him. He was pissed that he got caught, but it was only a matter of time. Arrogance, with a hint of narcissism, has a way of exposing the flaws and shortcomings of those who think they hold all the cards.”

“Well, at least the card I laid on the table was knowing who he was,” Craig replied with a quirked half-smile.

I walked us down the hall toward the squad room. “You did a lot to help, Howler, especially yesterday. I just hope you have some closure knowing who wiped you out on that highway, and finally catching Oliver.”

“It helps. But it also brings closure to the murdered woman’s parents,” he replied. “Oh, I almost forgot. What about the Chandler case? Gotta give credit to Chloe for noticing that insurance policy in their financials.”

“Actually, we’ve done more digging, and Sean is bringing in Dash Matthews today for questioning. He should be back within the hour.”

Craig gave me a questioning look as we rounded the corner toward the squad room. A slow, aggressive clap came from across the room. Everyone looked at our captain, who’d started it, before realizing he had his attention on Craig and me. All eyes shifted from him to the two of us, and within seconds, the entire squad room was on its feet, clapping. Even a couple of whoops and hollers broke through.