Twenty

Hollie smiled when Mark entered her office, boy he was looking hot. He had made a special effort for his 8.30am appointment, “Morning” he said, she smiled again as she took in the whole outfit. “Nice suit…Armani is it?” he glanced down at himself then smiled warmly at her. “Yup it sure is honey…so is my 8.30 here yet?” Hollie suppressed the urge to giggle. “She is…all ready and waiting”

He glanced by her to where a figure sat.

“Two hundred dollars says you don’t pull her Mark”

He never could resisted a challenge, smiling wickedly he removed his jacket and placed it over his left arm “Two hundred says she’ll be putty in my hand babe”

“I so hate to take your money”

“Don’t worry babe I’ll just keep some of your pay check back shall I?”

“Sure…go for your life”

He flashed her that wicked grin once again then straightened up to his full 6ft in height and walked towards his office door, stopping abruptly. “Sorry…what’s her name again?”

“Err” Hollie pretended to check her diary; “A Mrs Beaumont” Mark winked as he opened his office door. “Good morning Mrs Beaumont sorry to keep you wait…” he came to a sudden halt his left arm outstretched, “Err could you just excuse me for a second” he added after shaking her hand. “Of course Mr Read and please call me Inger”

“Inger…I’ll be right back”

The woman watched him back up and then throw open his office door. Hollie stopped updating the files on her computer and was now staring expectantly up to where he stood. “Something wrong?” she smirked, he raised his arm, “You’re fired you’re fucking fired.” she shook her head then turned back to her screen. “Easiest money I ever made Mark.” she laughed, “I’ll accept twenty dollar bills” he drew in a deep breath, mumbled something obscene, then walked back into his office and slammed the door.

Marazzi looked down to where Christian sat then sighed, “Well?” he asked, Christian looked up “Well what?” Marazzi threw his arms in the air

“How do I look?”

“Err as ugly as ever”

“I’m being serious man…do I look ok”

“Why?”

“Oh hello-o, that broads coming today”

“Maz it ain’t a date”

“I wanna make a good impression”

“What? Why? It ain’t as if you’re ever gonna see her again.”

Marazzi looked deflated.

“Sorry…you look swell, now you remember what I told you?”

“Course”

“Good…go on get going”

Marazzi felt as if he were on some kind of high school date, he hadn’t been this nervous since he was a kid. Japp pouted as he past him then stopped,” Keep walking Maz” he heard Kinsella say behind him, Marazzi surveyed ever young woman in the room until he came to the prettiest. “Paul” she said his name.

‘Paul, who’s Paul,’ he asked himself ‘Oh I’m Paul God this babe’s talking to me’

“Roxi?”

“Yeah, you look good” she told him as she hugged him close, “We’re suppose to know each other remember?”

“Yeah, it’s good to see you Rox”

They chatted for a while about nothing in particular.

“Does he always do that?” she asked referring to the guard who had walked past them several times.

“Hell I don’t know, ain’t never had no visitor before”

She saddened, “Oh, okay he’s gone tell me everything”

Marazzi begun to relay everything that had been drummed into him by Christian, “So, is there really a chance he could get out?”

Roxi shrugged her slender shoulders then placed a strand of curly blond hair behind her ear, “Maybe…people are working on it”

Marazzi side glanced at a hovering Japp then silenced Roxi with a kiss.

“Hey that's enough of that!”

“Sorry babe couldn’t resist”

She smiled “So, what you in here for anyway?”

“Me?”

“No your mother”

He grinned, “I robbed a grocery store”

“You bad boy”

“Yeah babe you better believe it”

“So how long are you in here for?”

“I got ten years and I’ve been here almost five, so I’d say another two or more”

She smiled at him then took a deep breath.

“Can I say something to you?”

“It depends what it is?”

“It’s nothing bad babe honest”

“Okay shoot”

“D’you know you have the bluest eyes I’ve ever saw”

She smiled again, “Really?”

He nodded, “You’re beautiful…I bet you got a boyfriend?”

“No actually I haven’t”

“Why not?”

“I just got divorced”

“Oh, he’s a fool”

“He’s a bastard”

“Oh”

“He used to beat the shit outa me.”

“Wow that’s outa order; I’d never beat a woman”

“Not even your wife?”

“I ain’t married”

“Oh”

“Okay let’s go, time people”

Marazzi stared at her as if trying to take in every inch of her perfect body.

“I gotta go” she said

“I know, it was real nice meeting you”

“I could come again, if you like”

“Sure” Marazzi’s eyes filled with hope.

“I’ll come next month okay?”

“Yeah babe”

“Bye Paul”

“By sweetheart”

Marazzi watched her walk away then broke into a huge grin as he felt Japp tap his shoulder, “Let’s go Marazzi” he growled. Maz took a few paces away, “I don’t know what a great chick like her sees in a bum like you” he muttered as he escorted Marazzi back through the corridors.

Christian glanced at him when he returned noting the contented look on his face as he bounced up onto his bunk.

“Well? Do I have to guess what happened?”

“I think I’m in love”

“That’s nice but I wanna know what went on?”

“I told her everything you told me to, God she’s so hot”

“Marazzi don’t go falling for her coz chances are you’ll never see her again”

“Ah but that’s just where you’re wrong Briggo…coz she’s coming to visit me next month”

“Really?”

“Yup”

“Wow”

“So, did you chat about me at all?”

“No, well not after I passed on the message”

“Did she say anything about Jess?”

“No not really”

“What?”

“Well only that she’d been adopted and that your mom had tried everything to keep her.”

Christian sat up abruptly. “What? Marazzi I didn’t sign anything.”

“They said they didn’t need your signature or something, I’m sorry buddy, I thought you knew”

“No! Bastards! I really gotta get outa here now”

“I wish you’d let them people help you”

“I don’t trust cops Maz”

“Please Brig think about it, you’d never get past the guards.”

“I don’t intend to walk out the goddamn fucking door Maz.”

“Well just how the hell are you gonna escape.”

“I’m still working on that little problem, but I will find a way.”

“I just hope for your sake you don’t get caught.” Maz aired his worries before his thoughts returned to Roxi.

Kate smiled as Roxi described Paul Marazzi to her. “He’s so cute; he has the cutest smile ever and those eyes God those eyes.” Kate handed her a plate of salad, both women walking out onto the porch. “I’m going to visit with him again.”

Kate looked surprised “Really? Are you sure that’s wise?”

“He’s a real sweetheart Kate.”

“Is he?”

“He probably just needs someone to give him a break.”

“I don’t know, I mean he did rob a grocery store”

“Yeah and Chris murdered someone Kate!”

“Sorry I shouldn’t have said that, I think, judging by the way you talk about Chris he’s a pretty good judge of character.”

“Except where Shelby Geddes is concerned.”

“Yeah, did you call Jo?”

“I’ll call her later she’s at work”

“Oh”

Jo sighed as she made her way to the door; she’d just showered and was drying her hair with a towel when Adams had arrived. “I brought a take away, you gotta eat Logan.” he smiled as he side stepped her and walked briskly towards her kitchen. “Thanks” she said, a confused look now crossing her face as she closed the door to her apartment. Adams looked as good out of uniform as he did in it. ‘Don’t you dare Logan’ she chastised herself ‘Don’t you dare fall for this arrogant son of a bitch’ but that butt, wow what she could do with that butt. She caught him staring at her. “What?” he smiled then straightened up and she realised he’d seen just a little more than she’d intended him to see. “I’ll just go and get dressed make yourself at home.” he looked at her then smiled once more.

Once inside her bedroom she threw open her wardrobe doors and reached inside, she’d decided on the casual look, a pair of grey sweatpants and little pink strappy top with her pink pumps, not too revealing. “Hey Logan this is getting cold” she heard his voice. ‘My god he was just behind the door.’ “I’m just coming Adams.” she replied as she quickly ran the brush through her hair and tied it up in a high pony-tail before rushing back into her lounge room and right into his arms. They both stared at each other, “Meal’s getting cold” she played it cool; he smiled suddenly then indicated for her to lead the way.

After dinner she began her investigations once again. “So, how far have you gotten with it?” he was right next to her, so close in fact that she was almost chocking on his aftershave.

“Did anyone ever investigate Shelby Geddes?” she asked.

“I don’t think so why? She was a witness at his trial.”

“She was his girlfriend”

“Yeah I know”

“And no one investigated her? Adams don’t you find that a little strange?”

“Why? What motive would she have for killing him?”

“I don’t know”

“Logan face it…Ingebrigtsen’s dead in the water, all the evidence is there in black and white”

“Why are you so sure?”

“Why are you not?”

Jo drew in a deep breath then went to make coffee leaving Adams sifting through the statements, she knew from memory just how he took his coffee black with two sugars. “D’you want something else to eat?” he never answered, “Ben” he glanced at her then smiled. “What are you grinning at?” she asked, “You just called me Ben” she looked confused.

“And the point is?”

“As oppose to Adams” he added, she laughed.

“Yeah well we’re off duty”

“Oh and you only call me Adams when we’re at work?”

“No, I only call you Adams when you’re being an ass, which is often believe me”

“Sorry”

“It’s okay, drink your coffee” he took the mug from her then took a few sips. “Logan what are you gonna do if you don’t find out anything?”

“I don’t know, why?”

“You could get in trouble”

“So could you”

“How d’you work that one out?”

“Well you’re here helping me”

“Am I?”

“Yeah, you are aren’t you?”

“Yeah, I suppose I am”

She smiled, then sat back down at her dining room table.

Hollie glanced at Mark, it was almost 9pm and he was still hard at work, he looked up when she entered his office. “You forgave me yet?”

“Nop!”

“Oh come on, you must admit, it was pretty funny”

“Was it funny, pity I didn’t get it?”

“”No you didn’t, did you?” a smiled curved at her lips as she spoke.

He looked at her “Now you could make it up to me?”

“Don’t even go there”

“I think you should make it up to me right now”

“I’d have to be desperate”

“Wow that hurt”

“It weren’t meant to tickle”

“You’ll give in I know you will”

“Err in your dreams”

“Yeah funnily enough in my dreams Holz you do give in and quite easily I might add”

She drew in a deep breath as she neared his desk. “I don’t know what makes you tick, but I hope it’s a bomb”

“Haha you’re so damn funny, well if you wont make love to me at least make me a coffee, looks like I’m gonna be here a while longer”

“Okay then can I go home?”

“Sure d’you want me to walk you to your car?”

“I think I can manage”

“You sure it’s late, some pervert might be hanging around”

Hollie sighed, “I’ll be fine Mark honest”

“Okay just be careful”

“I will Mark, don’t work all night huh”

He flashed a genuine smile. “I wont, I just wanna get my client the best fucking deal I can, because her husband wont give her jack shit”

That was the side of Mark Hollie loved, the side no-one else ever saw

“Okay I’ll see you tomorrow”

“I’m in court first thing remember, so I’ll be a little late”

“Okay”

“Bye”

“Bye Mark”