A Romantic Crime Thriller Ch. 01

"So you decided to steal it!"

"The safe was an old one that had stood in the offices of the firm for years; before it was moved a couple of years ago to McMasters home. He kind of liked it as it was so old, kind of stylish in a kind of nineteen thirty's type of way. Dad knew the safes code and told me it and I knew where it was kept as I've been many times in McMasters home when accompanying my dad to cocktail parties and things like that there."

"So your dad put you up to breaking and entering. Putting you in danger."

Defensively she said, "It was the only way to get him proved innocent."

"He couldn't do it himself?"

Suddenly standing up and bristling with anger, "He's my father.....he's innocent....he couldn't do it because the police...."

"So you did it.....put yourself in danger..."

"Wouldn't you do the same thing if your father was wrongfully charged and you could help to prove him innocent?"

Michael's eyes narrowed dangerously before he slowly said, "I don't have a father. I was brought up by the state....whoever my parents were they obviously didn't stick around long enough to let me form any strong attachment or even memory of them. Especially one that would make me put my life on the line for them."

Sitting back down deflated Libby whispered, "I'm sorry." And she realised she really meant it. Although Michael looked tough and hard he had been almost protective with her. And the two kisses in the car park had been heart stopping and gentle. "But the file wasn't there....and now there is no way to prove my dad is innocent."

"Well someone has it....the person who killed McMasters and tried to set me up is my guess."

Hopefully Libby asked him, "And who was that then.....why were you there to steal the file....who sent you?"

"A couple of days ago I had a phone call offering me ten grand to break in and steal the file. Two grand up front, the rest on delivery. I met the man who called himself Smith....obviously not his real name yesterday morning....he gave me the instructions and information....told me that the owner of the house would not be there that night and the code for the safe. He gave me the two grand and I was going to meet him to hand over the file at the cafe where we had the original meeting at ten o'clock later this morning."

"Why did he hire you?"

"It's my job....I'm a man for hire...."

"Breaking and entering? Stealing for money."

"All sorts of things.....I'm ex army, now a mercenary....between wars."

Shocked Libby gasped, "My God."

Ignoring her Michael continued, "My guess is I was set up to take the fall. Smith or whatever his real name is took the file before we got there, waited till we broke in, shot McMasters, called the police and fled leaving me to get caught red-handed in the house with a dead man."

"But he didn't know I would be there as well to give you an alibi....you couldn't have shot McMasters....I was with you when we heard the shot."

"No but we can hardly go to the police with this story."

"And that still doesn't help my dad to prove his innocence."

"No Libby but whoever did kill McMasters and took the file is probably the person who set up your dad. All we need to do is work out who set me and your dad up and discreetly direct the police towards him."

Giving a big yawn Libby rested her head back, "So what did this Smith look like?"

Standing up Michael held out his hand, "You're beat, I'm tired. Let's go to bed and get some sleep and when we wake up refreshed we can work it out."

"What do you mean 'go to bed'?"

Pulling her up to standing, "Bed as in lay down on a horizontal oblong of stuffed material, pull more material over us and close our eyes."

"Together?"

"If you like."

"I don't like...."

"I was afraid you were going to say that.....I'll take the spare bed then, you have your own bed."

"I don't have a spare bed."

"You don't....well in that case beggars can't be choosers.....sharing your bed will have to do."

"You can take the couch."

Michael eyed the couch in front of him, "Sugar I'm six feet two that couch is what, five feet at most......you take the couch."

"It's my home."

Sighing Michael gave Libby what he considered his killer smile, "No chance you'd change your mind and share your bed with a tired co-conspirator?"

"No."

"Got any spare blankets?"

Turning around and going upstairs she gathered a blanket and pillow from the airing cupboard and came back down to put on the couch. When she turned around Michael stood close to her, leather jacket removed, his black tee shirt showing off his tightly muscled arms and the delineation of his body under the soft snug cotton material. Looking up from his chest to his eyes she went to take a step back but came up against the couch when his warm hand wrapped itself around the back of her neck pulling her forward as he lowered his head down to kiss her in a gentle soft deep wet kiss.

Closing her eyes she fell into the kiss, her hands moving up to rest against his shoulders, the feel of hard muscle under her squeezing palms and fingers.

The kiss lasted a while and then Michael raised his head and whispered to her, his mouth only inches from hers, his brown eyes staring into her soft green ones, "Night sugar, don't let the bed bugs bite." And he kissed the tip of her nose before letting her go and running out the room, up the stairs and into her bedroom where he laughed, quickly stripped off his clothes and climbed into the queen sized bed.

Shocked Libby stood stunned and then storming up the stairs, furious, she followed him going into her bedroom in time to see Michael, wearing only a pair of boxer shorts jump into her bed. "You big bastard, get out. I told you that you're sleeping on the couch."

Laying back, hands behind his head Michael grinned at her, "You take the couch......or join me in here." And he patted the side next to him, "Plenty of room."

Turning around in a huff Libby told him as she left the room, "You're no fucking gentleman." before slamming the door behind her.

Michael just grinned into the dark, turned on his side and before settling down to get some sleep murmured to himself, "You're damn right sugar....no gentleman.....and next time we're in this room together you and I will be in this bed together and we won't be sleeping. And that's a promise."