“So, we’re on our own?” I said to Kate after the call.
“Yes. The Sheriff’s Department will not be able to get here until tomorrow.” Kate sighed. “I’m tired and hungry, let’s get something to eat.”
On our way out of the Satori main offices, Kate stopped at the main desk and asked Sequoyah to open the safe so she could retrieve her gun and handcuffs. “Best to be careful,” Kate said, as she fastened the holster around her waist and slipped the cuffs into the front pocket of her US MARSHAL sweatshirt.
We stepped onto the path to the dining room. “How are you doing?” I asked.
Kate sighed and turned to me. “I’m frustrated. I was looking forward to spending the entire day in bed with you and now I can’t.”
“I’ll make it up to you. In the future we can have many days in bed.”
She kissed me and then stepped back. “That reminds me, you told Jean Little that we were going to take a little trip.” She titled her head to one side and arched one eyebrow.
“Before we got together, last night, I was thinking about what we should do next, after we return to San Francisco. And it occurred to me that we should take a little trip and make sure we can stand each other every day. You know, there are couples who love each other, but maintain separate residences.”
“I know that, but I don’t understand it,” Kate said. “My intent is to sleep with you every night. To be your partner.”
“Me, too. But I suggest we take a little trip and make sure that everything works and, if so, then we can begin living together.”
Kate’s eyes misted. She took two deep breaths. “Okay. What were you thinking of?”
“Well, when I first had this idea, I imagined us backpacking in the Sierras. Then I remembered that I don’t like sleeping on the ground.”
“Or fucking on the ground.”
I laughed. “That, too. So, I’ve been thinking about a nice resort or hotel.”
“Not Las Vegas. That would be a showstopper.”
“Not Las Vegas. I was thinking either Hawaii or Paris. Hawaii because it’s warm and easy to get to. Paris because it’s Paris.”
“I would enjoy going to Hawaii with you but coming right after the workshop it’s too much like Satori. I vote for Paris because we can stay in a comfortable bed, order room service, and go to art museums.”
“You like art museums?”
“Duh. When I’m not working or at the Dojo, I paint.”
“Did you tell me this? If you did, then I’m afraid I missed it.”
“I thought I had, but maybe it was in the women’s circle.” Kate paused and looked over the Satori campus. “The only other time I have been to Satori was to do a painting workshop with Adam Wollstonecraft. My father was a painter; he thought it was a good way to dodge the stresses of cop-world. I love painting.”
“So, you would be happy if we took a little trip to Paris?”
“Why are you asking me this, Tom? I would be crazy not to be happy. A vacation in Paris with my lover. What could be better?”
We went through the breakfast line and sat down with our workshop friends at the usual table by the west windows.
“Why are you wearing your US Marshal sweatshirt,” Lucy asked Kate. “Did you have to deal with the dead body?”
When Kate started to answer, Julie interrupted. “What’s wrong with your voice?”
“I think I caught Tom’s cold,” Kate said, pinching my leg under the table. She proceeded to tell them a sanitized version of our encounter with the cadaver.
“Sounds grim,” Norma said.
“It was,” Kate said. “But I learned an important thing this morning: Tom is not freaked out dealing with a dead body.”
“What’s going to happen now?” Julie asked.
“Well, after we finish eating breakfast,” Kate said. “We have to move the decedent from the bath area to the cooler in the kitchen.”
“I’ll help,” Julie said. “I’ve had a lot of experience moving around dead animals.”
“I’m a doctor,” Theo said.
“And I’ll help,” Norma said. “As a nurse I’ve seen more than my share of dead people.”
Otto sighed. “I think I can do this. We’ll be wearing gloves, right?”
“Of course,” Kate said. “And you won’t see the actual corpse. Tom and I and will go down first and wrap it in a sheet. Then we will wrap it a second time in canvas.” She looked at the group. “Your gloved hands will only touch the canvas.”
“In that case,” Lucy said. “I think I can help, too. I’m kind of a wimp when it comes to dead people.”
Just then David walked up to the table. “What’s going on, Kate? I heard you and Tom got called out early to deal with the body in the bath area.”
“Yes,” Kate answered. “The situation is under control, but we need to move the cadaver out of the bath area into the kitchen refrigerator. I just recruited these guys to help so we’re all going to be late to the workshop.”
“It’s a strange new team-building exercise,” David said. “That’s fine. Take your time. We’ll start without you.” He walked off.
Kate spoke to our friends. “Let’s get this done and go on to the workshop.”
We left the dining room and walked down the path to the point where Wendy and Johnny were still guarding the bath entrance. “We’re going to move the body,” Kate explained.
“We can help,” Wendy said.
“I think we’ve got it handled. I’ll let you know.”
When we got to the dressing area, Kate and I went inside the utility closet and grabbed a king-size sheet and a gray tarpaulin. “Tom and I will go ahead and wrap the body,” Kate told the group. “When it’s done, we’ll call you in.”
We walked past the showers and came to the table where Moore’s body lay. Kate and I put on gloves, wrapped the body in the king-size sheet, and called our friends to the table.
Kate handed out gloves. The group wrapped Moore’s corpse in the tarpaulin, lifted it up, and proceeded out of the bath area. We went up the trail and stopped where Wendy and Johnny were guarding the path.
“You can remove this barrier,” Kate said. “We can let everyone back into the bath area but cordon off the area around the tub where we found the body and the table where I examined it.”
“Okay,” Wendy said. “We know what to do.”
Kate and I and the others carried Moore’s corpse on up the trail. When we reached the top, we turned to the right to avoid the main entrance to the dining room, trying to attract as little attention as possible. Nonetheless, several people watched from the windows as we skirted the main area and entered the kitchen back door. One of the workers showed us where the big cooler was. We opened the door and laid down Moore’s body onto a stainless-steel tray. This is a very weird experience, I thought, as the cooler door slammed shut.
After stopping at the restroom, Kate and I grabbed coffee and walked up hill to the workshop.
When we entered, and took our regular seats, David stopped talking and turned to Kate. “Marshal Swift, before we move on with our next exercise, perhaps you can explain to us what’s been going on this morning.”
Kate stood up. “Not all of you know that I am a US Marshal.”
“What happened to your voice?” Lois asked.
“Too much singing in the hot tub,” Kate started to say.
Lucy interrupted her. “Actually, too much screaming.”
The group laughed.
Kate blushed and gave Lucy a soft punch in the arm. “Anyway. I’ve been here off duty, but this morning the Sheriff’s Department asked me to help, because one of the cleaning crew found a dead body in the bath. The Sheriff couldn’t get here because Highway One is blocked.”
“How long will it be blocked?” Tammy asked.
“We think a day or two. They asked me to conduct the initial investigation to ensure an orderly inquiry, protect the corpse and crime scene, and to reopen most of the bath area.”
“You regard this as a crime scene?” Theo asked.
“We regard this as a death in suspicious circumstances.”
There was a low hum of conversation and then Cheryl spoke. “Do you think that this death is connected to the demise of Malcolm Eastwick?”
“I can’t talk about that.”
“Is this why access to the Satori campus is blocked?” Lucky asked.
“Yes. Because of the suspicious circumstances, we’re treating this as a crime scene. We want everyone to stay on campus until we’ve had a chance to conduct a thorough investigation.”
“Do you think we are in danger?” Tammy asked. “Is this like one of those movies where there is a party and then the lights go out and people start getting murdered?”
“I don’t watch those movies,” Kate said. “But no, I don’t think any of you are in danger, but I will take every precaution to ensure you are safe.”
There was a buzz of conversation.
“Does anyone else have questions for Marshal Swift?” David asked.
Rory raised his hand. “Do you know when the Internet will come back up?”
“I’m not sure. I think there’s a problem with the router.”
David looked around the room. “Okay, if there are no further questions, let’s get back to work.”
Bruce James entered the room. “Sorry to interrupt, David and Cheryl. Is it okay if I borrow Marshal Swift? The board wants to be briefed.”
“Do you want me to go with you?” I asked Kate after she followed Bruce out of the conference room.
She stopped and looked at me. “Here’s the problem, Tom. I know from experience that if I walk into that group with a man, particularly a handsome man who is taller than me, the crowd won’t take me seriously. All the questions will be directed at you, even though you’re not a peace officer.”
I sighed. “That makes sense. But I don’t want to be separated from you. And I do know this crowd.” I took her hand. “How about if we walk down to the conference center together, then you go inside, while I sneak around to the deck entrance and watch?”
Kate clenched my hand. “Okay. I want to be with you, too. But you need to give me space to do my job.”
“Are you going to tell them about the disappearance of Greg Tanaka?” I asked. “I noticed that you didn’t mention it when you spoke to our workshop.”
“No. I don’t want people to freak out hearing that in the last four days, we believe that three people have been murdered here and we think the assailant is still on campus.”
I took Kate’s hand. “I’m not freaked out.”
She smiled. “When you touch me, I freak out but that’s a good thing.”
We held hands and followed Bruce James north to the old conference center.
“Our guests are unhappy they can’t leave,” Bruce said.
“Uh huh,” Kate said.
“Do you think this is connected to Malcolm’s death?”
“Might be.” Kate said. “My father was a homicide detective in Fresno. He always said his number one rule was to be careful and to do the investigation by the book. In this case, ‘the book’ means making sure that everyone is interviewed.”
“Okay. You need to tell that to our guests.”
We walked in silence to the old conference center. When Kate stepped onto the front porch, I went around to the back. The Satori board, and their guests, were in the great room, which was set with small tables. The crowed was drinking coffee and eating pastries.
Bruce James stopped at the great-room door and announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, I know that you have questions about what’s going on. I’ve brought you the person in charge, US Marshal Kate Swift.” He stepped back.
Kate stepped forward. “I met some of you last night when I was at your fundraiser. I’m here on vacation, attending a workshop. However, I am an active-duty US Marshal. The Monterey County Sheriff’s Department knew that and asked me, this morning, to take charge of the investigation until they arrive.”
There was a murmur of voices.
Kate spoke louder. “This morning, shortly after 6AM, the Sheriff’s Department contacted me because the bathhouse cleaning crew found a dead body in a tub. The Sheriff’s Detectives couldn’t get here because Highway One is blocked.”
Again, a buzz of voices.
“I investigated and found a male dead in a tub. Further analysis indicated there were suspicious circumstances. As a consequence, the Sheriff’s Department asked that the campus be locked down.”
Murmurs of disapproval. Someone shouted, “This is an outrage.”
I slipped into the back of the room.
Bruce James stepped forward. “Marshall Swift, how long do you believe the campus will be shut down?”
“I’m not sure. Highway one is blocked in both directions. I can’t imagine it will stay closed more than a day or two.”
“My client has an important engagement in Los Angeles,” a well-dressed woman said. Roddy Gallagher’s agent, I thought. “Can we arrange for a helicopter to land here, so he can keep his appointment?”
“I’m sorry but I cannot permit that,” Kate said. “My instructions are to keep everyone here until they can be interviewed by the Sheriff’s Department.”
Gwyneth Jones, Jerry Kermit’s date raised her hand. “Marshall Swift, do you believe that the latest death is connected to the death of Malcolm Eastwick?”
“It could be. Both deaths occurred under suspicious circumstances.”
“I thought Malcolm’s death was an accident?” Gwyneth asked.
“The Monterey medical examiner has yet to make a determination,” Kate said.
“So,” Monique said, “There is a possibility that Malcolm and the man found in the baths were both murdered?”
“That’s a possibility, but it’s up to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Department to make that determination.”
“So, we could be at risk?”
“My job is to ensure that you are safe,” Kate said. “The institute staff and I will work to ensure that.”
There were hostile mutterings. Roddy Gallagher nodded at a large man lounging against the back wall. The man walked through the crowd and approached Kate. “I hear what you say, Marshall Swift, but my client will be safer with me than with you.”
I moved forward in the room, but Kate motioned me back. “Who are you and who is your client?”
“My name is Ivan, and I am chief of security for Roddy Gallagher.”
“Nice to meet you, Ivan. Now sit down.”
“I’m removing my client from this location.”
“That’s not happening.”
“What are you going to do, honey? Shoot me?”
“I won’t have to shoot you, Ivan.” Kate raised her voice. “It’s a federal crime to interfere with a US Marshal in the performance of her duty. In addition, you should know that I have a Taekwondo black belt.”
“Sure you do, honey.” Ivan stepped forward and raised two giant hands as if to throw Kate out of the way.
Kate moved so fast that her hands were almost a blur. Her right fist hit Ivan in the solar plexus and left chopped down on his neck. Ivan fell forward like a stone statue, so hard that the floor shook. Oh my god, he’s dead, I thought before I heard Ivan moan.
“Tom,” Kate said. “Pull his arms behind him.” I ran forward and did what she said and Kate cuffed Ivan behind his back. “Now search his legs for weapons.” I patted his left leg and found a sheath knife; I patted his right leg and found a small handgun in a holster attached to a Velcro band. I pulled both off.
Roddy Gallagher got up from his chair and stepped forward. “Tom, this is all a big misunderstanding, I’m sure that you and I can come to an accommodation.”
I picked up the handgun, still in the holster. “Sit the fuck down, Roddy. Your bodyguard just threatened my partner. Very bad mistake.” My voice was shaking.
“Tom, put down the gun,” Kate said in a calm, raspy voice.
I put the gun in my right pocket. I put Ivan’s knife in my other pocket. I took a deep breath and stood up.
Kate removed another gun from Ivan. She shoved it in the center pocket of her US Marshall’s sweatshirt then turned to Bruce James. “Bruce, I want you and your staff to write down the names and contact information for everyone in this room.” She turned to face the audience. “You all have been witnesses to an attempted assault on a US Marshal. You all may be contacted by a US Attorney.” She took a deep breath. “In the meantime, Ivan will be removed from these premises and housed in…” she looked at Bruce James.
“I guess the infirmary.”
“Ivan will be housed in the infirmary. You all will remain here. The institute staff and I will provide for your security. Get up Ivan.”
Ivan staggered to his feet. His nose was purple.
“Go out the door and head up the hill,” Kate ordered. Ivan left the room and we followed.
There was a smattering of applause.
“Tom, find out where the infirmary is.”
Marcia Ball was on the porch. “I can show you.”
She walked ahead of Bruno as we trudged back towards the main building.
“How are you?” I asked Kate.
“Ask me in a few minutes.” She said with a slight quiver.
It turned out that the infirmary was a sterile set of rooms next to the executive offices. One of the rooms had a hospital bed and a toilet.
“This is perfect,” Kate said. “It has a door that can be locked from the outside and no window.”
We walked into the room and Kate instructed Ivan, who was glaring at her, to sit on the chair.
“Marcia, you should wait outside.” Kate said and waited until Marcia left the infirmary space. “Ivan, here’s what’s going to happen. Tom is going to remove your shoes, belt and pants. We’re also going to take your wallet and your phone. We’re going to put all of these in a safe.”
Ivan nodded.
I took Ivan’s clothes and dumped them in the hall.
“You’re going to be kept in here until the Sheriff’s Department shows up and then they will determine the next steps.”
“I want to talk to an attorney.”
“When there’s phone service, we will arrange for you to talk to an attorney. In the meantime, I want you to promise to behave yourself. If you do, I will remove your cuffs and you will be served regular Satori food. If you don’t, I will cuff you to this bed and you will be served oatmeal and water.”
“I will behave.”
Kate handed me the handcuff key. “I will stand here and Tom will remove your cuffs. If you touch Tom or try to escape, I will kneecap you.”
Ivan nodded.
I removed the handcuffs and Ivan didn’t move. Kate and I backed out of the room and I picked up Ivan’s clothes.
When we exited the infirmary, Marcia was waiting. She locked the door and handed Kate the key.
“Now we need to put Ivan’s clothes in the safe.’
We followed Marcia back to the executive suite. No one was around. “I know the combination,” Marcia said. She pulled back the Satori picture, dialed the combination, and opened the safe. Kate rolled Ivan’s clothes into a compact bundle and shoved them to the back of the steel chamber.
“Thanks,” Kate said to Marcia. “Tom and I are going to go into the vacant office and make a call.”
“Okay. Let me know if you need anything.” Marcia left the executive suite.
Kate and I went into the vacant office. I closed the door.
Kate wrapped her arms around me. Her body was shaking all over. “Oh God, I hate this shit.”
I kissed her hair.
“Thank God you are here, Tom. I want you to hold me forever.”
“I thought you were remarkable, Kate. You were so cool.”
“I didn’t feel cool. I thought, ‘These people expect me to protect them, and I don’t know what’s going on.’”
“And then Ivan.”
“That fucking Ivan. What an asshole. He made me so angry and then, for a moment, I thought I might have killed him.”
“You didn’t though.”
“What’s his story? Who is Roddy Gallagher?”
I laughed. “You don’t know who Roddy Gallagher is? He’s a big action-movie star.”
“Really? Do you and Roddy have a history?”
“Roddy and Fiona had a history. He was always trying to hit on her and she was always telling him to fuck off. One time he had the balls to tell me that if she slept with him, he would give her a million-dollar movie contract.”
“No shit.”
“God’s truth.”
“But you wouldn’t shoot him, would you?”
I laughed. “I don’t even know how to operate a gun. I just pointed the thing in his direction because I was pissed off that he had his goon go after you.”
“And you stepped forward to protect me.”
“Yes, even though I didn’t know what the fuck I was doing.”
“Were you scared? Did it upset you when I used my martial-arts skills?”
“No. I was impressed and turned on.” I smiled. “The only time I’ve been scared with you was last night when we were making love. I got so excited that I thought I might have a heart attack.”
Kate laughed loudly. “I thought of that, too. In the middle of the night, I thought, ‘It would be ironic if I have a heart attack after I have my first complete orgasm.’” She tipped her head back and kissed me.
“We need to keep each other healthy.”
Kate held me close. “You’ve been a good boy, Tom. You deserve a reward.”
I got an erection.
Kate chuckled. “Your body wants to be rewarded.”
I tightened my clasp. “That’s because you’ve turned me into a horny seventeen-year-old. On the exterior I may look like forty-year-old business executive. On the inside I’m a pool of molten testosterone.”
“Sounds hot.” Kate ground against me.
I leaned to the left and locked the office door.
Kate dropped to her knees and unzipped my jeans. She pulled my erect penis out of my shorts. “You’ve turned me into a naughty girl.” She licked my glans and then slid her mouth over me and began sucking noisily.
I moaned.
“Not so loud,” Kate said. “they’ll hear us.” She resumed sucking.
I bit down on my sweatshirt sleeve.
When I thought I couldn’t hold out any longer, I pulled Kate’s head back. “We can do this another time, but right now I want you to join me in my ‘improvement’ over last night’s sexual gymnastics.”
Kate stood up and smiled. “Tom’s fantasy.”
“First we both remove our clothes.” Kate and I stripped naked.
“Now I make sure that you’re ready.” I dropped to my knees and licked her vagina and clitoris.
“Next I sit on the edge of this table.” I moved back and sat on the redwood table with my feet tapping the floor.
“Now, you, athletic Kate, climb on the table.”
Kate bounded up.
“Finally, you very carefully sit on my penis and wrap your arms and legs around me.”
Kate slid onto my erection. We both moaned. She was looking almost directly at me.
“As I hoped, we can now kiss as we enjoy each other.”
I gripped her firm butt with my both my hands and pulled her up as Kate’s mouth closed over mine. She wrapped her strong arms around my chest, and we rocked back and forth.
I grabbed Kate’s US MARSHALL sweatshirt and pulled it over one shoulder. “When we let go, we can bite down on this.”
Kate murmured. “This is so good. I keep thinking it can’t get any better and it does.” Her oohs turned into growls. “Oh, so good. I’m losing it.” Kate’s body shook and then she screamed into the sweatshirt.
I kissed her face. Licked the tears from her eye lids.
She tightened her grip on me. “Oh my God.”
My chest was constricted but I kept kissing her.
“Do me a favor, Tom. Never let go of me.” Kate gasped for breath. She loosened her arms and pulled her head back. “You didn’t come.”
“I got so absorbed in pleasing you that I didn’t.”
“That’s not fair.”
“It’s okay. It’ll all balance out.”
She shook her head. “I’ve been down this road before.” Kate affected a whiney voice, “I’m sorry, girl. I’ll take care of you next time.” She ran her tongue over my lips. “Do what I say, or you will be disciplined.”
My penis snapped to attention.
“Look into my eyes.” Kate began to move up and down on my penis. “Good. I can feel you expanding.” She chortled. “Like a balloon that is getting larger and larger.”
My heart was pounding.
“Bite down on the sweatshirt, Tom.”
I moaned.
“You’re getting bigger and bigger. Now is the time to explode, to fill me up.”
I let go and screamed into the sweatshirt.
We heard knocking on the office door.