Trinity Masters: Primal Passion Part 11

"Read it."

Price opened the file and began to scan it. His expression grew darker. Twice, he mumbled the word, "f.u.c.k," but he continued reading the information.

Finally, he looked up. "Where did you get this?"

Gunner gave him a crooked grin but didn't bother to reply.

"It would appear the Reverend is a bit more dangerous than your friend at the FBI led us to believe."

Gunner shrugged. "The FBI isn't exactly known for offering full disclosure. Young wasn't going to share all the details with you and Deni."

"But he was willing to give you this dossier?"

"He was. I think it's safe to say Deni has caught the attention of a psychopath. Our inside source says the man's sermons are almost exclusively focused on stem-cell research these days, and how it's murder and the prelude to some doomsday end-times. Prior to his run-in with Deni at the library, he seemed inclined to spread his venom around to multiple groups-condemning abortion clinics, h.o.m.os.e.xuals, as well as other misguided souls." Gunner put air quotes around the word misguided. "The man genuinely believes he's a prophet sent here to clean house. If he fails, he promises h.e.l.lfire, d.a.m.nation and basically everything else mentioned in the book of Revelations."

"So he's the precursor to the four hors.e.m.e.n of the apocalypse?"

Gunner nodded. "Something like that."

"What I don't understand is how this man has found so many followers who will buy into this bulls.h.i.+t. According to your file on him, he's acquired quite a bit of wealth from the generous donations of his congregation."

"People are afraid these days. Turn on the news, for G.o.d's sake. Between what's happening in the Middle East and new, deadly diseases being found every day, folks are in panic mode. They're afraid of dying, and the good Reverend is offering to sell them salvation. Clear out the riff-raff and all will be well. Get rid of the baby killers and h.o.m.os.e.xuals and we'll buy ourselves a few thousand more years on the planet." Gunner leaned against Price's desk. "The Reverend is a gifted speaker with the ability to read people's fears. He preys on that."

"And he's determined that Denise is public enemy number one?"

Gunner frowned. "It would appear so. Apparently she engaged with him in a mini-debate at the end of her talk at the library. He'd come to protest and Deni actually thought she could make a crazy man see reason. My source says the Reverend has held up a picture of Deni at their religious gatherings, called her the daughter of Satan. It's like he's gathering a lynch mob. Scary s.h.i.+t."

"I don't like this." Price slammed his hand on the file. "Dammit. This man has to be stopped."

"Agreed, but he hasn't technically done anything wrong. Deni could probably slap him with a slander suit, but that would only fuel the fire."

"The man has to be doing something illegal that we could have him arrested for."

Gunner sighed. "If there is, law enforcement hasn't found it yet. The Reverend's been on their radar for a little over a year now. The man pays taxes, files the proper paperwork for his gatherings, and he's ent.i.tled to freedom of speech under the Const.i.tution."

"What about the crimes Young said he'd committed? The arson, vandalism?"

"The Reverend already had his day in court. Paid his fines, served a few nights in the local jail, then he returned to the pulpit and quoted scripture about the persecution prophets of the past had suffered at the hands of an unjust government and blind sinners."

"I don't like this."

Gunner agreed. "My source says the Reverend's become more manic in the past few months, more outspoken, outwardly agitated and aggressive. He truly seems to believe the end is near and he's running out of time. His followers have picked up on that and they're in panic mode as well."

Price rubbed his forehead wearily. Gunner knew he hadn't slept well the night before. After their interlude in the living room, they'd climbed the stairs and dropped into Price's big bed. While Deni had slept soundly, he and Price had done more than their fair share of tossing and turning. He suspected neither of them would rest easy until Deni was out of danger.

"Do you think some of these followers are freaking out enough to kill?"

Gunner's chest tightened. "Yeah. I do. Someone shot Curtis and I'm pretty d.a.m.n sure he wasn't the intended target. Whether it was the Reverend or one of his believers remains to be seen. Given the information we've uncovered so far, I've called my boss in D.C. and requested that I be allowed to stay in Boston to work on this case. Incredibly enough, he agreed. I thought I was going to have to put up more of a fight."

Price's smug face told Gunner he wasn't surprised by the news he was staying in Boston.

Gunner narrowed his eyes. "Looks like I'm not the only person privy to insider information. One of these days, you're going to have to explain to me how a person works their way up the ranks of the Trinity Masters' organization."

Price turned away and reached behind him for a magazine. "That saying is still in effect even if the FBI didn't coin it. Tell you, kill you. I was actually on my way to find you and Denise when you brought in that file." Price tossed a copy of The Bostonian, a local magazine on top of the dossier about the Reverend. "Denise appears to be her own worst enemy right now."

The magazine showed a smiling Deni standing at the counter in her lab, surrounded by test tubes, Petri dishes and a large microscope. The headline read Scientist Making a Miracle?

Gunner closed his eyes and sighed. "Great. Why doesn't she wave a red flag in front of the bull?"

Price nodded. "She's definitely thrown gasoline on a wildfire. What are we going to do?"

Gunner had spent most of the morning asking himself that same question. "I'd like to tie her to the bed and keep her there until the threat is gone-preferably nude."

Price laughed. "I like your thinking, but I'm fairly sure that's not going to fly with our little bride. She's bound and determined to continue her research."

"I know. I suspect the police will lock down her lab for a few days since it's a crime scene, so that could help us keep her out of the public eye for a little while."

"Maybe we could stretch the truth on how long their investigation is taking."

Gunner frowned. "Are you suggesting we lie to her?"

"No. Not really. I mean...yeah, maybe. Dammit." Price ran a hand through his hair, his frustration growing. "I want her safe, Gunner."

"I understand that. I do too. But I'm not sure I'm comfortable lying to her. It feels like a bad way to start this..." His words drifted away as he tried to figure out what to call this. Gunner realized Price and Deni had done the same thing he had. They'd eschewed normal relations.h.i.+ps, content to let the Trinity Masters determine their path. As a result, the three of them were struggling with the basics involved in making a commitment to someone.

"Until we decide about that, I'd rather not tell her what we know about the Reverend. She's still upset about Curtis. I don't want to scare her. Maybe we could find some way to stress to her how important it is that she not put herself in harm's way. I'm going to encourage her to move her research here."

Gunner nodded. "That would certainly make her easier to protect, but I'm not sure she'll go for it."

"Hey. What are you guys up to?" Deni walked into the office.

Gunner grinned, wondering when the sight of a woman in SpongeBob pajama bottoms, a T-s.h.i.+rt that said "Black Holes Suck" and a messy ponytail started inspiring instant l.u.s.t in him.

"We were looking at this." Price handed Deni his copy of The Bostonian.

"Oh, hey, I forgot about that interview. c.r.a.p. I hate that picture of me." Deni turned her nose up at the sight of her smiling face on the cover.

Price shook his head. "I think you're missing the point, Denise. We're trying to lay low until the threat against you is removed. Plastering your picture all over a popular local magazine isn't particularly smart."

Deni frowned. "First of all, I did that interview a couple months ago. It was actually my lecture at the library and the run-in with the Reverend that caught the reporter's attention."

"Great," Price muttered.

"Did you read the article?" she asked.

Gunner shook his head, but from the scowl on Price's face, he could tell the other man had read it.

"The reporter asked me about the protestors."

Gunner knew he wasn't going to like what was coming next. "And you said?"

"I may have made some comment about people protesting without getting all the facts. That a lot of their complaints weren't accurate."

Price crossed his arms. "I recall reading something about ignorance playing a role as well."

Deni looked chagrined. "I was still p.i.s.sed off at the Reverend at the time."

Gunner rubbed his temple. "Jesus, Deni."

"It honestly slipped my mind given all the stuff that's been going on lately. Now I realize I should have remembered, should have asked the magazine to pull the story."

Gunner put his arm around her shoulders and tugged her closer. "It's okay. I think we can all agree it's been a crazy few days. We're just worried this article is going to stir the pot. It could make things even more dangerous for you."

"Yeah. I know. And I'm sorry. I understand you're both worried and I promise I will be very careful. I just got off the phone with the lab director and he's put the building on lockdown until the police catch whoever shot Curtis. It'll be so much safer now than-"

Price pounded his fist on the desk as he stood. "Dammit, Denise. You're not going back to work."

"So I'm under house arrest? A captive again?"

Price's voice was loud, angry. "If that's how you want to look at it. I have no problem with that. I'll do whatever is necessary to keep you safe."

Gunner closed his eyes and prepared for the inevitable. Somehow he'd need to instruct Price on the concept of catching flies with honey rather than vinegar.

Deni's back stiffened, her eyes narrowing with anger. "Keep me safe? Screw that. There's no way I'm spending the rest of my life swaddled in bubble wrap just for your peace of mind. I told you both that I have to go back to-"

"Deni, you're not going to be able to return to your lab for a few days. The police have it cordoned off as a crime scene. I doubt they'll allow you in right away." Gunner hoped his calm logic would work.

"I know that. I was going to see if they would let me move some of my things to the lab next to mine. I'm good friends with Dr. Madigan and I'm sure he wouldn't mind if-"

"They won't let you take anything out of the lab."

Deni walked to the desk and sat down in Price's chair. Gunner hated the defeated look on her face.

"I need to get in there."

Gunner knelt in front of her. "I know that. What if I talk to the police and see if they'll allow me to transport some of your stuff here? You could give me a list of what you need-"

Deni shook her head. "Some of my samples are fragile. This isn't like packing up books and dishes. It would be better if I could work at the lab."

Price turned away from them, walking to the window. "You can't."

"I told you-"

Price whirled on her. "I know what you said, but it's simply too dangerous."

Deni sighed. "Then he's won."

Gunner stood up but remained close to her. "Who's won?"

She looked down at her hands, clenching them together. "Whoever is after me. A lot of my work is time sensitive. If I stop now, I may as well throw up the white flag and surrender. It will set me back years. Without Curtis there to keep things rolling..." Her words drifted away.

Gunner pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. "Let me make a few calls. I don't want to rush things though. Price is right. The danger surrounding you is very real. Can you give me two days to figure out an answer, a way to get you to your research or vice versa?"

Deni jumped up and hugged him. "Yes. Two days will be fine. I actually have some data I can sort through until then. My lab director is sending someone over with a loaner laptop. He was able to download most of my current research to a flash drive."

Deni walked away from them and it was obvious her mind was already at work as she began to clear away some books and magazines from a side table. "I can set up here if it won't bother you, Price."

Price approached her, shaking his head. "You aren't going to spend the next two days working, Denise."

"But Gunner said-"

"Gunner said he needed two days to sort things out. He said nothing about you using that time to work. Personally, I think there are more important things for us to test out, experiment with."

Gunner chuckled. Their time in the hotel had been far too brief for him. And while he knew perfectly well they were still in the honeymoon phase and that eventually they'd hit some brick walls they would have to scale, for now he intended to bask in the insatiable l.u.s.t he felt whenever the three of them were together. Besides, they hadn't touched the tip of the iceberg on all the s.e.xual activities he planned to explore. "I'd be on board for that."

Deni frowned. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Price grasped Deni's hand and lifted it to his lips. "I thought perhaps we could expand on that house-arrest idea. I enjoyed holding you captive at the hotel."

Gunner stepped closer, pressing Deni between him and Price, letting the feeling of being trapped sink in. "You looked hot as h.e.l.l in my handcuffs."

Deni s.h.i.+vered. "There are servants around."

Price shook his head. "No. I gave them all the day off. The house is empty. Our own mansion playground. Do you still want to escape?"

Deni looked over her shoulder at Gunner. Her face was flushed and he spotted the interest and the mischief in her eyes. "Do you two really think you can hold me?"

A dare. A f.u.c.king s.e.xy one. Gunner's c.o.c.k went from mildly interested to f.u.c.k her now in an instant. "I don't think there's any question about that." He was no slouch at s.e.xual threats either.

Deni shook her head, her eyes becoming sad. It took Gunner unaware. He stepped back. "Deni?"

Price recognized the change as well. He released her hand. "Are you okay?"

She nodded slowly. "Yeah. I just can't stop thinking about what suckers you guys both are." Before she finished speaking, she'd taken advantage of the distance they'd provided and sprinted for the office door. "Catch me if you can," she yelled over her shoulder before slamming the door behind her and disappearing from view.

Price burst out laughing but lost no time in chasing her.

Gunner heard Price's surprised, "Where the h.e.l.l did she go?" when he threw open the door.

Gunner chuckled and then decided it would take more than mere speed to catch her. They'd have to be sneaky. He exited the office by a second door, intending to trap her. He circled around the house in the opposite direction of Price. Perhaps they could corner her. When he and Price met in the middle, it was apparent their little scientist was a master at hide and seek. They continued along their original paths, away from each other. Gunner slowed his pace, searching for places where she might hide and listening for her footsteps.

A creak sounded in the dining room. Price must have heard it too because suddenly he was standing behind him, silently pointing to another door. Because of the sheer size of the house, most rooms had two means of entry. Price took off for the kitchen, intent on entering from that angle, while Gunner covered the entrance from the foyer. They approached silently. Gunner was impressed by Price's stealth. For a large man, Price was a master at sneaking around covertly. It dawned on Gunner that Price would make an excellent FBI agent.

Peering in the doorway, he spotted Price entering across the room. He stepped into the dining room as well, but at first glance he found no sign of Deni. Then his gaze landed on the table. An ornate tablecloth that reached to the floor covered it. It appeared to be slightly askew. In a normal home, Gunner wouldn't have noticed, but Price's servants kept an immaculate house. He pointed to the table and Price nodded.

Each of them took an end of the long rectangular table, but before they could lift the cloth, Deni darted out from the side, knocking over a chair in the process. She tried to pa.s.s him, but he was ready for her. Gunner grabbed her as she squealed with laughter. Price joined them, capturing Deni's flailing arms and pressing them against her back as Gunner pinned her against him by gripping her waist tightly.

"Ready to cry uncle?" Price asked.