Cover Me in Chocolate

A STICKY, MESSY AFFAIR

A missing young woman, an abusive boyfriend, and a trail with dead-end clues have Clay Mortimer and Tate Williams of M&W Investigations chasing their tails. Not a position they often find themselves in, if ever. When an employee of the erotic chocolate shop in Fetish Alley disappears, the usual suspects don't pan out, and Tate and Clay need to find the clue that'll help them solve the case. When chocolate molds of the missing woman's body parts start being delivered and are accompanied by odd notes, the urgency to find her ratchets up. And through it all, Tate and Clay find all sorts of delicious ways to spice up their love.

ALSO BY SUSAN MAC NICOL

THE STARLIGHT SERIES

Cassandra by Starlight

Together in Starlight

Forever in Starlight

THE MEN OF LONDON SERIES

Love You Senseless

Sight & Sinners

Suit Yourself

Feat of Clay

Cross to Bare

Flying Solo

Damaged Goods

Hard Climate

Survival Game

Not So Secret Santa

FETISH ALLEY SERIES

For Fox Sake

Death By C*ck

OTHER TITLES

Stripped Bare

Saving Alexander

Worth Keeping

Double Alchemy

Double Alchemy: Climax

Love and Punishment

Sight Unseen

Unlikely in Love

Living On Air

Soul of Discretion

Promises Kept

COVER ME IN CHOCOLATE

Fetish Alley Series – Book 3

Susan Mac Nicol

www.BOROUGHSPUBLISHINGGROUP.com

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, business establishments or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. Boroughs Publishing Group does not have any control over and does not assume responsibility for author or third-party websites, blogs or critiques or their content.

COVER ME IN CHOCOLATE

Copyright © 2019 Susan Elaine Mac Nicol

All rights reserved. Unless specifically noted, no part of this publication may be reproduced, scanned, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Boroughs Publishing Group. The scanning, uploading and distribution of this book via the Internet or by any other means without the permission of Boroughs Publishing Group is illegal and punishable by law. Participation in the piracy of copyrighted materials violates the author’s rights.

ISBN 978-1-951055-29-5

E-book formatting by Maureen Cutajar

www.gopublished.com

To all my wonderful readers who have given me endless pleasure with their support, kind words, and funny memes on social media. I appreciate every single one of you so much. You keep me going when I feel I’m flapping in the wind heading nowhere.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Huge thanks to new family members, Laura Munro and her husband James. They were amazing in helping me with the research for the police procedure used in this book. Any errors are completely my own.

To my day job boss and former chocolatier, Ralph, thanks for the tips and clarifications on this intriguing and tasty process.

Ann Alaskan, my lovely friend on the other side of the pond, as always thanks for your wisdom and insight into the psychological aspects of my stories and the character development. The same hearty thanks goes to Kirsty Bicknell and Jack L Pyke for their invaluable input and sensitivity reading. I hope Joshua comes across as I intended, and I leave readers to make their own assumptions about why he behaves as he does. I wasn't going to put a label on him.

All the foreign language used in the book, a mix of Italian, Lithuanian, and Russian, I checked out with people who spoke the language in the necessary forums. Once again, any errors made are entirely my own.

The Fetish Alley series is on hold for now. I feel the need to do something different. I adore Tate and Clay but I need a change from writing a series. Watch for the Valentine’s story coming your way in February, and the rock-star romance that will drum its way to you sometime in 2020. I may feel the need to write something else in between too. Perhaps a cozy mystery or a NA fantasy novel. We’ll see where the muse takes me.

CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

About the Author

COVER ME IN CHOCOLATE

Chapter 1

There was something comforting about the man sitting across from her. He was polite and attentive, and it was lovely being treated like a princess. Olivia sighed softly. It’d been a while since she’d gone on a friend date—two people meeting, seeing something likeable in each other and agreeing to have a drink together.

She needed a friend right now and the man refilling her wine glass could become one. He’d been so sweet to her in the past. The tiny squirming worm of unease in her stomach niggled at her. She knew her current boyfriend, Allan, wouldn’t like her being in this cosy apartment with another man. She shivered at the thought, and her dinner companion cocked his head curiously.

Are you cold? Would you like another bar on the fire? His darting gaze regarded her as he made a move to stand up, no doubt to adjust the settings on the small heater sitting on the hearth.

Olivia shook her head. Oh no, it’s fine. A goose walked over my grave, that’s all. She pushed all thoughts about her boyfriend away. Allan and his sharp tongue was, no doubt, at home in front of the television. Tonight was Olivia’s refuge, her little adventure about which she’d have to lie the next time she saw Allan.

The heat in the room was making her a little drowsy. Her head felt fuzzy, and she blinked, trying to keep her eyes open. The room swam a little and the face of the man sitting across from her at the small dining table blurred.

I think perhaps I need to stop drinking that lovely wine, she said, wondering why her words were slurred. She wasn’t that drunk, was she? She’d only had one glass. It’s going to my head.

He motioned to the couch. Perhaps you should sit over there, and you can get more comfortable. Let me help you.

Despite her protests, he escorted her from the easy chair to the couch. She was grateful. Her legs were rather unsteady. It would be nice to put them up.

I’ll get you a glass of water, her dinner companion said. His voice sounded far away, and Olivia blinked, trying to focus on his words.

The couch was so comfy and warm, and all she wanted to do was close her eyes for a minute and think about what a nice time she’d had tonight away from Allan, away from all the stress and the pain.

She hadn’t relaxed like this in ages but somewhere at the back of her brain, an alarm was ringing. Perhaps I’m stupid trusting someone I barely know, she thought dreamily, watching the golden flicker of the flames in the hearth. But she’d decided she must take a chance since she wanted to meet new people.

Soft hands were in her hair, brushing it away from her face, touching her tenderly, and it was the last thing she remembered as she sank into sleep with a smile on her face.

***

Darkness seeped across the quiet urban street, shrouding once familiar landmarks in an obsidian cloak, turning the familiar to the unknown in one slow moving sweep of deep shadows.

Tate wrinkled his nose in disgust. He stood next to the back entrance of a now silent Thai restaurant, its structure backlit by the few remaining globes in the stream of lights around its roof. He held back retching from the odour of fish and rotten remnants of patrons’ food. The smell of shit exacerbated the stench, drifting over from somewhere further down the alley. Tate didn’t know where it was coming from, probably a misbehaving drain. He and his colleague, Ellis Tremont, stood in the deep, dark recesses of one of the most deprived areas of Weston Super Mare in North Somerset. They were there to collect a man known to them only as Smokey D, and escort him to Bristol where he’d be a witness in a murder trial.

The house they were watching was a static home that Smokey D owned on the sly. It sat about forty feet from them, surrounded by gardening implements, broken bits of metal and machinery, and, for some incongruous reason, a broken stone statue of Michelangelo’s David.

There’d been a text message from the Welsh team earlier advising Tate the pickup was on for tonight. Smokey D would meet them at ten pm. The tell-tale sign he was home would be a double flash of the porch light from the static home.

Beside him, Ellis breathed shallowly through his mouth, his puffs forming steamy clouds in the air. I don’t know how I got myself into this situation, he muttered peevishly. I’m an inside man, a geek, not a bloody He-Man like you. He took a deep sniff as he talked, and his face twisted in disgust. God, that smell, he exclaimed. When you said you were taking me to Somerset on a case, I had visions of beaches and sea air. Not this…. he threw out his hand, revolting shit. He went back to his careful mouth breathing.

I didn’t say this would be a jolly holiday, Ell, Tate muttered with some amusement. We’re picking up a witness in a bloody gang murder case, not an Agatha Christie villain. The one caveat Smokey D had demanded was no police involvement at this stage of the game. Hence the reason the private investigation firm, Mortimer & Williams, of which Tate was the Williams partner, were the escorts. Tate zipped his hoodie further up as the November wind blew an unexpected gust. And you brought this on yourself, Ell. Telling Clay you wouldn’t mind getting a little more hands-on was a death knell, mate.

Yes, well, I didn’t think it would be this soon, and not as dire as escorting some guy who witnessed a murder. Ellis’s teeth chattered, and he swore softly.

Execution, Tate said absently, watching the house. He thought he’d seen someone lurking around the side of it. Cold-blooded and well-executed if you’ll pardon the pun. Unfortunately, no one planned on Smokey D being in the wrong place at the right time. The best-laid plans, right?

Ellis shivered and snuggled deeper into his parka. Christ, it’s as cold as Jack Frost’s cock.

Tate couldn’t hold back an explosive snort of laughter. That’s original. I’ll borrow that saying, I think. He squinted, trying to determine if the figure he’d seen earlier was real.

It would have been nice to have Carzilla here. Ellis smirked in between shivers, referring to the custom-made surveillance van. You need to tell me how the van got that name. I understand it’s a private joke between you and the boss?

Tate grinned. Yeah, and he’ll kill me if I tell you how the name happened. So don’t ask.

Instead, we have a Hyundai. Ellis’s nose wrinkled in distaste. At least it has tinted windows so nobody can see my shame. He sniffed in disdain.

You’re a snob, you know that? Tate teased. It’s a car with a heater, and all we need to do is pick up the guy and get him back to the powers that be so they can get him wherever he needs to go.

Tate hoped it would happen soon. This wasn’t his idea of a great place to spend time, and he wanted to get home to Clay and a glass of good whisky. The local bar was as clueless as fuck when it came to decent drinks.

Ellis nudged him. Do you think this guy will show up or are we wasting our time again? Last night they’d waited until almost two a.m. in the same alleyway waiting for Smokey D to pitch up. Some miscommunication with the Welsh team’s information last night had left their plan high and dry.

Tate scowled. I fucking hope so. I’m freezing my balls off and my hip flask is empty. He and Ellis had drained the last of the gut-warming whisky about twenty minutes ago. It had been a long night.

Ellis sniggered. First world problems, hey? All I’ve got is some chewing gum. Fancy a bit? He reached into the voluminous pockets of his parka and drew out a tattered, grubby bit of silver foil.

Tate looked at it and winced. I’ll pass, thanks. He stiffened as a light flickered from the home they were watching. He’s there. Did you see that? The light flashed on again and rapidly went off.

Uh-huh, Ellis said indistinctly as he chewed his gum. Let’s go get him, tiger.

They walked toward the dim light of the dwelling, Tate’s fists tight and ready for any signs of trouble. He had an illegal taser in his right front jacket pocket, which he hoped he wouldn’t have to use. It was a remnant from his days on the force. He doubted anyone would rat on him for using it if he needed to take down any bad guys. Self-preservation and saving face was probably more important than accusing an upstanding private citizen of taser tag.

The light went on and off again, Ellis observed as he strode forward. Looks like our man is eager to get on the road.

The light flickered again, off and then stayed on, the front of the house backlit by a yellow tinge of brightness. Tate frowned. Something’s not right, he muttered. I have a bad feeling about this. Slow down a bit, Ell. I want to wait it out.

Ellis stopped immediately and the two men stood silently, puffs of white air forming little clouds before them. Tate’s finely tuned sixth sense said in situations like this, the best thing to do was stop and take stock. His instinct for trouble had saved his life many times.

A shadow moved behind a closed curtain in one of the front rooms, and Ellis stepped forward. That must be him. He stopped as Tate reached out an arm across Ellis’s chest and held him back.

I said stay here, Tate growled. There are two people in that house. That wasn’t the plan.

Ellis stared at Tate, eyes wide. I only saw one shadow.

Tate shook his head. Trust me. I saw two, and they were different shapes and sizes. His eyes narrowed as true enough, a second shadow flitted across the curtain.

Ellis gasped. Go you, Night Hawk. What do you think is happening in there?

Tate frowned and cracked his neck from side to side. It made a clicking sound and Ellis winced. Christ, that sounds like the neck of an eighty-year-old, my friend. Remind me to get you a spa day for your birthday. Sounds like your body needs it.

Tate huffed. That’s what happens when you live a life of taking down the bad guys. I can’t remember how many times someone has punched me in the face. He squinted at the house, seeing no more shadows. Looks like whoever was in there has left, not sure what that says about our pickup. My balls are still tingling. Something’s still off.

Your balls tell you when something’s not right? Ellis teased as they moved a few cautious paces forward, and he followed Tate’s lead. Wow, I can’t wait to tell Clay –

Tate never found out what Ellis intended telling Tate’s fiancé because at that moment, the house exploded.

Heat washed over Tate, together with dust, debris and a myriad of