Fresh Temptation

to figure out a way to focus on those stuffed shirts at the Lochmere Group for an entire afternoon until we can be alone again.” He sighed. “You have no idea the effect you have on me.”
    Cara wiped away the last of her tears. “How much longer till we land?”
    Victor looked at his wristwatch. “Another hour.”
    “Should we go over the Lochmere file again?”
    “Nah.” Victor drew her into a deep kiss, his thoughts consumed with something else he wanted to do again before they landed.

Chapter Ten
     
    Alexis signaled to Tom as she sipped her martini.
    It took Tom a few seconds to see the redhead at the bar, snapping her fingers high in the air. He nodded and rushed toward her, feeling very out of place in this hoity toity midtown bar.
    “Ms. Whitt.” He extended his hand. “Good to see you again.”
    “Yes.” Alexis shook his hand. “Thank you for meeting me here.”
    Tom straightened his glasses. “All part of the job, ma’am.”
    “Have a seat.” She patted the bar stool next to her. “Drinks are on me.”
    He chuckled to himself and asked the bartender for a scotch on the rocks. When he retired from the police force two years earlier, he had no idea he would end up tracking down ex-lovers of spoiled socialites. The guys at the station would have a good laugh if they ever found out about it. “Care to move to a table or you wanna do this at the bar?”
    “Bar’s fine.” Alexis took a long sip of her drink. “Please don’t drag it out. Just give me the bad news.”
    “As you wish.” He pulled his phone and a small notebook out of his pocket. “The girl’s name is Cara Green. She’s a single mom who lives on Brockton Avenue in Newark with her widowed mother.”
    Alexis’s mouth dropped open. She swiveled on her stool to face him. “Single mom? Newark? Are you sure?”
    “Absolutely.” He handed her his camera. “He went to her house for dinner on Friday night.”
    Alexis scrolled through the pictures. “Is this the kid?” Her eyes grew wider with every photo of the tiny boy sitting in Victor’s car, holding the steering wheel. “Has this been going on for a long time?”
    “Dunno, ma’am.”
    “It had to be. They look like they’ve known each other for a while.” Alexis let out a sound of disgust when she came to the pictures of Cara joining them outside. “What does he see in this woman?”
    Tom silently took a sip of the scotch that had just appeared in front of him.
    “Is it the kid?” Alexis asked. “Is that what he wants? Is that why he won’t get back together with me?”
    “I can try to find out.”
    “Did he father this child or something? Was he living a double life I never knew about?”
    “Couldn’t tell ya ma’am. But I can dig deeper if ya want.”
    “Sure, sure.” Alexis waved her hand dismissively. “Whatever. Money’s no object. Find out about this kid’s paternity.” She sighed. “If nothing else, maybe I can make her ex really jealous with some pictures. That’d break ‘em up, for sure.”
    Tom took another drink. “I’ll do my best. Oh, almost forgot. She lost her job in Chicago about six months ago. That’s how she ended up back home in Newark. Probably needed her mother to take care of the boy. Day care’s expensive and—”
    Alexis shook her head. “Whatever. I need to get her away from him. I don’t care what it takes. Jealous baby daddy. Or maybe find some way to get her to move back to Chicago.” She emptied her martini into her mouth and swallowed. “You came highly recommended, Tom. Please live up to my expectations.”
    Tom sighed. He could get her the information she desired, but he was convinced it would do nothing to help her win her fiance back. “I said I’ll do my best, ma’am.” He looked at his watch. “It’s noon. If I head out now, I might have some more information for you today.”
    “Great.” Alexis choked back her tears.
     
    * * *
     
    “Isaac, be careful on that swing,” Patty called out.
    Isaac waved at his grandmother then threw his head back, laughing, as his new friend Alissa pushed him higher.
    Feeling a chill in the air, Patty pulled her sweater across her chest a little tighter and relaxed against the steel bench.
    A portly gray-haired man with a newspaper in his hand sat down beside her. “I knew I wasn’t the only one who felt a nip in the air.”
    Patty raised one eyebrow, nodding slowly. “Oh yes. I can tell we’re gonna have an early winter this year.”
    He smiled.