Mastered by His Touch-Complete Box Set Read online

  "That's right. Which is why you need to turn the key in to your boss. And I mean tomorrow."

  "But how do I explain how I have it? I'll be fired on the spot for possessing it."

  "Say you found it. It was lying on the floor. Even pretend you pick it up so the security cameras see you doing it. Then just turn it in and say, 'Hey, I just found this on the floor in the lobby.'"

  "Yeah, I could do that. Then it would be out of my hands."

  "That's right. You would be totally clean from that point forward. You didn't tell anybody you have the key, did you?"

  "No. Not even Troy. I've wanted to, but I just can't. I don't want to get him involved. I even feel guilty for telling you guys tonight."

  "Guilty? Why?"

  I got a flash of H's addictive eyes and the warm wonderful feeling of his hand touching mine.

  "I don't know," I said.

  After dinner, I made like I was going home.

  "No!" said Dan. "You're staying here. Nikki will drive you to your place early so you can shower and get your work clothes."

  I'm kind of glad he insisted. I wanted him to. I didn't sleep at all the night before. Tonight I needed people who care about me nearby. Even though Dan is younger than me, he has always been my protector and confidant.

  He pulled out the couch and brought me an extra pillow and sheets. He and Nikki went into his room. I noticed Nikki has big feet as she walked in.

  Is she... could she be?... No, I'm imagining things. I need sleep.

  Alone in the living room, I took my clothes off and climbed into the sheets. Satiated and half-drunk, I was asleep almost as my head hit the pillow.

  Chapter 7

  "Give me your hand, Kiri!"

  The older boy I had seen before reached out for my arm from the dinghy he was in. I sat in the bow of the boat, the only part of it remaining above water.

  "Give me your hand!" he shouted.

  I wanted to reach for his hand but I didn't trust him. He had done something very bad but I don't remember what.

  But as I looked around me I realized I was going to die. The boat on which we had left the dock was almost gone, underneath me now, creaking and groaning, fading fast.

  "Kiri, grab my hand!"

  The older boy's hand was about a foot from me on the dinghy. All I had to do was reach out and grab it.

  Why couldn't I reach out and grab it? Did I want to die?

  The hot sun baked down on my soon-to-be watery grave. I screamed and cried. I wanted my Mom and Dad. Where are my Mom and Dad?

  "Kiri, you've got to take my hand now!"

  I looked at his face.

  But I couldn't see it.

  I saw his hand, his shoulders, his torso, and his legs.

  But he had no face.

  I cried and screamed some more, shutting my eyes and putting my elbows up to my ears.

  "Kiri!"

  His voice had changed. It was deeper.

  I opened my eyes again.

  Standing there on the dinghy was Horace Willoughby... H... in a shiny spring suit carrying a large steel briefcase in his hand. He towered above me like a god wearing designer sunglasses.

  "Trust me, Kiri," he said.

  I reached out and took his hand.

  I leaped up. The alarm clock said 6:13. Shit, I have to be in work at 7:30. And I'm at Dan's. I'm not on a sinking boat. It was just a dream.

  Shit, I need to get home to get some work clothes!

  Like magic, Nikki appeared fully dressed and ready for the day. She looked spectacular in a white dress, white boots, and black leather jacket.

  I dressed, hugged Dan goodbye, and Nikki drove me across the river to the Allston. As she drove, I stole a sideways glance at her neck.

  Oh my God, she has an Adam's Apple! It's tiny but it's there. My instincts were right again.

  Is my brother gay?

  If my life were at all normal right now, I would talk to Dan about this.

  But nothing is normal at the moment.

  Especially not normal are these weird dreams and visions I've been having. Twice with H in the privacy room and now this dream.

  It was so real! I could taste the salt water on my lips. I could feel the motion of the boat as it sank. But I've never been on a boat!

  Nikki pulled up in front of my place. She hugged me and I went upstairs, showered, made myself up, and went to work.

  When I got to the bank, it was 7:45. Shit, I was late.

  Troy let me in and I tried sneaking to my cubicle unnoticed. Ha, not a chance with Barbara's eagle eyes. She called me into her office and gave me a verbal warning. Next time I would be written up.

  Today I had the key back in my bra again. I felt it burning through my skin right over my heart as I tried to focus on work all day.

  I looked over at the lobby. I should just do what Nikki said. Fake finding it and turn it in. Yes, that's what I should do.

  I looked at the vault and pondered.

  If I wanted to retrieve the contents of the box without anyone knowing, how would I do it?

  Not that I would want to. It's obviously stolen money, like Nikki said. It's dirty. I would be implicated. I could go to prison.

  No no no, better to fake finding the key and turn it in.

  But why does he want me to be in charge of the box's contents? Does he want me to access the box? Not that I could anyway. I may have the key but I don't have his five-digit security code.

  Unless I do.

  He said "Happy birthday" when he pressed the key into my palm. How weird is it that he knew my birthday! But weirder... what if the five-digit code is my birthday and that was his way of telling me so I could access it?

  No, Kiri. Shut the fuck up. Pretend you found the key on the floor and turn it in. Go ahead, girl. Stand up. Do your 11:00 AM ATM check and pretend you found it. Go on.

  I grabbed my clipboard and got up. I looked in Barbara's office. Her door was shut but I could see through the glass that she was on the phone.

  I passed Troy's cubicle. He mouthed the word slut at me with a look like he was disgusted. I giggled silently. He can't help but make me laugh.

  I felt like everyone was staring at me as I walked across the lobby past the tellers. They weren't but maybe it was the security cameras that made me feel watched.

  I did my ATM check, noting the amounts on the clipboard. After the last one, I took a deep breath. Time to drop the key.

  I reached into my bra and palmed it. I turned right and faced the door. My plan was to drop it near the column to the right of the door. I'm pretty sure the security camera doesn't pick up anything behind that column.

  I felt myself moving to the right as I entered the lobby.

  Do it, Kiri. Just do it. Drop the key!

  My heart beat out of my chest as I loosened my right hand. Barbara was still on the phone. All the tellers were busy with customers.

  Drop it, Kiri. Drop it!

  But I clenched my fist and kept walking.

  Straight to the vault.

  Possessed by an unknown force, I entered my code and turned the handle. The big door opened and I walked inside.

  There were the rows of safe deposit boxes. There was Box 1910. Here in my hand was the key to Box 1910. Is the code my birthday?

  Is it?

  As I stared at the box, I knew it was. That was his message. I knew it. I didn't need to risk my job by trying it. The reason he said "Happy birthday" to me was to tell me the code to the box.

  I know I can trust him.

  How do I know?

  The room rolled on the sea. I felt a wave splash on the bow.

  "Kiri, grab my hand!"

  I sank further into the sea. The water came up to my chin. The uncaring sun kept shining.

  "Kiri!" said Barbara. "Are you in here?"

  The room returned to normal as I turned to my right. Barbara leaned into the vault.

  "Kiri, what are you doing in here?" said Barbara.

  "Huh?" I said, reco
nnecting with reality.

  "Kiri, why are you in the vault?"

  "I–"

  "Look, we'll discuss this later. There are two men here to see you. They're from the FBI."

  My heart skipped a beat. I felt the world closing in around me.

  "Kiri, grab my hand!" said the faceless boy on the boat.

  "Kiri, did you hear me?!" said Barbara.

  "Yes" was all I could muster as I walked out, locking the vault door behind me and following Barbara to her office. As I passed Troy's cubicle he bit down on a pen and made his eyes go wide.

  When I saw the two men in suits standing in Barbara's office, I froze. A chill traveled through me. I held my breath.

  They were both tall. One had dark curly hair cut short with a five o'clock shadow. But the other gave me goosebumps.

  It was Red Crew-Cut.

  "Kiri," said Barbara, "these men are from the FBI. I already checked their badges."

  "I'm Agent Henderson," said Red Crew-Cut. "This is agent Tonelli."

  "Can I see your badges?" I said.

  "I told you, Kiri," said Barbara. "I already checked them."

  "I'd like to see for myself if you don't mind, Barbara," I said.

  Barbara squinted at me as both agents showed me their badges. They were official. I recognized them from training.

  "Miss Thanwarattanamangkul," said Red Crew-Cut, now Agent Henderson. "I hope you don't mind if we ask you some questions."

  He got the Thai pronunciation perfectly. Everyone calls me Kiri Than because they can't pronounce my last name, but it's apparently not a problem for this guy.

  "May I use your desk?" he said to Barbara.

  She was clearly not happy about it, but she said "Yes."

  He sat in her chair.

  "Please sit," he said while looking at me.

  I sat down nervously. I felt H's key move in my bra. I crossed my legs. My hand went up and played with the cheap chain I wore around my neck. I realized I was sweating. I rocked back and forth in the chair a little.

  Agent Henderson took out an iPad Mini and scrolled through a few pages.

  "It has come to our attention," he said, "that there are some criminals operating here in Boston. They are running some sort of operation and we are trying to identify them."

  He looked at me. His blue eyes were cold and calculating. I didn't trust what I saw behind them.

  "May I ask what I have to do with this?" I said, shaking a little.

  "The persons in question open up safe deposit boxes as part of their scheme," he said.

  My heart sank. I felt a pressure whirling around me. The room spun a little then stopped.

  "Into these safe deposit boxes," he said, "they place a large amount of money. I won't bother you with the details but by doing so they gain accomplices on the inside of banks, who unwittingly help them to rob the bank."

  "How do they do that?" said Barbara.

  "It's complicated," said Agent Henderson. "In the interest of the security of our investigation, I cannot divulge their modus operandi at the present time but suffice it to say that it involves gaining the trust of somebody who works at the bank."

  Trust.

  "You need to trust me, Kiri! Give me your hand!"

  I felt nauseous. Could H be a bank robber? No, the thought repulses me. It's impossible.

  Right?

  Right?

  "I'm going to show you a picture of the people we are looking for," said Agent Henderson. "Now I want you to be completely truthful when I show them to you. We need to know if you've seen them here in this bank."

  "Of course," I said.

  I was out of ideas. I didn't know what to do next. When he turns that iPad around and H's face is looking back at me, how will I be able to lie and say I've never seen him? It would be impossible. Not to mention that Barbara and the entire bank has seen him.

  So why single me out? Why bring me in here alone into the office? Does he know I have the key? What the fuck?

  I held my breath as he turned the iPad around.

  On the screen were two people. One was a man in his sixties with white hair and a big white mustache. He smoked a big cigar while wearing a Panama hat and a flowered shirt. Not Horace Willoughby.

  The other person was a woman. Latina. Gorgeous. About forty, wearing a red slinky dress and a big white hat standing on a dock somewhere. Definitely not Horace Willoughby.

  I breathed a sigh of relief. The world righted itself again. I felt a flood of relaxation spreading downward from the top of my head. I even almost smiled, but caught myself.

  "No!" I said, a little too proudly. "I haven't seen either of those people."

  Agent Henderson tapped the screen. Two more images of the same people appeared. Different locations, different clothing. But the same people.

  One more tap. One more set of pictures.

  "Are you absolutely certain?" said Agent Henderson.

  "One-hundred percent certain," I said.

  "Okay, then we're done here. Thank you very much for your time and honesty, Miss Thanwarattanamangkul."

  I looked over at Barbara. She was still squinting at me. I think she was disappointed that I wasn't arrested and taken away in chains.

  Agent Henderson stood up. Agent Tonelli backed up and moved toward the door.

  "Oh, one more thing," said Agent Henderson. "Could I just have one minute alone with Miss Thanwarattanamangkul?"

  My heart stopped. My hand went to my throat.

  "Alone?" said Barbara. "I am the manager. This is my office."

  For once, I agreed with Barbara. I didn't want to be alone in the same room with this man. All the fibers of my being told me that he is evil. I believe them.

  "It wasn't a request," said Agent Henderson with a glare that made Barbara look down at the floor.

  "Fine," she said as she went out the door with Agent Tonelli.

  As the door shut and I realized I was alone with Agent Henderson, the room closed in on me again. It felt like it was getting smaller, pressing him closer to me.

  "That was quite an interesting reaction you had to that picture," he said as he tapped the iPad again.

  "I wasn't lying," I said. "I've never seen those people before."

  He looked at me and smiled.

  "I know," he said. "You were relieved when it wasn't who you thought it would be."

  Fuck.

  "This is the man you were expecting to see," he said as he put the iPad down in front of me.

  Before I looked at it, I knew what would be there.

  My eyes went down and I felt sick.

  There was H's face in a shiny suit. Looked like he was at some social gathering at a hotel. A martini glass was in his hand. He was smiling, looking slightly to the right of the camera that took his picture.

  "You know this man," said Agent Henderson.

  I froze. Again, I considered what to do. I can't lie. He's been here. In this office.

  "Yes," I said. "I know him."

  "Kiri," he said. "None of this has anything to do with you. You're just doing your job here at the bank. But this man has been seen with the two I just showed you. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

  I just nodded, playing with my chain while staring at the picture of H.

  He tapped the screen again. A picture of the three of them appeared, eating dinner at an outdoor restaurant. The man in his sixties. The beautiful forty-ish Latina. A beautiful young Asian woman was seated with them next to H. They were all laughing.

  He tapped the screen again. Another picture of the four of them enjoying themselves on a yacht. But this time the girl with H was a blonde. I bit my lower lip.

  He tapped the screen again. A coffee shop. Overcoats. Christmas decorations. The three of them huddled talking. H's girl was a young Brazilian-looking girl in this one.

  My my, H must truly be addictive.

  "He is involved with these criminals somehow and I need to find out how, Kiri", said Agent Henderson. He paused and wal
ked over to the window, folding his arms and staring out at the Lenox Hotel across the street. "Kiri, I need your help."