Framing the Asiatic environment behind the Raven Resort were the green needles of pacific yew trees and the fall-dyed foliage of red alder. Officer Sullivan had found a decent angle to obscure his parking spot while observing the mark.
He once again cursed whatever had made Detective Joe Barnes add himself to the nude parade and get kicked out of the force, right into jail, before even finishing the file on that British nudist. At least the streak of streakers seemed over.
Gordon Sullivan had had to join the case of the jewel thefts to make up for Barnes absence, munching protein bars in his subtle hatchback -- the misfortune of being a newbie on the force.
And for what? A hunch.
So far, the Sunray Ruby, and Diadem of Amaryllis and an entire collection of jewelry including the Blue Elephant's Necklace and the Northstar Set had vanished - the latter having reappeared on the black market.
The Mondragon kid was a descendant of the Sunrays' and Northstars' original owners who had suspiciously touched down at PDX just before the thefts began and, yes, nobody could figure out where he had been before, when gems had gone missing in other locations.
But seriously, Samuel Mondragon was one vapid, spoiled brat without the braingrease for criminal mastermindery. Although the fact he didn't come from money made his constant spending suspicious as well.
Gordon Sullivan had followed the twenty-something boy on his shopping trip and back to the side of the Raven's, watching Samuel walk up the private entrance to his grand suite's terrace on the second floor.
Occasional glimpses of the boy through the window assured the detective he hadn't left yet, and the coveted Glory Opal was getting moved to a more secure location tonight. Just boring, basic surveillance.
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With a knock, Jasper entered the vestibule from the hotel corridor. The arched glass door to the private entrance terrace cast late sunlight through the white peonies on the end table in the center.
"Sammy? Ready to party?"
The off-duty concierge and masseur glanced into the sun flooded living quarters, where a nearly empty box of Belgian chocolate on the four seat dining table, frilly lace panties across the overstuffed sofa's armrest and an open condom wrapper on the coffee table told a story.
"Sammy? You there?"
"Bedroom."
By right, the grand suit had been the family patriarch's habitat but Mordecai had long since retreated to a comparatively minuscule tower room in the only part of the attic built up enough to be generously called a third floor, choosing coziness over grandeur.
Jasper turned around and walked across the vestibule's marble, through a small office space dominated by an executive desk, into the bedroom.
Sammy had strewn designer clothes over the king-sized bed. The light brown skinned, young man with stylishly cut black hair and a winning smile was in nothing but white briefs. His slender body was centered on prominent abs and a light definition of all other muscle.
"Jas, help me pick."
Jasper chuckled. "Do I look like I'll be a great advisor?"
"Oh come on, you look fabulous."
Jasper had donned black jeans tight enough to make him worried about crouching and a much looser white tee.
Samuel eventually picked faded blue jeans, a white button up with silver sparkling accents that cost more than the Raven heir's monthly salary and an earring with an inch long dangling piece. He popped his collar.
They left through the suite's private exit and the way Sammy kept giggling and leaning on Jasper's arm made Jasper fully understand why people thought of the rich kid as his boytoy. Regrettably, the mildly flamboyant man was officially straight, just too rich to bother with rugged masculinity.
"Finally," Sammy said. "A night out is just what I need to recharge."
Jasper kept his hand around the boy's tight waist. "What do you do all day that's so exhausting?"
"Research, planning, you know."
