Chapter 5: Blackmail and Suspicions
"Officer McNab, how can I help you?"
"Buzz, it's me," Shawn answered. "I take it you're at the station."
"Yes and by the sound of your voice, you can talk freely."
"I'm at the Psych office and Gus is gone, but guess who else just left?"
"By the sound of your excitement, I'm guessing Detective Lassiter."
"Yep. He wanted to know what I had worked out and if I had any leads on Iris."
"What did you tell him?"
"I would rather tell you when we are alone, in bed, after I've made hot, passionate love to you."
"Shawn," McNab softly growled. "Don't do that to me." When there was only silence, McNab could see Shawn smiling mischievously down the line at him. "Fine, tonight and you know where." With that, McNab hung up the phone.
The thoughts of Shawn in his arms, naked and doing the things he does to him, echoed around in McNab's head. "Man," he whispered to himself, "I need a cold shower."
As Shawn hung up, a cheeky smirk grew across his face at the idea of what he was going to do to McNab later. Then he remembered his safety plan. Glancing out the window, he could see that Gus was still there.
"Gus."
"No Shawn!"
"What?"
"Whatever you are up to. No, I'm not getting involved."
"But …"
"NO! We need to find Iris and …"
"Iris is fine. You heard me tell Lassie that and have I ever been wrong?"
"Yes!"
"That hurts, Gus. Right here," Shawn faked a painful look as he placed his hand over his heart. "You're my best friend. My comrade in all that is us." Gus let out a deep sigh, smiling even more, Shawn knew he had won. "All I want you to do is ... loan me a few dollars."
"A few dollars. How much is a few dollars?"
"One hundred."
"What for?"
"I have a hot date tonight. They are high maintenance and I can't just take them out for burgers."
"A date...with Iris missing, are you serious?"
"Yes, I'm serious," Shawn replied rolling his eyes.
"Okay, I will give you two hundred." Gus replied as he removed the money from his wallet. But as he was about to hand it over, he pulled it back just as Shawn went to take it. "On one condition."
"And what would that be?"
"You know something … about who has Iris or where she is. You ring an anonymous tip to Lassiter as to her whereabouts, otherwise that is it. No more money. No more me. I will walk away from Psych and you forever. Understand?"
"Got it," Shawn answered. "I will do it in the morning, deal?"
Gus answered by handing Shawn the money. "Well, I'm off to bed, so I can do my real job in the morning. I will see you some time tomorrow."
Shawn waited until Gus and his car were out of sight before he headed back inside. Walking behind his desk, he lifted up the painting there to reveal a safe in the wall. Opening the safe, Shawn placed the two hundred with the rest of the of money he had gotten off Gus over the years.
It was his safety plan. If ever questioned about where he got his money from, he could always say that Gus had loaned it to him. In a way, it was the truth; the only thing was, all of Gus's money was here. Closing and locking the safe, Shawn put the picture back in place before locking up.
Sitting in a car across the road was Lassiter. He had his suspicion that Spencer somehow had something to do with Iris's disappearance, maybe even in the Chief's death. He just needed the proof. After all, there was no way that Spencer knew what was in that letter unless he had either read or written it and he knew that Spencer hadn't read it.
As soon as Shawn climbed on his bike and drove off, Lassiter followed. He was sure Shawn was going to lead him to Iris and he would kill two birds with one stone. He would have Iris back and Spencer out of his life forever.
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