Fragrance of Revenge (7 page)

Chapter
13

I was
tired, and needed a coffee. It was warm in the apartment and all I had on was
my sweat pants. I retrieved the newspapers, made my coffee and sat down on the
couch. The news came on the TV.

‘Investigators
have reported the discovery of a body, believed to be one of the missing women
from Bermuda. Officials from the FBI are now in Venezuela where the body was
found. Although still speculation, authorities believe the three missing women
may have been kept against their will as part of a high-end-slave-trade rumored
to be operating in the Caribbean area.’

That’s
why Mercedes was called away so quickly. Well, at least she’s not spending the
weekend with Ralph as part of a holiday weekend getaway.

What I
don’t understand is why she didn’t seem to understand why I was so upset. She
left me the message about what happened at the apartment…no note, messed up
bed, boxers between the sheets, and showered together.

I played
back what I witnessed at her apartment. I saw Mercedes standing on the sidewalk
looking at her watch. Ralph was coming out the doors with her two suitcases. He
handed her keys and helped her into the cab. The cab driver added her luggage
into the cab. His luggage was
already
in the cab.

He came
to pick her up and had access to her apartment. Maybe Ralph left me the message
and not Mercedes. It fits, and that is why Mercedes was so confused with my
responses.

If his
suitcase was already in the cab, they didn’t have time to go to bed, and take a
shower together.

You
son of a bitch Ralph. You still want her to yourself don’t you? I hope I didn’t
screw myself with her.

The
phone’s loud ring made me jump.

*.*.*

“Hello.”

“Hi
Scott, it’s me. Good morning.”

“Good
morning Mercedes.”

In
concert we both said, “I’m sorry.”

We
laughed, and then we both said, “I figured it out.” And, we laughed again.

“You
first,” I said.

“No, you
better go.”

“Okay,
let me tell you what I found when I got to the apartment yesterday.” I went
through spotting them on the sidewalk and getting into the cab. Then I told her
about the condition of the apartment.

“I’m
going to kill him,” she responded.

“I
thought you were going away with him for the holiday weekend. The fact that you
didn’t clean up what happened, I mean what looked like what happened in the
apartment, made me think you were really upset with me and running off with
him.”

“Now I
know why you were so short with me on the phone. I suspected something when I
talked with Ralph this morning, but this goes beyond what I ever thought he
would do. I’m still going to kill him…or worse.”

“Mercedes,
calm down a minute. If he went through that much trouble to split us up, can’t
you imagine how much he likes you and wants you?”

“I guess
you’re right, but I’m still going to find a way to get even. I love you Scott.”

“I love
you too.”

“So,
where were you last night that I couldn’t reach you?”

“Do you
want the bad news, or the bad news?”

“I’m not
sure. What is the first bad news?”

“Remember
Maggie from the Harvard Pub?”

“Yes,
and you better not have spent time with her.”

“Define
‘time’?” She didn’t respond. “Given what I thought happened with you two, I
went to see her dance.”

“And?”

“And she
was good.”

“How
good?”

“Unbelievable.”

“Are you
talking about her dancing, or something else?”

I didn’t
immediately answer.

“So,
what is the other bad news?”

“I can’t
say.”

“What do
you mean you can’t say?”

“You’ll
only get mad at me.”

“Oh
Scott, tell me you didn’t.”

“I
didn’t.”

“Then
why can’t you tell me?”

“I’ll
tell you later, when we’re together.”

“You’re
right Scott, it will be later…much later.”

I heard
the click and the dial tone.

I don’t
know what is worse…her thinking I spent time with Maggie, or my keeping the
secret of doing her father’s investigation? I guess the good news is that she
didn’t have sex with Ralph.
Oh shit, she thinks I did with Maggie, and now
things are reversed. Will she now spend time with him to make things even in
her mind?

*.*.*

I pulled
into Stephen’s parking lot. It was a Friday, but it was the day after the 4
^th
,
so it was a long weekend for most people. The only car in the parking lot was
Stephen’s.

As I
went up the stairs I could smell the freshly brewed coffee. I entered Stephen
Strong’s office.

“Well,
what is slowing you down this morning?” Stephen asked turning in his chair from
the window to face me.

“I don’t
understand.”

“Well
Scott, since I’ve known you, you take those stairs two at a time. So, what has
got you down today?”

I knew I
couldn’t share what had happened with Mercedes. “I got to bed late last night.”

“Yeah, I
hoped you were able to spend enough time to see who’s behind this scenario.
Coffee?”

I
started to get up, but Stephen held up his hand. “I’ll get it, while you think
about last night, or this morning.”

A minute
later Stephen handed me the cup and I tried to take a sip, but the cup was
shaking too much.

“Would
you like something a little stronger?”

“I could
use it, but no thanks.”

“I got a
good look at the blackmailer. He came out of the station and spotted three men
coming in his direction from across the street…he was motionless while his
brain kicked in.”

“Tell me
about him.”

I took a
deep breath, but my mind was going back to my last conversation with Mercedes.
“I would say he’s in his mid-thirties, about six feet tall, slender build with
brown hair and good looking. He wasn’t what I had pictured. I thought I would
see an ugly creep with a beard. I could id him again if I saw him. I didn’t get
a look at his vehicle as he went around the building on foot followed closely
by the men.”

“Anything
else?”

“Yeah,
the area he picked is like asking for trouble. I think he might reconsider his
choice after last night.”

“So, you
think he might continue this blackmail scenario?”

“Is
there anything that would make him want to stop?”

“I guess
you could be right, given the fact he hasn’t stopped already.”

“Where
do we go from here?”

“Well,
if he doesn’t ask for any more money, this might be the end of it. However, if
he asks for more money, that’s a different story.”

“Stephen,
maybe if you gave me a clue as to why you are being blackmailed I could figure
out who might be behind it.”

I
watched him get up and go to the window.
Maybe he’s going to share something.

“Scott,
the only thing I’m going to share with you is that it is a family issue, which
if it got out, would not put me in good light with the public and my family.”

“Stephen,
did you have an affair?”

He took
a deep breath and turned. “Yes, but this is not what this blackmail is about.
That was for your ears only.”

“Now
you’ve only got me more interested in what someone could have over you. At some
point if I’m going to really help you find out who’s behind this, you’ve got to
give me a little more information. I think I can help, but not given the
situation as it currently exists.”

“I
appreciate what you’re saying, but my wife is in no condition to have another
scandal come to life. I will promise you this—if this continues I will give you
a little more to go on, or I will take this into my own hands and end it once
and for all.”

“How’s
my firecracker of a daughter treating you?”

Chapter
14

He
managed to take another roll of Polaroid pictures, but he had exhausted the
poses he could put her in.

Alexis
wanted so much to reach the pinnacle of beauty that she willingly posed for his
picture taking. His ability to hypnotize her and create this other world for
both of them was something he wished he could write a paper on.

However,
it was his secret. If he could write it, he would title it ‘Climb the Heights.’
Those were his magic words to open her up for this amazing world of endless
sex. He realized he was now lost forever, he could never relinquish her back to
the normal world. They would grow old together, but he also realized he had
fallen in love with her.

Soon he
would say the words to bring her out of this fantasy land. She might question
the strange marks on her body, but he had all the answers.

She had
so much beauty and talent he wished he could share it with the world. However
it was his prize and his prize alone.

He
wondered how he could get her to conduct the other fantasies he so desired.
Currently she was the object of the many scenarios he could conjure up. She
played her role so wonderfully, with never a hesitation. He was going to find a
way for her to put him as the object. He had to in order to fulfill those other
fantasies. One in particular was to have the roles reversed and to have him
tied to the bed.

He
opened the door to their special room. She was still tied to the bed, but
asleep. She should be after their hours together. This was the first time he
wanted to shower alone.

He
closed the door and went to the bathroom which was down the hall from the
bedroom. The cool air felt good on his still naked body, and he was surprised
he was getting excited again. He turned on the light, and then the shower but
left it turned to the cold side. The shower was a walk-in shower and large
enough for a wheel chair to maneuver. He moved the sliding shower door and
entered.

The
spray hit his body like ice picks and he recoiled until he became accustomed to
the cold and the sensation. He quickly washed his hair and was tempted to rinse
with warm water, but resisted it. He thought he heard something and paused, but
then resumed his washing.

The
images of Alexis were too recent and too strong and he found himself paying
particular attention to his body’s reaction. He dreamed it was her that was
washing him and punishing him with the icy spray. He had the real thing only a
few feet down the hall, but despite his soreness and the cold water he was lost
in the fantasy of being her prisoner.

The
shower door slid open and brought him out of his fantasy.

“Why
Doctor Adler, you look like you could use some help there,” Alexis said with a
smile, and stepped into the shower with him.

He moved
his hand away and reached for her immediately. “
No,” she barked.
She
moved into the cold spray like it didn’t exist.

“You
shouldn’t be doing that to your body. It’s my turn. Turn around and back up to
the wall. Now raise your arms and put the back of your hands up against the
wall.” The hand held spray nozzle was just over his head and spraying her body.
He saw her breasts now beet red from the ice pricks. “Stop looking. Close your
eyes and don’t move.”

She
moved the bar of soap up and down against his Adam’s apple. Then she moved the
bar across his lips. In some fashion she was torturing him. The feeling was
erotic. The thoughts of being her prisoner were even more erotic. She slowly
washed his shoulders and his arm pits. He could feel the cold spray bouncing
off her body onto his. Then she moved the soap bar across his chest and back
and forth across his stomach and navel. His body was anticipating her intimate
touch, but it didn’t come.

“Open
your eyes and watch me,” she commanded.

She was
in no rush. He was enjoying the sight, but his arms were getting sore. He went
to move his arms down, and she jabbed him with the soap bar. “I didn’t tell you
to move. Keep your arms up above your head.”

He put
his back to the wall and looked at her for some sign of whether she was still
hypnotized. She moved her hand and the soap back to her body and resumed her
washing. He realized she was enjoying the reversed roles very much. His dream was
coming true.

 “Now close
your eyes doctor.” A minute later he heard soft sounds coming from deep in her
throat. He jumped when she started washing his body. They had showered
together, but this time it was different.

“Do you
like having the roles reversed?” she asked, in a sexy voice.

When he didn’t
immediately answer her she got his attention. “I asked you a question.” He
quickly realized he had lost all control of the situation.

“Yes.”
He forced an answer.

He lost
all track of time, but knew if the water was warm it would have been cold by
now. He considered whether he liked this situation or not, and realized she
held his fate. He felt he could trust her, but at times he wondered really what
he had created.

“You’re
hurting me,” he finally spoke.

“I know
I am. Do you really like having the roles reversed?”

“Yes,
very much.”

He knew
he had lost all control, and he knew she recognized her new power.

Time was
passing and he was trying to commit all of this to memory. All his senses were
flooded simultaneously and although his fantasies were being satisfied, he
realized he had created a monster. He was caught between being a researcher and
a subject. His mind was reeling, and his body was not his any longer.

“You
really love this, don’t you?” she asked, bringing him back to reality.

“Yes.”

“What
other things can I do for you?”

“Do you
really want to know?”

“Does
that answer your question?”

“Yes.
I’ll share them, but not here, and not now.”

“You my
fine doctor…you are not in control any longer…I am. I can tell you’re going to
love the role you’re going to play.”

He could
barely sense the cold water spray, his body was numb now. He didn’t care. He
was in love. He was in love with a creature he had created. He wanted to tell
her he loves her, but he couldn’t. He didn’t care about anything any longer. He
had transitioned to the object. He loved it and he could tell she loved her new
role too.