"Are you?"
"Christ,
Selina, not again!"
"Where did you
go while I was out?"
"What?"
"I asked where
you went while I was out. I saw you drive past the common."
"Oh, I... I
was going to go into town but changed my mind."
"Really?"
"Where do you
think I went?"
"To... It
doesn't matter."
"If you're
accusing me of something, then tell me what it is."
"Danny, I...
There's the phone, I'll get it."
Pursued by
Danny into the lounge, I felt like telling him about the flats, but
knew it would be a mistake. Besides, he'd only come out with some
lie or other. Lifting the phone, I prayed that it wasn't John. I
could hardly speak to him with Danny hovering behind me.
It was John.
"Hi, Selina," he said cheerily. "Are you alone?"
"No, not
really," I replied as Danny walked across the room and looked out
of the window. He didn't know I had a vibrator forced up my wet
cunt.
"OK, I'll do
the talking. I've spoken to the caretaker. He's been there for
years, knows everyone. After paying the old git, I've got a list of
names of all the people in the flats."
"That's
good."
"There's no
one by the name of Alison, so I don't know where we go from
here."
"Neither do
I."
"There's been
no word from the pimp, which is disappointing."
"Yes, it
is."
"I can't
understand why your husband would meet her at the flats. I mean, if
it's not her flat they're meeting in, then whose is it? And why
doesn't he go to her place, wherever it is?"
"Perhaps he
does."
"Perhaps.
Anyway, I'll show you the list of names on the off-chance that you
recognize one of them."
"OK,
when?"
"I don't think
we should meet by the common, your husband might follow you. How
about ringing me when he's not around?"
"Yes, I'll do
that."
"All right,
I'll wait to hear from you."
"Right."
"And don't
worry, we're getting there."
"I won't."
Replacing the
receiver, I knew Danny would ask who it had been. What could I say?
He'd know it wasn't Chrissy by the way I'd spoken. Thinking quickly
as I returned to the kitchen, I turned to face him as he stood in
the doorway.
"That was
Tammy's assistant," I imparted. "The book's not doing at all
well."
"I thought you
sounded odd," he replied.
"It's
depressing, to say the least."
"Selina, I
have nothing to do with this girl. I'm not working with her,
love."
"I know that.
It's just that... Oh, I don't know. I'm fed up with the whole
business."
"It's no good us arguing, and we won't get anywhere if you're
suspicious of me. And going back to my
allowing
this to happen to you, I...
I just didn't know what to do. We couldn't go to the police; I
tried following the girl..."
"Danny, I need
to think. Why don't you go into town, as you said?"
"OK, I suppose
I need to think, too. I'll go and have a look around the
second-hand bookshop."
"All right,
I'll see you later."
Dashing into
the lounge to watch him drive off, I didn't hold out much hope for
the list of names. But I bounded upstairs to my den and dialled
John's mobile number. I didn't know the bitch's surname, and I
didn't know anyone who lived in that area, let alone the flats. But
anything was worth trying.
"I'll be there
in ten minutes," John said enthusiastically as I told him that
Danny had gone out.
"He should be
at least an hour, so we'll have plenty of time to go through the
list."
"Good, put the
kettle on - I could do with a cup of coffee."
"OK, I will.
Bye."
Ambling into
the kitchen, I made two cups of coffee, deciding to photocopy the
list of names and peruse them at my leisure. I doubted that they'd
ring any bells, but you never knew your luck. Taking the tray into
the lounge, I placed it on the small table and waited for John.
Danny had probably gone back to the flats, I mused. Probably
desperate to fuck the dirty bitch, he'd gone there looking for her
- her cunt.
"Come in!" I
beamed, answering the door to John.
"One list of
names," he smiled, following me into the lounge. "That bloody
caretaker demanded fifty quid, the thieving old git! But he knows
everyone in the flats, keeps a record of them."
"Let's have a
look," I said, taking the sheets of paper. "R. Alinson, A. Baker,
A. and L. Stoughton, G. and S. Windsor, R. Snodgrass, B.
Hollingsworth, N. Hobson... There are several misses, but they
could be nineteen or ninety."
"Yes, I
realize that. Just have a look through them all."
"Right. Oh,
there's your coffee."
Sitting on the
sofa, I scanned the names, not recognizing one of them. Despondency
setting in, I tossed the papers onto the cushion beside me and
sighed. Eighty odd flats, eighty odd names... I thought we'd never
discover which flat Danny was visiting.
"There are no
Christian names," I complained, looking up at John as he sat in the
armchair sipping his coffee.
"You don't
recognize a surname?"
"There are
several Smiths and Joneses, a few Davises... I knew a girl called
Samantha Jones, another called Rebecca Smith... Without first
names, it's hopeless. I'll go up to my den and photocopy the
list."
"It's OK, you
can keep it."
"Thanks, I'll
go through it again later."
"How's your
husband?"
"He's all
right."
"I mean, has
he come across as guilty or anxious?"
"No, not
really. He got annoyed when I asked him whether he was working with
the girl."
"I suppose he
would!"
"John, how
much is this going to cost me?"
"What, my
fee?"
"Yes."
"I haven't
worked it out. Look, don't worry about that now."
"I have to. As
it is I've lost my dining room furniture and..."
"Lost it?"
"She sold it.
She must have called in a house clearance firm when I was out."
"Why didn't
you tell me?"
"I don't know.
It's not important, is it?"
"I don't
suppose there are many house clearance firms around here; she might
have given her surname."
"Sorry, I
should have..."
"It's OK, I'll
be in touch."
"You're
going?" I asked as he leaped to his feet and placed his cup on the
tray.
"Yes, to find
out which firm she used. I'll ring you."
As the front
door closed, I felt stupid. I should have thought about the house
clearance firm, not that she'd give her real name. But it was worth
trying, I reflected - the slightest lead was worth following up.
Grabbing the list of names, I went up to my den and sat at the
desk. Running my finger down the list, the vibrator moving within
my tightening vaginal sheath, I realized that she might have rented
a flat using another name. But no one recognized her description,
and I began to wonder whether Danny had rented a flat under a
pseudonym.
"Barlow,
Watson, Godfrey," I breathed, shaking my head despairingly as I hid
the list in my desk drawer. I'd thought I was getting somewhere at
last, but it seemed not. Staring at the ringing phone, I wasn't
going to answer it, but changed my mind when I thought it might be
Crystal.
"Hallo," I
sighed.
"Right!" the
bitch snapped. "I've had a word with my boss and..."
"Don't tell
me, he's not at all happy."
"We know your
husband's back, but he won't be for long."
"The basement
again?" I asked sarcastically.
"Worse. Unless
you come up with the cash by midday tomorrow... Well, you'll
see."
"Will you get
it into your thick skull that there is no more bloody money!"
"You'd better
borrow some, or sell your car. I mean it, Selina - you play the
game, or else! Meet me on the common tomorrow with the cash."
"No, I don't
think I'll bother. You can do what you like to my husband, I don't
want him anymore."
"The man who
approached you on the common will approach you again unless you pay
up - and it won't be to give you a message! It's up to you - meet
me in the woods on the common at midday with the cash, or both you
and your husband will be in real trouble."
As she hung
up, I wondered whether to ring John with the latest news. But he'd
be busy chasing house clearance firms, I decided - I'd call him
later. Gazing out of the window, I wondered what to do. I didn't
feel like working, and with Danny back, I couldn't invite Crystal
round. Wishing he'd stayed away for longer, I pressed my forehead
to the glass and gazed at the front garden, recalling the times
when I'd enjoyed weeding and planting flowers. Long gone were the
days of cooking, gardening, homemaking. Pondering on my future, I
went downstairs as I saw Danny pull up in the drive.
"Hi, love," he
smiled innocently as we met in the hall. "Everything OK?"
"Everything's
fine," I told him, feeling depression setting in. "Been anywhere
nice?"
"Only the
bookshop."
"The bitch
rang while you were out."
"Oh, God. What
did she say?"
"She wants
more money."
"Christ! We'll
have to pay her, Selina. If the newspapers get hold of..."
"No, I'm not
giving her another penny."
"But, think
about the consequences."
"I have, and
I'm not handing over any more money."
"Well, it's up
to you - it's your career that'll be in ruins."
"Yes, it
is."
"Before
deciding not to pay her, give it some thought. The private dick
might come up with something. If you pay her, it'll give him more
time."
"He's had time
enough as it is. Obviously, he's getting nowhere. You said yourself
that he seemed to clam up, which is probably because he's failing
miserably and doesn't know what to say."
"Yes, I'd
thought of that. Perhaps I could find someone else, another
detective and..."
"And I carry
on paying the bitch. Anyway, I have no more money - even if I
wanted to pay her, I can't."
Following me
into the lounge, Danny held his head and gazed out of the window.
He was putting on a bloody good act, I mused as he slouched his
shoulders and sighed. But he didn't fool me. Not wanting to be near
to him, I went up to my den and locked the door. Pulling my soaked
panties off, I slipped the hot vibrator out of my vagina and placed
it in the desk drawer.
It was early
afternoon and I decided to write, to work through the evening and
the night if I could. I'd ignore Danny if he knocked on the door,
and the phone when it rang. I didn't want to acknowledge the world
- it didn't exist. Throwing myself into my work, I'd write like I'd
never written before.
Waking at
seven in the morning to find myself on the sofa in my den, I
clambered to my feet, wondering what the day would bring. At least
I hadn't had to sleep with Danny. Had he slept alone in our bed or
gone to screw the tart? I'd loved Crystal in the so-called marital
bed, entwined in lust, our naked bodies shuddering as our tongues
brought out our orgasms. Where was she?
Checking the
bedroom, I took a shower before wandering downstairs and filling
the kettle. I couldn't face Danny, his lies, his adultery, his
treachery. Calling him, praying for him to be out, I went into the
garden to look for him. Thankfully, there was no sign of him, only
the rising sun greeting me as I wandered across the lawn to the
beech tree. Sitting on the bench, my mind drifting, I pondered on
John, wondering whether he'd discovered which house clearance firm
had taken my furniture.
The bitch's
phone call surfacing from the depths of my mind, I recalled the man
who'd accosted me on the common. If I didn't take the cash to the
woods at midday, he'd approach me again - and not with a message!
Would Danny really see me abducted, taken to a basement, tied up
and used for crude sex? Yes, I decided - he'd do anything to get
his hands on another five grand.
Returning to
the kitchen, I poured myself a cup of tea, wondering whether it was
too early to call John. Left in the dark, I had to discover what
was happening, what he'd learned. More importantly, I had to find
out what my adversaries had in store for me. Should I go to the
woods? I asked myself. Should I wade those dangerous waters again?
I didn't know what to do as I drifted into the lounge to answer the
phone.
"Sorry to call
you so early," John apologized.
"That's OK, I
was thinking of calling you," I replied. "Have you discovered
anything?"
"I found the
house clearance firm, but the girl gave your surname. Have you been
through the list of names again?"
"Yes, and come
up with nothing. The girl rang me - she wants me to take five
thousand to the woods on the common at midday."
"If she's not
going to your house to collect the money, it looks as if your story
about the police has worked."
"The minute I
told Danny, he obviously went running to her."
"Don't do
anything until I get back to you. I have one or two things up my
sleeve, so be patient."
"OK. By the
way, Danny went out early. Either that, or he didn't sleep here
last night."
"He might have
stayed with the girl. OK, you stay put."
"All right.
Bye."
Stay put? I
would have stayed put if I'd had Crystal with me, her naked body,
but I became lonely and agitated as time passed. I had to get out
of the house, go for a walk and relax my mind. I didn't want to see
Danny, listen to his whining. He hadn't bothered to call me to tell
me where he was, reinforcing my suspicion that he'd slept with the
bitch. I wouldn't have minded if I never saw him again. Perhaps
he'd left me, I mused as I was about to leave the house. No, I very
much doubted I was that lucky.