Sintown Chronicles II: Through Bedroom Windows (38 page)

“Can't I change my mind?"

“Nope."

“I have some money put away. How much do you need?"

“I'm not sure—a hundred grand or more.” He kissed her hair. “I'll get the loan. Don't worry about it. It's not your problem."

They slowly and silently walked back to June's apartment, their hands clinging, lost in their own private thoughts.

“June, go get your swimsuit on,” Frank suggested. “I think I'll have a Pepsi. Want one?"

“No, but Frank, wait."

“My, you're wearing a serious expression,” he joked.

“I am serious. Frank, do you really love me?"

“How many times are you going to ask that question?"

“Do you really intend to marry me?"

“You know I do."

“Then why isn't it my problem too? Why isn't it our problem?"

They locked eyes for a long moment before he crushed her to his chest.

“You win, Gorgeous Gal. It is our problem."

“What happened to ‘Lovely Lady'?” she asked playfully as she pulled away and headed for her bedroom.

He sat at the kitchen table and slowly consumed the soft drink. His mind jumped back and forth between the old warehouse and June. She entered the room as he tossed the empty can into the trash.

“It's too small,” she complained.

He looked up and flashed the smile that made her heart race. She was wearing sandals and a one piece blue suit that looked as if it were glued to her body. The cloth clung to her labia, leaving little to the imagination and the form of her swollen nipples pushed into the yielding cloth. At least a fourth of her breasts bulged above the suit that was, indeed, too small.

He rushed to meet her and placed his hands on her hips. “It's perfect, June,” he exclaimed as be bent and kissed the protruding flesh of first Magic and then Desire.

She shuddered at his touch, wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his body close. His lips met hers and she unashamedly thrust her pulsating tongue deep into his mouth.

His hands roamed her back and he caught himself just as his right hand reached her buttocks.

“Go on, Frank,” she cooed. “I want to feel your hand on my butt."

He broke away and playfully slapped her bottom. “There,” he joked. “How did that feel?"

“That wasn't what I meant and you know it,” she pouted as she followed him to the door. She grabbed a long sleeved pink shirt and slipped it on, leaving the front unbuttoned.

June waited in the truck while he made a quick change of clothes. When he climbed back into the driver's seat, his feet, without socks, were jammed into well-worn loafers. He was still wearing the same white shirt he wore earlier, minus the tie, and he too, left it unbuttoned. Her eyes focused involuntarily on the bulge at the bottom of his skintight green plaid swimming trunks. She glanced up and realized he knew.

She grinned wickedly. “May I touch it?"

“Be my guest."

She gently placed her hand on his crotch and jerked away as if she had touched a hot stove.

“It won't bite,” he assured her.

“It jumped,” she said, still staring at the movement between his legs.

He laughed, closed his hands on her ears and pulled her lips to his. “Lovely Lady, I have much to teach you."

June felt less self-conscious when she saw the two pieces of string Sandra was wearing. She glanced at Tim's crotch. There was no bulge, but then, his trunks didn't fit as snuggly as Frank's did.

“Where's Junior?” Frank asked.

Sandra laughed. “Gone panning for gold with Maggie and Greta."

“Say what?"

“Maggie hasn't told you about Greta's ghost?"

Frank nodded his head and June thought that Sandra's boobs would surely bounce out of her halter-top—if she had boobs, that is.

“I know about Miss Jenkins,” Frank laughed, “but I saw Greta arrested last night. How could she be out of jail so soon?"

“They released her into my custody,” Tim explained. “Crow was a terrible man. Greta isn't too bright and he virtually made her his slave. I don't think she played a significant role in any of Crow's plans. As of last night, they have not charged her with any wrongdoing. When I took her home, she said she didn't want to work for us anymore, but today she said she would stay on until we can find a new housekeeper."

Sandra laughed. “She said that was what Miss Jenkins told her to do."

“But,” June asked, “if she quits her job with you, how will she earn a living?"

“There was a sizable reward offered for information leading to the conviction of the murderer of Bobby and Adele Elliott. She will get that, and Tim and I will help her a little. If it weren't for her, both Tim Junior and I might have died at the hands of Eddie Crow,” Sandra explained.

Tim chuckled. “Of course, Miss Jenkins told Greta that she would provide all the money they need through gold mining. Hell, I even agreed to fund the project if they ever find the old gold mine they are looking for."

“Junior loves going with them,” Sandra said. “That's why he wandered off yesterday. Maggie and Greta usually pan on Sundays and start early in the morning. Since we normally go to church on Sundays, Junior doesn't get many opportunities. They were waiting for us when we came home from church today. Maggie said they found a good spot for panning and came back to let Junior join them."

Tim handed June a baited rig. “You know how to do this?"

“I'm a farm girl, Mr. Dollar. I used to go fishing with my daddy. I can't say I enjoyed it much, though. I don't like to eat fish and killing them for the sport of it doesn't seem like fun to me."

Tim laughed and placed his hand on the small of June's back. “We feel the same way. Oh, if we catch a big bass we'll occasionally have him for supper, but the little ones we throw back.” He let his hand trail over June's rounded bottom as he reached into a cloth bag lying on the pier that reached the center of the pond. He held up a camera for June to see. “We take a Polaroid of the big guys before throwing them back."

June made her first cast and watched the float settle on the rippling water twenty-five feet from the pier. She settled into the lawn chair Tim offered and longed for the sun to set.

“Mr. Dollar,” June said. “While we were walking around Dot today Frank became excited about the possibility of renting the warehouse across from the church for his garden shop."

“Hmm,” Tim replied rubbing his chin. “I hadn't thought of that. It might work out."

“Do you own the property all the way back to the creek?” Frank asked.

Tim laughed. “That and a hell of a lot more."

“I would like to rent that too. I can put a greenhouse back there."

Tim nodded and repeated, “That might work. Why don't you discuss terms with my business manager tomorrow? His name is Vic Kimel and he has an office in the Dollar building."

“This is boring,” Sandra apologized after an hour passed.

“Some days are like this,” Tim added. He turned to June. “I wish I could bring a little excitement into your life, but the damned fish won't cooperate today. I guess they're just not hungry."

As Sandra reeled in her line she said, “Frank, there's a little spring I'd like for you to look at. It's just on the other side of that hill."

Frank followed Sandra's pointing finger and saw the pine topped hill some three hundred yards away.

“It has the sweetest water you ever tasted."

Tim laughed. “She's right, Frank. We keep jugs of it in the refrigerator. Our well water has an iron taste."

“The trouble is,” Sandra continued, “I have to go up there every two or three days to refill the jugs."

“It's not that she's lazy, Frank,” Tim explained. “She just has better things to do with her time. We've been trying to figure a way to pipe the water to the house."

Frank stared at the distant hill. “Shouldn't be a problem,” he said, “if you don't mind sinking a few thousand dollars into the project. You could build a tank up there and pump water into it. The pressure in the tank and gravity down the hill should be sufficient to bring the water to your door."

“A man looked into it for us a couple of years ago,” Sandra replied. “He said by the time we got the water to the house, it would have been in the tank and pipes for several days and would taste stale."

Frank nodded as he continued to look at the hilltop. “It shouldn't take but a few minutes to ride your golf cart up there and back."

“It doesn't,” Sandy agreed. “But lugging jugs of water through the woods gets old in a hurry."

“You can't get the cart through the trees?"

Sandy shook her head.

Frank chuckled. “I must be missing something here. Can't you widen the path through the trees?"

“Damn, Sandy. Why didn't we think of that?” Tim said, slapping his knee.

“That's a great idea, Frank,” Sandra said. “Look, the fish aren't biting anyway. Come with me. Let's take a look and see if you think it can be done.” She hooked her arm in Franks and steered him towards the cart.

“Come on, June,” Frank said. “There's room for three."

As June started to stand up, Tim said, “Hold on here. Don't leave me all alone. June will keep me company while the two of you go to the spring.” It sounded to June more like an order than an invitation and she settled back into the lawn chair.

Tim moved his chair so that he was facing June. The two of them watched Sandra and Frank round the pond and start climbing the hill.

“You're nuts about the guy, aren't you June?"

She blushed and snapped her legs together when she realized where Tim was focusing his eyes.

“Frank told me he has twenty-five thousand to invest in the business. That's not nearly enough."

“He knows that. I think he's going to start working on the loan tomorrow."

“He won't get it."

“What?"

“Not without my approval, at least. Tom Anthony at the bank owes me some favors. If I give the okay, Frank will get the loan. However, if I say the word, Tom will turn Frank down flat. You know what will happen if Frank doesn't get the loan, don't you?"

June just looked at Tim.

“Within six months Frank will lose his twenty-five thousand and be on his way back to Atlanta with his tail between his legs."

“Why would you blackball Frank? He's done nothing to you."

“It's not up to Frank. It's up to you."

“Me?"

“Let me explain, you big breasted babe. Sandy's tits are so small I sometimes need a magnifying glass to find her nipples. I've been admiring your mammary glands since you first started working at Dot's Diner, but they're always covered up with your waitress uniformed buttoned to the neck. Why don't you give me a good look right now."

“Mr. Dollar!” June exclaimed as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Tim glanced at the hill. “They've parked the cart and are entering the woods. They'll be out of sight for at least twenty minutes. Pull your top down."

“No,” she cried. “I won't do it. This isn't right."

“You want Frank to get the loan, don't you?"

June closed her eyes and her trembling fingers toyed with the top of her suit. She took a deep breath and yanked down the fabric.

Click.

At the sound of the camera, her eyes popped open. “You can't take a picture of me like this.” She covered her breasts with her hands.

“I already did,” he laughed as he watched the photograph churn out of the camera. He examined it and shook his head. “No good,” he said as he stood up.

He walked behind June, pushed her head forward and unzipped the one-piece suit. He went back to his chair and picked up the camera. “Push the suit below your navel, spread your legs, put your hands behind your head and give me a big smile."

Click.

“Much better,” he said as he examined the second photograph. “With that smile on your face, Frank will think you posed voluntarily."

“You wouldn't."

Tim smiled. “Now I want some shots of you wearing nothing but that smile."

“There it is, Frank. Isn't it pretty? Go on, taste it."

Frank knelt beside the bubbling pool, made a cup of his hands and filled it with the cold water. He drank deeply and, as he turned to look at Sandra, said, “It's delicious. It's ... Oh, my God. You set me up, didn't you?"

She was holding her halter in her hand.

“And Tim was in on it."

She toyed with her nipples. “Like I told you, Tim has his interests and he knows I have mine."

Frank jumped to his feet. “If that bastard touches June I'll break him in half."

“You don't need to worry about that. Tim likes tiny tits. That's why he married me. Aren't they nice, Frank? They're not knee knockers like June's are, but when you suck them, and you will, I'll bet they taste as sweet as that spring water."

Frank ground his teeth together and balled his fists. “Go to hell, slut, and take your money with you.” He raced back to the cart and jumped in but hesitated when he heard Sandra screaming. He glanced over his shoulder. She was running towards him, still carrying the halter-top.

She jumped into the cart beside him. “What do you think your chances are for Dollar business if I tell Tim you tried to rape me."

“That's a chance I'll have to take,” he replied as he pushed the accelerator to the floor. His anger eased as he watched her put the halter-top back on, but one look at her eyes filled him with alarm. “Look, Mrs. Dollar—Sandy—you are a sharp looking lady. If it were not for June, I would be after you hot and heavy. You would not be the first married woman I've enjoyed. The thing is, I love June. I plan to marry her if she'll have me. She's an innocent girl. She wouldn't understand."

Sandra stared straight ahead and did not reply.

Sun reflecting off the water blurred his vision, but Frank could tell that June and Tim were standing several feet apart. At least she's okay, he comforted himself.

Frank felt self-conscious, sitting at June's kitchen table scribbling notes while she sat opposite him, just staring. “Lovely Lady,” he said, trying to smile, “why don't you watch TV or something? It must be boring just watching me list cost estimates."

“I was hoping I might be able to help."