RISK

by Sam Skyborne

  When she realised this, panic flooded her body and she went rigid once again.

  “It’s okay,” came Maxine’s calm response and when Lizbeth looked into her eyes they were smiling tenderly back at her.

  Maxine took hold of the errant hand and repositioned it on her breast more fully, giving it a little squeeze for encouragement.

  Rather than making her recoil in embarrassment, this gesture made Lizbeth suddenly feel a lot braver. She gingerly let her hand slide over Maxine's breast, palming her hard nipple under her blouse.

  Maxine smiled back at her.

  Lizbeth felt like a deer caught in headlights—on the one hand overpowered by an urge to flee and at the same time fighting an insatiable desire to ravage Maxine.

  “What do you want?” Maxine asked, again sending shivers down Lizbeth’s spine.

  Lizbeth bit her lip hard. She needed to snap out of whatever trance she was in.

  “To feel your skin,” Lizbeth finally admitted.

  Maxine gently took hold of Lizbeth’s cool hand, which was now resting on her breast and slid it down and under her shirt, placing it on her warm abdomen.

  Unable to stop herself now, Lizbeth slid her hand up, tickling Maxine’s skin as she went, until she reached her soft bare breast. She hesitated.

  Maxine sensed this. “It’s okay,” she said and nodded slightly.

  Lizbeth tentatively placed her hand over Maxine’s breast as it had been on top of the fabric earlier. This caused Maxine to inhale sharply, throwing her head back slightly. Lizbeth could feel Maxine’s hard nipple digging into the palm of her hand. She gently moved over the nipple in small circular movement.

  “You’re a natural,” Maxine whispered.

  Lizbeth was again not sure what Maxine meant but there was no time to ponder on it as Maxine took hold of her hands once more and swung her out, twirling her 180 degrees and pulling her back in so that she was now facing away from her, in the same way she had seen her do with her friend, Mo, earlier.

  “My turn,” Maxine whispered in her ear.

  Lizbeth could feel Maxine pulling her back into her long strong body. Then she felt Maxine’s lips on her ear causing Lizbeth’s breath to catch and her to lean back into the exquisite feeling. Doing so, she turned her head. She suddenly became aware that their breaths were mingling, their mouths were mere millimetres apart. Lizbeth resisted the delicious temptation to lean in and close that fraction of a distance.

  They swayed together for what felt like ages.

  Maxine must have sensed her reticence. “It's okay. We can take this slowly,” she said.

  Lizbeth did not want Maxine to get the wrong impression.

  “What if I don’t…” she took Maxine's hand, which was resting around her waist, to free herself, but then instead placed it on her own breast firmly, holding it there, “want to take it slowly.”

  Maxine smiled and gently began to caress Lizbeth’s breast through the fabric, coaxing a little moan from Lizbeth.

  “Well,” Maxine said, her voice sounding more hoarse than before, “then I think we should probably get out of here.”

  Lizbeth nodded and allowed Maxine to lead her off the dance-floor.

  Toni had fallen asleep in a patch of streetlight on the couch. Hillary, her hockey-stick, was still resting nearby.

  A sound at the door woke her. Immediately she assumed it was an intruder. She grabbed her hockey-stick and retreated to the shadows in a dark corner of the room next to the large windows. The rest of the room was lit so brightly from the streetlights, she was pretty sure no one would see her in the shadows. That way she had the element of surprise on her side.

  She heard what sounded like keys in the door. It was unlikely a burglar would have keys, but it was not completely out of the question.

  Then the door opened and she could hear sounds that she could not place at first. She listened more intently. Was that…giggling?

  She heard the door close and waited.

  A few seconds later, in came Lizbeth. As Toni was about to step out of the shadows, relieved, she realised Lizbeth had someone with her. They seemed to be stumbling along. At first Toni could not understand what was going on. Was Lizbeth being attacked? Then she realised their odd movements and instability were due to being intertwined, kissing and groping each other.

  Toni saw Lizbeth reach for the light switch which would instantly reveal Toni’s presence. She held her breath.

  “No, don’t,” Toni heard the other person say in a loud husky whisper.

  Toni’s heart started pounding in her throat. Lizbeth had brought someone home—a woman.

  This was the last thing Toni had expected. She checked her exit-routes, but unfortunately she had missed her chance and was now trapped in a dark shadowy corner of the otherwise brightly lit room. If she moved now they would see her.

  “My bedroom is that way,” Lizbeth said.

  Toni felt a bolt of relief. If they went straight for the bedroom she could slip out unnoticed.

  At least she knew Lizbeth was safe.

  “I have a better idea,” came the sultry whisper from the other woman. “From my experience earlier, it seems you like to be looked at?”

  Lizbeth was hesitant but nodded. “Sometimes.”

  Toni was not sure what was going on. What did Lizbeth mean?

  Toni bit her lip and waited.

  The two women advanced towards the large window overlooking the block of posh flats across the street. The mystery woman manoeuvred Lizbeth to face the window and moved in close behind her. Toni watched as the woman kissed Lizbeth’s neck and ran her hands over her body on top of her clothes.

  Toni swallowed.

  She could not see the woman’s face as it was always obscured either due to being in the dark shadow cast by Lizbeth, or her line of sight was obscured by Lizbeth’s head.

  “I wonder who could be watching out there?” The woman said before she resumed kissing Lizbeth's neck again eliciting more soft moans.

  Seeing Lizbeth like this made Toni feel very uncomfortable and she contemplated her unlikely escape-route again. If she were discovered spying on her friend, no matter what they had been through up to this point, their friendship would certainly be ruined.

  She had no choice but to sit tight, and pray they didn't see or hear her.

  The woman slowly unbuttoned Lizbeth's blouse, slipping it off her shoulders. She undid her bra and dropped it to the floor leaving Lizbeth's breasts pert and her nipples erect from the exposure to the night air.

  Toni’s mouth felt dry.

  The woman untangled Lizbeth's hands from where they were attempting to find traction on her lover, and placed them in front of her, spread above her head, against the window. The woman undid Lizbeth’s skirt and allowed that to drop to the floor. With her feet she nudged the insides of Lizbeth’s feet spreading her legs wider.

  She complied.

  She looked so vulnerable, so exposed, so utterly alluring, Toni thought.

  Her lover then started sensuously stroking and caressing every inch of Lizbeth’s now almost completely naked body.

  Finally, she slid one hand into Lizbeth’s knickers.

  “Oh God!” came Lizbeth’s hoarse response. “Yesss!”

  “You’re so wet!” the woman whispered.

  Toni closed her eyes and swallowed again. But, she needed to see. She opened her eyes and was transfixed.

  The woman caressed Lizbeth's breasts with one hand while the other was exploring the wet folds of her centre.

  “That’s so good,” Toni heard the woman whisper again.

  “Please”, Lizbeth moaned.

  Toni bit down hard on her lip to stop the involuntary sound which was building in her chest from escaping. She held her breath as she watched Lizbeth allow the stranger to bring her to a shuddering climax, only a few feet in front of her.

  When Lizbeth's body finally went limp, the woman picked her up and carried her to the bedroom.

  Toni remaine
d there, motionless, not daring to breathe until she was sure they were gone completely.

  “Fuck!” Toni finally started to breathe.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Thursday

  Toni had retired to Lizbeth’s spare bedroom. Her flat was in no state to return to and she could not risk Lizbeth hearing her leave immediately after the incident in the lounge.

  It took Toni a long time to finally fall asleep. She could not wipe the vivid images of what she had witnessed from her mind. On the one hand it made her feel dirty—like she had betrayed her friend by witnessing such an intimate moment. On the other, she had never seen anything more exquisite in her life. Every time she thought about it, it made all her nerve endings buzz. A host of inarticulate and contradictory thoughts swirled around in her head, even though she tried her best to suppress and silence them.

  Finally, at about 4am she fell into a restless sleep, only to be woken by a refuse lorry beeping outside about two hours later.

  Rather than fight herself back to sleep she decided to get up and get out of the house early.

  What if the lover was not new? What if it was a longstanding relationship? Lizbeth did say she didn’t have a girlfriend, which probably meant she had nothing ‘serious’ at the moment. But, what if this lover was a regular? Someone who knew Lizbeth better than Toni did? Toni pushed back the rising flares of jealousy.

  She got dressed quickly and headed to the kitchen as quietly as she could. She desperately needed caffeine if she was going to get through the day. She figured it was still early enough not to risk bumping into Lizbeth or her lover. She doubted either one would be up that early after their rather energetic evening.

  When she passed Lizbeth’s bedroom door, it all seemed quiet. A quick scan revealed the living room and kitchen to be empty, much to her relief.

  In the kitchen, she was careful not to make too much noise as she quickly filled the kettle and switched it on. Then she headed to the fridge for the milk.

  As she closed the fridge door, there standing next to the fridge was a pair of long naked legs. Her eyes ran up them from the knees to the hips. Whoever they belonged to was completely naked. Toni swallowed but continued to scan her eyes slowly up the body. It was a beautiful body, toned and quite muscular… A neatly trimmed crotch… flat muscular stomach… medium sized firm breasts with dark nipples… smooth chest… bony clavicle joining a smooth neck—

  “Oh, Christ!” Toni said. “Maxine!”

  Maxine smiled back at Toni, clearly enjoying Toni’s discomfort.

  Toni suddenly did not know where to focus her eyes and wished the floor would swallow her. “I’m, ah, making coffee.”

  “I see that.” Maxine said.

  “Want some?”

  “Yes, thanks,” Maxine said like it was the most natural situation. “Did you enjoy the show?”

  “How do you take it?”

  “Thought you already knew that,” Maxine said evenly with a smirk.

  Toni tried to bury herself in the task at hand. “With sugar?”

  “Not too sweet, thanks,” Maxine said.

  “I heard,” Toni said, beginning to get angry. How dare Maxine embarrass her like that.

  “Hmm.” Maxine smiled. “Been awake long?” She pushed herself off from the counter and reached up to a biscuit tin on top of the cupboard.

  Toni caught sight of Maxine’s beautiful behind, the long lines and taught muscle that stretched up her back.

  Maxine brought the tin down and opened it.

  “Oh look, it's the last one.” She offered it to Toni.

  “You have it,” Toni said. “You seem to be happy helping yourself around here.”

  At that moment Lizbeth entered, dressed in a bathrobe with a towel over her head, drying her hair. “Maxine, did you find it?”

  “Yes, thanks,” Maxine said. “Just talking to your guest.”

  “What guest?” Surprised, Lizbeth lifted the towel swiftly. “Toni!”

  Lizbeth glanced at Maxine's naked body and reflexively pulled her own robe tighter around her neck.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked.

  “Ah,” Toni was beginning to ask herself the same question. “I… ah… my flat got ransacked last night, so I stayed over.”

  Lizbeth suddenly looked horrified. “What? Your flat got ransacked? You okay?” She automatically gave Toni the once-over. Then another thought occurred. “You were here last night?”

  “I'll go have a shower while you two catch-up.” Maxine interrupted, giving Lizbeth a kiss on the forehead and squeezing her butt as she passed. She called back without turning. “Laters, Mendez.”

  Toni and Lizbeth both watched Maxine go in silence. As soon as Maxine was out of earshot Toni hissed. “Lizbeth, really? You and Maxine Bennett! You could have told me!”

  “That's rich,” Lizbeth hissed back. “You could have said you're staying over.”

  “Couldn't you have picked someone else? Not someone I work with! And spared me the embarrassment in the kitchen.”

  “Toni, this is my kitchen. Maxine is my guest. I was not expecting you to be here.”

  “I tried to get hold of you a dozen times last night but you were clearly...busy.”

  Lizbeth ignored the comment and took out a mug from the cupboard. She made herself a coffee. “I would have told you... But it sort of just happened last night.”

  “What?” Toni was flabbergasted. “That was your first date?”

  “It was not a date, exactly,” Lizbeth defended. “I went back to The Vox—”

  “You picked her up at The Vox?” This was getting better by the minute. Was Lizbeth deliberately going out to derail her career? “For God's sake, Liz! Are you trying to screw me, completely?”

  “Actually, why am I even trying to explain this to you,” Lizbeth said as she stirred her coffee more loudly than normal. “This is none of your business. Where I go and who I sleep with has nothing to do with you. Now, I need to get dressed for work.” She turned on her heel and headed back to her bedroom.

  Toni had been in the office for about an hour already and was sitting at her desk, sifting through the large brown box of files, when Maxine entered.

  Toni ignored her.

  Maxine put down her coat and bag and poured herself a coffee.

  Toni's phone vibrated on her desk.

  “You going to get that?” Maxine asked.

  “No,” Toni said, not looking up.

  Maxine hesitated but decided to speak. “Look, Toni—”

  Toni held up her hand. “What you and Liz do is none of my business and I certainly do not want a big chat about it.”

  Maxine nodded, understanding. She wouldn’t want to talk about it either at this point, especially not with the person she just saw shagging her friend.

  “I thought I’d get started on that list of lovers today,” Toni said.

  “Great. Mind if I tag along? I would offer to do half but my hunch is you would like to be present to hear what they have to say.”

  “Suit yourself,” Toni said. She did not have the energy to argue or fight with Maxine at that point.

  Toni and Maxine headed down the long corridor of the block of flats on the Isle of Dogs. They had already visited six of Erika’s lovers so far and gleaned nothing new.

  “So what do we know about this next guy?” Maxine asked.

  Toni handed her the notepad on which she had scribbled down all the information Lawrence had managed to dig up about Antoinette’s list.

  “He lives at number 16 and he is married,” Toni said, glancing around for flat numbers.

  Two doors later they arrived at number 16.

  Toni knocked.

  They waited.

  Inside, they heard someone undoing a set of bolts on the door and the door opened revealing a well-dressed man in his mid-thirties.

  “Mr Terry Lewis?” Toni asked.

  “Who wants to know?” the man answered.

  “I’m Toni Mendez, a private in
vestigator and this is my,” she hesitated glancing at Maxine, “colleague, Maxine Bennett. Could we ask you a few questions about Erika Ransom-Evans?”

  “How did you find me?” Terry asked, looking nervous. “I really can't talk now. My husband will be home any minute. He is a lawyer.” He started to close the door.

  Toni took a step forward and jammed her foot in the door. “I don't think you realise, Terry,” her tone was emphatic but controlled, “what a bad day I've had already. So let me explain.” She pushed open the door and walked past him. “We only want to ask you a few questions, which you can answer quickly and honestly and we will be out of here in no time, or we can hang about.” Toni went to sit down on the cream faux-leather couch, “And, we could make it our business to have a good long chat with your husband as well.”

  That was apparently enough to convince him. He stood aside to let Maxine in too.

  “Good.” Toni said, getting up again. “Glad we understand each other.”

  Maxine handed her back the notepad.

  “How did you know Erika Ransom-Evans?” Toni asked.

  “I know her from the club, The Vox. We were acquaintances, I used to see her there. Once or twice we had drinks.”

  “Come on Terry,” Toni said. “Please do not take us for fools. We have not got time to waste. We know your dirty little secret already.”

  Terry looked shocked. He glanced at the door.

  “We know you two were lovers,” Maxine said.

  “Who told you that?” Terry asked quickly. “It must have been that freaky friend of hers. What was her name?” He clicked his fingers, “Antoinette or something. If you ask me she is a real fruit-loop. I don’t know what Erika saw in that friendship.”

  “So you admit you had sex with Erika?” Toni asked. “I mean, on the night she was murdered.”

  “No, no, not at all!” Terry said, sounding panicked. “Honest, you can ask anyone. Mark and I were at a friend’s stag do that night.”

  Toni handed him the notepad and pen. “Write down the name of anyone who can testify to you being at this party you talk about, please.”