by P R Ellis
‘You were recommended by one of your guests,’ she began.
The waiter showed interest, feigned or otherwise. ‘I am pleased that you received a good report on us, Madame.’
‘Yes, Harriet Bunting said she had a good evening here on Tuesday.’
The waiter’s eyebrows rose. Jasmine guessed that he recognised the name.
‘You know Mrs Bunting?’
‘Yes, Madame, she is a not infrequent guest.’
‘I believe she was here with her friend, Tyler Smith.’
‘Ah, yes, it was Mr Smith on this occasion. There were two other guests of Madame Bunting on Tuesday.’
Jasmine hadn’t expected that. She had imagined Harriet and Tyler having a cosy supper before retiring to their bed for their evening’s entertainment. ‘Oh, really, I wonder which of Harriet’s friends they were?’
‘I do not know them,’ the waiter said and dropping his voice to a conspiratorial volume added, ‘A man and a woman, although the woman appeared to be a man dressed as a woman.’
Jasmine giggled. ‘Really? That sounds exciting. Did other people notice?’
‘The restaurant was almost empty on Tuesday evening and anyway, Madame Bunting and her guests left early. It was the woman who was a man who paid for the meal.’
‘All of it!’
‘Only Madame Bunting and Mr Smith had had a full dinner. The other two ate very little.’
‘How strange. I shall have to ask Harriet what was going on.’
The face of the waiter clouded and he sucked in his breath. ‘Oh, please do not say that I told you all of this. I should not have indulged in gossip.’
‘Nonsense. We’re all friends.’ Jasmine did her best to reassure the waiter and made sure that Viv ordered a good bottle of wine to accompany their meal.
‘What was all that?’ Viv asked after the waiter had left them.
‘It’s mysterious,’ Jasmine replied, ‘I thought that Harriet and Tyler had come here for a naughty night away but instead there are these other two, one apparently a tranny who paid for the meal which didn’t go on very long. What were they doing?’
‘I don’t think you’ll get any more out of the waiter. I think he’s embarrassed that you drew so much out of him so quickly. They are supposed to show discretion.’
‘Well, it seems that Harriet’s antics got the better of him. He mentioned that she is quite a regular here. I wonder if she always meets other people?’
Viv shrugged and nodded at the waiter returning with their bottle of wine.
Jasmine got no more information out of the waiter, but it didn’t matter because she enjoyed her meal with the two or three glasses of wine and the company of Viv. After a month when they had been unavoidably a little distant from each other while she was recovering from her surgery and coming to terms with her new anatomy, it was a relief that they enjoyed each other’s company.
After tipping the waiter generously, they drove home. On entering the house, Jasmine took Viv in her arms, kissed him on the lips and whispered in his ear, ‘I think we’ll share a bed tonight.’
Viv’s eyes opened wide with excitement. ‘You’re not ready to, you know, well… It’s only been a month or so.’
‘Five weeks actually. No, I’m not ready just yet, but there are other means to an end, and I think I’m ready to show you.’
Even through Viv’s dark skin she could see the flush of excitement.
‘Well, let’s see what you’re offering.’ He took her hand and drew her up the stairs and into the master bedroom. It had been intended as their room when they moved in but since the operation it had been Jasmine’s exclusively while Viv had been pushed into a guest bedroom. He hadn’t complained.
Jasmine made a rush for the en-suite, removing her knickers, going to the loo and giving herself a quick wash before returning to the bedroom. Viv was already in the king-size bed, the visible part of his body naked.
‘I’ll close my eyes while you undress,’ he said. Previously when they had shared a bed, Jasmine had always ensured she was in a nightie with tight knickers encasing her male genitals, before Viv joined her. Sexual fumblings had taken place under the covers with the light off. Now she had to get ready for bed with Viv watching, unless she took up his offer. But she didn’t have to hide anymore. She had a female body. She was proud of it, well almost.
‘It’s OK. You can watch, but I’m not doing a striptease.’ She let her dress drop to the floor, stepped out of it and reached behind to unclip her bra. Her enhancers dropped out. Damn, she’d forgotten them in her excitement. Her breasts were still a disappointment, a work in progress. Despite the female hormones they had not developed a great deal, and were still A cup bumps. She put that out of her mind. She was pretty pleased with her figure. Despite the inactivity caused by her recuperation, her stomach was flat but there was a little extra flesh on her hips and bottom – she had a figure.
‘Face me,’ Viv said in a tone that was a request not an order. She did as he asked and stood with her arms by her side and legs together.
‘Beautiful,’ he announced.
She covered her nipples with her crossed hands. ‘My tits…’
‘Are lovely. Come here. May I see you?’
‘See me?’
‘Between your legs?’
She swallowed. This was what she had been looking forward to and dreading. Revealing the core of her femininity for the first time. She nodded slowly.
Viv flung the duvet back and beckoned to her. She saw he was completely nude and aroused. She moved around the bed, sat down and swung her legs onto the mattress. She lay flat and slowly raised her knees and opened her legs. Viv pushed himself up, scrambled round between her feet and gazed at her. He stared as if mesmerised.
‘Absolutely wonderful,’ he pronounced. He leaned closer, examining her. She allowed it. More than that, she enjoyed his gaze.
‘May I?’ he said.
‘What?’
‘Touch you.’
‘Um. Yes. It’s still a bit tender, you know.’
‘Yes, I understand. I’ll be gentle.’
He reached out with his right hand. Fingers touched her vulva. She tensed as if expecting pain. There was none. Then a fingertip squeezed gently between the folds, found her clitoris. She gasped. An electric shock had shot up her back to the top of her head.
Viv withdrew his hand. ‘Sorry. Did that hurt?’
Jasmine shook her head unable to draw breath to speak for a moment. Then, ‘No, it didn’t hurt. It was, I don’t know, unexpected. I haven’t had anything like that before.’
‘The first time it’s been touched?’
‘No, I’ve touched it when I’ve been doing my, uh, exercises. But it’s the first time someone else has touched it. It must be like trying to tickle yourself.’
Viv grinned. ‘Again?’
‘Yes, but perhaps some lube… I don’t …’
Viv nodded and reached to the bedside table where Jasmine’s dilators and lubricant lived.
12
FRIDAY 18th OCTOBER
MORNING
Jasmine drifted to the surface of consciousness but remained, eyes closed, curled up under the duvet reliving the pleasures of the night. A delicious sleep had followed the delightful discovery that she could orgasm, and she recalled the pleasure she had given Viv. Is this what a woman feels after lovemaking, she asked herself. Not quite perhaps, not until she could allow him to penetrate her, sometime not far away now. Then, yes, she would feel complete. Soon, she thought.
Other thoughts surfaced: the investigation; the hotel in Faringdon; Harriet Bunting’s guests. She needed to find out more about what had gone on that Tuesday evening when Evelyn had been bludgeoned and the shop burned. This time it would not be by subterfuge. She would use her unofficial position in the police to ask questions.
Viv had already left, leaving her to doze on. She performed her exercises, showered, dressed and had breakfast. Ready to go to work, she went into the ga
rage where her Fiesta had sat since before her operation. The tyres looked as though they needed a little air and the driver’s door opened with a reluctant creak. She got into the cold seat, put the key in the ignition, turned it. Nothing. She tried again. More nothing. She thumped the steering wheel. She should have thought ahead and got the car checked over while she was convalescing, or at least put the battery on charge. The poor old thing had nearly had it anyway. It probably wouldn’t pass the next MOT. When was that due anyway?
She got out and slammed the door. Returning to the kitchen she pondered how she would get to Faringdon. There was only one thing to do – contact Tom. She pulled her mobile from her bag.
‘Hi, Jas, how things?’ Tom said, answering immediately.
‘My car won’t start.’
‘Your car? You mean that old Fiesta?’
‘Yes. It’s given up on me.’
‘What did you need it for? Are you thinking of coming in to help us?’
‘No, I want to go to Faringdon.’
‘Faringdon? Why?’
‘The Royal Hotel. Harriet Bunting’s naughty night away with Tyler.’
‘Yes, that’s their alibi for Evelyn’s murder. It checks out. Why do you want to go there?’
‘To ask some questions about the other guests.’
‘What other guests?’
Jasmine explained what she had learned from questioning their waiter the previous evening.
‘Interesting, but I don’t see what it has to do with the case. If they were there they weren’t anything to do with the murder or the fire.’
‘Perhaps,’ Jasmine conceded, ‘but I think there might be wider implications. Harriet Bunting seems to live the highlife which has little to do with the business that Evelyn was running.’
‘Hmm, I suppose so. I’ll send Hamid over. He can go with you. Won’t be long.’ Tom hung up.
Jasmine was looking out of the window when the Ford Focus drew up. She was out of the front door before Hamid had a chance to get out. She slid into the passenger seat.
‘Hi again, Hamid. Thanks for giving me a lift.’
‘We’re going to Faringdon?’ Hamid put the car in gear and they set off. ‘I don’t know where it is.’
‘I’ll give you directions.’
‘OK. Why are we going there?’
Jasmine repeated what she had told Tom. Hamid shrugged and yawned.
‘You didn’t get much sleep last night?’ she said.
He shook his head. ‘Didn’t get home till late. Sasha and I were looking into Evelyn Bunting’s contacts.
‘What about Tom and Terry?’
‘They were investigating this loan shark, Neville Griffiths.’
‘Did they find anything?’
‘No, but Terry said they’re sure there was an insurance scam going on. But Terry went home, DI Shepherd was doing admin.’
‘So what did you find out?’
Hamid shrugged. ‘Not a lot. I did learn a lot more about the things Bunting stocked in the shop supplied by Akash Rana.’
‘Oh yes.’
‘Do men really get pleasure from making themselves look like women?’
Jasmine took a deep breath. ‘For some men it’s a pleasure thing, but for others it goes a bit deeper than that. It’s a need. They’d do anything to get the physical appearance that they see in their head but not in the mirror. For some, the clothes and the silicone falsies go some way. For others that isn’t enough, or, no, it’s not a question of it being enough, it’s not real enough.’
‘You mean those men need drugs and surgery.’
‘It’s not just men wanting to be women. There are just as many F to M transsexuals.’
Hamid concentrated on the road ahead.
‘You never used these “falsies”?’
‘Well, yes, I did.’ I do, Jasmine meant but didn’t say. ‘You have to if you want to have a feminine figure while you’re transitioning. But I only used breast enhancers.’
‘Not one of these body suits.’
‘God no!’
‘I think you don’t approve of the men who buy these things.’
‘They don’t need my approval, Hamid. If they want to purchase all that stuff it’s none of my business, but it’s not me. I’ve got no argument with people like Evelyn selling it.’
‘That was the problem.’
‘What?’
‘He hadn’t been selling much stuff.’
‘Ah. You got that from Rana.’
‘Yes. I spoke to him last night. Seems he and Bunting have been doing business for years which is why Rana says he hadn’t been pushing Bunting for payment until recently. Bunting owes a pretty big sum for stock. Rana says he refused to supply one of those expensive body suits when Bunting ordered one recently unless he paid up front.’
‘Another debtor.’
‘Yes.’
‘Do you think Rana could be involved in the fire or murder?’
‘I didn’t get that feeling. Should a policeman have feelings?’
‘Oh yes, Hamid, hunches are important. They show your subconscious weighing up the evidence. So…’
‘No. He seemed genuinely upset about Evelyn Bunting even though he’s owed a lot of money. They seem to have been friends. And anyway, Rana, was up in Manchester at the time of the fire. We’ve checked his alibi.’
Jasmine was finding Hamid a useful informant. ‘What about the other people you and Sasha were checking.’
‘We didn’t get anything useful. McLeesh and Clement are two customers of Molly’s both of whom paid out large sums for stuff. McLeesh wasn’t satisfied with the product and Clement didn’t get a delivery.’
‘Either a suspect?’
‘Not really. McLeesh is quite belligerent but he crumbled when Sasha suggested he might have done something to Evelyn. His alibi checks out. And Lee Clement was just embarrassed that anyone could find out he is a transvestite or that he has spent nearly two thousand pounds regardless of whether he actually received the suit.’
‘What about Nicholls? It would be interesting to find out his relationship with Evelyn and Harriet.’
‘We’ve got his address just outside Kintbridge but he’s not been seen there recently and isn’t responding to calls.’
‘Done a runner or on holiday?’ Jasmine mused. Hamid shrugged. ‘No-one else?’
‘Not on Bunting’s contacts. Sasha did find out a bit more about Tyler Smith.’
Jasmine sat up, her interest suddenly increased. ‘And?’
‘He’s got a private income. Rich parents, or rather mother, they’re divorced. Sasha wondered if Harriet had replaced his mother as the female in his life. Anyway. he’s got plenty of money for the flash cars and nights in hotels.’
‘No job?’
‘No, spends all his time in the gym when he’s not with Harriet.’
They continued to chat about life in the police force and other inconsequentials. Jasmine felt that Hamid wanted to ask her more about her transition, but was too embarrassed to do so. Soon they entered Faringdon.
‘This is the place?’ Hamid asked.
‘Yes. The hotel is in the centre of the town. Why?’
‘It hasn’t taken long to get here,’ he glanced at the clock on the dashboard. ‘forty-five minutes. I thought we were headed on a longer journey into – what are they called – the Cotswolds.’
‘I thought they’d gone further too until Harriet told us it was just Faringdon they’d come to. It isn’t far from Kintbridge. That’s why I brought Viv here for dinner last night. It didn’t take long to get back home.’
Hamid parked in the carpark and they walked into the hotel together. The waiter from the previous evening, crossed the corridor in front of them. He glanced at Jasmine, his eyes showed recognition. He seemed about to greet her then his eyes moved on to Hamid. He ducked his head and hurried on.
Jasmine turned to Hamid. ‘Did you see his reaction? I don’t think it was because you’re not the boyfriend I was wi
th last night and I’m not in my nice dress.’
‘Perhaps he’s embarrassed by what he told you last night.’
Jasmine shrugged, ‘Maybe you’re right.’
They approached the reception desk. The female receptionist looked at each of them and narrowed her eyebrows at Hamid. He showed her his warrant card.
‘We have some questions about some of your guests,’ he announced.
‘Yes, Sir,’ she seemed relieved to have discovered that he was a policeman. ‘Are they resident now?’
‘No,’ Hamid replied, ‘They stayed on Tuesday night, Mrs Harriet Bunting.’
‘Oh yes, Mrs Bunting. I know her.’
Jasmine intervened. ‘She’s a regular guest?’
The receptionist frowned as she composed her answer. ‘Not really regular, or frequent. I suppose she spends a night here on average two or three times a year.’ Jasmine nodded in agreement – not regular or frequent but quite often. The receptionist’s fingers were dancing over her computer keyboard.
‘That’s right. She was booked in last Tuesday.’
‘She shared a room with someone?’ Hamid went on.
The receptionist nodded. ‘Yes. Her gentleman friend, Mr Smith.’
They were pretty brazen about their relationship, Jasmine thought, to not register as Mr and Mrs Smith, but of course Harriet would have been the boss.
‘I believe that they were joined by two other people for dinner,’ Jasmine said.
The receptionist nodded. ‘Yes, that is true, I was on duty and remember them.’
‘A man and a woman?’ Jasmine added.
The receptionist’s mouth moved as she tried to compose an answer, but no sound came out. Eventually she just nodded. ‘But they didn’t stay the night,’ she blurted out.
‘They just came to dinner with Mrs Bunting and Mr Smith,’ Hamid said.
The receptionist nodded.
‘I have information that one of these guests paid for the dinner,’ Jasmine said.
The woman nodded again, ‘Yes, I do recall that. It was the, er, woman.’
‘Do you recall every guest that pays for a meal?’ Hamid asked.
The woman shrugged, ‘No, I don’t suppose so, but this one was different.’