The Strong, Silent Type

by Patricia Green

  Mae gasped. "I don't have ta talk ta you and listen ta this crap, Virginia." Mae moved to hang up the phone, but Virginia's voice stopped her. Chilled her.

  "If I tell my father, Drake will be fired and you'll be known for the slut you are."

  Mae couldn't let that happen. She wasn't so concerned about her own reputation--though her father would have a cow--but Drake's career hung in the balance.

  "What do you want?"

  "Something you don't know how ta handle: Drake Stillwater."

  "I can't give you something I don't have, Virginia. And what's he ta you?"

  "We had a thing in high school. He was the best, but my dad made me quit seeing him. He won't give me the time of day so long as he's chasing after you. With you out of the picture, he'll be all mine. And I at least know how to get him off."

  The whole idea of Drake making love to Virginia Swet made Mae's stomach turn over. But it had been long before he'd known her, and a person couldn't change his past, no matter how much he might regret his behavior. But there was another issue. "You're married, Virginia. Dominic is going ta have something ta say about this."

  "He won't know. You won't tell him or I'll expose Drake. Drake won't tell him or I'll see that he's fired. Basically, I get what I want or you both get royally fucked."

  Could Virginia's scheme work? It sure sounded like she'd planned it out carefully. "You're a vicious, lying turd, Virginia. I'll get back at you for this. Someday you'll beg me ta accept your apology."

  "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I love you, too. So, back off, bitch. Drake is mine."

  There had to be some way around it, but Mae couldn't think of one. While Drake was off in Las Vegas, Mae would consider Virginia's scheme and figure out a way to thwart it. "I won't get in the way," Mae gritted out. "Now go fuck yourself, Virginia."

  Virginia's voice was saccharine sweet and malign. "You mean, go fuck Drake, don't you?"

  Mae disconnected the call.

  She sat, staring at the TV for an hour, not really seeing it, the sound muted. Misery made her feel gray inside, cloudy with pent up tears. She picked up the phone and dialed.

  "Hello?"

  "Mama, it's Mae."

  "Sweetheart! How are you?"

  "I'm okay." She felt her eyes well up. "Well, not really. I have a problem."

  "Is this about what we talked about yesterday?"

  Mae nodded, then realized her mistake. "Yeah. It's about Drake."

  "Let me go in the other room. The TV is loud here tonight. Your father is watching his favorite show."

  Mae knew that her mother was switching rooms less to avoid the noisy show and more to get some privacy since she'd promised to keep Mae's secret.

  "Okay, sweetheart. Tell me what's wrong? Did you break it off as I suggested?"

  "No, Mama. But I might hafta." She explained the problem with Virginia Swet Gionta. "So, I don't know what ta do except dump him for his own good.

  "Virginia Swet was always a vicious girl. I never liked her."

  "I know; me, too. But, Mama, I...I love Drake. I don't want ta dump him."

  Her mother sighed heavily. "I was afraid of that. You do get yourself inta some difficult situations, Mae."

  "I'm sorry. What should I do?"

  "Hmm." Felicia pondered. "What would happen if you simply tole Drake what was going on and let him decide whether he was willing ta be blackmailed or not?"

  "Tell him? He'll be so mad!"

  "He'll be mad at Virginia, not you. And won't he be more mad if you don't tell him?"

  Mae had to think about that. He would be more angry. And that kind of angry would lead to another punishment spanking. Mae didn't want to go there. Plus, he'd specifically told her to leave his job to him. Wasn't dealing with blackmailers part of his job? Kinda?

  "You're right, Mama. I should tell him."

  "Much as I want ta see you break it off--I still think you'll be in a world of hurt if you go forward with this and it becomes public--when you love someone, you don't just dump them with no explanation."

  "No. And I do love him."

  "Does he love you back?"

  That was the 64 million dollar question. "I don't know. He's not a really talkative kind of guy."

  "Does he show you he loves you? A person doesn't always have ta say the words aloud."

  "He certainly cares about me." All those spankings were evidence of that. "He persists. And, he's been trying ta protect me against the public ridicule we might face if our relationship came out. He makes me feel safe. Killing that man made me feel...vulnerable. I feel much better when Drake's around."

  "Maybe he loves you, Mae. I don't know the man. Maybe you can bring him over ta dinner sometime."

  "Maybe sooner than you think, Mama. He's in Las Vegas tonight because they caught that second robber."

  "Ah. It will be over soon, in that case. At least the conflict of interest problem will be solved."

  "I don't want him ta lose his job over me."

  "Depending on how you handle Virginia, that might not be an issue. The town council won't fire him for dating a white woman. That would be a legal nightmare, and most of the council is more progressive than that. Your father is not alone in his...feelings...but his opinion doesn't have much weight. If it did, Chief Stillwater wouldn't be working for Fire Gorge."

  "Why does Daddy have ta be such a bigot?" It galled Mae no end.

  "He is what he is, Mae. In most ways, he's a good and loving man. And, he doesn't wish the Indians harm, he just doesn't want them ta populate Fire Gorge and put non-Indians at a disadvantage."

  "Ha. Like that's gonna happen."

  There was a pause. "I hafta go, sweetie. You'll do the right thing. Just tell the truth."

  "Yeah, Mama. Thank you."

  After hanging up from her mother, Mae dialed the phone again. Drake didn't answer his cell phone. It went to voicemail. It was comforting to hear his voice. Mae's confidence in telling him about Virginia was boosted. It was the right thing to do. Drake could handle it, even with everything else on his plate.

  She left a simple message and asked that he call her when he could. She almost closed the message with "I love you" but that was something she ought to tell him in person. If she could muster up the courage, that is.

  * * *

  Drake had a sleepless night owing to a great many cups of coffee. It had been a long day, and an even longer night. The motel room was too hot, too noisy, too small, too lonely. He couldn't remember when he'd felt so lonely and anxious to get home. He guessed it was because he'd never had someone to go home to. But now there was Mae.

  He played her little phone message several times, enjoying the breathiness and warmth in her voice. It had been too late to return her call. No one liked to be awakened at three a.m. if there was no emergency. But now it was seven, and he knew she'd be at the Gas N Gulp.

  She picked up her cell phone on the second ring.

  "Mae, it's Drake."

  "Oh! Are you okay?"

  "I'm fine. I didn't get checked into the motel until the middle of the night. I didn't think I should wake you."

  "Well, it wasn't important. That's not what I meant ta say because it is important, but it isn't an emergency or anything. Not like a fire or a car crash or anything--"

  "Mae," he said, smiling. "What's important?"

  "I can't talk now. But it is important. Where are you?"

  "Still in Vegas. I have to sign some papers agreeing to turn the case over to the BIA, so that they can put her in a federal facility when she's out of the hospital."

  "I feel sorry for her. She scared me, but she did me no harm on her own. And I hate ta see anyone so messed up."

  "That part of the family is pretty screwed up. We all have our black sheep, I guess."

  "I guess. So, can you meet me at the diner at mile marker 60 on Route 78?"

  "You want to meet out of town? Why?"

  "I can't tell you over the phone, and I don't want anyone in town ta see us even in th
e same parking lot."

  He thought about that. She was acting pretty strange. "You know, the problem with conflict of interest is pretty much solved with the BIA taking over."

  "I know. This is something else."

  What else could there be? Must be her father. "Okay, Mae. We'll meet at the diner." He did a quick calculation. "How about noon? We'll grab some lunch."

  "Yeah, that's a good plan. I'll see you there. And, Drake? I...I miss you."

  Something in his chest expanded. "I've missed you, too, Mae."

  They rung off. He could hardly wait to see her and find out what her mysterious, important issue was.

  * * *

  Lindy was officially in the custody of the BIA, and Drake was off the hook for things pertaining to his cousin the robber. It was a huge relief. He sipped at a Coke and hoped the caffeine and sugar kicked in soon. He was fading.

  Mae came into the diner a few minutes late, but all thoughts of a reprimand for tardiness were pushed away when he saw her. She wore a cream colored dress, with a bright yellow belt and yellow high-heeled shoes. Her hair was loose around her shoulders, and she clutched her leather purse with graceful fingers tipped with red polish. He could easily imagine the look of those nails around his heated dick and followed by her red-lipsticked mouth.

  He gave himself a mental shake and stood up next to the booth.

  "Hey, Mae." He gave her his best smile, and it wasn't forced, he really was delighted to see her.

  "Hey, Drake." She put her arms around him and gave him a little kiss on the lips. A public kiss. Modest. But her eyes told him she wanted more.

  He grunted and gestured to the seat opposite him in the booth.

  They exchanged pleasantries which Drake had hardly any patience for, but she seemed reluctant to get to the point. He gave her time to work her way up to it. Finally she got there.

  "We have a problem."

  He arched an eyebrow.

  She reached across the table and touched his hand. He took hers in his and gave it a squeeze.

  "Virginia Swet Gionta."

  He growled low. "That woman is pure human manure."

  Mae nodded vigorously. "Somehow she found out about you and I, and now she says that if I don't stop seeing you, she'll tell her father. She says it'll get you fired."

  "I doubt that they'd fire me, now that Lindy's in custody elsewhere."

  "Yeah. She also said she'd tell people I was a slut, but that's so unimportant when you consider your job and all. I tried ta think of what ta do about it, but I'm stumped. I hope you have an idea." She looked down at the table shyly. "An idea that doesn't include us breaking up, that is." Her cheeks went red. "If we even are together, or maybe we're not, but...what I mean ta say is--"

  He patted her hand. "I know what you meant."

  The diner was in the midst of its lunch rush, full of truckers and tourists all traveling on Route 78. Town folk didn't usually venture out this far, so Mae and Drake were safe. A waitress came and took their order and went off to get it started. It gave them an awkward moment, but Drake was thinking.

  If he went to the town council himself, he might have their acceptance, if not their approval, about him and Mae, despite the initial circumstances of their relationship. However, that would not prevent Virginia from making mischief for them.

  What could possibly prevent Virginia from unleashing her vicious attack? Her husband, Dominic, couldn't know about her plan. What if he was to find out? Would he be able to control Virginia and stop the avalanche? Drake knew Dominic from UNLV. They'd been casual friends after meeting in a chemistry class as sophomores.

  It was one thing for Virginia to flirt outrageously with Drake at community events, even to go out of her way to create situations where she and Drake would be alone, but another thing to commit adultery. Dom was not the type to take being cuckolded well, even if the adultery hadn't happened yet. And he was not unobservant. He knew what his wife was up to, even if he didn't know just how far she was willing to take it. His indulgence up to this point was just that: indulgence. It wasn't acquiescence or approval.

  The answer was to take this issue to Dominic Gionta and let him deal with his errant wife.

  "Leave it to me, Mae. I think I know what to do."

  Her auburn eyebrows shot up. "You do?"

  "Yeah."

  A smile lit her face and Drake couldn't help but smile back. Once again, he was struck by her beauty and natural charm. "I knew you'd come up with something. When I talked this over with my mama, we agreed that you'd want ta know about this. I was worried that you'd be mad, of course. But I knew you wouldn't be mad at me, I mean." She sighed. "How can I help?"

  He gave her a stern look. "I don't want you to do anything. If you try to foil Virginia's plot, she might just bust open the dam."

  "Okay. I'll keep out of it."

  "Promise?"

  She nodded. "I promise."

  "I'll stripe your behind again, if you misbehave, Mae."

  Her expression turned impish. "Promise?"

  Drake laughed, and the waitress gave him a harried grin as she delivered their food.

  * * *

  Dominic Gionta worked from a home office. He had a thriving construction company based in Fire Gorge, but busy in all corners of the county. He was in when Drake dropped by.

  They greeted each other warmly.

  "Nice to see you again," Dom said with a genuine smile. "We ought to get together outside of the community events more often."

  "I agree." Drake didn't want to beat around the bush, so he got right to it. "Your wife goes to those community events, too."

  Dom sat behind his big desk and gestured Drake to an chair opposite. "Yeah. Though I think she gets more out of them than I do." His brown eyes were wary.

  "You must have noticed that she...well, she sort of always ends up where I'm standing."

  "I've noticed."

  "I haven't pursued her."

  "Oh, I've noticed that, too. Virginia has her own agenda in just about everything she does."

  Drake was impressed with the man's patience. He would never have accepted that kind of behavior from a wife. "Why doesn't it bother you?"

  "I trust you."

  What an astonishing thing to say. "You trust me over your wife?"

  "I didn't marry Virginia because of her loyalty. I didn't marry her because she was particularly good at anything. I didn't marry her because she's smart. She's not smart; she's canny. She knows what she wants and she goes out to get it. In many ways, I admire that trait in her. She's a little like me in that respect. The reason I married her was that she was pregnant with Dominic Junior, and Fire Gorge is not the kind of town where a man doesn't live up to his responsibilities."

  Drake grunted in agreement. "You have how many kids now?"

  "Three." He caught Drake's puzzled look and grinned. "I said I don't trust her, not that I don't fuck her."

  Drake smirked. He needed to get back to the point. "Well, Dom, she's been up to some serious trouble lately and I know you'll want to do something about it. That's what I'm counting on, at least."

  Dom sighed and leaned forward, arms on his desk. "Tell me."

  Drake ran down the situation, emphasizing Virginia's threat to bring the town council in, and her desire to make Mae look like a slut. Dom's face got darker and darker as Drake explained.

  "Yeah, it looks to me like I've got to stop this before it goes any further." His look was intense when he caught Drake's eyes. "I'm sorry she's put you and Mae in this position. It must be hard enough without Virginia adding to your troubles."

  "Not your fault, Dom. Like you said, Virginia has her own agenda. She always has."

  Dom grunted and reached for an intercom button. When he spoke, he directed his comments to the box. "Virginia, come into my office."

  A tinny voice answered. "Now? I'm right in the middle of--"

  "Now."

  "Yeah, okay."

  The men shared a quiet moment, both an
ticipating a storm. Virginia's eyes went wide when she saw Drake. "Drake! How...nice ta see you. You should of tole me you were coming. I'd of baked something."

  "You don't know how to bake, Virginia," Dom pointed out.

  She gave him a sharp look. "What did you want, Dom?"

  "Drake told me a story 'bout a woman threatening blackmail. This blackmail involves both Drake, here, and Mae Weston."

  Her shoulders squared. She was ready for a fight. "I don't know anything about it."

  "I think you do, Virginia. I think you're behind it. In fact, I know you're behind it."

  She fisted her hands at her sides and stomped one foot. "I am not!" With a quick pivot, she started marching toward the door.

  Dominic was up in a flash, catching Virginia around the waist and pulling her into the room. She wrestled with him a bit, but he prevailed and pulled her, squawking and kicking, over his lap as he sat in a chair. "I should have done this years ago," Dom told her as he pulled her linen pants down to her knees.

  Drake, both amused and amazed, watched with a certain amount of satisfaction as Dominic began to whale on Virginia's butt, not even bothering to pull down her panties until the third strike. Virginia's butt, Drake noted, was not as round and well-shaped as Mae's, but it had a pleasing jiggle when Dom smacked it.

  Virginia squirmed and cried out. Dom was not holding back.

  "No more schemes and plots, Virginia!" he told her.

  "Let me go, Dom!"

  "No more subterfuge, lies, deceits!"

  She was crying and her ass was turning red. "Dom, please!"

  Drake wondered if the humiliation of having her rear blistered in front of him was adding to Virginia's misery. He sure hoped so.

  "If you ever, ever do something this cruel again, I will take a paddle to your rear and I won't let up until you're black and blue. Do you hear me?"

  "Yes, yes, Dom. I'm sorry! Please stop!"

  He smacked her a few more times, concentrating on her sit spots. The blotches on her bottom were growing bigger and darker red. "I want you to remember this, Virginia Pearl Gionta. Don't you dare make me do this to you again!"