“Martha’s probably the embezzler,” Allison told him. “Amanda and Gabe already had their suspicions. That’s why they sent us that data.”
“So they never thought we did it?” Michael asked.
“Apparently not,” Allison confirmed.
“All the stuff Martha said to scare us was untrue,” Michael said.
“I think Amanda trusts us both. Neat, huh.”
“Yeah,” Michael said. “We have people we can turn to for help…finally. You know what I want to know? Why did Minnie hire Martha?”
“Good question,” Allison said. “I bet we’re about to find out.”
Sue and Scooby caught up with Rory and Pete when Rory ran off the road and wrecked the car he shouldn’t have been driving. Gabe and Amanda arrived only moments later. Sue came to meet them as they got out of Minnie’s Cadillac. ‘This is a mess,’ Amanda thought.
“Pete said Rory killed Minnie with a blow to the head, “ Sue told them. “It would not have been obvious with her injuries from the wreck. I bet they ran her off the road, too.”
Scooby was wrestling the two men from the burning car and Gabe went to help him.
“Are they alive?” Amanda shouted.
“They’ll live, sadly enough. I can’t let them burn, as much as they deserve it. They’ve been taking orders from their mother and Martha. According to Reese, Martha is Tom’s legitimate daughter. His wife left him before she gave birth to Martha. He isn’t widowed. He’s divorced. He says Tom’s in it up to his neck.”
Michael’s truck passed them without even slowing on the way to ER with Allison. Sue watched and said, “She’s OK. They roughed her up a little, but I really think she’s fine. He, however, needs reassurance. There’s something serious between those two.”
“It’s important to me for her to be OK, too. Without her being willing to expose herself to accusations of theft, we might not know what we know now,” Amanda said.
“I agree,” Gabe said. “We also need to see what Dick’s found at Tom’s office.”
“OK, Amanda agreed.” As devastated as she was by what Sue had told them, she knew she didn’t have the luxury of giving in to her emotions. They were only beginning to find out what happened to Minnie. “I want him to come to my office if possible. I feel more secure there. Tom’s employees are his people. I feel I’ll have more control over whatever is said in my own environment. “
Gabe made the call and they went back to the plant to meet Dick there.
His news shocked them again, and she hung onto Gabe, needing his support.
“Tom has a plan in writing at his office for taking the business public. With he and Gena as your heirs, they would have control and do whatever they wanted if you were out of the picture. I believe murder was the plan. I had to get a search warrant to get into Tom’s files and I bet there’s more at his home,” Dick told them.
“Gabe, do you still want to get married? “ Amanda asked.
“You bet,” Gabe said. “I want you to be sure about how you feel though. I want love and kids and the whole package. Otherwise, no wedding.”
“OK,” Amanda said, “I admit it, I do love you. I want it all, too. And Dick can you make me a will and get it notarized today? I guess I should have done it before because of the business. I think I want to leave voting control to Gabe and Michael. Gabe and I are getting married and I trust them to do what Minnie wants. That will protect the business and the employees. I want the wedding to be as soon as possible. Doris can plan it in the three day waiting period.” Amanda turned and looked at Gabe. “Do you agree? I don’t feel I can wait or dither any longer. Do you still want it?”
He grabbed her up in his arms and kissed her soundly in front of everyone. “You know I want it!” he said. “No babies until the culprits are in jail, though.”
“Well, what do you know,” Dick said. “I’ll write two wills, one for now and one for after the wedding, in that case. It will complicate things hopelessly for the bad guys.”
Gabe said. “But I don’t want either Michael or Allison alone until we have all the answers. I’ll put Sue with them at Michael’s house at night as well as at the farm during the day. Just remember not to give her any real work. Her job is to watch them. He must have been under an incredible amount of pressure.”
“I don’t think he’s worried about pleasing his mother at all now. She’s betrayed him in the most fundamental way imaginable,” Amanda observed.
“You’re right. He’s free of her now. She’s lost him through her own carelessness,” Gabe agreed.
“We were all in more danger because he was so conflicted and secretive,” Amanda pointed out.
“It’s true, of course, but he came through when put to the true test.” Gabe hugged her while he said it. It helped. The violence and greed was unnerving and there was more to come.
“I want to get Doris started on the wedding plans,” Amanda said into his shoulder.
“Are you sure this is what you want, Amanda?” Gabe asked her. “I love you, but I want you to love me, too. I want a woman who loves me,” he continued.
“It’s the ‘Eat cake’ thing,” Amanda said. “I do love you and I don’t think it’s wise to wait in the light of all these risks.”
“Thank you. Minnie,” Gabe said as he hugged Amanda to him. “How do you feel about making love at work?”
“I think it’s an excellent idea,” she said.
He had her on her back on top of her desk in moments. She unzipped his fly and found him hard and ready for her.
She was already wet and desirous of all he could make her feel. He turned her on just because he existed. He fumbled in his pants pocket for a rubber while she pulled his shirt up and his pants and underwear down. He disposed of her underwear and tested her degree of desire with an impudent finger.
“Oh, Amanda, you’re wet for me,” he gasped.
“Oh, yeah, I certainly am,” she replied. “Do you think its adrenalin? I’ve never had a sex drive like I feel with you.”
“I’ve experienced danger before, but I haven’t gone to bed with every available woman. Just you.”
“Well that’s good to know. I’ve never felt this way about anyone and really never expected to. You’re special to me.” She took the rubber from him and rolled it down his erection before demanding, “Fuck me…please!”
He stroked into her hungry passage as she begged him for what they both wanted. He lifted her lower body and smoothed the curves of her hips and butt, adding to both their arousals, his and hers. He fumbled with the buttons of her jacket to reach her breasts. It was a passionate coupling, the rhythm desperate and quick. She felt it coming, her own orgasm. His thumb touched her clit and they came together. Doris would plan the wedding. Dick would take care of the legalities. Their respective employees would do their jobs. They could make love at work if they wanted or not go to work at all.
As Gabe collapsed over her, Amanda said, “I love you and I love that we’re both self employed.”
Gabe laughed. “Me, too,” he growled in her ear. It made her feel aroused again.
“I’m so glad Minnie put in the executive washroom,” Amanda said. “We can clean up before we let anyone in here.”
Gabe followed her with his eyes as she held her skirt out of the way, baring her ass and crotch on the trip to the little room. She still wore stockings and garters and high-heeled shoes. Her crotch was wet and open to his gaze. He got up and followed her with his aroused body. They ended up doing it again with Amanda perched on the edge of the little sink.
Chapter 7
Across town at the club, Martha stepped into Heather’s office. “Hi, Honey. “ Heather met her with a smile.
Meeting Martha had changed her life. The rage and anger she felt over her life and frustrations did not frighten Martha. Martha never said don’t do this and don’t do that, She was incredibly dependable and did all she could to make her happy. No one in her life had ever treated her as well. She closed t
he door and took her first female lover in her arms and kissed her passionately. Martha was an extraordinarily good lover for such an unattractive person, far better than cruel Rory who liked to hurt her. Martha was shaped like a woman, small breasted, tiny waist and big hips, but Heather was in love and passionately fond of her. She reached for Martha’s buttons and had her out of the ugly dress in moments.
“Lock the door.” Martha said. Heather did as she asked and pulled her toward the wide sofa where she had taken many lovers who gave her no pleasure and ruined her reputation. She had looked for love in all the wrong places and only had a job because she been with all the club officers at one time or another. None of them dared fire her. With Martha she never had to pretend or hide behind a social face. She never urged her to control herself or to ‘be nice’. Martha actually liked her nasty and she had given her the first orgasm she hadn’t had to fake.
She stripped herself in a hurry. She was tall and lean and beautiful in a blond, elegant way. Her generous pale breasts beaded in arousal and they sank together onto the sofa. She was already wet when Martha touched her at last. She touched Martha reverently with her hands, laving her body with her tongue as Martha did the same for her.
Their legs tangled together as they kissed passionately, delaying their pleasure as long as they dared. Martha rose above her flushed face and pinched her nipples firmly. She worked her way down her needy body biting her lightly until she licked her between her legs. She turned her self and her soaked pussy came near enough so that Heather could tongue her simultaneously. She loved how she felt, how much she turned her on. She felt so daring and free even with the chance they could be caught. The chance pushed her over the edge and she began coming, burying her face in Martha’s crotch to smother her cries.
Martha hadn’t come. She liked a dildo, a penis but not men. Heather stood up and got it from her desk. She turned back to her lover and strapped it on over her hips and swaggered to the sofa. Martha liked a little swagger. Heather wondered about her history. She had told her lover all, but Martha shared little of herself…nothing actually. Martha had her legs spread wide, holding her ankles. She was incredibly flexible and muscular undressed. Heather mounted her and held her by her waist as she began to work the dildo in her. It was hard work for a woman. She wondered how men did it. She took her thumb and forefinger and began to stroke Martha’s prominent clit. As fast as she could manage, she continued to make love to Martha until the smaller woman convulsed in her arms.
She was ready now for business. They’re relationship had little emotion in it. It mostly ran on a mutual desire for vengeance.
“Has your dad taken care of the will?” Heather asked.
“It’s been written. We’ll make the signatures happen however we have to,” Martha said. “Dad’s getting harder and harder to control. He’s our biggest weakness. We may have to get him out of the way sooner than we planned.”
“I know we can handle whatever has to be done. When do you want to take out my mother?” She sounded unconcerned, but Heather hated her mother, hated listening to her whine and bitch, hated watching her make a fool of herself chasing Aaron. She and Martha shared that at least. They both hated one parent and considered the other parent irrelevant. Tom had written his own death warrant when he made himself Amanda’s heir. Gena thought she had enough control over Heather to make her do whatever she wanted. She was completely unaware that her daughter had learned to fashion her own dastardly plots. Heather’s habitual silence looked like her childhood obedience to her self involved, abusive mother. But she was no longer a frightened child.
Martha and Heather had fashioned a partnership more than a relationship. It was based on the acquisitive and amoral, but still it meant the possibility that they might wrest from an uncaring world their hearts’ desires.
Martha cared for her, though she never said so. Martha did for her, did specific things that helped her every day. She had certainly helped her more than her own family. Michael had no time for her. Rory and Pete were the bane of her existence, and her mother was worse. Her father and stepfather were meaningless, good for little or nothing. Her sex partners were only interested in her below the neck, while she was desperate and emotionally needy. Martha was the only person in her life that was dependable and really seemed to care and showed it.
“Amanda and Michael refused to take the company public. “ Martha told her bluntly.
“Oh, no.” Heather said. “I thought with Minnie gone they would jump at the chance to get free of the company and yet keep their income.”
“They don’t seem open to changing anything, actually.” Martha said as she hitched her dowdy dress back into place. “Neither of them seem like they want a life. Michael and Allison are sticking close to each other, and getting romantic. Minnie hired a consultant to help with the transition, like she knew she wouldn’t be here for long. She’s still controlling all of us. If I can get my father to cooperate, we can get Rory to eliminate Amanda and do whatever we want. Michael won’t fight us, he’s such a wuss.”
“We don’t need to do anything to Michael, do we? He’s the only one of my brothers who’s a decent human being.”
“Your mother will handle Michael ”, Martha said. “She loves to manipulate him. She even seems to enjoy hurting him.”
“We’ve laid the ground work. Everyone is either implicated or afraid of being implicated. They can’t risk our displeasure without screwing up their own lives. They’re all in checkmate.” Heather loved it, felt drunk with the power to manipulate people who had hurt her and let her down. “Kiss me goodbye,” she told Martha.
Martha did and then went to Tom Martin’s home.
Tom opened the door and walked back to his library without a word.
“You need to calm down, ” she told the old man.
“I should never have gotten involved with your schemes. You murdered the woman I love.” Tom said it bitterly.
“You’re in too deep, you idiot. You were in on the conspiracy, premeditated murder. I know you’re upset but Minnie had to die. I intended it from the beginning.” Martha told him.
“You never told me you intended to kill her,” Tom said. “I just wanted her to have time for me…time to love me.”
“I know that’s what you wanted, Dad, but, you know… I really don’t care about your wants. You certainly never cared about Mom and I. You didn’t even care about Tom, Jr. As far as I’m concerned you got what you deserved.”
“I’ll tell,” Tom threatened.
“You’ll go down with us then, you old fool. We’re all at risk. If you won’t do what I tell you, I’ll tell the police you killed Minnie.” Martha seemed happy with the prospect. Tom knew she wouldn’t hesitate to implicate him. His daughter, the child he’d never acknowledged, was ruthless.
He looked into space, seeing Minnie, hearing her voice. She had known all his secrets and never breathed a word to anyone. “You plotted to steal the control of my business first from me and then my heirs.” It was her voice he heard, not Martha telling him what she wanted him to do. He’d known it was over when Gabe and Amanda left with the copy of the will he tried to sneak by them.
He’d thought if Minnie no longer controlled the business, she would agree to be his. Again he saw her, heard her. “No, you old fool. I would never have married you. You know nothing of love. By being so controlling you’ve screwed up all your chances for relationships. You broke your own heart.”
It was true. He knew it. Minnie had warned him time and again, but he’d never listened.
Martha talked on, sure of his attention. “The key is Michael. If we can get him to cooperate and Amanda is out of the picture, we’ll have control over the majority of the stock. We have enough money now to control things. ”
He heard Minnie again through all the pain and guilt. “Michael won’t cooperate with you, any of you. He’s figured it out already. He can hear me, too. I won’t rest until I stop you. I’ll never go away.”
Martha finally stopped nagging him and went out to Gena’s. She didn’t pay any attention to the nondescript rental car that followed her from his house.
Tom watched Minnie walk toward him. She glowed with golden light, her chin lifted in the same stubborn defiance he remembered. His heart squeezed in his chest and he fought feebly for breath. “Rest, you silly man.” Minnie said affectionately. He immediately felt better, less guilty. He’d never intended her to be hurt and Minnie was not one to hold a grudge. The stroke that rolled through his brain ended his career ignominiously, but shielded him from prosecution.
Back at Au Natural Gabe got up and followed Amanda into the washroom. He couldn’t keep his mind on business around her. She was sitting on the edge of the sink with her legs spread splashing soap and water between her legs. It was a great view for him. She watched him watch her and started being less business like and more provocative. She loved watching him get turned on looking at her. He was a sensual man, well attuned to her nature. He was still naked and he arose to the occasion. His face and shoulders flushed darker as his organ got harder.
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