by Amity Maree
"How would you feel if someone framed you?" Nadine demanded.
"Angry, but I wouldn't take it out on you," Craig promptly answered.
"Well, excuse me. I never claimed I was perfect. Why don't you just go home, Craig, and let me finish up this project for your Dad? He wants it by noon tomorrow, and I want to get it done."
"You aren't hiding here at work. You're coming home, and we're going to Michele and Aaron's party tonight."
"No. I'm not going. I don't feel like facing all the questions, or even worse, having people whispering about me behind my back."
"You are not going to act like you have something to hide. We are going, and that is final."
"Don't you dare take that tone with me, Mister!" Nadine snarled angrily. "No... NO! Don't you dare!" she squealed. "Craig, noooo! Owwwwww!" she cried out in pain.
Jenna felt her face turn red as she realized that Craig was spanking Nadine. The young woman had certainly gone out of her way to provoke a spanking, and Craig was doing a thorough job of it.
"Stop, Craig! You are hurting me!" Nadine cried out. His answer was to push up her skirt and then tug her panties down to bare her bottom, which bore evidence of his handprints on her skin. "Noooo! What if someone is still here?" she said, embarrassed.
"Well, if it is Dad, he'll applaud and tell me it's about time I set your bottom on fire. I've been too patient with you, Nadine, and you need a good spanking. You might just as well resign yourself to the fact you are going to be here for a long while."
"No... Not the ruler, Craig! Ouch! Ouch! Owwwwww! It hurts!" she burst into tears.
"It's supposed to hurt. It's supposed to get your attention, young lady," Craig scolded her.
He continued to spank her with the ruler and Jenna felt her face turn red. She knew how embarrassing it was to get a spanking. Part of her wanted to make a noise and interrupt them, but the other part of her knew the spanking was earned. She decided to mind her own business and just leave.
To her absolute mortification, Mr. Warner was standing outside his office, and she knew she'd been caught eavesdropping. He motioned for her to come inside his office, and she knew she had no choice but obey and take the scolding she deserved.
"I hope you aren't upset with Craig, Ms. Fields," Frank Warner said calmly. "I know that spanking isn't considered politically correct these days, but it works, and little Nadine needs exactly what Craig is doing. I certainly hope you don't intend to report him for domestic abuse. A spanking isn't abusive if it is given with love." When Jenna smiled, he asked, "What is so amusing, young woman?"
"I was expecting you to scold me for eavesdropping," she admitted. "I didn't mean any harm, but was hoping that whoever was in that office might reveal something to help me figure out who is framing Nadine. The last thing I would do would be to interfere in a domestic situation like that. It's not my place to judge, and even if it were, I couldn't fault Craig." Her face was pink with embarrassment.
"I see," Frank nodded. "Am I correct in assuming that you might understand the nature of a traditional marriage?" he asked softly.
"Yes, I am married to a man who loves me enough to express that love firmly at times," Jenna admitted.
"It is nothing to be ashamed of, Ms. Fields. I can tell you for a fact that I love my wife in the same manner, and Craig loves his Nadine. When they leave here, she will be all smiles and happy and secure in the knowledge that my son loves her. I do think it best we hide out in here until they are gone, however. I wouldn't wish to embarrass Nadine."
"I agree."
"How are you proceeding with your questioning?" Frank asked, and Jenna gave him a full report, and explained that she was waiting for more background information to surface. Frank asked more questions and she answered patiently.
"I will be staying in town tonight so I can be here early tomorrow morning," Jenna told him with a smile. "I hope to learn more as quickly as possible so we can do some damage control."
"I already know that we will have to settle. Someone here leaked or sold information. I won't tolerate that... I won't permit anyone to frame my daughter-in-law. I want to know who and why."
"I promise I will get to the bottom of things," Jenna said. There was a tap on the door and Craig opened it and came in.
"Oh, sorry, Dad. I didn't realize Jenna was with you. I just came to say goodnight and tell you that Nadine and I are leaving. You aren't planning on working too late are you?" he asked in concern for his parent.
"No, son. Jenna and I just finished talking and are ready to leave, too."
"Did you learn anything today, Jenna?" Craig asked hopefully.
"I eliminated a few people as suspects," she smiled, "but I don't know who framed Nadine yet."
"Eliminating some people is progress," he said. "Good night now."
"Good night, son," Frank said.
"Jenna, would you like to join my wife and I for dinner tonight?" Frank offered politely.
"To be honest, Frank, I need to work. I planned to have room service and work most of the evening. Thank you for the offer, however."
"If you change your mind..."
"I won't," she smiled as she got to her feet. "I'm tired and a quiet evening is a good thing."
He shut off the lights and followed her out to the parking lot, making sure she got to her car in the parking garage safely, and then said a final good night. Jenna quickly found a hotel close by, registered, and was pleased to learn they had several very nice stores off the lobby. She found a nice suit, and a couple of other things, and arranged to have them delivered to her room. She was soon settled in, showered, and relaxing in her robe when her cell phone rang.
"What is going on up there, Jenna Suzanne Fields Cole, and if you say 'nothing', I will get in my car and drive up there and turn you over my knee."
"Hello, darling. It's nice of you to call," Jenna giggled in spite of herself.
"I just got your message," Will growled. "I don't like the idea of your staying overnight somewhere without discussing it with me first."
"Will, please calm down. I've done this sort of thing before. It's a three hour drive home and back tomorrow. I don't feel like doing that. I have a nice room in a perfectly safe hotel, and I'm ordering room service and staying in tonight. I'll be home tomorrow evening."
"Are you ill?" he asked in concern.
"No, just tired, and the thought of driving for three hours tonight, just to go to bed and sleep a few hours and get up and drive back here just seemed ridiculous. Besides, I can deduct this as a business expense," she teased her stern husband.
"What is this case about?" he wanted answers. Will didn't want Jenna meddling in something that could get her hurt.
"A young woman was accused of selling information from an account to a competitor. Our client wants me to find out who did it so the right person is prosecuted."
"He doesn't think the accused young woman did it?" Will asked.
"No, she is his daughter-in-law, and he knows she is innocent. I believe she is innocent, too."
"What about her husband? Is he part of the company?"
"Yes, but he's not guilty, either. Neither of them have a clue why someone is trying to frame her this way."
"Does the husband have another woman? Or does she have a lover?" Will suggested.
"No. I already asked all those questions. I have quite a few more interviews tomorrow, and Jeff is working on the background checks... looking for something that makes sense."
"Do you want me to cancel court in the morning and come up there tonight?"
"No!" she practically yelled at him. "Honey, think about it. You'd get here late... and I really need to work a bit and then get some sleep. I promise to make it up to you tomorrow night."
"What aren't you telling me, Jenna?" Will demanded.
"Why are you always so suspicious?" she asked, annoyed.
"I'm not, but I can tell when you are hiding something from me, young lady."
"Don't be ridiculous,
William Cole. There is some frozen lasagna in the freezer in a container. Pop it in the microwave and you'll have dinner. I'll see you tomorrow night, honey. I do love you, even if you are utterly pompous and ridiculous at times!"
"Jenna, for two cents I would drive up there and spank you soundly."
"You don't know where I am... buster!" Jenna hung up the cell phone and let it go to voice mail when he called back. She would probably get her fanny smacked tomorrow evening, but for now it felt good to have the last word. How on earth did Will get so good at reading her? And what would he have to say when she told him the truth? There was no way she could claim ignorance. He would see through that in an instant.
Jenna put her thoughts aside when her cell rang again and it was Jeff. He told her he wanted to fax her some information that their investigators dug up; Jenna gave him the hotel's fax number, and once they hung up, she called down to the desk and asked to have the papers delivered to her room as soon as they arrived. The customer service representative assured her they would arrive as soon as possible, and a few minutes later they were dropped off as promised and Jenna immersed herself in studying the documents. When she went to bed a few minutes later, she was pretty sure she knew who the guilty party was.
* * *
Will was not happy and the desk attendant seemed to shrivel under the man's dark eyed stare as he demanded to know what room his wife was occupying. "I understand your policy, but you are not going to call my wife and that is final. What you are going to do is take me to her room at once and when she verifies that I am indeed her husband, you will disappear and hope that I don't see you again while I am here," Will was his most intimidating, and the younger man swallowed nervously and nodded.
"I'll be happy to accommodate you, sir. I don't want to ruin your surprise, of course."
"Very considerate of you," Will was sarcastic, but he knew Jenna was up to something, and he was going to get to the bottom of the matter. The desk clerk took him to the eighth floor and led the way down the hallway. When the clerk stopped in front of the door, Will saw that Jenna had indeed had room service deliver dinner. There was only one serving plate on the tray, so that ruled out the possibility of her meeting with someone.
"There is a 'do not disturb' on the door, sir. It is against hotel policy to bother a guest when..." He didn't finish the statement before Will reached out and knocked loudly.
"Jenna Suzanne. Open this door now," he growled.
"Sir, people are sleeping!" the young man was scandalized.
Jenna opened the door a minute later, groggy from sleep. "Will? Is something wrong? What are you doing here?" Jenna was trying hard to wake up and figure out what was wrong.
"You know very well why I am here, young lady," Will said quietly. "Please tell this young man that we are married and that I am not here to harm you so he will give us some privacy and stop annoying me."
Jenna felt sorry for the red-faced young man. "You can leave us alone. If I'd known that my husband was going to surprise me, I would have left word at the desk to give him a key and the room number. I'm sorry for the confusion."
"No problem, Ms. Fields. It's just that your names didn't match, and..."
Will cut him off with one word. "Go!"
He left, leaving Jenna alone with an angry husband. "You might as well come inside since you're here," she said in resignation. "I was asleep, Will," she complained. "Come on to bed."
"No... you aren't going to get out of the spanking you earned, Mrs. Cole."
"Will, please, I'm too tired to argue with you tonight. I stayed here so I could get some sleep," she insisted, walking over to the bed and getting between the sheets once again.
"You are not going to sleep on me, Jenna," Will was determined. He walked over to where she was settled on her stomach and gave her rounded bottom a smart spank over the blankets. "Get up."
"Noooooooo!" She covered her head with the pillow only to have Will pull it away. That sparked her temper, and suddenly she was on her knees, glaring at the stern man. "I'm mad now, William Cole. I was sleeping peacefully until you came barging in here. How rude is that? I told you not to come. What is it with you? Did you expect to find me with someone else? Or what? Just what am I supposed to be doing that is so awful? I am working on a case that needs my attention. I don't need you coming up here and telling me how to do my job. I managed just fine on my own for forty-two years, buster, and I'll be damned if I'm going to kowtow to your every fucking whim. We might be married but you, by God, do not own me. Got that? Now, I am going to try and get some sleep, and you can either go to bed and shut the fuck up or get your own damn room! Leave me alone, William Cole!"
His response was to pick her up, sit down on her side of the bed, and flip her over his lap, shove up her long tee, and start spanking her naked bottom. "Your language is terrible when you get mad, and I've told you several times how much I hate to be called 'buster'. You hung up on me, Mrs. Cole, and that is something I will not tolerate."
Jenna kicked and tried to get away, but Will held her down and continued to set her poor bottom on fire while he scolded her for her language, her bratty attitude over the telephone earlier, and for practically daring him to drive up here to deal with her behavior. He kept up the spanking until she was crying hard and lying limp over his lap and the bed. His hand was burning furiously, too, and he felt like taking off his belt and using it to scorch her backside even further, but with her sensitive skin, he knew she'd had more than enough to make her bottom sore... especially since he'd spanked her the night before! What was going on with her? What was she hiding from him? And she was hiding something. He knew it as sure as he knew his name was William Cole.
"Jenna Suzanne, you pull yourself together right now. I'll give you ten minutes in the bathroom to calm down, and then you are going to tell me what you are trying so hard to hide from me. Don't you dare pretend with me, either. I know when I'm being lied to, young lady."
"I am not going to tell you, Will," Jenna declared. "It is privileged information, and you have no right to expect me to divulge the facts of this case." She marched into the bathroom and closed the door. What did she do now?
Chapter Five
"Jenna, you have been in that bathroom for well over twelve minutes now!" She heard Will's voice through the door. "Are you going to come out of there and talk to me now, or do I need to spank you with my belt this time?"
Will was at the end of his patience. He was tired, grumpy; he didn't have dinner, and the drive was miserable. But worse than all of those things put together was the fact his lovely wife was hiding something from him! Secrets within a marriage were disastrous. The door to the bathroom opened and Jenna walked out. It took him less than two seconds to realize the spanking had the opposite effect on her that he intended.
"I am furious with you right now, William Cole. Your lack of trust and faith in me is more than I can tolerate and I want you to leave immediately. I won't share my bed with you tonight... or any night... until you apologize for driving up here like a madman hell-bent on discovering me doing something wrong. I will NOT be quizzed about my case. As a Judge, I am sure you understand all about client/attorney privilege. Now, I am exhausted, and I am going to sleep. You can either get yourself another room or go home; frankly, at this moment, I don't give a damn which. Just get out of my sight!"
"Jenna, you don't know what you are saying!" Her tone of voice was so cold and full of anger that he was stunned.
"Maybe that is because I was sound asleep when you barged in here, Will. How would you like it if I did this to you? Where is the basic trust in our marriage? Are you so rigid I need your permission to make a decision to sleep over because I am tired and need to sleep? If that is so, then our marriage is done. I might love you, William Cole, but I survived on my own for over forty years without you telling me how to function on a day to day basis, and I do not need this! Get out... NOW!" She turned her back to him and Will felt about an inch tall.
"
I'm not leaving you right now, Jenna." He spoke with quiet dignity. "I know you are hiding something, and I know it has to do with this case. You're upset. Come to bed now, and we'll talk tomorrow. If nothing else, you can chew me up over breakfast." He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her around. "Spanking you tonight was a huge mistake... Please forgive me."
Jenna felt tears well in her eyes. She loved William Cole more than she'd ever loved anyone or anything in her whole and entire life, and he was right... She was hiding something from him. Using her temper to keep him away simply wasn't going to work. She had to tell him the truth, but how could she do that? She moved closer and rested her head on his chest. "Please forgive me for all the hateful things I said; I didn't mean them, Will. I'm overly tired... and you are right, I am hiding something from you. I just want to protect you, darling, because I love you."
"Protect me? From what?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her to hold her reassuringly. She was actually trembling, attesting to the fact she was genuinely upset. "If someone is giving you a hard time, I want to know."
"You are going to have to trust me, darling. I can't speak about this situation right now. It would be inappropriate and unethical." Her blue eyes implored him to understand. "I promise I will share everything with you when I come home tomorrow evening." How she would find the words, she didn't know.
"I'm not leaving you here alone, Jenna," Will said in a firm tone of voice and she knew he meant it. He wasn't going to go home without her, no matter what. All she'd accomplished by asking him to leave was to ensure he would stay and remain under foot! "Now come and lie down with me, and tell me what has you so upset. I give you my word I won't do one thing to upset your case."
"Will, I know you. You won't be able to help yourself," she said with absolute certainty. "Please go home and trust me to do my job!"
"Jenna Suzanne Fields Cole, I am not going to go home! Talk to me right now, or so help me I am going to take off my belt and stripe your very sore butt." Will was at the very end of his patience. He needed to know what was happening so he could protect his sweet wife. She might think he needed protecting, but if she was so upset, then she was the one who needed his protection.