by Amity Maree
The rest of the day was magical. Will babied her, cooked for her, comforted her, scolded her, and showed her in thousands of ways that he treasured her. When they went to sleep later that night, Jenna was snuggled in his arms and safer than ever before in her life.
It took the spanking over a week to disappear completely, and during that time Jenna did her best to spoil her husband in little ways. She fixed meals she knew he would love, and bought him little presents that pleased him with their thoughtfulness. She also arranged for Katy and Craig to come for a visit later in the month, which delighted Will. Jenna also made a point of apologizing to everyone she'd worried by hiding herself for those three days. She invited Mary to lunch, and once the apologies were over with she noticed the other woman was upset and trying to hide it from her.
"Mary, is something wrong?"
"I can't talk about it, Jenna."
"Of course you can. I'm your friend and I want to help."
"Oh, Jenna! I don't know what to do! I'm being blackmailed!"
Chapter Seven
"Blackmailed!" Jenna looked at Mary Parker in shock. "Are you serious, Mary?" Of course the brunette was serious, Jenna told herself. Mary's dark eyes were full of fear and hopelessness. "Who is blackmailing you?" she asked quietly, determined to get to the bottom of things and help her friend.
"I don't know, Jenna. I'm just so afraid that this is all going to ruin Allen's chances at being elected to the State Senate. I couldn't bear to be the cause of scandalous gossip that will hurt him. He's worked so hard to overcome alcoholism and stay sober, and he's earned the respect of his peers. He attends meetings regularly and is sponsoring a young man who has a wife and three children. Allen has helped Stuart turn his life around, and, damn it, he doesn't deserve to have everything good he has accomplished in the last twelve and a half years ruined because of me and my problem." Mary had tears in her eyes and her hands were shaking.
"How do you know you are being blackmailed, Mary?" Jenna tried to think logically. "Are you positive the person really has information to use against you, or is he or she fishing?"
"They know," Mary whispered brokenly, and she reached into her Vera Bradley bag and pulled out an envelope that was addressed to her using cut out letters to form the words. "Read this, Jenna."
Jenna opened the envelope and read the contents. The blackmailer knew about Mary's past and wanted fifty thousand dollars to keep quiet. She was told to wait for further instructions and warned against going to the police. She raised her blue eyes to look at her friend and asked, "Does Allen know about this?"
"No. Before we were married I mentioned getting into a scrape when I was younger, and he told me that he was only interested in the now and the future. Jenna, I'd all but forgotten about this... I can't believe it's coming back now to haunt me!"
"Who else knows about this?" Jenna asked. "What we have to do is find out who is blackmailing you, and then we will deal with him or her. Blackmail is against the law."
"And if we involve the law in this, everything will come out, and Allen's chances of being elected will be shot to hell," Mary said bitterly.
"You can't pay the money, Mary. The blackmailer will just keep asking for more and more."
"What am I going to do, Jenna?" she asked tearfully.
"Try to think of who else knows about this, Mary. Once we figure that out, the easier it will be for us to deal with the situation. Don't worry; I'm going to find out who is doing this to you and there is going to be hell to pay!"
"Thank you, Jenna," Mary reached across the table to hold her hand. "I have never told another living soul about this. I felt so used and so ashamed... Once I was released from jail on bond, I testified against Moran... and then I moved far away and started over. Do you think that he is behind this?" she asked fearfully, looking around the restaurant for any sign of her old boyfriend... the fast talker who professed to love her, but used her to gain access to the large mansion where she worked as a nanny to two small children. He stole money and jewelry, and Mary was oblivious to the fact until the police arrested her. In exchange for her testimony against Moran, the charges were dropped against her and Mary left the college town and never returned.
"Is there anyone else it could be, Mary?" Jenna asked.
"I've thought and thought and thought. I can't imagine. I haven't mentioned that town in over thirty years to anyone... Not even to Allen," she insisted. "It could be that someone has moved here and recognized me from back then, but somehow I feel it is personal."
"I think you should tell Allen," Jenna said quietly.
"He wouldn't rest until he found out who it was and I'm so afraid of what he would do then."
"I'll see what I can find out, Mary. In the meantime, try not to worry, and whatever you do, don't give this moron any money."
"I can't. Allen would find out for sure then, and he would be so upset with me."
"Mary, I honestly think you should tell him. He loves you and he will understand."
"I will think about it, Jenna. I honestly do feel better now after sharing with you. You are a good friend, and I can't tell you how much your support means to me."
"You are a good friend to me, too, Mary. Try not to worry. We'll get this guy, I promise." Jenna was determined to protect her friend.
Later that evening Will looked across the living room and saw her staring into space instead of watching a television show she normally loved. "Jenna, is something wrong? You've been quiet this evening."
Jenna looked into Will's dark eyes and then smiled. "Yes, something is troubling me, but I gave my word not to speak of it, darling. I might need your help down the line, but for now it isn't mine to share, not even with you."
"Is it anything to do with Mary Parker?" he asked quietly, and the quick flash in Jenna's lovely blue eyes gave him the answer. "Allen told me that Mary is not acting like herself, and he is afraid that she is upset because he is running for office. If that is the case, you need to tell her to be honest with him."
"Mary wants Allen to run for office, Will," Jenna said firmly.
"Then what is troubling her?" he asked evenly.
"I am not at liberty to say, darling. Please don't ask me to betray her confidence."
"If Mary is in some kind of trouble, then she needs to confide in her husband," Will said with a frown of disapproval, and then his eyes widened. "Jenna, is Mary ill?"
"No, she isn't."
"Would you tell me if she was?" he wanted to know.
"Yes, I honestly would. She wouldn't be thinking clearly in that instance, and I would tattle in a heartbeat." She smiled and then said, "Please stop asking, darling. I know you love Mary and want to help, and believe me, if I need your help, I will come to you immediately."
Will nodded, and decided to let the subject drop. The next day he met Allen for lunch, and it didn't take long to realize that the other man was upset. "Did you learn anything from Jenna?" he asked as he took a seat across from Will.
"Only that Mary does have a problem, and it has nothing to do with you running for office. She wants you to do that. And, she isn't ill and hiding it from you."
"Do you think she's found someone else, Will?" Allen asked, his eyes full of hurt.
"No. Mary loves you. If you want my suggestion, you'll go home and put her over your knee and spank her until she admits what is troubling her. Mary made Jenna promise not to tell, but Jenna promised me she would come to me if she needed help. That tells me you need to step in and get some answers, my friend."
Allen nodded. "I love that woman more than life, Will. She stood by me when a lot of women would have bailed. I want to stand with her through whatever is wrong now."
"If you need me, just call," Will said, and wasn't surprised when Allen got up and took off. In his friend's shoes he would do the same.
* * *
Jeff, the investigator that Jenna used, was able to find out where Moran was living, and it was exactly as Jenna suspected. The man had somehow tra
cked Mary and was trying to even what he considered an old score.
"Mary, it's time to tell Allen and Will and let them deal with Moran. He's trying to frighten you, and he needs to be put behind bars."
"I will confront him myself," she stated. "I'm going to tell him I know what he is up to, and that it isn't going to work."
"It could be dangerous," Jenna argued.
"Yes, I might slap the snot out of him if he dares to open his mouth!" Mary's temper was showing. "What is his address?" she demanded.
"I'll come with you," Jenna said reluctantly. "I can't let you go by yourself. He lives in a pretty seedy neighborhood." The ladies finished their lunch and then went to face Moran. Jenna found a parking spot and worried that her car wouldn't be there when they came back outside. But, after learning that Moran wasn't home, or simply wasn't answering the door to his apartment, they went back outside to find a group of young boys in their late teens and early twenties surrounding Jenna's car.
The situation rapidly went from bad to worse and if a police car hadn't come along when it did, Jenna and Mary would have been robbed certainly, and probably raped and beaten in the process. Fortunately, the officers were able to rescue them, and one of the officers let it be known that Ms. Fields was married to Judge Cole. The boys fell all over themselves apologizing, but Jenna was determined to see them arrested and agreed she and Mary would cooperate with prosecuting the five young men. After giving their statements, Jenna's cell phone rang and it was Will.
"Are you all right, honey?" he asked in concern after explaining that he'd had a call from the Captain at the station.
"We are fine, Will. Mary is finishing up giving her statement, and then we'll leave for home. I need to drop her off before coming home."
"You stay at Mary and Allen's, and I will meet you there. You and Mary have some explaining to do about why you were in that neighborhood."
"We are in trouble," she warned Mary as they walked outside to her car. "The Police Captain called Will, and he is on his way to your place. He and Allen are going to demand answers, Mary." Mary closed her eyes and Jenna wasn't surprised to see tears leaking from under her eyelids and down her cheeks. "I think it is time to let Allen and Will deal with Moran, honey," she said gently. "We certainly can't go back there to confront him ourselves. We were lucky today."
"I am so sorry, Jenna. I shouldn't have insisted on going to see Moran, and I never should have permitted you to come along. Not to that part of town. I'll tell Allen everything, and just pray that he understands. He is so upright..."
"And so are you, Mary Parker! This happened over thirty years ago when you were young and naive. You aren't the first girl to fall for a boy only to learn he was a first-class jerk. Now stop blaming yourself."
Mary tried to smile but she was nervous and it showed. Jenna drove them to the Parker home and wasn't a bit surprised to see Will's car already in the drive. She pulled in behind him and then looked at Mary and said, "Maybe they'll be so relieved to see we are unhurt that they'll be too happy to scold."
"If you believe that, Jenna, I have a bridge to sell you," Mary actually giggled, and then led the way inside.
"There you are," Allen said as he hurried into the hallway to greet them, Will on his heels. "Are you two all right? What happened?"
"Jenna, what were you doing in that part of town? You know better!" Will scolded as he wrapped his arms around his wife and pulled her close to hold her.
Allen was also hugging Mary, but she raised her head from his shoulder and spoke up, "It's all my fault, Will. I'll explain everything, I promise." She looked into her husband's troubled eyes and confessed, "I should have told you sooner, Allen.
"Let's go and sit down," Allen suggested kindly. "I made some coffee..." his voice trailed off as he squeezed her hand. "Whatever is wrong, we'll face it together, sweetheart."
Mary nodded emotionally, unable to speak. She took her time pouring the aromatic liquid into cups and adding either cream or sugar or both and passing the mugs to everyone before she made any attempt to speak again. "When I was young, Allen, I did something stupid and trusted this boy named Joshua Moran. He filled my head with all sorts of sweet talk, and I fell for it to the point of stupidly permitting him to come to the mansion where I was living and working as a nanny while I was going to college. Moran was systematically stealing from the family, and I didn't have a clue. The police arrested me, and in exchange for my testimony against Moran they dropped charges of complicity against me. I left that town and started completely over here. I didn't even transfer the college credits I'd earned."
"Moran sounds like a piece of work," Allen commented, his expression telling her that he knew there was more. "What has all this to do with today, sweetheart?" he asked softly.
"Moran is attempting to blackmail me. I got a letter made out of words cut from a newspaper demanding fifty thousand dollars or he would tell everyone about me and ruin your campaign. I went to Jenna for help because I was too ashamed to tell you that I might be the cause of your not getting elected," she tearfully admitted. "I couldn't bear to have you hate me, Allen!"
"Hate you?" he exclaimed. "Woman, I couldn't hate you if I tried," he protested. "I knew something was wrong, and I've been racking my brain trying to figure out what I'd done wrong."
"Nothing, darling. Nothing at all," she insisted. "Oh, Allen, I don't know what to do. Jenna's investigator found Moran, and we went to try and confront him today. He wasn't home, however, and all we managed to accomplish was to get in over our heads with those gang members. Will, I am so sorry I dragged Jenna along with me. She tried to talk me out of going, but I wouldn't listen."
"You both need a damn good spanking for going into that area of the city alone," Will scolded. "And, Mary, you should have told Allen about this from the beginning," he continued his scold.
"Will, it isn't your place to scold Mary," Jenna warned as she put a restraining hand on his arm.
"No, that is my place," Allen said in agreement, even though it was obvious he wasn't upset with his friend. "Both of you have earned a good spanking, in my opinion," he echoed Will's words. "Mary, we've been together for over twenty-five years now. Why didn't you simply tell me about this? Do you think my campaign means more to me than you do? Didn't you know I would deal with Moran? Please tell me you haven't given the bastard any money...?" he asked directly.
"No, I haven't. I wasn't about to do that. Besides, Jenna advised against it."
"Did Jenna tell you to come to me and tell me what was troubling you?" Allen demanded.
"Yes, she did," Mary confessed.
"Thank you for that, Jenna." His expression softened as he smiled at his friend's wife.
"Allen, I think Jenna and I need to give you and Mary some privacy," Will stated quietly as he rose to his feet. "If you need any help dealing with Moran, call me. We'll see him behind bars."
"I'll call you tomorrow, Will. Thanks for all your help. Jenna, thank you for being such a good friend to us both," he said, standing to kiss her on the cheek. "Don't worry, now. I'll take care of this situation. Mary is my life."
"I never doubted that for a moment," Jenna replied with a smile. She hugged Mary and whispered, "You'll be fine now, hon." Mary nodded in agreement, and Jenna permitted Will to walk her to her car.
"Straight home, young lady. You and I have a great deal to talk about," he added as he gave her a swat on her bottom.
"Will!"
"Straight home, Jenna," he warned, his tone as firm as she'd ever heard it.
Jenna put on her seatbelt before starting her car, and when she backed out of the Parker's drive, she left plenty of room for Will to take the lead. She hated it when he followed her. Will shook his finger at her, obviously thinking of the last time she 'followed' him and ended up giving him the slip and going into hiding for three long days and nights. She'd vowed never to do that again, and Jenna made sure to keep up with him in the heavy traffic, but her mind was with her friend, and wondering
if Allen was really going to spank Mary, or if he would just take her in his arms and offer the comfort and reassurance she needed most of all.
* * *
"Why didn't you tell me, Mary?" Allen asked before the Cole's were backed out of the driveway.
"I was and am so ashamed, Allen. I was so stupid back then, and I allowed Moran to steal from people who trusted me. I felt like the slime of the earth. I spent three days in jail before I could find a bondswoman who trusted me and got me out. One of the male guards tried to rape me, and when I started screaming the house down, he beat me and made it sound like I was trying to escape. One other woman who was in there for prostitution spoke up and defended me, and the guard was fired. It was the lowest point of my life. I had nothing to do with the thefts, Allen," she said, imploring him to believe her.
Allen reached out and grasped her shoulders and gave her a solid shake. "Don't you think I already KNOW that, Mary Alice Parker?" He gave her another shake, and then said, "You come with me right now!" He grabbed her hand and pulled her into the living room and took a seat on the sofa and dragged her face-down across his lap. He pushed up her skirt, and then tugged her panties down to her knees. "This," he gave her a hard spank on her bared bottom, "is for even thinking I wouldn't believe in you!" He spanked again, and added, "I have never struck you in a temper in all the years we have been together, but I am going to give you a spanking while I am furious enough to make sure you understand how upset I am with you for even considering I would think you capable of stealing!"
Mary smiled to herself in spite of the fact her husband was spanking her so hard she was already in tears of pain. Allen believed in her, loved her, and he was proving it in a very elemental way. The spanking hurt; her bottom was already burning furiously, but each spank lifted a ton of guilt from her shoulders and she knew she'd never felt so loved in her entire lifetime. The spanking seemed to go on and on, and finally she realized that Allen was speaking to her.