by J. KRAMER
Becky looked at Charles with more interest now. “Your dream woman? You’re not married?”
“I was married once, to a wonderful woman. I loved her deeply. She died of cancer twenty-five years ago and just before she died, she swore she’d return. I delved into reincarnation and discovered when she returned her soul would have entered a newborn babe. I’ve been searching for her for years now.”
“If there is such a thing as reincarnation, would she even know you?”
“They say that soul mates can feel the immediate attraction.”
“But the age difference…”
“Does age matter if there’s true love?”
“I guess not. I wouldn’t know. I feel like I’m searching for something and I don’t know what it is. There’s an emptiness within me, a gaping hole that needs to be filled.”
“You don’t love Gavin?”
“No! I detest him. I need to escape from this house, find my identity, my roots and get papers. Then I’ll divorce him.”
“Does Gavin know this?”
“I have mentioned divorce to him but he scares me,” Becky admitted. “I want no part of him, but today he threatened me with a pistol. Earlier, I tried to escape but Harry caught me. He told me there are guards all over the place and dogs, and the gatekeeper has been told not to open the gates for me.”
Charles frowned. “Would you like my help?”
Becky searched his eyes and saw the genuine concern in them. Charles hardly seemed like a man to attend Gavin’s wild parties. “What is your relationship with Gavin?”
“Nothing but business. I guess you’re wondering why I’m here? Well, to find out if Gavin was successful. I was hoping he’d find my love somewhere during his travels. Perhaps he thought you were her and I must say, the resemblance is there but I know you’re not my Theresa.”
“I need to trust someone. Can I trust you?”
“Young lady, you’re very desirable but I assure you, I’ll not touch you if that’s what you’re afraid of. As for Gavin, I wouldn’t worry about him if I were you. I’ll get you out of here and you’ll be safe in my villa.”
“Are you a mobster, too?” asked Becky. “I suspect Gavin of being involved with some kind of gangsters.”
Charles laughed. “My family was once involved in many illegal dealings. I’ve tried to stay away from the law and jail. Gavin is the son of one of my best friends. His father died a violent death a few years ago and Gavin took over the family business. I’m afraid he’s gone back to the old ways. If you want to call anyone a mobster, it’s Gavin. It’s rather sad because his father wanted to get away from that image too, and worked very hard to legalize all his dealings.”
“I can’t imagine I’d marry anyone like that.”
“Looking at you, and talking to you, I can’t imagine it either,” said Charles. “Is there anything you need to get from the house?”
“No. I don’t have identification or anything. Gavin told me my purse was stolen.”
“Likely story. There’s something very fishy about this whole affair. Okay, you wait here and I’ll go and find my chauffeur. I’ll come and get you. Don’t move from here.”
“I won’t,” said Becky her heart now filled with hope.
It didn’t take very long for Charles to return. Becky looked at him hopefully.
“Okay. My chauffeur will drive the car slowly, so slow that you can jump into the back. I’d like you to wait until I get to the front steps and then I want you to casually walk toward the driveway. Hopefully, they’re all too drunk to notice anything. Try and hide if you can. It’s a black limo.”
Becky waited to give Charles time to get back to the house. She could just barely see his silver hair until she stood on the side of the fountain and had a better view. Soon as Charles reached the steps she put on her shoes then hurried out of the rose garden and walked casually toward the driveway keeping as much as possible behind trees and shrubs. The heels bothered her so she took off the shoes and threw them away.
The limo approached slowly. From behind the shrubs Becky watched and got ready to run. Soon as the car was close enough she sprinted toward it, yanked open the door and fell onto the backseat. Charles hands pulled her inside and he slammed the door shut.
Sobs of relief shook her body. Her head was on Charles’ knees. She felt his hands on her head stroking her hair gently. It felt good, like a father comforting a little girl.
“There, there, we’re almost out of here. You’ll be safe now.”
“I don’t know how to thank you,” she said between sobs.
“You don’t have to. Tomorrow, we’ll get you to a doctor and we’ll see if he can do something about that memory of yours.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Lucien frowned as he escorted Melinda up the marble steps of the magnificent mansion. “Look at all those people. I’m not much one for crowds, Melinda.”
Melinda sighed. She’d had enough trouble trying to get Lucien to accompany her to the party. “You know I needed to come here for a reason, Lucien. Hopefully I’ll get what I need soon and we can leave. I’d rather be alone with you, too.”
“Why can’t you tell me about this job? What’s the big secret?”
“It’s a matter of confidentiality. I don’t tell my other clients the reason you hired me. Why don’t you mingle a bit and I’ll find you in a while.”
“Okay,” said Lucien feeling uncomfortable in the white dinner jacket and dress pants Melinda had made him wear. He tugged at his shirt collar. “This thing is stifling me.”
“You can take it off soon as we leave here,” said Melinda. “I’ll join you after I get what I need.”
Lucien suspected she was chasing an adulterous wife or husband and nodded. “Okay, I’ll amuse myself for a while. I hope you won’t be long. Let’s go in then.”
After threading their way through the packed hallway, Melinda suddenly disappeared and Lucien was left on his own. A servant passed him carrying a tray laden with cocktails. Lucien grabbed a drink. The living room was hot, stifling him almost, a curtain of blue smoke drifted lazily over the heads of the crowd. Sipping his drink he stood surrounded by couples. Some were dancing, others kissing and openly making out. He looked at them in disgust as breasts were bared and men’s hands disappeared under skirts. Elbowing his way to a spot not so crowded he suddenly stopped. “Oh my God! It’s my painting!” he hissed.
“Pardon me?” drawled a blonde.
Lucien tried to avoid the over-painted sex siren as she sidled up to him. “Did I hear you right? That’s your painting? You’re the artist?”
“Yes. Where is the owner of this house?”
“Gavin? Probably in one of the bedrooms. Denise snatched him.”
“Where are the bedrooms?”
“Upstairs, babe. Hey, if I help you find Gavin, will you paint me?”
“Sure,” mumbled Lucien knowing full well he’d never paint her and she probably wouldn’t remember anything the next morning anyway.
“My name is Jenny,” she said as she grabbed him by the hand and led him through the crowded room.
A number of people lounged casually on the stairs, a drink in their hands. “Hey, Jen, who’s the hunk with the ponytail?” a brunette called out.
“Hands off, Sue. He’s mine. I saw him first.”
Jenny threw open one door after another exposing sordid love scenes. Lucien frowned. He couldn’t imagine Becky in a house of such low virtue unless she was captive somewhere. He stopped. “Jenny, the girl in the painting. Have you seen her?”
“Oh, yeah. She’s Gavin’s new toy. She was around earlier. I haven’t seen her for a while. Maybe she’s gone to bed.”
“Where would she sleep?”
“Probably with Gavin in the master bedroom.”
“Which door leads to the master bedroom?”
“I’ll show you,” Jenny said with pouting lips. “Why do you want to meet the girl? I can’t remember her name now.”
&
nbsp; “Becky. I’d like to paint her again,” he lied.
“I thought you were going to paint me?”
“You, too.”
Satisfied, Jenny clung to Lucien’s arm and dragged him back to the top of the stairs and down another hallway. “Gavin’s rooms are in the east wing,” she said while rubbing her breasts against him.
Without knocking, Jenny threw open a door and stood back. Lucien entered the room and stopped short at what he saw. A woman sprawled spreadeagled on the bed; her wrists were bound to the posters, as were her ankles. She was naked. Between her legs danced a man brandishing a whip, his cock the largest Lucien had ever seen. It bobbed up and down with the man’s movements as he swung the whip and sent it crashing onto the woman’s body. The woman screamed but it wasn’t a scream of pain, it was a scream of ecstasy.
The scene held Lucien spellbound for moments until his eyes fell on the paintings standing against the wall on either side of the bed. Blood pumped through his veins in anger as if a tourniquet had been suddenly released. He strode to the bed and grabbed the man’s wrist just as the man was ready to bring the whip crashing down again. “Are you Gavin, the owner of this place?”
“Who the fuck are you? Get the hell out of here!” shouted Gavin.
“Not until I have some answers. Are you the owner?”
Gavin dropped the whip and tried to pry the hand off his wrist but he was no match for Lucien’s furious strength. “Yes. What’s it to you?”
“Where did you get those paintings?” hissed Lucien.
“I bought them.”
“Liar!” Lucien yanked Gavin off the bed. The man fell with a hard thud onto the floor. Within seconds, Lucien was on top of him pinning Gavin with his knees, both wrists held in an iron grip. “Where is Becky?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Let me go!”
Lucien’s fist crashed into Gavin’s jaw. Blood dripped from the man’s cut lips. “You know very well what I’m talking about and if you don’t open your mouth soon, I’ll remodel that pretty face for you!” Lucien spoke through clenched teeth, his fist ready to smash into Gavin’s face.
“Don’t—please—she’s somewhere in the house.” The pain of the blow had sobered Gavin somewhat. He realized fully now that he was dealing with the artist who’d painted the portraits of Becky, her husband…
“So you’re the bastard who kidnapped her. Why?”
“She came with me willingly. I swear!”
“You bloody liar!” Lucien shouted and sent his fist crashing into Gavin’s face.
“Harry!” shouted Gavin. “Harry, where the hell are you?”
“Your buddy or bodyguard is probably enjoying a sex orgy of his own. If you’ve harmed one hair on Becky’s head, I’ll…”
“She’s okay. I swear. She’s somewhere in the house!”
“Scum!” shouted Lucien and hit Gavin one more time before he released the man.
Gavin crawled away resembling a wounded dog, tail between his legs, then stood up and ran to the bathroom.
Like a madman Lucien tore out of the bedroom and into the hallway. Jenny, impatiently waiting for him, her buxom bosom now exposed, grabbed him by the arm but he shook loose of her. “Let me go. I have to find Becky.”
***
Gavin dabbed at the cut on his eyebrow, his bleeding lips and swollen jaw. “Who the fuck is that bastard?” he muttered now feeling quite sober. Instead of the incident cooling his ardor, it excited him, his cock throbbing with the unusual excitement of it all. Holding the cold washcloth against his jaw he opened the bathroom door and glanced at the woman on the bed. He grinned. “I’m coming, Denise,” he said in a loud voice. “First I’ve got to take care of that jerk.” He picked up the phone and dialed Harry’s cell number.
It took a while before Harry answered and when he did, he was panting. Gavin frowned. Was Harry with a woman? He was supposed to be watching Becky. “Harry, there’s a madman on the loose. He’s got long blond hair tied back in a ponytail. I suspect it’s Becky’s husband. Get the guards and have him thrown off the property,” he ordered then put the phone down, threw the washcloth into the sink and left the bathroom. His jaw throbbed, his eye smarted but the pain only acted as a stimulant. He picked up the whip and flicked it between his fingers and gazed down at the red welts covering Denise’s body. “Well, baby, are you ready for me now?” he drawled.
“Who was that?” Denise asked. “He was rather sexy. Pity he couldn’t join us.”
Blinded with anger at her words Gavin jumped onto the bed and brought the whip down on her body. This time it broke the skin and Denise screamed for real. Her screams drove him mad with desire, the blood slowly trickling from the welts an aphrodisiac. He fell down on top of her and forced the handle of the whip between her teeth. Denise’s body writhed beneath him but he pinned her hard between his legs. His cock rested between her breasts. Cruelly, he pinched her nipples then bent down to bite them.
Neither saw the closet door, which was open about a foot, or the woman hiding inside it. Nor did they hear the click of the camera as it took one picture after another.
With a satisfied smile Melinda sneaked out of the closet and hurried from the room. She’d witnessed the whole episode between Gavin and Lucien. Fear at losing him to Becky, now consumed her. Her professionalism had prevented her from trying to stop his assault. After all, she’d accepted the assignment to get evidence of Denise’s adultery, but now that she had that evidence, she had to find Lucien and hopefully prevent Gavin’s bodyguards from hurting her lover.
***
Lucien smarted all over. He was sure he had broken ribs. Gavin’s bodyguards had found him and dragged him outside where they had first given him royal treatment. They were professionals; they’d not touched his face. And then they’d carried him through the gates and thrown him in the bushes. He sat up, parted the branches and stared at the gates. Somehow he’d find a way back onto that property.
A car drove through the gates. Lucien recognized it as Melinda’s car. It drove very slowly, obviously searching for him. He crawled out of the bushes and waved. The car pulled up beside him. He stood up carefully holding his sore ribcage. “Melinda, that maniac has Becky,” he said. “We’ve got to get back inside.”
“Not now, Lucien. You should have waited for me. Confronting Gavin wasn’t very smart.”
“How did you know I confronted him?”
“I was in the bedroom in the closet. You did a very stupid thing.”
“You’re the detective. You go back in and find her for me then.”
“All in good time. Tonight is not the night.”
“God knows what he’s done to her,” groaned Lucien. “He’s had her all this time. I didn’t see her anywhere but I didn’t have much time after those apes caught me. Where the hell does he have her locked up? I can’t imagine she’d be there of her own free will.”
“I’ll find out, but first we have to see to you. How badly did they beat you?”
“I’ll live. How can we get back inside the house, Melinda? I don’t want to wait. I have to get her out of there tonight.”
“If you’re up to it, we can wait until they’re all passed out. But I’ll go back in now on the pretense that I’ve forgotten something. You wait out here. Hide in those bushes. Go now, before they see us talking.”
“I want to go with you.”
“How? You can’t climb that wall in your condition. The glass would rip you apart. And if you show your face in that house, you’ll get the same treatment. I’ll go back in and see what I can find out. I’ll question the servants.”
Lucien crouched between the bushes. Wild thoughts entered his head after the scene he’d witnessed that evening. Becky… Had Gavin violated her the same way? Was she hurt? He groaned softly.
It seemed to take all night before Melinda finally appeared again. The car stopped beside the bushes. Through the open window she called out to him softly. “Lucien, are you there?”
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sp; Lucien crawled out and stood up painfully. “Did you find out anything?”
“Get in the car. Hurry up.”
He got into the car and she pulled away. “Well, did you find out about Becky?
“Yes. Apparently she and Gavin only arrived back today. Or actually, yesterday now,” she said glancing at the clock. “The servants saw Becky earlier. They haven’t seen her since Gavin disappeared with Denise.”
“Did you check the whole house?”
“Yes. Unless the man has secret rooms, Becky isn’t in that house. Maybe she saw a chance to escape?”
“God, I hope so. But if she did, how will we find her now? At least she’s alive. Thank God for that.”
“Yes,” said Melinda through tight lips. “I guess so.”
“What do you mean, you guess so?”
“Well, by now she’s probably tarnished goods.”
Suddenly his admiration for Melinda cooled a notch or two. “I love Becky and if she’s escaped that bastard’s clutches, I’ll find her. With, or without your help,” he said through tight lips.
Melinda realized she’d said too much. Silently she hoped that Becky had indeed escaped and that they’d never find her because she wanted to keep Lucien for herself. America was a large country. Becky could have gone anywhere. “I’m sorry, Lucien. I shouldn’t have said that. Now let’s get you to a hospital.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
The doctor shone a light into Becky’s eyes, peered deeply into her pupils and shook his head. “I can’t find anything wrong with you except the scar on the back of your head. From what you tell me, it seems you had a concussion. I’m sure your memory will return. Sometimes it returns in bits and pieces, other times instantly, usually if the person suffering from amnesia suffers another shock. Now we’d better get to the bottom of your nausea. It could be nerves. How is your menstruation? Is it regular?”
“I haven’t had a period since I had the accident,” said Becky.