Lit 10-

Chapter 41

In the parking lot of the Senior Towers Gus said, "So you coming up or not?"

"Gus, I am flattered, but I just met you," I answered.

"If you can't trust an old Marine, who can you trust?" he asked with a charming smile.

"Okay, but I reserve the right to leave at any time."

"Fair enough. At least you can relax nobody will have any idea where to look for you." he said.

"Well this van stands out like a Siamese cat at a dog show," I commented.

"Ah but there are over two hundred units here. I doubt that even the bad boys from the east will kill everyone in every apartment just for you."

"Good point," I admitted.

"Yes none of us is as important as we think we are. We are also not as unique as we are told as children."

"I do suppose that is true. Alright Gunny let's have a picnic."

In the utilitarian, but very clean lobby, I had noted the sign that welcomed me to the Evergreen Towers. The ride up on the elevator was surprising in that it smelled of pine cleaner not urine. I had been inside Government housing projects before and found them atrocious. I had never been inside a Senior's Tower though. I knew they existed in almost every town of any real size in the whole country.

"I have got to tell you Gus this is the cleanest Government housing I have ever seen."

"That's because we run the place, not the housing authority. We have a homeowner's type association, and they make the rules. They have committees that oversee everything. Yeah the government boys can veto anything, it is still their rice bowl, but they don't bother as long as there are no complaints. Some of us are ex military, but most came from places that weren't real safe or clean. Everyone appreciates that there are no thugs in the lobby here."

"So what is the police response time to trouble?" I asked knowing that it was the key to public housing crime.

"Longer than our security staff."

"Oh really?"

"Some retired guys can still swing a Louisville Slugger. Most of the security guys say, they don't mind spending a few nights in lockup, if it keep their friends safe. Besides for the most part even thugs have grandmas."

"Not a lot worth stealing, and not much call for crack in here I would think?"

"Exactly, worst thing here are the resident drunks and we help them to their rooms and take their car keys."

"Sounds like a place I wouldn't mind living."

"You most likely have too much money in the bank. You pretty much have to have nothing to live here."

"Careful there Gunny, you are going to lose points for not being rich."

"Max, I figure if you wanted rich, you wouldn't be eating at the Dog House. You are not going to find rich men hanging out in there."

"Okay, you do have a point."

When the Gunny opened the door, I thought I was back in the Air Force. His apartment looked a lot like my room in the NCO barracks. He had somehow gotten hold of a military issue bunk. It was complete with steel pipe frame and open wire springs. The mattress on top did look a lot thicker than anyone I ever had in a barracks situation. He even had a throw and big ass pillow that made it look like a sofa, sorta. The difference was that at the head and foot of the bed, instead of being Air Force gray, the pipes were painted gold. The throw over the mattress was a blanket looking affair with the Marine Corp symbol in the center.

There was a small desk, with an equally small desktop style computer on the top. The computer shared the space with various desk type items. A coffee cup with the marine emblem embossed on it and filled with pens and pencils graced one corner. There was the graduation picture of a young woman at the rear corner.

The coffee table was nothing more than a wooden type footlocker. It was the type found at the foot of every bunk in a typical barracks. The Gunny had done a pretty good job of reproducing a typical NCO's room, but with a lot more class. There were nice full length drapes on the windows and a very clean looking chrome lap on the desk. The combination bedroom and living room of the studio apartment was small enough that it really didn't need any other furniture.

An opening on the right side of the room led to a very small kitchen and tiny dining area. The kitchen counter boasted the smallest microwave oven I had ever seen, and of course a generic Mr. Coffee pot

On the left side of the living room another opening lead into a storage area, with a small compact bathroom at one end. The two rooms on the left were the same size as the kitchen and dining room, so there was plenty of storage. Some of it in drawers and some in hanging bars. The Gunny didn't have it filled by any means, but he did have what seemed like enough cloths for an average man. At least it seemed that way to me. Of course someone like Jen could never fit her clothes into the space.

"Nice place you have Gunny, Do you have a coke in the little refrig or is it all beer."

"I gave up drinking the same night I gave up driving," he said almost sadly. It was more matter of fact I suppose, but it good have been a sad expression for him. "But to answer your question, I have coke."

I took the caned coke and my bad of dogs to his tiny dining table. I was just about to plop my ass down when he spoke.

"Oh I can do better than that, he said. He pulled the string on the full length drapes at the end of the living room. I had expected a window behind the drapes, but instead there was a door that led onto a tiny balcony. It was just large enough for a small but comfortable deacon's bench. The coke cans had to sit on the concrete floor of the balcony, but there was an interesting view of main street to make it worthwhile. We ate hot dogs and watched the cars go by.

"You know Max, I have heard a lot about you over this last year. You seem to have blown into this town like a tornado."

"Gunny, it's a very small town. Trust me in the scheme of things, I'm nothing. It't like you said, none of us is unique."

"You have a good memory. I am going to have to watch what I say." I just smiled at his remark.

"Got any family left here?" he asked.

"A cousin or two I think," I replied. "None of them have gotten in touch with me, and I haven't gone looking for them."

"Yeah, I grew up here myself. I'm sure I have some family somewhere but I don't know. Like you I was gone a long time."

"Who is the girl on the desk?"

"You don't miss much do you?"

"I try not to," I replied.

"She is my daughter, it's an old picture."

"So how old is she?"

"We probably shouldn't discuss ages, but she is over forty."

"Yeah, I probably shouldn't have asked that." I was smiling broadly to let him know that I didn't care.

The dogs had been gone several minutes when he asked, "How about that shower? You do have the aroma of hospital disinfectant." he admitted.

It took me about ten seconds to decide. I handed him the key to my van. There is a cloth laundry bag in the back. How about you getting it, while I shower." And that's what happened.

There is nothing like a brush with one's own mortality to convince a person to do something bold. If for no other reason, than to prove that they are still alive. In my case it was walking from the shower into the living room of the Gunny's apartment naked. I didn't even carry the towel to try for fake modesty. Hell why bother, we both knew why I was really in his senior citizen apartment.

"Did you take your little blue pill?" I asked as I stood in the center of the room posing for him.

"Mostly I don't need it, but next time I'll take it because it is easier on you that way." he said grinning.

"Hell don't worry about being easy on me."

Rather than answer he pushed down on my shoulders. I knew what that meant without having to even think about it. I dropped to my knees and worked his simi hard penis from his trousers. I kissed the head of his penis and felt his body quiver. Rather than take his penis into my mouth, I ran my tongue along the shaft from his balls to the head and then sucked on the head just a second, before starting the same move over again.

His knees where weak, when he put his hands on my head and forced my mouth over his cock. Even though his cock was deep in my mouth I sucked on it while massaging the under side with my tongue as best I could. His cock was still not rock hard, but he was trying to fuck my mouth anyway. I released the pressure so that he could pump my mouth, even with his only moderately hard cock.

"I can tell that you love sucking daddy's dick," he said and shuddered hard. I didn't answer but I sucked harder on is dick. I was begging for his cum wordlessly with my mouth, but nothing happened. I didn't mind, since I loved just sucking on him. "Tell me Chris, tell me that you love sucking my dick," he demanded.

I pulled away and said, "Yes I love sucking Daddy's dick," then I quickly stuffed his almost hard cock into my mouth and sucked deeply.

"You don't know how long I have wanted to see you on your knees sucking my dick. I have dreamed of this moment." He was growing in my mouth as he spoke.

I knew he wanted to cum and I wanted him to cum. I pushed down hard until I could swallow his dick. I felt it deep in my throat. I couldn't speak, but I did look up and beg with my eyes. He suddenly pulled back and came in my mouth. It wasn't much of a load, but it was enough to make him fall back onto his sofa/bed.

"Damn girl," was all he could say. He shook and I moved even closer between his legs and rested my head in his lap. I knew his penis might be too sensitive for me to touch at that moment. I was pretty sure that he was finished for the night.

It took him at least fifteen minutes to recover. I hadn't expected that he would. He didn't actually recover enough to get an erection, but he did recover enough to get amorous. For one thing he kissed me for the first time.

He also guided me to his bed. He undressed himself, then slipped onto the narrow bed with me. I felt his hands moving over me as he kissed me, He kissed and caressed me until my body screamed for relief. Finally he touched my clit and I exploded into an orgasm. I expected him to stop shortly after but he did not. He continued to stroke me and massage my clit until I exploded yet again. After that one I couldn't stop, nor could I stop him from massaging me. It just seemed to go on forever.

When I could stand it no longer I said, "Please stop, I can't stand this I will do anything just stop please."

"Tell me you love your daddy," he demanded.

"God yes I love you Daddy," I whined. He stopped shortly after I said it. He held me even tighter and I drifted off to sleep. I have no idea what he did.

chapter 42

An unfamiliar noise woke me. It took a few seconds for me to realize that I wasn't home. The noise was Gus's door rattling. I reached for my pistol, then quickly realized that I might be headed into a gun fight, with only a stun gun to stick in someone's face It was not a reassuring feeling. Even in my groggy state, I knew that it might be the end of Maxine Stone. I didn't mind dying. Hell, I didn't even mind dying naked, actually I kind of liked that image. I just wished that I had tightened up the left over tummy first. I was not going to leave a beautiful corpse, and that was the big regret..

"So you are awake," Gus observed as he entered. "Good, I would hate to wake you. You were sleeping so peacefully."

"The key in the door woke me. Some sounds just override everything else."

"Yeah, the racking of a shotgun and the sound of an AK47 popping, come to mind for me."

"Yeah, anything off my routine does it for me. Even a small sound can starts the adrenalin pumping." I had to smile. Gus might be the only one in town, who really understood combat stress as well as me.

"Well, this time it is just the old man baring gifts." He put the two bags on his small kitchen counter. "So it's time to get up."

That's when I remembered that I was naked and all my clean clothes were in the laundry bag by the door. Naked, when you are trying to get laid is one thing. Naked on a Sunday morning, with the sun streaming through the windows, is quite another. Still, I wasn't going to ask him to look away. I'm not that hypocritical, or modest. I slipped from his bed, walked as calmly as possible to retrieve the cloth bag, then went into the small bathroom for a quick shower.

After the shower I found that the surprise was Krispy Kreme donuts and coffee. "I would usually make my own coffee, but frankly their's is better." Gus admitted. "And I am trying to impress you."

"I drink way too much coffee, so I am not much of a judge.," I admitted. However, I do like McDonalds' coffee." I took a sip and then proclaimed. "This stuff is excellent."

"I thought you would like it. One of my few vices, since I lost my driver's license, is the jelly donuts from KK. It is just across the street and half a block north."

"I missed the hell out of their donuts, for weeks after I came home for a visit, then had to leave. I hear they are all over the place now, but once upon a time, they were hard as hell to find."

"Yeah, I remember it that way." he agreed.

I bit into the jelly donut then said, "God that is heaven and five pounds on my ass."

"Enjoy your donut Max, you can handle the five pounds, no sweat." Gus grew thoughtful for a few minutes then said, "I hope I didn't freak you out last night. You just remind me so much of my daughter Chris."

"Not at all Gu, most of good sex, and it was that, is more about imagination. At least it seems to be that way for me these days."

"I'm glad that I didn't freak you out."

I suddenly got that urge to rescue a stray animal again. "So tell me Gus, how do you get around without a car?"

"To be honest I miss the car a lot less than I expected. This place is in the downtown, but it is a different downtown from the one I remember."

"Yeah me too," I agreed.

"I can't remember their being a grocery store downtown before. I mean yeah there were little markets here and there, but not a supermarket. Now there is one of those Food Lion things two blocks over. There are a couple of walk in clinics attached to the hospital three blocks up. Just about everything I need I can walk to. As for the things I just want, like a real meal now and then, I have a fancy bicycle chained up outside. It don't look like much, I stripped it down to just the frame so the kids wouldn't want to steal it.

Fortunately I can still pedal it around town, if I really want to go somewhere badly enough. My daughter Chris comes by, if I need to go anywhere far away like the VA hospital. She is the caretaker of my finances as well. She got me this place. I expect that it was mostly, so that I wouldn't be a burden on her. I didn't see her much over the years, but I did support her as much as I could. She is old enough to realize how things are now and even how they were back then.

"Yeah, I understand about my family now. I didn't always get it, but I think you kinda grow into it."

"Exactly," Gus said.

"Yeah, well Gunny, I have finished my donut, and I think you are finished with me. It's time for me to be heading home."

"I am never going to be finished with you. Here take this," he demanded while handing me a piece of paper roughly the size of a business card. There was a cell phone number hand written on it.

"Call me. If you don't max, I do have your number. Of course your office is only three blocks away, I will come see you if you don't call. The threat of that embarrassment should be enough to force you to call."

"I would not be at all embarrassed, but I will call, I promise." I had made that promise several times lately and never done it. but the Gunny might be the exception, I thought.

I drove home slowly, when I made the two turns that got me to my long driveway, I made sure no one was following. I found the cattle gate locked and undisturbed, so I pushed the buttons to get me inside.

I spend the remainder of the daylight hours trying to find a way to occupy myself. I tried watching TV on line. It worked for an hour's worth of TV, which took two hours to watch on line. I kept pausing it to do other things. I had come to enjoy TV that way.

I tried to nap, but that was a waste of my time. I couldn't shut my mind down. In my heart I knew that I had murdered that Russian thug. I didn't feel as much remorse as I should have and that worried me. I wondered if I had really gotten that cold and callous.

It was a relief when the phone rang. Another hour alone with only my thoughts and I would probably have either found God, or eaten my gun. Either would be pretty extreme for me, I admit.

"Hello," I said into the phone. It was Sunday and the office was closed. Even sleazy process servers deserve a day off.

"Have you seen the TV news today?" Luke asked me excitedly.

"No why?"

"We are on the national news," he informed me.

"So you are telling me that nothing happened in the outside world, so they came here to cover our little gunfight?"

"Gwen and Mike must have gotten it picked up by the networks. Those two can do anything, when it comes to TV. Mike said that they were master manipulators of the airwaves."

"So very modest of him, so do we come off as rednecks, with civil war muskets," I was used to how the Yankees saw us down south. I tried not to let it bother me. and to actually use it against them when I could.

"They somehow got hold of a lot of background on us all. You come off as a female Dirty Harry, and I'm not sure, but I might be Barney Fife, since I don't get to carry a gun."

"Of course, comic relief," I suggested.

"The funny thing is they don't name the Reverend Archer as the second good guy shooter. They just say fire also came from a small blue Hyundai."

"That is curious," I agreed. "Well all that is interesting Luke, but it has nothing to do with what I need. I need those damn cameras in place and working. So what's up with that?"

"The cameras are here. I just have to get them installed and working. It is going to be a 'do it myself' job, since you don't want anyone in the compound."

"Then do it tomorrow, before you come in to work. Take the whole day to work on it, if you need to." I laughed. Then added seriously, "I need those to be working just as soon as possible."

"I know Boss. I promise, I will have them working before the end of day tomorrow."

"Fair enough," I said. "So did your mother enjoy seeing you on the big time news?"

"She loved it, even though I wasn't the hero, she was telling all her friends to watch. She is just sure it will be on all day long."

"If it is, then it really is a slow news day."

"With Gwen and Mike pushing it, the story just might have legs, as we say in the business." Thank god he laughed when he said it.

"If you get to talking like Mopsy and Flopsy, start interviewing for a job in TV, cause you are going to be unemployed." I did laugh to lighten it some. I just wanted him to know I didn't need him thinking about image, rather than what might be behind the next door.

I found the news story on line. The video was located at the big time news channel's website. It was one of those bits which were short on facts and long on drama. It looked to me as though the news was more about the drama than the facts in almost every story lately.

I puttered around the house until I just couldn't stand it any longer then I drove out to dinner. I somehow found myself in the parking lot of the Evergreen Towers. I couldn't believe that I was doing it, even as the elevator door closed behind me.

When I knocked on his door, I hoped that no one would answer. My heart sank, when I heard the doorknob turn. "Well hello Max," the Gunny said.

"Hello Gunny, I'm headed for dinner, do you want to come along?"
"Where are we going," he asked as he stepped back inside the small apartment.

"You pick it, and it's on me. I have to repay you for those donuts."

"Well, I really like Italian food." he replied.

"How about the Pizza& Pasta Pit? They have great Italian food. I'm not really dressed for Mama Mia's," I said.

"Pizza & Pasta Pit is fine with me. Should I take the blue pill?" he asked it with an evil smile.

"If you need more help than I gave you last night take it. If last night is enough, don't bother we will improvise."

"Then I will surprise you," he said going into the giant closet with the bathroom at the end. He came out with a jacket and a smile. I had no idea whether he had taken the pill or not.

When we got to the parking lot, I demanded, "Show me your bike."

"Why," he asked.

"So I can try to avoid you, if I see you on the street."

His bike was a mountain thing with front wheel shocks, but a solid read end. It was a tall bike obviously a 26" frame. That made sense because the Gunny was over six feet. The bike was dull and had paint splotches on it. I appraised him honestly, since I was measuring him for the bike. He was tall and ramrod straight even if he was close to seventy. He looked more attractive to me than almost any of the men I had met in the last year.

I changed the subject, "Did you buy this thing at Goodwill?"

"Salvation army," he said.

"Do you use those gears?"

"A couple of them is all, Why all the interest?"

"I might buy a bike, I'm just curious."

"Bullshit, I know you rode a bike across the country back in the spring."

"That wasn't my bike. I'm really just curious."

"Well that's it," he said smiling. "Now let's go eat."



The Pizza and Pasta Pit was one of those new casual style restaurants. Not exactly fast food, but close. There was a long pizza and pasta buffet, complete with a large salad bar. I guess because I have been all over, I could appreciate the salad and plain cheese pizza. I didn't need fifty things on top of my pizza. The pizza was simply made with simple basic ingredients on a thin crispy crust, so that it really made great bread sticks for my salad.

Gus filled his plate with about three kinds of pasta. I personally don't care for pasta with any sauce. I can handle spaghetti now and then. I can even do the microwave ones that are not quite awful, but I just don't like it enough to buy it in a restaurant. Of course, I didn't really care what, or how much Gus ate, so I watched him fill the plate with a smile on my face.

"So Max, what's your plan for tomorrow." he asked just to make conversation.

"I don't really have one. My business it is more reactive than proactive," I replied. "How about you Gunny?"

"It's Monday, I hike ten miles on Mondays. After that my day is pretty much open. It is most days after my hike. I usually stop in at the senior center for cards and lots of coffee. Sometimes I go to a meeting."

"Ah friends of Bill meetings," I said knowingly.

"You a friend of Bill's too?"

"No, I was once married to a friend of Bills. He could keep up with it for a year or so, then he would slip for a few months. Somewhere in his downhill slide, someone would give him the old 'get on the program or get out' speech. That usually sent him back to meetings."

"Did he ever hit you? I ask that because a lot of us get violent when we drink."

"Once, but Gunny a really drunk 200lb man is no match for a sober 130 lb woman with a baton."

"Good for you," he said. "Now is that all you are going to eat?"

"Yes, I really try to watch what I put into my body these days."

"Watching the weight after all that crap last year?" he asked.

"That and the body is still healing. They tell me it will take a year before I can really fill my stomach to max. Something about acid in my esophagus. Anyway I have to eat small meals for a few more months. For me this place isn't about all you can eat, it's about the salad with plain pizza as bread sticks. I just can't find that in most restaurants. That and I can wear just about anything here."

"Okay prove it. Go into the ladies room and take off your panties. Bring them to me, to prove you did it."

"What makes you think I am wearing panties?" I asked.

"I am absolutely sure you do," he said grinning.

I just stood up and walked to the ladies room. I sat on one of the toilets and urinated, wiped myself, and then removed my panties. I lifted the rough jeans back into place. I knew what it was about. It was all about power, and who had it. I had always found power games easier to just play along with, than to resist. They don't realize that they only have as much power as I let them have. In the end it was me who was really in charge. They just didn't know it.

When I returned to the table, I held my small bikini panties waded up inside the palm of my hand. I dropped them on his plate before I sat down. I noticed that at least one couple saw me. I had no idea, if they knew what it was that I dropped on the old man's plate or not. I also didn't care. I mean hell, it wasn't like we were in Chucky Cheese for God's sake.

"You are so bad," I said to Gus when I was seated.

"I know, you bring out the best in me." He laughed one of those really quiet little laughs that only men can pull off. If a woman did that, she would just appear slutty. When a man did it, he was wickedly charming.

"Now Chris, why don't you carefully unzip your jeans and touch it for daddy?"

"Do you really want that Daddy?" I asked.

"Yes, I really want that."

"Wouldn't you rather go home and touch it yourself?"

"Oh that is going to happen as well, but right now I want to see how much courage you have."

"Just remember people are going to see you, as well as me," I said it as I dropped my right hand to my lap. I left my jeans buttoned, but I did lower the zipper. Then I returned my hand to the table top.

"Did you do it?" Gus asked.

"Put your hand under the table and see for yourself." My voice was low but I was not whispering by any means. People sitting at the tables near us could certainly hear, if they were paying attention. I hoped that they would not know what I meant, but then again I just didn't care.

At that point I knew why Gus had insisted we not sit across from each other but at the adjacent sides of the table. Gus smiled as he made a big production of putting his hand under the table. I felt his hand fumbling to find it's way to the zipper of my jeans. Then I felt his fingers move inside and make little curls of my short public hair.

"Well, did I do good?" I asked.

"Oh yes Chris, you did real good."

"Thank you Daddy. Are you proud of your little girl?"

"I am always proud of you, but yes I am especially proud of you tonight."

"You are going to be even more proud of your little girl later." I was making it a point to play along with Gus. I did it for him a little, and for me a lot. I really liked being someone else, even if I didn't really know anything about the new me. Sometimes you just want to get away from yourself and Gus was offering me that chance. I wanted to explore it at least a little more before I bailed on it and him.

Even though the waitress gave us only minimal service, I left her a five dollar tip. I really felt that the restaurant should pay their staff a decent wage, so that the customers didn't have to supplement the wait staff's earnings. Regardless, I always did leave tips. I couldn't see taking my irritation for the system out on one of the lowest individuals. There were a lot of things in life like that. It wasn't the chick, who took the payment's, fault that the High Speed Internet was so damn expensive. It wasn't the bureaucrat's fault that I had to buy a license to earn a living. Nonetheless I did forget and call them all kinds of sons of bitches now and then, I honestly did try to play nice, it just didn't always work out that way.

Okay I admit that I was trying to forget the look of surprise on the Russian's face, when he realized he was about to die. He was just a thug trying to make a living, and I was just a bitch trying to stay alive. It was his turn, it could just as easily have been mine. If I hadn't take the chance with some other people's lives, it would have been me. Damn I have to stop thinking about this, or I will go mad, I thought.

"Daddy, can we go home now?" I asked. I didn't do it in a child's voice, because I had not sank that low yet. I thought yet, because God alone knew how low I could sink. I sure as hell didn't know.

After we left the restaurant Gus got serious about casting me as Chris. "So baby did you miss daddy today?"

"Yes of course I missed you Daddy," I replied.

"Did you think about Daddy's cock today?"

"Oh yes, I thought about it and I remembered how good it felt."

"How good it felt where Chris?" he asked.

"How good it felt in my mouth daddy. How much I loved having your cock in my mouth."

"Do you want my cock in your mouth again Chris?"

"Oh God yes, you know I do."

"Then pull the van over and take what you want," he demanded.

I parked the van right on the side of main street. The van had tinted windows, but they weren't all that dark. However, at night the windows appeared to be perfectly black. I moved to drape myself over the console so that I could get to him. He worked his cock out of his trousers for me. I took the head of his cock into my mouth and pretended that it was a giant straw. I sucked and tongued it as I would have a straw. I felt it get very hard in my mouth. I had never given head to a man on Viagra, but I was pretty sure that was the difference between that night and the one before.

I closed my eyes to better concentrate on making love to his cock. He moaned and squirmed for a long time before I felt him stiffen. I loved that feeling even though it probably meant I wouldn't get his cock inside me again, I still wanted him to cum. It took a little longer before I felt the hot thick cum in my mouth. I felt it coat my tongue and even my teeth. It cause me to swallow several times even after my mouth was empty. I was trying to clear the residue.

When I opened my eyes, I realized that Gus had turned the interior lights on in the car. It would have been quite a show had anyone noticed. Fortunately no one seemed to have paid any attention at all to me. "That was evil," I commented.

"No that was life," Gus said. He was right of course. In life you do things and there is always the risk of being found out. If you couldn't handle the consequences of your actions. then you shouldn't be acting out.

When we got back to his place, I was surprised to find that Gus got an erections again very quickly. It took only a few wet kisses before his hard cock was poking me in the stomach.

I slipped to my knees to suck it again. Gus let me get down then turned me around and bent down behind me. He reached around to unbutton my jeans. He pulled them down forcefully, Then quickly entered me. I was dry so there was some pain but there was also a feeling of being controlled by Gus.

"Damn Chris you are tight," he said to me.

"Yes Daddy I'm tight for your big dick," I replied. I could hardly get it out such was the thrill his cock was creating inside me. My body was on fire with the feeling of it moving in and out of me. As I said before, I had never done it with a man on Viagra, so I had no idea what to expect.

Gus paced himself and drove slowly into me. He sank his cock in my pussy all the way to his testicles. I could not believe how many times he drove his cock into me. I was so wound up, after what seemed like hours of his deep inner body massage, that I couldn't stand it any longer. I dropped my hand between my legs and rubbed my clit hard. I came almost instantly. I didn't even recognize the sound I made. Even with me throbbing and convulsing on his cock Gus continued to drive his cock slow and deep into me. I went from a screaming orgasm, to an almost empty feeling, then all the way back up the mountain gain. I was begging him to stop fucking me, when I came the second time. I went from please stop, to please don't stop with nothing in between, It was a truly amazing feeling.

After the second gut wrenching orgasm, I lay down flat on the floor to get his devil cock out of me. I was going quite mad with the feeling of it moving relentlessly inside me.

Gus quite easily lifted me, then turned me to force his cock into my mouth again. I told myself that I sucked it purely in self defense. Regardless I sucked it for what seemed like hours. H was never able to cum again.

"Cum for me Daddy," I begged as I pulled off his cock for only a second.

"I don't need to cum Chris. It feels wonderful to just be in your mouth or your pussy. I love your body. You love me to be in you don't you baby."

I pulled back and said, "You know I love when you fuck me. Fuck me anywhere you like, and for as long as you like. I just love it." I wasn't lying, when I said it either. I could have stayed there with his cock in my mouth forever, except that my back began to hurt. I finally had to just sit back to get away from his demanding cock.

"Had enough baby?" he asked.

"Yes daddy, I can't stand any more."

"It's alright you have done better than any women I ever fucked. You are my beautiful slut daughter." I shivered and had that mental orgasm people are always talking about. Impossible to explain, but my body just tightened all over. If he had been inside me, I would have cut off his circulation.

I staggered to my feet, pulled up my jeans, kissed Gus goodbye, then drove very carefully home. I got home after 10PM. It was hard to believe, but I had been in Gus's apartment for almost three full hours. During that whole time I was being pumped with the same slow deep strokes until I was absolutely beyond reason. I had truly been fucked stupid.

Chapter 44

When I awoke at 6AM, it was cold in the cabin. Since there was no thermostat on the oil heater, I turned it up two notches and went back to bed. It usually took less than twenty minutes to get some heat into the room. Even then it meant showering, then stepping out onto a cold floor. The throw rugs helped, but the floors were still cold.

The coffee maker worked it's magic while I took my morning shower. I needed it. I had been so screwed up the night before, I simply fell into bed. The shower and the coffee worked wonders. Except for the fact that I had a burning sensation when I peed, I was feeling much better. I made a mental note to have Ed's son Jeff, the doctor, run a STD test. If I had picked up anything, I didn't want to leave it untreated, or to pass it on to someone like the Gunny. I felt sure that he could handle it without getting all redneck on me, but some people couldn't.

I stopped for a biscuit on the way to the office. Even with the stop I pulled into the parking lot at exactly 8AM. It was my usual time. I was pleased and a little curious, when I saw Helen's van parked outside the office.

"Hello," I said after I had pulled in beside her van.

"Hello yourself, I brought you some company." with that she opened the door to her van. Skeeter came bouncing out. Helen had her on a long lead, so she could move around a little.

"Wow, doesn't she look good," I said after I was out of the van and hugging her.

"We saw your friend Jen on TV, then the story on the news yesterday. Skeeter told me you needed a hug, so here we are."

"Damn, that is one smart dog." I pulled the big black dog into my arms. She just went limp. All the energy she had shown before just melted away. She became an armful of unconditional love. As I held her something in me changed. I began to cry. I was crying because of the Russian thug, but not for him. I was crying for the bit of my soul that got lost in that bank's parking lot. A part of my soul, that would never grow back. There were lots of pieces of me missing in different places for various reasons. I cried for all of those as well. It was scary, but also cathartic. While I cried, Skeeter licked my face. It was her way of saying, it's okay mom. In a way I was still her mom, even if I had loaned her to Helen.

"Get this dog trained to visit nursing homes," I said to Helen. "Send me the bill, but do it." I said that as I blew my nose into a tissue.

"Funny you should say that, I had the same idea. She has done so much for me, I thought she might help others the same way." She paused a moment to wiper her own eyes, then reached inside the van. "Here, I brought breakfast for you guys. I hate to go like this, but Skeeter and I have to be on a construction site by nine."

"Bring her back anytime you can," I said it as they climbed back into the van. I stood watching, my arms filled with brown bags, as the two of them drove from the parking lot.

I called Lucas before I went inside. "Swing by the office before you start on the cameras at my place. Helen came by and left a breakfast for you." It was the message I left on his phone, since he didn't answer.

Inside the office, I ate Helen's breakfast and put the sausage biscuit in the refrigerator. I can always reheat it for lunch, I thought. Without Lucas for the day, I would either have to put everything off a day, or work it myself. I decided that working it myself was the best option. There were two sets of papers already on hand, but I would try to pick up a couple more, before I left the office to make deliveries.

While I waited for the calls to come in, I checked out Marty's bicycle website. I went through his catalog looking for just the right motor setup. When I couldn't find it, I knew that like it or not, I would have to talk to Marty again.

I called Jennifer on may cell phone. I used it because incominn calls went first to the desk phone, then if not answered, they got switched to the cell. By calling on the cell, I could still take business calls.

"Jennifer, where is Marty today?"

"You could say good morning. After all I did keep your ass out of jail with that brilliant move Saturday."

"Which brilliant move was that? Seems to me that getting myself admitted to the hospital, while things shook out is what really kept me out of jail. Neither of us had anything to do with that."

"Oh no bitch, it was the press statement. That is why you aren't doing it with a mop handle today."

"Oh I bet there is a bill for that service?"

"Of course there is. Lawyers are not allowed to do anything without some kind of gain."

"Send me the bill, but right now tell me where Marty is. I hate to admit it, but I need a favor."

"Well he sure as hell owes you one. Those two producers from Boston managed to get you and his bike business mentioned in their interviews."

"I doubt that he is going to see it that way, so where is he today?"

"Let me have him call you. He is somewhere out of town, but I'm not sure where. I can run his ass down though."

"Does Bob know how close you two are?" I asked with a laugh.

"We are not all that close anymore, and yes Bob knows. Bob likes to watch remember?" She laughed then hung up on me.

I had a feeling that it was going to be an odds and ends day. Something told me that all kinds of BS was going to fill my day. All I could do was roll with it, men can't handle that kind of day. It makes men crazy not to be able to stay with a task until it is complete.

Women on the other hand, juggle a crying baby, a hot stove while cooking dinner, and a vacuum cleaner all at once. We just have the right kind of brain for it.

Ed came in while I was on the phone with Jen, so as he walked by I handed him one of the bags from Helen. He filled up his coffee cup, then sat at his desk to devour Helen's bag-o-breakfast. "Damn, that woman can cook?" he said to himself. I heard him but couldn't voice my agreement, I was bantering with Jen.
Ten minutes later Lucas was in the office. He looked like hell, but he had a big smile on his face. Ed made the obvious comment that I avoided. "So how is Mopsy in bed?" he asked.

"Gwen is just fine in and out of bed," Lucas said. He accepted the bag from me before he added, "She and Mike are still at the Motel. They have a call into someone about something. It's all very mysterious."

"Well forget Mopsy and get on the camera's, but first eat your breakfast."

The whole morning was like that, one crazy thing after another. I had three pickups, then I would have to add them to the other deliveries. I swapped my cool leather jacket for the green nylon wind breaker with 'Lightning Express' embossed on it for the days work.

The temperature wasn't so bad, but there was a cold damp wind blowing. It had been in the forecast, so before I left home I had pulled on a thermal top. I supposed that when winter really came, I would need thermal bottoms as well. That might just put a damper on my love life. Long Johns are just not all that sexy.

On the way out to pick up the orders, I stopped at Jeff's office. I didn't need to see him, so the nurse did the swab. I wasn't there more than ten minutes. One of the benefits of saving a doctor's ass, I supposed. I looked at the hallway where I had stacked up bodies a few months before. I felt that another part of my soul had been left inside that sterile halway.

All in all the day went well. That delivery gag worked so well, I jokingly thought about franchising it. Marty called first, "Max what the hell, I never thought you would call me again."

"Neither did I. I have a friend who needs a bike motor, but you don't have anything that will work for him. I know somebody can build what I want, so which one of your builders should I call?"

"Just tell me what you need and I'll figure out who can build it."

It took about five minutes to explain and then to answer all his questions. "So, who can do it?"

"Shit Max, it's a hell of an idea. Don't worry, I have a guy who can design it, and I can have it built for you in a week."

"What's it going to cost me?"

"If this is economically feasible, just sign it over to me, and I'll build you a couple for nothing."

"Okay, let me know as soon as you can. If you can't do it, I'll find someone who can."

"If I can't do it." he laughed. "Doing it isn't the issue. The issue is can I make any money on it. Don't you worry, I can build it." I knew that questioning his ability would piss him off, but also get me what I wanted. "Now what about the TV show?"

"I'm still thinking, right now I have other things on my mind."

"Yeah, I saw it on the news. You are going to be one hot property Max. Just be sure I get to put in a bid."

I had no idea what he meant, but I said, "Of course. Now call me as soon as you know about the motor." And that's how we left it.

I got all the papers served and was headed home when Jeff's office called. "Max you don't have any STD, but Jeff said you might want to slow down. It sounds to him like a urinary tract infection caused by too much use, it you get my meaning. He said he could give you some antibiotics, if it didn't clear up by Friday. If it gets worse come on into the office."

"Thanks, but I think it will be fine. I just wanted to be sure I wasn't going to be a Typhoid Mary."

"Okay but keep in touch," she laughed at me then hung up.

The last call was from Lucas. It came just as I pulled into the office parking lot after making the last delivery of the day. "Boss can you meet me at your place. I have everything ready and you need a demo."

"I'm in the van now and through for the day. Call Ed and tell him I won't be back today, and I'll just drive to the cabin to meet you."

"Fair enough," Lucas said then hung up.

Thirty minutes later I had the demonstration and a new tiny little laptop computer that did little more than browse the Internet. It was small enough to be hidden in the van or carried in my purse. It was setup with my cell phone somehow I didn't understand.

When I tapped an icon on the screen, I got a live view of four camera's at once. One was of the gate, one was of the front yard of my cabin in a very wide angle shot, one shot was of the rear yard, and finally one of the interior of the cabin.

"So let me get this straight, this thing is on a 30 minute loop. I can go back thirty minutes and see anything on either of these cameras."

"More or less. They are all recorded together. When you back it up five or thirty minutes all of them back up. You can zoom into one camera and even zoom it in for a better view of any part of the picture."

I made sure that I understood how to work it, before I let him move on. This is a tamper proof system. It can be accessed by anyone who knows the address, but it can not be changed by anyone at anytime. In other words it's up there for a half hour no matter what. You can pick pieces out and move them to a permanent file, but you have to do it within thirty minutes of when they were recorded."

"Okay I got it." I really thought I did have it, Even if I didn't see them go in, somewhere in that thirty minute view of four cameras I would get a clue that I had a problem at home. The downside was that people might trigger the sight accidentally and see me in the cabin. Since I never allowed anyone to know I where I lived, the most they could see would be me masturbating. I figured that was an acceptable risk.

The whole thing ran through my desktop computer at home. Somehow it worked, that's all I really cared about. That and the whole thing was well concealed.

. By Friday the word at the Downtown Diner was that Marge had disappeared, and the Hazelwood was closed for good. Being closed did not mean that it was for sale. Marge had only leased it, or so the story went. Since she couldn't be found and the owner knew more than he was telling, he was looking for a new tenant after only a week. All that meant almost nothing to me, but it did mean something to the preacher.

"Maxine, you know a lot of poeple around here, how do you think they would react to a drug treatment facility downtown?" Archer asked me that on Friday morning at the Downtown Diner. I had finally found time for a sit down lunch. Bumping into the preacher there was a plus. I usually went alone to the marina for lunch. That Friday the weather was cold and dreary, so there I sat in the Downtown Diner grazing on a salad, with raisins mixed in with the usual green shit.

"Depends on whether the clients are movie stars, or crack whores," I replied.

"I can't say for sure. There is some money in the new health care law to fund drug rehabilitation. My group has a success record good enough to apply, Maybe I could get the Hazelwood and open a drug rehabilitation facility there. If the community didn't fight it, we might do some good."

"I don't know anything about your program, or the funding, but I know someone who might be able to help. If you need some juice, I have a friend who is helping Tommy Thompson with a run for the Senate. Your rehab facility might make him a good campaign issue. Jen may be able to arrange a meeting. Can you get a pitch ready, if Jen can make it happen."

"Sure, I can get all the facts and figures ready, but I don't know how that little incident last week will play with the government?" The preacher said.

"I don't either, but we can try. If that doesn't work, we can probably get you some press interviews. That should help you find some private funds. If you really want this, I will try to help."

"I really want it," he assured me.

"Talk to Mike, the young man who was in the Hyundai with you. He is a film maker. If he can make you a hero on the national news, the money might just roll in. It might even help with the government funding."

"Funny you should say that, he has been leaving messages the last couple of days. He wants me to do some kind of interview with him and his girl friend."

"It's up to you, but he managed to get our version of the shoot out wide enough coverage to keep us all out of jail. He can probably create enough empathy in the public for them to want to help you. If you play along, he will be using you for his own ends, but don't they all."

"Your friends, so far, have been a blessing to my ministry. I have to trust you."

"Well Helen might just be the exception to every rule. She is just one kind person, I think that she might be the only one who has no agenda. Mike and Gwen will have an agenda, you can count on that They still might do some good, even while they pursue their own fame."

"I can see both of those being true. How about you, are you going to help me?"

"That depends on what kind of help you need, I will introduce you to Jennifer and then let her set you up with Tommy Thompson, but I can't cook for shit."

"I think you can manipulate people better than any of them. You would make a hell of a board member for my ministry. You know, point us in the right directions, I'm not as worldly as you are."

"I will help where I can, Archer. I just don't want to be a regular on your board or anything like that."

"Fair enough, I might call on you often though."

"And I'll do whatever I can, I promise."

I picked up my cell phone, then punched the speed dial for Jen's phone. "Hey Jen, how's it hanging," I broke into laughter, before she even answered.

"In my case it is how are they hanging, and unfortunately they are. What do you want this, end of the week day."

"Do you remember Reverend Archer?" I asked.

"Sure I know your ex-con, spiritual adviser, and assistant gun thug. He is the one you are trying to get into bed, so you can corrupt."

"Jen, he is sitting right here and I have you on speaker phone."

"Oh hell, just kidding Preacher. Okay did they finally arrest you two?"

"No, the Hazelwood just closed. Marge disappeared and won't be coming back. The building's owner is going to be looking for a new tenant." I said.

"Maxine, I know your finances and even with the new infusion of cash, you can't afford it. Besides where's the mystery in that. Where you are now, no one knows where you are."

"Shut up Jen, Reverend Archer, wants to put a drug rehab in there. One to draw from all over the southeast."

"So what has that got to do with you or me?" she asked.

"I owe him my life and you owe me a favor or two."

"Oh no Max, we are dead even. I got you money for that favor you did for me."

"Jennifer this a win/win thing. I want you to introduce Reverend Archer to Tommy the would be Senator. Archer's cause will make a hell of a campaign commercial for Tommy. The only price for Archer's story is Tommy's help in obtaining funds from the new Health Care Reform Money. Archer might as well get it as anyone else."

"Quite a speech for you girl. Watch her Reverend, Maxine always collects on favors she does people. She turned a perfectly good caterer into a do gooder who always cooks more food than she needs, so that there is enough left over for the shelters around town."

"So what's wrong with that?" I asked.

"Nothing if you aren't the customer who is paying for more food, than they are going to need. Helen plans it so there is a bunch of food left over."

"People, who don't want to pay for i, could go somewhere else." I observed.

"Not after the guilt trip she lays on them. She even has most of the other caterers doing the same thing, just to complete in the sales pitch war. I heard that on Sunday mornings the catering trucks are lined up outside the shelter downtown and the mission over on English Trail. Some of them probably have to circle the block to find a parking space."

"Again, what's wrong with that. So the bride pays a hundred bucks extra and some homeless family gets roast beef for Sunday dinner. I just don't see the harm."

"Alright Max you win. I'll call Tommy this afternoon and see what I can work out."

"Does Bob know you and Tommy are close again?" I asked.

"Max, how many time do I have to tell you. Bob likes to watch." She clicked off abruptly, which is the modern equivalent of slamming down the phone.

"She is kidding about her husband watching, isn't she?" the Reverend asked.

"With Jen, who knows," I replied mysteriously. He didn't need to know that I had first hand knowledge.

"If this works out I will take you to dinner," he said.

"Save your money, if it works out I will take you to dinner. Your money has better uses." I replied.

"I'm not sure that there are any better uses. You seem to be the puppet master pulling strings to make people do the right thing."

"Don't kid yourself, I just wanted to save a mongrel dog. The rest just happened."

"If you say so," he said.

"So what's your plan for the afternoon? You never did get that tour of the empire."

"Actually, I don't have anything to do until 6PM."

"Then let's pay the bill and I'll take you on the tour you missed."

"Why not," I said in agreement. I had seen Gunny twice that week, so I felt like I needed a different perspective.

First we went to the consignment shop downtown. "One of the women, who attends church at the mission, suggested this place. They were going out of business. The mission took it over as a charity operation and now it is solvent. Volunteers staff it and do the pickups. We have a retired handyman who does repairs. Most of the items now are our own, but there are still some consignment items."

"I have an outfit that came from here. Jen picked it out for me last week, when I needed clothes to wear home from the hospital."

"It's hard to believe that last week we were in a life and death shoot out," the preacher said shaking his head.

"I know, it was pretty touchy there for a while."

"How do you deal with all that Maxine?"

"I just forgive myself, and try to move on."

"Do you admit to yourself that when you left the car with that envelope, you knew you were going to kill him?"

"I didn't know that. If I had, then it would have been murder, not self defense." I had no intention of ever admitting to that in front of anyone, not even the preacher.

"As you wish," he said gently.

"You have seen the thrift shop, the bike shop, and the mission, so there is only one business place left to see." I sat back and relaxed while the Reverend chauffeured me around in a ten year old Cadillac. I didn't ask him where he got the car, or why. I just enjoyed the ride.

The sign outside the rusty metal building was hand painted. It read 'His Laboring Few Home Beautification Service.' "Now what in the world do these guys do?" I asked

"It's part of our Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Service. These men, for the most part, are painters and roofers. This helps them stay out of trouble. They can't work, if they don't pass a urine test every day. So they would have a place to stay, till they get on their feet, we bought that small, very old motel down the street."

"I'd like to see that as well," I replied.

"Sure, we can go there next." he suggested.

And we did. The motel had 12 units. Each unit could sleep two individuals or a family of six if they were really desperate. I looked at the only empty unit. It was clean and smelled of pine disinfectant.

"Do your guys paint the units?"

"We inspect each unit every week and after the people move out. We paint them as needed, but we always clean and disinfect them. The only rent on these units is labor. Some of the people here work on this building, some on the paint and roofing crews, some in the bike shop, some in the thrift shop, or at the mission but everybody works. This is a mission, not a pure charity. There is self esteem in work, there is a slave mentality in charity. I learned that as a kid."

"Quite a speech, what happens if someone refuses to work?"

"We advise them of the rules, before they move in here. They even have to sign a contract. It's another self esteem booster, Give us your word, then honor it."

I just knew that the politicians were going to love this guy. The republicans, who were not known for good works, were going fall all over themselves to get on his train.

"Okay preacher it sounds really good, and you are going to be the politicians darling, but let me tell you this. If you are playing me, no matter what happens in the meantime, you will be sorry one day."

"I might play with you, but I won't play you. You have my word."

"And you have my word, if you do. I will fuck you up bad."

chapter 46

"So since I'm not playing you, how about I play with you tonight?" The preacher asked.

"Frankly preacher, I don't know how I feel about getting involved with you. I mean God is already pissed at me, I'm sure." I was smiling when I said it, but I was damn serious.

"Maybe if you play nice, I'll put in a good word for you."

"I'm not convinced that you are the one I want interceding for me." I stopped smiling when I said that,

"Why is that?" he asked.

"I'm still not convinced that you have God's ear."

"Oh, is that because you don't believe in God, or you don't believe in me?" he asked.

"Could be a little of each," I admitted.

"Well, while I try to convince you, why don't you come to my house. I promise you that you can leave anytime."

"In that case you need to take me back to my van, so I will be able to leave."

"Will you follow me home?" he asked.

"I will decide that, when I'm in my van."

The Reverend laughed out loud. "You are worse than any politician I ever heard speak. You talk but give no real answers."

"That's probably because we have no answers," I admitted.

"So if you decide to follow me home, let me assure you that you can leave at any time."

"Actually, I was more concerned with could I leave, than I was with you holding me against my will."

"Well I'm not going to tell you that I'm a great lover, I'm just going to say that I really would love to know you better,"

"Okay, I accept that because that is guy speak for I want to take your clothes off."

He laughed again. "Okay you know men, I will give you that. Mostly I want to take your clothes off because you will be a great lover, and you won't be a problem later. You and I already have a history, and you never tried to use it against me. You are one of the few women that I feel I can trust."

"Ah, but are you one of the few men that I can trust?"

"I certainly hope so, but you will only know that if you give me the chance to prove myself."

"That's a fair point. You really do need me to answer before I get out of this car, don't you?"

"Yes, I suppose I do."

"You do know that it is three in the afternoon?" I asked.

"Of course, don't tell me it's like drinking, you won't do it till the sun is over the yardarm."

"Nothing like that, but I have a question for you. How did a boy from the hood, who spent a decade in prison, get so well spoken?"

"College courses in the joint baby," he said with a smile. "You know the state tries to rehabilitate it's wayward children. I am part of the half a percent on which it worked."

"Ah too bad I didn't do time then. I could use the education."

"Oh I think you do just fine. You have something that I am struggling to learn."

"What is it?" I asked curious as to what he really thought of me,.

"The ability to understand and then manipulate people."

"Oh Preacher, you do just fine," I said smiling.

I made a call to the office from my van, before I started it. The preacher's caddy sat in the parking lot waiting to see what my intentions were.

"Luke," I said when he answered the phone. How did the pickups go." I didn't want Luke to make the deliveries alone. However picking up the papers, so that we would be ready to go Monday morning, was our usual Friday chore,

"I have six for delivery Monday Morning." he said proudly.

"Okay, then go home and give Mopsy a big sloppy kiss for me." I laughed as I said it. I knew that he had heard the talk about me from the cops he knew. Most of them thought I was pure Lesbian. Luke knew better, but he also knew or suspected that I wasn't totally opposed to spending the night with a woman either.
"Sure Boss," he said.

"Tell Ed, I said goodnight."

"Ed, Maxine said good night," I heard that over the phone. "I'll see you Monday Boss."

What I didn't say was that I was pretty sure that he planned to see me before then. At least see the live feed from his handiwork.

After Lucas hung up the phone, I started the van. I guess the Preacher saw the tailpipe smoking, because he pulled out of the parking lot slowly. I'm sure he was looking in the rear view to see if I was following.

I followed his Caddy to a nice clean middle class neighborhood. He weaved his way through the streets, then pulled into a small townhouse building's parking lot. I quickly counted twelve units, He parked in front of the one with the number 6 painted on the curb.

The brick townhouse didn't look all that large or especially new. It looked as though it might be twenty years old. It might possibly have been from that era when all the small apartment complexes were renovated and sold as townhouses. Just from the outside of the units I would have guessed two bedrooms and two baths, but I couldn't be sure. Some of those townhouses had very elaborate basements.

I parked my van in an unnumbered spot beside his Caddy. He waited on the sidewalk in front of my van, while I carefully locked it up. After I was finished he led the way to his front door. I stood on the concrete pad, while he worked the lock. It wasn't a porch by any means. but it would server to keep mud out of the unit.

"So are you a homeowner?" I asked.

"Well, as they say, I own a little and the bank owns the rest."

The simplicity of the outside was deceiving. When he opened the door, the first things I noticed were the marble tiles in the foyer. It set the tone for the apartment. The carpet in the large living room dining room combo was very expensive, sculptured, and stone grey in color. Of course I had no idea the price, but it looked like top of the line to me. The walls were a neutral color but it was no simple contractor one coat spray job. Probably 'His Laboring Few' did the paint job. I would bet money that his was the only dining room in the building with tray panels used for wainscot material.

The furniture was tasteful and the room showed a coordination a man would never manage. "Decorator?" I asked,

"Rooms to go," he replied.

"It's a nice job," I replied. He simply nodded.

The kitchen style had to be pure expensive functionality. Everything had a purpose, but it was also all top of the line. From the cabinets, to the counter tops, right up to the appliances, the room screamed wealth.

He noticed my appraisal of the place. "Before you get all disappointed, this is all labor from our ministry and the materials were all surplus from Home Depot. One of the Mission's congregation works there . I get called when anything the 'Few' can us goes on sale. I don't like to brag but I probably have the nicest place here, and have less invested than anyone in this complex,"

"Well it is a beautiful place regardless," I said.

"Thanks, but I honestly do not steal from the ministry," he said in his own defense. "I have a salary approved by the board. The rest is just work done my the 'Few' between paying jobs."

"So you aren't Jim Baker," I suggested.

"Not by any means."

"I accept that," I said it, and he could tell I meant it.

"Would you like the rest of the tour?"

"Sure," I replied. I knew what that was guy speak for, but I didn't mind.

The bathrooms were gorgeous. The upstairs had two large bedrooms. Each had its own bathroom. One bedroom was the Reverend's office. It was the room with all the goodies. From big flat screen TV to a computer with all the bells and whistles, there room was a techie's wet dream.

It was obvious to me that the Reverend had not taken a vow of poverty, but he was not flaunting his position either. Everything was more less invisible to the naked eye. That worried me. It would have almost been easier on my nerves, if he was flaunting his toys. The way he was doing it made it seem as if he was ashamed of the things he had. Like he knew he had done something wrong to get where he was.

Since we had shared two near death experiences, I wanted to cut him a lot of slack, so I tried to write it off to his being overly concerned with appearances. I did not want to think that he was ashamed of living wel, because it was ill gotten gain. I didn't know exactly how I felt about all that, but it wasn't enough to case me to run away either.

I did know how I felt about his hands on my boobs. I was looking into one of the bathrooms when he reached around from behind me to capture my breasts. He also kissed my neck and licked it at the same time. I was extremely turned on very quickly. The images from my masturbation session while thinking of him came rushing back. My own mind was helping him turn me on.

I could feel his erection pressing against my soft butt. The image of him driving his hard cock into a man was terrifying, but also erotic as hell. I felt his hands raise my sweater. His hands were rough on my skin as he stroked my breast and belly. I could feel the heat build inside my body. I also knew that my pushing back against him was having an effect as well. His breathing was shallow and ragged. Even that turned up the heat in me.

I felt his hand push my bra up so that his fingers could touch my nipples, He massaged and pinched them, Each pinch gave me an almost electric shock.

I was breathing in quick gasps, when he asked, "You get hot easily don't you Maxine?"

A simple 'Yes," was all I could manage.

He was still behind me, when he opened my jeans. The reverend wasn't all that pious, when he pushed my jeans and my panties down, When they reached the floor, I stepped out of them. I stood in that doorway with my sweater pressed against my chin and my breasts exposed beneath it,

He moved me inside the bathroom then leaned me over the vanity. The difference in our heights was a problem for him. He tried several times to find the correct angle to work his way inside me. "You are so tight, I can't get into you."

"Sit down," I demanded. He move to the side and set on the toilet cover. When he was seated I lowered myself between his thighs. I took his cock into my mouth and began to suck on it. I loved the way it felt in my mouth. I knew it was too big to swallow, but he was trying to force it on me.

I stood to look around the bathroom, then turned away from him, I touched the head of his cock to the lips of my pussy and began to lower myself. I felt the head push against my set of lower lips and I silently begged for his cock.

"Not there," he said quietly. I knew what he wanted, but I was afraid as well. I knew how it looked but I stood reached onto the top of th linen cabinet for the body lotion I had seen earlier. First I covered his cock liberally with the lotion, then turn again and moved the head of his cock to press against my dry, tight rear opening. I rocked back and down slowly until his cock painfully penetrated by sphincter. He wasn't hurting me, I was hurting me, It was an amazing sensation to be the one causing the pain, I couldn't blame anyone else for the pain, it was all me and it was liberating..

I controlled how deep and how fast he moved inside me. I enjoyed the feeling of it, but it was a strange feeling as well. His cock was bigger than the intern and even he had hurt me, so I expected the pain in my butt, I didn't expect the feeling deep inside my intestines. No, it wasn't a pure sexual feeling like his coke would have created inside my pussy,. The feelings his cock created inside my intestinal track were more emotional, with just a secondary physical feeling of sexuality. The knowing that I was willingly breaking a sexual taboo made me a dirty girl, and I reveled in it. It probably brought back feelings of childhood. pressure in my bowels that were both pleasurable and painful at the same time.

I rode his cock gently at first but as my muscles stretched, it became less uncomfortable to have his cock where it was, With the easing of the pain, I was able to move faster and deeper on his cock as I rocked my hips for him, I knew how much pleasure I was giving him from the sounds he made and his lack of coordination as he tried to help me.

I didn't want him to know how much pleasure it was giving me, but he knew, I felt him stiffen and knew he was shooting a load of hot cum into my bowels,

I had resisting the urge to defecate from the first moment his cock entered me, When he pushed me off his cock, I clinched my muscles to hold it in until he moved off the toilet, When he stood, then staggered from the room, I sat quickly on the toilet and emptied my bowels. When I had finished I massaged my clit until I came in crippling spasms,

"So where do we start?" Mike asked.

"I guess we start with the person who knows her best." Gwen replied,

"That would be Jennifer the lawyer?" Mike asked.

"Jennifer is her oldest and dearest friend or so she says, so I guess we start with her."

"Can we finish this soon? So we can get out of this crappy motel?" Mike asked.

"You are just filled with questions aren't you?"

"Now you are doing it, asking questions that is," Mike replied.

"Okay, I'll set up the appointment, but who does the interview?" Gwen asked.

"I don't know is Jennifer the buddy type, or the flirtatious type?"

"Hell, how would I know?" Gwen asked.

"Okay, I'll run the camera and you talk to her," Mike proposed.

"Unless things change, I can go along with that."

Two hours later their rental car pulled into my driveway. I met them at the door, "Hello you two. How has your stay in out little town gone?"

"Not as well as we would have liked. The cooperation we have gotten from your friend hasn't been all we hoped for," Mike replied.

"Well, the best I can tell she did everything she agreed to do. Right up until she went into the hospital. As a matter of fact, I am releasing the check to her favorite charity tomorrow morning." I didn't tell them that Senatorial candidate Tommy Thompson would be at the ceremony as well. No sense having a throng show up, then again maybe it would be good to have the two film producers on the scene. They could help with the publicity, They had sure gotten the shootout a lot of coverage.

"We really aren't here to discuss last weeks news. We came to get some background information on Maxine. Marty said you had agreed to help with that," Gwen said.

"I told Marty that I would help you guys within reason. So ask your questions and I will answer what I can. Maxine is my sometimes client, so I won't be sharing anything damaging, Is that understood?" I asked.

"Yes Jennifer, it is understood and we are not here to do a hard hitting news show. Trust me this will not be a confrontational interview,"

"Good, in that case would you like a drink?" I asked.

"No thanks, but you go ahead," Mike replied.

"Okay, I think I will." It certainly wasn't my first drink of the day.

While I made the weak drink, Gwen asked, "How long have you and Maxine been friends?"

"One thing you have to learn Gwen, is when people discuss Maxine, you have to be very specific asking the questions. For instance, I have known who Maxine was since we were 10 years old. This is a small town, We haven't been friends that long though."

"Oh in this small town you must have gone to school together?" Gwen asked.

"Sure we went to school together, but weren't in the same room until 4th grade. Even then she was just another kid from the End."

"The End?" Gwen asked.

"The town had two parts back then West End and everything else. At least that's how it seemed to me. The people in West End were most likely to be poorly educated factory workers. A few people lived in that part of town for other reasons. Maxine's dad didn't work in the factories, but he couldn't keep a job of any kind. So the best they could do was live in West End."

"Was her dad a drunk?" Gwen asked. Then she realized that she had fucked up. Jennifer flinched and visually bit her tongue before she answered.

"Maxine's Dad had PTSD, but nobody knew what that was back then. We all just thought he was shiftless and lazy. Now I think, he just realized that he had killed men in Vietnam who had done nothing to him. Back home he couldn't kill the ones who really pissed him off. That would make me a little crazy, how about you?" I gave her a hard look and dared her to contradict me.

"I guess that would do it," Gwen replied.

"We didn't become friend for six more years. There was really a big class system around here back in the seventies and eighties. Actually there is still that, but now it's people from Tryon vs people from Aster. People still believe the same bullshit even now, they just have different names for it,"

"So how did you become friends?" Gwen asked.

I had forgotten that there was a camera in the room. "The same guy fucked us both." I said. I waited to judge Gwen's reaction. "He was almost the school's hero jock. I like to think he was the number 2 jock, when I think back on it now. The prick was the number one womanizer, but it was all undercover. That is until he screwed Maxine, then never called her back."

I couldn't help but laugh when I remembered Tommy back then. He was good looking and from the right side of the tracks. He was an acceptable date for a 16 year old girl from a good family. He was also a huge catch for a girl from West End. So yeah we both let him screw us.

"Why did that have an effect on you?" Gwen asked.

"Because he fucked me first," I said it laughing. I had downed more than one drink before the two of them arrived. The truth came easy, when I had enough to drink. "He screwed me twice then never called again." I stopped talking while I remember the pain.

"What did you do?" Gwen asked again.

"I cried myself to sleep, and then felt worthless for a few months." I shook my head at the memory. "Then the big time running back screwed Maxine once, and never called her back. It was a huge mistake."

"How so?" Gwen asked to keep me talking.

"Because Maxine is her dad's daughter. She walked up to the jock, in the cafeteria, and in front of everyone. He was sitting with a table full of other jocks and those cutesy girls. You know the kind who seem to always hang around jocks. Then Maxine said, 'If you girls are thinking about having sex with him, don't bother. He has a dick the size of a #2 pencil nub. And he kisses like a fucking brick."

"Wow that must have went over good?"

"Oh he jumps up and looks like he is going to hit Maxine. She looks at him cold and doesn't even flinch. 'You best remember who my daddy is, asshole.' She stood her ground till he calmed down, then she turned and walked away."

"God, It sounds like that girl was a pistol." Gwen commented.

"Yeah she was a bitchy slut, but she was also the one who taught me how to stand up for myself."

"So what's the secret?" Gwen asked.

"Oh simple, 'You either have to be bigger, stronger, meaner, or smarter than the others. Any of those will work,' Maxine says. So I got smarter and became a lawyer. These days nobody fucks with me."

"So you two ran around in high school?"

"Yep from that very day on, we were inseparable. I taught her how to behave, so that when she wanted, she could pass."

"Pass?"

"Yeah back in those days we had black kids who could pass for white. So whenever people pretended to be something they weren't, we call it passing. I taught Maxine enough so that she could go to a restaurant and not use the wrong fork."

"Oh and what did she teach you?" Gwen asked.

I laughed before I said, "I'm not about to tell you that. But let's say I have been real popular with the boys since I was sweet sixteen. I also don't cry myself to sleep at night any more, ever."

"So how many times have you been married?"

"Once more than Maxine. She would have been married more, if she hadn't been moving around so much. Men love Maxine."

"She isn't beautiful," Gwen said.

"Love, that depends on your definition of beauty." I replied. "But I have been married three times. The first one decided to hit me one night. I had his ass in jail before he the sun came up the next morning. He was damn lucky I didn't have Maxine's gun collection."

"The second one dragged me kicking and screaming into the swinging lifestyle, then couldn't handle the results."

"Oh, what were the results?"

"Guys, he thought were his friends, were trying to date me behind his back."

"No offense Jennifer, but you just don't seem like that type of woman?"

"That's because you are a narrow minded troll, no offense honey," I said. "Damn Maxine comes back to town and I regress to a smart mouth bitch. I'm sorry Gwen, but it is the truth. I just wouldn't have said it a couple of years ago."

"So what about your current husband?" she asked as if nothing had happened. I guess you have to have a thick skin to be a TV person.

"I met him at a swinger's party, so he knows. He actually was with me, when I did it with a woman for the first time." I said smiling.

"And was that Maxine?"

"That is something you should ask Maxine hon. I will admit that I had sex with a woman once or twice. I can't speak for anyone else."

"Luke tells me that Maxine lived with you, when she first got home from the Air Force?"

"That's right she lived with us until she got involved with a gang. She moved out so they wouldn't come blow up our house. Trust me, she could have stayed, I'm ready for a bigger house anyway. Max and I are very different when it comes to those things. I like nice things, and Max would be just as happy wearing a burlap bag. The problem is she could still get more men in a burlap sack, than me and you put together. Oh they wouldn't be doctors or lawyers. Not even TV Execs, but they would be a lot of damn fun, you can bet on that."

"So, would you call yourself the one consistent person in her life?" Gwen asked.

"I would call myself her best friend and she will call herself mine. When she is in trouble and needs a lawyer, she calls me and I go. If I get in trouble and need what she does, I call her and she comes."

"What do you think about the Russians coming for her?"

"In her own words, they need to bring plenty of body bags." I must have had too much to drink because that stuck me as hilarious. I laughed until my stomach hurt.

"So have you and Maxine shared any other men besides the high school boy." Gwen asked.

"I'm not going to answer that," I replied. But ask around. You might find someone who will tell you," I smiled and she should have gotten my meaning, Bob, my husband, would be happy to fill her in. He didn't have any privilege issues, and he loved to talk about Maxine. He had been terribly jealous, until we shared her. After than he couldn't say enough good things about Maxine. I would have been jealous, except that Maxine didn't care for men who were twice as good as Bob at everything, so I knew he didn't stand a chance with her..

She swore that she only did it with him, so she could get me in bed. I'm not being conceited when I say Maxine had been trying to get me in bed, since she found out she was bisexual. That happened after she left town, or it would have happened in high school. She flirted with me for years until I finally gave in. Bob and I discussed it first, and he agreed, but only if he could be a part of it.

"So is there anything you want to tell me?" Gwen asked.

"Yeah, if you do anything to hurt either of us, you two will regret being born."

Mike put the camera down and said, "Trust me lady, I will run every bite of this file by her. I do not want that lady pissed at me."

"Then you are smarter than you look, Your little friend better remember that to," I suggested. I did remember that Mike had been in Lucas's Hyundai, when the Russians tried to kidnap Max's friends. That being the case I believed him.
Chapter 48 JENNIFER

The two wanna be TV producers left my house around 6PM. I dialed Max's cell phone direct. Just so she would know that it was me, not some mooch. She didn't answer of course. She was most likely with one of her new friends. I was a little jealous and a little worried about her. I left a message for her not to forget the meeting, and that Tommy Thompson would be there as well as Marty and Archer..

Thinking about Max messing around with that do gooder attitude bothered me. She was in deep violation of her own rule one. Okay we made up the rules as we went along, but rule one was the first one we ever came up with. To be in violation of it was to be asking for real trouble. Rule one in the JenMax code of behavior was simple. Sex, just because it feels good, is stupid. Avoid that at all cost, get something for it, every time. Sure, we both had violated the code and it always ended badly. Sometimes it seemed that we had known more at sixteen, than we did today. Sex to reward someone was okay, or to get a better job, but to do it just because one was turned on, was a waste.

It's like Max's dad told her. "Honey, if you are going to have sex with a boy at the 7-11, at least do it with the clerk. He has a job." Sure her dad was joking, but I always took that story to heart. We both did. Just pure sex with one guy. isn't a lot different than sex with any other guy. So get the most you can for it.

That is not the same as who you marry, because then it isn't just about the sex. But when it is about the sex, make it a business transaction even if the guy doesn't know that it is. Since we are all whores in reality, make the John someone who can pay the freight. More wisdom from Max

If she was going to screw an old retired guy, why the hell not go back and screw Marty again. Why in the world do it with a retired Marine. One close to seventy, and living in public housing would have been my last choice. Sure I had screwed Marty, who was well over sixty, but he was rich and he helped me set up my legal firm. He sent me a lot of clients, then when he turned the farms over to his kids, he became a client as well.

Hell without having screwed Marty, I would still be struggling like hell to make the business just break even. After all I was set up in a jerkwater town. I could leave but instead of being a big fish in a small pond, I would be a minnow in the ocean. It was not a prospect in which I could see no advantage at all.

I went into the large master bath to shower and prepare myself. Our shower is not part of the tub, it stands alone in the corner of the bathroom. I had insisted on clear doors for it. I wanted, ass much, as the steam allowed, to see and be seen. I worked my ass off to keep the body I had, I wanted to be sure people could admire it. Yes people, other than Bob, had been in the bathroom while I showered. Some even in the shower with me.

I never cared much for shower sex though. It is hard to breath with your mouth full of cock, and water raining down on you. However, men did seemed to like it.

I scrubbed my body very carefully. It was just a dinner party with the usual suspects, but one never knew when someone might bring a friend. I always wanted to take Max, but she insisted on at least knowing the guy from somewhere other than one of my parties, before she would screw him.. Silly slut, it was a clear violation of rule one as well, since all the people at the party, could have helped her with the business. Everything from loans, to financial planning advice would be available at any of the parties. The price of admission was sex with anyone, whose name the woman chose at random from a bag. Okay it was almost random sex, but it was with pre-screened men. There had been rumblings that the men wanted the bag to contain all the names, so that the woman might choose another woman. I had resisted that idea up to this point. Since having had sex with Max.I wasn't sure that I would continue to resist. If the the suggestion came up over dinner again that night, I might have voted yes. It didn't so I didn't have to change my vote..

I took a good look at my body in the mirror after the hot shower. I was 5 feet 9 inches which was a bit taller than Max. I had dyed red hair, but damn it that dye job was perfect. It should be Henry charged an arm and leg for it. Not to mention the styling, which made me looked as thought I just woke up all the time. Everyone said I was sexy as hell with that hairdo. I knew that it was more than the hair, but I didn't tell.

I had 36d boobs, not fake, just improved a little. I had very small permanent lifts inserted under each one. It was something new. I had to fly to New York to have done. Since I have never had children, I was the perfect candidate. At the time I did it, I was between husbands, I never had to explain it to anyone. All the lifts did was make me look as though I was wearing a bra when I wasn't. The boob bag sag was minimal with those things. The doctors assured me it would stay that way for many, many years.

My tummy was very small. Even less than a decent belly dance would have. My butt had been vacuumed so many times, it felt as though I wore a cheap carpet back there. However they tell me the view was really quite good from the rear.

All in all I had been rated gorgeous, by men who knew what gorgeous was. Of course going by rule two, I paid no attention to them. Rule two stated, 'Pay no attention to compliments from men on the make. They will say anything to get laid.' sub paragraph to that is "Pay no attention to any man in a bar after midnight'.

I walked naked from the bathroom directly into my dressing room. I moved to my dressing table where I sat naked while looking at myself in the mirror. The damages from my teenage years were down to a minimum, thanks to facial sanding, good make up took care of the rest. Botox and collagen for the deep wrinkles of age helped with the illusion as well. In other words I was a far superior looking slut due to medical science.

See I was in violation of rule five. 'Don't waste time or money on your looks, because any skank can get laid.' I had later added the addendum. 'The exception being if you want the right men to screw you.' Then it was permissible to do anything in the furtherance of rule one.

Before I did my face, I removed from the middle drawer the aerosol can and what looked like a hypodermic needle, with no needle. I filled the small end of the applicator with a scented lubricant. Since I am over forty, I needed a little extra preparation. I inserted the applicator inside my vagina just as far up as it would go, then I pushed in the plunger. The heavy scented cream would seep down very slowly lubricating my vaginal lining. The lining would stay lubricated for several hours. More than enough to have sex a dozen times, If I wished. I didn't plan to go anywhere near that many times. The men for the most part were my age and older. Even with Viagra, for the older ones, it was unlikely that there would be any long penetration episodes. Mostly it would be oral for the longer times.

I left the kit on top of my dresser. I decided to pack it in my purse, just in case one of the anal freaks got lucky with me. Anal without good lubrication was just painful. Even with it, there was no fun in it for me. "Sometimes you just have to pay the freight," Max always said.

Dressing after my makeup was done would be accomplished quickly. It was just lacy see through panties, and a push up bra under the black wool dinner dress. One had to keep the illusion that it was in fact a dinner party. Of course we all knew that it wasn't that at all. I debated adding the .380 automatic pistol Max had given me to the evening bag. I could carry the pistol or the lubricant. The lubricant seemed the better choice, since I was a lousy shot anyway. Fortunately the dinner party was at my house, even so I would have had to return upstairs for the lube. The evening bag was just easier even in my own home.

Helen had been cooking even during the interview with the TV people. She would set up the buffet, then leave. No telling what the men might say or do. I would not like Helen to be a witness to anything. We had managed to keep the little dinner parties more or less secret, and I wanted to keep it that way. Most of the others had even more to lose than I did.

Dinner was delicious, as it always was when Helen cooked. I could manage to fry a egg with sausage or bacon. but most mornings I didn't even bother doing that. Between take out served on a real plate, and dinners in restaurants, I found very little use for the cooking skill set. My time was better spent making money or having fun.

After dinner the eight of us adjourned to the family room. As the host, Bob got to hold the bag for the drawing. I had to draw last, it was tradition. I knew very quickly that I drew Edward Evans. Ed was the local fire chief. He had been invited to join because he was not only fire chief, but also the son of the largest land owner in town. Being in those positions, he had a lot of clout with the town counsel.

Ed was a little over weight, not a lot. just enough so that his penis wouldn't go as deep as some of the other men. It made absolutely no difference to me. I could get him off quickly, if I so chose. I chose not to do that, only because we would be in the family room with the three other couples. With the others watching, it was always good to put on a show. Even if I didn't draw the most helpful person that time, there would always be another time. It pays to advertise.

I tried not to screw anyone in the group outside the group. One of the exceptions had been Sammy the broker. He had gotten my money out of the stock market before the crash, I had rewarded him on his desk top. I sincerely doubt that I was the only one. Sammy loved the ladies and we loved him right back.

Ed sat and watched while I undressed. I was doing it for him, but I was thrilled to note that most of the others, men and women, were watching. By the time the lace panties were gone, Ed was also naked. He kissed me which I pretended to enjoy. Then I slipped to my knees and did what Max had really taught me to do at 17. I took his cock into my mouth and nursed gently on it. I allowed him to drive into my mouth just as deep and forcefully as he wished. Still, I continued to nurse on the head of his cock every chance I got. Finally he withdrew and tuned me around. He entered me from the rear and drove his cock into my hot slippery pussy. He did it over and over. I knew he couldn't last long. I also knew we were being watched, so I massaged my clit. He came and fell away from me, and I continued massaging my clit until I produced a gut wrenching orgasm. I looked up and noted with pleasure that many of the others had watched with slack mouths and other signs that they enjoyed the show. I had again been the hit of the evening. I liked it.

Those sessions with Max and the banana had been worth all the time it took. She had me sucking on a banana until it melted in my mouth, then start over with a fresh one. I was not allowed to bite it just suck it until there was nothing left. Those same actions drove men absolutely crazy. Ed and I half sat and half laid on the sofa watching the others do their thing. He almost absent mindedly stroked my breasts. It was always fun to watch what poor skills the other women had. None of them had my artistry, I thought.

I hoped that the rest of them finished soon. I had that meeting in my office in the morning. If the meeting wasn't with Max, Marty, Reverend Archer, and Tommy Thompson, I never would have scheduled it for a Saturday, no matter how busy the people were.

chapter 49

I felt really tired Saturday morning. It was a little bit of sleep deprivation and a little physical exertion. No not Ed, I had been to the Gym to work off some of the week's indulgences before the dinner party. It looked as though all of it together had caught up with me.

Ed and his wife were the first to leave. I would have followed shortly there after, if it hadn't been my house. Even though I left the mess for the maid, I still had to stay awake until the last of the guests left. One couple really seemed to enjoy themselves. So much so that they fell asleep on my sofa. I let them sleep until their spouses were ready to leave. I even let the spouses wake them.

Oh yes, I did have a maid who came in only on Saturdays. What was the use working my butt off, if I couldn't enjoy the money I made. It wasn't like I wanted to leave anything to anyone. I planned to spend every dime before I left the earth.

The shower at 9AM helped me make some progress toward normalcy but the three cups of coffee did more. I debated whether to wear jeans, but decided a dress would be a better plan. Odds were at least one of the participants would have a photographer present. Politicians and Marty had that in common, they all like publicity.

I kind of expected that the Reverend could do without it, but he had better get used to it. If he wanted to play in Tommy Thompson's game, there was going to be a price to pay. That price was to allow Tommy to squeeze the Reverend for all the photo ops possible.

The meeting was at noon, only because Tommy had to get from the state capitol to Aster. Marty didn't know Tommy would be at the meeting, and I felt no need to tell him. Marty in general did not like politicians, I couldn't say that I blamed him, since they killed the cigarette industry. It was cigarettes that had made Marty rich. The kids got the farm, but the price for tobacco took a big hit, so it was worth a lot less than they had expected. Even with the giant export business, the prices continued to fall.

Since Max bought the minivan, I reinvested the money in a BMW. I would have gotten a Mercedes, except that I didn't want to look too prosperous. A hungry lawyer is a good lawyer, was still believed by far too many people.

When I got to the parking lot of my office, I found Max waiting for me. It was too chilly for her to be sitting on the outside bench, so she was in the van looking out at me.

"Hey girl, what you doing here so early?" I asked.

"I have a meeting at 1pm with some guy who thinks he needs a female body guard for some reason. I have no idea why he called me. I never tell anyone that I am a body guard." Maxine said.

"Hell Max, seems like you or I are in the paper every week. People call me now wanting to know how to get in touch with you. Ginger says we are going to have to charge you for her time." I suggested.

"My ass, just hang up on them, Most of them just want to tell me that they think a woman should be home cooking for her man, not out playing with guns. Even when I agree with them, they still aren't satisfied. What's a girl to do?" Max asked.

"Hell Max, get their address and we can do a drive by shooting." I said.

"Sounds like a plan Jen. See that's why I let you hang around with me. You come up with a good idea now and then," Max suggested.

"You let me hang around with you. Damn you are delusional." I replied laughing.

When Maxine got out of the van, she had two brown bags in her hand. "What do you have there?" I asked.

"I passed a construction site. Helen had her van there doing breakfast. She has a big deal wedding at six tonight but she still had time to do a breakfast run. That woman is going to work herself to death." Max suggested.

"It's all your fault." I replied.

"How the fuck is it my fault?" Max asked.

"You brought that mangy dog into her life. The dog brought that dog trainer into her life, and now she wants to get rich. She fixed dinner for eight at my house last night, and did a brown bag breakfast run. She is going have a breakdown." I said.

"Nah, Skeeter will keep her sane. That dog is like a bottle of Valium with fur." Max said.

"Come on, you both are crazy where that dog is concerned." I said.

"Think what you will," Max said following me into the office. "Want me to make coffee, I doubt that you know how."

"Hey this was a one woman office for years. I know how to make coffee, I just don't do it any more. Now if you want coffee, feel free to make it. I'm going to have a diet coke and enjoy my breakfast."

Max did make coffee and it was a good thing. It was a hit with the others who arrived. It was also a good thing that I had a fresh supply of Styrofoam cups. Everyone showed up, which surprised me.

It took only seconds to deliver my little speech. I got Maxine to sign the receipt, then sign the check over to the Reverend. I knew there would be photographers, but I had no idea how many there would be. Tommy had his man of course, then Marty had the TV producer types, and the Reverend even had Aster's weekly news paper covering the event. Max posed with each of them and kept her sense of humor. I was surprised she didn't bitch slap at least one of the photographers.

"Max are you coming to the mission tomorrow?" the Reverend asked. Well that told me Maxine hadn't seen too much of him lately.

"I really don't know Reverend Archer, I'm not really good at that kind of thing. I have an appointment in a while that might have me out of town for a few days. If you see me, I'm there. If not, I'm somewhere else," she said smiling her disgustingly sweet smile. The smile that everyone hated by the way. The people who knew her knew that it was a lie. It wasn't a fake smile, the smile was real, the myth that Max could be sweet was a monumental lie. Max had the heart of a pure bitch, even if she was trying to save the world suddenly. It didn't matter that she could fool the others, I knew the truth. My Maxine was not capable of being reigned in, she was forever wild.

"Max how about a picture," Marty asked.

"Sure Marty you paid for it," She said still smiling.

"You should have told me it was going to charity, I could have written it directly to the Reverend and saved some on my taxes."

"That's why I didn't tell you," Maxine said with a wicked smile.

"So how about the TV show?"

"I'm still thinking about it." Max said.

"Come on Max what's it gonna hurt?" Marty asked.

"Marty with you involved, there is more to it than meets the eye. You never let your left hand know what your right foot is going to do next. When I figure your real angle, I'll decide."

"Max how about posing with me and Reverend Archer for a picture? He and I are going to have a meeting after this and try to work out a little back scratching thing." Tommy asked.

"Well either of you can scratch my back, but neither of you can rub my boobs," Max replied. She didn't look thrilled, but she did move to a blank wall for a picture.

"Max, they are all headed off to do some handshaking and deal making, how about you and I go out to lunch?" I suggested.

"I can't. Remember I have that meeting at one," she replied.

"You know we are going to have to do that thing again," I whispered to her. "Maybe without Bob this time."

"That sounds like fun, but don't risk your marriage. I have nothing of value, so remember rule one." She said it and laughed as if she knew that I had been thinking the same thing only yesterday.

By 12:30 they had all gone leaving me in the office alone. I didn't mind but I really would have preferred to have lunch with one of them at least.

I first emptied, then tossed all the coffee cups into the trash. Fifteen minutes before, the conference room had been filled with people and noise, then suddenly it was just empty and deathly quiet. I could either go home and hide from the maid, so I wouldn't have to watch her clean, or go to lunch alone. Neither appealed to me.

It was Saturday afternoon, I thought. Surely there was something fun I can do. I could always find Max's men and give them a toss. We had shared men before, we could do it again. Probably not a good idea. Max was about the only real friend I had. I really didn't want to lose her. She had just blown off Reverend Archer though. I bet she wouldn't mind, if I gave him a call. Maxine never got serious and usually only did it with a guy once or twice then moved on.
"I have his phone number as well," I said aloud. "Should I ask first? Of course I should, but I won't." I smiled at the sound of my own words in the quiet conference room. I knew Tommy was going to be meeting with Archer, but Tommy's attention span was no more than 30 minutes and that was giving Tommy way more credit than he deserved. However, he did have his assistant along, who would actually conduct the meeting. Tommy would just sit and listen. It's what he did best, that and pose for the camera.

I decided lunch was in order, just to pass an hour before I called the Reverend Archer. I could think of some plausible reason to make the call, while I had lunch. The next big issue for me was where to have lunch. I had a sudden urge to visit a place for lunch, where I hadn't been in years. I suppose it was seeing Tommy and Maxine in the same room.

I drove my BMW to Jimmy the Greek's Fine Foods. I was pretty sure that the place would be empty on Saturday. The restaurant was across the street and one block north of the courthouse. Jimmy always closed at 3PM, because the town just died after lunch.

I was shocked to see two table of policemen and two more filled with women in sun dresses. They could have been right from the Country Club. Maybe more from the community tennis courts, come to think of it. A closer inspection gave me the impression that they were butch. They just had that way too healthy look about them. Jimmy's worked as a quick turn around, high energy restaurant during the week,. It seemed to be more laid back on Saturday.

"Is that you Jennifer," one of the cops asked.

"It sure is," I replied.

"I'm Robert Thomas, you handed me my lunch in court last year. I should never have tried to bluff you."

"Oh hell Robert most of the time I lose to you guys." It was a harmless lie. I almost always won unless the cops really had the smoking gun. "Consider it just my turn."

"Yes Ma'am, if you say so." He did have a cute smile. Too bad he didn't fit into rule one.

Fortunately I was sure Archer would, since he was destined to be the Republican's favorite charity and community leader. Who could tell maybe he would be president one day, if he could get his record wiped clean.

Chapter 50...

"Reverend Archer, this is Jennifer. Max's friend. I was curious to know, if you had anyone to help you through that grant process?" I said into the phone.

"No Mr, Thompson offered advice, and he gave me his word that he would push the application through, if he gets elected. It seems that the nuts and bolts of the application are going to be up to me and my people."

"Do you have anyone who has done that kind of thing?" I asked.

"No Jennifer, my people are mostly recovering substance abusers. None of the ones in my programs have that kind of experience."

"I do have that kind of experience. I would also be willing to help you prepare it. I don't have time to prepare it myself, but we could meet and I could walk you through the applications. If you get correspondence from the government, I could most likely make sense of it."

"That is terrific news. I have been very worried about all the paperwork involved. I have an application now for a grant, but I can't make heads or tales of it."

"If you would like to bring it by the office, I will be happy to take a look at it."

"I would love to, but my time is really tight these days. I have so many things that need doing all at once. I'm sure you know how that is?"

"Oh yes, that's why the meeting had to be on Saturday. No one could agree on any other time."

"As you might guess. almost all my time on the weekends is planned. I do have to eat dinner though. Do you like Chinese?"

"I adore Chinese," I replied. It was almost the truth. I could eat the fried rice and stir fried veggies. Most of the meat dishes didn't appeal to me, too many dog and cat stories, I guess.

"Then why don't I take you to dinner. We can eat while we discuss the application. If we think hard enough, we might find a convenient time to sit down and fill in the blanks."

"I'll have to call my husband, but I'm sure I can make dinner," I replied.

"Good, you obviously have my number. Call me when you know. I will be at the China Palace at 7:30 this evening. I do hope you can join me."

"I will check with Bob and get back with you before seven." I replied.

I didn't really have to ask Bob anything, all I really had to do was not appear to be too anxious. I wanted the Reverend to think that it was all his idea. I could justify my actions, to myself at least, if I just succumb to his advances. It would be hard for me to justfy having chased him to the ground. I still didn't know how Maxine would take it, if she ever found out.

*****************************************************************

"Gus damnit it's me max. I'm on my way over there, you better not be out to lunch without me." I hung up the phone with a big grin. In the back of my van I had Gus's surprise. Marty must have had his man up all night on it. He couldn't have had more than a day to finish it,

Marty went over the installation instructions with me at least three complete times and several more bits and pieces of information that he remembered as he went along. I couldn't wait to see the motor, or to see Gus's face. He might hate the idea of a motor for his bike, since he was a fitness nut. Which is why it had to be specially made.

Unlike the motors Marty and I had used, Gus's motor was not super powerful. It also was totally portable. It came in a canvas storage bag. The bag was something like the half duffel bag I used for out of town trips. Not that I made many of those.

Anyway the whole thing weighed about twelve pounds. The engine had a centrifugal clutch, so it ran free until one hit the gas. That saved wear on the engine, I was told. The whole thing could be lifted from the wheel, so that Gus could pedal the bike home. I hoped he never ran out of gas, or had the damn thing break, but they all broke down now and then. I knew that from experience. Of course he didn't even have to use the thing, it was totally up to him. Best of all, he could take it off when not in use just by loosening a couple of wing nuts. Then he could carry it to his apartment until he needed it again. The bag was weather proof, so he could store the motor on the patio.

I had no idea how mechanical Gus was, so I had also given the preacher notice that his bike shop might be paying back one of the favors he owed me. "Max there is nothing the bike shop can do, that they won't do for you. You didn't have to call in your favor for that."

Gus's bike was locked to the post under an awning. I wanted to see if I could install the motor, but I decided not to do it. Gus should be the first one to touch his new toy. I parked the van near the bike, so that we wouldn't have to carry it far, then I walked into the lobby.

I recognized the old guy on the security desk, though I couldn't remember his name. "Well hello how is it going?" I asked.

"It's going just fine Max, how about you?"

"I've been better, but I have sure as hell been worse." I replied. "Is Gus home?" Everybody knew Gus, so I didn't need to go any big explanation.

"Not sure about Gus, but his daughter is up there," the old man said.

"Ah do you think she will kick my butt, if I go up?"

"Max, I'm not sure Gus could do that, let alone his light in the ass daughter."

"Oh you silver tongue devil," I said it as I walked to the elevator. I had been wanting to meet Chris, so it seemed like as good a day to do it, as any other.

I knocked on Gus's door, then waited. I had no idea which one of them would answer.

"Yes,?" the woman my ages, but definitely smaller, asked from inside the apartment.

"Is Gus home. I have a present for him." I said with a smile.

"They admitted my father in the hospital this morning."

"God, I didn't know. How is he?" I had about a hundred other question. I had to force myself to keep calm.

"The emergency room doctor thought that he had a heart attack. They did several tests, then decided that it wasn't quite a full blown heart attack. Even so they still opened some of his arteries."

"Then he isn't in any danger at the moment?" I asked.

"Of course he is in danger, you stupid cow," she snapped.

"I beg your pardon," I said biting my tongue.

"He had four partially blocked arteries. He could have died, if any of them had closed."

"I know Chris, but they didn't close. The doctors got them open, and I assume he is resting."

"Yes, he is in ICU. It's family only visiting. You can't see him." She was being really snippy and I hadn't done anything. I wondered what she would be like once she got to know me. Most likely she would be a little more respectful, or maybe not. She had to know or at least suspect that I was screwing her dad.

"Do you have any family here?" I asked.

"I have my dad," she said in a voice that held a challenge buried in it.

"Yes you do, and you will never lose him Chris. He is your father in more than just name. He really does love you." I did not plan to ever tell her his fantasy involving her. "By the way, I'm not trying to take your dad away from you. I would like to share him, when you aren't around though. Chris you will always have first place in your dad's heart and first dibs on his time as well."

"Oh shit, I do sound like that don't I. Come on it Max, dad has told me all about you. I know you two are good friends."

I entered Gus's tiny apartment. "Well as much as anyone can be your dad's friend. He doesn't exactly get all warm and fuzzy," I suggested.

"God that is a huge understatement," Chris agreed. "When he was in the corp, I had some idea what he was up to. Pick the hot spot and dad was either there, been there, or headed there. But then when they forced him to retire, I have no idea what he did or where he was for the next ten years."

"I sure can't help. You have to know more than I do. I know he did thirty in the Corp, but I really never asked about what happened after."

"He said you are retired military as well, are you a lesbian?"

"God no, I like men too much to cut them out of my love life." I smiled.

"Are you screwing my dad?"

"Honey, you need to ask him that." I replied evasively.

"Make you a deal Max, you answer that, and I'll tell you all I know about dad."

"God that is tempting," I replied.

"Then give in to temptation."

"I usually do, so okay. The easy answer is yes, every chance I get," I replied.

She actually laughed, then said, "I knew it, that sneaky old fuck. He told me you two were just friends. I knew better."

"Chris do you live here in Aster?"

"I used to. I moved to the beach three years ago. I got dad this place when I moved." I guess I looked as confused as I felt. "Okay, I promised to tell you everything so that is a good place to start. Five years ago dad showed up at my place. My husband had left me with two kids and no money. I worked for the county, but it was hardly enough to pay my bills.

I hadn't seen dad since high school graduation that was close to twenty years before. I have no idea how he knew that I was having a rough time, but he did. He gave me a bag of stock certificates. Told me to sell them all and use the money. I didn't know it at the time but it was all the money he had managed to save over the years."

"Did he tell you what he had been doing since he retired?" I asked.

"No, the things I know, I know because my mom told me, or Dad told me as they just came up over the last five years."

"So why did he come home, other than to save you."

"Dad had a breakdown. He was in some hell hole somewhere and just lost it. He is lucky to be alive. It's not drama, it's a fact. Even he admits it. He was involved in some deep shit, what exactly I don't know. But to flip out at a time like that is suicide, he said. According to him even worse it endangered his friends. That's when he walked away from whatever it was and headed home."

"Someday I'm going to get him drunk and find out what his life was like." I said.

"I expect he feels the same about you. When I asked about you, he said you don't talk a lot."

"Oh my life has been nothing but dull. Women in the Air Force don't get involved in anything fun.

"I'm going back to visit Dad at six. I will tell him you came by."

"I don't suppose you would like to lie and tell the nurses I'm your sister?" I asked.

"No, I still don't like the idea of my dad having sex," she said smiling.

"He probably felt the same way, when he found out you were having sex."

"Don't get me wrong we have sat down to talk a few times. He usually answers anything I have the courage to ask. Some things he wont tell me. Now and then we do tell each other secrets." Chris said mysteriously.