Chapter 7: The Street

Tammie knew she had to do something to get the security guard off her back, but she couldn't risk having her actions at the clothing store revealed. And now, thanks to him, she had another unwanted admirer. For the past two days since the guard's visit to her home, the little boy next door had been trying to peek in her window from his tree. She could look out at just about any time of the day or night and find him hunched up on a branch with a pair of binoculars pointed her way. Things were just getting sick, and the security guard was to blame.

She spent all of Saturday night and Sunday racking her brain for a revenge plot. During lunch on Monday she thought she had it all figured out.

Aside from the overly-interested looks she got from almost every guy in school, no one made any reference to the events of the past Friday until she got to art class. Mrs. Avery took her aside and said, "I certainly hope we won't be having another misunderstanding this week. Just to be sure, I've changed our focus subject to still lifes. You'll all be drawing fruit baskets for a week."

Kevin also mentioned Friday night, but only in passing. As he walked past Tammie's desk on his way into class, he simply whispered, "Congratulations, you're in." She wasn't at all sure she wanted to be in anymore, but it would be easy enough to get out of the little orgy group. All she had to do was not show up for another party. She had as much incriminating evidence on them as they had on her, so blackmail wouldn't be of much use. She couldn't help but smile.

On her way home, she drove to the police station and asked to see the officer she'd spoken with last week. She wasn't sure of his name, but thought it was Edwards. She was right. The front desk clerk showed her to officer Edwards' desk and the recognition was mutual.

"Here, have a seat miss-- I'm sorry, I didn't get your name."

"Jenkins. Tamara Jenkins. I need to talk to you about something you mentioned to me last week," she whispered. "We need to talk privately."

"Alright miss Jenkins," the cop stated in a normal tone of voice. "I'm glad to hear your friend has chosen to return the item to the store. It's always nice to see citizens doing the right thing." As he spoke, he jotted a note onto a slip of paper and pushed it into her hand. He smiled and nodded, stood, and extended his hand for shaking.

Tammie shook his hand and left the building. Once inside her car, she unfolded the paper and read "Meet me at the park where we 'talked' in half an hour." A lump formed in her throat and she hoped he would just talk this time.

Arriving at the small park near the new homes project, Tammie found a bench and waited for her only hope to arrive. He did, and casually strolled toward her as if checking on someone suspicious. He stood just behind and to her right.

"Alright, what is it you wanted to say-- or do?"

Without turning to face him, she said, "I need some help. Two days ago a man came to my house and-- and he..."

Officer Edwards' eyebrows rose. "He what?"

"He made me perform for him while he videotaped me." Tammie broke into sobs. "And he said he'd be back whenever he felt like it because now he knows where I live."

"Do you think this man intends you bodily harm?"

"Yes! He raped me last week at a clothing store. He-- he took my virginity and told me to come back every Wednesday for more or he'd release copies of the video tape and ruin my life."

"But wait, you said he videotaped you on Saturday, not Wednesday."

Tammie hung her head and shut her eyes tight. "He had video of me in the changing room naked that he was using to blackmail me then. And I accidentally left my purse at the store and he came to my house on Saturday. That's why I didn't have my license on Wednesday when you stopped me."

Understanding dawned on the officer, as well as jealousy. He'd been aware that the girl wasn't a virgin, but he had so wanted her for himself. Now to find that he had competition from another blackmailer drove him nuts. She was his play thing-- at least until he grew tired of her and turned her loose.

"What store is this and what was his name?"

"But you can't just go in there and arrest him!" Tammie squealed. "I think he has made copies of both videos and if he's caught, he'll surely release them to anyone and everyone who could use them against me."

"Oh, don't worry about that, ma'am. I'm well trained in dealing with domination subjects. I can be very... persuasive."

Tammie wasn't sure things would turn out so well, but she didn't see any other choice. The cop knew all about her depravity so he was the only person she could think to use against the security guard, and vice versa. Unfortunately, once the guard was taken down, the cop would have no nemesis. She quietly told officer Edwards everything she knew of her original blackmailer. He left with a few reassuring words and suggested that she keep a low profile for a few days but not to change her normal routine. "As to this coming Wednesday," he said as he left, "I wouldn't bother going back to the store if I were you. I very much doubt this rent-a-cop will be working there any longer."

The next two days passed quietly, Tammie keeping as low a profile as she could with all eyes at school watching her every move. On Wednesday afternoon, she had an argument with herself about whether or not to go to the store, but she felt certain the cop would have taken care of the problem. Even if he hadn't, he would likely be waiting for the guard's move and then nab him in the act.

Later that afternoon, as Tammie lay on her bed reading up for an exam on Friday, the telephone rang. The voice at the other end was that of officer Edwards. "I need you to meet me at the same old place in half an hour. I have some interesting news and an offer that I think you're going to like." He hung up without another word, leaving Tammie with a myriad of unresolved questions. Nevertheless, she drove out to the park and met him as instructed.

"I've got great news for you, Tamara. That guy that was bothering you won't be any more trouble. I had a meeting with him earlier today and, well let's just say that I had to use some rather unorthodox measures to get him to confess to spying on countless women in the changing rooms over the term of his employment. You were not mentioned specifically, only as a statistic in his perverted history. And as to the copies of the video tapes, he had quite a few of them all packaged up and ready to go out to news and police, but I persuaded him to hand over all the masters and copies."

"How can you be so sure he gave them all up?" Tammie asked.

"I, uhh-- I suggested that if he ever made any move against you in any way, he might have an accident with my gun going off between his legs. As I said, I had to use some highly unorthodox tactics, which is where my offer comes into play. Tamara, I need your help on a very important case and, if we succeed, you won't ever have to see me again. I will drop my entire case against you and no one will ever hear of your public indecency, your reckless driving, or your problems at the clothing store."

"You mean-- you mean to say I'll be totally free of blackmail?"

"I don't care for the term 'blackmail'," the cop stated flatly. "I merely agreed to withhold some evidence against you in exchange for your cooperation. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement. Now I need something a bit more from you, and my information will then be forever destroyed. This one case would mean a great deal to me; a promotion, a raise, an office all to myself instead of a damn desk."

Tammie was all ears. She so hated the feeling of being under someone's thumb that just about anything would be better.

"Tamara, I need you to act as bait to help me bust a prostitution ring."

WHAT?! Had she heard him correctly?

"We need to catch a certain local politician in the act and use him to crack open the whole operation with the names and numbers he can give us. It's a one-time deal and if we're successful, you gain your complete freedom."

Tammie chewed on her lips for a few moments. One night of walking the streets to gain her freedom versus an untold number of years doing whatever this officer demanded.

In a very hushed tone, Tammie said, "I'll do it."

Tammie had to turn down an offer from Kevin to come to his house on Friday night. She wanted to go, because he said it would be just the two of them this time and she liked that idea, but she had police work to do.

Dressed in an outfit supplied by officer Edwards and his assistant on this case, a detective in his mid thirties with a large bald spot atop his head and a bushy mustache, Tammie hit the streets where a certain city councilman was expected to make a pick-up.