Chapter 22

The inside of the building that sat alongside the international airport was as drab and as foreboding as the exterior and Carol wasn't at all happy as she was roughly shoved into a small room that was light only by a single, naked low wattage bulb and the daylight that managed to fight its way through a small, barred window set high in the wall. The two women constables who had escorted Carol in released her arms and took up station behind her while the sole male officer entered last and sat on the only chair in the room, behind a rough surfaced trestle table that served as a desk. The man then unzipped Carol's handbag before tipping it upside down over the table, letting its contents tumble out. Although the bag contained the usual mixture of lipsticks, compacts and tissues, the bulk of the pile that now sat in open view were masses of bundles of American currency. The policeman picked one of the bundles up and riffled it next to his ear. He sighed contentedly before making a comment in the local dialect which caused the woman behind Carol to burst out laughing.

"What did you say?" asked Carol indignantly.

"I told them that you were the best paid whore I'd ever arrested," he replied in a deep, gravelly voice. "However, in the name of the King, I'm confiscating all this... which makes you the worst paid whore I've ever arrested!"

As the two black women chortled behind her back, Carol felt herself colouring up.

"I'm also having all your luggage seized, Princess, since all of it was bought with funds that were obtained illegally. Now, if you'd be so kind as to hand over your jewellery?"

Knowing that there was no point in not complying, Carol resignedly removed her earrings and placed them on the table. Her necklace followed as did the rest of the gold and diamonds that the Prince had given her. Only when she tried to removed the simple gold band wedding ring did the policeman stop her saying, "No. That you may keep."

Carol looked at the man quizzically.

"No matter what crimes Prince Abdul committed, no matter the reasons that you became his wife," the man explained, "you and he are still legally married - nothing can change that. The King, in his benevolence, has agreed to allow you to keep the one symbol of that union. And now, your clothes..."

"What?"

"You heard me. Please remove your clothing, Princess, as all of it belongs to the King."

Taking off her hat, Carol tossed it onto the table. "Somehow I don't think he'd look too good in it... it's neither his style nor his colour!" she commented sourly. The policeman gave a barely discernable nod to one of the women standing behind Carol who immediately punching the white woman over her kidney. Carol gasped and yelped before sinking down onto one knee.

"Please, Princess... let's try to get through this reasonably. And remember, this isn't England. I don't have to play by the rules that constrain my colleagues where you come from. No more comments... just do as you are told and you'll soon be on a plane back home."

Painfully Carol stood back up again, one had pressed to her aching back. "And the Prince? What happens to him?"

The officer shrugged briefly. "He'll receive a fair trial before being found guilty; the punishment will be up to the court but I'm expecting Life Imprisonment myself."

"How can you say he'll be found guilty? Isn't that what the trial is for?"

"Such naivety, Princess. We have the confessions of the three men whose heads you so recently saw; we have bank statements; we have letters; soon we will have the Prince's own confession. We even have this..." Reaching down, the man pulled out a file which he casually dropped onto the table between himself and Carol; the woman's heart fell as she recognised the documents that she'd been given in London to acquaint her with the Prince and his country. "If I was you, Princess, I wouldn't count on an early divorce. Prisoners aren't often allowed out to deal with civil matters. And, besides, that might be the least of your worries once you get home. I mean, when I forward my report on you and your activities, you will almost certainly be facing criminal charges from your own police over your actions. Marrying for money with the sole intention of gaining the entry of another into your country is a crime in your land, you know."

"I know... I know..." responded Carol sadly.

"Now... I'm still waiting for your clothing..."

Sighing, Carol kicked off her sandals before slowly started to unbutton her jacket and to remove it. As soon as it was off, one of the women officers held out a hand and took it from Carol before glancing significantly at the trousers she still wore. Unclipping the catch on the waistband, Carol proceeded to undo the side zip before slowly peeling the trousers over her thighs. As she did so, she glanced up to discover that the man was looking at her intently, licking his lips as he watched. Once the trousers had been removed, the same constable took then from Carol before folding the suit carefully and placing it on the table along with the rest of what had been her possessions. Carol now stood dressed only in a pair of briefs and a bra with one hand covering her crotch while she used her other arm to shield her boobs from the man's stare.

"And the rest," in instructed huskily.

"You've got to be kidding!" Carol exclaimed.

"No I'm not... or would you like Marigold to assist you? I'm sure she'd love to help, wouldn't you, Marigold?"

The woman to Carol's right spoke. "Sure would, boss. I've always wanted me a piece of white arse..."

Carol shuddered and moved quickly to unclip her bra which she then removed before pulling her knickers off. Again, she replaced her hands and arms so as best to preserve her modesty... though now she was also worried not just about the man before her but the women behind as well!

Picking up everything that was spread out on the table and placing it into a cardboard box, the man moved to the door and handed it out to someone who was waiting in the corridor. Closing the door, the officer returned to his seat where he lolled back and commented that it was now time for the girls to have their fun.

"What do you mean?" Carol gasped as she glanced round only to find that the two women were now grinning openly.

"Well," he replied, "we've had the 'strip' part... now comes the 'search'...

"No... no!" cried Carol as she turned to face the women before slowly backing away in horror as each of the constables reached into a pocket and pulled out some thin surgical latex gloves before starting to pull them on...

Samantha Jones, dressed in figure hugging blue jeans, open high heeled shoes and a thin blouse that was knotted off just below her full and jiggling breasts so that was she fashionably showing off her midriff walked down the same, filthy alleyway that she had come to know only too well. After knocking on the door and being recognised, she was allowed into the presence of Miles Keating who, on this occasion, was alone apart from his 'accountant' Tony. "Ah, Sammy," he greeted the newcomer while flashing her a smile not too dissimilar from the look that a cat might toss at a mouse just before it began to play. "And how did things go?"

Without saying a word, Samantha fished into the back pocket of her jeans and pulled out a folded piece of paper which she handed over to the seated mobster. Miles took the sheet and spread it out before starting to read... and, as he did so, his smile became more and more genuine until, reaching the end, he folded the paper back up before slipping it into his jacket pocket. "So, tell me, Sammy, how did you manage to get a copy of his letter of resignation?"

Samantha shrugged her shoulders before adding that it had been easy. "But what did you put into my last fix, Mister Keating?"

"A little aphrodisiac, that's all."

"A little? You call that a little? I ended up having sex with the bastard!" Samantha cried out accusingly.

"You had sex with him? That's rich!"

"No... it was rape. Or, at least, that's what I called it. After that, it was easy to engineer his resignation."

"You mean he's facing a charge of rape too?" Miles asked hopefully.