Chapter 4

The next morning the weather was very nice, and after Bob had left for the office Jill decided to do a little work in the garden again. So she put on her halter and tight white shorts and was soon out in the front yard, kneeling as she bent forward to loosen the earth around the roots of her favorite rose bushes.

The young blonde housewife let her mind drift lazily from one subject to another as she worked and before long she found herself thinking about Bob, or rather, about her and Bob. He had come home late last night, muttering something about having to work late at the office. He would have phoned he had said, but for some reason he couldn't get through on the line. And he had been in such a strange mood last night, so absent-minded and withdrawn. Jill had feared a resumption of the bitter battle that had started that morning, the usual battle over sex, but Bob had never once brought it up, and she certainly was happy to let the whole nasty mess fade away.

Perhaps he had been feeling guilty last night, Jill mused. He certainly had been unusually solicitous. Usually when they had a fight the proud young man brooded for a day or two, but even though there hadn't been much conversation between them during the evening Bob had been kind and thoughtful when they did speak.

Well, he should feel guilty, the blonde young housewife thought as she sunk her fingers into the rich warm earth, savoring the feel of it. That scene yesterday morning was just too much! It was bad enough that he had to think up such filthy sexual perversions, but to try to make her a part of them was inexcusable. His own wife!

Well, her mother had told her over and over again about men's animal nature, and mother had been right. They only had one thing on their minds! Maybe it had been better in the old days when married men could go out to the houses of prostitution that flourished in every town and hire women to put up with their sick demands. At least that took some of the pressure away from their wives. Still... she remembered a little guiltily how she had begun to respond to Bob yesterday morning before he had forced his head so lewdly down between her thighs and rained those perverted kisses on her vagina. She shuddered as an almost electric tingle rippled through her loins at the memory.

The lovely young woman sat back on her heels, and her face became thoughtful. She wondered... was she fighting too hard? Certainly it was commendable to try to live a moral life, but after all, she was a married woman. She remembered the love- filled pleasure she had experienced under Bob's strong young hands before they were married. It had all seemed so innocent then, and in her mind it an had seemed to point to some ultimate fulfillment of love and trust that would take place between her and her husband-to-be when they were finally married. But the brutish animalistic reality of their wedding night had put an end to all that... or had it?

Maybe the breach that had opened between her and her husband that night was healing. Maybe that's why it had felt so different yesterday morning as Bob had gently, thoughtfully brought her to a peak of passionate readiness that she hadn't even known could exist. The horrid, lewd, sinful thought had already crept into her mind that when Bob had put his tongue... there... it had actually felt good. Jill felt little goose-bumps ripple over her skin as she dared for a moment to savor the forbidden memory.

Maybe she wasn't as good as she thought. Maybe all those desires and passions that Bob called normal were slumbering somewhere deep down inside her just waiting for a chance to get out. It would certainly make life a lot easier, the pensive young housewife thought to herself. That was the only real problem between herself and Bob. Yes, if she could just cut loose... and for just an instant she had a clear impression in her mind of the infinite possibilities of sheer sensual pleasure...

"Oh," she cried and spun around on her heels. She had suddenly got the horrible feeling that someone was just behind her,

And there was!

The young blonde froze in shock, her heart in her throat. She was eyeball to eyeball with a huge German shepherd, his massive head only inches from hers. And next to the shepherd were the trouser-clad legs of a man. Her eyes traveled upwards.

"Oh, Mr. Reagan," she said a little breathlessly. "you gave me such a start. I didn't hear you come up at all."

The man standing above Jill didn't say a word, just kept looking silently down at the kneeling young woman. Jill was silent a moment too, not knowing what to say. Even though she didn't know Mr. Reagan very well she found it hard to like him. it was nothing she could put her finger on, no reason to dislike the older man, except maybe his eyes. They were so cold and cruel.

Jill glanced back towards the dog. He hadn't moved an inch and she couldn't help but compare his eyes with those of his master. Yes, there was something frightening in those canine eyes, but it was a free animal wildness instead of the practiced callousness of Bill Reagan.

Jill felt more intimidated crouched down on the ground before her two unexpected guests, so she got quickly to her feet. Reagan continued looking at her for another moment then wet his lips to speak.

"We, uh, saw you workin' out here and thought we'd come over and visit a little."

"We?" Jill asked.

"Sure, me and Hector. He's been wanting to get to know you for a long time."

The young blonde's hand automatically dropped to the head of the beautiful animal before her. Strange how Mr. Reagan said "we" when he talked about the dog, almost as if he thought of him as human too. She absent-mindedly caressed Hector's ears while she thought and then flinched backwards as Hector stretched his head forward and rammed his nose up between her legs, sniffing.

"Haw, haw, told ya he wanted to get to know ya better," Reagan guffawed. Jill flushed crimson and decided that she definitely disliked Mr. Bill Reagan.

Hector walked behind the angry young woman and repeated his performance from behind. Then, satisfied, he came back around in front of Jill and sat down, looking up at her, his mouth open a little to give his tongue air.

"Well I'll be damned, I think he likes you," Reagan said in honest surprise. "it isn't often he takes to someone so fast."

And it was true. There was something about this beautiful young human female that pleased the big dog. She smelled of kindness and patience and... she smelled a little like Mae to Hector, and he was happy his master had brought him over here.

Her personal victory with the dog had made Jill feel a little more tolerant of Bill Reagan.

"It was nice of you to come over, Mr. Reagan," she said. "I'm afraid my husband and I don't get around the neighborhood much. I guess we aren't very good neighbors."

"Never too late to start," Reagan said. "But I do hear a lot of good things about your husband from Mae."

"Mae?" said Jill.

"Yeh, my niece. You musta seen her over at my place."

Jill had seen a woman over at Reagan's place. A lovely dark- haired woman about twenty-seven or eight years old.

"I didn't know my husband knew your niece," said the surprised young housewife.

"Sure, they're thicker than fleas. Thought you knew. That's why Hector and I came over. We can see you when you're workin' out here in the garden and thought it just might be a good idea to get to know you a little better, seeing as how my niece and your husband are such good friends.

Jill flushed a little. It was embarrassing being told by a near stranger that your own husband was "thicker than fleas" with his niece, but more than that, she didn't like the idea of this coarse man watching her from across the street. And what was he getting at? Was he trying to intimate that there was something between Bob and, what was her name? Mae? But that was too ridiculous! The old guy was probably just not very sophisticated in his conversation. He had probably seen Bob say hello to his niece one day and built it up in his mind. But still, maybe she had better just check.

"Well, it looks like my husband is a better neighbor than I am, Mr. Reagan," she said affably. "How long have they known each other?"

"Oh, just a couple 'a days, I guess, but that husband of yours sure seems to have made a powerful impression on Mae. She was talkin' about him all morning."

"All morning?"

"Sure, about how nice he was to her last night."

"Last night!" Jill said, unable to keep the shock out of her voice. So that's where Bob had been last night, and that was why he had seemed so guilty! The confused young woman felt sick and dizzy for a moment and thought she might fall, but she used all her will power to pull herself together. Even so it was a moment longer before she could speak.

An evil pleasure was seething through Bill Reagan. It amused him to play the simpleton like this and seem to innocently betray to this woman her husband's indiscretions. But this proud little bitch was going to find out before very long that he was a lot smarter than he looked. Smart enough to have her laid out naked in front of him before very much longer if he played his cards right.

"Well, Mr. Reagan," Jill managed bravely, "I hope I'll have a chance to meet your niece too, she really sounds like a lovely person."

"Oh, she is, she is. As I said, that's kind o' why Hector and I came on over. We figured since Mae and your husband are such good friends, we should get to know you too. What do you think about that, Mrs. Anderson, or should I call you Jill?"

The shocks were coming too thick and fast for the bewildered young bade. Was this coarse man actually getting fresh with her? No, it must be her imagination, he was simple and harmless enough. It was just that the shock of hearing about Bob and this... Mae...

But wait a minute! She was being a little ridiculous to go jumping to conclusions this way. Why listen to a near stranger, and one who seemed so odd? There probably was some rational explanation for all this, and she didn't want to act like some brainless ninny out of a soap opera. But she did know one thing. She was going to have this whole thing out with Bob as soon as he came home tonight!

"Well, Mr. Reagan, Jill said firmly, "It's been nice talking to you but I do have a lot of things to do inside the house now, so I'll have to say goodbye. Maybe we'll have a chance to talk again some day," she added a little coldly.

A spasm of frustration shot through Reagan. Maybe he had overplayed his hand a little. Well he wasn't finished yet. The most important thing was to keep her talking.

"You know, you're a pretty lucky young couple. Mae was tellin' me all about that big investment outfit downtown that your husband works for and how he has a chance to become a vice- president." Reagan had beaten and coerced Mae this morning to get all of the information he could about anything Bob had told her last night.

That was a telling blow to Jill. Bob wanted to keep confidential his hopes for the vice-presidency and she thought she, his wife, was the only one who knew. But now it looked like he was passing the information out freely to the girls he met on the street.

"Well thank you very much, Mr. Reagan," the unhappy young woman said, "but I really must go now." She started to turn toward the house but the neighbor's gruff voice stopped her in her tracks.

"It's really too bad though that your husband is going to lose his job."

"Wh-What did you say?" Jill managed.

"You mean you didn't know?" Reagan asked in mock surprise. "Sure, he's gonna get fired this afternoon, sure as shootin'"

"H-How do you know that?" Jill asked in confusion.

"Why, because o' these pictures I got here." Reagan dipped his hand in his coat pocket and brought out a small flat packet. "As soon as I take these down to his boss, you're husband is gonna be lookin' for another job."

"Why, I don't know what you're talking about. Let me see that," and Jill made a grab for the packet, but Reagan pulled it back just out of reach.

"Oh, I couldn't do that, Mrs. Andersen," Reagan said. "I'm not supposed to show these to anyone but Mr. Aubrey."

Jill's mind was spinning, It would kill Bob if anything happened to his job. It wouldn't make her any to happy either; she had been looking forward to the new dimensions of comfort and luxury that would come their way if Bob got the promotion. It might just be possible that this old simpleton had something damaging to Bob in that packet. She had to find out, so she made her voice softer and asked sweetly,

"After all, Mr. Reagan, I'm his wife. Don't you think I have the right to see something that could affect my husband so much?"

Reagan pretended to be thinking. "Well, I don't know. One thing's for sure, I wouldn't want to open this up right out here in the open. Maybe in there..." he waved vaguely towards the front door of Jill's house. The young blonde hesitated a second. Under normal conditions she wouldn't let a man like this in the house with her, but this was an emergency. And there was the dog. His presence somehow reassured the desperate young wife.

"Then please come in, Mr. Reagan," she said anxiously and taking his arm she led him to the door. He seemed to resist a little but allowed himself to be coaxed, and Jill breathed a sigh of relief when she at last had him inside the living room.

"Now may I see what it is that you have?" she asked, holding out her hand. Reagan immediately handed her the packet, a strangely cruel grin coming over his face. Jill impatiently tore the wrapping open and pulled out the nearly two dozen glossy color photographs inside.

"My God!" she exclaimed as she saw the first of them. It showed in lewd detail the bodies of a man and woman locked together in sexual intercourse.

And the man was her own husband!

"Like 'em baby?" Reagan asked in a harsh steely voice, very unlike the one he had used out in front of the house.

"They're... terrible," Jill gasped out as she looked at two or three others. She couldn't go on, her eyes were fastened with hypnotic intensity on a photograph that showed her husband's swollen penis disappearing deep up inside the wetly glistening pink vagina of a woman she recognized as Mr. Reagan's niece.

"Terrible?" Reagan said sarcastically. "I think they're pretty damn good. It was hard as hell to get them to come out so well in that dim light."

"You-You mean you took these yourself?" Jill asked unbelievingly.

"Damn right, baby, and I'm going to take them down to your precious husband's whimpy little boss." And Jill knew he meant it.

Jill's mind reeled from the unbelievable revelations of the past few moments. She felt a terrible pain in her heart as she looked at these obscene pictures of her own husband wrapped tightly in a lewd sexual embrace with another woman. And the most painful thing was that she had only herself to blame. Perhaps if she had been more understanding about his sexual needs he wouldn't have been driven to infidelity. Her stubbornness and her pride had helped bring their marriage to this. And even worse; because of this inexorable chain of events her husband was now going to lose the job he had worked so hard for. There would be no vice- presidency! There would be no better life! And she was as much to blame as him!

Guilt and jealousy and betrayal spun a mad dance in the young blonde's unhappy mind. What could she do? Was there any way to save her husband's position, because if he were fired under a cloud of disgrace she knew he would never be able to find another job in the investment field.

"Oh, Mr. Reagan," she pleaded, "please don't take those pictures to Mr. Aubrey. That would ruin my husband."

"You're damn right, baby, and that's just what I'm after."

"But why?" was her anguished plea.

"Why? I'll tell you why," Reagan said self-righteously. "Because that precious husband of yours snuck in my house and fucked my niece, and I'm going to see that he pays."

"I won't let you do it," Jill cried and desperately tore the photographs in half. Reagan just stood there and smiled while she continued to shred the pictures until only tiny pieces were left. He cooly smiled and drew another packet from his pocket.

"Thought you might do that," he said, "so I made copies, and, of course, I have the negatives."

Jill's beautiful blonde head fell forward in sobbing defeat, then she tried once again.

"Won't you sell them to me, Mr. Reagan. I have some money saved, and I could make it well worth your while. I'll give you a thousand dollars for the pictures and the negatives."

"What! Sell the virtue of my niece for money," Reagan roared in mock anger. "What kind of person do you take me for?" He subsided a little and then slowly stroked his chin as if he had just got an idea. "There may be another way," he said thoughtfully.

"Oh, what?" the desperate young wife asked. "I'll do anything to keep those pictures from Mr. Aubrey."

"Anything?" Reagan said, and a leering grin slowly spread over his heavy features. It was a moment before Jill began to suspect what he meant and her hand went to her throat in horror.

"An eye for an eye," Reagan said menacingly. "Your husband fucked my niece, I'll fuck his wife."

"No! I could never do a thing like that!" Jill gasped out. "Anything else, I'll do anything else, but not that!"

"Sorry baby, it's that or nothing," the big man said. He slipped the packet back in his pocket and started for the door.

"Wait!" Jill said in anguish. "You can't go, you can't do that to my husband!"

Reagan turned just in front of the door. "Change your mind?" he asked.

"I-I don't know," Jill said weakly. "Just don't go yet." She walked shakily over to the liquor cabinet and reached for the bottle of bourbon. She set a glass down on the counter top and, with trembling hands, poured it nearly full of the amber liquid. With a shudder she raised the glass to her quivering lips and took a long drink, then coughed as the burning liquor poured searingly down her throat. The distraught young woman gratefully felt an almost immediate numbness creep through her body and she took another drink. When the glass was empty she poured it full again.