Chapter 6

"Mullady, meet me in my den in five minutes."

Franklin Barker fought back his temper. He was fuming. His conversation with Dedalus after interviewing his daughter still rang in his ears.

Dedalus had said:

"From the symbolic reenactment of your daughter's innermost drives and fantasies and the information you gave me, Mullady Mistler's place in the whole affair is of supreme thematic relevance."

"Are you telling me, Dedalus, that Mistler is the cause of my wife's death?"

"He is somehow inextricably involved. He has information that is relevant to the mystery of your wife's death. Melanie intuitively perceives this."

"But how could she know?"

"Her strong intuition gives her the ability to make random connections. Analysis of her dreams tell me that there is a secret between her mother and Mistler."

"Did Melanie mention Mistler by name?"

"No, but she didn't have to. You yourself told me that Mistler was devoted to your wife. Did he take care of the horses as well?"

"Why, of course. That was part of his duty. He often helped my wife to preen her favorite steeds."

"Are you aware which of the horses was your wife's favorite?"

"Yes, it's the same one Melanie has a passion for right now. The horse is a beautiful one, charcoal gray in color with a lovely soft blond mane."

"His name is Lightning."

"You talk as if he has a human personality."

"To the subjects involved, Mr. Barker, that is precisely the case. It appears that your wife, from my interpretation of your daughter's dream, had an abnormal attraction to the beast."

"What are you saying?"

"Something so shocking that if the words were to issue from my lips you would not believe it to be the truth."

"You'll have to be more specific than that, doctor. I'm paying you good money for this information. I would appreciate it for you to deliver the goods."

"What would you say to the notion that your wife may very well have had an affair with an animal. Would you believe it possible?"

Franklin Barker was in a rage. How dare someone possess the gall to insinuate that his wife was guilty of bestiality.

He had a notion to grab the small man by his skinny throat with one hand holding on the bobbing Adam's apple choking off his wind.

"Doctor, you're crazy."

"I knew you would say that. That's why I'm telling you that the proof you seek lies in the personage of Mullady Mistler."

"What do you mean, personage?"

"He is the missing link between your daughter's dreams of bestiality and the sudden disease that befell your wife."

"But in what way?"

"That is a specific detail that can only be filled in with one's imagination at this point. What Mistler's exact involvement is open to discussion. That he is undoubtedly the key to the symbolic reenactment of the neurosis, however, is clear as a bell."

"Did he conspire with my wife to arrange the act?"

"That is possible."

Dedalus saw Barker set his jaw firmly. He thought that Barker must be gritting his teeth. The eyes had a cold glint pulsing through them.

"Doctor, did you make a tape of your interview with my daughter?"

"Yes, I did, Mr. Barker."

"I want it."

"I'm afraid that's impossible. The tape is part of my library. It is strictly confidential. No one shall ever know of its contents except you and I."

Franklin Barker could see a compassionate look sweep over Dedalus' angelic expression. A radiant aura seemed to surround his face.

Just a moment before he would've killed for that tape. Now suddenly it didn't seem to be so important. He felt that he could trust Dedalus implicitly.

"I'll accept your word on that, doctor. I can see you're a man of integrity. Let me thank you for your help."

He reached across the desk and their right hands touched in a moment of understanding. Dedalus' soft palm made a dull impression on Barker's callused paw.

And now Franklin Barker sat in his den waiting for the moment of destiny the key to which lay in the person of Mullady Mistler.

He heard the tramp of his booted feet on the floor of the hallway that led to the chamber where his master waited.

"You called for me, sir?"

"Yes, Mullady, sit down."

It was rare when Barker allowed the ranch foreman the privilege of sharing his company in the large and luxurious den.

He sat his wiry body down into the folds of the plush lounge chair that lay across the large oak desk.

Barker lit a cigar and then handed the box over to Mistler who took one out and sniffed it underneath his pug nose.

Barker lit it for him. The friendly gesture had the effect of catching Mistler off guard when his master said directly:

"You lied to me the other day when I asked you to follow Melanie into the woods and see what she was up to."

"What are you talking about, sir?"

Barker lost his cool. He was sick and tired of having his questions being answered with another question.

"Mistler, if you don't level with me I'm going to shove that cigar right down your throat."

Mistler choked on the smoke that caught in the back of his throat when those vicious words came rolling out of Barker's mouth.

"Relax, Mistler, if you tell me the truth no harm will come to you. But if you lie you shall feel the weight of my wrath. Don't worry, I've already imagined the worst. Now spill it. What happened out there in the valley?"

Mistler's purple face receded back to its normal ashen color. The sorrowful arch of the ranch foreman's brow convinced Barker that what he was about to hear was the truth.

"I saw her atop Lightning riding naked."

"And why didn't you tell me the truth at the time?"

"Because I feared your wrath at the bad news. I did not want to be the one to tell you."

"Do others know about this?"

"No, sir, not that I know of."

"Mullady was there a secret between you and my wife?"

In his head Mistler debated his options. Either he told his boss the truth and took his chances or lied through his teeth.

He had to admit that he was impressed at his master's hitting the nail right on the head. Somehow he had discerned the truth.

"She came to me and asked me to build something."

"And what was that?"

Barker braced himself for the moment of truth. His emotion was part fear and part anxiety at getting closer to the truth.

"A mechanical contraption whereby she could have Lightning mount her without being crushed by the horse's weight."

Mistler looked Barker dead in the eye. He looked into his soul and could see the pain throbbing inside.

"Were you witness to the event?"

"Yes, sir, I was. There were two occasions. The last one was right before she died. Perhaps a day or so."

"Did she succeed in having her desire filled?"

"The second time she did. It was an awesome spectacle. She was consumed with lust and finally managed to insert the enormous staff inside her."

"Mullady, I want you to tell me everything you saw. Don't leave out a detail, or withhold information to spare my feelings."

Mistler wanted very much to tell someone what had happened on that spectacular occasion. The event had weighed on his mind.

He felt responsible. He had built the thing. A few days later Nora had died. In his soul he felt there was some kind of connection.

After her unsuccessful first attempt to have Lightning mount her, Mistler remembered that Nora undertook the second venture with a grim determination.

She told Mullady after dinner to be prepared for the encounter at precisely twelve o'clock midnight.

He removed the felt cloth from the decadent monument and preened Lightning and made the horse look sharp for the celestial encounter.

Nora arrived right on time. She was already in a state of lust. She was wearing just a robe and took it off immediately upon entering the shed.

Mistler could see her nipples that were swollen and bloated at the mere thought of making love to her fine steed.

This night they had a hard time keeping Lightning quiet. He had to put a leather muzzle over the horse's snout.

He arranged Lightning into position on the contraption and bound him in place with the leather harness.

The horse's cock was showing signs of arousal. As Lightning was bolted into place the cock rose in anticipation.

Nora gushed with lustful excitement ensconced herself inside the fur-lined pit grabbed the sturdy member.

She hugged it close to her. The cock stiffened almost immediately from her hot touch and she began to kiss it.

Lightning was shaking in the wooden frame that kept his body in position. The horse's feet shifted back and forth.

Nora ran her whole body over the erect black pole. She loved it in between her tits and it glistened from her sweat and spit.

Her teeth were bared. She was beside herself with passion. She let out little pig-like squeals of excitement. On the behest of his mistress, Mistler had added a row of bars inside the fur- lined pit.

This was to allow Nora a good grip so that when she turned on her hands and knees for Lightning to mount her she had just the right leverage.

But she was so intensely fascinated by the sturdy truncheon that she could not let go of it. She tried to swallow it in her mouth.

By straining her jaws wide, Nora finally managed the impossible. The enormous bulbous cockhead went between her lips.

With a superhuman effort she pulled that cock to her and buried the massive tip inside the embrace of her succulent mouth.

She jerked the massive member with her pretty hands and held onto the tip with her hot mouth.

Her lips encircled the rim under the cockhead and she swooned and gasped in delight from the throb of the cock in her mouth.

Her nipples were swollen. Her cunt flowered open and dripped juices from her blazing heat at making love to the horsecock.

Lightning's muscles trembled and convulsed in place from the crazy motion of the mistress' groping hands and loving mouth.

She reveled in the feeling of the cock being so close to her senses and continued to tug and pull on the member while the tip lay between her lips.

Mistler saw her body writhe in spasms as she came in a bevy of vibrations from the cock being in her hot grasp.

She took it out of her mouth with a yank and ran the wet tip all over the beautiful features of her face.