Chapter 1

Mrs. Alex Wilson wasn't a stupid woman, but right now she was having serious doubts about the exact level of her intelligence. She had been walking down this trash-strewn deserted street in a rundown part of the city for more than 20 minutes and the building numbers just weren't changing very fast. What she had assumed was only going to be a walk of a block or two had been four blocks so far and now looked like it would be at least another four or five blocks before she found the specific street number she was seeking. The longer she walked, the further she was getting from the relative safety and security of the main thoroughfare. She hadn't had much of a chance to start any closer, however, as the city buses stuck to the main roads.

It was a testament to her determination that she kept on walking, despite her misgivings and growing uneasiness. It was 10:00 on a weekday morning and Alex stuck out like a sore thumb in this seedier industrial part of town. She was wearing her Sunday best, not knowing exactly who she was going to meet, if anybody. Her silky print dress, the bright one with the tiny little blue and yellow "Forget-Me-Not" flowers on a white field reflected the bright sunlight. The reflecting light gave her an angelic glow as she walked down the gloomy street, though she seemed unaware of her striking appearance. Her sensible shoes, her nicest flats, clicked loudly on the concrete, echoing off the solid stone walls of the buildings that lined the sidewalks. Twice so far she had turned around to see if anyone was following her as she heard her own steps echoing behind her. She had not seen anyone behind her, in fact, she had seen no one at all, but Alex couldn't shake the growing feeling she was being watched.

White cloth gloves with a lace ruffle clutched her white leatherette purse to her chest. It wasn't clutched to her in fear, but in embarrassment, sort of. She had decided, at the last minute, to wear her combination slip and bra with the dress, rather than her usual sturdier undergarments. She hadn't worn this slip since her honeymoon, and it really did look better under the dress. It didn't support her like her other heavier bras did and the subtle bouncing of her breasts embarrassed her to no end. Only Harold had ever seen her breasts bounce around and that was when he had her do a 'hootchie' dance for him one night last month. Secretly she had been pleased he had gotten so excited watching her boobies bouncing around, but their unrestrained motion still bothered her. This morning her nipples were clearly visible, too, and that was another reason she was carrying her purse like a shield. Her other bras were thick enough to prevent them from showing so obviously, but what she was wearing now just wasn't up to the task.

A white pill-box hat with a blue rim set at jaunty angle completed her outfit. The white hat set off her red hair nicely, though it wasn't really necessary. Her lustrous hair was her best feature, she thought, and she spent hours every day brushing it. It wasn't Lucile Ball red, that orangey color that looked like it came from a bottle. It wasn't a dark red or brunette with red highlights, either, but somewhere in between. It was definitely red but not the hue typically associated with a hot temper. Hot sex, maybe, though that suggestion would have made Alex blush fiercely.

She still wasn't used to all the attention the men in this new city gave her. Those men lucky enough to have caught a glimpse of her wouldn't have disagreed that her hair was a nice feature. But her best one? To a man they would have said it was her body. When pressed, however, there would have not been any agreement on specifically why they thought that. There wasn't any one part of her body that was more outstanding than the others, but none of them were anything to sneeze at. Her breasts were normal sized or maybe a bit larger and very firm, but nothing outstanding, like the whoppers on the women that Harold was always staring at in his girly magazines. For the casual observer, it was hard to tell what their shape and size truly was, as Alex tended to "dress down" to de-emphasize that part of her body.

Her ass was well rounded and pert, but again, nothing to draw attention away from anything else. Those boys from her high school who had seen her in a bathing suit would have argued perfection or nearly so, but Alex avoided tight-fitting clothes so not many people had a chance to see for themselves. Like a fine wine, Alex had improved with age.

Her legs were long and shapely, but not exaggerated. Her waist was thin and her tummy flat, but still, just about what you would expect. All in all, she was very well put together, but seemed neither ashamed nor aware of her attributes.

To her family and the few friends she had, her bright green eyes captivated your attention, drawing you to her with dancing amusement. Her intelligence and curiosity were evident in those expressive eyes. She always seemed to be laughing inside, too, and when she wasn't hiding her mouth and nose with her hand, you could see a persistent smile, sometimes impishly teasing the corners of her lips. Her face was usually devoid of makeup, part of the reason the women in her new neighborhood tended to be jealous of her. She had a naturally striking beauty without any artificial coloring or enhancements.

Alisson 'Alex' Wilson had been married for only 9 months. Her husband, Harold — not Harry! — was an accountant for a local Accounting firm and was several years older than she was. Actually, he wasn't a certified accountant yet, so most of his jobs were more bookkeeping than accounting, but Alex knew that one day he would make it. It was just a matter of finishing his degree -- well, actually, he had to start taking the courses first, but that was going to happen as soon as he could get his next promotion -- and then he could get certified. Which Harold said was almost automatic. Harold had such big plans!

She had graduated from the county high school last June, ranked third in a class of 27 when Harold had come into her little town. She had dated a little in high school, but most of the guys there were more like her brothers or cousins and it didn't feel right. Besides, with all of the chores everybody had after school and during the summer, there wasn't much time for socializing. These days, the survival of their farms and their families depended on everybody pitching in and working hard. Alex had not been looking for an escape from her life, but what with graduation and falling madly in love with a mysterious older man, Harold, her life had been turned upside down.

Harold had proposed to her on their third date and they were married in a small ceremony before the local Justice of the Peace. Only her mother and two of her best friends had been able to attend. Everyone else had had to help with the first harvest, but they sent their best wishes. Alex wasn't disappointed, but Harold was surprised at all the produce they received for wedding gifts. It was as if he had expected money or something. Folks in these parts had big farms and were considered millionaires because of the property values, but money was always tight.

Alex had been a virgin on her wedding night, a fact that Harold had not expected nor appreciated. Alex had known what to expect as her mother and aunt had prepared her, but even then she was disappointed. It was over so fast and really, she couldn't see now what all the fuss was about. Harold had got on, grunted, rolled over and snored. Big deal. She didn't let her disappointment show, however.

Daddy was thrilled when Harold agreed to help on the farm. There was sort of a mix-up, because Harold had thought he would just handle Daddy's money. He wasn't prepared to handle the pitchfork Daddy handed him. Harold didn't last an hour.

Harold was also surprised to learn that the farm wasn't going to be broken up between Alex and her older brother. Farmers had learned that lesson the hard way a long time ago. The land stayed intact and in the family. Alex' brother, away at college getting his Ag Degree, was getting the farm. Alex wasn't getting anything and didn't expect it.

Two weeks later Harold had decided to get 'a real job, ' as he put it and moved his new family out of state to a small apartment in a big city. There was no question that Alex would move with him, even though she was needed on the farm, as wives were supposed to support their husbands. Since the move, Alex had been trying to make the small two room apartment a home for them, but time was beginning to weigh heavily on her hands. She was not used to having so much idle time and Harold didn't want her to work.

In his newest job, the third new job since they had moved, Harold traveled across a 5-county area doing the books and payroll for several small businesses. His travels kept him away from home four nights a week, two nights to the north, home on Wednesdays, then two nights to the south and home for the weekend. In a way, his schedule was what brought Alex to this part of town. She was looking for one of businesses Harold visited on Wednesdays when he was in town.