Chapter 25

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Jake woke early, sandwiched between Leanne and Kara. He slid out of bed, showered, and got himself breakfast. Afterward, he checked his email while waiting for the girls to wake up.

From: Donna.Glenn@morningjournal.com

To: 23b7d5i@gmail.com

Subject: re: Family is what counts

Hi, 23.

Now you’ve got my curiosity up. I’m trying to figure out who you might be. I haven’t met any horribly disfigured men at the courthouse nor any 97-year-olds either.

It’s nice that you are concerned about my well-being. That doesn’t happen much to reporters. I am touched.

I’ll stop nagging you to meet me, but the dinner invitation remains open if you change your mind.

Don’t forget about me if you come up with another of those amazing Tommy Cox revelations.

Jake checked his watch. The women were probably still sleeping. He drafted a reply.

From: 23b7d5i@gmail.com

To: Donna.Glenn@morningjournal.com

Subject: Sometimes old bones need warm waters

Dear Donna,

Maybe sometime in the future, we can meet. I’ve been trying to make myself more presentable. I’ve been dieting and I think I’ll be able to crack the 400-pound mark in a year or so. The thought of meeting you serves as an inspiration for me.

I have another story for you.

Last December 5th, the legislature authorized state agencies to enter into contracts with Fletcher Data Systems to move data processing off of state computers and on to Fletcher’s. The contracts are expected to be valued at above 18 billion dollars over the next ten years. Now I don’t know how good Fletcher’s services are, but I do know that the cost of in-house data processing for the previous ten years was less than three billion. Perhaps the legislature knows something about computer systems that I don’t. That wouldn’t be hard.

The part that interests me most is what happened three weeks before the legislation passed. On November 14th Tommy Cox and Ryan Caldwell boarded a Gulfstream IV business jet owned by Fletcher Data Systems at the airport in the state capital and flew to Cabo San Lucas in Baja, Mexico. They returned November 22nd. While they were there, well, let’s just say the entertainment was especially entertaining. The unfortunate case of gonorrhea that Mr. Cox picked up was successfully — and quietly — treated by his family physician, Dr. John Christopher on the Friday following his return.

23

Jake walked down the hall. Ellen was in the shower. Kara and Leanne were stirring. Kate and Julie were still sleeping in 303. Nina was awake in the same room but still in bed. He sent her his affection.

Jake, thank God, I’ve got to pee really bad.

Jake got the spare key and slipped into the room. He put her in her chair and rolled her to the bathroom. After she had used the toilet, he put her in the tub. He was sitting with her when Kate stumbled in. She glared at him.

Just call for me when you’re ready to get out. Unless you’d rather Brian or Boris help you.

Nina stuck her tongue out at him. “Like Boris has eyes for anybody but Ellen.”

“Not if he sees you in the tub,” Jake turned to Kate. “My pardon, madam. I’ll just see my way out.”

Brian was asleep in 305. Boris was up and watching the news in 307. He was fretting about Lizzie. Lizzie and Emily were up in 309. Lizzie was thinking about Boris. Emily was excited about the prospects for the day. She was also daydreaming about Jake.

Jake went back to 301 where the women tackled him onto the bed and pulled down his shorts. What followed was a repeat of the previous day with Leanne giving him another earth-shaking blowjob that kept him on the edge of orgasm for twenty minutes.

It took until 9:30 for everyone to get up, dress, and have breakfast. They rented a speedboat and planned to spend the day on the lake. Emily’s friend Kelly had been invited to come, too. The first hour was spent teaching Jake, Julie, Kate, Brian, and Kara how to handle the boat. That afternoon, they rented several jet skis as well. Even Brian and Kate seemed to be enjoying themselves, as long as they remained apart. Kate still glared at Brian when he got too close.

Lizzie was focused on Boris. Boris was torn. Lizzie was attractive and sexy but Boris didn’t want Ellen to find out if he and Lizzie got together.

Boris, quit toying with Lizzie and let her enjoy her vacation, Jake sent to him when he noticed Boris admiring her yet one more time as she sunned herself.

I’m not comfortable having a casual relationship.

Boris, you need to get used to the fact that you work with mind readers. I know what you want.

Jake connected Ellen.

Boris was still hesitant, but Jake noticed that he spent more time talking with Lizzie.

Emily hung close to Jake. He didn’t give her any specific encouragement, but he didn’t think there was any harm. She was fun in a little-sister kind of way. At least he figured that was what a little sister would be like. Her enthusiasm when they had taken out one of the jet skis had been infectious.

Finally, everyone was hot and tired, and they called it a day. Jake dressed and caught a shuttle for the hour-long drive to Springfield to board an American Airlines flight home while everyone else went out to dinner.

Randy was waiting for him when his flight arrived. They drove straight to the lake house. Jake grabbed a couple bottles of water from the refrigerator and walked out to Jesse and Wyatt’s observation post. When he sat down with them, he saw that he needn’t have bothered. They had a cooler full of water and soft drinks.

Jesse described with some glee how Cal and his squad had been sacked upon reporting that Nina had gotten away. They had been replaced with a larger team. Wyatt said he thought there were now four cars. Jesse had been told that their contract had been extended and that they would be watching for another week. Jake grunted and went back into the house.

He had Randy drive him over to the Harrisons. They were halfway there, driving through a remote area alongside the lake when Jake noticed they were being tailed. He told Randy to make a U-turn and go back home. The U-turn maneuver brought them onto the chase car and another car a few blocks behind that one. They weren’t ignoring everybody but Nina anymore.

Jake put his suitcase in the speedboat and took it across the lake. Looking back toward the lake house, he was pretty sure he had caught the watchers flat-footed. He took the long way to the Harrisons’ boat dock.

Shannon answered his knock at their back door. She hugged him hard. Christine was waiting behind her to greet him, too. They led him into the kitchen where Jan and Mark were sitting.

“What’s wrong, Jake?” Jan said.

“I think the stakes are getting higher with Cox,” he said. “They tried to follow me when I left our house just now.”

“Who’s following you and why?” Mark demanded.

You haven’t told him?

He only knows that your family is spending a week away.

Jake ran through the facts of O’Conner v. Cox and their fear of Cox because of his reputation for vindictiveness and his influence. Then Jake explained what had happened on Friday.

“Jake, my God, you could have been killed,” Mark said. “And Ellen and Nina, too.”

“This is the last time I’m going to come over here from my house until all of this is resolved. I won’t give them a reason to take notice of you. I’m just lucky that they assumed that I would leave by way of the road. The guys doing the tailing are stationed at the main road. If they were watching the house itself, I wouldn’t have been able to come here unobserved.”

“No, Jake,” Jan said. “You can’t stop coming over. I don’t know if I’ve caught yet.”

“Jake’s caution makes perfect sense,” Mark said. “Keeping you and the girls safe is a lot more important at the moment.”

“Mark’s right. Nina’s deposition is in a week. Things may ease up then. We’ll have to see how it all works out.”

“Then you owe me, Jacob Fielding. Tonight and again tomorrow before you leave. If I ovulate on Tuesday and no little soldiers are waiting for that egg, I’m not going to be happy.”

Jake looked over at Mark. He just shrugged.

“Forget the criminal underworld, Jake. You’re dealing with something a lot scarier here. So your vacation’s not really a vacation?”

“Oh, it’s a vacation, all right. I think I’m about to pick up a 12-year-old girlfriend.”

“Do tell,” Shannon said.

Jake explained how they had adopted Lizzie and Emily and how Emily was showing signs of infatuation.

“Jake, you can’t get involved with that girl,” Jan said. “She’s too young. You’ve got too huge an advantage in experience and maturity over her.”

“So you are opposed to older, more experienced people having relationships with younger people?” Mark asked innocently.

Jan froze for a second, like a rabbit in the headlights.

“Forget I said anything.”

“Actually, I agree with Jan. I’m not encouraging Emily. And with Julie there, it’s not like I’m suffering from loneliness. Say, I don’t suppose I could talk you all out of a bite to eat?”

Jan fed Jake and then led him to Kyle’s room. It still looked like a high school student’s with posters of girls on the wall, an old desktop computer, and a TV with a video game console.

“You can rest up here, Jake, or come on down and visit. I’ll be by later for the next skirmish.”

Jake dozed off. He was awakened around ten by Jan slipping into his room.

“I hope you’re not too tired, Jake. You have to do your duty before you can call it a night.”

He roused himself and did his best to create a blaze of ecstasy. Afterward, he fell ungallantly asleep.

It was just after one in the morning that Jake was awakened again. Jan was gone and someone else was crawling into bed with him.

“Jake, I’m really horny. I can’t sleep.”

It was Shannon.

Jake turned on the light. She was naked and rubbed herself up against him. It felt nice even though he’d only been asleep for a couple of hours. He yawned and then fixed Shannon in a glare.

“You don’t think I have anything else to do all day besides satisfy sluts? You just took on more than you bargained for, missy.”

Jake grabbed Shannon by the hair and dragged her out of bed, out of the room, and down the hall. She scrambled desperately to keep up with him.

Jake stopped in front of the door to Mark and Jan’s room.

“On your knees. Facing away from the door. Stick your ass up. I’m going to fuck you right here,” Jake said with a growl. His voice was loud enough to carry clearly through the otherwise silent house.

“Jake,” Shannon hissed, “you’ll wake my dad.”

A door down the hall opened, and Christine stuck her head out.

“What are you guys doing?” she said in a stage whisper.

Jake pulled his boxers off, positioned himself between her legs and shoved hard into her. Her vagina was sopping and Jake slid in easily, if not gently. Shannon shrieked though she tried to be quiet.

“Shannon wants her dad to see what a slut she is,” Jake said loudly.

“Are you crazy?” Christine said, but Jake felt her arousal at the idea of being embarrassed by her father.

Jake glared at her. “You, get over here and kneel beside Shannon. Do you think you’re the slightest bit better than she is?”

“What the hell is going on out there,” they heard Mark say groggily from the bedroom.

Jake stimulated the three-nerve combination that induces sleep. He felt Mark drift off.