Chapter 7

Agent Claus Zimmerfaulk was uneasy at first when his former girlfriend, Zenobia Lovelocke, contacted him and asked for a meeting. He was hardly reassured when she claimed their previous relationship had nothing to do with the request but she would like to talk to him about the recent FBI coup off San Francisco.

He demurred. When Zenobia explained that she knew who was the anonymous informer who had given the hot information which led to the successful action, he cleared the meeting with his boss. The FBI had claimed the headline grabbing raid had been the result of a long undercover operation. Few knew this was not entirely true. Claus met Zenobia and Mary Anne for dinner in an approved restaurant.

After introductions Claus got down to detail.

"So who was the informant? And how will I know you are telling the whole truth?" he asked bluntly.

Zenobia was equally direct.

"It was me, I contacted FBI Washington," she said. "And I have a witness."

"That's me," said Mary Anne. She liked the look of the big man.

"So I'll tell you everything but in return I want some honest answers to some questions of my own."

"Okay. Tell it like it was," said Claus. He surreptitiously switched on a hidden recorder.

Zenobia did, more or less, tell it straight. She began with the abduction of herself and Mary Anne by the car thieves Eddie and Brian. She described the journey to the coast in Martin's van and the abduction and rape of Cindy Smith. She described Mustapha and his part as Captain Carruthers' agent and co-owner of the Scarlet Sombrero and other property in Mexico.

She told of her surprise at the coincidence that Cindy Smith was Carruthers' fiancee and how she conducted the savage punishment of the two thieves and Martin. She told, briefly, of how she and Mary Anne had overheard Carruthers making arrangements to meet the James E Jordan off San Francisco the following day at noon. Zenobia told how they escaped, bringing Martin with them, made the call to the FBI in Washington and made it home in one piece.

"That's quite a story, Zen," said the agent. "It explains one or two mysteries associated with the operation." Then he began quizzing her on details concerning the Black Dragon and its crew. When he was satisfied he asked her what questions she had.

"The news bulletins said Carruthers and partner were killed in the action? Was that partner Cindy or Mustapha?"

"I guess neither. He was a big, six foot six, Somali. Armed with a Kalashnikov."

"That would be Ali," said Mary Anne.

"There were no female casualties or women taken into custody—just male. The couple you call Eddie and Brian both died, one of his injuries before the bust went in the other was collateral damage during the assault. None of the crew answer to your description of Mustapha-a name we have a dossier on as drug dealer and white slaver. The Scarlet Sombrero is thought to be one of his haunts,"

"Could Cindy and Mustapha have got away? We took both the Zodiacs when we escaped.?"

"Easy to get someone from the marina to bring one out before the Dragon had to sail. It would just take a phone call," said Claus. "The weather at dawn was fine but a sea mist set in just before the rendezvous was made. No one reported any small craft in the vicinity but all eyes were on the two bigger vessels. We were very close to shore. It's possible your Cindy and Mustapha made it ashore. We'll keep an eye out for them."

After thanking them for their information Agent Claus switched off his recorder and entertained the two women during the remainder of the evening with general conversation and good humored flirting. Three days later, after a bout of sightseeing and shopping that left them both museum-ed out, Zenobia and Mary Anne made their way home and resumed their quiet lifestyle.

Claus contacted them a couple of weeks later. Mustapha had been sighted in Mexico with Cindy who, it seemed, was the Scarlet Sombrero's latest sensation—a whip-wielding stripper who was the darling of the masochist clientele.

"You'd never believe it, Mom," said an angry Mary Anne to her mother some six weeks later. "But that creep Martin came on to me after class. He wondered if we couldn't let bygones be bygones and start dating again."

"Did he now? What did you say?"

"I told him he was a grubby little rapist and he was lucky you didn't want to hurt his mom by turning him in. He made some excuse about being forced to do what he did. Then he got nasty and said we both enjoyed it really."

"His mother and father are lecturing at yet another academic bean-feast. They are going away for a week or two. Dahlia Parentis has asked me to keep an eye on young Martin. I've invited him to dinner on Friday."

"Mother!" Mary Ann exploded. "How could you? Don't expect me to be here."

Zenobia smiled. "I don't expect you to be here at first but hope you will look in on us later."

"What are you up to?"

"Wait and see."

When Martin arrived at Zenobia's house for dinner on Friday he was very nervous. He was grateful Zenobia had not told his parents what he had got up to on what they called his 'wild weekend' and had almost convinced himself that he had had no option other than to rape his hostess and her daughter. He was aware of Mary Anne's continued hostility. Martin suspected he was about to be given a strong sermon, at least, from Zenobia who he had avoided since returning from hospital

He was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by a smiling woman dressed in a smart black cocktail dress which seemed to be designed to exhibit her breasts and legs to considerable advantage. Indeed the neckline was so low and the cleavage so deep that part of the aureola of both breasts was visible. The hemline was so high that when she bent or sat the pale white flesh of her upper thighs above her stocking tops was momentarily revealed before Zenobia smoothed down the soft woolen material. The smooth line of her hips and buttocks and absence of a panty line suggested to the young man that Zenobia was wearing no underwear.

Seeing Zenobia dressed in such a provocative outfit aroused Martin. He remembered the intense pleasure he had experienced when he first raped Zenobia and the excitement and feelings of power he had felt using her body for his gratification. Of course, he told himself, he was sorry but, to his intense embarrassment, Martin began to grow an erection.

He was grateful to sit down at the table and accept a glass of wine before his attentive, and seemingly forgiving, hostess noticed. She draped a linen napkin over his bulging trousers.

While they attended to the first course—a dozen natural oysters with a lime sorbet—Zenobia chatted about his parents, school and what plans he had for the future but said nothing about the 'wild weekend'. By the end of the main course—rare eye fillet, asparagus and potato salad—Martin had plucked up courage enough to attempt an apology.