Douglas Dodd

CHAPTER 1

Late afternoon Douglas Dodd drove slowly into the tree studded town, recognizing it well, a town that appeared to be sited amid a town park, which was what the town fathers at the time had intended.

It was beautiful and peaceful and Douglas, who had not an ounce a goodwill around his heart, frowned. He had come here to do harm to Ida Goldsmith. Thirty years ago she'd accused Douglas of making her pregnant. Her father and two brothers had beaten him savagely and ran him out of town, ignoring his protests he'd never touched Ida carnally, though to be honest he knew the thought had never been far from his mind although she was almost ten years older.

He pulled into a pleasant looking motel and booked in. A woman half his age said, "Welcome to my establishment."

He noted she'd said 'my', not ours.

"We are full apart from the honeymoon suite."

Douglas yawned and rubbed tired eyes. "That would be fine. I take it you are itching to share it with me?"

She looked at him with tired eyes. "I buried my husband not two months ago tomorrow."

"Christ, I'm sorry. That was intended as a flippant remark."

She pushed the register across for signing in. "I'm sure it was and please excuse me for failing to lift to enjoy a jest but I feel ready to come out of this."

"Sure and I'm sorry."

"You may have the suite at ordinary suite rate."

"Thank you. I've driven 590 miles today so won't appreciate the quality of my surroundings till morning. I'll stay five nights but shift me to an ordinary room whenever you wish."

"Thank you. Sleep well traveler."

Douglas was walking out when she called, "Mr Dodd, would you like me to bring up soup and coffee?"

"Yeah, that would be great Mrs ah....?"

"I'm intending to revert to my maiden name, tomorrow perhaps. Call me Irma Goldsmith."

"Okay Irma, great old fashion name," Douglas said, too tired to react to the name Goldsmith. Besides he was aware other families of Goldsmiths existed, including in this town.

Douglas heard the light knock and called come in. Irma used her passkey.

He sat up in bed thinking despite the t-shirt she'd be impressed how well his upper body in such good shape for a guy of his age.

Irma said something surprising, not quite what he'd expected.

"How old are you?"

"Forty-nine."

"Are you the Douglas Dodd my late father thought was my father?"

"What a strange thing to put to me," Douglas said, mind reeling.

"Do you know my mother, Ida Goldsmith?"

Douglas proceeded carefully. "May I start the soup while it's still warm?"

"Oh of course." Irma handed across the tray and sat on the bed without asking, her green eyes watching him intently.

"Yes I knew an Ida Goldsmith. She was my baby sitter and we formed an attachment until I left town when I has nineteen. But that was thirty years ago and Ida would have married. He looked more closely at the pretty brunette. Christ, she'd be no older than thirty. Oh god, he thought. Irma was Ida's daughter.

Through the mind-fog he heard Irma say, "My mother never married. She was unmarried without a boyfriend when she became pregnant. Thereafter no one would marry her. You know what it's like, small towns talk.

When I was five Athol Stokes confessed to my grandfather he was the father and my grandfather shook my mother until she confessed. Then something terrible happened. My grandfather went inside and came out with a rifle and shot Athol Stokes. A guy who'd driven Athol to our ranch drove off and called the Sheriff. Deputies arrived and granddad began shooting at them and they shot and killed him."

"Oh I'm sorry. What a tragedy. If only your mom and Athol had owned up instead of allowing the blame for the pregnancy to fall on me. Your mother knew who the father was but allowed her father and uncle to beat me mercilessly.

She stood and watched.

The men then gave me one hour to leave town or the alternative was to stay and fight for my life."

"So it's true that you weren't my father?"

"Absolutely. It may interest you to know you I never had sex with her."

"Well I believe you, absolutely. So she helped to ruin your life in this town."

"Yes."

"And you've arrived back to kill her?"

"Wouldn't I have arrived back years ago to do that if that had been on my mind?"

Irma yawned and scratched under an armpit. "I have no idea how the minds of aggrieved people work."

"Here take the tray and come back a lay beside me on the blankets and pull the top cover over you and nap in my arms. You look exhausted."

"Well the night manager has taken over. I suppose I could do that but it seems a little strange. Have you returned to kill me?"

"Good god no. However could you think that?"

"It's not illogical."

"Perhaps to a mad man but I'm not mad, still a little bitter, yes, but not deranged. My divorce became absolute last week. My wife said she still loved me but could no longer bear to live with me and says my moodiness depresses our two children. She'd found someone else so we divorced, I being the initiator because I really couldn't blame her."

"Mood swings. God I can't risk staying beside you."

"That's fine, go."

Irma stood silent for half a minute and then said, "I feel responsible for your misery."

"Christ no, never think that Irma. It just isn't true. The truth is I hadn't known who your father was until you told me just a few minutes ago. That came as a shock as Athol was a pal, although three years older. It's ironic he was shot to death because he taught me to shoot and I became quite a marksman but never as good as Athol, he was the sharpest shooter in the county. As for what I have in store for your mother, I have no idea. A good kick in the butt could be appropriate. I had decided to look at her in the distance and then decide."

"She won't be like the hot little goodtime girl with big breasts and tight skirts you remember. She's gone to fat and limps because of a hip injury from a fall from her horse years ago. I'll be she'd get a shock seeing you looking all lean and muscular like this."

"Perhaps. Well off you go and let me get some shuteye. We can talk later."

"I'll do what you say and stay here for a while. It would be lovely to have someone's arms around me."

They fell asleep, he the former villain of the Goldsmith family Douglas Dodd, and she the-29-year beauty of the extended Goldsmith family who Douglas was still to learn married an international marathon runner who'd died in a hunting accident, shot by his best buddy.

Douglas awoke at daylight looking forward to chatting with her but Irma had gone. Douglas was disappointed but only partly so. She'd awoken him during the night when she went to the bathroom but she returned and although he was half asleep he remembered Irma pulling his arm around her and kissed his cheek.

At 8:00 he heard a knock and called 'Come in' hearing a knock. He hadn't remembered to order breakfast and Irma hadn't asked. She walked in smiling brightly as said 'Hi, you look quite good even shortly after waking up."

She placed on to his lap a tray containing a pot of coffee and two sliced bagels covered with Spanish omelet and went over and pulled the drapes open.

"Thanks. What no kiss? I cleaned my teeth before reading the newspaper."

She walked over confidently and kissed him on the lips and pulled his head against her breast. "My heart cries for what my mother did to you."

He pulled away and smiled, saying breakfast looked great. She revealed no disappointment at his indifference.

As Irma walked away he thought a great ass sway, inherited from her mother and then grinned bashfully knowing he had no memory of how her mom had walked. His expression turned sober and as she turned at the doorway he said, "I have no intention of harming your mother."

"I know that," she said and left.

Douglas ate thinking of Irma's body. Thinking that and good food made him smile and realize he was interested in women again. Er interested sexually. There was a chance she could be interested in him because she accepted her mother had ended up treating him terribly.

At that point his feelings for Irma crumbled. She was being lovely to him because she felt sorry for him and guilty about her mother's treatment of him. No way did he want any woman feeling the reason for kissing and cuddling him was she felt sorry for him. Christ what did she think he was! The stupid bitch.

Later and calm again he tried to think of Irma's position in all this. The reality was she was entitled to feel a little guilty herself, knowing it was Ida being pregnant with her that had ignited the banishment of Douglas from his hometown. Besides the poor darling was in mourning and had her own loss knifing into her.

He drove off and when he returned Irma ran out to greet him.

"Oh thank heavens you're back. I was worried you might have gone for good."

"No, why would I do that?"

"Oh I may have said something that upset you. Then I thought perhaps you can understand I'm still not thinking straight because my late husband was buried two months ago today."

"Irma, please don't upset yourself over me. You have more important things to focus on."

Reaching into the trunk of his Mercedes Douglas grinned, "I was so grateful of the warmth of your hospitality and you coping so bravely with your grief I bought these for you as an expression of appreciation."

He pulled out a huge bouquet of flowers and placed them in Irma's arms. She looked up at him kindly, her eyes awash with tears.

"Oh thank you," she said gravely and managed a weak smile.

Douglas said, "I also stopped for coffee and called my parents. They were thrilled to know I was back in town and for once didn't have to go on to me about returning. Over the years they've visited me, usually twice a year. My sister Kathy is home on a flying visit and I'm joining them for dinner tonight. Would you like to accompany me?"

"Oh no let it be a big family reunion."

"None of us is really big into family and Kathy will be missing her family who are back in Dublin."

"Well your father knows me because his company built this motel because my husband Donny, who was a design engineer in commercial construction, wanted me to be occupied while he was darting off around the globe running. He thought a business that tied me down would be the answer and I agreed. I'm also on the Mayor's social welfare advisory committee with your mother, she being the oldest member and I being the youngest to achieve what the Mayor calls 'across the board representation'. I could go comfortably but, um, what if they read something into me accompanying you?"

"What could they possibly think other than you are a new friend?"

For the first time Douglas saw Irma blush and thought it made her look wildly attractive, his term that avoided the often misused word of beautiful. In his book beautiful meant flawless beauty and in his mind very, very few women achieved that grade and that's how it should be.

"They could think we were lovers."

"Would that worry you?"

"But it's not true."

He pursued relentlessly. "Would you like that to become a possibility, er, in time?"

The big blush returned. "I have to confess the idea more than crossed my mind this morning."

"Well there is an age..."

"Don't quote age Douglas, please don't. Age difference is not in my equation. Besides, what has age to do with the subject of becoming lovers?"

Douglas considered that and shrugged, "You've got me there."

"I thought I had," she giggled. "Yes I will be honored to go with you tonight providing you call your mom right now. And I'm happy for them to think what they like."

Douglas looked at his feet. "I regret this subject of sexual assessment has cropped up. You are still in mourning."

"It's okay Douglas. I'm completely relaxed about it. I'd like you to know my love for Donny took a permanent hit when I found out there were other women in this town who currently knew him sexually and six of them stood together at the funeral weeping. Have you any idea how that made me feel, turning in the knife?"

"Christ,"

"Thank you. I couldn't have expressed my reaction better myself had I been in your shoes. Call your mom now and let's see how the cookie crumbles. It may interest you to know there is no arbitrary time limit in my mind how long must it be before I resume sexual activity. I may also interest you to know I adore great sex. I'll be in the office."

Douglas looked at the retreating young woman, thinking her ass appeared to be swinging rather erotically but perhaps that was his imagination. He was sure women could control ass sway but was aware many didn't exhibit any noticeable sway. Ass sway did something to him. He grinned and felt good.

* * *

Irma smoothed down her skirt after sitting down at her desk and called, "How are the bookings Gertrude?"

"One double cancellation offset by three doubles phoned in this morning and another double by email so another almost full night tonight and tomorrow we are full again. We are the hottest motel in town thanks to your staffing policy and the standards you set... by self example I must say."

"Thank you Gertrude. You really are settling in as a prime member of my team."

"Irma please call me Gert. My father and my best friends call me that."

"Why thank you Gert. Much appreciated. Please note on the day-night schedule I'm out of here at 6:30."

Irma had decided to eat out whether or not she went out with Douglas. Her phone went. It was Douglas saying his mom was expecting them around 7:00.

"Um, is this a date?"

Irma colored. He sounded just like a young guy filled with uncertainties and yet wanting to score. She smiled, wanting that smile to 'sound' in her voice. "Yes, if you'd like me to acknowledge this is a date. In fact I'd very much like that."

"God you are great," he said, cutting the call.

Irma wriggled her toes in her tight shoes and felt her smile grow fat. She decided to allow Douglas to do it that night, if that's what he wanted. She certainly felt in the right mood. God her mom would feel like killing her, screaming Douglas Dodd of all people. Well Ida of all people knew her mom could exhibit signs of being emotionally unstable at times.

At that Irma lost her smile but her chin jutted, just a little.

A few minutes before 6:00 Irma ended her 12-hour day and slipped into a bubble bath and thought how she could assist to ensure a seduction occurred. She then thought about clothes and decided it could upset Kate, Douglas's mom if she dressed colorfully and so she decided everything black with the only color being cherry shoes. They had to be colored shoes otherwise there'd by no hint to Douglas that she wasn't in mourning.

As the fragrances of the burning candles became apparent Irma slipped into romantic mode. She knew she'd be all over Douglas's body... god he was like a guy in his thirties. His bald patch at the back was only just apparent but the rich brown hair still abundantly covered his temples. He'd probably be fit, with that great looking body and probably could go for hours. Circling a breast lightly Irma felt quite dizzy at the thought of being caressed and pounded for an hour or two. But she suddenly thought she really didn't know much about him. She couldn't allow a guy to fuck her if she didn't know him!

"Stop it, you silly bitch. What you know is enough. Stop being silly.

But it was no use. All deep-breathing thinking about romance had evaporated.

* * *

As arranged Douglas had stopped his car at the laundry exit at the rear of the central administration and facilities block. Irma slipped out and into the vehicle, not wishing to be observed by staff. Once out on the street she asked, "That was a very sweet kiss, I really do feel I'm on a date. May I ask what is your occupation?"

Douglas squirmed in his seat.

"What's wrong, you look embarrassed?"

"I-I was waiting for the right moment to tell you."

There was an awkward silence and then Irma stiffened. "Ohmigod, it's you. But you are not due till Monday."

"My loan approval came through earlier than expected so I came early."

Irma smiled. "Talk about coincidences. You are the only initial inquirer still interested in buying my late-husband's consultancy."

"Coincidences yes."

"The two other engineers decided not to make a joint bid."

"Yes I know. I was advised one is female and pregnant so she decided not to take on the responsibility and the other guy is only recently qualified and couldn't raise the finance because he had no proven track record."

Irma said yes quite right.

"I'd have to check him out. Perhaps if all goes well I might finance him into taking up a minority partnership interest. People who are paid out of profits are more committed because they know profitability payout can really boost salary."

"Well don't be too eager to organize that Douglas. Jack is my cousin, the younger son of my uncle who bashed you and helped run you out of town."

Douglas shot her a disapproving glance. "A son can't be held responsible for his father's crime."

Irma leant over and kissed his shoulder. "Of course not and I should know that better than most people because you hold no grudge against me for what my mother did to you."

"Trust me Irma because that's my attitude one hundred per cent."

Douglas pulled over under some overhanging trees and stopped.

"Your parent's home is fifty yards away."

"I know. I just wanted some kisses."

"Oooh," Irma said, unclipped her seat belt and pulled sideways over Douglas and began kissing him, saying he'd have to excuse her forwardness but she'd been waiting for such an opportunity. "I have been thinking about kissing you."

As the long kissed continued Irma unzipped the back of her dress and pausing in the kiss said, "Dig in if you wish and grab a handful; there's plenty there. I need to know you have something exciting in store for me later."

"We can do it now," Douglas said smoothly, squeezing an already erect nipple. But he then pushed down over her fairly flat tummy, under her belt and rolled over her pubic bone to pat pussy.

"Ohmigod, how did you get down there," she practically panted. "No not now, we'll be late and my hair and make-up will be messed up."

"Aw," Douglas pretended to complain, withdrawing his aggressive hand.

Presumably because he was such a good boy Irma eased her tongue into his mouth and met his, to do a little tonguing 'howdy-do' before withdrawing and attending to her hair and make-up. Douglas drove off slowly to give her time to finish before turning into the driveway of his parents' home.

They drove away three hours later, pleased the evening had been so successful although his dad Desmond had given everyone an embarrassing moment when saying to Irma, "I can't understand why a gorgeous young beauty like you is giving your time socially to someone as old as my son?"

But Irma was up to it. She'd replied, "Desmond I'd think you'd see it my way if you regarded age differential as not being all that important. Dare I say you'd have even greater insight if you understood your son's and my histories as being perversely and irrevocably linked due to tragically misrepresented circumstances."

Desmond's eyes appeared to be spinning in their sockets as he attempted to get his mind around Irma's intensity. "Um yeah, that is ah understandable."

Then Kate gave Irma what she wanted. "Although you and I have not discussed that matter Irma, I understand what you are saying. You see Desmond and I knew because Douglas insisted he'd never had been involved in that manner with your mother that could only be the truth."

The women kissed and a very ordinary and predicable dinner evening eventuated except for Desmond declining his mother's invitation to return home to stay. He'd laughed saying he'd figured if he shifted back in he'd be too reluctant to leave. That was when Douglas's sister Kathy said her piece.