Mysterious Malice

Deirdre was astonished at this turn of events. She didn't know how Alice had done it but what had been a certain beating had turned around completely. Carl was pleased. He was very pleased. And while Deirdre didn't know about a three some, she knew Carl would love it. She decided that having sex with two people at the same time was a small price to pay for her indiscretion that evening as she followed Carl upstairs.

"I thought you'd never contact me again" Deirdre said as she welcomed Alice into the house a few days later.

Alice leaned over and kissed her hello. "I had work to do" she smiled.

"Carl gave me quite a gift for finding you" Deirdre enthused gesturing to the emerald necklace she was now sporting.

Alice admired it, it was a nice piece. The emeralds were connected by diamonds, a very nice piece if you could afford it. Carl Spaulding could afford it according to Alice's research. That was the work that she had to do that had kept her away the past few days. She now had Carl's credit report, financials, and even as a bonus his tax statements over the past few years. She was good and thorough in her investigations and now knew how much Carl was worth down to the dollar, pound, and ruble. She knew that he played in the big leagues, had foolishly and arrogantly left no will, and was a shrewd and trusted businessman in the community. She also knew a little more of the salacious gossip about the man, he was a man of varied and expensive tastes, he enjoyed power, women, and money and not necessarily in that order. He had covered up many indiscretions with money and that power. Women were easy prey to his charms. Men admired his prowess and brilliance and both threw money at his schemes that garnered both him and his bank millions. Already she had invested heavily in his bank in a manner that assured her great profits. "Nice" she complimented Deirdre.

"Carl has begun to become annoyed at the delay" she told Alice worriedly.

Alice smiled, he was anxious was he? He would have to learn patience she thought nastily, he would learn from a master if she had her way. "That's why I'm here, I realized I didn't have your phone number and hoped you wouldn't mind me just showing up?"

"I nearly died when the security booth called up to ask if it was okay to let you through" Deirdre confided, she was thrilled to see the blonde, delighted that she had 'just shown up', and relieved that Carl would stop pestering her. "I got a new phone" they shared a laugh.

Alice smiled again as they sat down in the sitting room. She looked around. This was not a room that had been decorated by Deirdre Spaulding. Everything reeked wealth and a sophistication that she knew Deirdre didn't have, not yet, but someday she might. Her investigation had included getting to know Deirdre. She now knew that the little girl who grew up by Mt. Shasta, CA had gone to school in San Francisco on an athletic scholarship and met the wunderkind that would be Carl Spaulding, he had chosen her out of the hundreds of women who had thrown themselves at his good looks. She had been so honored that he chose her that she let him do whatever he wanted with her, to her, and mold her into the woman she was today. Unfortunately that woman was a coward who chafed at his derision, cowered at his power over her, and had no confidence in herself because he had worn it down over the years. His good looks and money had killed any feelings she had harbored for him, they were a lie for the evil that inhabited his soul. "That's why you are going to invite me to dinner" she told the brunette.

Deirdre swallowed in alarm "so soon?" She didn't know if she was prepared for what was obviously on the agenda.

Alice laughed, delighted as she shook her head "no, no, not at all, this is just a way for the three of us to get to know one another better. We can wait to consummate our relationship until much later" she told the alarmed housewife.

Deirdre relaxed. She hadn't known if she could go through with what Alice and now Carl had planned. Carl was so enthused at her find that not only had he gifted her with the expensive emerald necklace she now sported (a repossession from the bank, btw) but he had actually been treating her relatively well for the past few days, but his impatience was beginning to show. She enjoyed her visit with Alice, talking with her until the housekeeper came in and she ordered dinner for the three of them. They visited until Carl came home at seven.

Carl was delighted to see the pearl colored Porsche in his driveway. He had asked his wife repeatedly when they would be seeing the petite blonde again and her evasive answers were beginning to annoy him. He had become greatly excited at the idea of subjecting both his wife and the curvaceous blonde to his obvious male superiority. It had aroused him repeatedly at work and he had taken it out on Gina in accounting, bending her over her desk and taking her hard against it. She had enjoyed it immensely but wondered what had gotten into him. It was a momentary diversion for him. He dismissed it as a release of the tensions building up in his loins, the anticipation of bedding both his wife and her new friend Alice. Seeing her car made him have a spring in his step as he returned from garaging his Jaguar.

"Hello?" he called as he came in the door and put down his suitcase.

"We're in here Carl" Deirdre called falsely, immediately feeling tension.

"We're on" Alice said quietly giving Deirdre a smile of encouragement.

"Well look who's here" Carl boomed as he walked in to see Alice sitting there drinking tea with his wife.

"Yes, Alice came by for dinner" Deirdre said, still a little nervous of her husband.

Alice put down her tea cup and stood up to greet Carl and give him a little peck on the mouth in greeting. He took advantage of the moment to crudely caress her ass, massaging it roughly. She was annoyed at the lack of subtly but let it pass, nothing showing in her yellow brown eyes.

"Dinner will be in a few minutes" Deirdre said as she stood up.

Carl let Alice go with another grope, this time 'accidentally' brushing against her breast. He turned to his wife, well pleased with their dinner guest and gave her an obligatory kiss. Hers wasn't as passionate as Alice's but then she was actually relieved wondering if perhaps Alice was playing with fire.

Throughout dinner Carl exerted himself to be charming. Alice was equally so. She was intelligent, witty, and sharp tongued. Enough to keep Carl intrigued. When he scoffed at her profession as a day trader, she pointed out a much talked about deal that only insiders knew about and pointed out that she was the master mind behind the scheme, she knew that Carl would know about it in his profession, and name dropping never hurt. This garnered not only Carl's attention but reluctant admiration. Money impressed him as nothing else. He eagerly anticipated bedding her but she pointed out that like a fine wine these things were meant to be savored, you didn't gulp a 100 year old burgundy, you researched it, you got to know it intimately. Instead of being annoyed he was intrigued, titillated, and found he didn't resent the wait, he actually loved her double entendre. Having her under him and at his mercy eventually would make it all worth the while.

Alice counted the night a success. She had kept Carl intrigued, and eagerly waiting to bed her. She had included Deirdre without making it too obvious that Carl treated her horribly, derisively, and like a servant to his unending needs. She had spent the late afternoon bolstering Deirdre's ego and the evening stroking Carl's.

They got to know each other over the next weeks as Alice studied them, learned little things that helped her with her plans. Carl was becoming impatient but once Alice had set a date for their threesome he calmed down. They had set some 'rules' in place for the much anticipated night together, safety words and other ideas to make it comfortable for all of them. What he didn't know is that the afternoons she came early to get to know Deirdre she made mind blowing love to the woman, captivating her closer, making Deirdre fall in love with her, willing to do anything that Alice wanted. She also bolstered the fragile woman's ego, teaching her to stand on her own two feet, to become the woman she had been before Carl got a hold of her. She spent the few nights she ate dinner with them letting Carl be masterful over his 'females' and encouraging him towards what he was sure would be a night to remember. He anticipated more than a night though; he expected a series of days of debauchery and lechery to his hearts content.

In the meantime Alice spent her mornings and most days putting chess pieces in place for the night in question. She dressed carefully for it, arriving later in the afternoon but holding off Deirdre and her amorous advances. "Now now, leave that for later, you want to convince Carl that we are new at this don't you?"

"God that pig wouldn't know a good F if he had it handed to him on a silver platter" Deirdre complained. Since knowing Alice she had learned a lot about making love, she had learned a lot about herself. She felt so much more confident in her sexuality and while she wasn't sure she wanted to be a lesbian she knew she was in love with the petite blonde, perhaps for the first time in her life, but she also sensed that Alice was elusive, she didn't share much, she certainly didn't tell Deirdre that she loved her but she showed in so many ways that she cared, that she enjoyed her body. Deirdre was under no illusions about how the woman might react to a declaration of love from her and kept it to herself.

"Madam?" the housekeeper came into the sitting room where they were enjoying tea.

Deirdre looked up wondering why she had come in; dinner had been ordered two hours ago, they were waiting for Carl before serving it. Alice looked up as well.

"There is a police officer at the gate" she said in her upper crust tones.

Deirdre looked absolutely surprised "a police officer?" she asked.

"Yes, he said he needed to speak with you, shall I let him in?" she asked.

"Yes, of course, let him in" Deirdre dismissed her and turned to Alice "what the heck is that about?"

Alice shrugged shaking her head but she knew, her gut told her. She felt a curious little sensation begin to hum inside of her, her yellow eyes began to gleam, she suppressed her gleeful emotions though. Now was not the time.

The housekeeper showed not one but two officers into the well-appointed sitting room. Deirdre rose graciously and walked towards the officers, behind her Alice rose as well and looked on. She knew these were not police officers but county sheriff's officers; it was a different kettle of fish.

"Officers, I'm Deirdre Spaulding, what can I do for you?"

Both men removed their hats immediately out of respect for the women. The first one apparently was going to speak for both of them. "Ma'am, I'm sorry to have to be the one to tell you that there was an accident today, your husband Carl was fatally injured." He gulped, he hated having to tell wives these things but someone had to. He glanced around the room and noticed the attractive blonde standing near the couch.

"Carl?" she said wonderingly "no, there must be some mistake" she smiled charmingly "we're expecting him for dinner" she gestured towards Alice.

The officer shook his head. One of the things they always looked for was the reaction of the remaining spouse; it told them a lot immediately about the situation. This one was in immediate denial. "No ma'am, there was a car accident, he crashed his car, I'm sorry to tell you he didn't survive."

Deirdre stood there in absolute shock. A strange worm of relief began to flourish in her but it was so far down that she didn't notice it. She stared at the officer as if he had grown horns.

Alice came up behind her and put her arm around her. "Deirdre, let's sit down, I'm sure the officers have more to tell you."

Deirdre let her lead her back to the settee and sat there numbly. Alice gestured to the two officers to sit across from them on the other couch. They sat with their hats in their hands looking around where the two women had obviously been drinking tea.

Swallowing noisily the spokesman for the two of them started again. "It was obviously an accident, there will of course be a coroner's report to rule out drugs or anything else" he began.

"He would hate that" Deirdre interrupted in a monotone.

"Hate what?" Alice asked before the cop could, it was a way to take control of the situation.

"An autopsy, he would hate that a stranger was cutting him open" she said as she began to shudder in reaction to the news.

Alice had an arm around her and put her other around her as well to gather her close.

"I'm sorry but it's necessary to prove he wasn't on drugs" the officer put in.

Deirdre laughed a short bark and said shaking her head, the tears began in her eyes "if you knew Carl you would know how he detested drugs and drug users."

The officers nodded to acknowledge her statement and filed it away in their minds for their report later. The spokesman for them both reached into his chest pocket for two cards that he put on the coffee table between them, next to the tea service tray. "If you need anything, you can call me. The preliminary investigation and witnesses are pointing to an accident, a tragic one, we will let you know when you can claim the body and have a funeral home pick it up."

"Oh gawd" she moaned, the enormity of it was beginning to hit Deirdre. Alice held her reassuredly, holding her own composure although her face was a mask of concern for her friend.

The officers noted her and asked "and who are you ma'am."

"I'm Alice Weaver, I'm a friend of both the Spauldings" she told them with perfect truth.

Never for a moment did they doubt her as she held the grieving and now sobbing woman in her arms.

Again the officer swallowed noisily "we will be in touch ma'am and as I said, contact me if you need anything or have any questions." Both of the officers rose from where they were sitting, relieved to be getting the hell out of the expensive house. It was bad enough to uphold the law but to have to face grieving widows and tell them their beloved husband was dead was a horrible part of the job.

Deirdre never heard them as she sobbed into Alice's arms "but he was coming home for dinner" she said unnecessarily to the blonde.

The officers had no reason to question Deirdre's sincere grief.

Alice watched them leave, relieved to have them gone. She didn't trust cops. They asked too many questions sometimes. That night she held Deirdre as she sobbed out her grief, her relief at having Carl gone, and the guilt over her relief, she subsided in the early morning hours as Alice watched over her friend.

Alice was an excellent friend to the bereaved widow over the next few days. Condolences began to come in droves, expensive flower arrangements were everywhere. Alice helped direct things for her friend. She drove her to Carl's lawyer's office and pretended surprise that there was no will. The state would take a large chunk of the estate since he had died intestate. The remaining chunk though was considerable and Carl had investments and property in place that assured the widow plenty of money in her coming years. Alice drove her to Carl's offices, helped her deal with the sugar sweet and two faced condolences of his co-workers and bosses. Already an audit was going in for his accounts and monies. On Alice's advice, Carl's lawyer, and now Deirdre's, was looking to protect as much of Carl's and now apparently Deirdre's assets as possible. Carl had been a rising star at his job, a silent stock holder who if he had wanted could have eventually been a partner, his holdings were astounding, but then Alice knew that, it just took direction to send the lawyer on the right course. Packing up his office took no time at all, the files had already been rifled through, there was a couple of plants that Deirdre had no desire to take, and a framed photograph of a much younger and happier couple, Carl and Deirdre in their early days before he turned into the monster he had become, before money and power corrupted him.

Alice helped her go to the funeral parlor to arrange the funeral, a necessarily evil before the body would be cremated. She had convinced Deirdre there was no point in letting the man take up real estate and his body interred in an urn would suffice. The outpouring of clients and friends for Carl Spaulding was amazing, but them he was an important man, a powerful man, and knew many people. Alice took a discrete step back and let the now more confident Deirdre handle this part. She slowly released her grip on her friend, bolstered her with encouragement, but slowly she took a back seat. Deirdre's two friends had become suspicious at her interest in their friend, after all the women had met in a lesbian club. That Alice was still around after all these weeks made them wonder at their relationship. If Carl hadn't bragged to his buddies that he was about to bed both his wife and the apparently bi-sexual Alice there would have been a quiet scandal and Deirdre would have suffered. Deirdre though wisely realized these two 'friends' were a subtle way to keep her in line with Carl and his buddies, equally controlling men of their wives, who voluntarily allowed these types of men to treat them in this fashion in exchange for a life that few could imagine. Deirdre slowly distanced herself from these types of people, she no longer needed them in her life, and she no longer had Carl controlling the purse strings, controlling her and who her friends were.

Alice let herself into her condo after the funeral and immediately went to her office and her laptop. She opened it and typed in an encoded password. She also had the pad for a thumbprint to ensure no one could ever break into the machine. She quickly pulled up the information she was looking for, satisfied that things were going her way. She checked the figures, and then double checked them, and sent a quiet command that would slowly sell off the mass of stocks that would now begin to rise again since the boy wonder of the banking world was buried. They had dipped quite low when his death was announced and Alice had bought large chunks of the stock planning for this moment. She had used the occasion of Carl's death to place her in a strategic position that allowed for vast profits, her profits; she looked satisfied as her blocks of stock were eagerly gobbled up as a greedy public began to buy the now rising priced options she had bought on spec. She enjoyed knowing that this manipulation had worked out to her pocketbooks benefit.

Remembering Carl's derision over her being a day trader she saluted herself with a glass of expensive wine over her astute business manipulations of the stocks of the bank, a few of their select customers that she knew about from her investigations, and the fact that by spreading her investments over a wide range of unrelated stocks and bonds she had allayed any suspicions from falling on her shoulders. After all, no one could have anticipated the death of Carl Spaulding could they? She smiled evilly.

Over the next few months as lawyers worked out Carl's investments and settled his estate, and dealt with the state, Deirdre became more confident in her role as a grieving widow, relieved to have him gone. She relied on Alice for a while but found she didn't need her so much towards the end. Alice was okay with this; she had anticipated this as well and left Deirdre with a loving smile and a memory that made her stronger, confident, and self-assured. She would survive now. Alice had ensured that in many ways.

~The End~ K'Anne ;-P