Quiet Servitude Pt. 06a3

I liked the sound of that. Fortunately, we continued to talk about some lighter subjects and moved far away from a topic I didn't want to discuss and that was how I had managed to feed and house myself in addition to earning enough to pay for surgery, not all of it legal but easy enough to do given my training.

"I didn't really want to go back to North Dakota." I said, the winter dragging on like it would never end.

"That might be a problem then." He said chuckling.

"Spit it out."

"We're heading for Montana. Not only bone chilling cold but a foot of snow when I left."

"Great!" I exclaimed, wrapping myself even tighter in the blanket to keep out the imagined cold my brain had conjured up.

"Not to worry Love, it's only a temporary retreat while. Warm destinations in our future after that!"

I had thoughts of tropical climates in my head as I lay back down and drifted back into an easy slumber as the road pitched higher into the Rockies as we made our way to our next destination.

Chapter 23 - Tuesday, June 14th - 1:00 p.m.

The last of the snow was finally gone and the forecast said it was the last of it until the fall. I, for one, was glad that it was gone but it appeared that we would skip the spring and jump right to summer as the warm weather finally made it to our doorstep. We had landed just outside of Yosemite Park and a small home awaited us there. Hal it seems had some talent as a photographer and had all the right equipment scattered around the living room. He didn't do it for the money necessarily, but when the few visitors came around it provided a perfect cover given the proximity to the park. It wasn't really an occupation but more of a hobby that helped him pass the time as I recovered over the next couple of weeks. As we passed the first month away I was fully healed and began to set up our little household, much in need of a woman's touch. We were renting so there was only so much I could do.

I was starting on dinner when Hal came in, carrying an armload of photographic equipment.

"Hello Love." He said, walking up behind his happy girlfriend who had adjusted to the wilderness.

I turned and we embraced, kissing softly in the glow of the cheap fluorescent lighting.

"Have a good day?" I asked.

"It was an interesting day to say the least." He said as he pulled away and dropped his digital camera into the docking port attached to the printer station. A few buttons later and the printer went to work kicking out a few selected shots from today.

The stew for dinner had was several hours away from being edible so we nibbled on bread and lunch meat and chatted about a few inconsequential things. When we nearing the end of our meal, I cleaned up as he went to check on the printer. When he returned a minute later, he held several in his hands and the usual smile was more forced. I noticed the change in his demeanor immediately.

"What's up?" I asked. "Today's work stink?"

"Recognize it?" he asked, handing me the photo as though I would know what famous landmark in the park he had photographed today. I had been out with him a few times but was hardly a tourist guide in training. The photo in my hands wasn't the landscape I was expecting. If I didn't know any better I would say it was taken not too far from the house.

"That the stand of trees down my the road?" I asked.

"Yup. Recognize him?"

I shook my head.

"Nice composition though." I remarked, noticing how the man was framed and the lighting perfect.

He chuckled at the levity but I could tell by the look in his eyes that this was serious.

"Who is he? Feds?"

"No. Doesn't look like a Fed. If he, the game would already be over. Must be a PI. Looks like your ex is still worried that you're out to get her."

"I don't know if she should be." I said, leaning against the counter, suddenly weary. "I wanted to get her something awful, but had resigned myself to get on with my life once I had the surgery."

"But her meddling and Terry's appearance changed that?"

I nodded.

"Probably my fault for calling her up and threatening her." I said.

"You have to admit though it was pretty funny."

"Yeah. It was. Gave me all the justice I felt I needed, considering the circumstances."

We hugged again, holding each other for comfort as the minutes passed. We finally pulled away when I heard a car approach on the gravel out front. We often kept to ourselves so it wasn't often when someone just stopped by. The pickup truck stopped right out front and a man and his dog jumped out and came up to the door but they didn't bother knocking because Hal had stepped out.

"Hello Carl." He said. "Come on in."

They came inside and his golden lab came over to me in the kitchen, drawn by the aroma of the stew on the stove. I loved dogs and was sure I would have another one day. He followed me back as the introductions were made. It's a good thing Hal did the introductions because my name had changed yet again to Katie Wilson, Mrs. Katie Wilson, the happy wife on Ronald Wilson, an up and coming wildlife photographer.

"This is Carl Johansen. Deputy with the local police department."

I did the gracious thing and shook hands, not missing a beat, but went back to petting his beautiful dog so I wouldn't have to fear tipping our hand.

"Want a beer?" Hal asked. "Come on in and sit down."

"Love to but I can't stay long. Just wanted to swing by on my way home and let you know that there was a guy in today asking about you. Private investigator from the southeast." He said, passing Hal a slip of paper with the info on it. "Thought you'd like to know."

"Appreciate it Carl." Hal replied. "This him?" he asked, fishing out the photo from his pocket.

The deputy took it and studied it for only a second before nodding.

"Yup. That's him. Came in late yesterday and talked to Charlie but he didn't give him anything. This the stand of trees down by the road?" he asked, holding up the photo.

It was Hal's turn to nod.

"I'm heading into work now. Need anything?"

"Are you going to be out this way around seven?"

"Sure. I'll be out in the car tonight. What do you have in mind?" he asked casually.

"Need a few hours here to get ready to go. Can I call in a suspicious person roaming the woods nearby and have them call it in to you?"

Carl smiled.

"No problem. I'll take him for a long car ride and ask him a few questions. We'll lock him up until morning, then I'll have to let him go. He alone?"

"Yeah. All by himself. Don't know for how long but if he isn't there will only be another two people with him most likely, a man and a woman."

"Alright. I'll be out this way at seven then. If we get strangers in before then I'll give you a call."

"Appreciate everything Carl."

"No problem Ron. Take care."

With that he departed and life for us was going to change again. Even before the deputy and his dog were gone, Hal had already begun packing up his camera gear. We didn't have much else in the way of possessions so I had our clothes packed in a matter of minutes and everything but dinner was safely stowed away in our SUV in the garage with little effort.

I was getting ready to pull the stew from the stove when Hal stepped into the kitchen and stopped me.

"We need to eat."

"Don't feel much like eating." I said dejectedly, staring out the kitchen window until I realized that was where the private investigator had set up shop. "This isn't going to end, is it?"

"Doesn't look like it. As I see it, we have four options open to us. One, we can turn ourselves in and deal with the results.

I didn't like being on the run but was liking the new me and potential life I had with Hal.

"Two, we can run again and hope they don't find us. Don't forget that the they're the only ones looking for us. The cops never bothered to look for two missing employees after their employment ended."

"Nope. Next option?"

"Three, we turn the tables, hunt them down and persuade them to turn the other cheek and get on with their lives."

"I don't think that will work either. Look at the lengths they've gone to so far." I said, motioning towards the PI hiding in the woods outside.

"Fourth, we find them and deal with the 'problem'."

I knew what he was referring to and although it appealed to me, I don't know if I could go through with it. I didn't know about Debbie and her husband until it was over. I often thought about what would have happened if I had knew what Hal was up to. I loved the man even though I knew what he had accomplished. He had done it for me and I knew he would do it again. It was hard to believe that a man who was so gentle and kind could be capable of such violence.

"We don't have to decide now. We can just relocate and begin a passive search for them. Unlike us, they aren't living off the grid. Shouldn't be too hard to pick up the scent and when we do, we can work our way down the options, keeping them on the run and see what happens."

"That sounds like an acceptable plan." I said.

We milled around, trying to preoccupy ourselves until the appointed hour. I was impatient to get on our way and pulled the stew from the stove as soon as it could possibly be done so I would have something to do. As it was, it finished up around 6:30 and we ate in silence as I continued to watch the clock. Unable to contain myself any longer, I encouraged Hal to make the call ten minute early and at 7:08 p.m. we could see the squad car pull up and throw on his lights. The deputy strolled from his car as though on a mission and stepped out of sight into the woods, returning a few minutes later with a man clearly agitated, hands cuffed behind his back. Thirty seconds later, the lights went off and the car turned around in the short grass and was gone just as quickly as it had appeared.

I let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding and turned away from the window.

"Ready to go?" he asked. "Your chariot awaits."

I tried to smile but it felt weak as we climbed into the vehicle and pulled away on the next leg of a journey that had grown tiresome. I'm sure Hal had already decided, but I knew then that we would never truly be free while Christa and Terry were running around, spending resources on tracking us down. The law wasn't after us but with money, unpleasant 'accidents' could be arranged and I was determined now that if they happened to anyone, it wasn't going to be me or Hal, a man I had grown to love.

Chapter 24 - Friday, June 17th - 2:35 p.m.

For the first few minutes, it actually felt like we had begun life anew and as I lay on the bed with my ears closed, I could picture the hotel as a fancy honeymoon suite. I didn't even have to hear Hal coming down the hall but simply sensed him there as he walked in, strolled over we kissed gently, his comforting hand holding my feminine waist.

"We could just stay here you know." I said quietly.

"Might take a few days to get a new set of ID's but we could run again too." He responded.

I knew now that it was hopeless to run but was having problems finding the energy to do either. It pays to have someone nipping at your heels if you really need to be motivated and fortunately we didn't at the moment.

"My hotel room ready?" I asked.

Hal set the key on my stomach.

"Connecting room. Any trouble and I'll be in there in two seconds."

"Do I just scream if there are any problems?" I asked.

"No need. I set up a small camera on the dresser and ran the wire under the adjoining door to the TV in here." As if to emphasize the point, he flicked it on by remote and a view of a hotel one just like this room came into view.

"Bottle of wine?" I asked, seeing the cheap ice bucket and bottle neck sticking up from it, two cheap, plastic glasses on the nightstand.

"Thought it might be nice to edge off." He said smiling.

"Work, work, work." I said feigning my exasperation. "That's all you use me for any more. Slave labor."

I started to get up and was rewarded with a tender smack on the ass for my sly look. He was smiling to.

"I better not catch you in here whacking off by yourself either."

"I'll try to wait for you."

I walked through the connecting door and shut them both behind me, confirming that Hal had disabled both locks first. The wine hadn't gotten fully chilled yet but the taste was very nice as I sat on the bed and danced seductively around in front of the small camera lens I had found. It was a new model and if I hadn't known where to look I never would have found it. When the knock at the door came, I tossed back the last sip of wine in the glass, set it on the nightstand and walked to the door. When I flicked it open, there was a young man standing there, wearing an uncomfortable grin on his face.

"Hi." He said.

"Hello." I smiled, chewing on my bottom lip in a way that was perfectly clear. "Come in."

I stepped back and let him walk awkwardly inside. Not sure what to do, he continued a few more steps and ten stood there.

"It's Kevin, isn't it?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Ma'am? We're all friends here, aren't we? Please call me Shannon." I said, running my hand across his arm as I laughed lightly. "Thanks for coming up by the way."

"My pleasure. Is that the camera there?" he said, strolling over to the spare bed and picked it up, moving nimbly through the switches and settings.

I walked over and took the camera from his hands and tossed it back on the bed. I could hear the cursing coming through the wall knowing that Hal had just seen me tossing his expensive equipment around as though it were a toy. Good, I thought, he was paying attention. Kevin must have heard him to because he looked towards the wall dividing the two rooms. I stepped up face to face with him when he turned back to the camera lying there. He looked thoroughly confused until I pressed my breasts right up to the edge of his chest and wrapped my two arms around his neck. He was a good six inches taller than I was so it was a stretch but since Hal was the same size I had had a lot of practice.

The look on Kevin's face changed immediately. It was clear that camera was no longer on his mind. We really were like clay in the arms of a woman, I thought, the situation so ironic with the table turned. I was on the other side of the coin and it seemed so easy and it was.

"I'm afraid I didn't really need any help with that camera Kevin."

"You. . . you didn't?" he asked, looking uncertain.

"Un-huh. You see, I came here for a little relaxation but I was just lying to myself. I've only been here a few hours and realized that what I really needed to do was find a real man to give me what I'm looking for. And you looked so sharp in this uniform." I said, running my hands down the rows of buttons holding it on. "I just was hoping you're not married."

He had the look on his face as though he had just verified the winning numbers on a lottery ticket. The gears were turning and beginning to fall into place when he realized where this was going, but he was also trying to keep it all in check figuring it was too good to be true.

"No. . . I'm not married. No girlfriend either." He emphasized.

"You know right where I was going with all this, didn't you. I'm just a giant open book to you and you were toying with me by looking at the camera, weren't you?"

He nodded, trying to look nonchalant. God this is so easy.

"You can hold me too you know." I said.

His hands dropped to my waist, but he laid them on there like he was carrying groceries and I could tell he was unaccustomed to the situation but not at all uncomfortable. Kevin's breathing had picked up and his mouth hung slightly open and I knew that the hormones and millions of years of wiring in his brain were beginning to take over. Instinct was driving him now as I pulled him closer and leaned up, pressing my lips to his, working our mouths slowly together, tongues gently probing each other.

If his hands were inexperienced before, they caught on quick and began to work themselves across the sides of my tank top which was pulled out from the tops of my shorts, his fingers excitedly finding the flesh of my torso. I had his shirt off about the time his hands worked up my belly and found the large mounds of breast, gently held by the tank top that quickly came up over my hand. I could feel his body tremble under my touch as we stood there, half naked, a heat building up inside our bodies. I pulled him back towards the bed and lie down, pulling him towards me as we continued to kiss. It wasn't long though when his lips pulled away from mine and began to work their way down the sides of my neck.

Holding him tighter to me, his mouth latched onto a breast and he went to work suckling on the erect nipple there. Knowing darn well that Hal would be sitting on the edge of the bed now, watching the porno going on in the next room, I looked right at the camera and began to moan loudly, arching my mouth open as though an orgasmic scream was about to leap out. I couldn't help but laugh though, continuing to watch the tiny lens and picturing the tortured man on the other end of the tiny cable. I turned my attention back again as the young man tried to consume me as though the ride was coming back into the station and wasn't ready to disembark.

I would be lying if I didn't say it felt good but I could feel my control slipping away again as he became more animated like it did with the Hennesey's. If the kid new the routine, he could have commanded me to do anything and I would have jumped at the chance. Always in a hurry to score a homerun, I could feel his hand around my navel as he switched to the other breast. The shorts I had on had a simple elastic waist and I could feel his large hand slide inside and move gently down between my legs that I spread without the slightest hint of resistance.

I arched my back as two of his fingers slipped inside me. It was a new sensation that was so erotic, knowing as I looked down that the only bulge there was his hand and that he was reaching inside me now.

It was so easy to manipulate him and derive pleasure for myself at the same time.

"Not yet." I managed to breathe, but he didn't appear to hear me and I could feel my shorts and panties come off as one and fall to the cheap hotel carpet. His hand slid up on thigh and I spread myself wider, ready to give myself to him totally, despite needing his help.

"Wait." I pleaded, as he continued to rub his fingers between the new valley between my legs. "Stand up."

He must have understood my intentions because he heard me and did as I asked, facing me as I sat up on the bed.

"You want to suck it, don't you?" he asked but it registered in my brain as something else entirely.

"Yes please." I said, reaching up automatically and undoing the belt from his waist. His own shorts landed near mine and he kicked them to the side, confidence growing within him to match the erection clearly evident under the thin material of the boxers that failed to contain it.

"Keep going." He said and I did. I reached up with manicured hands and slid them carefully into the elastic waist and tugged them to the floor where he shoved those to the side. The huge erection was flopping out in front of my face and I wasn't going to be able to resist I knew, my body beginning to shake with anticipation.

"You're going to suck it and you're going to like it. Got it?"

"I'm going to suck it and like it." I echoed, reaching up and taking his cock in one hand and slipping the other under his balls, which elicited a moan of joy from him.

"Suck it." He commanded, not really knowing if I was going to do it. He didn't have to wait long to find out as I slid my head forward to meet his hips pushing forward and I took him into my salivating mouth quickly finding a rhythm that both of us found comfortable.