Retribution

My thanks to LadyCibelle and my friend SH for sorting my foul-ups and editing this short tale for me

It was amazing; it looked like I'd picked the perfect spot. From my chosen seat in the back corner booth almost no one could see me, but I could see just about everyone in the place. I suppose I'd better add that Jimmy, the owner of the club, had arranged for a couple of large plants to be moved so that the booth was almost completely hidden and, to most customers, would look as if it was out of use.

I watched as Emma, my wife of eight years, entered the bar and settled herself on a stool at the bar. Then before the barmen even had time to ask Emma what she wanted to drink, I saw that he had detached himself from his little group of friends. He sauntered over and settled himself on the stool next to Emma.

It would have been nice to hear what they were saying, but I was far too far away. I assume that he offered to buy Emma a drink and presumably she accepted the offer. She was smiling at him and he was not far short of smirking back at her; his body language telling me - and his friends I suppose - that he was going to score this evening.

Emma amazed me; mind, she always did in that little black number. What is it about little black dresses that make a woman look so sexy? What's the line "Sex on Legs?" Well that's what Emma looked like that evening. Bugger she never looked that sexy when we went out together; but then, she knew that probably I would've got jealous of the looks she was getting from all the guys in the club.

It didn't take long for the guy to invite Emma to dance. Emma loves dancing, usually to fast numbers, but she's quite happy to smooch around on the dance floor as well. Normally glued to my body though, tonight I was watching her body moulded to a complete stranger.

Although I knew that I had to sit there, watch and do nothing; otherwise all my planning would have been for nothing. The thing is to catch them in the act, me going off half-cocked because I'd lost it; was going to prove nothing.

Maybe I should have let one of the guys do this bit, the watching that is. But would I have felt any different waiting around the corner with the rest of them for the right moment to strike. No I doubt it!

From the dance floor Emma and the guy moved to one of the other booths. Was I pleased that Jimmy had moved those plants, if she spotted me, she'd surely have reacted and the game would be over before it really got started.

The guy went to the bar to replenish their drinks, and then they sat and talked for a while. A second dance was followed by another drink, but this time the guy sat closer to Emma his arm resting on the back of the seat, in the time worn dance all seducers know so well. Later, I knew it would slip onto her shoulder and Emma wouldn't object.

Another dance, a slow one this time, I watched as he ground himself against her. Emma kind of moved away from him a little, I assume to let him know that she wasn't going to be quite that easy. Letting the bugger know that he was going to have to work for his prize.

The dance ended and the guy headed for the bar yet again, this evening was going to prove expensive for the bugger even if he didn't realise it yet. Emma has never been cheap to buy drinks for and she can handle a lot more alcohol than the average female.

His arm was on Emma's shoulder now and their heads were close together as she giggled at his jokes. Well I assumed he was cracking jokes, they had to be laughing at something. But then again that something could have been me; perhaps Emma was deriding my performance in the old bed department.

I was quite shocked to see how much time had passed, it was nearly ten and the two of them had been together for almost two hours, when they returned from the dance floor for the fourth time. This time Emma headed for the ladies whilst medallion man headed for the bar. I noted the thumbs up sign he made to his oppo's as he went, and very shortly I was to notice one of them leave the club.

He bought their drinks and seemed to spend just a few seconds longer at the bar than necessary. As he was returning to the table, I noted the barman take a bottle from the top shelf behind the bar and place it under the bar itself.

At almost the same instant the female waitress headed in my direction with my first refill of the evening. Coming around the plants the waitress placed the drink on the table before me, our eye's meeting as she gave me a slight nod of her head. Then I knew for sure that the guy had grown impatient and slipped something in Emma's drink.

Very shortly Emma exited the ladies room, her face had a serious, if not a little nervous expression on it. She took a quick look around the club, I thought scanning the place to make sure no one who knew either of us was there. It could have been embarrassing for her to be recognised; dressed and behaving as she had been that evening.

Apparently satisfied, Emma made her way between the other dancers plastering a smile on her face just before she reached the table. The guy stood to let her seat herself in the rear of the booth, and then he settled himself beside her. He cuddled up close to Emma and they started whispering to each other again, just as the waitress arrived at their table, cleared the empty glasses and wiped it down. She stayed a few seconds longer than necessary, exchanging a few words with Emma and the guy before leaving them in peace.

I'd say it was no more than five minutes later that Emma and the guy got up to dance yet again. But watching them, I could see that Emma didn't look as steady on her feet as she had been. It sure looked like whatever the guy had put in Emma's drink was taking effect. You will never know the self-control called for, for me to sit there and watch what was going on.

It wasn't long before Emma was staggering around the dance floor and the guy was holding her up as best he could. Suddenly his other friend was beside them, actually carrying Emma's handbag and coat; boy did these guys have it down to a fine art.

Between them they helped the very inebriated looking Emma out of the club and I got up to follow, but I did my best to stay out of their sight as much as possible.

Waiting outside was a Ford Orion that - as I exited the club - the two guys were quite literally loading Emma into the rear seat of. It was with some effort that I turned away from the scene and walked to the Range Rover parked a few yards further along the road.

I hadn't even closed the passenger door after taking my seat when the Rover roared away in pursuit of the Orion. We followed the car at a discrete distance for several miles until it pulled into a housing estate, eventually coming to a halt in the driveway of a house.

The three guys were hauling Emma's almost inert body from the rear of the car when we struck.

They really didn't know what had hit them, except maybe for the guy who Emma – having mysteriously and very suddenly recovered - kicked in the short and curlies for feeling her up in the car during the journey. The other two found themselves face down on the ground being handcuffed as police officers shouted their legal rights at them.

I managed to stop Emma giving the guy another yet another good kicking as a policeman took charge of him.

"Okay babe?" I said, taking Emma in my arms.

"Yeah fine, except for that bleeding pervert feeling me up in the car." She replied. Refastening the buttons on the front of her dress.

"You know you should be on the stage you had me totally convinced; for one horrible moment I thought you'd drunk that spiked drink."

"No, I saw the bottle was gone from behind the bar and Betty took his attention just long enough for me to dump it in the flower drip tray. I had to be quick, I hope I didn't miss; the police are going to need that drink"

"No worries if you did miss, this plonker's got some more in his bleeding pocket by the looks of it." The officer who - after having handcuffed him - had been searching the guy Emma had kicked informed us.

"Thanks folks, I'm sorry that we had to let it go so far, but we needed to find out where they've been taking their victims. We'll get the forensic guys to search the house and they're bound to find traces of the other women in there somewhere." The grinning police inspector said as he came over to inspect his prisoners. Then he turned to me.

"Tell me, if we hadn't worked out the other day that you and your friends were watching these buggers as well; what plans did you have for them?"

"The Thames is deep and cold this time of year." I replied.

"But that would be murder!"

"No, it would have been three guys who took their own date rape drugs and then went for a swim. They still might, if you don't lock them away for a long time."

"Not intending to mess around were you?"

"Nope, Emma's sister can't mess around anymore; she hung herself after these bastards had their fun with her. An eye for an eye is my maxim.

Life goes on.