An Offer He Can't Refuse: Carlyle

Another MIKE CLAYMORE MYSTERY #7:

Carlyle

Ode to Mike's Blue Beast

Out of the mists late one night, she came to haunt my dreams.

She showed me pleasures and passions beyond my wildest dreams.

I struggled in her, deep and long, a welling up and a birth,

I would never be the same, changed forever on this earth.

And now she rules my life. My tower, my fate, my berth,

My bright and shining, fire breathing, smoke belching Kenworth.

A novel by David Horton

Copyright 2000

Chapter 1:

July 7

It's hard to believe that Sam will be a year old in two weeks. Mike ponders over the last year as he watches his daughter sleeping peacefully in her crib. It's five am and the morning sky is bright through the bedroom window. He smiles at the shadowy forms in the bed he has so recently vacated. He inspects his other daughter in her smaller crib. Emma is seven months now.

In the bed sleep Mike's wife, Marlene and his mistress, Trudy. Shannon or Sam as they affectionately call her is Trudy's daughter and Emma is Marlene's. Marlene is the 31 year statuesque brunette who measures up to within a few inches of Mike's six foot one while Trudy is a diminutive five foot 22 year old vivacious blonde bombshell.

Mike is dressed for work as he slips from the room stopping a moment to peek in his son's room. Rick is 12 now and has the native cast and nature of his father. He is also growing up tall like his metis father. He is Mike's pride and joy, his first born and only son with the possible exception of a sickly child born to Nina, an ex-friend's wife. Mike doesn't think of him often.

Next a quick peek in on his daughters, Shelly and Jan. Shelly will be 10 in two weeks as well, while Jan is 8 years old. A third head in the bed is Trudy's other daughter, Crystal who is 7 years old. He smiles as he regards their sleeping heads then goes on down the stairs. He pours himself a tall glass of orange juice and gulps it down while looking at the clock. The eastern sky is turning to gold as the sun is trying to clear the mountains east of Abbotsford in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia (BC), Canada. Mike sees the sky out of the kitchen window. It galvanizes him to collect his briefcase and bedding by the side door landing and head out to his car in the driveway.

He decides to enjoy the clear cool air this morning so he lowers the top on his '69 Candy Apple red Mustang while it purrs warming up. He walks around his vehicle inspecting any new scratches or possible rust spots as well as the condition of his tires. Satisfied he sinks behind the wheel and backs out onto Marshal Road watching carefully for any traffic. Instead of the freeway to Port Coquitlam (Poco) he decides to take the route north of the Fraser River so he heads for the Abby-Mission Highway.

With the wind blowing his hair he finds the traffic light this early in the morning and allows his thoughts to examine this last weekend. They had spent the weekend in their trailer out at Sunny Meadows nudist retreat and even though it rained part of Sunday had a good time. Marlene and Trudy had got on so well all weekend that Marlene insisted she stay the night instead of making the run back home to Chilliwack. Mike was happy to spend one more night with his two favourite ladies.

Trudy's new housekeeper, Anna was working out well so now they would have a chance to see how she handles things in Trudy's absence this morning. He knows the employees will call his house in Abbotsford if they have problems. He and Trudy are partners in the security firm of Mike Claymore Security & Investigations. They operate the Chilliwack office from their home on Clarke Drive in Chilliwack. As well as his Abbotsford head office at his home he also has a Langley office operated by a team that have worked for him some time. He continues to drive truck part time because he loves it and because of the freedom it allows him to unwind while on runs throughout BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan. Kamloops and Sicamous is where he is heading this Monday morning.

Meanwhile the house back on Marshal Road is quiet and the two forms in his bed shift restlessly. Trudy attempts in her sleep to snuggle back against Mike, as she is accustomed to do spooning her back against his chest. Marlene stirs in her sleep and throws a leg over her as she does with Mike slipping her arm over Trudy. Trudy snuggles back to her and stirs at the unfamiliar shape. She awakens and struggles to get free of Marlene's leg and arm.

"Hey, stop that! Marlene, wake up!"

Marlene opens one eye, "Oh, he's gone, isn't he?" She flops on her back.

"Yeah, it looks like it. Did you wake up when he got up?"

Marlene stretches, "Uh huh, I vaguely remember him kissing me when he moved my leg off him."

"Gee, you got a kiss. I didn't." She sounds despondent.

"Ha! I saw you guys when I was up nursing Emma in the night. You got a lot more than a kiss!"

Trudy's face breaks into a bright smile. "I sure did! He was so slow and gentle with me. It was fantastic!"

"Oh, shut up!" Marlene bounces up out of the bed and heads for the washroom. Trudy snuggles down into the blankets with the smile fixed on her face. After a minute or two of reminiscing in her mind she slides out of the bed to check on her daughter. She pulls the blanket up around Shannon's chin and whispers, "Sleep sound, Sam." She glances in on Emma next to make sure she's okay.

She grabs her robe and throws it over her shoulders on her way to the bathroom. She pushes open the door saying, "Are you going to be long?"

Marlene is standing nude in front of the full-length mirror on a white bathmat with one arm up over her head. She is working with a Lady Schick electric razor under her arm as she watches in the mirror. "I won't be long."

Trudy watches her, "Marlene, does Mike object to body hair? Have you noticed what Mike likes best?"

"He hasn't complained about this." She continues shaving under her arm.

"I never had to shave my armpits. See how light and fine the hair is there." Looking at her in the mirror Marlene nods. Trudy goes on, "I think he likes that but I'm not sure down around my pussy. How do you do yours? It looks natural and so striking, the black on white." Trudy is looking down in the mirror.

Marlene thinks about it as she works under her arm. "I remember when I had Rick they shaved me and I decided then to not go through that again." She giggles, "Mike thought a shaved pussy was a hoot but I don't think he liked it in the long run. I let it grow back in but keep it trimmed. I keep the area around the lips shaved and trim the bush to keep it neat. I try to retain the original triangular shape but soften the points."

"It looks like a natural triangle."

Marlene chuckles, "You should see Janine's. Her auburn bush is thick and wavy. She trims it into a perfect triangle but I noticed she has it shaved around her vulva. She says she doesn't like a lot of hair down against her lips. That's how I feel, too."

"I have this fuzzy bush so I trim it but there is some around my lips." She parts the soft golden nest. "Maybe I should trim that a bit more. I like the feel when Mike slides in it."

"Yours is like a halo." She reaches way down and touches her between her anus and her vulva. "It wouldn't hurt to trim or shave it back there."

"How do you reach that?"

"I sit in front of the mirror and stretch one leg out." She demonstrates sitting on the mat. "See, you can bend the other leg like this and spread them. It not only allows you to see better but also it taunts up the skin for shaving." She runs her fingers in that area. "Hmm, feels a bit stubbly." She uses the Lady Schick.

"I never used an electric razor. I use Mike's if he doesn't catch me when we're on the road." She laughs, "Don't tell him!"

Marlene shakes her head as she works the razor over the flesh.

"It started one time when he was shaving in the sleeper. He lathered me up with his shaving cream and used his safety razor to clean up some of the fuzz between holes. We were joking around but it worked really well so..." she shrugs.

Marlene brushes her hand over Trudy's bush. "It's so fine and light it looks just like a golden crown."

"I use disposable safety razors to make it oval... well, more egg shaped and then trim it so it doesn't get too long. Does it look natural?"

Marlene pulls back and inspects her. "Uh huh, it does look natural for you. I think it makes you look younger down here." She hesitates then adds, "It's even hard to tell you've had children. Your whole pussy looks small. Mike likes that, eh?"

"You mean because I'm tight?"

"Shit, I can make it tight for him!"

"Marlene, it gets bigger when he gets me excited. It feels like a flower opening up for him. The lips pout out heavily and they get longer, too. After we have sex it is nearly twice as big."

"Mine does that, too. I guess it comes with age. Mine doesn't close up so much between times. See, my labia are heavy now and very sensitive. I like to rub them on him when we sleep at night. We wake up all juicy and ready to go." She laughs as she lightly rubs the lips.

"Do you do that when you're sleeping?" Marlene nods. Trudy asks, "Doesn't it wake him up?"

"I do it in my sleep so I don't know. I don't think so. He's never complained." They both laugh.

Bending over her Trudy tentatively places her hand on Marlene's pubic hair. "It seems to be wiry, sort of soft and springy." She parts the hair and brushes over the lips. "Do you get wet easy, too?"

Marlene grins, "Put a finger in and find out!"

Trudy grins, "Should I?"

"It won't bite you."

Trudy slips a finger between the outer lips. "Mmm, it is getting wet. How come?"

Marlene slips her hand up sliding the palm under Trudy's vulva wiping it and brings it forward. She shows Trudy, "How come?" She laughs lightly and slides the arm up around her hips drawing her closer. She kisses the flesh inside her thighs and looks up at her.

Trudy smiles in surprise, "Oh Marlene!"

Marlene licks her thigh and then kisses her crowning bush. "Haven't you ever done this?" She licks Trudy's labial lips slowly.

Trudy trembles and says in a quavering voice, "Not since I was a kid." She opens her legs a little more for her. "Oh God!" She runs her hands through Marlene's hair. "Oh! Oh!"

Marlene is licking her inner lips and now licking around her clitoris as well. Her hand on Trudy's hip pulls Trudy down beside her. Trudy experimentally pats Marlene's springy bush then moves to touch the lips that quiver and part with welling up juices. "Oh, you are wet!" She shivers, "Oh Marlene! Touch it or do something! I'm going to explode!" She kisses the hot wet lips in front of her and Marlene eases them to her as she plays her tongue over the hard bud. Trudy moans as she burrows with her tongue to find Marlene's clitoris. Marlene moves her hips to help her.

She clamps her thighs on Trudy's golden head, "That's it! Lick it, little one! Oh yes!" She raises herself up on her knees and wiggles Trudy's clitoris with her tongue. She has to hump her back so Trudy can lick her because of the difference in height. Trudy is licking frantically now and she can't hold her bottom still.

Marlene eases up and licks her thighs letting Trudy bring her closer to her orgasm. She can feel it building and she knows Trudy is very close, too. She kisses her knees and down to her vulva again. She feels her hips swaying with Trudy's movements and she can feel Trudy's arms around her thighs.

Trudy pushes up arching her back to open herself fully to Marlene's mouth. She moans and sucks on Marlene's prominent hard clitoris making her cry out. She slips her tongue inside Marlene licking and feels her shaking.

Marlene feels Trudy inside her and knows she has to lick her clit again now. Her tongue finds it and she licks it. She rolls sideways drawing Trudy with her and crying out as she feels spasms overtaking her. Trudy moves quickly on all fours to find her mouth and kiss her as she jambs one leg between Marlene's to rub her vulva on Marlene's. Mashing the two together they ride the orgasms kissing and fondling each other.

Lazily Marlene whispers, "I see yours does get bigger when you're excited; a lot bigger!"

"Oh Marlene, what would Mike say?" Trudy looks guilty.

"Don't worry little one. He would urge us on. He did Janine and I on the Alaska cruise." She smiles.

"He saw you?"

She laughs, "He was in bed with us."

They fondle each other's breasts and nipples each knowing better than any man could what the other needs.

Mike is between Mission and Port Coquitlam (Poco) driving on the Lougheed Highway north of the river. He is heading west and swings off just short of Poco on the Mary Hill By-pass for a few blocks to Kingsway. West again on Kingsway he continues passed a few warehouse shipping yards to the Canadian Pacific Express and Transport (CPX) shipping yard.

As he pulls in the lot he can see his tractor near the back of the yard. He pulls through the parking lot into the yard itself and drives back between the garage and warehouse to the tractors lined up by the back fence. The sun is up now and everything is steaming where it's rays touch dewy surfaces. He pulls in by the high boxlike K100 Kenworth with the luxury sleeper, his steed on ten wheels.

Climbing the ladder to the cab he tosses in his bedding and briefcase before dropping back to the ground. Circling the truck he checks tires and looks for liquid leakages. He tightens the bleeder valve on the air pressure line. Satisfied he climbs again to the cab and enters.

He drops into the air ride seat and slips the last garage inspection sheet off the dash. He smiles as he turns the key. Pushing on the clutch and lightly placing his right foot on the accelerator he thumbs the starter button. It spins over cranked by the giant twin batteries far under his seat providing 24 volts of power. Then it catches and the cab rocks with the explosions in cylinders below. Rough at first it barks and rumbles throwing out a huge pall of black smoke that hovers and wafts away across the yard. Mike smiles at the sound. He sets the throttle on the dash and eases his clutch foot up checking at the same time by touch that it's out of gear.

Patiently watching his instruments he waits until the sound of the engine smoothes out then eases the throttle back. He pushes the door open farther and climbs back down to the ground waving at another driver that arrives down the line. She waves back as she goes to her Mack. He can't remember her name but he knows she's a city deliveries driver. He drives back to the parking lot and parks the car.

Walking back to the gate he stops to chat with the Commissionaire on duty. He tells Mike of any road hazards reported by other drivers coming in during the night. Mike heads for his rig when he sees the Mack backing up to her load in the outgoing line up. He flips his jacket over his shoulder and soaks up some of the early morning rays as he ambles across the yard.

Back behind the wheel he again scans his instruments before letting out the clutch and scooting across the yard in a series of shifts. He brakes at the door to the terminal and gets down again. Upstairs in dispatch he looks over his bills. One long box to Kamloops then bob tail to Sicamous and pick up two pups. He calculates four hours to Kamloops, two more to Sicamous and six back plus stops for lunch and hook ups: about fourteen hours over all. He thinks he might stop in Kamloops or Merritt on his way back to rest.

Jerry, the dispatcher asks, "Have you got your bedding with you?"

"Yep, always do."

"Those two in Sicamous may not both be there. You might have to go up to Golden for one or wait there for it to get in."

"Okay. I was thinking of a stop in Merritt on my way back anyway. See you tomorrow." Jerry waves at him as he leaves for downstairs. He gets a sandwich and chocolate milk from food machines in the lunchroom. Then he climbs up the ladder to his perch and rolls out around the yard to back up to his load. Once hooked up and fuelled up he pulls out the gate onto Kingsway waving at the Commissionaire.

At the lights he turns west on the Mary Hill By-pass and follows it around towards the freeway. He looks across the fields at the old mental hospital and wonders if they are shooting X-Files over there again today. Then his attention is brought to traffic entering the freeway. He melds in with eastbound traffic and shifts gears fast to stay with the other vehicles climbing to the center of the span over the Fraser River.

Rolling and shifting up on the far side of the center he gets ready to gear down on the hill on the other side. He rolls as fast as he can coming off the bridge and starting the climb. Soon black smoke is trailing him in swirls as he gears down for more power climbing up through Surrey. At the top of the hill there is not much sense in gearing up more than once since he is coming up on the public commercial weigh scales.

He rolls off the freeway and brakes hiss out as he pulls up to the scales. He advances axle after axle until he gets the wave to go ahead. Now he relaxes as again he melds into traffic. It's light this morning going east but already the westbound lanes are starting to fill with rush hour traffic heading into Vancouver.

He glances at his watch and decides the ladies should be up and getting the kids off to their day's activities. He dials his cell phone and greets Marlene after only one ring. "Hi love, has Trudy gone yet?"

"Hey lover, where are you?"

"Just coming up on the Game Farm near the Langley exit."

"Any changes to your orders?"

"Not much. Jerry says he's not sure if both pups will be in Sicamous when I get there so I may have to wait for them. I'll still likely be home for supper tomorrow."

"Okay, Emma's fussing. Have to go."

"Hey, what about Trudy?"

"She left. I'm not sure if she will be home yet or not. Bye. Love ya."

"Love you, love." He dials Trudy's cell number.

"Hey, where you at love?"

"In the bank in Chilliwack. I had to stop on my way home. Did you give me all the cheques you had?"

"Yes I did. Are we broke?" He chuckles.

"No, silly. I just wanted to make sure they are all deposited before you or Marlene makes out a cheque on the business account. It's easy enough to get mixed up as it is. When will you be back?"

"Tomorrow after lunch, I figure."

"Okay, take it easy and stay away from the wildlife. You know what I mean, the ones in the truck stops."

"Trudy, you are a suspicious woman."

"I sure am. It's because I know you."

"Take care love."

"You too, darling. Love you."

"I love you, too." He punches 'end' as he sees Abbotsford's first exit ahead. He mulls over in his mind with whom he might like to spend the night and dials Veronica Summerfield in Agassis. It has been about three months since he last saw her. She enjoyed their first run to Calgary and on into Saskatchewan last time. He enjoys the thoughts of her in the sleeper with him tonight.

A sleepy voice says, "Good morning."

"Veronica? It's Mike."

"Who?"

"Your truck driver prince."

"Oh my God, hang on!" In a few minutes he hears, "Mike! Are you there?"

"Yep, right here love."

She whispers, "Marv was beside me on the bed getting dressed. What's up?"

"Is Marv your prison guard boyfriend?"

"Yes... didn't I tell you his name? It's actually Marvin."

"I don't think you did. Want to go on a run with me?"

"Yes!"

Mike looks askance at the phone, "I didn't say how long or where yet."

"Okay, how long? Where?"

"Just overnight. Kamloops, Sicamous and back home."