An Offer He Can't Refuse: Carlyle

"Oh baby, I know how much you were hoping. I'm so sorry."

"We can keep trying. Sam is only a year old. We'll connect next month, darling. I just know we will." She doesn't say she thought she might be one or two months along by now but Mike knows and therefore knows how disappointed she must be.

He changes the subject. "I'll bring my evidence kit tomorrow then and we'll go over to Mission. See you tomorrow."

"Early?"

"Okay, early."

"Yippee! Now I won't sleep!"

"See you in the morning."

"Goodnight darling."

"Goodnight."

"How early?" Marlene is standing in the door.

Mike shrugs, "Very early. You like it when I come home Sunday morning and crawl into bed with you."

She nods, "Will you this Sunday?"

"Uh huh."

"Let's go to bed early tonight then. I have to wear you out for her. Did I hear you say she's not pregnant?"

"It doesn't look that way. She said she had a showing early this week and took the pregnancy test. It came back negative."

"Her periods are starting again then. I guess she has almost weaned Sam. No wonder. Too bad, I know she wants a playmate for Sam." She turns away and heads upstairs with a happy smile on her face.

Mike calls after her, "Is Rick done his homework? I want to see him before he goes out."

She calls back, "I'll send him down."

Mike opens one of the books on food poisoning. He looks for the seafood section. He makes notes on a pad as he reads. He doesn't hear Rick when he comes down the stairs until he clears his throat.

He looks up, "Oh Rick, grab a chair. Just put those papers on that cabinet." He looks closer at the cabinet and says, "Or on the floor under the chair."

"Quite a mess in here, Dad."

"Yeah, I know. I need more space and a manager to keep track of it for me. So are you on your way over to Julie's again tonight?"

"Yeah, in a little while."

"Rick, I think you should have more friends to hang out with than just Julie. You're twelve years old and doing well in school. I know she is in the same grade with you. I know you two have attachments for each other that are closer than most kids your age but I think you are both missing out on a lot by not mixing more. What do you think?"

"She needs me Dad. She would be in a lot of trouble if she had her way. She'd end up like her sister."

"Do you really think that, son?"

"Her sister is sixteen and has even tried to come on me. Julie watches her with a different boy every night and I know she wonders about doing the same."

"If she really wants to she will eventually anyway, Rick."

"I know Dad, but for now I can keep her satisfied."

"You're awfully young to be worrying about that."

"Dad, I'm the only one who cares!"

"You know her mother cares, Rick. It's not her fault her husband left them and she has to work nights. It's because she cares that she got both girls on the pill."

"If she had kept working as a school teacher I don't think either of them would be as they are. All the kids tease her that her mother is a stripper... or worse." He looks down at his hands in his lap.

"Sadie does that to put food on the table. You know that."

"I know Dad but they only see her Mom in the morning if she's up. That's why her sister has boys at the house every night. There is always some guy in her room."

"Isn't Julie interested in sports or clubs?"

Rick shrugs, "She's interested in one thing."

"She's still that starved for attention? I wish the both of you could find other activities. Why don't you suggest bowling or karate? Try something to burn off that excess energy? I would even pay for it if you can interest her in something like that. You could do it together and still be there to support her."

Rick sits forward earnestly, "Dad, I'll try to interest her in something like that. Can I go now?"

Mike sighs, "I guess so, son. See you later."

Rick goes upstairs and in a minute Marlene comes down. Mike is studying the blotter on the desk.

"You don't look that happy?"

"I don't know the answer, love. Julie is love starved and over-sexed. I suspect the latter is due to the influence of her sister or maybe it's in her makeup."

"Sure, like mother like daughter."

Mike shrugs. "I guess that could be true, too."

"Well, at least now that Trudy and I share you so many days each you don't have time to be screwing Sadie. That's one blessing." Mike says nothing. "With Jan tied up with Ken that gets her out of my hair. All we have to worry about are the sluts you pick up on the road now."

"Love, you know I behave now. I'm a reformed man."

"Ha! I just bet! So what do we do about Rick?"

"I talked to him. I told him I would pay for karate lessons if they wanted to take them or bowling even. Anything to wear off some of that youthful steam."

"Do you think they will?"

Mike shrugs. She takes Rick's seat and crosses her arms.

"Well I want them to stop! I know that's why he's late coming in for supper and I know that's why he goes over there before he goes to bed every night. For a long time I wanted to believe what he said, that they were doing homework but that's not what's going on. I know it!"

"Love, you don't know the whole situation."

"Well, tell me then! Why don't I know? He's my son!"

Mike says nothing.

"Sure, one of these days he will come home and say she's going to have a baby and then I suppose you will explain... or will you hide that from me, too?"

"Sadie has her on the pill."

"When did she start menstruating?"

"Shortly after they quit experimenting over a year ago."

"So she can get pregnant now! That's it! He's grounded!"

"That doesn't stop them, love."

"It does if he's here after school under my thump, damn it!"

"And what happens to Julie?"

"I don't give a shit about her! It's Rick that's being used. I want him home from now on and I want you to back me on that."

"You know I always back you even if I don't agree."

"I know. Will you please tell him?"

"Will you tell Julie or are you going to make him explain it to her in school? He does have to go to school with her."

"What else can we do?"

"We could watch and see if my way works."

"It better work." She gets up and goes slowly up the stairs. Mike opens his reference books again. He studies botulism, toxins, E coli and Salmonella. He wants to be able to recognize the symptoms and possible sources of each plus the treatment in each case. He spends a couple hours at it then folds up the books for the night.

He puts together his evidence case and sits it with his briefcase on the desk. Satisfied he has done all he can for the night he turns the lights off and goes upstairs. Rick is in the kitchen. "You're home early, aren't you?"

"I know Mom's upset. It's after ten anyway."

"Okay, I'm counting on you to curb this activity. Don't let me down, son."

"I'm trying, Dad. Goodnight." He goes off upstairs calling goodnight to his mother in the living room. Mike pours a cup of coffee and goes in to join her.

"God, he looks like you when he's on the stairs. He's getting so tall." Mike asks if that is good or bad. She only smiles as she nurses Emma. "Give me a sip of your coffee, lover."

Chapter 4:

July 10

Mike wakes and looks at his watch. Gently he lifts Marlene's leg and slides out from under her then moves her arm so he can slip out of bed. She whispers, "Early Sunday morning, lover."

Mike chuckles, "I'll be here." He goes to the bathroom then dresses. He carries his shoes downstairs and puts them on in the kitchen. He pulls on a jacket and picks up his gear from the table.

Soon he's on the freeway heading home to Chilliwack. He checks his watch again. It's just after six and the sky is bright with early morning light. No longer can he pick out the stars. He taps the wheel to the county music blaring from the radio.

As he comes in through Chilliwack it's like a ghost town. He drives out to the house on Clarke Drive and parks next to Trudy's Sprint. He locks up the car and goes to the door, unlocks it quietly and sits his gear on the floor by the door. He slips off his shoes and tiptoes to the bedroom. No one is up yet so the house is still and quiet.

He slips into the bedroom and pushes his shoes under the side of the bed. He looks at her golden hair spread on the pillow and her soft lips devoid of makeup, so soft and pink. He finds her enchanting and has to pull himself away to check on Shannon on the way to the bathroom. He gets undressed and hangs his clothes behind the door. He comes back to the bed to watch her for a while before slipping under the light cover with her.

She comes half awake smiling and puts her arm around him along with one leg. "Hi darling, welcome home." She hugs him with her one leg and one arm as he kisses her softly. She snuggles her head to his chest and appears to go back to sleep. Then she whispers, "Is Sam awake?"

Mike speaks softly, "Sound asleep, love." He slides one arm under her head and lets her slide her arm under him. He hugs her close and she hugs him.

She pushes her lower body down until she touches his erection. "Is that for me?"

"Uh huh."

"It better be!" She giggles quietly. She pushes the cover off them and climbs up to straddle him. He looks at her eyes on his and sees the love shining there. She slips on over him and stands on the floor. "Be right back. Don't start without me." She giggles and runs to the bathroom. Mike grins and watches her rump disappear through the door.

In a few minutes she comes back quietly checking on the baby and then turning to do a wiggly dance for Mike before lying on top of him again. "I got a lot of stuff on those brothers for you."

"Later."

"Good." She closes her legs trapping his erection between her thighs. She muses, "If I was taller you could be in me, not between my legs." She kisses him and lets on she is going to bite his lip. He continues to lie there with his hands under his head watching her. She plays with his ears and kisses one nipping it with her teeth. Then she runs her tongue along under his chin and kisses his neck

She wiggles her rump up and down a few times pulling his erection with her until his fluids cause it to slip through her thighs. She whispers, "Do you think I could get you off like that? We could call it a thigh job." She raises and lowers her rump a few more times rubbing him.

"It's okay with me if that's what you want."

She slaps the muscle of one bent arm lightly. "Darn you, you know what I want." She scoots herself down his body a bit and rubs herself on him. He can feel she is really wet as she coats him. She pushes up with her hands on either side of his chest and pulls her knees up then slowly works herself down on him squirming and twisting her hips. She takes her time and moves up and down on him quite a few times before she is satisfied and throws her hands up in the air rolling her head back. She rolls her hips gyrating her body in ecstasy. Mike closes his eyes and moves his hips slowly under her. He opens them and watches her move sensuously swaying on him now clasping a breast and rolling her head then throwing the hand up and swaying her breasts. Her head comes forward and her hips move faster as she stares into his eyes. She licks her lips and her fingers of one hand reach down to play with the front of her vulva.

She starts shuttling herself ahead and back on him and he accentuates each of her movements ahead with a hard thrust. She does it faster and he shoves up keeping with her. She rubs herself hard and crumbles down over him kissing his chest and squirming wildly on him. Panting hard she whispers, "Oh Mike, Oh my darling, darling Mike."

Mike plays his fingers over her back and as she calms down hugs her to him rocking her back and forth. When she has recovered he rolls with her so she is on her back and he starts to move deep inside her.

Much later they sit side by side on the edge of the bed.

"I'm sorry I'm not pregnant for you, darling. Maybe I am now."

"I doubt it. You won't ovulate for about a week yet."

"Your sperm can live in me for a week easy. You made a good healthy deposit. My cup runneth over."

"I'll fill it for you again next week."

"You better do it again before then."

"I think I heard someone up out there."

"It's likely Anna. She'll have Crystal up before long. How do you like her?"

"Anna? I guess she's all right. You're happy with her, aren't you?"

"She's not Cookie but she does a good job of keeping things going around here. She's good with Crystal and I feel I can trust her with Sam when I have to go down town. I've left her with the baby a number of times. I don't think she's that good a cook but I'm no judge, I hate cooking so whatever she makes tastes good to me."

"She seems to have a nice personality and that counts for a lot with me. She reminds me of a spinster aunt. Was she ever married?"

"I think she had a secret lover and he left promising to come back. She is still waiting for his return."

"Did you make that up?"

"Yep, but it fits." She giggles. "Too bad we aren't out at the club. We wouldn't have to put any clothes on. I suppose we should."

"Uh huh, we don't want to have to replace Anna just yet."

She laughs quietly and jumps up. Standing in front of him she spreads her legs a bit and leans over to touch the floor. She peeks at him between her legs. "Doing my exercises."

"If you stay in that position you're gonna get lots of exercise."

She wiggles her bottom at him and sticks out her tongue. He lifts a foot and wiggles a toe on her gaping labial lips.

"Oh yeah," she says and wiggles her bottom some more then bounces back upright and goes off to the bathroom winking back at him in the doorway. Mike flops back across the bed.

When she comes out he bounces up off the bed and goes in the bathroom. Trudy starts talking to Shannon who is awake now about what a character her father is. Shannon gurgles and tries to reach her with her hands.

"Say dada. Come on say dad-da. Say dad-da. I know you can do it. We've been working on it. Say it."

Shannon gurgles and watches her mother's fingers as they emphasise each syllable. She manages to get out da as part of the sounds she makes. Trudy tries again "Say Dad-da, dad-da, dad-da."

Mike comes out of the bathroom whistling a tune and says, "She's awake now, is she?"

Trudy turns partly towards him and wags her finger at him. Shannon follows the movement with, "Da-da." She giggles, "Da-da, da-da, da-da."

Mike stops in his tracks. "Did you hear that?"

Trudy looks around, "Hear what?"

"Sam! She said Dada! She was looking right at me. I heard her plain as day!"

"Oh darling, that's cute. Are you sure?"

Mike reaches down and picks her up. He says, "Tell daddy what you said? Say dada for me. Come on Sam, say dada."

Shannon just basks in the attention and gurgles at him. As much as he urges her she fails to co-operate. Finally Trudy takes her and says, "I'm sure she knows she's your daughter, love.

Mike shakes his head and says, "I swear she said it. I heard her."

"Yes darling." Trudy takes her out towards the kitchen. Crystal is at the table. She grins at her mother and says quietly, "Did she say it?"

Trudy whispers, "Hush." Mike comes out in his robe and slippers.

"Good morning Anna, good morning sunshine." He tousles Crystal's hair and she ducks with a laugh.

"Good morning Daddy. Are you home for a few days?"

"I think so. Can you stand having me around?"

She leans her head against his hip. "You bet!"

Mike reaches out to Shannon in Trudy's arms. "Come on there, Sam. Talk to me. Say Daddy for me. Come on, I know you can do it."

Crystal giggles and Mike looks at her. "She said Dada as clear as anything in there." Trudy wiggles a finger in a circle by her ear and points at Mike. Crystal starts laughing. She says to Shannon, "Mommy thinks Daddy's crazy." She laughs again. Shannon gurgles and chatters away at her. Mike untangles himself from them and goes to get a cup of coffee.

Trudy holds her one hand out in front of Shannon and moves her fingers as she mouths Dad-da silently. Shannon watches the finger and says, "Da-da, da-da, da-da." Mike swings around and sees Trudy's finger moving in the air as she pulls it back real fast. He laughs.

"So you taught her to say it on command!" He comes back to the table with his coffee. "Okay, Sam watch me. Sam!" She looks at him. He wags his finger like Trudy did but moves it to his chest saying, "Da-da, da-da, da-da." Soon she is copying him pointing her finger at herself or close to it and saying, "Da-da, da-da, da-da." Everyone laughs then.

Crystal wags her finger and points it at Mike saying the same singsong and Trudy does the same. Soon Shannon is pointing at him and saying da-da. Everyone claps their hands and Shannon giggles trying to get her hands to hit each other in a clapping motion.

Mike takes a drink of his coffee and says, "I think you better get around, princess. You don't want to be late meeting your friends."

"Okay Daddy." She digs into her breakfast and is soon giving her cat some milk before heading out. "You behave Rowe, see you after I get back." The cat meows back at her and laps its milk.

Mike shakes his head, "You'd think that cat knows what she says."

He gets his briefcase and pulls out paperwork on Trudy's desk while she finishes feeding Shannon her baby food. She lets her chew and suck on a slice of toast as she looks over Mike's shoulder.

"That stuff on the dynamic duo from the Mafia is in that file under your paperwork if you want to see it. Most of it's legible. I haven't typed it up yet." She grins. "Can you read my hieroglyphics?"

Mike finishes jotting some notes and digs out the file she's referring to. "You write like my doctor does."

She cuffs him and says, "Bah! Stinker!"

Mike looks down what she has. "Huh! I thought so. New York, eh? Borough of Queens. Figures. How did they get here?"

"I haven't got it all yet."

"He attended music classes? Carlyle, that is."

"Yep, he was quite accomplished on the piano. At one time they thought he would become a classical pianist."

"I wonder what changed his mind?"

"It seems he quit about the time he served a two year stint with the military."

"What about Luigi?"

"I haven't been able to get much on him."

"Don't push too hard! I don't want you in any danger over this."

"I'm careful." She grins, "You're the bumble foot!"

"He has a rap sheet, I see."

"Hood stuff after he came out of the military. He had some charges revolving around a charge coming out of the disappearance of a few underworld characters. Nothing that stuck though."

"What's this? Income tax evasion?"

"Fines and a few months in the local lock up. No biggie."

"He looks like an enforcer."

"That's what I thought."

"Nothing here that would bring him to Canada."

"I know. Same thing for his brother."

"What time are we set for Mission Medium?"

"Ten-thirty. I tried to get it earlier but no dice."

"Did I tell you Anna and Wes would like us to come over Saturday night?"

"No. When did you talk with them?"

"Tuesday on my way in I called them about the financing on the airport project. He wants to talk to us about incorporating the company. It's something about limiting our personal liability. You'll have to call them on the time. I think he said around suppertime because he said they wanted us to join them for a barbeque."

"That sounds like fun. Will we have them back out sometime? That'd be fun, too. You should be entertaining now, darling. This is your home... at least three days of the week it is."