Close Observation Ch. 14

When Ron got to the house in Belgravia, there was no answer at the door. When he looked through the front window, the front room, which had been looking more and more like a pigsty the longer the Russians stayed there, looked pristine and clean. He tried the mobile number he had for Alexey, but it appeared to be switched off. He rang Toby. Toby didn't know what was going on. He said he'd ring Ron back, but that for now he could go.

Back at the house in Pimlico, he walked into the kitchen to find Caroline sat in there naked eating cereal. Annabelle came in. At least Annabelle was wearing a t-shirt. Ron realised it was his red t-shirt with the British Army crest on.

'I borrowed your t-shirt, sorry Ron. It makes me feel tough,' said Annabelle.

'That's ok,' said Ron.

'I found it in the airing cupboard,' said Annabelle.

'It's alright, no worries,' said Ron.

'Ron, do you need to go in the bathroom before we go in the bath?' asked Annabelle.

'Yeah, good shout, I'll go now,' said Ron.

***

Toby rang at about half nine. He couldn't get in touch with the Russians and hadn't heard anything. He'd phoned Heathrow but couldn't get confirmation that they'd made their flight. He asked if Ron had his appointment with the vets' team today and Ron said that he did. He had to take Katie to a drug addiction recovery service in Hackney in the afternoon. Toby said he needed Ron for the next three days, to mind a couple of American tourists.

As he was leaving, Vicky was shouting through the bathroom door, asking if Annabelle and Caroline were in the jacuzzi. Annabelle shouted out that they were. Vicky said she wanted to come in and get in with them and Annabelle opened the door for her. Steam came out of the bathroom door. Ron had been really wanting to have a jacuzzi, but he didn't know how to turn it on, and he didn't have the nerve to ask the girls, he thought they'd make fun of him.

Katie rang just as he got into his car. She was trying to sort out a booking. Four prison officers wanted to book Marie, Emma and Vicky for that night. Ron said prison officers would be trained in restraints and would be used to violence and grappling, so he might struggle to manage on his own if things went wrong. Vicky said it was female prison officers, but Ron said it didn't matter. She said she could have someone on standby if he needed help, but she only wanted one person to go in with the girls. Ron said he'd do it.

***

Ron told Marie and Dr Smith Crowden about when he'd come home from Afghanistan. He'd wanted to leave the army for a while, so he finally did leave. For a while he felt ok. He had his pension and he worked for Southwark council doing gardening. He'd found that the gardening meant he could be outdoors, and that it kept him fit. Over time, though, he'd started to find that people wound him up. Not specific people; people. All of them. He found that he didn't want to go out, so he didn't. He stopped going to work. He stopped looking after himself. He kept running, and he lifted weights, because he was terrified of losing his fitness and his strength. When he'd finished doing those things, he felt like he didn't really need to shower. Then he pissed himself in his car.

He'd visited his sister and her husband and his niece, and they'd had the windows open, in November. They were sat there in their coats with the windows open because of the smell coming from him, and he hadn't even realised for a good while. He felt cold, and thought, what the fuck's going on, what are we sitting here like this for? Then he realised, and he left. Not long after that, he'd ended up on Waterloo Bridge, stood by the edge. He couldn't go over. He kept thinking about his niece and how his sister had mentioned in a letter, which he'd received at the Forward Operating Base, that they'd been putting his niece's dinner money in her mittens when she went to school so that she wouldn't lose it. He'd thought of that when he was stood on the bridge. He imagined his niece going to school with her mittens on, which were on a string which went inside her coat, and he started crying, and some cunt had poked their nose into things.

He told Marie and Doctor Smith-Crowden that he'd pissed himself again, about a week ago.

***

The sun was so bright when he came out of the Mental Health Team building that it hurt his eyes. It always seemed to be dark in the building. He rang Katie and she still said she wanted to go to her appointment. Ron drove to the East End to get her. He drove over Waterloo bridge and he remembered what it had been like. He thought about his niece and imagined her with her mittens on going to school and it made him cry again.

It was hot in the car. The traffic was bumper to bumper a lot of the way. He thought about Marie. She'd touched his arm when she was showing him out and he could still feel it. He was going to see her tonight. He hoped it wouldn't be too bad and he thought that if it was just women there it wouldn't hurt like it had when he'd seen her with male clients, or when he'd turned up at her flat and Tarquin had opened the door.

He liked driving through the City of London, he liked the architecture. He thought the old buildings that had survived the war were beautiful.

***

The man who assessed Katie at the drug service was called Kwame. Ron thought he seemed like a nice guy. Katie seemed nervous and unhappy. She told Kwame she'd been using cocaine for more than ten years, but that it seemed to have got out of control in the last few months. She said she would start taking it as soon as she woke up in the morning, and that it would go on all day and into the night. Kwame asked her what her sleep was like and she said she got three or four hours a night. She said she would have to get up in the morning to work, and so that her son didn't realise anything was wrong. Kwame asked Katie what she did for a living, and she said she worked as a fashion consultant. She told him what she was spending on cocaine per week and Ron was fucking shocked.

***

'Have you lost weight?' Ron asked Katie, when they got back in the car.

'Yes. Thank you for noticing. When Yousef and the Arabs come over, if I'm going to come out of retirement, I want to look good,' said Katie.

'You always look good, you don't need to do anything,' said Ron.

He meant what he said, he thought Katie was lovely.

'Thank you, Ron, but it'll be a party, and the others will be there and I'm at least ten years older than all of them. Thank you for saying that, though' said Katie.

'I'm not trying to flatter you,' said Ron.

'I know,' said Katie.

'Have you seen much of the others?' asked Ron.

'I've been shagging Caroline,' said Katie.

'Oh, ok. How's that going?' asked Ron.

Alarm bells were sounding in his head.

'Don't sound so worried. It won't be like with Marie. I'm still thinking about Marie. I assume you are too,' said Katie.

'Yup,' said Ron.

'It's horrible, isn't it?' asked Katie.

'Indeed, it is. At least you don't have to watch her with people,' said Ron.

'Not since at the racetrack. Are you ok working with her?' asked Katie.

'After that guy went for Emma, I wish I could be with her every time she sees someone,' said Ron.

'What would you have done if it had been Marie?' asked Katie.

Ron looked at Katie and raised his eyebrows.

'How's things with Emma, are you two a thing?' asked Katie.

'I don't know what we are,' said Ron.

'She's got another overnight with that guy, Anthony,' said Katie.

'Tonight?' asked Ron.

'Yes. Has that fucked up your plans?' asked Katie.

'No,' Ron replied.

'You'll be back late from the booking anyway,' said Katie.

'I thought Emma was coming?' asked Ron.

'They wanted her, but when Anthony got in touch, that went out the window. Annabelle's going to do it,' said Katie.

'I wish they'd gone with Layla, if she was there it would be easier to manage if there was a problem,' said Ron.

'They want femmes. Layla's got something on tonight, she's seeing a guy who wants to be pegged,' said Katie.

'What's that?' asked Ron.

'She going to strap that dildo on and fuck the guy,' said Katie, laughing.

'That dildo's big,' said Ron.

'It is,' said Katie.

***

The prison officers were in a house in Ealing. Ealing was a long way out and it was a long drive. Vicky, Annabelle and Marie passed the time winding Ron up, which he took in good spirits. The clients wanted them to wear school uniforms, so they were going to change when they arrived.

It was a detached house on an estate. It looked like a typical suburb, where the houses weren't old enough to have any character, and nothing whatsoever seemed to be going on. They were greeted at the door by a woman who Ron thought looked masculine. She had short hair, cut like a man. She wore blue jeans with large turn-ups

'Hello, wow, look at you all. Please come in,' said the woman.

Ron went in last. They gathered in the hallway. Ron thought she was impressed by the girls.

'I'm Helen, pleased to meet you all. I'll introduce you to the others in a minute. Can I take your coats?' asked Helen.

'Is there somewhere we can get changed?' asked Vicky.

'There is, I'll show you up,' said Helen. The staircase was just ahead and to the left of the front door. She led the girls upstairs. Ron waited in the hallway. He had his book, wrapped in a carrier bag, in his hands. Helen came briskly back down the stairs.

'I'm just getting the money; I'll be back now' she said.

'No worries,' said Ron.

She opened a door to Ron's right. It looked like a sitting room. There was a television on. Helen shut the door quickly behind her. She came back out carrying envelopes and went up the stairs. She came down a few moments later.

'I'm sorry to leave you standing there,' said Helen.

'That's alright. It's Helen, isn't it?' asked Ron.

'Yes,' said Helen.

'I'm Ron. Did you speak to my colleague on the phone to make the booking?' asked Ron.

'No. I think that was Jayne. Let me show you in,' said Helen. She led him into the lounge. It was really large. Three women sat on settees and chairs around the room. Ron thought the women were unattractive. A soap opera was on the television. The women were drinking, he could see what looked like glasses of Bailey's by where they were sitting. Ron didn't like the way a couple of the women were looking at him.

'Everyone, this is Ron, said Helen. The women greeted him. 'Jayne, did you make the booking?' said Helen, to a woman sat on an armchair.

'Yes?' said Jayne. Jayne had tattoos on her neck, visible over the collar of her shirt. She had short, mousey hair, cut in a masculine style.

'Ok, did Katie go over any ground rules with you?' asked Ron.

He hated this stuff. It made him feel like a pimp. He thought they were looking at him like he was a pimp.

'She said you'd be here, and you'd need to be able to check on what was going on,' said Jayne.

'Yes, we can sort that in a minute, I just wanted to say that the girls have do's and don'ts, and if you hear no then I'd need you to respect that, and there's no filming or photos allowed. Is that all ok?' said Ron.

The women said that was fine. There was a red haired one that Ron thought seemed to particularly disapprove of him. He'd gone in a pub in Piccadilly once, years ago, with some people from his platoon. There'd been another group of squaddies in there, men from the Royal Tank Regiment in their black berets. They'd seen Ron and his mates walk in and they'd looked at the guardsmen exactly the way this ginger lady was looking at him. He hoped there wouldn't be a similar outcome.

'Is there anywhere you'd like me to go where I'll be a bit out of the way, but I can still make sure everyone's safe? If you go off to different rooms, I must insist that no doors are completely closed or locked,' said Ron.

Jayne got up. She seemed to hesitate. She opened folding wooden doors at the back of the lounge and Ron could see through to what looked like a study.

'Is through here alright?' asked Jayne.

'Yeah, looks grand to me,' said Ron.

It was a room for people to play computer games in. There was a large television mounted on a cabinet, with what Ron assumed to be a games console on a shelf underneath. There was a list of rules printed on a sheet of paper tacked to the wall. It was for the kids who used the console, and it said that all their homework had to be done before they came and played games. Ron turned the spinning chair in front of the cabinet around so that it faced through towards the lounge. He turned on a lamp next to the cabinet and then turned off the main light in the room. He'd be able to read but hopefully his presence would not be imposing for the clients. He thought the chair was comfortable.

He could see the clients. He didn't think Helen or Jayne were impressive to look at, and he didn't find the other two any more appealing. The ginger one was tall and overweight, with a large protruding stomach which could have been mistaken for pregnancy. She had ginger hair. The other one was also tall but very thin. To Ron she looked underweight. She had long dark hair.

He heard one of the girls knocking the door that opened into the lounge. When Helen opened it, Vicky came though first, then Annabelle, then Marie. Ron thought they looked almost unbelievably attractive. He looked at Vicky and he couldn't see how it was scientifically possible for her knotted, white school shirt to be holding her breasts in.

The clients had all stood up when the girls came in. There normally tended to be some awkwardness at the start of these encounters, and this one wasn't an exception to that. The clients were nervous and embarrassed. Vicky took the lead and introduced herself and Annabelle and Vicky. Helen introduced the rest of the clients. The ginger one was called Sarah and the tall thin one was called Laura.

There was a strange, awkward kind of Mexican stand-off. The clients didn't seem to know what to do, and Ron assumed this was a new experience for them. Vicky broke the deadlock by self-consciously going up to Helen and putting her arms around her. Helen held her awkwardly in return. Vicky gave her a little kiss, a peck on her mouth. As they separated slightly, Helen was looking down at Vicky's breasts. Vicky saw where her eyes were going. She unhooked her school shirt and her breasts fell out. She hugged Helen closely to her again.

Jayne was in an armchair and Marie sat across her lap. Jayne had a look on her face that Ron had seen with clients before. Jayne was realising that this thing was going to happen, and that it was going to be amazing. Sarah and Laura sat back down on their settee. Annabelle sat between them and spread her legs out, so her thighs and knees were touching them both. She reached her arms out and motioned for them to move over to be closer to her. They both slid towards her. Sarah lightly touched Annabelle's hair and face. Laura put her right hand on Annabelle's lap.

Helen and Vicky sat down in an armchair. Vicky was on Helen's lap and Helen buried her head into Vicky's breasts. She sucked on her nipples and kissed Vicky's breasts. Vicky gently held her head.

Marie and Jayne were kissing. Jayne was really going at Marie's face, it looked like she was trying to get her tongue deep into Marie's mouth and down her throat.

Annabelle forcefully took Laura's hand and put it between her legs. Laura cupped Annabelle's vagina through her knickers, she rubbed Annabelle, grinding her fingers against her.

Vicky was able to reach forward and grope at Helen's groin. Helen quickly unzipped her jeans and Vicky slid her hand in. She began to masturbate Helen, as Helen licked and sucked her breasts. Helen looked blissfully happy. Ron wasn't surprised that she did.

When he looked back at Marie, he saw that she was sat back in the armchair. Her legs were open, and Jayne was animatedly licking her vagina.

Annabelle's top had come off. Laura, the tall, thin lady, was sucking Annabelle's nipples while Sarah, the red-haired lady, kissed Annabelle passionately. Ron thought that Annabelle was aroused. Laura's hand was still between Annabelle's legs. She looked to be fingering Annabelle, who was beginning to buck her hips up rhythmically against Laura's hand.

Vicky made Helen come. She kept her face in Vicky's breasts, and the sounds she made as she climaxed were muffled.

Annabelle came too. She arched her back, pressing herself back into the settee as she came. She cried out. She gave Laura a kiss for making her come. She got up and took off her plaid mini skirt and knickers. She let her shirt fall to the floor. She lay on her back on the floor and opened her legs. She said she wanted one of them on her face and one between her legs. Laura kicked her loafers off and pulled down her trousers. She kept her jumper on. She straddled Annabelle's head and squatted down, lowering her vagina onto Annabelle's mouth. Annabelle gripped Laura's thighs, as if holding her in place. Ron could see her jaw moving as she licked Laura's vagina. Sarah, the red headed lady, took off all of her clothes. She crouched between Annabelle's legs. She began to tentatively touch and finger Annabelle's vagina, before getting down and licking it, greedily.

Helen came again. Her face was still buried in Vicky's breasts, with Vicky's hand in her jeans, between her legs. Vicky was looking down at her and smiling. Ron thought she was looking at Helen like she would look at a child.

Marie's eyes were closed. Jayne was licking Marie's vagina, and she had started to finger her as well. Ron wondered what, or who Marie was thinking about. She caressed Jayne's upper back and shoulders as Jayne licked at her.

Laura came, sitting on Annabelle's face. She nearly fell as she came and had to reach out a hand to the floor to support herself. She kissed Annabelle, she had to move her body awkwardly to bring her face down to Annabelle's. Annabelle told Sarah to come and sit on her face and Sarah did. Laura put two of her fingers into Annabelle's vagina and began to finger her forcefully.

Helen's face was still in Vicky's breasts, but now she was masturbating Vicky, as Vicky masturbated her. Vicky was writhing against Helen. Vicky's nipples were erect.

It took Sarah a while to come. She climbed off of Annabelle's face and sat back against the front of the settee. She looked very happy. Soon the three of them, Annabelle, Sarah and Laura were sat next to each other on the carpet, leaning back against the settee. Vicky and Helen stayed as they were. Vicky brought Helen off again with her hand. Helen would lift her face from Vicky's breasts to kiss Vicky now and again. They kept masturbating each other.

Marie came. She gave Jayne a nice kiss. Ron wouldn't have wanted to kiss Jayne. Jayne lay on her back on the carpet and Marie climbed on top of her. They kissed again, then Marie worked her way down Jayne's body. She unlaced her trainers and took them off, then took her trousers off, and her knickers. She kept looking in Jayne's eyes as she undressed her, smiling flirtatiously at her. Marie parted Jayne's legs and began to lick her vagina. She closed her eyes.

Annabelle, Sarah and Laura chatted. They told Annabelle about their work. They said that they worked at a famous women's prison in London. They said the inmates were always at each other like rabbits. They would watch inmates having sex on close circuit television in their office. Laura told Annabelle that inmates would get crushes on staff members or would have sex with them in exchange for favours like tobacco or cannabis. Sarah described how they would confiscate contraband items from unattractive women and trade them for sexual favours with inmates they were attracted to. Sarah and Laura started to compare the sexual techniques and prowess of different inmates.