Dinner Date Ch. 06

Or death.

I needed to get my mind on something else but I needed to talk to Jack more.

There was none of our normal small talk when he answered. Both of us got straight to the point, Tammy. For all our bickering and teasing Jack was one of the best Doctors I knew. We talked for the better part of an hour about Tammy and her condition and what we can expect as it progresses. Tammy didn't leave too much out but the rate of growth seems to have accelerated. No one knows why it does in some and not in others. He recommended we get a wheelchair soon as it would not be long before she'd need it.

I asked if he could come over this evening. I needed to discuss tomorrow night with him and now I wasn't sure I would be able to attend. And to be honest, I wasn't sure I wanted to attend.

Debby stood in front of me and I held out my arms to her. She folded herself into my embrace. We both needed this. I told her I needed her to call her lawyer and let her know about the company's financial outlook as well as discuss the current financial needs of each of them. I was positive some of them needed a paycheck and were going to be strapped for cash if they weren't already.

Lynn told me this wasn't the first time something like this came up and she had contacts and resources at her disposal to help. She would discuss everything in the morning with us as a group. I thanked her and ended the call.

***********

I took it as a good sign everyone showed up on time and ready to discuss a potential meeting with Data Stream Technologies. I handed over the printouts of the deposits and withdrawals showing the suspected embezzlement. She took them and studied them for a time. She didn't seem over joyed about the flow of money.

"Mr Coats, I'm certain I don't wish to know where you obtained this information."

"It just sort of fell into my lap," then very quietly I muttered "top". No sense adding to anyone else's worries.

"Now I understand money is going to be an issue for some of you. It's only natural. I need to know if anyone has started to see a Dr while working for these people. If you have, I need to know if any medication has been prescribed. I also need to know if any of you have had to turn down other jobs."

The meeting progressed at a pace I found unacceptable but Lynn was thorough and meticulous. I understood why she charged the rates she did. She was worth it. She couldn't advise them on whether or not to accept any job offers in the future. She did say if money was an issue, she had contact with a financial firm which specialized in loans to those waiting on court settlements.

At the end of our meeting, she said she would be in touch and see about setting up a meeting with Mr Peters and his legal team to find a satisfactory settlement. Then led everyone else out of the meeting while asking me to wait for a moment.

I was not looking forward to this.

"Mr Coats. What am I going to do with you? I must advise you to take a step back and not 'help' with this case except where I direct from this day forward. Please know your actions could affect any settlement they receive.

"Aside from that, the movement of money is disturbing. If it were a loan, why not just loan him the money directly? Something isn't right with this company and I will investigate what it is until I have secured a reasonable settlement or I have uncovered evidence of a crime. Either way, please refrain from helping. Your reputation in certain circles precedes you. In this case I'm afraid it may hurt their chances if you are involved. I told her I was involved as Debby may be pregnant with our child. This took her off her feet in surprise.

After a minute she regathered herself and in no uncertain terms made it a demand I step back from my investigation. I asked if she wanted the rest of the information I had gathered. She asked what I had. I told her literally everything she could ever want and all of it on a single laptop. She said no but did advise to lock it up in a secure location. I nodded then left.

I hated to be benched but between Tammy's health, the council meeting coming up tonight and two of my ladies pregnant, maybe sitting this one out wouldn't be a bad idea.

*************

I felt like a complete traitor walking into Pasadena House without Tammy. She asked if Debby could stay with her in case, she needed assistance. In truth, I think she and Debby had a lot to talk about as I took Debby by to see Jack after the meeting with the lawyer to do a pregnancy test. It, of course, came back positive. Jack came back and joked about my making up for lost time. I just told him to keep it up and I would make sure Tammy talked to Hilda very soon about a family of her own. I think he almost passed out in fear.

I had always found it an interesting part of human nature when people start seeing the world around them differently. One of the quickest ways in order to change a person's view point is to survive being burned by another. Every little snide comment, every little flippant remark every little dirty look, they all come back into focus when you have to deal with that person once again. June Cabanera was no exception. She had mastered the snide, slighted comment so well I'm not sure she realized she was doing it half the time.

She walked up to us in greeting trying to be the perfect hostess. I didn't play along.

She asked who the new faces were and I just stared a hole through her. She looked around nervously then asked about Tammy and Deanne. I'm sure she meant Debby but I refused to speak to her. Kelly took up the conversation as instructed and explained that Tammy was feeling under the weather and 'Debby' was home taking care of her.

I was watching June throughout the conversation and knew the exact moment a new rumor was about to be started. I let it go. I wanted to give her just enough rope to hang herself. Knowing her history it shouldn't take long.

June didn't miss a beat, "Well, hopefully Master Patrick, you might reward us with another of your demonstrations in the near future when all your wives are here."

"We'll see." I said flatly afraid if I said more, I would inadvertently give away the reason for moving the meeting to this house.

For her part she looked as if I had promised her every ounce of ammunition, she needed to make my life a living Hell. I didn't care as tonight was going to be the last rumor produced by this 'rumor mill'. The trap had been baited and only needed to be sprung the moment she moved on.

It took me some time but I finally met with Thom who seemed absolutely run down. This was not the look of a Dominant in charge of his home. This was the look of someone who had been topped from the bottom so many times he just gave up trying. You almost had to feel sorry for him. Almost.

It took some time before everyone showed up so talk was kept light. Timmy wandered around in complete amazement of all the different rooms and different toys laying around.

I had not attended a Council meeting in some time due to everything going on in my life and due to the fact, I had to stay away from Percy for fear of killing him. But they had taken on a mostly business-like atmosphere while at Spring House. Here, you got the feeling someone was going to break out a flogger and start training a new sub. I didn't like it.

A little after 8, a young woman dressed as a sub walked up to Jack and whispered something to him. He looked my way and nodded. He then thanked the girl and sent her away. I followed to see who she belonged to. Lady Hilda. She saw me and had anger in her eyes as she then started to scan the room. She had centered in on June. The bitch just couldn't help herself.

I nodded my head letting her know I had received her message.

Jack informed everyone we needed to get started and Thom led us into the general display room. Jack stood at the front of the room until everyone was seated and called the meeting to order.

"As the first order of Business, I call on Master Patrick to come forward as he has much to discuss with us this evening."

I saw June out of the corner of my eye and she looked as if she was about to hyperventilate. This was not going as she had envisioned it. It should have been her and Thom being called up first to welcome everyone.

I strode towards the front and faced the crowd seated before me. I started off with four separate accounts of people who had been slaughtered in their own homes. I followed that up with two separate reports of others who had been beheaded and hung up in display. I told of five different families which had been slaughtered, I made sure to stress the entire family, including two babies, which had been butchered and finally four incidents in which innocent bystanders had been gunned down. "The only thing these last people were guilty of were being in the wrong place at the wrong time. What I have presented here is just a sampling of some of the violence in our world today. But I also need to stress they are all connected by a single thread. All of these acts were perpetrated by a single drug cartel, the Los Zetas. The same drug cartel your dear Percy had siphoned money from."

The room had gone quiet now and everyone was visible nervous. "This is what they do in order to protect what they have. This is a message from them to the world of what to expect if you cross them. They have no regard for innocent bystanders or innocent life. I need to warn you this is what we are all now facing thanks to Percy and his greed. Once they realize Percy is missing, they will start looking for him if they haven't started already. Once they start looking, they are not going to leave one stone unturned or family left alive until they find him. Right now, as a community we are still safe but only if we avoided raising their suspicions." It was time for me to drop the hammer on June.

"These suspicions will instantly become raised when someone from the police starts to come around and investigate one of us on a false allegation of rape. When the police do come around how long do you think it will be before someone mentions Percy and his whereabouts? The drug cartel is going to want their money back and they are going to make an example out of whoever they have to in order to get it.

"So, let's start by clearing the air right now. Hilda, did I rape you when I visited your House?"

Hilda stood. "Absolutely not."

"Can someone tell me what they have heard about why my wife couldn't attend tonight?"

The young sub I saw speaking with Jack stood up and said, "I heard you had beat her and another of your subs and had them chained to the wall of your house."

"And where did you hear this from?"

"From June."

"June. Step forward." I commanded.

She looked at her husband who looked back at her pissed. She stood. "I never said that about you."

"I said step forward." There was no debate in my voice. This was as much a threat as a command.

Once she was standing in the center of the room, I asked, "How many others of you has she told this or something else to tonight?"

About half a dozen people all raised their hands and stood up. "So, you are saying all these people are lying then?"

"No, ... I mean yes, ... I mean, help me Thom." she pleaded desperately.

"June Abigail Cabanera. I believe you was asked a question which demands an answer." He replied finding some of the old fire he used to possess.

"Wait," Timmy cried out jumping up. "Did you say June Abigail Cabanera?"

"Yes, why?" Thom asked.

"J.A.C." Timmy said reaching into his bag. "J.A.C. J.A.C." He kept repeating. After a minute of looking through reams of paper he stopped and looked at Thom and June and then when pale.

He walked up to me and showed me a spreadsheet of entries. J.A.C. was listed in three different places along with entries for "Services Rendered" besides each.

Timmy went on to inform me he had found the same notations listed with J.L.T. aka: Madam Sonia.

I looked at June then to Thom. I hated to do this but it was the only option. "Thom are you aware that Percy was screwing your wife?"

Both of their mouths fell open. "What?!?" Thom finally shouted.

"That's a lie." June screamed but I could clearly see the fear and guilt written all across her face as it told another story.

"June." Thom barked out. "Humble position. Now"

June looked as if she had been slapped. She was being made to get down on her knees and bow placing her face to the ground and her arms extended out in front of her. It was as the name implied. It meant for the person to humble themselves before their Master.

It took a moment for June to recover from the shock but then she said in as commanding a voice as she could, "No. I will not kneel before you. I will not kneel before anyone ever again. I am sick of you and I'm sick of this life. I've only ever done it because we are married."

Thom for his part was building up a rage he had been suppressing for some time. "What? You're going to hit me now? Spank me like I'm some bad little girl? $20 grand. That's what Master Christian paid me. Think about that. I made $20k in only a couple of months. That's $20 grand you had no idea about and was too stupid to see it. I saw what was going on right under your nose. I saw the money disappearing and knew exactly where it went. $20 thousand dollars Thom. And all I had to do was keep my mouth shut and the money would have kept rolling in.

"Then this one had to go and ruin it all." She said indicating me. "You're pathetic, you know that. All of you are. This one was so worried about his reputation he made up some story about some fictional drug cartel. Do you really expect anyone to believe that?"

I nodded to Julia and she stepped forward. "June Cabanera. You are under arrest for theft by fraud. Place your hands behind your back."

"Right, what is this, another little trick by Master Patrick?" she sneered.

"Nope. This is Detective Julia Carpenter with the HPD. I suggest you do as she says and put your hands behind your back."

"Or what."

June never did get to finish her statement as Julia whipped her around and tossed her over her hip and dropped her to the ground and had her cuffed before she even had the chance to bounce once.

Ben who was sitting in the front row let out a low whistle. "Damn girl. I'm impressed. If that had been a steer, I think you might have set a new state record in bull dogging."

"Now I'm going to add resisting arrest to the charges." Julia pulled her badge out and clipped it to her belt. She then pulled out the laminated sheet she had to read every time she made an arrest.

After she had been read her right's, she was escorted out of the room. I wanted to follow along but that would have been pouring salt into the wound. I looked at Thom and he was still in shock over the entire incident. "Did she ever really love me?" Thom asked no one in particular.

"Thom, I wish I had the answers for you. You probably need to follow along just in case you want to bail her out of jail."

"Not really. You heard her. She has $20 thousand dollars I knew nothing about. She can bail herself out of jail."

"Thom. Go follow June. It might be best if you did. Everything I mentioned up to calling June out was true. This drug cartel very likely is looking for Percy as we speak and anyone standing in the vicinity is just collateral damage. That includes all the Houses. If it helps, then think of bailing her out as protecting the Houses. She runs her mouth too much inside and they will come calling."

Thom nodded and walked out after his wife.

Jack stood in the middle of the room again. "Is that all you had for us Patrick?"

I just shook my head no and walked to stand next to Jack. I wasn't ready for what I had to do next. I don't think anyone could ever be ready. "I have a couple of more pieces of information I need to share.

"Since my wife and I came here, our world has never been the same. I stopped a sub from being abused by a person claiming to be a Dom. I've reconnected with a very old friend from my past as well as an old enemy. I've helped in shutting down an embezzlement scheme that was bilking you of quite a bit of money."

"Four million eighty-three thousand two hundred and fifty-seven dollars and eighty-nine cents." Timmy added. "What? That is the amount." he said to all the bewildered looks

I just shook my head. "I've hired Timmy here to help in tracking all the money down so you could collect what was stolen. I've apparently began a haram." This earned some chuckles. "And I've survived a gunshot wound, helped an old sourpuss finally come out of his shell and go on his first date in decades. All of this in the course of less than two months."

I started crying again and didn't care who saw me. "Now I find myself with an even greater challenge before me. It appears that both Debby and Kelly are pregnant but Tammy, my wife, has been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. She has, according to Jack, less than six months left."

I left the room quickly without waiting around. I couldn't breathe and I needed some air. Kelly and Nin were right behind me as I escaped. I had said all I was going to say. It was time to go home.

**********

I knew Lynn Whooten was good but I never expected the settlement she had reached in the time frame she had done it. I was beginning to think she was a miracle worker until she informed me, she may have let her invitation to the Governor's gala fall out of her briefcase during a rather prickly point in negotiations when she threatened to walk out. I laughed at her innocent telling of the story.

It was agreed Debby and her team would receive full compensation as if they had completed the project on time. For the harassment the team had endured, they would each receive an additional $10K as long as they agreed to sign an NDA with the understanding, they forfeit all rights to further lawsuits. Debby for her part would receive an additional $75K on top of everything else for the sexual harassment and physical altercation that followed. There was one stipulation to the entire agreement. Neither I nor any of my team was allowed to set foot on Data Stream Technologies property, ever. If I did then the contract was null and void and I would be subject to arrest for trespassing.

My good mood soured instantly. It wasn't that I ever wanted to visit them again after what Debby had endured. It was the principle of it. She informed me I probably would never have to worry about it since she expected the company to be closing its doors within a year. While the company had a great R&D Department, they had zero business sense.

I lick my wounded pride and thought of Debby and her team. They were the big winners here. I could live with that.

***********

It was a perfect early fall day. The sun was shining and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Tammy couldn't have planned it better if she had tried. We laid her to rest near a large oak tree at a local cemetery. I had bought enough plots to keep my family together. Both Kelly and Debby are showing and they are quietly hoping they deliver the same day. If Tammy has anything to do with it, I had better plan on having my bags packed for an extended hospital stay.

Debby has a new job now. With the money she won in the settlement she started her own business creating apps. She's currently working on a day planner app which can be customized for anyone from busy parents to high power executives. She claims her next app will be a scheduling app so I now will know when to start breeding Julia and Nin next. She has no sense of humor.

Kelly is still working as my assistant but has taken on a larger role as she has grown into the job and against my better judgment, I've let her go out on some of the easier assignments solo. With the effort and planning she has put in to each of the assignments the results have always been a foregone conclusion. I never stop letting her know how proud I am of her.