Ghost Detectives Bk. 01: Discovery

"The three women are clueless over Sandra and I think we should leave it as such. We need to close the two down and move fast before the bull is out of the corral. I'll take Frank out," John looked towards his sister.

"Leave Sandra to me, better for you to stay out of this one," smiling at James.

"That still leaves the network intact. Frank wants to introduce me to Sandra."

James smiled. "The wonderful babbling Chantelle."

John gave James a serious look. "Where you've just come from the loose end is Frank. If he is taken out here it does not necessarily mean the same thing needs to happen there providing in the longer term the timeline of history comes back into equilibrium in the future."

"What if it does not? You know what happened yesterday?"

James raised his eyebrows at her.

"The drug party we busted, the police raided the place and we saved the two from overdosing but when they were let out on bail the following morning, one of them, when crossing the road, was hit by a car and killed."

"Which one?"

"The one you know. The timeline realigned itself within a few hours of our intervention. We are, like the rest of the world, in the hands of destiny and what will be will come to pass."

"Could simply have been a freak accident," but in his heart, he knew it was little more than wishful thinking. The others didn't believe it either and waited without speaking. "Alright, I accept no matter what we or anyone does, if there is deviation away from duality in the two dimensions there will be, somewhere along the line, a correction." Realising that if Sandra remained either alive or compos mentis as she was presently, it may well be the case, irrespective of how she was in the other dimension, if she did something here to alter the timeline, she'd regain her faculties in the other dimension and eventually the results would match. "What do you intend to do with Frank?"

Her eyes grew cold. "You know what I must do?"

James shook his head and gave her an uncompromising stare. "I know what he represents, but cold blooded murder, Carolyn..."

"This is a person who has killed numerous people and destroyed the lives of countless others with Sandra, equal if not worse than him. Give me an alternative?"

James remained silent, throwing thoughts around in his mind and sat down. "John, give me a whiskey. "I know we have no alternative and I have said as much but when I look at it dispassionately..." He was beaten and knew it. "We must do what we must do."

Carolyn sat on his lap placed her arms around his shoulders and kissed him. "Sometimes, my love, to correct a great wrong, a small one needs to be committed and I admit, both are wrong; and what is so different, you have destroyed Sandra's life. The hard truth, you are playing with semantics. It could be argued death is a more humane option for her."

He was defeated. "I know," giving her a wan smile. "I must do the same with Frank."

John grimaced. "We are trained to handle situations like this and it is never easy."

"It is so easy to say when angry. Perhaps I should have killed her; instead, I was being a coward and took the easy road to salve my conscious."

She kissed his forehead. "You did what you needed to do to live with you conscious."

"Is that true, Carolyn?"

Looking deep into his eyes, she felt his loving warmth and understood his dichotomy; he had never signed up or trained for this and she felt his pain. "Let John and I handle everything this end. I am fearful of your going back there but I know the alternative is destruction for all of us. For the last few days I have worried for your safety." A tear dropped from her eye and she held him tighter. "I need you to rest here for the next day or two."

"With you?"

"I need to meet up with Courtney tomorrow morning and the other two, but tonight," her face aglow, "we go to bed and reconnect."

John stood, finished his whiskey and retired to his room.

"Have you played when over there?"

"Yes, he grinned, "with two of them simultaneously."

Giving him a lustful grin, she said, "you must tell me all about it."

"You know I will, and you?"

"With Frank a few days ago."

"Perhaps we should rest tonight to give us time to recharge our batteries?"

"Our sex is a mixing of three spheres with anyone else it is one; tonight, with you, I want to share body, mind and soul and can only experience that with you, my love."

He emptied his glass and together, holding hands, they retired to bed.

Chapter Twenty-seven

The following morning Carolyn met up with Courtney still grieving over her brother's death armament it was murder and had organised private investigators to examine the affairs of Frank Ellis and others associated with Simon. Carolyn knew this but there was no way she could say anything about it or about the attempt on Courtney's life in the next few days. She did warn her of the danger she was in and suggested it may be an idea to have physical protection but she flatly refused, forcing Carolyn to admit defeat or give herself away.

She hit one sore spot when she suggested he could have been blackmailed. Courtney's face reddened a little but she soon found her equilibrium and changed the subject, saying if she had evidence, she would do whatever was needed to obtain justice for her brother even if it meant throwing herself on her own sword.

Their conversation revolved around Simon until they left her office to meet up with Debra and Jennie at a restaurant. Over lunch the three of them strove to keep their discussion light, trying to lift the dark mood of their friend, listening mostly about the love she held for her brother and how deeply she felt his loss and the misjustice of favouring suicide, subject to the coroner's report, intending to prove it was murder laying the blame on Frank Ellis or one of his associates.

When at the restaurant, Frank phoned Carolyn and she excused herself from the table and went outside to take the call. He asked her to dinner insisting he wanted her to meet Chantelle his business colleague, she equally insistent she couldn't meet up that evening saying the following evening would be a better time. Eventually he agreed saying that Manni would be there but would leave after the meal and then the three of them could have a private conversation about business.

When she returned to the table Jennie was on the phone booking them into a massage and pampering session and asked Carolyn if she'd like to join them. She nodded and at 4pm they were standing in reception looking forward to three hours of luxury, including sauna, jacuzzi, exfoliating facial and finishing with a lavender oil body massage.

It soon became obvious to Carolyn they had done this before and when the others two were outside of hearing distance she asked Courtney if the others were party to their foray into lesbian sex. In fairness to her she hadn't said anything and despite her being an olympic liar, Carolyn did believe her but felt it wasn't important. They undressed, showered, and were handed large white towels which Courtney and Carolyn wrapped around themselves. The other two just folded them over their arms blatantly showing their naked bodies.

Debra had large rounded breasts, perky nipples surrounded by a dark areola, Jennie were small with more prominent pointy nipples, both having shaved vaginas. Carolyn's athletic body was toned displaying firm rounded breasts with a hint of hair between her legs. Courtney had a more statuesque body and the largest breasts out of the four.

Their last treatment was the lavender oil massage and they lay on beds on their stomachs, Carolyn facing Courtney, Debra facing Jennie, their towels loosely draped over their backs and legs to just below their knees. Four girls entered the room wearing white button fronted lab coats pushing waist high trolleys. A little burner stood on the top with various oils in bottles positioned around it with other bottles on a shelf underneath.

Relaxing music played and oil was placed into little vials and rested over the burners to warm. It became obvious to Carolyn the other three were familiar with their masseurs and rested their heads on their hands. Carolyn looking at Courtney, Debra looking at Jennie and the masseurs, working in unison, poured warm oils over their ankles and calves, rubbing and kneading the lower legs, toes and ankles, fingers kneading deep into their skin and between the toes as the fragrance of the warm oil filled the room, the music lending to a sense of euphoria and relaxation.

The masseur's hands rose higher up their legs staying in sequence working as a synchronised team, beyond the knee, higher again, to thigh, back and neck. Their bodies responded to the slow firm touch, hands against bare skin rising to the top of their legs. Courtney's lust filled eyes watched Carolyn's facial and eye movements as desire built, legs unconsciously opening. Fingers stroking in slow downward and upward strokes across their vagina lips; occasionally, a finger tenderly penetrated vulva, stroking and circling the clitoris. More oil poured, bodies matching hand movements. Speed and pressure increased, moans grew, bodies writhed, moving towards the golden moment. Two fingers, three fingers driving deep into their vulva, bodies arching upwards searching and finding orgasmic ecstasy.

The masseurs, the engines of pleasure drove the four women forward, simultaneously instructing them to turn onto their backs and stroked their breasts, nipples slowly twirled between thumb and finger. Together, four mouths sucked nipples still in sequence, oil forgotten, the currency raw powerful sex. Working downwards with their tongues, kissing stomachs, circling clitoris, penetrating labia, legs splayed apart, faces tight against vaginas, hands locked over breasts. The eroticism of the moment intense, the image a rhythmic orgy of cunnilingus and they orgasmed together, heightening the stimulus of release as their limp bodies relaxed. The masseurs carried on inducing pleasure using mouth, fingers and hands for a while, then smiled without speaking and left wheeling their trolleys in front of them. They dressed and drove to a bar aglow from the pampering and from their sexual high.

"Well, what's your take on the massage?" Debra ginned looking at Carolyn raising her eyebrows.

"Erotic, my orgasm was powerful. A head blower between the legs. I was dripping and it wasn't from the oil," laughing, "never had one like that before, I'm still wet."

"There's a lot more pleasure where that came from. We knew you'd like it, who wouldn't but we must keep it amongst ourselves."

"I should say, if my husband gets wind of it there'll be holy hell to pay."

"We refer to it as our girl time."

"No men then?"

"Do we need them?"

"God no," shot back Carolyn. A woman's lips... different to a man's, more, how can I say, sensual, understanding the extras that needs to be done and gentler. My first female cunnilingus massage orgy, but I can say it won't be my last."

Courtney abruptly changed the topic. "My brother was murdered and I will prove it."

This was the opening Carolyn had been waiting for, "I'm sorry to hear about your brother. I was shocked and if it was murder you must protect yourself or they could come after you next. How are you so sure, and who would wish to murder him?" digging right into the heart of the matter.

"I'm sure because he would never do that and I know it has something to do with Frank Ellis or one of his crowd."

"The one who murdered his wife?" she innocently spouted as if discovering a revelation.

"No, Frank is his cousin."

"The murdered woman, you knew her? Can't recall her name."

Debra's face hardened. "Sandra, a true good friend, murdered by her bastard husband."

"The one who committed suicide?"

Jennie and Debra nodded agreement; Courtney shook her head, "I'm not so sure, something doesn't feel right about that and I'm going to find out the truth."

"If these people can get to Ellis and your brother, you could be next so you need protection," looking towards Jennie as if to say, what are you going to do about it?

"Courtney, love," gentling her voice, "I know it's hard, but you are looking for ghosts where there are none. The reports are clear, and with the Ellis case, that has been closed to everyone's satisfaction. As for Frank Ellis, a coincidence, a distant cousin; he was investigated and cleared so you can see the police found nothing devious."

"Courtney, I think your life could be in danger," cautioned Carolyn without showing her desperation. "I know a firm that would watch you around the clock. It'll do no harm placing a guard on you.

"With the resources available, unless there is proof of danger, I can't see it happening, police resources are stretched to breaking with terrorist threats. At my level, even if I thought it necessary, I wouldn't have the authority to sanction protection."

Carolyn was facing a dilemma wondering what to tell them. Originally, she believed they were implicit in the murder of Morris Ellis but now knew that was no longer the case. Debra and Jennie were opportunists, cheaters and liars against their husbands, not in Courtney's league, but in the last analyses the three were little more that thrill seekers out for fun, middle upper class lothariettes searching for sexual highs but needing to keep their secret lifestyle away from prying eyes. For that they were blackmailed and yet, still they lusted after their drug of choice despite the risk of discovery.

Intelligent, successful women, but in each, hidden within their psyche, lurked a destructive gene, pushing downward towards their own annihilation and they needed protecting against their own naivety. She looked at the three of them, was she any better? No, she was worse when it came to sexual profligacy. Granted she would never lie to her husband because they agreed and accepted a polygamous relationship, but she equally knew, without reservation, should James decide on monogamy it would be so and she would die before taking another sexually, for in her mind that would be a betrayal against her husband and that would never happen.

She decided to tell them nothing and let them have their fun and she would be part of the team, perhaps even bringing in her husband. Her brother had already experienced Courtney's delights, but that development was for the future. For the present, she had work to do and knew the only safe bet was the destruction of the two murderers and the dissolution of their criminal network. Her overriding fear was for James, he had to return to the other dimension to destroy Frank and she feared for his safety and how he would accomplish the task and stay within his moral code.

Late afternoon the following day, Carolyn was on her way to dine with Frank and company. She arrived at the restaurant early, ordered a drink and started to read a book she'd brought with her. Half an hour later Manni, the first to arrive, came and sat next to her giving her his lustful come to bed look which she ignored. A few minutes later Frank and Chantelle arrived together and joined them.

The discussion was light for most of the evening, Chantelle proving to be the perfect conversationalist exuding charm and good manners and it was little wonder, Carolyn thought, why people felt they could trust her. After the main course, using seemingly innocuous questions she started to probe Carolyn, asking about her training, work and interests knowing that whatever she said Chantelle would check upon even if she had Frank's reassurances of her kosherness.

This was a woman that took nought for granted; still, Carolyn was more than a match for her and realised whatever she said would need to be on record and John would have seen to that. She mused to herself, despite what this witch of a woman represented, take that knowledge away, she had presence, affability and likability, but it was all an act to fool, and it had worked spectacularly all her life. Picking up the little subtleties between her and Frank, by far she proved the dominant partner and ultimately seemed to call most of the shots. Manni was the clown of the group flirting openly with the two women to the amusement of Frank. The dessert course completed, Carolyn took them in her car heading towards the Silver to finish the evening.

Carolyn and Chantelle danced a few songs together, sometimes tapped in by a few of the clientele leaving Frank and Manni sitting at the table talking. Chantelle carried on her surreptitious interrogation to extract further information while smiling friendship. When back at the table, Carolyn noticed the subtle body language between Manni and Chantelle and how Frank continually deferred to her, and it dawned on her that despite Frank's psychopathic tendencies, there was a dependent submissiveness toward Chantelle. This set off internal alarm bells within Carolyn. It was obvious Frank had fallen for her and as her influence grew so the other woman's influence diminished, a situation Chantelle could not allow; she would have to degrade Carolyn in Frank's eyes. She needed power over Carolyn so she'd be accepted by her as the Dominatrix. Numerous things became clearer. Her three sauna friends saw no wrong in Sandra, all were in deep grief over her death and talked about her in glowing terms. How they deferred to her for advice, and without realising it fell in line with what she wanted. She had only seen the first sexual layer of where her new friends wished to take her realising they were looking for a new Alpha female. They, without consciousness, were looking for a replacement for Sandra and were looking to her to fill that role.

Carolyn was now on heightened alert as the subliminal signals between Manni and Chantelle increased in frequency and as the night progressed, danced many times with each other always talking as they danced. When confronted with new knowledge always look first at the obvious. Frank, must have already confided in Chantelle and she would have immediately recognised the danger, so to mitigate she needed to dominate Carolyn under the guise of companionship.

Manni and Chantelle returned to the table giving Carolyn a reassuring smile. "Frank, I think the four of us should finish the night off with a drink at my flat."

Carolyn smiled to herself. There it was, the obvious; back at her flat it would be Manni she'd end up with and the tryst would be filmed. But knowing the meticulousness of Chantelle her insurance policy for compliance would be to drug her and perhaps even Frank. She didn't think that would be necessary knowing the dominance she held over him but now it became a game of cat and mouse.

Carolyn snuggled up to Frank and looked towards Chantelle. "Thanks for the offer, but I've had a long day and would like to go straight back to Frank's flat." Smiling at the two conspirators.

"She's right, some other time Chantelle," said Frank.

"Come on just for half an hour, where's the harm?" coaxed Manni.

"I have a great range of cheeses with a variety of different biscuits we can munch on and I need them eaten. Frank, I insist," she snapped, her smile not matching the harshness of her voice.

The reluctance in Frank only affirmed Chantelle's suspicions further. "I said no unless Elizabeth is happy about it". Turning to her he asked, "what do you want to do?"

She looked at Frank. "I'm tired and it's late," deliberately not answering his question.

Chantelle dropped her smile but she soon recovered it. To show annoyance now would ring the wrong message and quickly soothed her voice into friendliness returning her broad smile. "Elizabeth, I was so much looking forward to spending time with you, Frank and Manni at my house."