Kane

'I think we need to find an hotel,' Tracey said when we were back in the car to which I agreed. So we stopped at one near Shepherd's Bush that had parking facilities and we soon had a room with a double bed for Mr. and Mrs. Kane.

'I like Mrs. Kane better than Frau Kaufmann,' Tracey said when we were finally alone in our room, the porter having to carry every bag up. At least this hotel had a kitchen and dining room so we were able to get proper room service. I lay on the bed while Tracey saw to the unpacking and ordering drinks for us and some food. I lay and watched him organise the room and began to run things through my mind.

What was this East End gangster, which was how I saw him, doing ransacking Tolliver's place? What was he looking for? Was there any connection between London and Berlin? There had to be with this last question, but how did they know he was dead, or didn't they? The questions kept coming, far too many for me to even begin to try and sort out as it was giving me a headache. Then I got another one later when we had the television on and it appeared that we were on the news.

It was nine o'clock and the announcer spoke of a murder in Savoy Place and a picture of the man called Tampon came on, his name being read out and then came some C.C.T.V. footage of the vestibule and it showed the two of us entering the building. The pictures were fuzzy and I don't think we were recognisable from what we saw. The report was inconclusive mentioning the murder and ransacking of the place, so it was obvious that they hadn't been given all the facts. But it was still worrying that we had been filmed, not to mention that it was me that was attacked and I was defending myself.

Tracey looked worried but I said that nobody could say it was us from that bit of footage and so we went through what he had taken from the guy's pockets, but I wondered how they had identified him so quickly. Then it came to me. Fingerprints. The man obviously had a criminal record and his prints were on file, but what about ours? Both Tracey and I had touched many things and would have left plenty for them to analyse.

'Have you ever been fingerprinted by the police?' I asked him.

'No, why?' and so I said why. 'What about yours?' he came back at me.

'There I can't give an answer, but I think that you'd better find a place to rent in case they do have them.' I had this funny feeling in my gut which lasted throughout the night, not getting much sleep. I wasn't up to having sex and so it was just a kiss and a gentle cuddle before Tracey went off to sleep to leave me to worry the night away. Next morning, another first without our having sex, after having breakfast sent up to our room, I gave him a fistful of money and sent him off to find an estate or rental agency to find us somewhere to live, or should I say hide. I fretted away the whole day and into the afternoon waiting for him to come back, not doubting that he wouldn't because I believed him when he said that his prints weren't on file. It was mine that was what was worrying me. The morning news gave scant reference to the killing at Tolliver's apartment and I hoped that it would stay that way, but I still kept on worrying.

I'd been involved somehow in a counterfeiting operation and I was known by an Englishman who had been killed as I should have been. His place in London had been turned over and me nearly killed again. The question was, how was I involved? Which side of the law was I on? If the wrong side, did they have my prints, but then the question might also apply if I was on the right side. I just didn't know which way to go.

Tracey breezed in with a smile at about six o'clock.

'Well I've got us a furnished flat for three months,' he said triumphantly and dangled a set of keys before me. 'I looked at three places,' he said as he poured himself out a drink and made me one. 'I liked the first one, but had to make a show of it by looking at two others and settled on the first one. It's not far from here and we can move in now if we wanted to.'

'No. It would look strange if we checked out now this late in the day so we'll move in the morning,' I said, taking the glass and almost emptying it in one gulp.

'If you say so boss,' he said, taking my empty glass from me and refilling it. 'Now let's see to that dressing of yours,' and so I spent the next half hour wincing at his administrations to both wounds. After having what was almost a bed bath, he flicked my penis and asked what could be done to raise the dead. I grinned and though I knew the answer, I didn't say and thought that he should work it out for himself.

The light dawned on him when he began to get undressed for bed, for he had left me lying there exposed, and as soon as that dress had come off and I saw him in the underwear, the penny dropped.

'Why didn't I think of that before,' he said, giving his forehead a slap. 'You get turned on by seeing me undressing, or rather being half undressed,' as he saw that my cock had risen up and was now a hard and rather large sausage up against my stomach. I didn't answer but just grinned at him. 'Well you're not in a fit state to see to me but I sure as hell can see to you,' and so he went down on me and helped relieve the pressure from my balls. What was different this time was when he came sliding up my uninjured side to give me a kiss and then passed some of my own sperm into my mouth as we kissed. I almost choked on it being unprepared for such a stunt, but finished up swallowing some of my own coming.

'They use to say in ancient Greece that if you were to suck and take the sperm from your enemy, you were also taking some of his strength into yourself and should therefore be able to defeat him in battle,' he said.

'Bullshit!' I spluttered.

'Bullshit or not, I believe it and that's why I passed some of your own strength back to you for I think we are going to need it in the near future.' Now I wasn't going to argue with that and so I held him in my arms in the most comfortable position I could get and fell asleep still holding him.

There wasn't any sexual awakenings the next morning and we had breakfast in our room again and after that, we packed up and moved out into our new rented flat. I looked even worse now in my suit that was creased and now, even bloodstained and decided that I must get some more clothes, and this brought Mr Percival Weston to mind. The papers hadn't reported anything more to lead to my being named or involved and I was thankful that they hadn't given out Tolliver as being the owner of the apartment where I'd killed Tampon, as I now thought of him, and like his name, he was being shoved where the sun doesn't shine.

I got Tracey to drive me to Saville Row and he stayed in the car as before and I went in alone. As I have said, I now looked even worse and got some funny looks from other clientele as I walked in and said that I would rather be dealt with by Mr. Percival and no other.

He came hurrying over when he saw me and when I said that I needed some new suits and at least one to be able to walk out in, he was most affable. He was also aware of why I only wanted him to deal with me and when we got into a private dressing room did I make him fully aware that I always carried a gun and the suits needed to be modified to that effect. I also pointed out the fact that I was accident prone as he saw when I took my coat off and he could see the dressing under the shirt as well as that on my head. Then I slowly brought the conversation round as my measurements were being taken that I confessed that the wound to my head had caused me a lot of grief insofar as me forgetting where I lived. He cluck clucked as I told him this and I asked if he could ring round to his various oppositional tailors to find out if I had been their client and at least where I was supposed to be living. This he promised to do, giving this instruction to a junior while he carried on with me.

With all my measurements seen too, he then kitted me out in an off the peg suit for the time being. I almost felt embarrassed for him when he had to delicately ask how I intended to pay for what I was now attired in and for the suits ordered. When I said cash, he was most delighted.

So freshly dressed and having handed over a lot of money I was about to leave when the junior passed over a note to Percival who positively beamed when he read it. It appeared that they had found my tailor and it was one of their most bitter rivals and were now glad that they had got my order. They also had my address and checking account which pleased me no end as I now felt I was getting somewhere in finding more out about myself.

My last known address was in Great Pye Street, a few hundred yards from New Scotland Yard. This information didn't bode too well with me at this moment. But in spite of this, I think the hundred pound tip I gave him was well worth it. So with a clean new, though off the peg suit, I emerged from the tailor just over an hour later with what I wanted.

'Am I glad to see you,' Tracey said with a slight trace of annoyance in his voice. 'I've been round the bloody block three times because of wardens, and that's not easy in these streets nowadays.'

'I'm sorry, but, well I'll tell you when we get home,' I said.

'And where's home might I ask?' came the testy reply.

'I've not the slightest idea darling. You rented the place,' I said with a smirk. He snorted and drove us off back to Notting Hill Gate. 'So you've got a new suit and there's me with the same old dress,' he said sulkily as we drove to our new place.

'Well tomorrow you can go and buy a new outfit,' I said, wincing as I had turned rather sharply to say this.

'Oh, I'm sorry darling. I didn't mean it to come out the way it sounded,' he said, seeing the expression on my face, which I think he interpreted it the wrong way. 'I like your suit and you did need a new one, but this is the only thing I've got that I can really wear outside of a night club. I left my others in Berlin.' I patted his knee and then let my hand trail up his thigh which made him smile. 'Not now, later,' he smiled back at me.

We stopped and got an early evening paper, but that didn't give us much to go on in respect of the police investigation, but then I didn't think it would. At the same time, we picked up some groceries that would keep us for a few days and I only really felt comfortable when we got back into our new flat. The first thing I did was to turn on the television and scan the channels for news, but didn't find anything of note.

Tracey proved his worth in the cooking line as he once said and turned out a lovely meal, that I'm afraid I didn't enjoy as much as I should have done. The strain of the fight the day before and the worry I had been carrying was showing in a bit of short temperedness on my side. I made up for it in bed that night after my dressings had been changed by going down on him first. He appreciated that and gave me a bloody good blow job in return.

It was during dinner that I told him of my address and so, after breakfast next morning, we went off to find it.

'You lived here?' Tracey asked in awe as we viewed the magnificent mansions that ran down the street.

'Well we'll soon find out,' I said, somewhat in awe myself for I didn't recognise the place. We parked up and went up and into the lobby to be confronted by a medium height man of middle age and of a bearing that implied he was ex-army.

'Welcome back Mr. Kane,' the man said.

'Thank you, er........'

'What's your name?' Tracey interrupted, interpreting the fact that I didn't know his name.

'Charlie, Miss. Charlie Feathers.'

'Please to meet you Mr. Feathers. My name is Tracey and I'm a dear, and I hope, valued friend of Mr. Kane.'

'The pleasure is all mine Miss,' Charlie fawned.

'Er, Charlie, I seem to have a problem. I've lost my keys....' I started to say.

'No problem sir,' he said, disappearing through a doorway and returning almost instantly. 'I always keep a spare set handy,' he said as he handed them too me. 'Key to the apartment and one for the front door, though I think I'd better see to getting them changed tomorrow, if you know what I mean sir.'

'Of course, most wise,' I said. 'Just give me the bill,' and I took Tracey's arm and led her upstairs, deigning to use the lift until I knew a bit more about the building. The carpet was thick underfoot and the decoration was superb and that was just on the staircase.

'I can't wait to see what your rooms are like,' Tracey whispered to me as we went up.

'Neither can I,' I said.

My hands actually shook as I tried to fit the key in the lock and Tracey finally took them off me and opened the door. There was a short vestibule inside that was sumptuous in its décor and this led into a large lounge that seemed enormous compared to the outside look of the building.

'Wow,' breathed Tracey as we both saw this minor looking palace. 'What on earth do you actually do to be able to afford a place like this?'

'I haven't the slightest idea,' I said, gazing in awe at the splendour of the place. The thought that it was mine didn't register after the only things I could remember were small hotel rooms that we'd slept in.

The carpet was thick underneath our feet and it was wall to wall. There were two large sofa's and two deep armchairs, all in black leather facing an ornate fireplace that now held a fake log gas fire. Before this was a large coffee table, with other occasional tables about the room that had flock paper on the walls and several pictures that were quite pleasing to the eye. Along the wall opposite the windows was a, well you couldn't really call it a cabinet it was so big. It looked as though it had been built inside the room it was that big. There were several glass door sections to it and a massive array of bottles that made me wonder if I was an alcoholic or had friends that drank a lot. Against the wall opposite the fireplace we didn't see until we fully entered the room, was a bookcase that was actually overflowing and before that was a table with yet still more books upon its surface. I didn't even want to start looking at the titles yet. First I had to get the feel of the place before I started to probe. We saw an arch off to the right and it led to another room that held a table that would seat twelve people and it shone as if it has just been polished or been polished for aeons. A door led off the dining room and into a spotless enormous kitchen with an island in the centre which was obviously used for the preparation of meals. On most of the surfaces were machines and implements to cook and brew everything.

'Wow,' again from Tracey as we surveyed it.

We went back into the lounge and turned into a short passageway that had four doors. This was carpeted the same as the lounge, being an extension, and there were small discreet drawings in frames in between the doors, each with its own little light above them, this being the only illumination for the passage.

The first door was as I assumed, a bedroom, and it only figured that the other doors were for bedrooms too. A four bedroom pad and if the others were like this, well, it beggared belief. There was a massive double or would it be a treble bed that dominated the room and the other pieces of furniture paled against this. A door led off to the side and Tracey opened it and said that word again as he peered inside. I saw over his shoulder a big corner shaped bath that had all the fittings to turn it into a Jacuzzi style bath. The taps and fittings were of gold and the place was immaculate with snowy white towels everywhere.

'God, I'd hate to have to clean this place every day,' Tracey said as we took in the toilet, bidet and double basin with fitted mirrors above and cabinets to the side. 'I don't want to look at the other bedrooms,' he said. 'They are making me sick with envy when I think of that two up and two down place I was brought up in.' We went back out into the lounge and I went and surveyed the array of drinks, finding a cabinet that was a disguised fridge and pulled out an ice tray.

'Drink?' I asked, and without waiting for an answer, poured out two large gin and tonics with plenty of ice in both glasses. Tracey had plonked himself down on one of the sofa's and took the glass from me and raised it in a mocking toast.

'Now I hope I'm not dreaming and this is yours, for if it is, I hope that I can stay being Mrs. Kane,' I didn't like the way it was said, and said so.

'Tracey! Let's get one thing straight. If this is mine, then half of it is yours, now is that enough, for I'm not going to stand any sniping, is that clear!'

'Yes dear,' he said in a small voice that was almost childish in the way it came out and I couldn't help but laugh and take him into my arms and give him a hug and a kiss. 'Are you sure there isn't another Mrs. Kane anywhere?'

'Does it look like it?' I'd already noticed that there was a distinct lack of feminity about the place. It was a bachelor's place, of that there was no doubt judging by the lack of mementoes and the like, I didn't even see one flower vase.

'Well it hasn't been trashed like Tolliver's,' he said which brought me back to reality.

'No,' I said thoughtfully, thinking that they would have had to get past Charlie first, and he looked as though he knew how to handle himself. But I began to get a weird sensation in my stomach and it didn't augur well. Like some sixth sense telling me something was either not quite right or that something was going to happen. I got up as quick as I could and went over to a desk and riffled through a drawer and found a cheque book with my name inside which I put in my pocket.

'Finish your drink,' I said to Tracey. 'We're leaving.'

'Leaving? But we've only just got here!' he said.

'I know, but I'm getting a funny feeling inside of me.'

'I get one every time I look at you,' he smiled.

'I do too when I look at you, but this one is different. We're not safe here at the moment, so let's go.' He finished his drink quickly and got up and we left my apartment and went downstairs. Charlie was there and I went over to him.

'Charlie, have there been any people here looking for me lately?' I asked him.

'Yes sir. There was a man here a couple of days ago,' and he described Tampon almost to the colour of his shirt. 'Then two men this morning. I've seen enough of them to know that they were policemen even before they showed me their warrant cards. Special Branch. They wanted to know if I'd seen you lately. I told them that I hadn't, but they wanted me to inform them when you showed up. They gave me this card to ring,' and he produced this card from his pocket and showed me.

'Have you told them?'

'No sir. I wanted to hear what you wanted me to do in this respect.'

'Thanks,' I said as I copied down the name and telephone number from the card before passing it back to him. I also gave him a few notes. 'I'll leave it up to you whether you tell them I've been here or not, and thanks again.' I was just about to leave but I turned back to him. 'This may sound a strange question, but how long have we known each other?'

'About four years sir.'

'Where and when?' He looked at me a little strangely. 'I'll explain later why I'm asking.'

'When you joined our unit on special ops as our intelligence officer. You were a lieutenant then, but soon was a captain. We left at about the same time. I was due for retirement. You didn't say why you were leaving, but you offered me the job here to look after the building and I've not regretted doing so sir.'

'Thank you Charlie, but there are reasons why I can't tell you what I'm doing now, maybe later.'

'That all right sir. Just like the old days. Don't worry about this place, it's in good hands.' I smiled at him and took Tracey's arm and we left the building and went to the car.