Kendra's Knees Buckle

That afternoon the police executed a search warrant on the premises of Sapphire Private Investigations as Jack had said they would. He and Mac had briefed everyone.

The officers located a white van in the loading dock at the rear of the offices but found it belonged to a fishmonger who was a friend of Jack's. They searched it thoroughly and came up with little more than two very old herring skeletons.

One thing Jack, Mac and Pam had overlooked though was the file relating to the chemical warehouse investigation. The cops took away that file but as Pam said to the relief of Mac and Jack the file contained no report of the break-in because no report had even been written because Mac wasn't that stupid and there was no documentation from her about it because she'd not found out about the crazy nocturnal bust-in until after Giles' arrest.

"It does record our fat fee although we were unable to claim the bonus for successfully solving the case," she smiled. "We were just happy to nail that bastard."

The next day Mac was called to the site of the alleged crime. He took Jack who also possessed a law degree and had worked as a solicitor for eight years before turning to forensic science. Also there was police team and the legal team without their client who understandably was cooling his heels in custody, awaiting his next court appearance or the hearing of the appeal against his interim detention, whichever came first.

The head of the legal team had a metal grappling hook and decided to show how it was done. He was a little astray and his first shot smacked into the brickwork, narrowly missing breaking a window.

The uncovered metal clanged against the metal fire escape causing a police sergeant to say to his inspector, "That noise would have stirred the dead after dark."

After five failed shots the head solicitor slyly attempted to hand the grapple to Mac and said, "Here you have a try."

Mac said cleverly, "Sorry I'm better at catching than throwing."

The police sergeant hooked the extension first throw and pulled it down.

"See the extension comes almost to the ground. It's just a big step up to it," he said.

The sergeant and the constable went up the ladder, some distance apart, just as Mac and Jo had done that night.

"Moment of truth," Jack whispered. "If that door's unlocked you are in the poo Mac."

The wait was a little nerve-racking for Jack, making him feel like being in a tank with a faulty cannon watching an enemy tank turn to face them.

"The door's locked," the sergeant called.

"Use a skeleton key," yelled one of the solicitors.

"Sorry sir, there's no keyhole. It's a secure internal locking mechanism."

"Aha," said the inspector to the legal team. "A very plausible-sounding theory gentlemen but unfortunately flawed and it fell at the last hurdle. Shall we go?"

Jack said he'd like to request that the record of Mr McLaughlin's unfortunate involvement by right-thinking lawyers acting on flawed theory be expunged from police records in respect of this enquiry.

The inspector smiled sympathetically. "Please come in to my office at your convenience and fill out the appropriate form and it will by forwarded to the superintendent to consider Mr Francis. I can understand anyone working in the security industry does not wish to be connected with loose-canon enquiries that are rubbished but yet end up in police records."

The head of the legal team sighed. "We would not envisage having any objection to that process ending with a successful application."

As the men from Sapphire drove off Jack said, "Mac I advise you to drive that van at least twenty miles from here tonight and dump those overalls and any other equipment used in that illegal break-in. Evidence remains evidence after the fact. Burn as much as you can and then attempt to make any unburnable stuff unrecognizable before dumping it into a very large commercial refuse skip or preferable several skips at different locations. Fire will destroy any of the CEO's stray hair or skin flakes existing on your overalls or gloves and take particular care in the disposal of the grappling hook."

"I shall bang the tines flat and then cut them into small pieces."

"Perfect Mac. When you do a lovely job always ensure the destruction of lingering evidence in carried out perfectly. Your reputation and possible your freedom depends on that. God Pam almost had kittens after you'd admitted doing that break-in."

"Yeah she gave me a right fucking tongue-lashing but couldn't hide in her eyes that she was damn proud of me although was eager to screw my neck."

"Let's have another pint," Jack chuckled.

Mac called Jo and simple said, "No worries. All over" and cut the call.

"Who was that?"

"Never you mind Jack."

"I have contact who can trace that call for me."

Mac sighed and muttered Jo.

"I thought so. She's a sexy young thing isn't she?"

Mac kept his face straight and said, "Do you think so?"

"Yes she's toying with the suggestion of going away with me for a weekend."

Mac couldn't help it. "Jesus Jack, you are almost old enough to be her grandfather."

"Oh easily old enough but that doesn't appear to worry her and I'm damn sure it doesn't worry me."

Mac just rolled his eyes. He supposed it would be useful experience for his 19-year old sidekick who'd turn twenty next month. Being a scientist, Jack could probably name all the parts for her and she then wouldn't have to use such crude terms.

When Jack and Mac returned to the office, Jo kissed Mac in front of everyone but the other women knew Jo loved doing things to shock them. Although being ex-cops, they all missed the look that passed between Jo and Jack and that warned Mac he'd have to talk to Jack about how to act covertly a tall times when engaging in adultery with a young woman right under his wife's beady eyes.

It was still lunchtime at the school so Mac called Kendra.

She complained she hadn't seen him for three days. "Have you gone off me."

"Take hold of your pussy."

"Jack!"

"Go on; it won't fall off."

"Okay," she sighed.

Jack grinned and said, "Now say these words: This is Jack's pussy and he's very unlikely to forget that."

Laughing Kendra repeated those words.

"So what have you been up to?"

He said obviously not having sex and she giggled. He said in recent days he'd been very involved in running into brick walls but that was the name of the game.

"Exactly what do you do?"

"When other people give me free rein I assist in the investigation of all types of theft and we have a pretty impressive clearance rate with cases the cops have been unable to solve."

"I had an idea that's what you really did."

"And Jo."

He squirmed but answered honestly. "Initially she was employed to answer the phone but after that outstanding action by her when we foiled that jewelry robbery we promoted her to my assistant."

"Why do you need an assistant when you mainly run into brick walls and didn't Jo sort out that attempted robbery by herself? You were struggling on the floor under the big guy when she sorted it out."

"Yes dear."

"You sound like you're married."

They laughed but not wholeheartedly.

"We today I made a big of a pal out of Jack Francis. Until now he's always been a bit standoffish with me."

"Oh yes, your partner's son. Jo told me Jack Francis at work has taken a bit of a fancy to her and they might go away together this weekend."

"Son?" Mac said in surprise.

"Yes Jack is Mrs Francis's son and not her stepson isn't he?"

Mac lied and said yes Jack was Mrs Francis's cute son.

"Cute? Oooh lovely. Jo needs to associate with younger people. She tried her friend's brother recently but he ejaculated before he'd gotten much more than an inch in and then there appeared only three more inches to go. Jo was horrified and disgusted and told me young guys were generally assholes."

"Um them am I old enough for you?"

"Oh yes Jack and amply large enough as well, although I have to struggle to remember."

"You told me you have Friday off, right?"

"Yes to mark papers."

"Let me take you away for the weekend. We can fuck, eat and at other times you can mark papers."

"Oh Mac I do love the practical way you think, stripped entirely of emotion and complications. You are such a treasure."

"Christ thanks for that supreme compliment baby."

"It's my pleasure darling. It remains me of being with Jo when she was a baby."

"Eh?"

"Er then I was back experiencing the simple life of not being under undue pressure and having to only deal with one person's absolute focus."

"Oh yeah. I get what you mean, I think."

"Not to worry Mac. I do believe you are highly trainable."

"Eh?"

She laughed and said she'd like to go away for a hot weekend because even at her age she still enjoyed sex and didn't get nearly enough of it.

"Eh? Well let's go away then. You pick and arrange and I'll drive you there and pay and keep my end up."

"Oooh. Must go. I'll make the arrangements leaving here early Friday so we will require early check-in. Bye Mac."

"What happened to darling?"

"Oh I only used that indiscriminately. It's no use becoming ho-hum."

"Right. Bye bitch."

She giggled and cut the call.

Mac moved to arrange to take Friday and the weekend off without dislocation to business. Although it was a 40-hour week job, as one of the two principals he and Pam (and Jack) regularly worked 60-hour weeks.

Understandably Jo said she'd like to take Friday off if her senior wouldn't be at work and by coincidence Jack said to Pam he'd go on Friday to stay the weekend with his sister Thelma, the one Pam detested so in relieve she said off he should go and thanked him for not inviting her.

* * *

Mac stood attentively at the car door while Kendra languorously lifted in long legs and smiled.

"Are you wearing knickers?"

The smile slipped a bit as she said painfully, "God Mac do you ever think ethereally?"

"I suppose I did when we were being shot at or bombed or shelled. But perhaps I mean celestially."

"Omigod," Kendra whimpered. "My poor, poor darling."

She clutched his arm and pulled him down for a perfectly applied deep kiss and Mac walked around the car no longer hiding his devilish grin.

Kendra has refused to say where she'd booked but told him to head for Oxford.

"Ah thank god you didn't pick the Cotswold's. We are not old enough to be that stodgy."

She looked nervous.

"What?"

"Watch the road."

"I'm thinking Gloucester taking the northern route with a stopover at charming Oxford for morning tea."

"Great I love Gloucester but unfortunately it's out of season to go to a game of rugby but I commend your great choice. Anyway we are only going somewhere to fuck."

"Grrrrrr," groaned Kendra.

"And for some culture. Gloucester was established by the Romans in AD 96 so there's some old stuff to look at I guess."

She smiled and said, "You are such a darling. When you think about it you really do try."

They wandered around Oxford a bit and then timed their arrival for lunch at their Gloucester hotel when their room would be ready.

"Um we are a little way from the city center but it's within a brisk walk."

"That's fine. I'm really not one for inner-city hotels."

"We're actually on the edge of the Cotswolds."

Mac said that was fine but the suspense was killing him.

"It's the Ramada Hotel and Resort and is set on 240 acres..."

"I know it. I stayed their a couple of times when in army in a party escorting some of foreign military VIPS. Great place. I'll have things to do while you mark papers."

"I had thought of that. Um a suite is expensive; I'll pay half."

"Right thanks."

"You were supposed to say no way."

He smiled and said he hadn't finished. "But you'll pay nothing if the sex is unbelievable."

"Oooh. No problem. Isn't that the same as paying for it?"

"Or being a stern gentleman. You decide."

"Oooh I'd gladly pay to be seduced by a stern handsome gentleman or two."

"Two simultaneously?"

Kendra giggled and said not to be so disgusting.

The suite was lovely.

Mac licked his lips and said, "Sex?"

"Yes please but let's shower first and then we can wallow."

"Eh?"

"I'm allowed to think about sex too Mac. And allow me to shower alone so we don't waste time."

"Oh right. I really like the way you think about sex."

They were in a tangle of arms and legs having a rest when Mac said he was hungry.

"Actually I am too. Let's shower and..."

"No lets throw on clothes, scuff a comb through our hair, you put on lipstick and we go to lunch smelling like mobile brothels."

Kendra hesitated.

"Come on," he coaxed. "Learn to be naughty even disgusting now and again. Flexibility is good for the brain, self-belief, stimulating your nervous system and various other things that I can't make up on the spur of the moment."

Kendra yawned and said happily, "There's no need to apologize. I can recognize bulldust when I hear it."

Miraculously Kendra got all her papers marked that weekend and yet they a good deal of time together, afternoon and evening and really enjoyed being in each other's company, particularly when connected. As they were packing to head home she asked, "Have you had a good time away with me?"

"Only the best baby, you really participated toward making it memorable. What about you?"

"I had a wonderful time. I have been happy, productive with my homework and enjoyed getting about and seeing things and doing things with you. I think we are very compatible when we try."

"Yeah I think that way too. You have been rare among females in that my humor and teasing has not driven you up the wall."

"Oh I have been tempted to climb the wall but I am mature enough and forgiving enough to not let it really get to me."

"Bullshit, god you're a liar."

She laughed and called him a rude man.

He asked, "Anything else?"

Kendra pursed her lips thoughtfully.

He tried again: "Do you feel truly fucked?"

She laughed and appeared to relax ever more.

"What a disgusting man. If you must know I was attempting to form the words to more or less describe what you said but being more couth."

"Take my advice Kendra, just let it rip. Course language is more expressive and emerges much more readily that attempting to frame ladylike mini-speeches."

"At least you are consistent," she smiled. "I was confident that you would say something like that, being yet another of your attempts to chip away at my beautiful upbringing."

"Oh well in that case..."

"Don't you dare change the way you speak to me Mac McLaughlin. I have accepted you for what you are. I certainly don't want a rearranged version to posture as a fraud and have me thinking I much preferred the original."

Mac said thoughtfully, "You appear to naturally want to make things appear more difficult than what they need to be."

"Well yes and that's possibly my maternal grandmother's influence. She spoke a great deal about wanting things to be the way she wanted them to be and yet she was far short of being a selfish woman."

"Well at least you and I possess major differences and that's good."

"That's a really intelligent comment my lover. You may well end up massaging my intellect as well as my cervix."

"Eh?"

"It's rather a long reach. Don't even think about it."

Traffic heading back to London was heavy and slow. At about the halfway point Kendra said, "I've been thinking about this a lot. Would you like to move in with me?

"Not at present if you don't mind. My impression is Jo is finding her feet well since I've known her. It's probably having a bit of authoritative male in her life and my view is it will work best if I'm not sitting on her. She regards your flat as her home, very much in fact if you thing about it, and she doesn't have much else to cling to except she now has a worthwhile job that could lead her into other areas of the widely embracing security industry if she chooses to leave us eventually."

"I hear what you say. I had been thinking if you two are together all day at work being together at night as well might strain your relationship. Have you a suggestion?"

"Yes according what Jo says on the train she seems to sleep away from home quite a bit. My suggestion is on those nights you come to my home and sleep, that is if you don't mind living in the home of my last ex-wife. I bought her out. Almost every sign of her is gone."

"No I wouldn't mind that at all. Every time I sleep in a hotel room I think other people have been there before me, including people I'd prefer never to associate with."

"A good answer and consistently contorted. Well let's do it Kendra whenever you feel like it. I regard you as my steady."

"Oooh. Do you mind if I regard you as my steady?"

"Not at all and I realize I have no power to stop you thinking what you wish. I'd love you to feel our intimacy and friendship has now extended our relationship that far and being away this weekend together has been like living with you."

* * *

The casual relationship between Kendra and Mac meandered along, growing closer as both introduced one another to a progressively widening circle of their friends and acquaintances. Casual and formal social invitations began to flow and their personal friends began asking when would they marry.

Kendra and Mac had not yet discussed that possibility.

Kendra had been aghast to find that her daughter's periodic boyfriend, Jack was not Pam Francis's son but her husband.

"You went away for a dirty weekend with a 66-year old man?"

"He'd only sixty-four mom."

"Don't you dare split hairs with me young woman. Oh my god, I can't believe this."

"He's lonely mom and the truth is I only am required to suck his cock."

"Jo Hart if you are going to become vocal about your disgusting behavior please use the appropriate term for that."

"Which is what"

"Oh Jesus I've forgotten... don't pressure me. Oh yes, fellatio."

"That doesn't sound as warm and explicit as...."

"Jo Hart you say those words again and I'll take the broom to you."

Jo told her mom to cool it and asked should they get Mac over to adjudicate.

"So Mac knew about this?"

"Yes."

"And he approved?"

"No. He suggested I didn't do it but added he really couldn't intervene in my private life."

"But the inference was I can and could have had he warned me."

"He said if you found out you'd go crazy."

"Well at least he was correct about that. I don't want you going on any more dirty weekends with that vile man or any other vile man. Omigod, I can't believe I am forced to tell you this. It's so degrading, a disgrace to the family."

"What family? Only you, me and Mac know about it and of course Jack."

"So you are calling Mac family now?"

"I think about him like that. You're going to marry him aren't you? You will be lonely if you throw me out of the flat."

Kendra began crying and that made Jo cry and they rushed into each other's arms and the reconciliation to repair the new tatters in their emotional relationship began.

Later when Jo served Margaritas Kendra said, "Do you really think Mac would want to marry me?"

"Yes but you'll have to do the pushing. He's aware he's been at the center of two failed marriages and I imagine is nervous about failing you but he loves you mom."

"Mac loves me?"

"Christ mom, the guy adores you. Open your eyes. Gee he jumps up each time you enter the room like a fucking jack-in-the-box."

"I-I have noticed that. But isn't that respect rather than love?"

"Mom do you really know anything about love?"

"I... well yes of course dear. Please let us chat on about this. God you are being so supportive to me."

Jo boggled but decided not to comment and thought she really must avoid using the name Jack again. Jesus her mom had just about exploded when Jo had mentioned Jack-in-the-box a few minutes ago; her face had turned purple. What color it would turn if Jo mentioned Jack subsidized her earnings each week for two sessions of cocksucking er fellatio was impossible to imagine. She must be careful.