Michael Ch. 10

"Is it really necessary to say the first thing that comes into your head?" Despite her words, Michelle was smiling.

"Did you really do all that stuff they said in the papers and at your trial? I followed it you know." He popped a chocolate into his mouth, his stomach straining against his uniform.

"Don't believe all the shit you read in the papers. I was just a wife and mother who was badly treated by the system."

"I didn't believe most of what they said, but you ain't just a wife and a mother. Even I knew that. I rooted for you though. No way you were as bad as they said. You were decent to me. Always were."

"Yeah, well I liked you. Fuck knows why, but I did."

"I liked you too. Still do. You were the only friend I could rely on or trust."

"Okay, enough, I'll be crying next. You eating all those chocolates?"

"Umm, sorry," he put the box back as Tilly walked in carrying an overnight bag.

"Apologies, Mistress, I didn't realise you had visitors," said Tilly, eyeing Bill askance.

"We're old friends," said Bill. He didn't like the way Tilly looked down on him. The way most people did. Except for Michelle.

"This is Bill. We were porn and pizza, buddies," laughed Michelle.

Bill grinned. "Good times, we watched a lot of porn, ate a lot of pizza. You miss that?"

"Yeah. Then life gets more complicated and you forget the simple pleasures. You miss it?"

"Yeah, I looked forward to the nights you came round. Happiest times of my life, tell the truth." He rubbed his face with his hands, looking embarrassed.

There was a heavy silence until Michelle broke it. "You ever try the compound?"

"Couple of times. They wouldn't let me in."

"Next time they will. Give Tilly your number, message her when you want to come round."

"Yeah, thanks, Michelle, appreciate that."

"You like the look of Tilly?"

"Yeah, I guess," Bill was still niggled at the way she looked at him. Nice tits and arse, though.

"You fancy copping a feel of her? A thank you for the chocs, even if you have eaten most of them." Michelle was amused. Bill had perked her up.

"Mistress," Tilly half pleaded.

"What, grope her?" Bill half suspected Michelle was joking.

"Yeah, stick your hand up her snatch. If you come round to the compound I may even let you fuck her. Tilly likes strange men fingering her, especially if they are a bit older, don't you Tilly."

"Yes, Mistress," replied Tilly, resigned she hitched up her skirt. He stared at her shaved pussy.

"Sweet!" Whistling, he jammed his fingers into her wetness. "Fuck, nice and loose!"

"You've got a few minutes, Bill, give her a good groping." ordered Michelle digging into the chocolates. "Look as if you are enjoying this, Tilly!" She leant forward and swatted Tilly on the arse as a grinning Bill fingered her.

After a minute or two, Michelle called time. "That's enough, Bill."

Reluctantly, Bill withdrew his hand.

"Lick his hand clean, Tilly."

Face flushed, Tilly accepted Bill's fingers into her mouth.

"That was fun, thanks Mich," said Bill, wiping his fingers on Tilly's breasts.

"Message Tilly next week, one last thing. Why didn't you sell your story to the papers?"

Shuffling his feet, Bill debated whether to lie. He didn't. "Tried too, they didn't believe me." He hesitated. "Does this mean I won't see you again?"

"No it's fine. You didn't lie. Selling your story for money is very on-brand, as is them not believing you. See you next week. Or at least Tilly will."

His face lit up, slapping Tilly on the arse. "Hope you get better," he said cheerfully.

"Pull your skirt down, Tilly, you disgusting fat trollop," said Michelle once Bill had left.

"Yes, Mistress."

"Are you crying?"

"No, Mistress," replied Tilly as she burst into tears.

"Oh, come on, really? I'm the one who flaked out in hospital and you're blubbing?"

"I'm sorry, it's just," Tilly sat down, her head in her hands, sobbing afresh. Her emotional core had collapsed.

Michelle closed her eyes, trying to block Tilly out, and then, with an exasperated sigh, she reached out. "Come on, take my hand."

Slowly, Tilly did, as if afraid she would be punished.

"I'm not going to hurt you, okay? Either tell me what is wrong or shut up."

It came out in a rush."I've served you faithfully for nearly twenty years, no matter what. I stood by you. I helped Linda when you were inside, I've never been disloyal and then you collapsed again and I didn't know if you would recover and it's been hard, I've been worried sick and sometimes I just want, like, well something. I don't know what I would do if you weren't there and I know you think I'm weak and pathetic and I am, but sometimes," she trailed off, sniffing.

Not fully following Tilly's train of thought, Michelle curbed her irritation. "I look after you don't I? See your daughter is set up. In return I ask a lot, demand a lot and I've not had to question your loyalty."

"You will always have it, Mistress," sniffed Tilly.

"So, why are you crying? Are you expecting kind words from me?"

Yes. "No."

"But?"

"I sometimes wish I knew if you valued me."

Michelle was quiet for a few moments. "You'll do, I guess." There was a hint of a smile. Tilly smiled in return.

"May I hug you, Mistress?"

"If you must, but make it quick."

Wrapping her arms around Michelle, Tilly clasped her to her bosom. Her unconditional love for the woman who abused her was overwhelming. Even a hint of appreciation meant a lot to Tilly.

The door opened. "Dr Bruggt is here, Ms Leason."

"Oh, fucking joy." Michelle put her arms around Tilly and hugged her back.

****

Sammie served tea and cakes to Amanda.

"Dr Bruggt was pretty clear. I can't ask her about my father. I was going to do it when we got to know each other, and now I can't!" Amanda threw down the business summaries she was holding. "Mum's still too weak and do you know how large her business holdings are? There is Boost. A property and construction company, which this woman Mary is a minority partner in."

"Tolliver, Miss Amanda. She used to run McCraddocks, then was a figurehead under your mother." Another unpleasant woman.

"That's the one. And there is all these other businesses, which apparently used to be cash fronts for money laundering but now run as businesses in their own right, arcades, laundromats, pubs, cafes, newsagents. Then there are the overseas holdings. Hotels, casinos, and look, a whole stack of orchards. Why does anyone want to own an orchard, let alone hundreds of them? All this I need to get up to speed on and what if she doesn't recover?"

"Then you will step up, you are a bright capable woman." Sammie divided the cake and handed a slice to Amanda.

"Thank you, Sammie," Amanda bit gratefully into the moist sponge, the dog bed where Sammie had slept catching her eye. "One more night, naked and in the dog bed."

"Yes, Miss Amanda. If I may retire to bathe in the dorm facilities, unless I can fetch you something first?"

"No. I'm going to read for a bit, try and make sense of all this," she waved her hand over the papers and files. "Just don't be to long."

"Yes, Miss Amanda." Sammie closed the door and headed to the dorm room. Tilly looked up as Sammie entered. She was rubbing cream into the back of Harriet's legs and bottom.

"Is Harriet okay?"

"Jalsa used the heavy paddle on her today. She's in one of her foul moods." All three viewed the dorm as the place they could speak their minds. Tilly told them that was explicitly made clear by Michelle back in the day.

"I'll be okay. Miss Jalsa vents her frustrations which is fine. It's nice to have you tending my rear, Tilly," smiled Harriet, turning her head and allowing Tilly to kiss her.

Taking some of the cream, Sammie smoothed it into the woman's skin, feeling the heat from the bruising, the ugly mottling under Harriet's dark colouring. "I can't stay long. Miss Amanda is expecting me, and I need to shower."

"How is Amanda?" asked Tilly.

"Worried about Michelle's businesses. She feels she isn't ready to handle them. She isn't."

"Mistress doesn't run them. People are employed to run them. All she has is monthly reports from her lawyers and accountants. In practice it doesn't change much. Mistress gets more involved in the off-book operations that require her particular expertise if you get my drift."

"You mean like, criminal stuff? Is there still much of that?" Sammie saw Tilly and Harriet exchange glances. "Look, Amanda can't be left in the dark, it could all rebound on her."

"Miss Amanda is best not knowing, Miss Sammie," said Harriet.

"I cannot accept that!"

"Harriet is right. Mistress will not want any of this for Amanda, it would be too much for her, even Mistress struggles sometimes to keep everything in check, Amanda has no experience, no idea. Best she is left out of it as Mistress wants."

"I cannot fully protect Amanda if I am also in the dark. I assumed Michelle was fully legit, that all criminal activity ceased when she went to prison, or am I being naive?"

"Very, but it isn't quite the same as the old days. It's much more focused and sophisticated."

"How?"

Tilly considered for a moment. "Understand that I only know what I pick up here and there. Mistress never confides, but she does vent, so I know a fair bit." She paused, relishing being the centre of attention. "Mistress acts as a courier and underwriter for certain activities. If you want to ship something into a country then you contact one of Mistress's brokers who will arrange it for a price."

"Something?"

"Something that cannot go through proper channels, we will leave it at that. Anyway, if it all goes to plan then Mistress collects her fees and commission, if it doesn't and costs are incurred then Mistress pays those costs, or if it is impounded then Mistress pays on the loss."

"Oh, like an insurer!"

"Yes, but for contraband. A black market insurer. And not just here, she has networks in Europe and the Far East. Mistress has brokers all over the world, just as her Property company and Boost has offices all over the world."

"Like a mirror image, one legal and one illegal," said Sammie thoughtfully.

"Yes, and sometimes there are problems, or unhappy customers or people who want to muscle in, which can mean violence, that's were the adjusters come in. People who assess why there was a delay or loss or seeing off those who want to seize Mistress's business."

"Why do they not just ship it in themselves rather than using Michelle?"

"They can, but there are risks, and it's not easy. Mistress's operation was built over years. It started off the back of another woman called Mehzain, she used to traffic women, and it has expanded from there.

"Trafficking?" Sammie's voice betrayed her horror.

"Contraband is not just goods, Sammie, it's people too, sometimes criminals or political activists. Mistress does not judge, she just provides the service and people use Mistress's organisation because it is as good a guarantee as you can get in this business. Remember, Mistress pays out if it goes wrong, whereas if you do yourself you lose everything. It's why criminals are happy to use it and often happy to see it protected."

"But these people deal in millions, sometimes hundreds of millions, how can Michelle afford it?"

"That is a silly question, Sammie, have you any idea what Mistress is worth? Besides, it rarely goes wrong and she will charge anything up to 20 points commission, it depends on the contraband and difficulties involved."

"And Michelle decides all this?"

"No, the brokers do all that. Mistress is the underwriter, the guarantor if you like."

"Don't people try and rip her off? Or cheat? Claim not all the goods got through?"

Tilly laughed. "Yes, they are criminals after all, but the adjusters investigate and if there is anything underhand they will find it. They not only investigate but are enforcers too. Mistress is very clever and very ruthless." You have no idea how ruthless.

"Amanda cannot be a part of this," worry gripped Sammie as she unconsciously kneaded Harriet's bum and pussy, the increased sounds of pleasure suddenly making her aware. "Oops, sorry Harriet!"

"Don't be!" Harriet replied, turning to Sammie and kissing her. The three were bonding.

"How is Michelle?" asked Sammie, deciding to change the subject.

Tilly smiled. "She's recovering. Mistress struggles with emotional issues, but she will be fine. We even had a moment." Tilly added, sounding pleased.

"You mean she was nice to you?" asked Sammie, with Harriet looking curious.

"Yes, it happens occasionally. I love her and sometimes she will let me know I am appreciated."

"Loved like a dog." said Harriet almost wistfully.

"Yes. I am her dog. That is my place," agreed Tilly contentedly.

That hit home with Sammie, a reminder of a past life, a happy one she had given up. The phrase echoed in Sammie's mind as she caressed Harriet to climax.

****

Stephen huddled into his heavy coat as the cold wind whipped rain around his legs, the doorway offering some protection for him and his companion.

"It's been kept out of the press for the time being. They found a sunken van and three bodies, one woman, two men. The bodies were in a bad way. The cover-up was bit sloppy." DI Clare Vane stamped her feet to keep warm.

"So?"

"It was in Stathford forest. They know Raven was there at the time."

"As I said, so?"

"The victims were often at the dogging spots, rumour is the van was used for rape as well. Allegations, nothing proven. Raven's car was captured on CCTV on the turnoff to these spots. Given her record, her known fondness for sexual deviencey--I love that phrase--she is naturally someone they would like to speak to, maybe she saw something suspicious."

"Of course they do," grumbled Stephen. "They handing over talking to her to the Met?"

"Yeah. Truth is no one is mourning these three, but if Raven is involved there is much more interest." She looked directly at Stephen. "She involved?"

"Right now, I have no fucking idea but we treat it as if she is and make sure there is no blowback. Anyone friendly on the investigating team?"

"Don't think so. The team assigned has a few faces from the last time around and only because it's Raven. They are convinced she skated on the murder charges. They fancy another crack."

"Fuck! Coppers with motivation. Never good."

"We're always motivated. Just that I'm on team Raven. How is she?"

"Good. I think." He didn't mention the hospitalisation.

"Nice to hear. I miss her. We had fun times."

"Not sure the girls you played with saw it that way."

Clare Vane shrugged. "Fuck 'em."

****

"You're late," a sleepy Amanda said half accusingly.

"I'm sorry, Miss Amanda, I was tending to Harriet."

"Other staff are not your priority, I am." Amanda sat up in bed as Sammie stood before her. After a quick shower, Sammie walked back through the house naked, enjoying the freedom the Compound provided.

"Kneel." Amanda ordered, climbing out of bed.

Scrambling to her knees, Sammie felt her heart beating faster. Tilly's words were still in her head. Her Mistress approached. She was wearing a long vest, which she lifted as she stood before Sammie. The temptation to push her face into Amanda's bare pussy was overwhelming.

"Please me." Amanda said softly.

Pressing her lips to Amanda's hairless slit sent a ripple through Sammie, the sweet feeling of submission was exquisite. For both, it had little to do with sex; rather, it was about reinforcing dominance.

Amanda rocked slightly as Sammie pleasured her. A small gasp as she came, deliberately rotating her hips to smear her juices over Sammie's face, marking her property. "You will now spend tonight and tomorrow in your dog bed. You need to get through a day blemish-free. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Miss Amanda." Sammie mumbled.

"I need your full attention and support and I don't think I am getting that. You speak out of turn, put others and yourself before me."

"Please, Miss--!" the slap stopped her. "I apologise, I shouldn't have tried to argue. Please forgive me."

"That will depend on your behaviour. You will spend the rest of this week in your dog bed. Now go, crawl to your bed like a good dog."

Chastened, Sammie did so. The bed she had initially chosen had been large and relatively comfortable, but it had been changed to a more modest and bare bed, difficult to get comfy in and cold.

That Sammie knew she deserved her punishment was the one thing that kept her warm. That and the gentle breathing of her new Mistress.

****

"I'm not an invalid, Amanda, there is no need to flap around me!" Michelle failed to keep the irritation from her voice.

"Well, excuse for being concerned and trying to help. I wondered if you were feeling the chill and offered to fetch a throw. Sorry for caring!"

Michelle sank back into the sofa and closed her eyes. "Okay, okay. I hate being fussed over, thats all."

"You sure that's all it is? You've been moody ever since you got out of hospital. Dr Bruggt feels it would be good if we talked." Amanda ignored the spasm of annoyance on her mother's face. Truth was, Amanda was desperate to talk, and it was fairly obvious it was the last thing Michelle wanted.

"I'm dismissing Bruggt. I don't want to hear her name again."

Amanda let the silence linger before speaking. "I don't think that is a good idea."

"It's my decision and it's final! Bitch was talking out of turn." Michelle felt the tension build in her head.

"I wanted to know what was wrong, and how I could help. Even Megan was concerned."

For some reason, this lightened Michelle's mood. "I seriously doubt that. My sister loathes me."

"You needn't sound so happy about it!"

"A woman has to find amusement where she can." Michelle rose to her feet. "Let's walk."

Sensing this also meant talk, Amanda fell into step with her mother as they headed outside.

"I don't like people knowing my business." Michelle broke the silence.

"I'm not 'people', I'm your daughter, or had you forgotten?"

"I can do without the sarcasm." Michelle held her hand up to forestall Amanda. "I guess you have questions."

So many! "This-er-visual thing."

"Visual agnosia. It just means I see and interpret the world differently. No big deal." Michelle headed toward the small orchard.

"How?"

"What do you mean, how? The world is as I've always seen it. It's normal to me. Can you describe normal as you perceive it?"

"I guess not."

"There you go. This is a pointless conversation."

"No, it's not. I want to understand, help."

"Do I look like I need help?" Michelle stopped and spun to face Amanda. "Do I look like some weak, frail woman that needs looking after?"

As ever, Amanda's temper flared to meet the hostility. "You were unconscious for three days, I find out you are dog blind, amongst other things, and if we are being frank, Dr Bruggt diagnosed you as a sociopath! I'd take weak and frail, I can understand that. Understanding is all I am seeking here," added Amanda as her mother's face clouded. "I don't mean to hurt you, but perhaps some truth telling isn't a bad thing."

Michelle held Amanda's gaze, then looked down and sought out her daughter's hand. "I know. It's just uncomfortable for me. And I am not a sociopath. Just free spirited and unconventional."

"Yeah, sure, mum."

"Bitch." The mood softened further. "Dog blind?"

"Just popped into my head," laughed Amanda. "Must be hard avoiding dogs."

"No, not really. They kind of avoid me. Give me a wide berth, according to Tilly and Max. Guess they must sense something different that makes them wary."

"What about cats or birds, or--"

"I'm not going to list everything, okay? Think of it as seeing what you see and being told there are things you cannot see or interact with. As you can't see them, does it matter if they exist? Do they exist if you cannot perceive them? To me, my world is normal, it's the only world I know."