The Dark Lady Ch. 10

We all stood and cheered.

"Theo, you have a basket case of a geologist and a crew foreman out there. They will need a visit in the morning. But we stood our ground and told immigration no search without a warrant, and no news release about the workers, who all had perfectly good papers. We got Greg on the line with the chief and he read them the riot act. Probable cause, defamation suit, the whole nine yards."

Erica added, "The local folks seemed unhappy about going out there on a wild goose chase based on just a phone call from DC. Won't do that again. At least, not with us."

After food and more chit chat, I could feel myself fading. All that running this morning was kicking in. Clemmie yanked me up by my hair and said, "This one is going home with me. His training needs attention, even though he distinguished himself this morning and got television coverage."

I was led away. Clemmie refused all offers of help except Susan's, who said she would be there as soon as she checked out with Karl and made sure there was a cab to take him to the Hilton.

I buckled my belt and sat hunched over meekly.

We were out of the parking lot when the first blow landed.

"I don't like it when you make me cry."

"I'm young and dumb. I'm sorry."

"This was not the right time to tease me about babies."

"I noticed. You were pretty fierce."

"We have to talk."

"Yes."

"I'm sweaty and smelly from all that tension."

"So am I. So is Susan, I bet."

"We will shower together and you will be nice and not make any nasty cracks."

"Yes."

"You are cute when I have beaten you down enough."

"When do I get out of the penalty box?"

"That is on the list of things to talk about."

There was silence the rest of the way to her house. I was really out of it now, dragging into the bedroom and getting out of my clothes. She stepped her naked body into my arms and said, "Tell me."

"I love you."

"That's better. Get in the shower."

I was hardly standing and she realized her trainee was asleep on his feet. She even dried me off before tucking me and going back to dry her hair. I never heard Susan arrive.

It was barely light but my brain was saying something about another big day. The bodies on either side were warm and breathing slowly. I was never getting out without waking them. The more I thought about how nice they were, the harder I got. The breathing on the one with her back to my front changed, and Susan wiggled harder into me. My fingers wandered over her breasts, rubbing and caressing. "You are bad. Clemmie says no sex until there is a talk."

I knew for sure this was a fake. My finger found a damp pussy getting wetter. I kissed the back of her neck and she wiggled again. I lifted her thigh and slipped my erection into the warm damp crevice between her legs. It was fun working around until he was inside. Her breath caught as I thrust gently and pinched a stiff nipple. "Clemmie is going to kill me."

Clemmie eased out and stood looking down at us, saying, "Morning sex with Theo is special. You are first. I will make coffee."

I asked her, "Do you want to be on top?"

"That would be nice."

Her tits were incredible in the early sunlight. My hands leaned her gently down so my tongue and lips could find nirvana. She clenched me hard and posted.

"That was a great save yesterday, teacher."

"Thank you. I was sure for a while our opening concert was down the drain. I think Karl was too. He is not into the mechanical side of the instruments he plays. With the music in his head and those hands, he shouldn't be."

Susan was smiling and moving on me steadily while she talked. Clemmie was watching from the doorway while the coffee was dripping. "The two of you look fabulous this morning."

"I'm going to stop. I don't need to come. It is just a gentle wakeup. You can have him now."

Clemmie deliberately launched herself from five feet away and landed on my chest with a big thump.

"Take that, miserable excuse for a mate." She centered herself on me and dropped down. I firmed up and her sweet cunt took a hard thrust all the way in. I felt him belting her insides.

"Oof, you big thing, trying to destroy your girlfriend?"

I flipped us over and pounded her, then lifted up and walked away. "We have to talk."

She pounded me back in the shower. I pinched her tits. We soaped each other and laughed.

"I thought you had back pressure."

"You've got me so confused, I don't know what kind of pressure I have."

She sat on my shoulders on the bed and got Susan to sit on my butt. I was fed small sips of coffee and a piece of toast.

"We have to finish that conversation about babies."

"I thought it was over. I am to impregnate you at a time and place of your choosing."

"Are my babies going to be illegitimate?"

"Not if I can help it."

"So you are going to marry me."

"That's a possibility, unless you get a better deal with someone else."

She yanked hard on my hair. "Not a permitted answer."

"Ok. I give in, I'll marry you. But we have to agree about the other women."

"Well, I don't want to wreck what we have. But babies need a mother and father around."

"You are right. I agree."

Susan said, "That's good. I want one of his babies too."

Clemmie said to her, "How do we keep this from getting out of control? If you and I have the gorgeous blond babies we want, he will be buried in ovulating women."

They giggled. "We will have to work on that."

I turned over under them. "I certainly hope so. Are all three of us going to the mine?"

Clemmie sat in the back seat so she could harass both of us. "Which was worse yesterday, facing those coaches, or seeing Kim disappear to fight off the Feds?"

"My nerves are getting steadier. Didn't cave for either of them. Helped that you were tough with me weeks ago."

Her voice was soft, "Susan, he is talking his way into my heart again. Have you ever felt you would just go with whatever a guy said? For being younger than us, he is a real rock."

Susan was kissing my hand. "He makes us reach for the stars. That is what I like best."

"Stop it, both of you. My ego can't stand this much stroking."

As we drew up to the mine entrance, reality arrived with a bang. DR and Manuel were waiting with long faces.

"Theo, bad guys were here again last night. We have pictures."

We followed them into the shack with the security monitors. One of them was queued up with footage from almost four am. DR pushed a button and we watched the screen as it showed three dark figures at the fence, digging a hole and inserting something in it. Then slinking off into the dark.

"Have we tried to dig it yet?"

Manuel said, "Might be boobytrapped. Smugglers do that to discourage nosy cops."

"But it is likely an explosive charge with a timer?"

"Yes, but not enough in that size hole to do much damage. That's about a hundred yards from here."

Clemmie said, "Consistent with trying to scare and discourage us."

DR asked, "Do these guys know the connection with the gallery yet?"

Clemmie, the new counterterrorism expert, said, "At the least, they are peeved about our legal activity, the lack of success with the phone calls from DC, and perhaps Kim's lunch today with the little old lady, if they have hired surveillance."

I looked around and said, "What about coffee out in the sun?"

Manuel went to check on his workers, saying he would be back. The rest of us sat in the dust, backs against a rock, and sipped strong black coffee made the way the Mexicans liked it.

I started the conversation, "If there are real explosives in that hole, they have crossed the line into seriously illegal activity. Or hired it done. If the cops knew about it, they would be all over us, and so would the media. The question is, what is driving them now? They know who we are, and who our lawyers are. Shortly they will discover we have acquired the rest of the private land around here, and will be left with only a possible federal land mining claim, which isn't going anywhere fast."

I stopped and looked around the group. "Clemmie, is Greg working on exposing who is behind this?"

She was sitting next to DR, with her arm around his shoulders. DR was looking like he needed some comforting. Clemmie winked at me and said to him, "DR, cheer up. We have good lawyers, and we have friends at the police. Manuel and his guys are tough."

DR looked at her and kissed the side of her cheek. "Clemmie, keep talking. I'm improving." They laughed together. To me, she said, "Locking down the land comes first, but yes, Greg is digging for identities."

DR looked at Manuel and said, "No cops and no publicity means we deal with what's in that hole ourselves. What do you think?"

"Maybe has timer. Maybe remote control. Maybe nothing, just to keep us guessing."

He sipped his coffee, and continued. "I think we fill loader bucket and have operator all bundled up and drive out and dump on top. If it goes off later, not much happens."

Gutsy, I thought to myself. DR said, "We can't let one of your people get injured, I'll drive."

Manuel laughed at him, "DR, we are taking no chances on our geologist getting blown up. I am foreman, I will drive."

My stomach clutched, thinking of his family.

I said, "Hang on a minute. We may break this case today or tomorrow. Can we work today far enough away to be safe? And maybe take tomorrow off? Give the guys some extra time with their families. They have been working hard. By Saturday, if we haven't found out who is behind this, we give the whole thing to the cops. The state police and the feds will be all over it. And our launch event will have taken place."

I got relieved looks from DR and Manuel. The boss had taken them off the hook.

"Clemmie, grab that tape. We need to get it to Greg as soon as we can."

I stood, "Guys, we have to go back. I'll be available on my cell and ready to get down here fast if anything else develops."

The car was very quiet as we drove away. I glanced over my shoulder and saw the two women holding each other in the back seat.

"Theo, I was so happy you stepped in and stopped them from trying to be brave. Nothing we are doing is worth getting someone killed."

"You're right. And if we are lucky, we catch these guys and put some of them in jail."

I drove directly to the lawyer's office and let Clemmie out, telling her not to worry about walking into their office in field clothes. "When they get a look at that tape, they will understand."

I went directly to Kim's office and relayed the latest incident at the mine. She stared at me and said, "You did exactly the right thing. I'll call DR and thank him."

I made my way around the Gallery, making reassuring comments and deflecting rumors, saying everything was under control at the mine. There was a large do not disturb sign on the organ room and I could hear gorgeous sounds from inside.

In my office, I worked on message slips and thirty minutes later, Clemmie came in, grinning. I gestured to my lap and she climbed on me.

"Oh god, Theo, that was the best advice you gave me. I walked in there, dust from head to toe, and handed them the tape with my Marine sergeant voice, telling them the bad guys were up to no good at the mine. Tom and Greg took one look at it and got all red in the face. Tom said, 'Damn, Clemmie, they're trying to blow you up!' I gave them my drawl, like DR does, and said 'Yep, looks that way. You guys gonna help us out?' They looked at me and asked if I was ok. I said a few skunks in the desert weren't stopping us and I should leave so they could get to work."

I hugged her tight and asked if I should drive her home to change. "Yes, I need to be naked with you."

She climbed down and batted me. "But today only, I am going to change and clean up in your executive bathroom, because it is Thursday and we have a zillion things to do. Tonight is the big press preview and it better go well."

The twins came in as Clemmie was disappearing into the bathroom and asked, "Have you been after her in the office again?"

I pulled them tight and said, "Don't I wish. She just told me no fooling around because there is so much work to do. She walked into the lawyer's office looking like that and blew them away with a tape showing a package being buried at the mine last night that may be explosives. Tom and Greg are madder than hell and chasing our bad guys full time."

I marched the four of us out to the gallery floor and asked where they needed help. We were going to close early, in another two hours, to allow time for the caterers to set up the dinner tables and other arrangements. Despite efforts at limiting credentials, the press corps had grown from an expected thirty to nearly a hundred. Clara, Karen and helpers were discreetly arranging some of the new displays, which were empty at the moment.

Susan waved at me and I met her at the door to the organ room. "As soon as we close, I want you to help us adjust the gallery sound system for the organ. There is going to be music during the cocktail hour before dinner." She vanished after a quick kiss and a smile.

Kim and Selma and Marty appeared, also ready to help. Maria came up and gave me an elbow. "Manuel says you kept him from being blown up this morning." I gestured to a dark corner and maneuvered her against the wall. She was wearing a flowered blouse with a peasant skirt and looked luscious.

"Listen, hot stuff, I am not about to get my best foreman and your husband injured." She got an arm around my neck and squeezed. "Selma is teaching me tricks to control husband. Very risky for Latina to try that!" She giggled and kissed me. "Theo, I am having such fun. Karen is putting me at a table tonight with Hispanic press people. I am to spread only good rumors."

"Speaking of rumors, is it true that you have a degree from the National University in Mexico City?"

"Si, my mother insisted. But there were no jobs, so I moved to Nogales and married Manuel. He has been very good to me, and my sons are such a treasure. You and Kim have given our family wonderful opportunities."

I squeezed her hand and whispered, "Remind me to be very careful around smart, sexy Hispanic women."

A voice behind us said, "I've got your back."

I looked around to see Erica giving me the evil eye. "Are you flirting with the staff again? The minority female staff?"

I twisted her arm behind her and kissed the nape of her neck. "Any Anglo guy who made a move on Maria would be very, very sorry."

"I suppose you want credit for a good hiring decision?"

"What about an invitation to your house and bed?"

Clara was there, "Theo, if you only came out here to flirt with the staff, I will have you escorted off the premises."

I arranged her side by side with Erica and stood to their rear. "I want the two of you to stand there having a conversation and don't move for two minutes."

They started discussing the dinner arrangements and assignments of staff to tables to act as resource people for the press. My thumbs were busy running up and down their spines and my lips touched their necks, with tongue caresses.

They started to complain, but I said, "No complaints. I am trying to make you feel good and reduce anxiety. You are very desirable women. I've taken you to bed, and I am going to do it again. You have worked hard for weeks, and tonight starts the fulfillment of all our plans."

"Theo, stop this minute. We are going to come right here in the middle of the gallery..."

Kim saw the blushing ladies and came over. "Take him away. He is seducing us, here in the open."

She had my hand, threatening to bite. "We are going to lunch and will be back as soon as the gallery is closed."

Karen was collected also and we caucused at a restaurant down the street. Their faces were full of color with the excitement of the launch. I held their hands and smiled. They were squirming around on their seats like coeds.

"We are here to review possible last minute glitches. Have all the reporters who are special been accounted for?"

"Theo, it is a scramble. The national media and television have got wind of us and we are drowning in media requests. I told them because of space constraints, there would only be pool coverage and the local station gets first priority."

"What about interviews in Spanish?"

"Yes. We have already done one with Maria and Selma concentrating on the Hispanic heritage angle. Some very nice shots of Mexican jewelry. Marty is going to be filmed this evening for a segment on a station in Mexico City."

Kim looked at me. "Susan has talked to Evie about making sure she gets DR cleaned up and at the dinner tomorrow. Ditto for Maria and Manuel, and Selma and Eduardo."

"We should make sure Martin Sanchez, the principal, gets visibility. What if we give him a couple of minutes before the auction starts to describe the Bridges program and how the money is going to be used?"

"We better take the picture of Karen's chest down from the monitors while he is talking."

I laughed and said, "No one, even the President, could compete with those tits on Saturday morning."

We sauntered back to the Gallery in warm sun. "Where am I sitting tonight and what do I say?"

Not waiting for a reply, I continued, "Here's a last minute idea to reduce the infernal pecking order problems with the media. Let's make some placards for the tables that identify parts of the new experience we are creating. For instance, we could have one marked for the arts program and Karen can preside to answer questions. Susan and Karl can be at a table for the music program. You get the idea. The press and tv mavens will have to decide what they want to write about rather than who is most important."

The two of them were cuffing me on a public street. "Theo! Let's hurry back, we will punish you later!"

I added, "Make sure that everyone understands anything said tonight is strictly embargoed until Saturday noon. Any leaks and the little mementos we are planning for each media person will disappear!"

I went looking for Clemmie and found her on the phone in my office, hopping up and down.

"Yes! yes. I'll find him and get back immediately."

She was dashing into my arms when I said, "Clemmie, save some energy. It's going to be a long night."

She pointed to the sofa. "Let me relax in your lap and tell you the latest."

"The police have one of Carlos' classmates in custody for interrogation. He was heard bragging about money he got for lending some guys a truck last night. Carlos passed it to Martin and he called the police. It could be related to the people who planted the explosives.

"And Greg wants us to let him contact the FBI. They can follow leads faster than he and Tom can, and he is pretty sure they will stay out of the media until Saturday."

"Call Greg and give him the all clear from us. But I have to warn you I am in trouble again."

She stood glaring at me. "Theo, today is not for causing trouble."

"If you go out in the gallery you will see a lot of rushing around. They are redoing the seating for tonight to arrange the press and tv people in tables by program, so they aren't all chasing their idea of important people."

"Where do I sit?"

"You and Kim are going to be at the Parsons Mining Corporation table, of which you are the new CEO. I've decided to fold that other job into a bigger responsibility and promote you. Everything is embargoed until Saturday, but the three of us had better start work on a carefully worded press release about the mining company."

She was pulling viciously on my hair when Laura came in with an urgent question. "What has he done now, other than make a shambles of our dinner arrangements for tonight?"

No tears this time. She looked fierce. "He's decided to spin off a mining company and make me CEO."