RoxannesPirate Read online

  This is all before. What follows will all be after.

  The address Ines had given her was for a store in a strip mall in Westchester, New York. She drove to the rear parking area. A gray Lexus was parked in the back. She pulled up to the space to the left of it. The driver’s door opened. A stocky blond man got out. She recognized him as the man who had trailed Ines into Swan.

  “Ms. Cline?”

  She nodded. Her mouth was as dry as dust.

  He opened the rear door for her. She took a seat inside. There was no attempt at conversation. The radio was not turned on. Roxanne would have welcomed some diversion but could not ask for it. She looked out the window at typical suburban streets. The driver took a right turn and they drove along a road for several miles with large homes set back on great lawns. The road curved. The driver turned again and again. He turned again, this time into a gravel road that was lined with high hedges. He stopped at steel gates that crossed the road.

  Not a road. A driveway. Murkley’s driveway.

  The driver waved a plastic card at a sensor. The gates swung open. A few minutes after the gate, the drive widened into a gravel courtyard in front of a stucco mansion. There were tall windows on the ground floor and small balconies with curved balustrades on the upper floors.

  Roxanne opened the car door and got out. She was afraid her legs would shake but they didn’t. The house had the appearance of an old estate that had been recently restored. The grounds were landscaped with stately mature trees and shrubs shrouded in snow. On the surface, it was the picture of grace and refinement.

  “Come with me,” the driver said. Roxanne followed him up the wide steps to the large door. He held the door open for her. She walked inside. The entrance hall had a double-height ceiling with a large curving staircase on the far wall. Below the staircase was an archway through which Ines made her graceful way toward Roxanne.

  “John is so looking forward to your meeting today,” she said in her fluty voice. She was dressed in a soft white gauzy tunic that fell from her slender shoulders to her slender feet on which she wore flat, gold sandals.

  “Good,” Roxanne said. “So am I.”

  “This way.”

  Ines led Roxanne down the hall. She opened a door into a small room that was furnished with a fainting couch and an ornamental screen in the corner.

  “It is such a beautiful day John wants to meet in the conservatory. Unfortunately while the rest of the house is shielded from surveillance equipment, the conservatory is not. For that reason, you’ll have to disrobe.”

  “You want me to get undressed?” Roxanne could not keep the alarm from her voice.

  “Everything you’re wearing must come off, including jewelry and body piercings. John has an acute sensitivity to bugs.” Ines laughed. She was delighted at Roxanne’s shock. “You may put your belongings in this bag.” She handed Roxanne a linen tote bag. “You can undress behind the screen.”

  Roxanne sought to regain some measure of control. “I will not meet with Mr. Murkley naked.”

  “Of course not. As soon as you’re ready, I’ll give you a robe.”

  Roxanne stepped behind the screen and undressed. Her hands were shaking. She was an idiot. She should have known that Murkley would have elaborate security in place. She put her clothing in the bag along with her BlackBerry. She left the necklace for last. She dropped it into the bag and sighed. She would have to be smarter.

  “All set?” Ines said. “I have to check.”

  Ines pulled the screen away. Roxanne pressed her arms to her sides. She would not wilt under Ines’ scrutiny.

  Ines’ gaze took in her face, shoulders, chest, belly, legs and feet. “Please turn.”

  Roxanne complied.

  “I’ll have to do a quick internal exam.” Ines’ voice was full of amusement. “Think of me as your friendly gynecologist.”

  “No!” Roxanne wanted to cover her body with something as a shield from Ines but there was nothing at hand. She turned and glared at Ines. “Mr. Murkley will have to take my word for it that I don’t have a recording device secreted inside.”

  “No search, no meeting,” Ines said sweetly. “And your dream of financial freedom flies out the window.”

  Is this a test to see how desperate I am?

  “I promise I’ll be gentle,” Ines said. She pulled on a pair of latex gloves and took out a tube of lubricant, squeezing a dab on her finger. “See? I’m all set.”

  Roxanne sighed loudly. “All right.” She turned to face away from Ines.

  “Bend over, please.” A slender finger slid into Roxanne’s vagina. “Hmmm. You’re nice and tight.”

  Roxanne wanted to slap her.

  The finger slid back and forth.

  “Do you like this?”

  “As much as I enjoy inserting a tampon,” Roxanne said coldly. “Are you through?”

  Ines’ finger made quick work of the rear examination.

  “Now that little unpleasantness is out of the way, you’re closer to reaching your personal goal.” Ines discarded the glove in the trash. “Isn’t that what matters?”

  She handed Roxanne a light blue robe with a pattern of orange chrysanthemums. It was a heavy silk fabric like a Japanese kimono, but with a long, narrow belt. Under other circumstances, Roxanne would have been pleased with the feel of the fabric and the beauty of the design.

  “One more thing. I have to brush your hair. You’d be surprised how ingenious people can be at hiding wires.” Ines took a bristle brush and bore down hard on Roxanne’s scalp.

  “Ow!” Roxanne pulled away. “You must not have been many repeat visitors if you put everyone through this kind of treatment.”

  “People put up with a lot to do business with John. You’re lucky he agreed to meet with you.” She picked up the bag that held Roxanne’s clothing and opened the door to the hallway. “Here, Ramona, hold this for our guest.” She handed the bag to a short, round, white-haired woman in a gray uniform.

  Roxanne followed Ines through several large lavishly decorated rooms. She glimpsed paintings lining the walls, large urns and statuary on gilded tables, sofas and chairs upholstered in velvets and leather and zebra skin. Her bare feet trod on plush oriental carpets, smooth polished wood and cold marble.

  Ines stopped in front of a set of double French doors through which light poured. Beyond the doors was a glass conservatory that was filled with plants. Ines knocked. She waited a few seconds. She opened the door.

  Roxanne felt warm, humid air on her face, air thick with the rich pleasant smell of earth and growing things.

  “Roxanne is ready to meet you, John.”

  Murkley was sitting in a high-backed wicker chair in front of a dense group of potted plants, one of which had long, drooping flowers flared at the end like the opening of a trumpet. His silver hair gleamed in the light as though it had been recently polished. He wore an open-collared white shirt under a crimson silk jacket, and dark pants. On his feet were crimson slippers. He had a thoughtful look on his handsome face. His eyelids were partially closed over his blue eyes as though he was pondering some difficult problem.

  Roxanne would not have been surprised to find him petting the head of some exotic pet, something fanged and dangerous, like a jaguar or a cobra, but in his hands he held a book. He set the book on the table beside him.

  “Do you know anything about the care of plants, Roxanne?” His voice was soft. “I’ve been having some problems with leaf drop on my brugmansia and the experts don’t offer much guidance.”

  “No. My father was the gardener, not me.”

  “Shame.” Murkley waved his hand. “I’ve quite a collection. Some are fairly common, like the daturas, but I pride myself on having the finest specimens. And of course, the daturas are, in their own way, quite special.”

  In addition to the plants that grew in pots all around the room, more hung on hooks that dangled at the ends of chains descending from heavy poles that crossed just below the glass roof. It might h
ave been a cheerful place but for the man to whom it belonged.

  Ines perched on the arm of Murkley’s chair, and casually draped a lovely arm around his neck. “Roxanne protested a little, but she submitted like a good girl. I tried to make the examination pleasant for her, but she didn’t seem to appreciate my efforts.”

  “Some people would be in heaven if they received that kind of attention from my beautiful Ines.”

  Roxanne’s face heated. “I’m here on business.”

  Murkley smiled. “Why shouldn’t business and pleasure mix?” He patted Ines and pushed her away. Ines rose and took a few steps back. Murkley crossed his legs and leaned back in his chair. “Your father was always so serious when I dealt with him. I brought him a great deal of money but he always seemed so unhappy to see me.”

  Roxanne kept her face still.

  “Do you know how your father spent his bonus money, Roxanne?”

  She shook her head. “I didn’t ask about his business. I thought the less I knew the better.”

  “Very wise. But now you want to follow in his footsteps.”

  “I want to make more money if that’s what you mean. I explained that to Ines.”

  “Yes, I know.” Murkley studied her face. “You are a puzzle to me.”

  She kept her gaze steady. Let him speak first.

  “I’d be concerned about your interest in working with me if I didn’t know you’d already acted, shall we say, outside the bounds. Fucking Carlos Delgado and spying on him for your boss.” He shook his head. “A very risky venture.”

  Roxanne shrugged. “I’m up for partner soon. I need Bardon’s support. It was a quid pro quo. If I helped him, he’d help me. Like the business venture I proposed to Ines.”

  “Rivera’s little case against Delgado hardly seems worth the risk for you and Collins to take.”

  “You’ll have to ask Bardon about his motivation. Maybe Rivera offered him an extra cash incentive if he won the case. I don’t know what the plan was, only my part in it.”

  “That would be so like Hector. Foolish and bumbling to the end.” His voice dropped. “What did you learn from your spying?”

  “Not much. Your name was on a sheet of paper.”

  “Yes.” Murkley nodded. “I heard about that.” He frowned. “Poor Spencer Marshall. Making that drawing in a sad attempt to recast the blame for his tragic failings on me. And I had done so much to help him.” He sighed. “Fortunately Delgado was not deceived and understood where the blame should be placed—on Marshall and that fool Rivera.”

  So that’s how you’ve hooked Carlos! Blaming it all on those two. And he believed you!

  “What’s curious to me is why you went public with the story when Delgado retaliated against you? Surely, you knew doubts would be raised about your behavior.”

  “Delgado had no proof I had spied on him. If he hadn’t settled the case with Rivera, Bardon would have gone to court and gotten sanctions against him. Delgado would have come out looking like a pervert. The things he did to me…”

  “A fine bit of acting, Roxanne.” Murkley chuckled. “But you really screwed Delgado. Your little charade forced him into a quick settlement with Rivera, the man he detested for ruining his project. No wonder he wants to make you pay.”

  There was a movement in the plants behind Murkley. The leaves stirred. A tall dark-haired man in a silk robe slipped out.

  Roxanne bit her bottom lip so she wouldn’t scream.

  “I told you, Murkley,” Carlos said. “This bitch needs to be taught a lesson.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  “I believe you two have met.” Murkley sounded gleeful.

  “Hello, Roxanne.” Carlos’ mouth twisted into a smirk. “The last time I saw you, you were all tied up.”

  Roxanne’s heart was pounding so hard she could hardly think straight. What game is he playing? She turned to Murkley. “I came here to discuss business with you, not play games with this scum. If we’re not going to discuss my proposal, I’m leaving.”

  Murkley wove his fingers together and rested his elbows on the arm of his chair. “If you leave, I’ll see to it you never work again. You’ll be reduced to selling yourself on the street, and then I’ll make sure you have few takers. I promise you, Roxanne, I don’t make empty threats.” He smiled. “But if you stay and prove your obedience to me, I’ll reward you. You’ll have all the money you could want.”

  “You promised to give her to me!” Carlos said, his voice thick and petulant. “She tried to cut my balls off!” He grabbed Roxanne’s arm and twisted it so hard she had to face him. She struggled to pull away. He tugged her hair and pulled her face close to his. “Trust me,” he whispered, “but fight.”

  Trust you? Fight you? She slapped his face and tried to scratch him. “Get off me!”

  Ines laughed.

  “Let her go, Carlos,” Murkley said mildly.

  Carlos released her. He rubbed his face. “Bitch!”

  “What do you want from me?” Roxanne asked Murkley. Her voice quavered.

  “Carlos wants to teach you a lesson the old-fashioned way, my dear. He wants to beat it into you. I want you to let him.”

  “I won’t do it! Ask me to do something else.”

  Murkley stood. “I make the deals, Roxanne. This is what I want from you.”

  Perspiration soaked Roxanne’s armpits, beaded on her forehead. She didn’t know the game, could not begin to formulate a strategy. She had to concentrate on the one thing she could do—get his confession. “If I do what he wants, we have a deal?”

  Murkley nodded. “Yes,” he said solemnly. “We have a deal. Please me and I’ll please you. Displease me and…” He shrugged. His face distorted, as if someone had dropped a veil over him.

  Roxanne blinked. All the objects in the room had become indistinct. Concentrate! Ask him now!

  “Is that why you killed Rivera? Because he displeased you?”

  Though his face was blurred, she could see his smile widen. He seemed delighted at the opportunity to show her how powerful he was, how deep into his grasp she’d fallen. “Yes, Roxanne. That’s why I killed Rivera. He made life difficult for me. You don’t want that to happen to you, do you?”

  She shook her head. The air seemed squeezed from her lungs. Her heart pounded as if she had run up five flights of stairs. Through her strangely fogged vision she saw a movement. Carlos’ hands stretched out to her.

  “Give her to me!” Carlos said, his voice a brutish growl.

  Was it her failing eyes or was his left thumbnail oddly bruised?

  His fingers flexed. “I’m tired of waiting!”

  Roxanne dropped her gaze. The floor was undulating like the back of a great beast. Fear alone couldn’t do this. What was wrong with her?

  “Let Carlos have his fun,” Ines said. She moved behind Roxanne, put her arms around Roxanne’s waist and untied Roxanne’s belt. “You might like it.”

  Roxanne made no movement to stop Ines. She had no choice. She would have to put herself in Carlos’ hands again. Murkley would not let her live if she ran. “I despise him.”

  “That’s what makes this so entertaining,” Ines said. She tugged Roxanne’s robe off her shoulders. “She’s trembling!” Ines laughed. “Like a poor little lamb being led to slaughter.” Ines bound Roxanne’s hands with the belt from her robe. She pulled Roxanne’s hands up over her head and looped the knot over one of the plant hooks that hung from the ceiling. The hook rose in the air, pulling Roxanne to her toes. Then Ines knelt and bound her ankles and secured them to a hook in the floor. “She’s all yours, Carlos,” Ines said. “Just the way you wanted her. I brought you a few toys to use.”

  Carlos grunted like an animal in heat.

  What is he planning? Roxanne shut her eyes. Beneath her toes the floor pitched and heaved like the deck of a ship at sea. The room was so hot even naked she dripped with sweat.

  “Do you want me to start?” Ines said. “She has such clear, soft skin. I’d love to m
ark her.”

  “No!” Carlos said. “She’s mine!”

  Her hair was yanked, her head pulled back.

  “Look at me, bitch!”

  The light in the room hurt her eyes. She shut her eyelids to ward off the pain. She smelled her lover’s scent. She should loathe him. Instead, she wanted him.

  He whispered, “Be brave. Over soon.” Then roared, “You’re going to be sorry you crossed me!”

  He had a flail in his hand with long leather strips. He moved it through the air in front of her face. “Ready, bitch? Let’s hear you scream!”

  Leather strips smacked hard against her ass. Her body was jolted forward. She whimpered. He smacked her again and again.

  “This will teach you. You don’t fuck with me!”

  His blows fell on her back, on her buttocks, on her thighs. She tried to twist away from them, but she was held in place. Carlos made a deep guttural sound, grabbed her body and raked his fingers across her breasts and belly. And despite everything, despite the horror and the fear and the pain, her body responded to him, wanted him. She opened her eyes. The room glowed in an awful orange haze.

  He yanked her hair again. “Three,” he whispered, “then beg.” He stood back. “Let’s see how you like the bite of this!”

  She heard the whoosh of the cane. Pain seared her buttocks. She screamed.

  “She loves it!” Ines said. Her words reverberated in Roxanne’s brain like the striking of a bell. Roxanne turned to the sound and through half-opened eyes saw that Ines was a cat with purple fur crouching beside the blue-skinned devil.

  The devil’s mouth opened. He spat red flames. “Give her more!”

  She heard the second whoosh and tried to steel herself for the pain, but the shock of it made her sob. The third whoosh.

  Through the haze of her brain, she remembered—Beg.

  “Please! Please! No more!”

  “Ready to get fucked, bitch? Tell me you’re ready!”

  “Fuck me.” She whimpered. “Fuck me.”

  “You hot little cunt. I’m going to fuck you senseless!”