Chapter 8
I WAS AWAKENED BY ROUGH HAND GRABBING me.
Even through the pillow case I could feel a cold breeze. It felt cold on my hands, too.
Where were we? The North Pole?
I could hear wind rustling through the trees. We were out in the country somewhere. If it was cold, then it was either night or in the mountains. And where would you find mountains in Illinois? Or where would you find mountains in a few hours' driving distance of Clodville?
As they lugged me away from the ear, I could hear their shoes squishing in wet grass. That was the answer. There had been a rain and a temperature drop.
I felt myself being carried up some concrete steps.
They hesitated a moment and then changed course. Because my body was twisted. The air nov smelled differently. There was the sound of metal sliding against metal, and I sensed that we were rising. We must be in an elevator.
More thudding of shoes as I was lugged some more. We stopped for a moment, then moved forward again.
I was dumped on a bed. Then I shook my head viciously from right to left and tried to throw it back, because they had dumped chloroform on the pillow case and it burned my face. My ears started ringing. I gasped for breath. And then, curtains.
When I awoke my cheeks were smarting. So were my wrists. I looked down. I was lying on my back on a bed and my hands were free. I put a hand to my mouth. It had been untaped, but in yanking off the tape they had taken the hide, too. I looked at my wrists. They were raw and swollen. My legs were now free, too.
I sat up and looked around. I was dizzy.
I was in a luxurious bedroom, with deep pile carpet and pale green walls and white ceiling. The furniture was luxurious.
Heavy maroon drapes covered the windows. I went over to one of them and my hand probed. I yanked and pulled back the drape. The window was not barred. I reached for the lever, to unlock the window, and then I saw something.
The window was taped. That meant one thing. It was hooked to a burglar alarm. If I opened that window, all hell would break loose.
My hand went out to a switch and tripped it. The room was dark. So I went back over to the window and stared out of it.
It was as black as outer space beyond the window, but, about a block away, I saw a light which looked as if it were on an arm extending out from a pole. Below it was a cone of pale white light. By looking at that light, I knew we were four or five floors up.
I heard a key in the lock behind me. I looked around. Then the cool moonlight came on again.
A tall hook-nosed guy with a shock of black hair and ears that stuck straight out was standing in the doorway staring at me.
"Why did you turn off this light?" he asked in a deep gruff voice. "So I could look out the window, stupid." He nodded. "The Boss wants to see you."
"Frankie or Manny."
"None of your lip. Come on."
He backed into the hall and stood there, staring at me. "Move!" he ordered.
I walked slowly toward him and through the opening. He kept backing slowly away from me, giving me no chance.
I did a diving tackle. While I was in midair he ran closer. Before I could get my arms around him his knee came up.
My head snapped back. He damned near broke my neck.
"Behave yourself and you won't get hurt," he growled. "Now get up and come with me."
I got on my hands and knees and viciously shook my head, trying to get out the cobwebs. My eyes were staring at each other, but I crawled over to the wall and got on my knees and scrabbled my hands up the wall as I stumbled to my feet. I wobbled down the hall, with one hand against the wall, to brace myself. He was right behind me.
"Now don't try anything funny," he warned. "I've got a gun on you. I'll either blast you to hell or split your head open with it. Take your choice."
When we reached an elevator door he ordered me to stop. I glanced over my shoulder at him. He had his gun out and headed for my spine.
"Now get in that cage and walk to the far end and stand plastered against it, with your face against the wall," he ordered.
I did as told. I felt the cage beginning to drop, but I continued staring at the wall. I wasn't going to give him a chance to split my head open.
The cage stopped. I heard the door slide back.
"Okay, turn around slow like," he ordered.
He was standing in the hall with his gun on me. I staggered out of the cage.
"Open that door there," he ordered.
I angled over and grabbed the knob and twisted it.
I was in a lavish living room. The lights were soft and cool as in the bedroom. There was muted music drifting around. The carpets were deep, and the furniture was such as you'd probably never see this side of an Oriental palace.
In a big overstuffed chair sat a massive man with diamonds flashing from each pudgy finger as his fat hands lay limp on the arms of the chair. His fat head was coming out through hair, like he was wearing a black halo. He had slitted eyes that stared at me as a lizard would. His nose was big and smashed, his lips thick and puffy and his mouth was cruel.
Frankie Carpello. I'd never met him, but I'd seen his pictures.
"That will be all, Juggy," Frankie said, looking behind me. He looked at me. "Sit there on the couch. There's cigarettes. There's booze and ice and mix. Fix yourself a drink, if you want one."
I went over to the couch and dropped down on it. He sat there staring at me as I pulled the lid off a teak-wood box and plucked a cigarette from it. I grabbed up a lighter and got my cigarette going.
"I'm sorry we had to bring you in this way," Frankie said in a deep sorrowful voice.
I nodded and reached for a glass and picked up a jug of bourbon.
"I wanted to talk with you," Frankie said.
"You knew where I was," I snarled, slopping bourbon into the glass.
"Yeah. Can't you feature me checking in your local hotel?"
"Where are we?"
"Where it is, doesn't matter."
"So what do you want to talk to me about?" I asked, dropping two ice cubes in my glass.
"I'm catching heat from the feds and the state cops, because of you. Manny told me this morning that he was catching heat, too. The feds and the state cops are blaming Manny and me for all the heists out in the boondocks. So I'll tell you, like I told them. Manny and I aren't involved."
I stared at him and sipped my drink.
"I can see you don't believe me."
"You're goddamn right I don't," I said. "If it isn't you or Manny, then who is it?"
"That's what Manny and I are trying to find out. Every time there's been a kill, we've sent our boys in to look around. That's what we did the morning after your father was killed. As usual, they came up with a blank. In time we'll find out who's trying to make a name for himself."
"Why couldn't you have told me that without having me snatched and wind up with my face and wrists raw?"
"I'll see to it-that you get some lotion for that. It won't pain you by morning, so you're none the worse for wear."
"But why was I brought here?"
"Manny and I talked it over this morning. We're putting you on ice."
Once more I stared at him. "What are you trying to tell me?"
"We're putting you on ice. After we clear up this goddamn mess and know who's trying to build an empire, we'll turn you loose."
"In a pig's valise you will," I sneered. "You can't afford to have me go to the cops and tell them you snatched me."
"What's wrong with that? You weren't taken over a state line. It's no Fed offense. So what can the state cops do but shrug and say, 'so solly'? "
"You mean you really will turn me loose?"
His beg head nodded. "Why not? We have no beef with you. You didn't shoot up any of our men. You didn't cause two of our men to crash. You did us a favor by doing what you did, because the clown who's behind this caper will be so mad he'll lose his cool. And when-he loses his cool he's bound to make a mistake. Then our boys will be right there to grab him."
"And turn him over to the cops?"
Frankie gave me a cruel smile. "You were Chicago fuzz. You ought to know better than that. Manny and I'll take care of him. We don't need the God damn courts and lawyers. We'll smash his outfit so that it will never run again, so you ought to be glad we're putting you on ice. You were rampaging around out there like a speared jungle cat. The way you were blundering around, you were bound to get killed. This way, you're safe. And you'll stay safe. When the danger is over, I'll turn you loose. Not until."
I took a deep drag on my cigarette and another gulp of my drink. What he said made sense, but it didn't make sense when Frankie Carpello was saying it. During all his long years in crime, Frankie had never kept his word to anybody. So why should he with me?
He seemed to read my mind. "I know you don't be-live me, simply because I'm Frankie Carpello, and I have a reputation for never doing what I say I'll do. But this is different. If Manny and I don't find who's behind this boondock caper, the feds and the state cops will smash us. Otherwise, we have an armed truce, and they leave us pretty much alone."
"So how long will I be here?"
Frankie shrugged. "Who knows? Mebbe one day, or one week, or one month, or even one year. Who knows? But here you'll stay until it's safe for you to be out again. You'll be my guest. I gave you the best bedroom in the house, upstairs. I'll see to it that you have all the imagine clothes you want. You'll have the best of food and booze and whatever you want that way. You'll live like the Queen of Sheba, so you can never say you were abused here. You'll even be free to run around on the grounds, providing one of my men is with you. But if you try to escape..."
"And then what will you tell the cops?"
"That a sniper got you. The cops can't prove otherwise, because somebody's always making a try for me."
"Yeah, but when I'm not found, the cops will put two together and come up with twenty-nine. They'll start shaking you and Manny down."
"Let 'em. It won't do them any good."
"They'll raid this place."
"They don't know anything about it. I saw to that. They never will. They can look for a hundred years and they'll never find it."
"So you've got it all figured out, haven't you?" I sneered.
He nodded. "Frankie always does, that's why Frankie's on top."
"But maybe Frankie's not as smart as he thinks he is."
"What do you mean by that?"
"There's a way to beat every system," I told him. "Even Vegas. Don't count on it that I'll sit here and be a good girl, because I won't promise you that. I'm going to try to get the hell out of here. And I will."
He laughed. "Talk is cheap. Go ahead and threaten me. I won't be. around after tonight, anyway. But my boys will, you can bet on that. And if you try anything too rough, we can always put you in a straightjacket and keep you in your room. If that's what you want, we can accommodate you."
"Am I the only woman here?"
"Yes. Why?"
"You mean you're going to leave me here alone with your gorillas?"
Once more he grinned. But this time he had frig in his pig eyes. And I saw it.
"You wouldn't want my boys to get bored now, would you?"
"Which is worse," I said, "for your boys to get bored or for me to get bored?"
He let loose with a belly laugh. "You're no virgin. So what are you bitching about?"
"Just because I have no grass on my busy street doesn't mean I'm going to take your boys on."
"I'll let the boys settle that with you," Frankie told me. "If you can convince them that they should leave you alone, that's okay by me. I'm not telling them to leave you alone or not to leave you alone. That's their decision."
"That's damn helpful of you."
"Yeah, isn't it? But, say, you're really stacked. I wonder what you'd look like stripped."
"You'll never find out," I yelled. "Oh no?"
His fat hand reached out to the table beside him and jabbed at a button.
We once more sat there, glaring at each other.
The door burst open and two of his trained gorillas came charging in, with their guns out. They skidded to a halt and looked at Frankie disgustedly.
"Come on in, boys," Frankie invited. "Sorry to have pushed the panic button, but I had no other way to get to you."
They nodded and shoved their guns into their holsters and looked at Frankie again.
Frankie nodded his head toward me. "Ain't she stacked?"
They grinned and licked their lips.
"I'd like to see her naked, wouldn't you?"
They nodded and licked their lips some more.
"Well, what are you waiting one?" Frankie roared. "Grab her and strip her."
I jumped up and took off like a raped rabbit. They were right behind me. It looked like a Mack Sennett comedy, with me jumping on couches, stepping on the back, and leaping off like Batman and running some more.
They chased me all over that goddamn big room. I was getting winded. They were, too, but I knew that if they fell on their faces, Frankie could always send for more help.
I suppose it was because I was tired and winded that my timing was off. I jumped off a table and there was one of the gorillas with his big hands out and with a grin on his ugly puss that would make the wolf's grin seem tame as he looked at Little Red Riding Hood.
The other goon came over to help. Kicking and screaming and biting and clawing, I was dragged back over to Frankie.
They held me suspended between them as I tried to kick at them and bite at their hands. Frankie stared up at me as if I were some kind of muck.
Frankie finally shoved up from his chair and walked over to me. I puckered up, ready to give him an oyster right in the middle of his fat puss.
His hand shot out and he backhanded me so hard that my jaw was out of line. "You slut," he growled. "All we want is to have a little fun."
Once more I puckered up to give him an oyster. This time his hand came straight back and slapped me in the mouth and one of his rings ripped my upper and lower lip and I tasted blood and felt it running down my chin.
"You'll get worse'n that if you don't behave," Frankie growled.
Frankie went over and sat down and his hand went over to the button on the table beside him. "Hold her, Boys. If she doesn't settle down, slap her around. She's the kind of hellion that-likes that stuff. It makes her She'll be an even better lay."
Once more the door burst open and two more gunsels came running in.
Frankie looked at them. "We need a hand, Boys. We're trying to strip this bitch. Thank you're man enough?"
They stared at me for a moment and then broke into evil grins.
"Sure, Boss," the taller one said. "We'll have her naked in a second."
I was still yelling and kicking and screaming and clawing and trying to lob an oyster at someone. They circled warily around me and then closed in.
Just as I was ready to fire a salvo at them, one of the bastards holding me slapped me across the side of the head. My brains felt as if they were scrambled. My eyes were staring at each other. And I was looking at everything through a bloody haze.
"Serves you right," I heard Frankie growl. "Okay, boys, go ahead and strip her."
I was half-out, but I felt finger fumbling at my collar. They yanked, and buttons flew like popcorn when the popper lid is off. Then there was a yartk at my belt buckle and big fingers ripped again. My jeans split.
Other hands grabbed and my shirt was ripped off my back. More grabbing. My bra fell away. And then my panties and what was left of my jeans were yanked away. And there I stood in all my pristine glory, calling them names that even a drunken dockwalloper wouldn't think of.
"Ain't she somethin'? " Frankie asked. "Which one of you guys is man enough to mount her and break her?"
I was wrestled to the floor and pinned down. But there weren't enough of them.
"Looks like we need more help," Frankie said. "Hold her down, boys. You can all take turns with her. In fact, if there's any left, I might try it."
I was winded. I was beat. I was hoarse from screaming. And so I lay there gasping for breath and with all the fight out of me for a minute. But if they thought they were going to ram me...
Two more big brutes came in. Frankie looked at them.
"It's gonna take four men to hold her down," Frankie told them. "You guys are gonna have to take turns on her. But since you guys ain't clawed, you might as well sample the meat first."
They shrugged out of their jackets and began to shuck. I started screaming again, and got a slap across the chops for it. Every time I screamed I got clobbered. So, before long, I was only dimly aware of what was going on.
Through the bloody haze, I could see a big tall gangling monster covered with black hair and with a big dong swaying as he walked toward me. If he thought I was going to take all that, he had rocks in his head.
There was one goon on each of my arms, with their knees pinning my arms to the floor. Suddenly my legs were yanked up and pulled wide apart.
"Ain't she got a purty cunt?" I heard one of the men ask.
"Aw, hurry up," another pug growled, "go ahead and see if it feels as purty as it looks." WHAM!
He was in me. He damn near tore me apart. Then he rammed me faster and faster and I screamed and rocked my hips around and tried to get away from him, but I had less chance of getting away from him than I had of getting away from that God damn hellhole.
I must have conked out, because the next thing I knew another monster was mounting me.
It went on and on and on. I finally was too weak to scream. I wondered if I would ever live to get out of there, even if Frankie kept his promise.
And then, through haze so thick I could hardly see through it, I saw Frankie, a huge jiggling mass of flabby fat, and as naked as a pitchfork, waddling over to me.
"I might as well get in on the finale," he said.
He dropped to his knees. He edged forward.
I suddenly had a surge of new strength. I caught the two apes, who were holding my legs, off guard. My legs were free.
My legs went around Frankie's neck. They got a scissors hold on it. I squeezed as hard as I could. I could hear him wheezing and gasping.
"You sonofabitch," I snarled, "I'll squeeze the God damn wind out of you."
Again I got a slap across the chops and then another and another. It seemed as if they wouldn't stop. I was beginning to drift away. I vaguely realized that my legs were falling wide apart and dropping to the floor. Then I felt my legs once more being yanked up and pulled wide apart. Frankie was in me with one long hard push.
Merciful blackness swept in. I fought my way upward and broke water. Spotlights were glaring down on me from all sides. I was in an outdoor swimming pool, and lounging around the pool were about a dozen goons with guns drawn and aimed at me.
"Have a good swim for yourself," Frankie called. "I'm going to bed."