Chapter 9
With the knowledge of the new and incriminating pictures of Velma's body, Jill was impatient to talk to Bob. She felt hopeful he would find a way to use them so that Mac's character would find in death the vindication which had been denied before.
And yet, her anxiousness would have to wait. Lucy came first in this case. Her cry for knowledge of her body could not be ignored.
A strong Lucy could be a powerful ally, a weak one could break down when faced by her husband and destroy all the progress that had been achieved so far. Jill was too close to victory now to chance throwing it away because of impatience.
"Very well, Lucy," Jill began. "I don't know how easy or difficult this is going to be, but let's get started. I shall try to explain everything as clearly as possible. All I ask from you is that you try to understand. When there is something you don't really understand, stop me and I'll try to explain. Oh yes, one more thing, because of your faulty training, much that I say may shock you. You have now seen some examples of how your husband's mind operates, you must not let his teaching influence your understanding of what I am going to tell you."
"I promise, Jill. I am sure now that everything I was forced to believe was wrong. Help me. Please show me what the truth is."
The woman was so completely child-like that Jill was moved almost to tears. She began unbuttoning her blouse.
"What are you doing?" Lucy asked with a note of shock in her voice.
"Lucy dear, if I were going to explain the workings of a sewing machine, I would show you a sewing machine and the cover would have to be removed first. I am going to explain the functions of the human body. I have to remove the cover."
Jill saw the woman's eyes move over her body as she stepped out of her blouse and skirt to reveal the type of lingerie Lucy had never been permitted to wear. In a few moments, that too was gone except for garter belt and nylons.
"All right, Lucy, now it's your turn."
"You mean undress? Everything?"
"Everything, Lucy. The human body is not something to be ashamed of."
Nervously, she began unbuttoning her dress. There was a slight pause before she found the courage to pull her slip over her head. She was torn then between letting Jill look at the plain cotton bra and panties and displaying her body nude. At a look from Jill, she stripped away the last two garments so that she stood naked.
"You may not know this, Lucy, but you have an absolutely beautiful body."
"It's so hard for me to understand that." She tried to cover as much of herself as she could with hands and arms. "I have always been taught that the body is a sinful thing that should be kept covered at all times."
That much was obvious to Jill. There had been no attempt at flattery. The breasts were generously formed and showed only the slightest trace of sag. Her stomach was rounded just enough to be womanly, there was no trace of excess flesh between it and the breasts. Her thighs and hips were firm and smoothly rounded.
What really startled Jill though, was the absolute whiteness of the skin. It was so white that it was almost luminous. It had obviously never been exposed to light, let alone sun.
"I look so pale." She seemed ashamed as she looked at Jill's well tanned body with the white patches where a two piece bathing suit had covered her.
"Yes, Lucy, you do look pale, but that is only because your body has been hidden from the light. That will change soon and your body will become more beautiful."
Taking Lucy's hand, Jill drew her down to the bed beside her. As their thighs brushed, she felt Lucy go tense.
Deliberately then, Jill placed her hand on Lucy's thigh as she spoke to her.
"Remember Lucy, you promised to relax and forget all the taboos you were taught. I know it won't be easy, but you must try." As she talked, her hand moved smoothly, lightly. She felt the woman begin to relax under the tender massage of flesh never touched by another hand.
"See now? It isn't really that bad, is it?"
"I guess it feels kind of nice. It makes me feel sort of funny."
"Of course it does. I'll explain it as we go along. Now you do the same thing to me."
With a willingness Jill found surprising, Lucy followed instructions. At first, her hand barely touched, then it moved with greater boldness.
"Does your husband kiss you on the mouth, dear?"
"No." Lucy looked ashamed. "He says that leads to immoral thoughts and acts."
Jill smiled. She was still smiling as her arms reached to enfold the nude woman in embrace. Her eyes moved slowly until her lips were close to Lucy's face. Her tongue moved to lick her lips as they opened and pressed against the upturned mouth of the other woman.
Jill's arms tightened then. She felt the woman tense for just a moment as the kiss began, then felt her passionate kiss being returned in full measure.
When Jill permitted her tongue to go in search of added pleasure, she felt an immediate response from her increasingly willing partner.
Just before the kiss ended, Jill drew her arms away and reached with her hands to cup the full white globes which had pressed against hers seconds before.
This time, there was no period of tension as Lucy's body moved to meet her. To her surprise, Jill felt eager hands grasping her own breasts. Lucy had quickly picked up the pulsation of passion.
Speaking softly, Jill explained that while two women could arouse each other to exciting heights of passion, it became even more interesting when it was man and woman together. As she talked, her hands traced exciting paths along the previously untouched body.
Her hands forced just a little and the white thighs fell apart. Slowly, her hand moved between them. As it found the source of warmth and passion, it pressed and held as the nude body shivered in delight at this completely new sensation.
"Does it feel good, Lucy?" she whispered.
"Oh yes, Jill, I feel like I want to scream."
"That's normal, Lucy. It's going to get even better and you will scream. Don't be ashamed."
Her massaging hand had done its work well, Jill moved in the bed to carry the woman through the ultimate stage. Her hands held the big soft thighs parted and raised as her face moved down.
"Get ready to scream, Lucy, you're going to love this."
As she finished talking, Jill's cheeks brushed the soft inner thighs and her mouth worked. Lucy did scream, again and again.
There was one final, long drawn scream as Jill clasped the writhing body and rolled with it through its first completion.
Lucy's body returned to something approaching normal in a little while and Jill resumed her description of the various acts of love.
With refreshing eagerness, Lucy drank in every word as her eyes and her hands pleaded for more. Convinced that her student had learned and experienced enough for now, Jill promised a continuation of the lesson at their first opportunity and suggested that they both get dressed. A little while ago, Lucy had been reluctant about undressing to bare her body. Now, she was even more reluctant to replace her clothes.
"We will do it again, Jill? You promise?"
"I promise we shall, Lucy, but a lot depends on you."
"How do you mean?"
"I mean that if Carl finds out anything of what I've told you and shown you today, he'll either kill me or make sure I get out of town fast."
"He won't Jill. I can promise you that. For the first time in my whole life, I'm strong enough to handle him. I'm a new woman now, thanks to you."
"I'm so glad to hear that. So far, all you've learned is the very beginning. I'll see that you learn a whole lot more, Lucy, if you can just keep Carl from getting suspicious."
The smile Lucy flashed then as she fitted her suddenly alive breasts into the cheap cotton bra indicated that from now on, she was going to be a woman. Convinced that because of her lust for knowledge of life the woman would indeed keep their secret, Jill breathed a sigh of relief.
She really became convinced it was one of those perfect days when Amanda and Jackson arrived home at five-twenty with the news that their father would be tied up at the office for at least another two hours.
While the youngsters were upstairs, Jill announced to Lucy that she was going up to talk to them. Things kept going right when the woman smiled. Jill saw then that she had won her complete approval and trust. It buoyed her to know for sure that she had divided the family so that she could count on the support of all three in her all out war against Carl.
Jill met Jackson on the stairs and brought him with her to Amanda's room. From there, all three adjourned to the mystery room.
There were gasps of pure terror as she told them where they were going, but when she told them their mother knew and approved, apprehension turned to anticipation as they looked forward to actually seeing the inner sanctum, the room from which they had always been barred.
Before showing them anything of the room, Jill warned both that they were in for a great shock. As if to solidify the relationship, she reminded both that she had already opened their eyes and minds to one facet of life.
"Now," she added, "I am going to show you things which will prove to you that your father has a sick, twisted mind and that everything he has taught you is wrong and perverted."
She saw them look nervously at each other and knew that at the first opportunity, they would compare notes on the lessons they had received from her.
"Don't be nervous, kids. As soon as you get together, you may feel free to tell each other everything. It will be a secret among the three of us. Okay?"
Their agreement was spontaneous and sincere and the bond of friendship and trust was firmly established.
Jill began with the hidden windows and watched the looks of surprise as they discovered hidden facets in the character of their father.
From there, she showed them the pictures he had taken and went on to set up the projector to show films of couples in the guest bedroom.
Without showing the movies, she told of those which showed both Amanda and her mother being strapped. Amanda paled even more at the knowledge that a film remained as a permanent record of her body being bared and strapped.
"I wonder how many have already looked at that film and laughed at me?" Amanda asked.
"I think we can assume that only your father and I have seen it, dear." Jill tried to reassure her.
"After all," she went on, "you father wants everyone to believe that he is a very religious man. If even one person in this town sees the contents of this room, his whole act is destroyed."
"That helps a little, but it even makes me feel funny to think you saw it, even though you're my friend."
"Don't let that bother you my dear. Remember, I've seen more of you than that. We did play those nice games together."
"Jill!" Amanda looked toward her brother, her eyes opened wide in terror at Jill having made such an admission in his presence.
Jill laughed and patted her reassuringly on the bottom of her skirt.
"Don't worry about your brother. He and I played some pretty wild games too."
The younger ones looked at each other nervously for a moment, then seemed to relax. Jill knew they would compare notes at their first chance.
"Tell you what, kids, if you give me the kind of help I'm going to need in the next few days, the three of us could have a really first class party."
Her suggestion was rewarded by a pair of anxious smiles which indicated Jill would get all the cooperation she could use.
"Now kids," Jill turned suddenly serious, "I have to show you the real shocker."
Walking to the desk, Jill removed the magazine containing the incriminating pictures of Velma.
"Remember that your father went to the island with the police and found Velma's body.
The police stayed right there until they removeed the body. Right?"
"That's right," Jackson replied, obviously wondering what was coming. Amanda echoed agreement.
Opening the magazine then, Jill showed them the pictures one at a time. Amanda went pale and swayed for a moment, but regained her composure.
"It's obvious that these were taken just after the murder and before the police arrived. Only the murderer could have taken them. This is where your mother and I found them, in this drawer."
Jill paused for a moment to let it sink in before going on.
"Your father murdered Velma and blamed my husband for it."
"Mom knows?" Jackson looked surprisingly calm as he faced Jill.
"She does now," Jill replied. "Until today she was as completely fooled as you."
"What are we going to do?" he asked in a coldly level tone.
"What do you suggest, Jackson?"
"I say we turn everything over to the police. He may be my father, but he's a killer. He really murdered two counting your husband."
"That's right. For all we know, there may have been more. What terrifies me is, who will be next. Suppose he finds out we know about him, what would he do to protect his secret?"
"My God!" Amanda gasped. "He'd kill us."
"That's right, dear. That is why we have to remain absolutely silent about all this until we can turn him over to the police. We still do not have enough evidence. It's up to me to get that. I need the two of you to help protect me while I'm getting it."
"You can count on us, Jill." Jill knew he meant it, knew she had his loyalty and Amanda's.
"It's very important that you stand ready to help, Jackson. You're strong. If it comes, to a showdown, you can perhaps save the three of us."
"I will. You needn't be afraid that I'll back down. All of a sudden, I'm not afraid of him anymore."
"I'm glad of that, but for now I want you to act completely normal. I want both of you to act as if you know nothing about this."
"It won't be easy," Amanda spoke up, "but I'll do it. I see how important it is."
"Thanks, Amanda. That also means you will still have to take beatings from him just as always."
"Okay," Amanda nodded her head in assent. Her eyes closed tightly at the thought of the cruel strap again.
Jill wrapped an arm around the girl and held her for a moment.
"Keep remembering that it's almost over. Soon, we'll all be able to start living a normal life. Go down now and talk to your mother."
When they left, Jill made a quick tour of the room to assure herself that all was in order. When she had satisfied herself it was, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a lipstick she had purchased for the purpose. It was a dark, blood red.
She began writing on the mirror carefully. When she finished, she stepped back to look at it. The message, which seemed to be scrawled in blood, would be a terrible shock for Carl when he walked into the room.
"THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH. V."
Let's see how you react to that, you bastard. Jill ground out the words silently. You have always used the scriptures as a weapon, now you'll be on the receiving end.
There's nothing to do now but wait, Jill told herself. Wait for Carl to walk into the room and read a message from the grave.