Chapter 8

Lorene didn't hear the smattering of applause, the laughter and remarks of Rudy's guests who had been avidly watching the lust drama on the platform. Her "lover" relaxed his grip for a moment as he rolled his powerful frame off her prone body. But as she tried to rise, he leered at her and kept her on her back with one huge hand on her shoulder.

Lorene's breasts began to heave as she panted heavily as his hands slid under her thighs and cupped her quivering asscheeks. She parted them somewhat, revealing her cunt to his fascinated gaze. Then his thick lips plunged to mouth her open twat.

Lorene's head tossed as she moaned happily with engulfing joy while his head bobbed between her writhing thighs. Her cries became shrill as her body flexed in the grip of overwhelming spasms of sheer bliss as she had a tremendous "come".

Nikko my darling, that was wonderful I'll always be yours...."

Lorene opened her eyes, and when she realized that it wasn't Nikko who had sucked her cunt, she sprang to her feet. With cat-like fury, she seized the whip and began using it on the leering man.

Ty Grinnell, who was watching the "performance" had never seen anything like the unleashed fury of the girl. Bitter and angry-a whip in her hand. And God, how she used it.

Her hair had been dyed-an easy operation. But to shape her to a stunt like this had taken the skill of Rudy Estrada-or, more accurately-the herbs he used-the poison-the dope. Right now, most likely, Lorene didn't know what she was doing. Or maybe she thought she was in a dream.

Rudy Estrada-the poisoner!

He was glad he had sent the police after him.

Temporarily, Lorene had escaped. She was here. But if the police didn't find her at Rudy's they would keep after Nikko, hot and heavy. In a way that was regrettable, but he couldn't help what had happened. When you're in a corner you have to fight back.

Lorene was still using the whip, but suddenly another woman appeared on the platform, rushed toward her, and started struggling for the whip. Without any question, most of the people in the room must have thought that this was a part of the act. But it wasn't. Ty knew that instantly. What was happening, right now, had not been planned. This was an extra. The new woman in the platform wasn't one of Rudy's crowd. She was one of the guests. His guest-Ellie Cameron!

He watched, fascinated, as Ellie rushed from the platform-and he could guess where she was going. After Hugh! She must have seen him. He had been circulating around. He might easily have passed her. Right now, Hugh was off to the side with a dusky-skinned girl, but she scrambled away as Ellie rushed that way. "Pig!" Ellie screamed as she reached Hugh's side, and swung the whip. "Pig! Pig! Pig!"

The first cut of her whip went around his head-and it was a hard, slashing blow. It must have blinded him momentarily. It could have if she had struck across his eyes-and that was possible. But then the whip streaked into the air again-and went down. And again.

And again.

Ellie was screaming with every blow. She was out of her mind in her bitterness, in her anger, in her vengeance. He had hurt her-she was getting even She was through with him, anyhow. She wanted to get rid of him. This was a good way to do it.

"Pig!" She screamed and she swung the whip.

"Pig!" and she used the whip again-and again-and again.

Hugh huddled on the floor. His back was a bloody mess. He had started, once, to get up-but the whip cut him down. He had cried out several times, but he wasn't crying any more. He lay there motionless-as though he was unconscious-or dead.

She said something under her breath, threw the whip on top of-im, and turned away, walked into' the deeper shadows of the room, probably sat down.

The party went on.

Two men carried away Hugh's body, took him into one of the bedrooms, closed the door.

No one said anything publicly about him.

But Nikko talked to Ty about him, and Connie did later, and so did Ellie.

Nikko was the first. She spoke to him half defensively. "We did not plan anything like this. The woman who took the whip-that was her own idea. I think she must have hated the man she whipped."

"How is the man?" Ty asked.

"I do not know, I presume he will be cared for."

"And, Lorene...."

"You guessed it was her? I thought the hair might deceive you."

"She was doped?"

"Yes, but I must explain why this was done. Lorene belonged to Rudy. To get her away from him I had to agree to this party. The special tea which Lorene took has not harmed her-and after tonight she will have no more. She will be with me."

"With you?"

"Yes, I have another nature."

"You're no Lesbian."

"But I am-when I am with another Lesbian."

"And Lorene...."

Nikko smiled. "It was not hard to change her. She has become a wonderful woman fucker."

"I thought you wanted to see her?"

"Rudy wanted to know why you were interested in her. That is why I went to see you. I would never have sold her."

"You let me screw you."

"That did not hurt me. Good-bye, Mr. Grinnell. I must join Lorene. We are on the way to my apartment, now. You do not know where it is. I think you will never find it."

As Nikko disappeared, he forgot about her. And he forgot about Lorene. Neither was important any more. He might have made a little money on Lorene, but that scheme hadn't worked out. She had become a lesbian and her life would be involved with Nikko fron now on. So let it go. Much more important to him was Ellie Cameron-but God-that scene he had just witnessed left him shaky. He knew he would never forget the way she had used a whip on her husband-but more vividly he would remember her marching purposely from the platform to where Hugh had been lying. She had looked more than an amazon. She had been like one of the Greek Furies. In pictures they were giant-like, female figures with serpent hair-evengers-unmerciful-cruel-Yes, Ellie Cameron was one of the Furies.

He finished half of the cigarette, decided that was enough, put out the fire and saved the butt for someone else-left it on the edge of the plate. After that, he returned to the main room. He had three things now in mind. He was curious about Hugh Cameron, how badly he had been hurt. He wanted to find Ellie, reestablish himself in her mind. And he didn't want to miss Connie Hall ... Damn, she had escaped him too long. He had a notion that when she got cunt-twitchy she really exploded, but the only way to be sure was to screw her. And to fuck her, apparently he was going to have to corner her-somewhere. That might not be easy. He had hardly caught a glimpse of her all evening.

He prowled the front room. Veronica, the hungry blonde, was still hot for cock, but she had had him once and that was enough. He shoved her away, and left her.

He tried to remember which way Ellie had headed after leaving her husband. He stumbled across a couple fucking as if they're life depended on it. They didn't see him-didn't know that he was watching, they were so far gone in ecstasy. He moved on-and stopped-aware of a woman's querulous voice. It sounded like Ellie. It was. She was sprawled in the powerful black arms of Dale Hall, Con's husband. Most likely they had fucked quite a bit-but their screw session was over. At least in Ellie's mind, that was over. She wanted to be left alone, and she said so.

"Hell with you," Dale said, and he got up, and left.

Ty dropped down near the woman. "Hi there, Ellie."

Her voice was low. "Do I know you?"

"I'm Ty."

"Who's Ty? Typhoon!" She started laughing.

"I'm the man who brought you here," Ty said.

"Did someone bring me-then who brought my husband-the stinker-But I got to him, anyhow, before he got to me."

"Do you remember what you did to him?"

"Someone gave me a whip. I used it on him. Pig!"

He touched her breasts lightly and wondered vaguely how many men had pawed and sucked them tonight. Then he grinned at himself. He had had plenty of tits to suck and cunts to fuck himself.

"Who did you say you were?" Elbe asked.

"Ty Grinnell. You remember me."

"Ummm. I like you, don't I?"

"Very much."

"I haven't been very faithful."

"You mean you've been fucking around?"

"A little."

"I might forgive you." He moved his hand on her body. He was about to pay a little attention to her, for that was important. Three million dollars ran into money.

"What are you doing?" Ellie asked.

"I'm looking for something," Ty said.

"Can I help, too?"

"Why not?"

Ty moved over to her, and thought, three million bucks. For that kind of money I can forget Connie-for a week or two I can forget everyone else. This time I won't be cheated. This time I'm going to collect.

He fucked her with all his might and made her come three times in a row and she seemed satisfied. She lay in his arms, possibly dozing, or more possibly in the haze of a stupor.

She finally spoke. "Ty? You're my Ty, aren't you? I mean-I know you don't I?"

"Of course you do."

"I think you're the best fucker here tonite. God, what a huge prick you've got. I want to keep you around."

"I intend to be around."

"What about Hugh?"

"Forget about him."

"I meant to hurt him."

"I know."

"I'll never hurt you."

"Maybe I ought to find out about him."

"I don't want you to leave."

"I won't be gone very long," Ty said.

He drew away, sat up looked around. Was it an impression, or had some of the people left? It was early to leave a party-a party like this one. Nikko, Lorene, and the two men with them had left. He had noticed that earlier, but they were entertainers, that could be their explanation. They would have left anyhow, but why would anyone else have fled? Fled?

He was still looking from side to side. A number of people were still her. Most were here-but in spite of that he could smell danger. It was in the very air he was breathing. It was like some faint echo in his ears, the sound not quite clear-but menacing. He got up, started across the room....

"Ty!" It sounded like Con's low, throaty voice. "Ty. Just a moment."

He turned toward her, took her in his arms, held her tightly, and damned if it wasn't nice to operate like this, no clothes in the way, no clothes to fight. He could feel the hard pressure of her breasts against his chest, her bushy twat against his thighs.

He said, "Con, I've been waiting for this all evening."

She shook her head. "We've got to talk."

"No. Later."

"We've got to talk-now," Connie said. "I've been waiting for you. Dale's in the bedroom."

"Dale-who gives a damn about Dale?"

She still shook her head. "Even I don't-usually. But tonight is different," She lowered her voice. "Hugh Cameron is dead."

That hit him-made him take a quick, deep breath. But he wasn't startled. He had half expected that. He even wanted that. This threw a fortune into Ellie's lap-and who else was there? Why he was there, on the receiving end. At least-that was what he was hoping for.

He said, disgustedly, "Why did you ever bring him?"

"Hugh?" She shrugged. "I've known him a long time. He gets around. He likes parties like this. But I didn't know-I didn't know you were bringing his wife."

"She likes parties, too. Wasn't that a scene!"

"But not for here."

"That's the way it happened. What are you going to do about-about Hugh's body?"

"Dale says it can be carried over the roofs to a place where we can lower it to the ground, get it into a car. He knows where to leave him-but he needs help."

"Me?"

"Who else, Ty? You brought her here."

"Find your clothes and get dressed," Con ordered.

"You and Dale, shouldn't be gone too long."

"But I'm missing your cunt," he muttered.

"Pussy'll be here when you get back."

"What about her?" he pointed toward Elbe.

"She'll be all right," Con said, and she laughed. "There are maybe a couple of men who haven't fucked her. I'll see they get a chance."

"You might leave her alone."

"Why? Or shouldn't I ask? She's going to be a wealthy woman."

Ty didn't say a thing, but he was wondering what was going on in Con's mind. She was hard, brittle woman, she had come up the hard way, she could figure angles like an expert. Ellie was going to inherit money-from a husband she had killed. That set her up for blackmail beautifully. Con couldn't help but see the possibilities.

But one thing stood in the way.

He did-Ty Grinnell.

Ellie was going to fall right into his lap.

"I'll go and help Dale," he said gruffly. "But I'm doing it for you, Con-and for no one else. We don't want any scandal falling on your head. Soon as I come back I'll get Ellie Cameron away."

Con looked at him frowning, then said, "Yes, go and help Dale."

Ty grunted. He didn't say anything out loud, but he was remembering his glimpse of Ellie lying in Dale's arms being fucked by him and he thought, Why would she ever screw him-when I was around? He shook his head angrily. Until he and Ellie could get married-no more parties like this.

Marriage and he didn't like marriage. But to marry three million bucks-that was something different.

They carried Hugh's body across two roofs, down an alley fire escape. They got him into Dale's car, drove south, got rid of the body and returned. They didn't try to hide it. By morning he would have been found-but it would take a little time to identify him.

When they got back, they found Con in the bedroom, lying there alone. In the main room of the apartment, half of the people were still screwing. Some had left-worried-but a good many didn't seem to care.

"Where's Ellie?" Ty asked.

Con smiled, waved toward the main room. "She's being fucked, but plenty. I told you not to worry about her. If you tried to satisfy her, you wouldn't last a week."

"I'll worry about that."

"You've got another worry," Con said. "I suppose you mean to hang on to Ellie Cameron."

"In a way," Ty nodded.

Con sat up. "Then, we want a piece of her, Dale and I. A great big piece."

Ty shook his head. "Nothing doing."

"Either we get a piece or the police receive some very interesting photos in tomorrow's mail."

"That's a bluff," Ty said sharply.

"I'll show you the pictures tomorrow," Con said. "Fifty per cent. How's that?"

Ty stared at her.

"She's got plenty. Why are you worried?" Con went on. "I haven't got anything-yet."

"But you will-and if there's trouble, pour in a little more H. Did you know she was hooked-or at least, on the way? Dale gave her a fix right after she got here. She asked for one."

Possibly that was one way to control her. But there might be others. To hell with Connie and Dale. Why share this fortune with them? If they had a picture of Ellie standing above Hugh he might have to buy it-but not for fifty per cent.

He spoke slowly. "I'm going to pick up Ellie-and get her home. Any objection?"

Dale grinned, and nodded. He was letting her run the show.

To hell with him.

And to hell with Connie's cunt-as delightful as it was.

He picked up Ellie-and that wasn't easy. She didn't want to leave. She said she was just starting to enjoy herself. Ty found her clothes and made her get dressed. It rather pleased him the way he could give her orders-and the way she obeyed. He was finally going to make it. Money! Big money. He had never been so excited in his life. He took her straight to his apartment, undressed her and put her in his bed.

He had a drink and as he was pulling off his clothes, the telephone started ringing. He answered, but didn't recognize the thick voice on the other end of the wire. "Grinnell, I've been trying to reach you."

"Yes," Ty said, "What is it?"

"Want to talk to you."

He frowned at the telephone. "Who is it?"

"Gabe Blaney."

Blaney. The politician, if you wanted to be polite. The gangster if you wanted to be more honest. A member of the syndicate. A big-shot hood. But he had few contacts with him. This telephone call surprised him.

"What is it, Blaney?" he asked, still frowning. "Have you seen the newspapers, Grinnell?"

"No. Why?"

"The police hit Rudy's, last night. They cleaned out the place. They found Christy Higgins hiding in one of the back rooms."

"Christy Higgins?" He was actually startled. He had imagined that Higgins would be miles from here. He had figured the police might pick him up-but in some other city. Not here. Not in a room less than a block from Ernie's restaurant.

"Christy put up a fight," the voice on the telephone was saying. He shot it out with the police. They got him."

"I ... I didn't know he was at Rudy's," Ty said.

"We didn't want him caught," Blaney said. "We liked him a lot. If he killed Ernie, then Ernie had it corning. It's too damned bad ... what happened to Christy."

"Yeah ... yeah, it is," Ty muttered.

"So you're sorry," Blaney said. You're sorry-after you've fingered Rudy's."

Ty took a quick deep breath. "I didn't talk to the cops."

"That's a damned lie," Blaney said quietly. "But it isn't...."

"We know who talked," Blaney said. "We got it straight. You are the one who fingered the raid-and Christy is dead"

"I tell you I didn't have anything to do with it," Ty said, and he was beginning to get angry. "I didn't talk to the cops. Get off my back!"

"You'd better come and see me, Grinnell."

"Like hell," he snapped back. And he hung up the telephone.

Almost instantly, it started ringing again.

Ty piled some pillows on top of the telephone, to smother the sound. He thought, to hell with Blaney. And to hell with Christy Higgins. If he had killed Ernie, and the cops caught him, what else should anyone expect?

He headed for the bathroom, took three sleeping pills, then collapsed on the bed. It was late in the afternoon when he awoke.

That should be enough to clear him with Blaney. He hadn't sent the cops to Rudy's to pick up Christy Higgins. It wasn't his fault that Christy had gone there. Why in the hell didn't that telephone stop ringing?

It did stop ringing, briefly. But then it started again.

Connie worried him more than anyone else. Connie was hard, and capable-and hungry for money. She would try to cut in on Elbe's money. He might have a problem with her, but in some way or other he would handle her.

The one big rosy spot in his life-was Ellie. With Hugh Cameron dead, she was in the money. And if she was in the money, so was he. He had met her at the proper time. He was holding her at the proper time. In his own apartment-in his own bed. Not another woman this time. A three million dollar woman. She didn't look like much, right now, but that money was beautiful. Very, very beautiful.

She groaned, opened her eyes, looked at him. "Ty?"

"Yes, dear."

"I feel like hell."

"You're supposed to feel like hell after a hang-up binge."

"I'm sore all over. My head's about to split open."

"I've got something that might help." Her eyes blinked. "You ... you mean...."

"No, I can't give you a fix."

She moistened her lips. "Then you know ... I don't use that regularly. Just now and then-at a party or something-or when I'm upset. Do you know where I can get one?"

"I don't know." He scowled at the ceiling.

"Dale would give me a fix. He said he would-any time I needed one. You know Dale. He was at the party."

"Yes, I know him."

"You could telephone him."

"You really need one?"

She touched his shoulder. "Just this one time, Ty. There's another reason. I keep remembering what I did at the party. I'll ... I'll never be able to go back to Hugh. Never...."

He drew away and said, "I can get you a fix-closer than Dale's. I'll have to go after it. It'll take about ten minutes."

"You'll do that for me?"

"Of course."

"If you could get an extra one ... just for an emergency?"

"I'll take care of it," Ty said.

He got up, got dressed, glanced around. It was growing dark. When he had dozed a little while ago he had slept longer than he had thought. Night wasn't far off.

The telephone was ringing again. He marched toward it, pushed the pillows away, and answered it "Hello! Hello! What the hell do you want this time?"

"Mr. Grinnell...." It wasn't Blaney on the telephone but it might as well have been. "Mr. Grinnell, we don't like what you done. We don't like it when you talk to the cops. Christy Higgins is dead on account of you."

Ty almost exploded. "I didn't split anyone's head open. I didn't have anything to do with what happened. Furthermore, if I get any more phone calls a lot of my hidden files are going to turn up on the D.A.'s desk tomorrow. And I'm not kidding. Tell that to Blaney!"

He slammed down the telephone.

"What was all that about?" Ellie asked.

"Nothing." He shook his head. We won't be bothered again. Just relax and I'll be back shortly."

"You'll be right back?"

"As soon as I can make it. Ten minutes."

Elbe was smiling. "Ty, I think I love you. After you get back I'm going to fuck you until you scream for mercy. Hurry back-hurry back-hurry back-"

He went outside, turned down the street. It wasn't yet dark but night was on the way, gray shadows crowding the street. Sunday nights there weren't many people around. Some, who lived here, were outside, but there weren't many, and most of the business houses were closed.

Ellie was lying on the bed. She raised herself to a sitting position, her naked breasts giggling with every movement.

"How come you're back this quick, Ty?" she asked anxiously.

"Lie back, relax, and I'll tell you all about it," he smiled confidently at her as he stripped.

Ty swung his lithe muscular body easily into the bed, and embracing Elbe's waist drew her down beside him. As he gazed at the tantalising curves of her tits, he could see her large crimson nipples beginning to erect in jutting desire. Ty liked Elbe's quick response to him, her full smooth thighs and ass were already undulating in pleasant anticipation.

He eagerly mouthed her abundant, yielding breasts, his flicking tongue making the nipples even more stiffly erect between his lips. His dark hair contrasted against the creamy whiteness of her lovely belly as his mouth nibbled her waist and then her navel. She wriggled her belly in a half-hearted attempt to escape the intense pleasure of his deft tongue.

"I couldn't wait lover," she gasped, and then screamed joyously. Her hips swayed wildly, her asscheeks jiggling on his prick as peak bliss shot and fountained through her entire being. Ty's cock arched in a last rugged drive against her cunt as releasing ecstasy erupted through him explosively.

"I caught the same train, darling," he groaned as he clutched her writhing hips.

Long moments later, when they lay side by side in each other's embrace, Ty said, "You don't feel you need that H. now do you dear?"

"What's H?" said Ellie rolling her eyes in mock innocense.

Ty Grinnell kissed the attractive redhead and continued seriously, "Ellie, there's a lot to explain and straighten out. But the most important thing is that we've found out we really love each other."

"The hard way, wasn't it counselor?"

"Yes," Ty answered gravely, thinking of his past, his mother's old tenement. "But now we've got something that's good. Everything else is unimportant. Let's play it straight and be a couple of squares from now on...."

"Except in bed!" Ellie grinned mischievously.

Slowly he gathered her into his arms, took one cherry nipple in his mouth, rammed his prick deep into her cunt, and gave her the fucking of her life.