Chapter 8
Jan felt a strange, empty feeling in the house when she went downstairs to see about getting something to eat. It was getting dark and she realized she had slept past dinner. When she got to the kitchen, Tom and Al were going over some maps on the table and there wasn't any sign of anyone else in the house. Tom offered her coffee and toast, explaining that it was the only thing left.
"Pa thought it would be best if Al and I drove you to a spot where you could contact your husband," Tom said with a note of seriousness in his voice. "Everyone appreciates what you did, but Pa and Ma didn't want you to get any more involved in this than you have already. You know how Pa feels about lying. So he felt it would be best if you told the police everything... and just a little white lie about getting the money at gunpoint."
"Just don't tell them you did it on your own," Al added with concern. "Otherwise you'll get in trouble as an accessory."
"That's right," Tom said. "And Pa said it would be best if you didn't ask any questions or... anything... so you won't have to cover up or worry about getting caught in any lies trying to protect us."
Jan was too choked up to speak. She had dreaded this moment and wished now that she could remain with the group as David had suggested. But she listened in silence, taking the edge off her hunger with a piece of dry toast and the warm coffee. She knew there was no possibility of her staying with them and put the idea out of her mind.
This was it, she told herself as they drove in silence, feeling thankful that she was sandwiched between them for the last moments of her adventure.
Their final farewell came on a deserted road south of the old house. Jan's eyes filled with tears as she kissed Tom and Al for the last time and got out of the car.
"Just walk straight ahead," Al said through the car window. "You'll come to a gas station with a phone and there's some change in your purse to call your husband."
Then the car drove off quickly, leaving her at the side of the road alone, frightened by the darkness and crying. She remained motionless, watching the red taillights disappear in the distance.
The state police picked Jan up about an hour after she stepped from the car. She had called Charles and he sent the police to the phone booth to get her and take her to a nearby station. She went over the details of her captivity for the police, who knew nothing about her abduction, while they waited for the F.B.I. agents to pick her up.
Then she called Charles again, who had seemed too upset to talk when she had called him the first time. He was so anxious to send help that he almost hung up before she could tell him where she was. But on the second call he seemed to have gained his composure and sounded like the Charles she remembered.
The real test of her strength came during the long trip home with the F.B.I. agents. They wanted to know everything that had happened and the debriefing dragged on and on until she began to worry that she would tell them something she didn't want them to know; like how she really felt about the boys, or the details of their sexual relationship.
"Look, I'd prefer to just let it go at saying they molested me a little," she sighed, trying to put an end to that line of questioning.
"We'll be back tomorrow, Mrs. Latimer," an agent told her as they pulled into the driveway of her house. "You'll feel better after a good night's sleep. Perhaps you'll be able to tell us more then. It's important that we know the details of just how they treated you."
"Please don't make a big deal out of them molesting me a little," she sighed again, seeing Charles waiting at the front door for her. "You know how kids are... they're curious about... but I don't feel it would help anyone if I went into all the details of how these little kids... you know... tried to satisfy their curiosity."
As she got out of the car, Charles started down the walk to meet her. "Are you all right?" he asked before putting his arms around her and kissing her cheek.
"Yes. I'm fine," she sighed. "Just a little hungry."
"Great. I have a frozen chicken dinner in the oven," he said, leading her to the house. "I'll just pop another one in for myself and you can tell me everything that happened while you eat."
Jan was jolted to a halt and gave out a gasp at the sight of the graffiti on the living room walls. She had forgotten about that, and it came as a shock to her system to see it again.
"Did they... err... abuse you, Janice?" Charles asked feebly.
"Huh? Oh... no... er they were kids."
She fumbled for the right words. She knew that would be the first thing Charles would want to know, but she wasn't expecting it so soon. "Just little boys... the oldest wasn't more than eighteen..."
"Are you sure they didn't... well, you know... violate you?"
"Oh, Charles," she said, brushing off the question. "They were only young boys from an orphanage. They were tickled just to see a girl..."
His relief was apparent in his expression, she noted. Charles would never be able to adjust to the idea that his wife had been "violated", she told herself. And as she told him the rest of the details over dinner, he became more relieved to discover the couple in charge were very old and strict... forced into this crime out of desperation, and really nice people. "...Why they almost decided not to go through with it because Pa, that's what they called the old man, didn't want to lie to you about killing me if you didn't get the money."
Charles somehow seemed changed, she thought to herself, wondering if the experience hadn't been good for him too. He was very attentive for a change, trying to do everything he could for her, even rushing off to draw her bath when she casually mentioned it was the one thing she needed most.
Then he did something he hadn't done since their honeymoon. He remained in the bathroom as she undressed! He was chatting away, telling her his side of the story and not paying any attention to the fact that the room was brightly lit and she was undressing. She remembered how she had to practically beg him to take a shower with her on their honeymoon, and here he was staying in the bathroom without any coaxing. Very strange, she decided as she slipped into the bathtub and felt the warm water lick luxuriously around her body. And Charles watched every move she made, until the phone rang and he had to leave to answer it.
Once she was alone, Jan slithered deeper into the tub until the water covered her up to the neck. The warm soapy water was so sensuous, she told herself, she could almost feel it arousing her sexually. And the thought grew stronger as the warm water licked at her breasts and up between her legs like a tantalizing tongue. Her hands glided softly over her breasts, and then down to tease her clit.
Out of the corner of her eye she caught Charles returning from the phone call and she quickly eased her hands away from their chores. She got a twinge of a thrill from the thought that Charles had almost caught her with her fingers in the cookie jar.
"Who was it?" she asked softly.
"The F.B.I. wanted to know if you were feeling any better," he answered as he approached the tub and eyed her body in the soapy water. "They called their report in to Washington and it seems you weren't the first victim of this sweet old couple."
"You're kidding!" Jan gulped, sitting up straight in the tub, suddenly alert. "What did they say?"
"Washington says your description fits a couple they call the 'Ma and Pa Kettle Gang'. They've pulled the same routine six times before, in various parts of the country."
"I don't believe it!" Jan gasped.
"It's true. The other women gave practically identical stories as yours. Seems the old man and woman played on the victims' sympathies to get their cooperation. And since no one wanted the kids to get in trouble, they withheld information until it was too late for the F.B.I. to do anything."
"I still can't believe it," she said, her mind racing back over the events and hearing Al say something about her being an accessory. But she wanted most of all not to think it was a hoax.
"As soon as they get the money," Charles went on, "they leave the region. But the F.B.I. thought you gave them the break they needed when you described the car and the approximate location of the house. The other victims withheld those details at first."
"Will it help?" Jan asked, remembering it was Pa who said she should tell everything but the part about her snatching the money on her own. She had imagined he had a getaway plan and she had done exactly what he told her to do. But now she wondered if he hadn't brought about his own undoing.
"Not at this point," Charles answered. "They found the car a few miles from where they dropped you off and it didn't seem to have any clues."
Jan was relieved to know Tom and Al weren't in it at the time. She didn't want to be responsible for their capture.
"It was quite a well-planned operation," Charles added. "The old Chevy was stolen from a junkyard in New York about an hour after the original owner brought it in as junk. It was never, even reported as stolen. They probably had another car ready to pick them up as soon as they set you free."
"I don't see how they can get very far with thirty kids though," Jan offered her thoughts.
"Well, the F.B.I. found the house. It was an old abandoned military academy," Charles said, noting the surprised look on Jan's face, and finding himself enjoying the presentation of the facts to her. "They almost knew what to look for, since the old couple followed the same routine each time. So it wasn't hard to find the house with the information you supplied. But there wasn't anything of value there either."
"Then they must be hiding in another abandoned house close by," Jan said. "It would be too risky to move that many kids without drawing attention to themselves. And they must know the police will be looking for them."
Charles just smiled, pausing to give her time to think of another way to solve the problem of moving all those children. When it was obvious that she was unable to come up with an answer, he said, "That's what I thought. And you probably heard the F.B.I. agents calling in your details as they drove you home, because that's what they thought too. In fact, an alert went out to the police in every state they could possibly have reached since this morning... or more precisely, last night when you last saw all the children at dinner."
Jan's heart was in her throat as she waited for him to explain what he knew. She knew by the smirk on his face that he was saving the best part of the story for last and the suspense was killing her. "Well?" she finally asked.
"Well... Washington has come up with a pretty conclusive theory on how they manage the impossible task of getting out of a region with all those kids and not being detected... and the fact that you cooperated with their agents more than the other victims contributed immensely to their investigation. And I want you to know I'm proud of the way you handled yourself during this whole thing..."
"Charles!" Jan interrupted him.
"Oh yes... But first I should point out that the other victims were much, much older than you. They were all in their late fifties or sixties which is probably why they withheld information. They were more concerned with protecting the children than catching the leader..."
"...Anyway," his voice droned on, "Washington has the theory that the man and woman are actually related in some way to all the kids. They break into an abandoned home, make it barely livable and then their kin deliver the children. The parents then take off for nearby resorts... the lakes and what-have-you... When the job is completed, the signal goes out and the parents rendezvous with the old couple and pick up the kids and drive home. The police can't stop every car with kids in it... and everyone is safe."
"I don't believe it," Jan said, sinking back into the water. "Then it's almost impossible to catch them."
"I'm afraid so," Charles sighed. "They've even been able to dispose of the marked money in such a way that it can't be traced."
Jan got up and stepped out of the tub, noting that Charles ogled her naked body again, but finding herself suddenly more concerned with her own thoughts. When she got to the bedroom, she decided she didn't feel like putting on a nightgown. She felt Charles wouldn't object to it in his present state of mind. Then she began to wonder if this was the night for Charles to satisfy his weekly sex urge, but remembered it wasn't.
She propped the pillow up against the backboard, so she could sit up in bed and go over these new developments in her mind and try to sort out the truth from the lies. The feel of her own bed gave her pangs of delight. Then she quickly turned to the night table and took out her cigarettes. The first puff reminded her of Al again and she inhaled deeply, remembering the shower that had followed her last cigarette.
Charles had gone downstairs when she had finished her bath. He entered the bedroom now to give her another surprise; he was smoking a cigarette and carrying a drink.
"Janice," he said, as though addressing a board of directors meeting. "These past few days have had an effect on me that... well... has changed my whole life in a way. While you were suffering from the lack of decent food and your very life was at stake... I was indulging in self-pity. I just want you to know how proud I am of the way you conducted yourself. It took the F.B.I. to point out to me what an outstanding person you really are and I hope you will forgive me."
"Please, Charles," she said, trying to keep him from saying any more.
"As you can see," he continued anyway, "I started smoking and even drinking under the stress of it all..."
"Really, Charles, this isn't necessary," she tried to cut him off again. "Haven't I always told you you should let yourself go a little?"
"Well... I just thought you should know..."
With that he emptied the whiskey glass and walked into the bathroom. When he returned a few minutes later he was naked. And the shock of seeing Charles walk around naked, with the lights on and in full view, left Jan speechless.
"Perhaps I cracked under the strain," he said, approaching the bed. "But I suddenly discovered I enjoyed a bit of self-indulgence."
"We all..." Jan started to say, but his hands came down to her face and he lifted it, choking off her words with an open-mouthed kiss. When his tongue darted into her mouth, she found herself coming to a kneeling position on the bed to alleviate the awkwardness of his position over her.
Still holding her face in his hands, he moved away from her mouth and, staring into her eyes said, "I've gone through hell, Jan. I only hope you won't hate me for giving in to these self-indulgent habits... but I couldn't help myself."
"Don't be silly..." she began, but found his stiff cock coming to her lips, then pressing tightly against them.
Charles looked down at the surprised look in her wide eyes and found himself forcing her jaws open with his thumbs. His cock slipped easily between her pouty red lips and she was suddenly entering the warm moistness of her mouth. He thought of Laura as his prong slipped deeper into Jan's throat and wondered what the great attraction had been for her. This was a real delight, he told himself as he watched her lips slip over his slowly sinking cock. That was the best part, he decided. To be able to see the shock on her face. Her wide eyes tantalized him with their helpless expression and fear of what he might do.
In all the years they had been married, Jan never realized that Charles was actually endowed with such a large cock. Until recently, she hadn't had the opportunity to see anything to compare it to. And she hadn't seen it close up in so long, she wouldn't have recognized it anyway, she told herself. But more important than the size was the way Charles was acting. A totally different Charles was now cramming his cock down her throat and she was taken aback by the sudden change in him.
"You probably think I'm an animal," he said, pulling his prick from her mouth.
"Oh no..." Jan said, choking on the sudden void in her mouth. "You've been through hell," she reminded him, trying to recapture the meat in her drooling mouth.
"You're right. But so have you," he said, gently pushing her back an the bed. "And I can't express the way I feel... about you... But turn over and I'll try to show you."
Jan found herself being turned over on her stomach and couldn't imagine what Charles was up to. She wanted his cock in her mouth again. Now he was making her turn over. It just wasn't like him to act this way, she thought, as she felt him coming up between her legs on hands and knees. Then she felt his cock poking at her cunt and realized he was going to take her dog-style.
"If you want me, Charles," she called back over her shoulder, "you'll have to kiss my ass first. Not on the left cheek. Not on the right cheek... but right in the middle."
"Do you mean like this?" he asked, dropping down and planting a kiss at the spot he considered to be down the crack far enough to cover her hidden asahole.
"Not quite, dear," she cooed. "Spread the cheeks and put it on the bull's-eye."
Charles did as he was told, though it wasn't easy for him to submit to her demands. He did manage to plant a tight-lipped kiss on the small pink bud and felt he had won his reward with that endeavor. But as he began to resume his position at the entrance to her cunt, she wiggled away from him.
"Tongue it, Charles. Tongue my asshole," she said, waving her ass before his eyes to make it more exciting. "If you want me... you've got to work for it... and you can start by French-kissing my asshole. Then if you're a good boy, I may let you kiss my honey-jar."
"Oh Janice," he sighed, dropping back down to the bud buried between the firm cheeks of her ass. "Whatever you say... I'll gladly do whatever you say."
"Tongue it, Charles. Give it all you've got..."
Charles twisted his tongue into a thin tube and snaked it into her ass, twisting and whipping it around the dry tunnel and buttering it with saliva. He could feel her body jerking and squirming and knew he was driving her wild with his recently discovered talents. And he decided to add a few new tricks to the act by slipping it out of her anus and driving it into her cunt, then out again and back to the blinking eye of her asshole.
"Ohhhh Charles... do that with your cock!" she cried, no longer giving orders, but actually begging for it.
"Like this?" he growled, jabbing his cock into her cunt first, then into the small bud of her asshole. But the tight tunnel offered enough resistance to make him linger there a little longer and he suddenly became fascinated with the tight fit of that orifice.
"Ohhhh yesss," she moaned, remembering a boy and his hunger for the feast her body offered at that opening.
"I'll be damned!" Charles mumbled as he watched his stiff rod sinking into the tight-fitting sleeve of her body. "Damned if it don't feel good... in there... never imagined it could be... done like this befoe... oh! Don't squeeze it like that! Stop that, Jan! You're squeezing the life out of me! Ohhh... Jannnn... what are you doing to me?"
"How's it feel in there, Charles? Does it make you want to show me what a terrible time you've had these past few days?"
"Your sucking the breath right out of me!" he groaned.
"Pull it out if you don't like it!" she cried back.
"I... I... can't! You've got me locked in there..."
"GO on, pull it out," she breathed, releasing her tight grip on his throbbing cock and straining her muscles now to expel him from the depths of her ass.
"No! No! Not yet... don't... oh, Jan! Why'd you put me out?"
Jan turned and pulled Charles onto the bed, pushing and pulling him until he was on his back and she had managed to straddle his waist. "You're an animal, Charles. But I'll tame you if it kills me!"
His eyes grew wide as he watched her fist his cock and start to impale herself on the threatening spike. He wanted to tell her how beautiful her body was, but couldn't swallow hard enough to get rid of the saliva that kept filling his mouth as he watched his cock being devoured by the hidden well of her body.
Jan smiled down at him and brought the full weight of her body down in one last, quick thrust, seating his cock to the hilt. She suddenly realized that she was experiencing Charles for the first time. Perhaps, she told herself, their sex life was just beginning. Like meeting someone new each night.