Chapter 4

Frank Lovell had a day at the office. Nothing went right. He made mistakes and got fouled up until, around four o'clock, he sat back and faced the situation squarely.

He had functioned inefficiently because every time he tried to concentrate, the image of Caron intruded itself.

Caron stripped naked in Blueside Park. Caron and another man's arms. Caron lying in the grass with another man.

Of course, that hadn't been her fault and he certainly couldn't hold the incident against her. But could he be really sure of that? Had she told him the truth?

It seemed strange to him now that she hadn't resisted. She could have screamed. She could have fought.

What had really happened there in Blueside Park?

As he mulled these suspicions over, they grew and thrived. Nourished by his shame and anger, he saw

Caron smiling, clinging to the man, kissing him, caressing him:

"Darling, what will I tell my husband?"

"Who cares about him?"

"He'll want to know where I've been."

Tell him you were raped in the park."

"He wouldn't believe that."

"He can't prove otherwise."

Resolutely, Frank fought these insane fantasies. They were ridiculous. Caron hadn't been lying. She couldn't possibly have dreamed up the story of how the man treated her, the way he spread her clothes around.

So even while he knew his imaginings were lies, he couldn't banish them from his mind.

He left work early and went to a bar and ordered a martini. Sitting there, brooding over it, he thought of the other men who were involved that night in the woods outside Ludlow. Tom Weathers. Mike Bevins. Clete Watts. They had been more responsible than he.

Jim Payne had been the ringleader, no doubt about that. The others had followed and he himself had been the most reluctant of all. He'd wanted to confess and get the incident off his conscience. They'd talked him out of confessing

So why should he suffer like this when they were getting off scot-tree?

The injustice angered him.

He went to the telephone.

Payne got the call just as he was ready to leave the office.

"Jim? This is Frank Lovell."

"I've been thinking."

"What about?"

"You know what about. I've been thinking about the others. We ought to aiert them."

"We talked that over and decided to wait."

"I know, but why should we bear the brunt of this thing? They were there that night, too."

"Frank! You're making too much of this."

The reply came back savagely. "Sure! But your wife wasn't raped. Only my wife, so nobody gives a damn!"

"All right, then why didn't you go to the police and make a report? They'll get the guy. That's what you pay their salaries for."

"You're a big help "

"What can I do? What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to quit treating this as unimportant."

"Frank, for God'? sake' Stop and think. We can make a big mistake here. We could all be ruined. We've got to wait and see what happens."

Lovell growled. "I still think we should get in touch with the others."

"Where are you?"

"I'm in a bar near my office."

"It figures."

"What do you mean by that."

"You've been lapping it up."

"Is that any of your damn business."

"Frank, I'm sorry. But do me a favor, will you? Go home and think this over Don't do anything tonight.

I'll call you tomorrow."

There was another growl and the conversation ended.

Jim sat back and pondered the situation. He was angry. Why did things have to get all messed up? Why did that louse have to start muddying up the waters? So Caron had gotten dragged into the park. So what? She hadn't been hurt. Now everybody was going to have to suffer.

Jim's secretary, Linda Vale, entered his private office. She was a small, dark girl with a vital aura. She'd made Jim's blood move faster the first moment he'd seen her.

She marched to his desk on beautiful little legs and they went through the routine they always adhered to in the office. This consisted of playing safe.

"Here are those letters, Mr. Payne."

"Thank you, Miss Vale. But I think I'll sign them in the morning. It's getting late."

She moved around the desk and stood beside his chair with the letters still in her hand in case anyone came in.

She waited and he knew what she was waiting for so he obliged her His hand dropped to her ankle. It was a slim, attractive ankle and he could get his fingers clear around it.

He grasped, and her hand began moving upward.

"I can sign them for you if you like."

"Why don't you? Then you can drop them into the mail tonight

His hand was at her knee, now. He was aware of the muscles tightening. He toyed gently with one of her garters.

"I'll write the letter to Stebbins tomorrow, if you don't mind. I didn't get to it today."

"That's all right."

She put the letters down and leaned her knuckles against the edge of the desk. His hand went higher. Her body quivered.

"Today was heavy. I fell behind."

His hand could go no higher now. Linda leaned her weight against the desk. She caught her lower lip in her teeth and half-closed her eyes.

"So do you," she whispered.

He smiled up at her, his hand working gently under her skirt. She raised her head, turned her face to his in a slow, sensuous movement.

"A good job," he repeated, his smile sly now as he watched her. "I couldn't get along without you."

Her whole body was quivering. She whispered something under her breath.

"What did you say, Miss Vale?"

"You know very well what I said."

"I think you were swearing at me."

"I was."

Her knuckles whitened as they pressed against the desk. Her knees quivered. She closed her eyes and sighed.

"Get the letter out to Stebbins the first thing in the morning."

"I will."

She stiffened and then relaxed and he thought she was going to fall. She took a deep ragged breath and looked at aim. He was grinning.

"You're a rat, Mr. Payne, doing a thing like that to a girl in the office where she can't defend herself."

"That's me, Jim Payne rat."

"I'll get even, though."

"I accept the challenge."

"Tonight?'

"I'll be over later."

"I'll be waiting."

When Frank Lovell got home, he was relieved to find Caron already back from her trip to Ludlow. He was glad because he'd anticipated finding an empty apartment, and it would have been depressive. He gave no sign of this, however, the sullen expression remaining on his face.

"I saw old Doc Spencer. I was very lucky. I didn't call for an appointment, I just went, and I only had to wait ten minutes'

Why didn't she stop prattling and say what was on both their minds? Still, he made no effort to say it himself.

"How is Doc."

"Oh, he's fine."

"And your check-up? Everything okay."

"Everything's fine."

He felt like slapping her. Couldn't she for his sake get out of the groove? Everything was just fine, fine, fine.

"Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes, darling. Would you like a drink?"

He wondered if she'd called the guy in the park darling. Lying there on the grass with him. Oh, darling, darling.

"No, I stopped and had a couple on the way home."

"But you never do that."

His anger flared. "Look! I'm a grown man. I stopped in a bar and had a drink! Do you want to make a production out of it?"

The hurt reflected in her voice and in her eyes. "Frank, you don't have to bite my head off. I just said it was unusual for you to stop off at a bar. And it is. You know very well you always come straight home."

"Skip it. I'm sorry I'm a little touchy, that's all."

"A rough day at the office, darling?"

An agony of frustration hit him. Why couldn't they talk? Why couldn't they communicate?

"Caron, there's a question I have to ask you."

"What is it, darling?"

"That man. The man who dragged you into the park. Did you recognize him."

"What are you saying?"

Her sharp reaction mystified him. "I was only asking if you recognized the man."

"I heard what you said. And I think it's terrible of you. You're implying that I knew him that I went there with him!"

"That's ridiculous. I'm implying no such thing."

"You are too implying that!"

Why was she so touchy? Why was she flaring up like this? A sense of guilt? Had he actually been right in suspecting her?

"It just occurred to me that he might have followed you. That's possible, isn't it? He could have seen you shopping or coming out of a store and been attracted to you."

She was partially mollified. "I guess that's right. I just hadn't thought of that."

'But you don't remember ever having seen him before?"

"I don't think so."

"But you're not positive."

Caron's frown put two cute little perpendicular wrinkles between her eyes. Under other circumstances this might have made Frank grab her and plant a kiss on them. But at the moment they only annoyed him.

"It's funny that you should mention this, but there was something familiar about his face."

He writhed inwardly. How could he say this? How could he ask the question without coming right out with the truth?

Was the man who raped you Lee Windsor, a man we both knew back in Ludlow?

"Maybe he reminded you of someone you'd seen a long time ago?"

She shook her head. "I can't really say. But his face was definitely familiar "

"Sometimes you don't see a person for years and it's difficult to remember

"Frank, what are you driving at?"

"Oh, nothing of importance."

"I want to help anyway that I can."

He wasn't required to go into this any further because Caron's nose twitched at that moment and she sprang to her feet.

"The broiler-" And she rushed into the kitchen.

Alone, he mulled the thing over. Caron would certainly have recognized Lee instantly. She said there'd been enough light to see the rapist's face.

Then what was the answer? Had he been wrong about the whole thing? Had it been a casual attack by a degenerate acting on. the spur of the moment?

There were things Frank had to know before he could let this matter rest. He would have to take a day off from the job tomorrow.

Payne hurried home so that he could have a quick dinner and get out again

As he entered the apartment, he kissed Laurel perfunctorily, but pleasantly, and sniffed the air.

"What's for dinner?"

"Are you in a hurry?"

"As a matter-of-fact, I am. Got a load at the office. I'll have to go back tonight and hit it again."

Laurel made no comment. She put dinner on the table and they talked of casual things while they ate. But as he bounced up, dropping his napkin on the table, Laurel sat back, surveyed him coolly, and said, "Jim, if you've got a few minutes, there's something I'd like to tell you."

"Can it wait, sweet? I really am in a hurry."

She smiled slowly, amusement in her eyes. "This work load of yours is it by chance at Miss Vale's apartment?

"Laurel!"

His was not so much indignant as hurt. She wasn't playing fair.

"Just a thought," she murmured. "I'm surprised at you '

"You didn't think I was unaware of your activities, did you?"

"No, but I did suppose you had the decency to leave the subject alone.'

"I was being unfair.'

"I don't inquire into your days."

"No, you don't. Sometimes, I wish you would, but that's beside the point

"What is it you wanted to tell me?"

"About my day. I was raped this afternoon."

A cold weight hit the pit of Jim Lovell's stomach.

"Laurel!"

"Oh, don't be alarmed, darling I'm quite all right, except that my feet are a little sore."

"Your feet! Will you stop joking and tell me "

"Don't fret. I'm going to tell you all, sweet. This man stopped me on the road back from the riding stable. In the woods. He made me hide the car and then he took my breeches off."

Jim was on his feet staring at her as though she weren't quite real. "Do you have to treat this as though the thing were a hilarious experience?"

"I have to give you the details. I'll tell you why later. He stripped me naked and then we took a little trip through the woods. I was in front and he came along behind with a whip. We must have been quite a spectacle.

Too bad no one was there with a camera."

She enjoyed his discomfort, and fleetingly, she wondered why. She did not hate Jim. In fact, she had a genuine affection for him. Then why did she enjoy hurting him?

"He made me climb over some rocks and that must have been a real spectacle! Naked, darling, I'm quite a .mountain goat."

"Laurel!"

It was all he could say. She smiled calmly and went on. "Then he raped me. Afterward, we had a little talk."

"You're disgusting."

"I should have beer indignantly silent? Perhaps you're right, but I didn't see how that would bring my virtue back. Virtue is the right word, isn't it? Besides, I was curious. He was such a strange man. I don't think he really wanted to rape me. I know he didn't enjoy that a bit until we finally..."

"Must you slaver over every detail?"

"He was a better lover than you are, darling. At least so far as I'm concerned. Now, Miss Vale might have a different idea, but that's my opinion."

"Laurel! Stop that!"

"As I said, he was a strange man. I couldn't get rid of the feeling that I'd seen him somewhere before." She paused. "Why, darling. You've turned pale. I didn't realize my great shame would shock you so much."

"You say you think you've seen him before."

"That was how I felt, yes."

"But you couldn't remember where?"

"No."

"We'll call the police." he said. But he spoke in a flat, emotionless voice and Laurel smiled.

"You don't really mean that."

"I don't understand you."

"You don't want the police called in any more than Frank wanted Caron's name spread all over the papers."

"You know about Caron, then?"

"Yes. And obviously Frank told you."

"He was upset. We're good friends. Is that so strange?"

"No, of course not But there are some aspects of this that are strange. Can it be coincidence that a vagrant rapist wandering the area looking for victim just happens to attack the wives of two good friends?"

"The whole thing is so grotesque. How can you be sure he was the same man?"

"I'm sure. In fact, he admitted so."

"You two must have had quite a cozy little chat."

"We brought out a few points. One of them was that I tell you. He wanted you to know especially about his whipping me across the rocks like a naked animal."

"I'll find him," Jim murmured as though speaking to himself. "I'll find him and kill him."

"Find whom, Jim?"

"Who do you think I'm talking about?"

"All right, where will you start? Or do you have a lead you're not telling me about?"

"Laurel! Just what are you trying to say?"

"I'm not sure myself. I just know that there's something going on here and I think I've got a right to a clue.

I paid my way into the club out there in the woods this afternoon."

"We're not getting anywhere with this kind of talk," Jim said. "I'm going to the office. We'll discuss this further when I get home."

After he left the house, Jim went to a telephone booth and called Linda Vale.

"Hon, I can't see you tonight. Something's happened."

"Another girl, I'll bet. Have you got another girl, Jim?"

"That's nonsense. Stop being childish. There's something I have to do for a friend of mine."

"A lady friend?"

"No. A man I've known for years. Linda, why do you always nag?"

"I'm sorry, honey, but I can't help it. I know I haven't got any rights. But I'm so jealous of you. I'm even jealous when you're home with your wife."

"I'll see you at the office tomorrow," he said and hung up abruptly.

Outside, he wrestled with his frustration. Linda was a bother in many ways. If she wasn't so damned good in bed he'd have fired her long ago. He wasn't in the least in love with her, but still, he was unhappy at the thought of another man having her. So the affair went on

But then he forgot Linda There were more pressing things on his mind. Things having to do with cold fear. Had Lee Windsor, wherever he was, hired a man to go around violating the wives of five men he hated? If he had been Lee himself, both Caron and Laurel would certainly have recognized him.

A wild thought struck Jim. Had they recognized him? Was there some sort of crazy conspiracy on the other side of this puzzle?

He discarded the thought quickly. Such a thing might have been conceivable if only Laurel were involved. He conceded that his wife had the ability to go along in such an intrigue if it suited her purpose.

But not Caron. Caron was still pretty much of a child. She could never have handled her role in such a drama.

This idea disposed of. Jim wondered where he would go from there Whom could he contact? Whom could he seek out for advice? There was nothing he and Frank could do together They'd exhausted mutual possibilities.

As a gesture he had no faith in, Jim went and found another telephone and looked for the name. Lee Windsor. He didn't find it, but he wasn't greatly disappointed. He hadn't expected to.

Then, without pondering the idea to any great length, he looked up another number and dialed it:

"Hello? Tom? Tom Weathers? This is Jim Payne."

Tom Weathers had one of the heartiest voices in town. "Jim! How are you! Long time no hear."

"Uh-huh. Lucky the wives get together once in while or we'd lose contact "

"Oh no. We've been friends too long for that, Jim."

"Tom, something's happened. I think we ought to have a little talk."

"Oh?"

There was just enough change in the cordial voice to reflect quick wariness; as though Weathers expected to be touched foi a loan.

"This goes back a little way."

"Can you give me a hint?"

Jim debated finesse, tact, diplomacy. But they didn't suit his mood. He said "It might be a good idea if we had a little talk about that woods incident."

Weather's voice turned cold and distant. "What woods incident?"

"When we were in high school The five of us."

"You must be dreaming. I don't know what you're talking about."

Jim's nerves were raw enough without this., "Come off it, Tom. We all remember."

"Look here, Payne I don't know what kind of gag you're pulling, but it isn't funny. If you've been drinking, why don't you sober up and go home?"

"Now listen here, Tom "

"You listen to me. I don't know anything about any woods incident when we were in high school. You've picked the wrong sucker for your gag. You'd better just drop the whole thing."

The receiver was slammed down. Jim Payne winced.

Shaking with anger, he left the booth and strode down the street.

But he couldn't leave this alone. He had to talk to someone. So a little while later, he dialed Mike Bevins number.

He was a little less impetuous this time.

"Mike? Jim Payne here. How are things with you, old man?"

"Jim? Oh, fine, fine.'

But Jim could tell instantly that they weren't fine. Mike Bevins, for a salesman, wasn't very good at hiding his moods. He'd probably gotten home from a trip and found the place empty, Jim thought. Grace was probably out hanging one on.

This was no concern of Jim's, though.

"Look, Mike. I thought we might have lunch tomorrow if you aren't busy "

"Why, sure. Jim."

"There's a little thing you might be interested in hearing about. I thought I'd pass it on to you."

"Good. Mighty nice of you. Where'll we meet?"

"How about Ernie's at twelve-thirty?"

"That'll be fine. I'm leaving on another trip tomorrow, but I don't pull out until seven o'clock."

"Then I'll see you.'

Jim went out and started walking again. He thought of a lot of things; his position in the community; the mark he'd made in the business world. They were a lot to lose.

Then, with a feeling akin to physical sickness, he thought of something else. A night long ago in a forest with the moon looking down on a savage scene. He thought of a naked, terrorized girl in the center of a group of liquor-crazed juveniles. He saw himself in that group, but as another person. Not Jim Payne. The girl was momentarily on her hands and knees, cringing. And this juvenile hilariously seizing a willow wand and flicking it against the girl. She jumped in pain.

Yahoo! We're on a race track! Make her gallop!

Payne dropped down on a bench near the park entrance and pressed his hands hard against his face. God! Why had that terrible memory been brought back?

He didn't deserve that!

He'd suffered enough.

And someone else was suffering that night. After he slammed down the phone in Payne's ear, Tom Weathers wrestled with his anger at the man. Of all the damned nerve. Calling up cold and throwing that old nightmare at him. That was over anc. done with long ago. If Jim had a guilt trauma, let him have it by himself. He wasn't going to drag Weathers into it with him.

But the recollection wasn't easily driven from his mind. Tom made a valiant effort, but there was an unguarded moment and he was back in the dark forest again.

His mind concerned itself mainly with the aftermath. The reckoning they'd had between themselves.

After Carl and Lee Windsor, hunting for their sister", had found them and they'd beaten them into submission, they'd finished with the girl.

God! How awful! What demon had possessed them? Abusing the girl while the two brothers looked on, helpless.

But then, after the reaction set in, after the fear came, they'd let them go. They'd listened in silence as the sports car rolled away with Carl at the wheel. Then the real fear had come. The panic: We let them got away. We should have killed them.

He recalled those desperate words. But who had spoken them?

They'll talk. They'll go to the cops. We've got to catch them. It's ton late. That car's too fast. We've got to do something.

We'll deny everything. That's all we have to do. Sure, we haven't even seen each other. And we didn't hurt the broad. We only had a little fun.

All the dark, dark words there in the dark forest on the darkest night of Weather's life.

We weren't even together tonight. Remember that, you guys.

Sure, we haven't even seen each other.

Get rid of those whiskey bottles. Throw them way out in the bushes.

Brush those footprints away. We weren't even in this place.

The feverish preparation of an alibi they would never need. The three Windsors cracked up that night. And that was the end of it.

They'd talked and made their pact later and it wasn't rust hiding something. Keeping quiet made sense. There would have been no point in confessing publicly because they were not bad kids; not a single one of the five. They'd all gone out into the world and made something of themselves. They'd each contributed to society. The world was a better place for their efforts. Society would have been the loser if they'd allowed that one night to ruin their lives.

Sr. Payne was definitely out of line in bringing that old thing up.

He'd get over it, though. It had just been a momentary lapse on Jim's part.

Maybe, later on when it was safe, Tom would contact him and have a little talk with him.

If it became necessary.

But Tom hoped it wouldn't.