Chapter 20
"I-I'll give this to the doctor," Marvin muttered as he looked at the check for one thousand dollars that Bancroft had just handed to him.
"No, no," Bancroft started to expostulate, "it's for you and-and the young lady."
Marvin stared at him.
"My friends insisted," said Bancroft, smiling. His friends were waiting for him in the car. He had asked them to leave him alone with Marvin for a few moments because there were things that he wanted to discuss.
"You mean the girl in the room?" asked Marvin.
Bancroft smiled some more and shook his head. "The young lady that accompanied us," he looked at Marvin, then added, "the one that interests you so much." He gave a sound that could have been a snicker, "You were almost as busy as the-the participants in the guest room."
Marvin felt his face grow warm. Had it been so obvious? "But why?" he asked, embarrassed and angry.
Bancroft leaned forward. "For God's sake, take it Marv! They just want to show their appreciation. They had a ball," he laughed. He placed his face close to Marvin's, "Did you notice Alfredo's pants?"
Despite himself, Marvin smiled. He had noticed the telltale dampness on the front of the diplomat's virginally white trousers. "I guess it was a little too much," he murmured.
Bancroft laughed out loud. "Oh, he blew all right!"
"But, I can't take this," Marvin persisted.
"Alfredo will be hurt if you refuse," said Bancroft. "Hurt and embarrassed! Do what you want with it, but keep it. Anyway, there's something more important I've got to tell you. It's all arranged for the subsidy."
Marvin showed his relief. He hadn't expected to get confirmation so soon. "Thanks, Banny," he murmured, "the Doc'll be glad."
"We're always ready to help a worthy and worthwhile research program," said Bancroft smugly as he was leaving.
It had been a rewarding night Marvin was thinking. The subsidy was important, but the other thing, the Marianne thing, that was important, too. To him, Marvin, personally it was just about the most important thing ever. He glanced at his watch anxiously. He'd better get up there, she'd be waiting. He'd told Marianne that she couldn't sleep in the spare staff room that night. It wasn't the kind of place for a girl like her. A girl like her belonged in a place like-like his suite, for example and that was where she was waiting right now. He himself, couldn't wait to get up there!
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
Doctor Saxon had not approved of the conducted "viewing" at number seventeen, but when he found the neatly typed report, signed by Marvin Hett, on his desk the following morning, he read it with his customary conscientious care. It was a complete account of Bunty Malcolm's activities before her audience. The report was well written, explicit yet concise. Pat nodded approvingly. Marv must have dictated this to Marianne, he thought, then smiled. They probably both enjoyed it! He left his office, moved toward the guest rooms, his mind filled with a myriad of minor matters. He turned into the passage, closed the door carefully behind him, then glanced in the first room. It was Joel's!
Pat stayed only a moment. Joel's routine varied very little. Both his and Phoebe's reports were very repetitious.
He stopped at number seventeen and slid back the panel. Pat was curious to see how Bunty appeared after her very strenuous evening. But the room was empty. She was probably visiting her twin in sick bay. Pat moved on.
The last few times that he had glanced in number nineteen, the room had been empty and as he slid back the panel and peered in, he thought that Nadine was out again, then the door opened.
She bounced in like a bright rubber ball. Vivacity, vitality and sex oozed out of every move that Nadine made. Pat clicked on the microphone and heard the small sounds of pleasure that purred from her mouth as she beckoned to someone in the corridor. He turned up the volume and the sounds turned into words.
"Phoebe, come in for a little while, just a little while, please!"
Pat peered at the doorway. He could see the faint outline of his analyst in the corridor. As he looked, Phoebe moved into the doorway, then stopped. "I won't come in," she murmured, "but this afternoon-" she lowered her voice and Pat couldn't catch the words she whispered into Nadine's ear. The words that made the small ball of excited flesh wriggle so deliciously. Suddenly, Nadine slid close to Phoebe and before the analyst could stop her she thrust her hand under Phoebe's skirt, lifted it and then her head went down like a blonde blur and Pat saw her sinking her face into the luxurious foliage on Phoebe's stomach.
"Just a last little kiss," Nadine lisped when she had removed her head. The young girl stood still, licking her lips as if she was savoring the taste on them.
Phoebe spoke urgently. "Nadine," she hissed and Pat imagined he saw her eyes flicker towards the mirror, "never do that!" Phoebe backed out of the room and Pat watched Nadine staring at the closed door with bewilderment written on her cute face. Then he closed the panel slowly, carefully and thoughtfully.
He had been right! Pat walked down the passage then paused at the exit to the corridor. He didn't want to run into Phoebe right now! He looked at his watch, decided to give Phoebe five minutes to get to her room or the office. He didn't want to embarrass his analyst ... not here!