Chapter 9
"I'm really getting disgusted," Carol said. "You can't talk to me this way."
"We'll just see about that," he laughed. "Now you're not leaving here."
"Yes, I am. I won't take any more insults."
"Sit down," he said firmly.
"I will not. I won't take any orders from you."
"You like working at this hospital?"
"Of course I do. Except for having to deal with you. I get along very well with just about everybody else."
"I've been talking with some of my doctor friends. They find you kind of cold too."
"Why, just because I won't date them?"
"That's certainly a large part of it."
"It's a free country, isn't it? I should be able to go out with whomever I please. I do a good job around here, and that should be all that's expected of me. I shouldn't have to go out with you guys just to make you happy."
"I think that you're going to have to start looking at things a little differently now."
"And just why is that?"
"How about Larry Gilbert? I mean, you walk around here like you're St. Joan or something. But what about him?"
Now her heart was beating thunderously. She tried not to show her emotions, but it was impossible for her to prevent herself from doing so.
While her heart was pounding thunderously, her face was turning white.
"I don't know what you mean," she said. "I don't know what you mean at all."
"You sure as hell do, St. Joan," he said sarcastically, taunting her as he would have taunted a defenseless animal.
"He's a patient of mine. What else am I sup posed to know about him?"
"You know him alright," he threw his head back and laughed. "You know him in the sense of the way that the Bible uses the word know. You carnally knew him, baby, you fucked him. Can I put it any more bluntly than that?"
"That's incredibly disgusting."
"Oh, bullshit. You know damned well you screwed the kid. Now don't try and con me."
"You're the most disgusting man I've ever talked to."
"You'd better shut your fucking mouth before I get you fired from this hospital."
"How can you fire me?" she asked. "I've been doing my job."
"You've really been doing a job on this kid Gilbert."
"I deny your accusation."
"You're a goddamn little liar," he laughed.
"I ought to slap your face for calling me that."
"Hah! You're not about to. You're not about to alienate me. You know I know the truth. Here you are parading around here like a saint. Well, St. Joan, it's about time for me to clip your angels' wings."
"God, but you're cruel."
"No, you're the one that's cruel. Look at the way you've treated me. I don't like it one damned bit, and I don't mind telling you so."
"Just what do you want from me?"
"As I said, I'll pick you up at your place around seven."
"Please don't be so mean to me."
"I want to make love, not war. You're the one that's making things difficult."
"Just where did you get this idea about me?"
"Oh, honey, I'll tell you where I got it. I got it straight from Larry."
"He told you?" she said, in no more than a whisper.
"Yes, he did," Wayne nodded. "Now don't look at me like that. He didn't really squeal on you. He didn't do it deliberately."
"Then how did you find out?"
"Well, little Larry was having some problems, so we decided to examine him. We took him into the operating room to look at his heart. He didn't like the idea of a cardiac catherization while he was awake so we put him under sodium pentothal. As you're well aware, being a very talented nurse, they refer to that as the truth serum. You get what I mean?"
"Go on," she nodded, looking more subdued every moment.
"I think you get the picture now," Wayne laughed. "When we got him under sodium pentothal, he shook us all up by talking about the girl of his dreams. So there are a few people around here who know that you're not as saintly as you're making yourself out to be."
"Who else knows?"
"A few nurses. That and a couple of interns. Would you like more people to find out?"
"Heavens no," she shook her head. "But what he was saying wasn't true. He was just fantasizing."
"I don't believe that for a second," he laughed. "You might just as well come clean, baby, and level with me. I've got all the facts on you. As a matter-of-fact, I was noticing that you were spending an awful lot of time in his room when you were making calls. One of the other nurses commented on that too. She said it all makes sense now. So don't try and worm your way out of this by handling me some bullshit."
"So you're going to ruin me, huh?" she looked at him with defeat in her eyes.
"I didn't say that at all," he said. "Heavens no, baby. I'm not going to ruin you. I'm just going to make a few demands that I wasn't going to make belore."
"Like what?"
"I just mentioned one. You're going to go out with me tonight. You're going to find that I'm not nearly as bad a guy as you think I am. Just wait, baby, and we'll see just what a romantic guy I am."
"O.K., I'll go out with you," she said softly.
"I'll admit, though, this really isn't all that ego inflating. I don't like the idea of you having to be forced into dating me like this."
"I'll go out with you," she repeated.
"I guess you realize now just what an important guy I am in your life. I can make you or break you, honey. Do you recognize that?"
"Yes, I do," she whispered.
"Good. Then I'll see you tonight at seven."
He patted her on top of the head condescendingly, then got up from the table.
She sat there stunned, watching him as he left.
She hadn't thought of anything like that. She didn't even know that young Larry had been wheeled into the operating room. She had thought that he had been confined strictly to his room. But now he had told all about them under the influence of sodium pentothal and it was a crushing situation to behold.
She went home in a defeated frame of mind, getting ready for the date.
When Betty got home from work, she observed Carol dressing.
"Got a date tonight, honey?" she asked with a smile.
"Yes, I do."
"Good for you. But you don't seem any too happy about it."
"I'm really not."
"Then why are you going out at all?"
"I don't know. I told the guy I would go out with him."
"Who is it?"
"One of the doctors. Dr. Ames."
"Oh yes, the young Romeo. I've heard a lot about him."
"What have you heard?"
"That he's a good doctor but something of a wise guy."
"You heard right. That's why I'm not too eager to go out with him."
"How'd you like your friend to do you a favor?"
"What kind of favor?"
"I could go to the door and say that you've taken ill. Either that or that you had to go somewhere, that some kind of an emergency situation was going on. You get the idea."
"No, I couldn't do that."
"Why not?"
"I just couldn't. No, I'll go out with him."
"Well, suit yourself," she shrugged.
At five minutes past seven, Wayne Ames, dressed in a smartly tailored blue suit, arrived at her door.
She thought about whether she should introduce him to Betty or not, then decided against it.
She left the apartment with him, feeling terrible about the whole thing. She recognized that he was in a position to get rid of her practically any time that he wanted to. All he had to do was tell a few of the influential people about what had happened between her and Larry Gilbert.
He pointed toward his shiny silver Mercedes sports car.
"How's that, Baby? A brand new Mercedes. That's pretty good, huh?"
"A very nice car."
"You're damned right it is. It's a damned nice car, honey, and don't forget it."
She sat uncomfortably in the car with him as they drove to the restaurant.
"This place has the best steak in town," he said. "Nothing but the best for me, and nothing but the best for you."
She tried to converse with him but found it difficult. Since she didn't really like him at all, she was finding it awfully hard to communicate in any way with him.
On one occasion, while she was sampling her dessert, he reached underneath the table and grabbed a feel of her thigh.
"I've been wanting to do that for a long time," he said.
"I wish you wouldn't do that."
"Why not? I'm just yielding to the impulses of nature."
"Oh, I don't like being treated like a plaything. Particularly in a public restaurant."
"I don't think you're in much of a position to dictate to me about anything, baby," he laughed. "Remember, I've got quite a bit on you. Now I'm not saying I'm going to use it, but let's just remember that I've got it. Perhaps that will make you feel a little more humble. You get the pitch?"
"I understand what you're saying."
"Good," he nodded smiling.
She recognized that it was going to be a long night. They went to the movie after they finished the dinner.
Wayne Ames loved the film, whereas she didn't like it one bit.
Carol kept looking around uncomfortably in the theater, wishing that she could just run away from Wayne Ames. Of course, there were no physical bonds preventing her from doing just that. But there was always that matter that was hanging over her head. That of her sex relationship with Larry Gilbert. If she ever got Wayne Ames angry enough, she knew be was the type of person who would be vindictive enough to ruin her.
She sat there watching the film. Even if it had been her type of film, which it wasn't, she would have had a great deal of difficulty enjoying it. She couldn't even concentrate on it, since she was so upset just thinking about what Wayne held over her. He was in effect telling her that if she made one wrong move, he would destroy her for good.
Several times during the course of the movie, he reached down and grabbed a hold of her leg. He squeezed it ever so earnestly, smiling with great fascination.
"You do have beautiful legs," he laughed. "Just wait until I see you naked."
Every now and then he would whisper something in her ear. He was letting her know that he was moving in hard and fast, and that she had just better be prepared to go along with his wishes in every respect.
The motion picture ended and after the theater lights went on, she was feeling more dismal than ever.
He looked at her and smiled, eager to push their relationship rapidly and furiously.
"Let's go now, honey," he said, throwing his arm around her waist.
They got into Dr. Ames' car.
"Now we can drive over to my place for a drink," he said calmly.
"I'd appreciate it if you'd drive me home."
"Well I'd appreciate it if you'd drop over to my place for a drink."
"I've got to get up pretty early tomorrow."
"What time do you get up?"
"Six forty-five."
"I got news for you, little broad. I get up at five."
"Maybe you can get by with less sleep than I can."
"You can get by with a little less sleep one night, baby. Relax."
"I wish you would drive me home."
"I will, in due course."
Now she realized just how desperate the situation was. He was controlling the action, and was making no bones about telling that fact to her.
He then decided to converse with her some more.
"Do you know where I live?"
"No, I don't."
"I've got a nice place over at the Marina," he smiled. "I've got a nice apartment there. Beautifully furnished, and I've got a boat in the Marina too."
"How exciting."
"I'd like you out on it with me some time. I'd like nothing better than to see you in a bikini, with that gorgeous hair of yours blowing while you're sitting on my boat."
She said nothing, looking at him with a sad expression.
"Cheer up, baby," he laughed, "I'm really not going to be such a hard guy to take once you get used to me."
He drove into the subterranean garage of the huge apartment building where he lived at the Marina, which was situated directly across from the man-made lake Where he kept his boat.
They took the elevator up to his twelfth floor penthouse apartment.
As he let her in, he opened the thick green drapes, through which she could see the lights of the city not far away.
"How do you like the looks of that?" he smiled. "Looks pretty damned good, doesn't it?"
"Yes, a very nice view."
"You see, only the best for me. Just the very best. That's the only way I play the game. I demand the best. I'm a terrific physician, and I'm going to make a lot of money. I'm already making good money, this is just the beginning. Look at this apartment. Look at my car, look at everything about me, look at my clothes. Don't I give you every impression of success?"
"Yes, you do."
"You bet your sweet ass I do. Now I'm going to fix us something to drink. I think a couple of nice shots of bourbon ought to do it."
He walked over toward the bar, mixing two drinks. He combined the bourbon with just a tiny bit of water.
He was grinning broadly as he took the drink over to her.
"Yes, indeed, baby, you can bet that sweet little ass of yours that I'm going to fuck you," he said. "But first we're going to have ourselves a little bit of fun drinking. I want to loosen you up, baby, and I figured that the best way to do it is through alcohol."
"I don't drink much."
"No, it didn't take you any time to loosen up to Larry Gilbert, did it?"
"I'd just as soon leave Larry out of this conversation."
"I guess you would, he laughed. "I guess that is a topic of great embarrassment with you right now."
"Please, let's not talk about that."
"O.K., we'll forget about it," he smiled. "We'll talk about us."
He sat next to her on the sofa, running his fingers through her hair.
"Oh yes, you're quite a gorgeous chick," he exclaimed. "I have been thinking about you for so long. I've wanted to get you into this apartment for so long. All to myself. Now you're here, and it's absolutely great."
He set down his drink, then leaned his head forward.
Soon he was letting his lips plunge slowly against hers.
Her body shook with surprise and disgust. But she knew there was nothing she could do about it. He was going after her, intent upon receiving sexual satisfaction from her.
She really didn't have an alternative at that point. She had to go along with him. It was either that or the case of risking her job.