“Hey, when you have a date with a beautiful lady, you make sure you cross all the “T’s” and dot all the “I’s,” he laughed.
“You keep talking like that and I can guarantee you dessert will be on me tonight!” She chuckled, winked, and disappeared into the bathroom.
Chase went back to work, finishing up what he needed to get done so he could leave for the weekend and leave the clinic behind. He was truly looking forward to his evening with the beautiful Abby. He was ready to let his hair down and just laugh. And she was the perfect person to do that with.
He was just shutting down his laptop when the earsplitting sound of breaking glass filled the office. Chase felt a stiff breeze whip within inches of his face. A brick crashed through his office window and nearly hit him as it shot past his face and bounced off the exam table on the other side of the room. Shards of flying glass hit him and covered his desk.
He jumped up out of his chair and rushed to the window as Abby sprang from the bathroom wrapped in a towel.
“Get back in there, Abby! There may be more!”
He peeked through the blinds on one of the undamaged windows and caught a quick glimpse of someone in a hoodie disappearing into the woods behind the building. He picked up his phone and called campus police just as Trish rushed in to see what was going on.
“Are you ok, Chase?!”
“Yeah. Fine. Looks like someone had something they didn’t want to discuss face to face.” He was holding the brick in his hand. Yankee go home was written across it in paint marker.
“Ha!” Chase huffed. Yankee go home? I’m from South Carolina,” he laughed. “The cops will be here any minute, Trish. Send them in, will you please?”
“Sure, Chase. Are you sure you’re ok?”
“I’m fine. A little pissed; but fine. If you would please, Trish, call maintenance and have them send someone over to replace the window and clean up this mess?”
Trish nodded, a look of deep concern on her pretty face, and closed the door behind her.
“What the hell’s going on, Chase,” Abby asked, concerned. Sadly, she was fully dressed.
“Someone obviously wants some Yankee to go home,” he laughed, showing her the brick. “They can’t mean me. Some delinquent didn’t do their homework. I’m southern right down to my pickup truck and my constant craving for sausage gravy and grits,” he laughed.
“Sit down and put your shoes on, Abby. You don’t want to cut those cute little feets on this glass.” He spun his desk chair and rolled it over to her.
“How can you laugh at this, Chase? This is serious?”
“My first impression would be that Brunhilda is expressing her displeasure over her dismissal. Either that, or someone’s not happy about seeing this clinic turning around and they were too cowardly to come in and discuss it face to face.”
“Jenny I can understand, but I can’t imagine anyone being upset about the clinic turning around. Especially not any of the students.”
The knock at the door got both of their attention. “Be careful sitting, Abby. There’s glass everywhere.”
When he opened the door, one of the campus cops barreled in.
“What the hell,” he grunted. “Anyone hurt?”
“No. Just one hell of a mess,” Chase replied.
“Any idea who might have done this, Doc?”
“I had to let an employee go a few days ago. Other than that; no.”
He took down Jenny’s name and left to ride his golf cart through the woods to see if he could find anything, or anyone, who saw what happened.
“Chase, if you’d rather go out another night, I’ll understand,” Abby said, rubbing his back. “We can just go back to my place and watch a movie or something.”
“Oh hell no. Give me a few minutes to get a shower and we’ll be on our way.”
“You’re something else, Mister.”
“With an ugly mug like mine, getting a beautiful woman to go out with me isn’t something that happens every day.”
“Ugly mug my ass, Adonis,” she laughed. “You’re probably one of the most handsome men I’ve ever seen.”
“As long as you think so, I’m happy,” Chase smiled, kissing her softly.
“Need your back washed? You know. To kinda pay you back for that awesome shower you gave me the other night?” she giggled.
“I can’t think of anything I’d like more; but Trish called the maintenance folks to come over and replace the window and clean up this mess. They’ll be here any minute.”
“I’ll take a rain check,” she smiled.
“Be out in a minute.”
***************************
“Oh, Man. I’m stuffed, but that dinner didn’t compare to that little piece of heaven you cooked up last night.” Chase rubbed his stomach happily.
She’d slipped off her shoe and was rubbing her stocking clad little foot up and down Chase’s leg under the table. It had the desired effect.
“You don’t have to suck up. You’re very likely going to get that dessert I promised you,” she laughed.
“I’m hoping so.” He winked. He took her tiny, silken foot in his hands and rubbed it softly as they talked and laughed.
Chase paid the check, already feeling the relaxing effects being with that little bundle of smiles had on him, and took Abby’s hand in his as they walked out of the restaurant.
“You look so very beautiful tonight, Abby.” He smiled, looking into her awe-inspiring eyes as they climbed the stairs to the museum. The spectacular white dress she was wearing had him nearly panting. She just snuggled into his side, smiling that beautiful smile.
*******************
The museum was massive. And the opening night of the medical exhibit drew in an incredible amount of people. The place was humming, the happy banter echoing off the granite and marble walls from the conversations being exchanged between the numerous spectators as they stepped into the large exhibit room and took some of the literature from the table before they started their leisurely stroll.
“Ewwwww! I’m glad we ate before we came,” Abby laughed. “What is that?”
“Conjoined parasitic twins. Sad, isn’t it?” The anomaly was floating in formalin in a large glass jar. It was obviously harvested many years before.
“How awful! Let’s move on,” she said sadly.
“These are the things that fascinate me,” she chirped, looking at the fantastic collection of quack medical devices.
The momentous exhibit was awesome. The collection on display had been lovingly maintained throughout the years. All of the hokum devices shone brightly, looking like they must have looked when they were delivered to the offices of a multitude of hopeful doctors at the turn of the last century. Some of it even sat atop the original wooden shipping boxes they came in.
“Who would subject themselves to some of these things,” Abby queried, shaking her head as she glared at what looked like an old fashioned hair dryer with a multitude of wires coming out of it, attached to a bank of ancient, archaic, dry cell batteries. “Most of this looks like it came right out of a Frankenstein movie.”
“Check this out, Abby. This one goes back to the days when the belief was that a woman having a bad day was suffering from hysteria. Believe it or not, that was actually an accepted medical diagnosis. The medical community, in their infinite wisdom, decided women needed to have the evil spirits cast out of them through vaginal stimulation,” Chase laughed. The elaborate vibrator, the ancestor of the modern, battery operated dildo, looked abominable. It looked more like something you’d see in a torture chamber than a doctor’s office.
“I know a few girls who would have their doctor on speed dial,” Abby laughed.
“Not that I’d ever stand behind any of these nightmares, but some of them weren’t totally off the wall. Like this muscle electrostimulation machine. Therapists use electrostimulation all the time now to relieve and revitalize muscle. But the current electrostimulation machines have been greatly refined since the days of these relics.”
They made the rounds, arm in arm, looking at every exhibit, talking and laughing and truly enjoying themselves for over two hours. Abby stopped to read some of the ancient medicine bottles, shaking her head as she read advertisements for the new miracle drug; cocaine.”
“This one claims cocaine cured everything from hair loss to diphtheria,” Abby laughed.
“I’d say it just made the patient forget they had hair loss or diphtheria.” They were both awestruck by the vast collection they were viewing.
Chase was thoroughly engrossed in an extensive, impressive exhibit of surgical instruments through the centuries. The exhibit dated from the days of Hippocrates to the here and now. He found it fascinating.
At eight-fifty, the chimes sounded, alerting the visitors that the museum was closing in ten minutes.
“That was truly awesome,” Abby chirped, still arm in arm as they left the museum.
“Yes it was. The exhibit and the company. Want to stop for a cup of coffee?”
“At the risk of sounding unladylike, what I’d really like is some alone time with you.”
“Well at the risk of sounding ungentlemanly, I’d like that very much.” He put his arm around her shoulder as they made the short walk to Abby’s apartment.
Abby barely had her key in the door when they were all over each other. Chase lifted her tiny body up and held her wrapped tightly to his chest as he kissed her fervently. Her strong legs wrapped around his waist as he pushed open the door and kicked it closed behind him never breaking their fiery kiss.
He worked at the buttons on the back of her dress in a frenzy as his hand slid up the back of the satiny material, rubbing her silky soft skin; their kiss just intensifying.
With a snap of his fingers, her lacy bra released. He plunked down on the couch with Abby in his lap. Their searing hot, lusty kiss broke only long enough for him to clumsily unbutton the few remaining buttons on her dress. His fingers were shaking as he slid the beautiful dress off over her head. He instantly buried his face in her delectable, fragrant, neck, kissing every inch lustfully.
His hands slid down her curvy sides, rubbing her amazing ass through her lacy white panties.
Abby slid off his lap, the bra falling away from her beautiful breasts. She was just so beautiful, so sensuous. The little angel actually took his breath away.
Her bra surrendered to gravity and fell to the floor. She just stood there, her hands on her hips, in just that mouthwatering pair of skimpy lace panties and white thigh high stockings that had his throbbing pole threatening to burst out of his straining zipper.
Wordlessly, she raised her hand and beckoned him to follow her with but a come hither crook of her finger. She had a sultry, impish look on her beautiful little face. He happily complied.
She sat on the end of the bed, looking like his most naughty fantasy, still silent, and summoned him to her with the same finger.
He stood before her, his knees threatening to desert him, while she slowly unfastened his belt. Her eyes never left his as she languidly slid his pants and briefs down his long legs. His pulsating cock sprang out like a switchblade, almost catching her cheek. She let out a gasp.
“That’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” she cooed, wrapping her tiny hand around it. She gave him the most naughty, mischievous look he’d ever seen as she slowly ran her tongue around the vibrating head. Shivers ran from his head to his toes.
In a move worthy of one of his better martial arts maneuvers he lifted the little dream in his arms and gently settled her back on the bed, scooping those gorgeous lace panties off in a whoosh during the move. She squealed joyously.
Looking down along her flawless body, he held the fragrant panties to his nose, inhaling her heady, intoxicating scent.
He eased down over her, nibbling her neck. That same cologne that had driven him wild the first time he met her filled his senses as he devoured her soft nape. Her hands wrapped around his neck, kissing his cheek, encouraging him as he slowly kissed from that delicate neck, across her chest, and slowly up her quivering, perky breast.
He took the tiny, straining nipple in his mouth, gently rolling it between his lips as a long, low moan escaped her.
He was in no hurry. He wanted to enjoy every inch of the beautiful woman who he’d longed to be with from the moment he first laid eyes on her.
He planted butterfly kisses down the side of her breast to the soft, sweet scented, cleft between them, then slowly ran his tongue up the other tantalizing orb, taking that nipple between his teeth, gently nibbling the throbbing, rock hard gem. Her hands were running haphazardly through his hair. Her sweet breath was blowing across his face in rapid hot breezes as she surrendered to the intense passion passing between them.
His hands slid slowly to the smooth, flowing curve of her hips as he took forever kissing every inch of her firm, flat abs; teasing her by tonguing her cute little naval.
Abby was twitching. Anticipating what was coming. She was speechless, her chest heaving as her breath came out in quickened gasps. Soulful moans echoed from her heaving breast in increasing frequency as she happily surrendered to his tender attentions.
When he reached her solid thighs, gooseflesh covered her reddening skin. He’d get there. They had all night. He fought the incessant urge to devour her beautiful quim, opting to savor every inch of her lovely body first.
He knelt on the floor at the end of the bed, raising her tiny foot and kissed along the silky stockings, gently nibbling the firm flesh through the sheer material.
He reached up for the lacy, elastic top and gently rolled one stocking down, kissing every inch of her flawless skin as it slowly became exposed.
“Oh! Oh! Oh! Ye…ye…ye, Chase!! Yes!!”
Looking up, he could see her flowing juices sparkling among the perfectly trimmed thatch of brown curls.
He rolled the stocking off the end of her pretty little foot and gently ran his tongue along her pronounced, delicate little arch. The feel of her soft skin against his tongue had his head spinning.
He took each perfectly manicured toe in his mouth, slowly sucking her tiny little toes and running his tongue between them.
Abby’s trembling body was there, but her mind had left the building. She was rolling around on the bed, lost in the intense, unbridled passion they were sharing.
He kissed and nibbled her tiny foot for a while longer, lost in the vortex of scents and softness that was Abby, then took his time kissing and nibbling his way back up her solid, shapely leg until he found himself back at her glistening pussy.
He ran his long tongue the length of her tasty honeypot slowly, toying with her blood engorged nubbin each time he reached the top of her elastic labia. Abby shuddered, her body locked up. She let out a passion filled squeal as a spray of her heavenly juices escaped her.
“Ye…ye…yes, Baby!! Yesssssss!!!”
He gently separated her unbelievably tight labia with his anxious tongue, nibbling the tight little folds with abandon before he probed teasingly inside, gently nibbling the tasty lips, reveling in the sweet, heated musk rising from her. Her flowing essence reminded him of a springtime rain and tasted like honey. Never in his wildest dreams could anything ever taste so sweet.
He wrapped his arms around her muscular thighs, holding them on his broad shoulders as he buried his face in her sweet, heated muff again, licking and tonguing her tasty folds hungrily. He was in heaven. He wanted that very moment in time to never, ever, end.
Her beautiful body locked up again. Abby was instantly as stiff as a board, her delicious thighs locked around his head, squeezing him painfully as another splash of her delectable she-juices filled his mouth.
Her lusty screams brought Erwin charging into the room. The little fur ball hopped up on the bed and began licking Abby’s red, sweat soaked, face. She was oblivious to his arrival. She was in that magical place reserved for the toe curling, heart stopping, passion saturated moments that he prayed would become common between them.
Her hands rushed down, gently pushing Chase’s busy face away.
“No…no…no more, Chase! I…I can’t take any muh, muh, more! Come up here to me! Please!” Her tiny, beautiful body was still twitching from the heat of her intense orgasms.
Chase happily obliged, sliding up on the side opposite the overprotective Erwin, and took her in his arms lovingly. She melted into him like a flowing stream, molding to him like a custom tailored glove.
“Just hold me, Chase. Let me catch my breath, Animal,” she giggled, breathlessly. He just held her hot flesh close to his, kissing her sweaty forehead. She felt like everything wonderful in the world coming together in one tiny package as she deflated in his arms.
He looked down and let out a long laugh. His pants and briefs were crumpled around his ankles. Abby had on nothing but one rumpled stocking.
“What? What’s so funny?”
“Look down,” he laughed. She saw it immediately and shared in his laughter.
“You’re an animal, Brandt!” Her magical giggle echoed of the walls.
He bounded up and slid his pants and briefs off the ends of his feet, then his socks, then her stocking, playfully nibbling her smooth thigh before he retook his happy place lying beside her.
After she caught her breath, she rolled him over on his back, that mischievous look on her angelic face once again, and straddled him.
“I’m taking control this time, Mister. That work of art between those freakishly long legs of yours is huge! I have never, ever, even seen one that spectacular in my entire life,” she giggled. “We need to take this very slowly.”
She rubbed the sensitive head over her dripping quim. The matted curls were tickling his sensitive, throbbing helmet, sending jolts of pleasure all along his body. The sheer passion was driving him wild.
The second his pulsating cock opened her perfect, tight little flower she took off on another muscle locking orgasm. He could feel her warm juices flowing down his rigid cock.
“Oh, God!! It’s barely in and…ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!”
Abby rode out that toe curler, her head back, her long hair flowing over her shoulders as she sang out her immense pleasure.
When she’d returned from her rumbling orgasm, she moved down slowly, taking him inside her satiny glove a millimeter at a time. She was a woman on a mission. Her crimson face took on a determined look. She was biting that lower lip with a fervor, endearing her to him even more-if that was even possible by that point. Glistening beads of sweat began popping out on her forehead. Her hands fell to his strong shoulders, her half closed eyes locked on his.
She stopped every so often and raised up to lubricate his steel-hard cock with her flowing lady-butter. Then, with the same determined look, lowered herself again, taking a little more of him into heaven each time.
Chase just laid there, his hands gently rubbing her graceful hips, totally at peace with the world. The sensual, passionate, beautiful woman was totally rocking that world.
Chase’s toes were cramping; locking up. His hands rushed down to her elegant hips, gently fondling her tight, firm, bubbly buttocks, squeezing them gently. He watched intently as more and more of his rigid manhood disappeared inside her.
“Oh! Oh my god, Chase! This is heaven on earth,” she gasped out; panting.
She was humming. Not a recognizable tune; just humming. It was so cute it made Chase smile.
She soldiered on, taking a little more, then rising a little, then taking a little more. She was stretched to her limit. It hurt so good. It felt as if she’d skin him alive in her vice-like cunny; but he was long beyond caring. Being one with the beautiful Abby was like his every dream and desire come to life.
He lay there, staring into those beautiful, twinkling, eyes, watching her face go from a mix of pleasure to pain to pleasure again. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on.
There was a chemistry there between them. Something far beyond appearances. He’d noticed it the first time he saw her biting at her full, luscious lip to hide that beautiful, crooked, mischievous smile.
When she had all of him deeply inside her, she let out the breath she’d been holding since she started her determined descent.
She smiled, undulating her full, sultry hips, grinding her immensely tight, gripping quim against him.
“You’re tearing me in half and I’m loving every inch, Chase!” she growled, rocking harder. “You’re in my throat! I swear…EEErrrrrr!!!! Ahhhhhhh! Oh, my God!!!” Another powerful orgasm shuddered along her beautiful body. He just lay there, loving the feel of her. Lost in the vision of that awesome body highlighted by the rays of moonlight peeking through the askance curtains.
Her expression went from one of sheer determination to one of sheer pleasure as she lifted off of him, rising just enough to almost release him, then slid down on him again. The wet, slapping sound echoed along his prone body as he bottomed out inside her. That just added to the raw passion of their heavenly coupling.
Abby used her powerful legs, bouncing up and down on his rigid, throbbing flagpole. She was speaking in some foreign language, riding him for all she was worth. Sweat dripped from her tiny brow, rolling down her angelic face and falling to his chest. Her long brown hair swung willy nilly over her face, across his heaving chest, then back down her glistening back when she tossed her head back in the throes of another bone jarring orgasm. She was beauty personified. Everything about that tiny, amazing woman beguiled Chase.
It wasn’t long before Chase felt it building. It was coming from his toes. The heavenly combination of her unmatched beauty, the scent of her cologne, her tight sex, and the feel of her incredible muscles working every inch of his throbbing tool was more than he could take.
His hands returned to her hips, aiding her efforts. Abby was in auto pilot, her mind off in some happy place as the warm feeling that started from his toes rushed along his electrified body like a raging forest fire. He was lightheaded. The immense pleasure she was giving him was so intense he was certain he’d pass out at any moment.
He held back for as long as he could. He didn’t want their coupling to end, but the sheer, unbridled passion that was Abby had complete control over him.
“Oh! Yeah, Abby! Yeah, Baby!”
It shot from him like a shotgun blast. His body froze, his hands worked spastically on her undulating hips, pulling the beautiful woman down on him. His eyes slammed shut. The warm wash of his pent up passion shot up his grateful tool and painted her insides with his hot cum. The flood gates opened completely, draining him in long, euphoric, breath stealing seconds.
She felt it, too. Another hair raising peak rippled through her vibrating little body, joining him in their coupled bliss.
Once she was exhausted-totally and completely satiated-her pace slowed. Her strong vaginal muscles vacillated, contracting and expanding, milking the last drops from him completely before she collapsed, exhausted, across his chest; panting.
He laid there, paralyzed, blissfully kissing her damp forehead, running his fingers languidly along her soft, flawless back.
Neither could speak. Both were fighting to catch their breath; him still buried deeply inside her luscious, convulsing pussy. Even as he began to deflate, her strong muscles refused to release him.
“You’re…staying…inside…me, Mister Wonderful. I worked too hard to get that beast in there to let it go,” she giggled, breathless. “That big, beautiful cock is going to be the ruin of me…and I’ll go to ruin happily!” She was half laughing and half gasping for breath.
“You’ll get no complaints from me,” he panted out, running his fingers through her matted hair.
She turned her head and initiated a kiss that left no doubt about her level of pleasure and satisfaction. Her hot little tongue separated his lips and met his as her hands softly held his face on either side. He swore smoke rose from their lusty, impassioned kiss.
Try as she may to remain inside her, his collapsing, satiated, cock oozed from her, falling limp against his thigh with a wet, slapping sound.
“Oh! Oh!” she chirped. “I just felt a huge gust of wind. I hope it closes back up,” she giggled. “That thing should come with a warning label!”
“That was something very, very special, Abby,” he smiled, running his thumb gently over her high cheekbones, kissing her tiny nose.
She just leaned down and kissed him again, then rolled to his side and threw her short, shapely leg over his; her fingers languidly running through his chest hair.
“I can’t put into words the feelings and emotions I just experienced, Chase. I knew from the first minute I first laid eyes on you that I wanted this.”
“You mean when you illegally examined me,” he chuckled, still catching his breath.
“Oh my God! I have a confession to make. When you lifted that gown, I almost swallowed my tongue,” she laughed.
“You didn’t hide it well either!” Now they were both laughing.
“I’m usually pretty good at staying straight faced during an exam; but seeing that sea serpent totally knocked me for a loop.”
“I can’t tell you how happy I am that we came together, Abby. I knew the moment you walked into that exam room that I wanted to be with you.”
“Oh you did, huh,” she smiled. “Well you’ve got a hell of a way of showing it. You almost gave me a heart attack.”
“That was unintentional and you know it,” he laughed.
“I know.”
Both laid there, silently petting, totally satiated for how long, neither knew.
Finally, Abby rolled up on Chase’s chest and kissed him softly; her radiant smile lighting the room.
“Chase, not that I want to talk about anything other than this amazing, beautiful thing we’re sharing, but do you think Brunhilda’s the one who threw that brick?”
“I really don’t know, but it wouldn’t surprise me. She made some pretty outrageous threats when she was on her rant in the office.”
“Does that worry you?”
“Nah. I think I can take her,” he laughed.
“Oh, yeah! I meant to ask you about that. I saw all those trophies in the box in your office while you were in the shower. You’re into karate?”
“Muay Thai. The art of eight limbs,” he smiled, still stoking her soft, beautiful face. “It’s a kick boxing discipline. Mixed martial arts. I had a friend in college who was semi pro. He was really into teaching, so I started following him to the gym. Then I really got into it. It’s just something I enjoy. Best thing in the world for clearing your mind and keeping in shape.”
“So you are a deadly weapon,” she smiled.
“I’m as meek and mild as ole Erwin here,” he laughed, stroking Erwin’s soft fur.
“I could tell that the moment I first saw you, Mister Sleep With Me Eyes,” she chuckled. “Even when you were chewing everyone out I could see in those beautiful eyes that your heart wasn’t in it.”
“Ok. We need a shower, but I’m too relaxed and fulfilled to even move,” she cooed, snuggling into him closer. “Do you have to go into the clinic tomorrow?”
“Nope. Not unless someone needs something.”
“What do you say we turn off your phone and you just stay here snuggled up with me all weekend?”
“As wonderful as that sounds, you know I can’t do that. But I’d love to stay if you’re sure you can tolerate me.”
“Tolerate you? I was thinking of hand cuffing you to the bed to keep you here,” she laughed.
“That sounds like fun, too,” he laughed.
“Tomorrow night,” she winked. “Come on. Let’s take a shower and do that again,” she giggled. “That tongue of yours should be awarded a trophy!”
The shower was almost as much fun as their impassioned lovemaking had been: almost. And that first time was just a warm up for a weekend that would go down in his memory as the most passionate, intense, wild and crazy weekend of his entire life. They only got out of bed long enough to shower, change sheets or to get a food delivery at the door.
***************
The next two weeks went by, basically, uneventfully: at least at the clinic. There was, however, a troubling exception.
After some recuperating after an awesome, undisturbed, weekend with the vivacious Abby, Chase strolled over to see Kay the first thing that Monday morning to share his latest findings with her. He was taken aback when her secretary, obviously one of the woke zombies Kay warned him about, informed him that Kay was on a two week vacation. It struck him oddly that she hadn’t mentioned that to him during their lunch conversation just three days before. She’d told him she’d get back to him on Monday. He hoped she wasn’t ill, or hadn’t had a family emergency.
Things with Abby were heating up in a most wonderful way. He’d stayed at her house every night when she wasn’t on duty, or he’d stay at the clinic late when she was. They’d have dinner together in his office, just relaxing together, laughing and chatting. Chase was truly falling for Abby hard. He enjoyed her company more and more with every moment they spent together. He’d never met anyone like her.
His house was ready, as promised, at the end of the two weeks. He didn’t have much to move in. Thankfully the place was furnished.
He proudly placed his Muay Tai trophies and some souvenirs and framed photos of his family and memories from his Navy days on the massive, restored, turn of the century mantle; along with that infamous brick. The campus police had no suspects and chalked it off to student hijinks. Chase had a feeling it was something more, but he kept that to himself.
Abby, with typical Abby zest and gusto, added a few homey touches to the house to make the old place look warm and welcoming. She had a knack. Simple little things, properly placed, made the ancient house look warm and cozy.
He continued to work on the budget sheets when time allowed. When he’d finally gotten the “glitch” straightened out, and signed on to his account Monday afternoon, the original budget and expenditure sheets from all the prior years were gone: replaced by some bogus spreadsheets that looked like they came right out of an accounting text book with the column names changed. The column names were the only similarity between the new and the old budget spreadsheets. He was happy that he’d printed the jaded sheets out. He wasn’t finished yet. He’d get to the bottom of whatever larcenous activities went on eventually. Then he could trudge on with the rebirth of the clinic with a clean slate.
The new clinic work schedule went into effect effortlessly. Everyone in the clinic was elated. It did his heart good. Supplies that they hadn’t seen in ages were neatly lining the shelves in the newly cleaned out, painted, and meticulously organized store room and the entire clinic was repainted and welcoming looking. The new exam tables, not to mention the myriad of ready supplies, were a real big hit with the staff.
In his third week, Chase sent out a memo for a staff fun night. Everyone attended. All the torn and tattered exam table cushions and the old, stained, exam gowns and privacy curtains were burned during a wienie and marshmallow roast in the tree lined garden behind the clinic. Even Clay and some of the legal department came to enjoy the party: but no Kay. He’d sent her an invite via email. Apparently she wasn’t checking her email while she was away.
Chase managed to get twenty matching, brand new chairs from central supply for the newly painted waiting room: again, with no budgetary expenditures.
Abby, Trish and Ann went out on a shopping spree and found some appealing prints at a local closeout store that added the finishing touches to the inviting waiting room and patient areas.
More importantly, the students were coming back. It was slow at first, but once a few came in and were treated with a simple smile and a little respect in the appealing looking clinic, word spread like wildfire.
Chase was looking through his current budget, not the crazy, doctored one, and found that trying to eke out the salary for another full-time nurse was going to take some creative penciling. The expenditures for revitalizing the clinic were extensive. He’d hired Stan, a very capable RN, to replace Nurse Nasty in his second week, but the steadily growing requests for appointments justified another nurse. He’d work it out.
He’d finished auditing the tainted budget sheets sometime during his third week. Grand total: well over two million dollars. And some of the costs were on a continuous basis, somehow automatically paid with an automatic withdrawal from the university accounts payable department. That had to be stopped.
Kay still hadn’t returned to work. Chase was told that she was now on a sick leave. That both saddened and worried him. She’d looked like the picture of health when he’d last seen her. He wished he’d gotten her cell number so he could check up on her.
When he asked one of the personal assistants in HR for her number, and even explained his reasons for asking for it, he got a curt, that’s private information. We’re not allowed to give that out, response.
He’d even gone as far as to ask one of them to call her and ask her to call him. No soap. HR was a mass conglomeration of cold fish. Those “woke commies,” as Kay called them, would all benefit from a few drinks and a good lay.
When his concern truly got the best of him, he hunted up Clay Sparkman to ask him if he knew what was going on. Clay was as worried as Chase was. His numerous attempts to call her went right to voicemail. Clay had even stopped by her house a couple of times, but no one came to the door. One of the neighbors told Clay she’d gone out of town. Thankfully, unlike his colleagues, Clay had no problem giving Chase Kay’s cell number. Unfortunately, his attempts to call and text her went unanswered too.
Chase was just finishing up his daily to-do list when Abby slipped into his office and locked the door behind her.
“My goodness, Doctor. Your good will has turned this place into a madhouse,” she chuckled. “I haven’t stopped hopping since I got here this morning.”
“You should have called me. I would have been happy to come out and see a few patients.”
“Oh no. You just keep doing that magic that you do so well. Lately, a busy day around here is still a good day.” She plopped down on the couch, seemingly exhausted, and let out a long sigh. The woman was beauty personified.
“Sounds like someone could use some TLC,” he smiled, sitting beside her. He reached down, took her tired little feet in his hands and lifted then into his lap, slipping off her shoes.
“You’re always spoiling me.” She just smiled that breath stealing smile as he worked his thumbs deeply into her tired little feet.
“I like spoiling you.”
“That feels soooooo good, Chase. Those shoes are pretty, but I believe that’s the last time I’ll wear them to work.”
“Nothing like a good old pair of tennis shoes.”
He stared down her strong, shapely legs as he rubbed her pretty feet. She just did it for him in every way.
“I am truly and thoroughly enjoying this you and me thing, Chase. Being with you just makes me happy right down to my soul.”
“Me too,” he smiled, kissing her tiny feet as he ran his fingers down her tight calves, working out the stiffness.
“That feels so good, Sweetie. Thank you.”
“I’m enjoying this just as much as you are.” In truth, he was.
“So you like feet, huh,” she giggled, wiggling her cute little toes. For the first time in his life, he found that he truly did like feet. Abby’s feet, anyway. Abby had the prettiest little feet he’d ever seen.
“Yours I do. Believe me; it was a new revelation for me, too.”
“I love the way you touch me. You’re always so gentle and so attentive.”
“I’m beginning to think we just fit, Abby. Like we have our own wavelength.”
“Keep thinking on that wavelength, Handsome.” She looked at him lovingly, those awesome eyes sparkling, and smiled that heart melting smile that always made him feel all warm and happy inside. In truth, that beautiful, tiny little woman was always smiling, always cheerful and always ready with a jolly, heartfelt, good morning or a how are you for everyone she met. The staff and patients all loved her.
“Any word on when the ACLS classes are going to start?”
“Next week. They sent the books over today. I was going to give them to everyone so you can all get a head start if you’d like.”
“I’d like.”
“Listen, I’ve called a staff meeting for tomorrow at lunch. I’m having food brought in. I want to talk to everyone and get a feel for where we’re at; and hear any ideas anyone has. We’re five weeks into this revitalization campaign, and I’d like to know what’s on everyone’s mind.”
“I don’t think you’ll hear any complaints, that’s for sure. But there has been some chatter about your scrubs idea.”
“Really? Pro or con? I think it would be a good idea. It just looks professional, and it’ll save on your personal wardrobes. I thought we’d maybe get different colors for different jobs. NP’s in one color, nurses in another, lab in another and on and on.”
“They all seem to like the idea. And it doesn’t matter to me.”
“But, but, but…you always look so beautiful the way you dress,” he smiled.
“Well unless you’re tiring of me, Doctor Dreamy, you can see me in everything from my every day’s to my birthday suit any time your heart desires.”
“I don’t think I could ever tire of you, Abby. You just do it for me in every way.”
His hands moved down from her calves to her tight, muscular thighs, running his thumbs over the taut muscles along the underside.
“Just hearing you say that makes me very, very happy, Chase,” she cooed, settling back into the cushions, eyes closed; relaxing. “Because you couldn’t get rid of me now with a team of wild horses, Buster,” she smiled.
“Oh! Right there! Wow! That shot right into my butt.”
He put her tiny foot over his shoulder and worked both hands on the offending thigh muscle. Her pretty skirt slipped down to her waist. The sexy, white lace panties she was wearing caused his pants to dance. She always dressed just so. She just always looked so feminine and so together.
“Oh God that feels soooooo good! You’re right on it! Ou…ou…ou!!!”
“Quiet there, Lady. They’re going to think we’re getting busy in here,” he laughed.
“Who cares? Keep digging.”
“Given the feel of these muscles, Little Lady, the next time we’re alone, I’m going to start at those soft, sexy little shoulders of yours, and work all the way down to those pretty little toes.”
“I would be forever in your debt, Sir,” she chucked. “My lower back is killing me. I’m going to hold you to that.”
“You have my word as an officer and a gentleman,” he smiled, working deeper into her sexy thigh.
“You’re every ounce a gentleman, Chase,” she smiled. Her hand reached up to rub his cheek. “Not to mention the sweetest, kindest man I’ve ever met.”
“By the way, Abby: have you ever received or given any of the staff a physical since you’ve been here?”
“God, no. I mean, unofficially; and I shouldn’t be telling the boss this, but we see each other when we need an antibiotic or something simple; but we all have to see doctors outside the clinic, and pay the copays just like everyone else. That’s, unfortunately, not one of our perks. Only the students get physicals here and, as you know, until recently, they weren’t lining up for them. Why?”
“Because there’s expenditures in the prior budgets for overtime for NP’s to perform staff physicals annually.”
“Never happened. And up until recently, I wouldn’t have put on one of those nasty gowns, or laid on one of those disgusting tables for love or money.”
“What about now?”
“Well, sure. I’d have no problem with it now that this place is cleaner than any doctor’s office I’ve ever been in. And those copays can get pretty steep. Our deductible is astronomical. Are you thinking of making that option available? Because if you are, I want you to be my doctor.”
“Frankly, I’m amazed it hasn’t always been an option. I mean, people who work in restaurants usually get a free meal during their shift, right? Hotel workers get room discounts. Why shouldn’t people working in a clinic get free annual exams and have their minor illnesses treated?”
“I’ll think on it a little more and bring it up at tomorrow’s meeting. As for you, Dear Lady, I’d consider it an honor to examine that awesome little body.”
“I promise to make it the most interesting and pleasurable exam you ever performed, Doctor,” she laughed. “Actually, I’m due. It’s been well over a year.”
“We’ll get that taken care of here in the next couple of days. Promise.”
“Does your mind ever stop spinning,” she giggled. She was looking at him sweetly, rubbing his thigh. Those big, beautiful, twinkling eyes made his knees weak.
“It’s like I said: initially, it takes twenty-four-seven attention to get things on the right track, but things should start to level off here pretty soon. I mean, this clinic is basically a small hospital. Lots of things to think about and take care of. Especially considering how long it’s been totally neglected. Once I have a handle on it all, it’ll get better.
“Oh, I’m not complaining. You seem to be able to turn if off when it’s just you and me. And everyone is just amazed at what you’ve managed to do in a little over a month. I mean, the changes in this place have everyone utterly amazed.”
“Given what a shithouse this place was when I got here, anything we do is an improvement.”
“So many questions, Abby. Where were the complaints when this place was the toilet it used to be? Let’s face it, these parents are paying a small fortune to send their kids here. Why haven’t they raised any hell?”
“Or why haven’t the students taken to their soapboxes to revolt against the injustice that was being done to them? My first day here there was enough discontent in the waiting room to start a revolution. Those kids were pissed over having to wait forever for those flu shots.”
“I have a feeling their past complaints fell on deaf ears. And if you’re going to keep rubbing right there, you’d better lock the door,” she laughed.
When he looked down, he was pressing his thumbs deeply into her thigh at her bubbly little butt cheek, and his knuckles were rubbing her dampening panties, unconsciously grazing her sweet pussy.
Chase just smiled and slid his pinky finger under the elastic of her panties and gently ran it through her dampening curls, still working that stubborn thigh muscle.
“Hmmm,” she purred. “Not that I mind this in the least, but is the door locked?”
“Why yes. Yes it is,” he laughed, enjoying their play. “You locked it when you came in, Silly.”
“Once I open the door and see that handsome face, everything else just becomes a blur,” she laughed, winking.
He was gently rolling her rising clit as he worked at the stubborn muscle in her thigh.
He leaned down and buried his face between her thighs, blowing through the lacy material, then slid them over and ran his tongue along her sweet cunny. A tremor ran along her beautiful body and a huge smile appeared on her lovely face.
Chase was just settling in for some real fun, his fingers wrapped in the frilly waistband of those tiny panties, ready to slide them off when Abby’s phone beeped.
“Shit!” They both laughed out in unison. She checked her phone, giggling. She was needed out on the floor.
“Save my seat. I’ll be back,” she giggled, adjusting her clothes. “Do I have that, I just had an orgasm, look?”
“No. But come on back when you’re done and we’ll make sure you’re looking freshly laid in spades,” he laughed.
She was holding her lower back, stretching, as she rose off the couch and slipped on her shoes. She gave him one of those sizzling kisses, winked, and was gone.
While she was gone, Chase did some poking around in the school’s staff directory. The tome was only distributed to faculty and staff so they were accessible at any time. All their email addresses and phone numbers were listed for staff use only. Kay’s personal email had to be on there somewhere. He didn’t know what he was looking for. If she hadn’t responded to his texts or phone calls, or Clay’s, he doubted she’d respond to an email from her personal account. It would probably be flagged by a spam blocker. While he and Kay instantly made a connection, in reality, she didn’t know him from Adam. But not knowing whether she was ok or not truly bothered him.
Then he remembered her mentioning her best friend Stephanie in accounting. He looked her up. Sure enough! The only Stephanie in accounting was Stephanie Carmody. And her email address was listed beside her name. He was surprised to see there was a gmail address, as well as a university address, listed beside her name.
Chase decided to bypass the school’s server and pulled out his phone, sending Stephanie an email from his personal account. He hoped it didn’t go immediately to spam on her end, but she was the only lead he had. He didn’t know why, but he was worried about Kay. Something untoward was going on. No one just disappeared in the middle of finals without letting someone know why.
He was up to his neck in clinic business when Abby returned an hour later.
“Tough one?”
“Broken finger,” she laughed. “Believe it or not, his girlfriend broke it. He was trying to get it into her butt during sex and she took umbrage with that, grabbed the finger and broke it.”
“He should be thankful she grabbed his finger and not his willy.” Chase was laughing.
“Can you believe that? She broke his finger just for sticking it in her ass? That’s hard core,” Abby laughed. “All she had to do was just say, ah, ah, ah! I have a feeling that romance is over.”
“But this one’s just starting,” he smiled, waving her over. She rushed across the room and dropped into his lap.
“And it’s off to an awesome start,” she smiled, kissing him softly.
“Ah, but you’re off duty. Whatever shall we do to pass the time,” he laughed.
“Oh, I’m sure we can think of something to while away the hours.”
“Yes we can. Strip?”
“Well I guess the honeymoon’s over,” she laughed. “No foreplay? No romance?” She was still laughing as she stood and slowly unbuttoned her blouse; teasing him.
“Purely medicinal,” he smiled. “I saw you twisting your back when you stood up earlier. It’s time to tame those evil demons.”
“Why are you so good to me?”
“Because you’re so easy to be good to,” he smiled, grabbing that amazing ass as she bent to slide off her panties.
“Now hop up there on that table and let’s see if there’s any magic left in these old fingers.”
“If you can get this thing tamed, I’ll be your servant for life, Sir,” she giggled, climbing on the table, teasingly waving that amazing ass at him as she did.
Chase got some lotion from his cabinet and started working on her soft little shoulders. Her entire body was flawless. Not one imperfection anywhere. How he loved kissing that tight, smooth skin.
“Hmmm. I could get used to this,” Abby cooed. Her eyes were closed, her head resting on her hands, that wondrous smile spreading across her beautiful face as he continued to work her aching muscles, kissing every inch as he worked meticulously down her heart-stealing body.
“Me, too,” he laughed. He leaned down and gently nibbled her firm, taught butt cheek. “You have the most awesome body I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy, Beautiful.”
“Flattery will get you everywhere,” she giggled. “Oh! Oh! Right there! You’ve got radar, I swear! Ouuu!! That hurts so good!”
He worked at the spot on her lower back and the area surrounding it for twenty minutes. He could feel the stubborn muscles releasing under his fingers. Abby was almost in liquid form. Her entire, beautiful body just melted into the table.
When he was pretty sure he had the demons tamed, he stood beside her, just staring at her angelic face, running his fingers through her hair and kissing her soft cheek.
This time it was Abby initiating one of the most memorable experiences of his life. Abby spun over on her back in a flash, arms out, all of her lithe little body glaring at him seductively from the table as she pulled Chase down on it with her, kissing him with that glorious, unbridled passion that only Abby possessed.
“I can’t tell you how amazing I feel right now, Doctor Dreamy. Now it’s my turn to pleasure you!”
She smiled that mischievous, Cheshire Cat, grin, biting her lip as she oozed off the table; that awesome body glistening in the room light from the oil coating her; that beautiful smile growing.
She reached for his belt and made short work of opening his pants and sliding those and his briefs down and off the ends of his feet.
“Hmmm. Did I do that?” She was giggling, wrapping her hand around his throbbing pole.
“Why, yes. Yes you did.”
“Well we can’t have that now, can we.”
In a wink, she took him in her soft, warm little mouth, her tongue slowly rolling around the sensitive crown. The temperature in the room rose instantly. His hand slid down and ran through her soft hair. The mind blowing pleasure she was giving him was off the charts.
Those huge, beautiful eyes flashed his way. Mischief was just radiating from the massive, brown orbs as her soft hand slid teasingly up his thigh and began fondling his testicles as her soft lips rode up and down on his raging manhood. He was in heaven.
“You have the biggest, most beautiful balls in the world, Handsome,” she cooed, resuming her heavenly endeavors. “And you need this tree trunk to hold them up! I swear, I’m going to have stretchmarks on my lips getting this ginormous monster in my mouth.”
He knew he couldn’t last long. Looking down at her beautiful, nude, body, shining still from the massage lotion, watching her lips working her magic on his rigid tool, and the growing feelings he was feeling for her all culminated in the most intense orgasm he believed he’d ever experienced. Every muscle in his body threatened to snap as his spine stiffened. His heels dug into the table, fighting to make the moment last until he could no longer hold back.
It shot from him in a fiery rush so intense he almost passed out. Gobs and gobs of his hot man-batter blasted into her warm, waiting mouth. She swallowed every drop hungrily, her huge eyes never leaving his. She just increased her pace on his throbbing cock, her hands pumping him from the base, milking him dry. He was in a total and complete state of euphoric overload.
When she’d ensured she’d gotten the last drop, she smiled down at him with that angelic smile. “What do you say we clean up and slip back to your bedroom for round two?” She was winking exaggeratedly, smiling from ear to ear.
“You don’t have to ask me twice!”
**********************
Chase called the other two doctors into his office before they left to teach their classes. He wanted to get their feelings regarding offering the staff healthcare before the rest of the staff arrived for the meeting.
Not surprisingly, they were both happy to offer up their services. Both of them agreed that it was a good idea. Between the three of them, it wouldn’t take an extensive amount of time out of any of their schedules. They all agreed that it was a perk that would not only please the staff, but one that they deserved. All three doctors were beyond impressed with the way the awesome staff was performing. Both Cynthia and Walt shared stories with Chase about how shabby things were before he arrived. Their kind words encouraged Chase; making him feel as if his efforts were truly paying off.
Once everyone was assembled, the meeting went over better than he’d ever imagined.
Everyone was ecstatic over the condition of the clinic, the availability of long absent supplies, their work environment and their new schedules.
The idea of scrubs becoming the clinic’s standard uniform, and having their health care needs handled there in the clinic, had them giddy. Everyone in the meeting was laughing and talking at once, overjoyed with the direction the clinic was headed in.
Some had a few suggestions that Chase wrote down. Nothing outrageous or overly expensive. Most of which he’d have no problem bringing to fruition.
“Ok. Anyone have anything else to add?” Everyone happily shook their heads in the negative.
“Well let me say that the changes I’ve seen in all of you in the last five weeks has truly tickled me. We’re coming together as a team as well as a force to be reckoned with. I couldn’t be any happier. Everyone still here, in my opinion, has been very professional, extremely friendly, and you’re all putting forth a valiant effort to make this clinic first class. I can’t thank you enough for your hard work and dedication. Just seeing that waiting room as busy as it’s been, and clearing out as quickly as it does, with no one having to wait more than ten minutes or so to be seen is testament to your hard work; and I thank you for it.”
“Now. Before we eat. NP’s and RN’s, your BLS and ACLS books and classroom supplies are in. They’re at the check in desk. Your names are on your packets. Classes start next week here in the clinic. I’ll post the schedule once it’s firmed up. If any of you have any questions or problems with any of the curriculum, feel free to knock on my door.”
“And Cynthia and I will be happy to help, too,” Walt threw in.
“Thank you, Walt and Cynthia. If the three of us don’t have the answers, we’ll get them for you. And if any of you lab techs, pharmacists, Xray techs or admin assistants have any classes you’d be interested in to advance your skill set, let me know and I’ll see what I can do to arrange your schedules and get them for you.”
“Now. If no one has anything else, let’s eat!”
The laughter and jovial chatter coming from the newly painted and redecorated break room pleased Chase. A happy workplace, filled with capable, qualified people-not to mention happy, well treated patients-was his aim and, so far things were looking great.
Two weeks before, Chase installed a comments box in the waiting room where the brief surveys regarding the clinic, the service and the treatment the patients received that the practitioners and nurses gave each patient during their appointment were deposited. The comments were overwhelmingly positive with very few, mostly petty, complaints. But he’d addressed those, too. He knew he couldn’t please everyone, but he could at least acknowledge their concerns and see if there was anything he could do appease the complainer.
Chase was about to join the team in the break room for the great smelling barbecue when his phone beeped. He tensed up reading the text. It was a response from Stephanie Carmody.
“Meet me at the old south gate behind the polo grounds at ten PM.”
“Strange?” Chase was intrigued. Why a covert meeting?
He went back to his office and got one of the area maps he had in his desk and looked for the polo grounds. He’d never heard of it. His familiarity with his new surroundings was limited to the area surrounding the city-sized campus. He was scratching his head when he couldn’t find it on the local map or the campus map.
“You coming to eat, Sweetie? This pulled pork is fantastic!”
“Hi, Beautiful. Come on in for a sec. Close the door.”
“Something up, Chase? What’s with the secret agent stuff? And the maps?”
“Ever hear of a place called the polo grounds?”
“Not in many, many years. They used to have horses here on campus. The school had a polo team. The Bandoliers, I believe they called themselves. Olympic caliber. But that was back in the nineteen sixties: long before my time. I remember my grandfather telling me about it.”
“The polo grounds used to be way out on the very back of the campus by the river. I think the groundskeepers used to use the old barns to store their landscaping equipment in before they moved everything to the new building over by the football field. Why?”
“I’m supposed to meet someone there at ten tonight?”
“Who?
“I can’t say, Abby. I’m not keeping secrets from you, but the less you know the better off you are.”
“I don’t like the sound of this, Chase. Are you in some sort of trouble, Sweetheart?”
“No. Nothing like that. It has something to do with this whole, crazy budget nightmare.”
“I don’t know what’s going on, Chase; but promise me you’ll be careful, ok? Are you sure going all the way out there alone, at night, is a good idea? That’s a long way from the main campus-or any other civilization for that matter. I don’t think the campus police even patrol out there. It’s kind of a no man’s land. Meeting a stranger at night, in such a secluded place, sounds dangerous.”
“I’m not overly concerned, Abby. I’m sure that whoever this is just doesn’t want to be seen talking to me.”
“If you even sense the slightest thing wrong, Chase, get out of there fast. I’m off tonight so come to my place as soon as you get back. I’ll be worried sick until I see that handsome face at my door.”
“Don’t worry, Sweetie,” he smiled, wrapping his arm around her tiny shoulders. “I’m a big boy. I can take care of myself.
********************
Chase went to the gym for a workout and some sparring, then worked in his office until nine o’clock. He managed to get a little done, but his mind wasn’t on it. Why in the hell would she want to meet him way out there? Why not a bar in town or something? She must have her reasons, but he couldn’t imagine what they were.
His mind was spinning. He kept the tasks he was working on to simple things, making happen two of the suggestions he got from the staff during the meeting.
The whole nocturnal meeting in such a remote place sounded fishy. It reminded him of a secret agent movie. He decided to leave early and scope out the area: just to make sure nothing untoward was going on.
He made copies of all the tainted budget sheets he had, then hid the originals in a place where he knew no one would ever find them. It was time to turn his findings over to accounting and let them handle it. If this Stephanie person was Kay’s best friend, he assured himself that she’d be the right person to pass the baton to. The sooner it was out of his hands, the happier he’d be. He breathed a sigh of relief. This was one loop he’d be happy to be out of.
He got a flashlight from his house, dressed in black jeans and a black hoodie, checked to ensure he had a full magazine and pocketed his three-eighty. That, his smallest firearm, was easily hidden in his pocket. He wasn’t expecting trouble, but this whole thing had the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. He was a doctor, not a CIA agent. He had a good mind to just take everything he had to the university president and let him sort it all out.
He slipped on his backpack and started jogging as he left his house, headed in the direction of what had once been the polo grounds. Abby pointed out the spot on the map. It was definitely far, far off the beaten path. It may as well have been in Timbuktu.
Bad luck was apparently going to overshadow an already weird situation. It was a moonless night. Huge clouds clogged the sky making the dense woods leading to the old polo grounds take on a dark, foreboding appearance. He had to slow his run to avoid running smack dab into a tree or tripping over one of the many roots clogging the ground. And they just kept going on and on. Even the entire area surrounding what was once the decrepit old south gate was heavily wooded by years of overgrowth and lack of attention.
Perfect place for an ambush.
You’re not in the Navy any more, Chase. You’re not going to need tactical maneuvers. He was laughing at himself for letting his mind even go there as he stopped running and scoped out his surroundings.
He reached the overgrown clearing outside the gate at nine thirty, stepped back into the heavy woods and crouched against an unidentifiable shrubby copse of brush, well camouflaged, and watched the gate intently. He prayed the bush wasn’t sumac. It was too dark to tell. He didn’t want to deal with days of torturous itching.
All he could hear was the sound of the flowing river and the soothing night songs of the frogs and crickets. There didn’t appear to be anyone around.
He sat silently and continued to reconnoiter the area, listening keenly for a snapping branch or rustling leaves behind him. He was thankful he wore the hoodie. The late spring night and the impending storm carried a penetrating chill on the air. The smell of pine carried on the chilling breeze calmed him. He wrapped his arms around himself for warmth and warily eyed the gate.
At nine-fifty-five, Chase noticed a shadow figure crouch up and quickly hide behind the crumbling stone gate pillar. He sat quietly, making sure the figure was alone. It appeared that if that was actually Stephanie, she’d come by herself. That was definitely no place for a woman alone at night. This had to be serious business.
He crouched down and edged to the break in the trees, his hand hovering over his pocket, ready to pull the pistol out if necessary.
“Stephanie?” he whispered.
The shadowed head snapped sharply in his direction, then anxiously waved him over.
Chase stood and walked over, staying vigilant.
“Thank you for coming, Chase.”
“Is it wise for you to be out here alone at night, Stephanie?”
“No. But Kay’s in a real mess. She needs our help. I’d do anything in the world to help her. Besides, we used to play in these woods when we were kids. I know these woods like the back of my hand-including all the hiding spots and escape routes.”
“What is it?! What’s wrong with her?!” His fears were confirmed. Kay was in trouble.
“Come on,” she whispered. “We might be seen here.”
She grabbed his hand and headed off jogging into the woods on the opposite side of the small clearing from where Chase had been hiding.
They had to slow their jog to a cautious fast-walk, avoiding overhanging branches and an abundance of high tree roots rising up out of the ground again for what seemed like forever before they came to a marshy landing on the riverbank. It was even colder down there. The few scant moonbeams breaking through the ominous clouds were bouncing off the rippling water. It gave the place a surreal look and feel that had Chase casting a cautious eye over their surroundings.
He followed her down the bank and along the river for a while more until they came to a tall, crumbling, culvert covered in moss and overgrowth. Kay was hiding just inside.
“Oh, Chase!” she cried. She sprang up and wrapped her arms around him. He felt as if she’d squeeze the life out of him. Her warm, salty tears instantly soaked his neck and shoulder.
“Thank you so much for coming! I knew I could count on you!” Her welcome was choked in woeful tears.
“What is it, Kay? What’s wrong?” Chase was instantly worried.
“Promise me you won’t think any less of me when I tell you what’s going on.”
“Of course I promise, Kay. Tell me. I’ve been worried to death about you.”
She hesitated for just a moment, a look of utter despair on her tortured face. “Here.” She was crying harder as she handed him a padded mailing folder from inside her jacket. Her hands were shaking so badly she almost dropped it.
“Please, please, please don’t think for a second that I willingly posed for those-those…abominations!” Her trembling chin, shaking hands and heavily flowing tears touched him deeply. Whatever was in the envelope had Kay on the brink of hysteria.
Chase put his penlight in his mouth and opened the envelope. He was instantly appalled.
Disgusting pictures of Kay in all sorts of compromising positions filled the envelope. Dildos and medical instruments in all her orifices, Kay being gang banged, semen dripping from every inch of her, A dazed, sleepy looking Kay performing lackluster oral sex on multiple men and women.
He was appalled. Why was she showing him these god-awful pictures? He knew she was a free spirit, but this was going way too far.
“I found these stuck in my door when I started asking questions around the ivory tower about the clinic’s accounting practices. I talked to a few people up there I knew about what was and wasn’t allowed in the clinic. Then I took what I knew to Stephanie.” Her trembling chin broke his heart.
“I didn’t think anything of it when she was asking me questions, Chase, so the door to my office was open. It’s always open. We were obviously overheard-or intentionally eavesdropped on.”
“As I’m sure you’ve surmised, I’m Stephanie Carmody.” She stuck out her trembling hand to shake his. The beautiful Stephanie was as white as paste, shaking her head sadly. She, too, was trembling in disgust.
Kay suddenly managed an eerie state of control. Her voice sounded hollow as she boldly filled him in on her predicament. “I mentioned the perverse things that go on over on Faculty Row to you, Chase. And I told you that it was nothing you’d be interested in. Trust me, neither am I.”
“I was married to one of the school’s esteemed math professors,” she harped. “He started taking me to The Faculty Club when they had faculty mixers and things. I didn’t think anything of it at the time. I swear! Just stuffy faculty members rubbing elbows and sucking up for departmental posturing and funding.”
“Apparently, at one of them, they slipped something in my drink. They had to. Believe me, I’d never, ever, do any of those vile, disgusting things willingly with total strangers.” Kay was distraught.
“When I woke up the next morning, apparently the morning after those vile pictures were taken, I felt like I’d been hit by a truck. Everything hurt. And I swore I had a bite or something on my ankle. Frank said I got stung by a bee, and that I had a severe allergic reaction. I do have a bee sting allergy. He claimed that I was swollen up really badly from the sting and that’s why everything hurt. I wondered why he didn’t use my Epipen. I mean, he knew how to use it in case I was unable to, but I was breathing ok and I wasn’t covered in welts so I just assumed it couldn’t have been too serious a reaction.”
“They may have started an IV in the saphenous vein in your ankle, Kay. That way they could keep you twilighted. Do you remember any sticky residue from tape around your ankle?”
“No. But I was very clean when I woke up. Frank said he sat me in the tub to bring the swelling down. That lying, sick, degenerate fuck!!”
“Then what happened, Kay?” Chase was trying to calm her somewhat, resting his hands on her quivering shoulders.
“Anyway, I found a package of pictures like these in my ex’s desk while I was looking for the checkbook one night shortly after that supposed anaphylactic shock. I was livid! I confronted him with it. He just started calling me a dirty whore and said I got drunk and willingly participated in that sick, twisted orgy or whatever it was they were having.” Kay was beginning to look physically sick.
“I packed my things, left in a state of shock and filed for divorce the next day. He threatened me. He said that if I ever said a word about those pictures, or that night, they’d never find my body. I kept my mouth shut. I saw a side of him in those few horrible days that scared me to death.”
“And those dirty, disgusting pictures you’re looking at are far worse than the ones I found in Frank’s desk, Chase! Who knows how bad any others they have of me may be-if they could ever possibly be any worse than that!” Her tears flowed even harder as she continued on. The poor woman was on the brink of a meltdown.
Chase was looking through the pictures for any sign of tape or IV tubing. Sure enough. In one sick picture, a tiny, aged, flaccid, penis was stuck between Kay’s toes. The tape and the IV line were very obvious. Chase was trying to hide the blind rage from his face.
“Read the note, Chase!”
Chase rifled through the remaining prints, feeling physically ill as the perversion just got worse in each passing picture and pulled the note out from between the smut.
“Mind your own business, Bitch. Stop sticking your pretty little nose in things that don’t concern you or not only will these pictures be made public, but we’ll be enjoying that lovely body again and again.”
The note was written in red crayon on standard printer paper. They’d never be able to trace it back to the twisted fuck who wrote it. The atrocious handwriting made it obvious that the author made certain he or she couldn’t be traced. They’d probably held the crayon in their fist like a three year old.
“Do they have drugs that can do that to you, Chase?” Stephanie was shaking.
“Many. One I’m sure you’ve heard of is roofies. Rohypnol. It’s called the date rape drug. It started becoming a really serious problem on college campuses some time ago. There were all sorts of warnings and instruction put out for students and women in general to never leave their drink unattended, never accept a drink from a stranger, the works. These sick sex traffickers use it all the time. And it can render you basically semi-conscious with no memory of what went on. If you’ve ever had a colonoscopy or a major dental procedure, you’ve probably been twilighted.”
“There was never any of that information circulating on this campus?”
“I think we can thank our dear friend Nurse Jenny for that. The media packets were in our store room, along with posters and pamphlets for flu shots, social diseases and a whole host of others that were never circulated. Most of them were dry rotted and stained. I all ordered all new ones and put them on the information table at the clinic.”
“Any idea who might have done this, Kay?”
“I have my suspicions, but nothing I can say definitively. Frank obviously knew this took place. I’m sure he’s in this up to his freakish little ears. Whether he’d be capable of something like this or not, I just can’t say. His threats when I found the original pictures scared me, but looking back, he’s a natural born pussy. He has no balls; literally and figuratively. All I know is that they’re threatening to do all that to me again, and worse, if I don’t let this go.”
“How long ago did this take place, Kay?”
“About a year ago.” She began to cry all over again. Chase held her in his arms, rubbing her back soothingly.
“I’m so sorry I got you into this, Kay. I had no idea skimming off the top would turn into such a nightmare?”
“Ok. You need to steer clear of this from now on. Forget I ever mentioned any of this to you. Go back to work, business as usual, and steer clear of anything to do with this or accounting or anything not directly related to your regular duties. Just do your job and toe the line. We’ll get to the bottom of this, Sweetheart. I promise.”
“He’s right, Kay. But I’m not afraid to take this on, Chase. Aside from this disgusting perversion, I can’t figure out how they’ve managed to slip this blatant thievery past my office! There’s obviously a tie in here. That twisted note clearly mentions staying away from accounting. This whole nightmare has me all in a bunch.”
“I’m not married, and I wouldn’t step foot on Faculty Row for anything other than one of Harry’s well attended daytime meetings for love or money. And if I do turn anything up regarding this, and they fire me, they’ll have to answer to Harry. I answer directly to him. He and I have a very good relationship.”
“More importantly, Kay, are you ok? I know what a shock this must have been. You were sexually assaulted in a most vile and heinous way. Someone needs to answer for this.”
“I just want to forget it, Chase. I want it all to just go away. Pictures like that circulating around campus would ruin me professionally and personally. And I don’t take their threats lightly. If they could do to me what they did in those disgusting pictures, I believe they’re capable of any level of depravity. Even murder!”
“Sweetie, I understand that, but on a personal level, until you face this head on and deal with it, it will haunt you for the rest of your life. You need to talk to someone before the shock really takes hold.”
“It’s too raw right now, Chase.”
“Listen. I’m no psychiatrist, but I have a college buddy who is. And he just lives over in Clermont. He has no affiliation whatsoever with the school. Would you talk to him?”
“You think I need a psychiatrist, Chase?!”
“If you mean, do I think your nuts: absolutely not. But I do think you need to talk to someone. And maybe be prescribed something to help you deal with the stress and anxiety for a while. You’re distraught-and rightfully so. You can’t handle this alone, Kay. Without proper treatment this will eat at you like a cancer.”
“If you think it will help, Chase, then yes. I’ll talk to him.”
“Good. I’ll call him in the morning and give the details to Stephanie. I don’t think we should be seen together, or even communicate until we get to the bottom of this.”
“Well that sucks, Handsome!” Kay smiled for the first time that night, still wiping away her eyes.
“Kay, and if this is too personal a question, tell me to mind my own business, but have you noticed any lasting physical effects from what they did to you? I mean, I don’t want to stir this all up in your mind again, but given what I saw in some of those horrible pictures, they didn’t exactly handle you with kid gloves.”
“Tell him, Kay. He’s a doctor.” Stephanie was nodding, prodding Kay.
“I think so, Chase, but I can’t be sure.”
“What is it, Kay? Is it anything I can help you with?”
Kay started crying again; a blush growing on her beautiful face.
“Kay, you can tell me anything, Sweetie. Nothing you say will ever go beyond the three of us. I hope you know that.”
“I know, Chase,” she choked out.
“Tell him, Kay. It may be something that’ll get worse if its’ not treated.”
“I’ve had a lot of pain in my lower abdomen, Chase. It came on a couple of months ago. And I bleed heavily between periods.”
“Any discharge with the bleeding, Kay?”
“Sometimes. Bad smelling, yellowish gunk. Douching seems to relieve it.”
“Again, not to get personal, but have you had intercourse with anyone since that night?”
“No! I’ve been dealing with all this, trying to forget what I saw in those pictures in Frank’s drawer, the divorce, the betrayal and trying to move on with my life. Sex is the last thing on my mind. I thought I was doing ok. That I was getting past it. Then these horrible pictures showed up.”
“Have you seen your doctor about it, Kay? I’d highly recommend you do. It may be nothing at all. But you need to find out.”
“Unfortunately, my doctor is Frank’s golfing buddy. I was in the process of trying to get an appointment to see someone out of town, but they all have a long waiting list and very few of them are accepting new patients. I can’t ever have this nightmare become public knowledge.”
“No doctor is going to discuss anything about you with anyone, Kay. Although I can understand your’ not wanting to see your ex’s golf buddy. Wow!”
“Listen. Why don’t you come back to the clinic with me? We can slip in through my house in the back so no one will see us. We can check you out and see if its’ anything to worry about.”
“Oh no! I’m not going within a mile of that place. What if they’re watching the clinic and they see the three of us together? For all we know, someone in your clinic may be a part of this? This entire nightmare seems to revolve around the clinic.”
“If there was, I believe she’s gone now. I just don’t get that vibe from any one of the staff there now.”
“What does it sound like, Chase?” Stephanie asked. “Does it sound serious?”
“It could be. And it may be nothing at all. And I don’t mean to upset you, Kay, but if you picked up an STD, like chlamydia-which appears to have been rampant on campus for a couple of years-you may or may not have any symptoms for a long time; if at all. And if that’s the case, it needs to be treated.”
“How would I know?”
“You’d need to be examined. And if the exam shows you to be positive, you need to be treated. Left untreated, an STD can lead to a whole host of very serious consequences further down the road.”
“Can you examine me here, Chase? I trust you implicitly, but I’m not stepping foot in that clinic.”
“This is hardly the place for an examination, Kay. I can barely see my hand in front of my face.”
“It’s either here, or I’ll just deal with it until I can get an out of town appointment. I’m terrified of going to the clinic: and Frank’s sister-in-law is a nurse at the walk in clinic outside the gate. I’m sure not stepping foot in there.”
“Can you do it in my car, Chase. It’s just parked down the river a little way.”
“That’s a little too confined, Stephanie. And not exactly the opportune situation.”
“Kay, you really need to be seen. I have privileges at the ER. We can go there.”
“No thanks. Please don’t misunderstand me, Chase, and this is certainly nothing personal, but I’m petrified of being seen together with you two anywhere right now. Until this whole nightmare is over, I’ll live with the pain.”
“I strongly recommend against it, Kay. If you’re suddenly having issues almost a year later, this could be very serious. You need to be examined and, if you’re positive, treated immediately.”
“I’ve got it,” Stephanie chirped, snapping her fingers. “There’s an office in the old barn. Don’t ask me how I know that,” she blushed. “And the power is still on back there. Some of the older landscaping equipment is kept back there and some of the faculty use the main barn for those touchy-feely, get in touch with your inner self seminars.”
“Not exactly my idea of the ideal clinical setting, but if that’s the only way to get you to get a handle on this, Kay, let’s try that.”
“Are you sure no one knows we’re back here, Steph?” Kay was in tears again.
“I sent Chase the text from my personal cellphone to his, Kay. We didn’t discuss anything over the school’s network. Unless whoever these animals are have access to cell transmissions, which is extremely doubtful, we should be safe.”
“Then let’s go,” Kay said, her chin quivering. “I can’t thank you enough, Chase.”
“Anything I can do to help, Kay. I just wish we had a better option than an old horse barn.
The three trekked back to the old barns in near silence. Kay and Stephanie on point, watching closely for any sign of movement in the thick woods while Chase walked backward, making sure they weren’t being followed. Kay’s sobbing was the only sound. It was breaking Chase’s heart. What that poor woman had been through was unthinkable. It angered him at a baser level and radiated through his entire body in a flash of rage and sorrow.
“That’s the office at the end of the first set of barns,” Stephanie whispered, pointing toward the door.
What they found in there had them all in a state of shock.
“What the fuck,” Kay uttered. She was thoroughly taken aback. Both Chase and Stephanie stood on either side of her, keeping her from fainting. They, too, were dumbstruck.
“Well I can see where some of the clinic expenditures went,” Chase grumbled, shocked.
“My doctor’s office isn’t this well stocked,” Stephanie gasped.
“Trust me, Guys. Ron and I were just here about six months ago and none of this was here.”
Chase, after making fairly sure Kay had a grip on herself, moved around the room. There was a brand new exam table, cabinets full of medical supplies and even a high dollar ophthalmoscope/otoscope mounted on the wall. A large surgical light hung from the ceiling. It looked like a well stocked surgery.
“What do you think, Chase?” Stephanie was moving around the other side of the room, opening the cabinets.
“First impression? Given the suction apparatus and surgical instruments in this cabinet, I’m guessing it’s an illegal abortion clinic. Doesn’t campus security ever check these places to make sure squatters aren’t living in here, or students aren’t hanging out in here doing drugs or having sex? And why wasn’t the door locked?”
“But abortion is legal in this state. Why would someone risk their lives going to some underground clinic? And don’t get me started on the campus police. They’re probably involved in whatever’s going on down here. The Keystone Cops were a whole lot more on the ball than that bunch of senile old farts we have supposedly protecting us. And most of them aren’t adverse to turning a blind eye for a price.” Stephanie was getting angrier by the moment.
“I don’t want to venture any wild guesses, but if what we suspect is going on at the Faculty Club, really is going on, and one of their victims were to get pregnant…I don’t know. After what we’ve seen and heard tonight, my mind is wandering in dark places,” Chase sighed, shaking his head.
“Either that, or someone truly likes playing doctor,” Stephanie added, opening up a door at the back of the room.
“Hey! Someone’s been living here, Guys. There’s a bed, a refrigerator and a microwave back here.”
“What if he comes back!”
“Easy, Kay. Given the layers of dust back here and the long expired green stuff in this frig, whoever lived here hasn’t been here in a while. This is disgusting!” Stephanie was appalled. “None of this was here six months ago.”
“Kay, we need to get you checked out. You ladies two aren’t anti-gun, are you?”
“Hardly,” Stephanie laughed. She pulled an impressive, snub nosed, stainless thirty-eight out of her purse.
“Concealed carry permit even,” she laughed.
“She’s not one of the commies I told you we need to walk softly around, Chase,” Kay said, a brief smile crossing her troubled face.
“I wasn’t comfortable coming out here to meet someone I didn’t know,” Chase said, pulling his three eighty out of his pocket.
“Aw. That’s so cute,” Stephanie laughed.
“It has bigger brothers and sisters,” Chase laughed. “This one just fits in my pocket better.”
“I’ll watch the door, Kay. Let Chase check you out. If anyone comes, I believe we can handle it.”
“You’re sure you don’t mind, Chase?”
“Of course I don’t mind, Kay. I would prefer we did this in an actual medical facility where I could get some blood and urine samples, but this will have to do.”
“Everything off? I was hoping I’d be taking my clothes off for you at some point. I just thought it would have been after a candlelit dinner.” Kay’s rare smile that night made him feel a little better about the bizarre situation they found themselves in.
“Do you have everything you need, Chase?” Stephanie asked as Kay undressed, checking warily over her shoulder the whole time.
“I don’t usually carry around a speculum, but it appears the inhabitant of this little psycho clinic has plenty of disposables on hand.”
“Damn, Kay! You need to stop wearing those frumpy clothes you always wear. You’re just plain hot,” Stephanie laughed, trying to ease the look of dismay still plastered across Kay’s beautiful face.
“I wish,” Kay huffed, sitting on the exam table, seemingly ashamed. She had absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. Stephanie was right. Kay was just plain hot.
Chase went through all the prelims. Kay’s temperature was elevated.
He listened to her chest and back, checked her eyes, ears, nose and throat, but didn’t see or hear anything that would account for the elevated temperature.
“Lay back for me please, Kay,” he smiled sincerely, helping her ease back.
He examined her breasts and her abdomen, listening, then palpating. She was extremely tender in her lower abdomen; painfully so over her ovaries.
“Kay, have you noticed any burning, pain, or itching around your vagina or your anus?”
“It’s on and off, Chase. I’m not very regular. I have to strain a lot when I do go. I just assumed it was because of that.”
“It could be, but it also fits into a profile.”
“Do you think it’s an STD, Chase?”
“We’ll soon find out. Can you put your feet in the stirrups for me and scooch down, please, Kay?” He adjusted the table sadly. That poor, poor woman.
Kay’s vagina was raw and flaming red. He gently opened her butt cheeks and noticed her anus was swollen and red, too. Sadly, he had a good idea of what she was dealing with.
“Kay, I’m as sorry as I can be, Sweetheart; and I’ll be as gentle as I can be, but you’re raw and badly swollen. I’m afraid this is going to be uncomfortable.”
“Do what you have to, Chase. If this truly is something, I want it over with.” Tears filled her eyes. Stephanie deserted her post at the door and held Kay’s hand.
Chase changed gloves, lubed the speculum and as gently as possible, eased it between her chaffed, inflamed labia. He was watching her face, trying his best to cause her no further pain, but the twisted look on her face and the sweat collecting on her forehead told him he was failing.
He opened the bills as gently as he could and peered inside, adjusting the bright overhead light. It was like looking at a freshly painted barn. Her entire pelvis was inflamed and appeared to be on fire. He kept his poker face on as he slid the speculum out, changed gloves again, and lubed his fingers heavily.
“Little discomfort, Kay. I’ll be as quick as I can.”
He inserted one finger in her irritated vagina, the other in her swollen anus and performed a quick bimanual exam. The answer was inevitable.
“What is it, Chase?”
“I’m not going to lie to you, Kay. You’re suffering from PID-pelvic inflammatory disease-which is quite possibly the result of an untreated STD.”
Kay broke out in tears anew. “Can it be cured, Chase?” Her shoulders shook uncontrollably. Stephanie wrapped her in a comforting hug.
“Hopefully, Kay. I’m praying we caught it in time. Are you allergic to anything?”
“Just bees. Nothing else that I know of,” she choked out.
“I’m going to give you a hefty shot of ceftriaxone and I’ll write you two scripts for doxycycline and metronidazole. Those you’ll need to take faithfully for ten days.”
“Please tell me that will clear it up, Chase?”
“I’m hoping so. Without labs and a swab it’s hard to tell with any certainty, but I’ve seen a lot of this over the years. But I’ll need to see you again after the ten days to make sure it’s cleared up. If you’re still uncomfortable about coming to the clinic, we’ll work something else out.” He gently eased her feet out of the stirrups.
“Now roll over to your side, Kay, and we’ll get the last unpleasantry done.”
Chase drew up the syringe from his backpack and rubbed an alcohol wipe over Kay’s quivering glut.
“Just breathe through your mouth, Kay. This is probably going to burn a little.”
Chase injected the contents of the syringe slowly to avoid causing her the burning rush when ceftriaxone was injected too quickly.
“Ouch, ouch, ouch,” Kay cried.
“Almost done, Sweetie. Just relax…And we’re done.”
“Un-fucking-believable,” Stephanie barked. “After all you’ve already been through, Kay, and now this parting gift a year later. I’m so very sorry, Sweetheart.” Now both women were in tears, hugging each other.
Chase was just angry. What kind of sick fuck did things like this? This poor woman, who probably never hurt a soul in her entire life, subjected to something so diabolically, disgustingly, unfathomable.
“Now. I’d suggest you get dressed quickly and we get out of here, Kay. No telling whether the squatter, or whoever was living here, will be coming back.
Steph helped Kay dress while Chase wrote the scripts, cleaned up and packed everything they’d used in an old plastic grocery bag he found on the counter. He readjusted the table in the position it was in when they arrived and tore the paper from it, stuffing it in the bag. He didn’t want to leave even a trace that they’d been there.
When Kay was dressed they shut off the lights, checked outside to ensure no one was lurking in the woods and rushed from the barn and back into the relative safety of the dense woods.
When they reached the culvert, Chase spoke.
“Here, Stephanie. If you’re absolutely, positively sure you still want to stay involved in this, knowing what the perils are, these are copies of all the bogus spreadsheets I have. All my notes are in the borders.”
“All of the past years budget files on the school’s server has been doctored. For reasons that are beginning to become very clear to me, I got locked out a few days into my first week-even IT couldn’t explain why. When I got back in, an entirely new set of budget sheets showed up. I arrived a week earlier than I was scheduled to. I think I caught them off guard. They hadn’t taken these sheets off of the system yet. It probably just slipped their minds. What’s on there now is all very textbook: all neat and tidy. And there’s a copy of the card Zeigler gave me for this accounting firm he wanted me to use on top.”
Stephanie read the business card copy by the light of her phone. “This accounting firm is owned by one of the alumni. He’s a big donor to the football program: Surprise-surprise,” Stephanie huffed. “They’re funneling school money into that club. I just know they are.”
All three stood in the scant moonlight and opened new, obscure email addresses and shared them with each other, putting them in their phones. They’d decided there would be no more communication between them over the school’s network; or openly on campus. This ugliness was getting bigger and bigger by the minute and it appeared no one could be trusted.
Chase walked the ladies to Stephanie’s car parked on a county road further down the river, his arm around the still shaking Kay’s shoulders.
“Kay, you and Stephanie need to keep your interactions public too. At least until we get to the bottom of this. Steer clear of accounting at all costs. Anyone who would do what they did to you will stop at nothing to cover up whatever’s going on here.”
“We’ve got that all figured out, Chase,” Stephanie said. He could tell she was badly shaken over the whole nightmare. “Who’d have thought anything like this could ever happen at a university of all places?”
“I’m utterly appalled at the lengths it appears to have gone to, Stephanie, but not totally surprised. Universities have big bucks flowing through them. Between tuition, sports, alumni contributions: it’s a veritable goldmine. And it appears that a group of our colleagues are sexual deviants who came together and decided to form a club where they could meet in secret and satisfy their twisted appetites.”
“I’m just sick. Physically sick.” Kay was still shaking.
“Kay, I’ll arrange through Steph to see you again in ten days somewhere off the radar to see how you’re progressing. Fill those scripts immediately and take them religiously.”
“I can’t thank you enough, Chase.” She reached through the open window, grabbed his face in both of her hands and pulled him down for a long kiss on his cheek.
“You girls watch your backs. Be very careful from now on. Don’t let your guard down for a second.”
“We won’t. We’ll be talking soon, Chase.” Stephanie hugged him tightly and they were off.
*****************************
Chase’s night got even worse-if that was even possible-when he got back to his house. The place had been viciously ransacked. And whoever broke in didn’t care what they destroyed in their quest.
Furniture overturned and cut open, his bed tossed, the mattress sliced. All his trophies shattered in the fireplace. It was a nightmare. As if Kay’s plight wasn’t enough to piss him off; this had him livid.
Chase was fuming. He stormed across the hall from his ravaged house to his office. That, too, had been rummaged through. Fortunately his drug cabinet was unharmed. What were they looking for? He didn’t keep any vast amount of money laying around. His next thought, given the shattered trophies was that the brick thrower, probably Nurse Jenny, was stepping up her game.
The answer came to him as clear as a bell. They were looking for the budget sheets.
He closed the blinds. Whoever did this was probably close by. They had to be watching him to know that he was out of the house. And they had to come in from the back. Anyone entering through the clinic would have been seen.
He lifted the head of his nearly destroyed exam table and unsnapped the underpinning. The originals were still there, entwined in the springs. He breathed a sigh of relief as he reached for his phone and called the check in desk; the only entrance unlocked at night.
“Hi, Alice. It’s Chase? Has anyone come down by way of my office tonight? I didn’t think so. Thanks, Alice. Night.”
His next call was to the campus police. He asked them to come in through his house entrance in the back.
“This is truly getting out of hand, Fellas,” he sighed, talking to the two cops who answered his call. They were the same two who escorted Nurse Jenny off campus. “This, I’m afraid, isn’t any hijinks.”
“Any idea of what they were looking for, Doc?”
“No. I don’t keep any money in here. My drug cabinet wasn’t touched. My wallet’s in my pocket, and I’m wearing my watch and Navy ring. I don’t see anything missing.”
Chase wasn’t letting on that he knew what the intruders were looking for. He was so mad he was afraid he’d blow a gasket and spill the beans. Until he had a better handle on the nightmare going on around him and a better idea of who he could trust, he was remaining mute.
“They were obviously looking for something. I’m sorry about what they did to your trophies, Doc. It’s not like you can just run out and get new ones.”
“No I can’t. Just like that brick shattering the window while I sat here: whoever the lowlife is that did this was is trying to thoroughly piss me off: and it’s working.”
“We’ll get to the bottom of this, Doc. Leave it to us. Just don’t go flying off the handle and doing anything foolish. In this place, you might hurt someone’s itty, bitty feelings and get sued for all you’re worth.”
“Chad!”
“No. That’s ok. We’re definitely in agreement on that point. I’ve been given the lowdown on the politically correct atmosphere around here,” Chase sighed. “And I’m not a subscriber to the current philosophy.”
“Thank God! There is some sanity on this psycho faculty.” Now they were all laughing.
The two men went around taking pictures and looking for fingerprints. While they worked, Chase went outside, out of earshot, and called his friend Jesse.
“Boy, if it were anyone but you waking me up, I’d cut your balls off. I was just banging Sandra Bullock, doggie style in the sweetest dream,” he laughed.
“You’d better delve a little deeper into the Freud books, Shrink,” Chase laughed. “And I wouldn’t have called this late if it wasn’t important, Bud. I’ve got a very dear friend in a very precarious position. She could really use your help…” He went on to briefly explain Kay’s situation to his longtime friend.
“Je-sus, Chase! What the fuck have you gotten yourself into over there, Boy?”
“I’m still trying to figure that out, Jess. And her seeing you has to be as covert as you can make it.”
“Not a problem, Buddy. I ain’t sker’t. Give me her number.”
Jesse promised to call Kay first thing in the morning and make arrangements to see her first thing in the morning. They chatted for a while about old times with a promise to meet in a couple of days for a few beers.
He hung up and texted Steph to relay that their friend should be expecting a call from Jess in the morning.
He no sooner put his phone back in his pocket when it started to ring.
“Oh, Chase! Thank God! I’ve been worried sick about you!”
“I’m fine, Abby. It’s just been one of those nights. My house was ransacked while I was out.”
“Oh my God, Chase! You throw together a bag right now and get over here. They may come back.”
“If they do, they’ll be sorry. They’ll see a side of Chase they didn’t know I was capable of. Don’t worry. Everything’s fine, Sweetie. Pucker up. I’ll be there in a little bit.”
“Doc, and we’ll keep this on the QT, but did you have any guns in here?”
“Shit!!” Chase cursed, running to the guest room.
The lock was jimmied on his footlocker. All his Navy paperwork, commendations, the works torn to shreds. Worst yet, his guns were gone. Only the ammo remained.
“I did. They’re gone.”
“It’s illegal to have guns on campus, Doc. But don’t sweat it. We’ll just leave the guns out of our report. Anyone who doesn’t have one these days is nuts.”
“There were four of them. Shit!”
“Oh man. That sucks!” The big cop was shaking his head sadly.
“I’ll say it sucks. And I guess I won’t be able to claim them on my insurance either.”
“Not unless you want to deal with the heat from the ivory towers. These eggheads piss their pants at the mere mention of guns. And if one of those guns should show up on campus, you may not want to be associated with it, Doc.”
“I guess I’ll have to eat it. I don’t need to make any more enemies.” What he wanted to say was that he didn’t want to give Zeigler any excuse to revive his fire Chase campaign.
“Well whoever did this was wearing gloves,” the second cop sighed, rising from the fireplace. We’ll check the prints we’ve lifted, but they’re probably all yours, Doc.”
“Surprise, surprise.”
“Muay Thai, huh? That’s the kickboxing sport, right?” The cop was holding up one of the plaques from the shattered trophies.
“Yeah. I’ve been training for years.”
“I guess the scumbag that broke in here is lucky you weren’t home, huh? I’m so sorry about this, Doc. We see break-ins in the dorms all the time, but it’s usually to steal drugs or money. Given that your drug cabinet was untouched, and only the guns were stolen, this one is a whole lot more than that. They were looking for something.”
“I’ll say,” Chase said, keeping his secret. More than you know,” he thought.
“Trust me, Doc. We’re all over this. We’ll find out what’s going on.”
“I’m Mac, by the way. Don MacBurney. And this is Chad Morgan.” Chase shook their hands.
“If we turn up anything, we’ll let you know right away. And if you think of anything else that might help us figure this out, call us right away.” He handed Chase his card. Chase took it and slid into his wallet.
“I will. And thanks, Guys. I appreciate it.”
“That’s what we’re here for, Doc. It’s just a shame. They finally get someone in this clinic who’s worth a shit and this is how they treat you?”
“Someone’s obviously not happy about my appointment to this job.” He shook their hands again and waved them off.
Once they left, Chase pulled the originals from his exam table, copied them again, and replaced the originals-this time removing the screws from the foot of the table, burying the copies deep between the layers of padding, then resecured it to the table. He quickly slid the copies into a mailing folder and addressed it to Jess-along with a note about what to do with the papers and who to contact if anything happened to him. After seeing what poor Kay was going through, he was completely determined to get to the bottom of this at any cost. Flashes of those disgusting pictures of Kay kept running through his mind, angering him further. That poor, violated, tormented woman.
When he looked amid the utter devastation of his home and office, he was so worked up he forgot to pack any clothes. He just grabbed his backpack in disgust and left.
Once he hit the street outside the campus gate, he dropped the envelope in a mailbox on Pearlman Road and headed for Abby’s. After the night he’d had, a night with that little punkin was just what he needed.