"The blackmailed wife" - читать интересную книгу автора (Jensen Peter)

CHAPTER SIX

"Mmmmm," Ann smiled, "This Martini is heavenly. I'm glad you talked me into having one."

The two girls were sitting at the Patio Lounge out by the pool. The cool breeze blowing through the garden was refreshing after the hot, dusty afternoon in the Plaza de Toros. Ann felt absolutely in heaven. It had been a perfect day. She was ravenously hungry, which was a good indication of the elation she felt.

"Roberto mixes the best Martini this side of the border," Julia said.

"They're a bit stronger than Daiquiris, I must say," Ann said, grimacing in jest after a sip. "I think I might get to like them, they make my toes tingle," she giggled.

"Well, don't let them tingle too much just yet," Julia said suddenly, looking over behind Ann's shoulder. "I think we may have a heavy date for the evening."

Ann looked around at the two men who had just entered the lounge. They appeared to be in their late thirties or early forties and not too bad-looking.

"Julia, you don't mean you're going to pick them up?" Ann said, shocked at the thought.

"Don't be silly, Ann," Julia chided. "I know one of them. We can get them to take us out to dinner and dancing. You know we don't dare go anywhere in this town alone at night."

"But we're both married women. We can't do that!" she protested, "what if we see someone we know?"

"Oh for heavens sakes, Ann, no one we know is down here," Julia admonished. "Pete's a nice guy I've known for years and the best protection we can have. Remember, we're here to see the sights and we can't sitting in this dead hotel."

Before Ann could protest further, Julia waved the two men over to the table.

"Well, hello doll, what are you doing here?" the ruddy-faced man of about forty bubbled to Julia.

"Same as you, Pete, trying to relax for a weekend," Julia answered, smiling and extending her hand. "Sit down and join us."

"Sure thing, we'd love to," Pete said elated. "I'd like you to meet my friend Carlos. He handles my business here in Tijuana."

"How do you do, Carlos," Julia said and introduced Ann to them.

From a distance both had looked rather nice, but up closer, Ann had her doubts. The one Julia called Pete, appeared a type likely to be in some illegal business. Carlos was too good looking, in fact, almost perfectly so. He wore heavy cologne that didn't seem quite masculine to Ann. Something about him was not trustworthy though Ann couldn't spot it. She supposed if Julia knew them, it was all right. Ann thought she'd probably been seeing too many old gangster movies on television lately.

Carlos sat by Ann and his heavy cologne surrounded her – obviously he spoke little English which made her uneasy.

"Hey there buddy," Pete said, thickly, "I think you've hit the jackpot tonight. Where'd you come from honey?"

"Don't mind Pete," Julia broke in, "he's always popping off. You be easy on Ann, Pete, she's a lonely Navy wife too, and it's hands off."

"I was just being friendly," Pete feigned mock indignation. "I wouldn't want to scare the little girl."

"Don't worry," Ann said bravely, not wanting to embarrass Julia with her innocence, "I've been around a bit."

Pete's remark irked her. She was tired of being treated as a babe in arms. She knew Julia was older and a great deal more experienced but this didn't justify what she was doing. She could take care of herself.

"Well, Carlos and I have been invited to a party tonight that is a party and no kids allowed. Are you chicks game?"

"Well, I'm for good, clean fun, but Ann likes to go to bed early," Julia chided.

Ann was infuriated at this. The third Martini had gone to her head a bit. Julia was treating her like a three year old and she was sick of it.

"Why, I'd love to go," she said decisively. "We're here for a good time aren't we?"

Underneath, she felt perhaps she shouldn't have spoken so soon, but it was too late now. She had committed herself and couldn't back down.

"Okay, let's move it then, I'm hungry," Pete said. "We're late already."

They had a delicious dinner at a lovely Spanish restaurant outside Tijuana that served the most wonderful lobster Ann had ever tasted. More Martinis had preceded dinner, and then two bottles of Chablis with the meal that was delightful.

By the time the after-dinner coffee arrived with black Russians, Ann was feeling absolutely in heaven. It gave her a wicked and worldly feeling to be out with another man – even though it wasn't really a date. They were friends of Julia. Maybe she would even write Dave about it, she mused, it might make him jealous and write more often.

Pete turned out to be all right. He was funny and kept them laughing at his off-color jokes. Ann found herself blushing at some of them. She'd never heard such language in mixed company before, but laughed as hard as any to be a good sport.

Carlos was nice also. He danced divinely, though he held her a little tight and several times the slight pressure of his hand was where it shouldn't be – but this just added to the wickedness. She knew it couldn't go farther if she didn't let him get her into a compromising position.

If Dave didn't think enough of her to return her daily reminders of her love, then perhaps she deserved an innocent diversion like this. Julia had said the boys had always had a good time when they were fighting a war and not to think that Dave was lying around, moping on the carrier when they went into Hong Kong or Manila.

"Why, he's probably balling everything he can, like all the others do," Julia had teased.

Ann had scoffed at first, until the time began to grow between his writing, and she happened to remember his trips across the border before they were married. If he could be unfaithful while they were engaged, why not while they were married?

The suspicion had begun during the last several weeks. Well, she would have herself a time this weekend and worry about it again Monday morning back in San Diego.

"You girls are really going to get a treat tonight," Pete was saying as she returned to the conversation, "we're taking you out to the circus."

"To the circus!" Ann blurted in surprise. "Don't tell me they keep them open this late?"

The men burst into laughter and she blushed as she realized she had committed some kind of "faux pas" but didn't have an idea what it was. Julia looked amused but didn't laugh with them. "You boys leave Ann alone, I told you she was innocent and I don't think it's fair for you to make fun of her."

"Haven't you ever seen a strip show, honey?" Pete asked, laughing under his breath.

"Why, of course I have," Ann answered defensively. She remembered seeing one with Dave in Los Angeles before they were married but had thought them disgusting. "I enjoy a good one," she lied to make up for her prior error.

"Good girl," Pete said. "We wouldn't want to sit through one of those things without some good female company. Would we Carlos?"

Carlos nodded in agreement, and after the men paid the bill, they left and headed back to the city.