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

CHAPTER SEVEN

Pete, despite the drink, maneuvered his long black Cadillac skillfully through the streets of Tijuana and out on the other side of the city. They had left the pavement and were following a dirt road to a large Spanish style hacienda. It showed up clearly, in the moonlight that flooded Baja California, even though it was still over a half a mile away.

The Martinis, wine, and black Russians left a comfortable glow on Ann. The black Russians in particular were delicious after dinner. It was a new drink that Pete had picked up somewhere and consisted of half vodka and half Kahlua.

Ann was at peace with the world. She hadn't minded when Carlos, had put his arm over the back of the seat and gradually let it down to rest across her shoulders.

On one bump he let his hand slip down cupping her left breast, but she had quickly moved to keep it away, not certain if it had been an accident or not. It did bother her, and the uncomfortable feeling she experienced at the bullfight returned again.

Strange, she though, what one contact with her first man in six months did to her. She could feel the nipple of her breast leap erect when he touched it and she was sure he felt the reaction as he nestled her just a little closer and more confidently immediately afterwards.

His leg pressed tightly against her thigh was also disquieting, and she tried to squirm away but he had followed her with each move she made. She didn't like the feeling this close contact with a man aroused and had started to push him away but had seen Julia slide next to Pete in the front seat and rest her head on his shoulder. His arm was around her and his hand was obviously somewhere in front. It hung over Julia's shoulder and Julia was enjoying it. Her head moved against him, kissing his ears and neck teasingly. Ann had been watching this little love-play too intently to completely ward off Carlos' innocent little advances. When the car finally pulled up to a large iron gate, Pete blinked his lights and the guard opened it.

"Buenos Noches, Senor Robinson," the guard smiled, waving them through.

"Buenos Noches," Pete responded; wheeled the car into the court-yard.

Ann was surprised; there must have been twenty cars parked inside and not a light anywhere. When they got out she could hear music coming from inside, the only indication, other than the gate guard, that anyone else was present.

Pete guided them to a large oaken door which was opened to them by a short, fat, obscene-looking Mexican in a tuxedo. Pete handed him two crisp one hundred dollar bills. Ann blinked in astonishment; she had never heard of a night club costing a hundred dollars a couple. Her misgivings arose again but she squelched them as they entered the large salon and bar. She was determined to show Julia that she wasn't a child and could be a good sport as well as Julia could.

It was the most lavishly decorated room Ann had seen; done in red velvet and gold embroidery from ceiling to floor. Long low couches were arranged in a broad semi-circle that faced a stage.

Most of the men present were middle-aged and obviously wealthy. Most of the women were quite beautiful and much younger than their escorts. They were exquisitely dressed. Ann was certain they couldn't be the wives of these men.

She also noticed several middle-aged women with handsome young Mexicans. She doubted these were their husbands. Whatever their reasons for being here, it was certainly a pretty exclusive and elite group.

"Put us close to the back tonight, will you Ramon?" Pete asked the short Mexican who had ushered them in. "We've got a new girl with us and I don't want her crawling up on the stage and interrupting the performance." He winked at Ann and for the first time she detected a certain lewdness not apparent before. She hoped she hadn't gotten in over her head – but thought nothing can happen to me here – not with all these people around.

If it got too rough she could always demand they call a taxi and send her back to the hotel. The logic soothed her and she followed Julia as Ramon led them to one of the large couches in the rear.

Two silver buckets of iced champagne were ready. Ramon popped the corks and poured them each a bubbling glass.

"Well, here's to a good evening, kiddos," Pete toasted, raising his glass to them. "Let's hope we get our money's worth tonight."

Ann tipped her glass up with the others and the cool bubbly liquid felt wonderful going down. She loved champagne but on Dave's Navy pay they had never been able to afford it except on very special occasions.

Ann noticed she was getting the most covetous glances from the men. She felt Julia didn't like this and caught her jealous glances when the men looked at Ann rather than her. Ann didn't want to offend Julia but her vanity was pleased with this attention. She was glad to have some small triumph over Julia because Julia made her feel so immature in other ways.

Ann had begun to recover from the drinks at dinner during the ride but the first two glasses of champagne again relaxed her inhibitions. She found herself laughing again at Pete's and Carlos' jokes. Ann wished that she spoke Spanish and could communicate better with Carlos. He seemed such an interesting person now that she knew him better.

She still didn't know what business they were in but assumed it must involve trade between California and Mexico. Pete had mentioned he handled the Los Angeles operation, and Carlos handled Mexico but had never really specified what it was. It was none of her business, she decided; she would never see them again so what difference did it make? She did gather that Julia had met Pete on one of her Tijuana trips and they had been out with mutual friends from L.A. It all seemed innocent enough. Ann didn't feel it was her place to question it. The champagne continued to flow and Ramon replaced the two empty bottles with new ones. Ann liked the sound of the cork popping and found herself giggling from the bubbles tickling her nose. She was having fun trying to carry on a conversation with Carlos, half talk and half sign language. She had never met anyone who couldn't speak English fluently and being in another country in such an exclusive private club was exciting.

Ann was thoroughly enjoying herself, but beginning to wonder when they were going to see this great strip-tease show they had been talking about. She had to admit to herself she was anticipating it and it shouldn't be like that shoddy thing she and Dave had seen. Not with this kind of crowd. She would bet it would be beautifully staged like shows she had heard about in Las Vegas. It had to be for the price. As if reading her thoughts, Ramon suddenly appeared on the stage holding his hands up for silence.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he repeated several times until the conversation stilled among the forty or so people present. "We have a special treat for you tonight," Ramon continued as people began to return to their assigned couches from the bar and conversational groups. "We have just received our first summer shipment of hashish from the Middle-East. The boys have spent all afternoon preparing it and there is ample for everyone. Please be seated while we pass it among you. The show will begin in fifteen minutes."

There was a murmur of delight and within minutes all had returned to their seats. The waiters, in white uniforms, were putting small trays of thin brown cigarettes on the tables.

Pete picked one out of the tray and smelled it from end to end, critically.

"Boy," he said admiringly, "this is the real stuff."

"What on earth is it?" Ann whispered to Julia next to her. She didn't want to show her ignorance after the mistake at dinner.

"Oh, nothing but a strong cigarette," Julia reassured her. "Just take the first few puffs slowly so you won't choke."

"Is it safe, I-I mean – it doesn't make you not know what you're doing, does it?"

"No, of course not," Julia answered impatiently. "Just try a few drags and if you don't like it, stop."

"All right," Ann answered hesitantly. She had heard about marijuana at wild parties but didn't know what hashish was. Not wanting to appear a prude, she bravely took the lit cigarette Carlos offered her.

"Slowly, slowly," Carlos instructed in his broken English as he took a drag from one. Ann watched him and inhaled very gently. It had a strange but not unpleasant taste. She inhaled deeper on the next puff and held it down a few seconds at Carlos' instructions before exhaling.

After three or four inhalations, Ann could hardly feel it going down, it was so smooth. She watched Julia holding her breath as long as she could and then took a deep drag herself holding it deep until she just had to exhale.

"I don't feel a thing," she said in a voice that didn't seem to be hers. She looked at Carlos and Julia on either side of her and they suddenly looked miles away. "Do you feel anything?"

"Yes, darling, I feel the world," Julia answered. It seemed a logical answer and suddenly Ann did too. She had never felt the world before, how strange. She liked the taste it was leaving with her… it was a slight bite at first, that gradually changed into an unimaginable softness. The longer the smoke was held down the softer she felt. Ann noticed the lights dimming around them until the great room was in complete darkness…

She could feel the pressure of Carlos' leg against he thigh but the thin, brown cigarette had dulled her fears of anything. It felt good and she returned the pressure slightly to let him know she didn't mind and that she was his friend… she didn't mind anything now with the delicious warmth of the cigarette in her… she could feel it tingling deep inside… deeper than she had ever felt anything in her life…