Minerva's Ghost (14 page)

Chapter 7

Across town at the club, Martha stepped into Heather’s office. “Hi, Honey. “ Heather met her with a smile.

Meeting Martha had changed her life. The rage and anger she felt over her life and frustrations did not frighten Martha. Martha never said don’t do this and don’t do that, She was incredibly dependable and did all she could to make her happy. No one in her life had ever treated her as well. She closed the door and took her first female lover in her arms and kissed her passionately. Martha was an extraordinarily good lover for such an unattractive person, far better than cruel Rory who liked to hurt her. Martha was shaped like a woman, small breasted, tiny waist and big hips, but Heather was in love and passionately fond of her. She reached for Martha’s buttons and had her out of the ugly dress in moments.

“Lock the door.” Martha said. Heather did as she asked and pulled her toward the wide sofa where she had taken many lovers who gave her no pleasure and ruined her reputation. She had looked for love in all the wrong places and only had a job because she been with all the club officers at one time or another. None of them dared fire her. With Martha she never had to pretend or hide behind a social face. She never urged her to control herself or to ‘be nice’. Martha actually liked her nasty and she had given her the first orgasm she hadn’t had to fake.

She stripped herself in a hurry. She was tall and lean and beautiful in a blond, elegant way. Her generous pale breasts beaded in arousal and they sank together onto the sofa. She was already wet when Martha touched her at last. She touched Martha reverently with her hands, laving her body with her tongue as Martha did the same for her.  

Their legs tangled together as they kissed passionately, delaying their pleasure as long as they dared. Martha rose above her flushed face and pinched her nipples firmly. She worked her way down her needy body biting her lightly until she licked her between her legs. She turned her self and her soaked pussy came near enough so that Heather could tongue her simultaneously. She loved how she felt, how much she turned her on. She felt so daring and free even with the chance they could be caught. The chance pushed her over the edge and she began coming, burying her face in Martha’s crotch to smother her cries.

Martha hadn’t come. She liked a dildo, a penis but not men. Heather stood up and got it from her desk. She turned back to her lover and strapped it on over her hips and swaggered to the sofa. Martha liked a little swagger. Heather wondered about her history. She had told her lover all, but Martha shared little of herself…nothing actually. Martha had her legs spread wide, holding her ankles. She was incredibly flexible and muscular undressed. Heather mounted her and held her by her waist as she began to work the dildo in her. It was hard work for a woman. She wondered how men did it. She took her thumb and forefinger and began to stroke Martha’s prominent clit. As fast as she could manage, she continued to make love to Martha until the smaller woman convulsed in her arms.

She was ready now for business. They’re relationship had little emotion in it. It mostly ran on a mutual desire for vengeance.

“Has your dad taken care of the will?” Heather asked.

“It’s been written. We’ll make the signatures happen however we have to,” Martha said. “Dad’s getting harder and harder to control. He’s our biggest weakness. We may have to get him out of the way sooner than we planned.”

“I know we can handle whatever has to be done.  When do you want to take out my mother?” She sounded unconcerned, but Heather hated her mother, hated listening to her whine and bitch, hated watching her make a fool of herself chasing Aaron. She and Martha shared that at least. They both hated one parent and considered the other parent irrelevant. Tom had written his own death warrant when he made himself Amanda’s heir. Gena thought she had enough control over Heather to make her do whatever she wanted. She was completely unaware that her daughter had learned to fashion her own dastardly plots. Heather’s habitual silence looked like her childhood obedience to her self involved, abusive mother. But she was no longer a frightened child.  

Martha and Heather had fashioned a partnership more than a relationship. It was based on the acquisitive and amoral, but still it meant the possibility that they might wrest from an uncaring world their hearts’ desires.

Martha cared for her, though she never said so. Martha did for her, did specific things that helped her every day. She had certainly helped her more than her own family. Michael had no time for her. Rory and Pete were the bane of her existence, and her mother was worse. Her father and stepfather were meaningless, good for little or nothing. Her sex partners were only interested in her below the neck, while she was desperate and emotionally needy. Martha was the only person in her life that was dependable and really seemed to care and showed it.

“Amanda and Michael refused to take the company public. “ Martha told her bluntly.

“Oh, no.” Heather said. “I thought with Minnie gone they would jump at the chance to get free of the company and yet keep their income.”

“They don’t seem open to changing anything, actually.” Martha said as she hitched her dowdy dress back into place. “Neither of them seem like they want a life. Michael and Allison are sticking close to each other, and getting romantic. Minnie hired a consultant to help with the transition, like she knew she wouldn’t be here for long. She’s still controlling all of us. If I can get my father to cooperate, we can get Rory to eliminate Amanda and do whatever we want. Michael won’t fight us, he’s such a wuss.”

“We don’t need to do anything to Michael, do we? He’s the only one of my brothers who’s a decent human being.”

“Your mother will handle Michael ”, Martha said. “She loves to manipulate him. She even seems to enjoy hurting him.”

“We’ve laid the ground work. Everyone is either implicated or afraid of being implicated. They can’t risk our displeasure without screwing up their own lives. They’re all in checkmate.” Heather loved it, felt drunk with the power to manipulate people who had hurt her and let her down. “Kiss me goodbye,” she told Martha.

Martha did and then went to Tom Martin’s home.

Tom opened the door and walked back to his library without a word.

“You need to calm down, ” she told the old man.

“I should never have gotten involved with your schemes. You murdered the woman I love.” Tom said it bitterly.

“You’re in too deep, you idiot. You were in on the conspiracy, premeditated murder. I know you’re upset but Minnie had to die. I intended it from the beginning.” Martha told him. 

“You never told me you intended to kill her,” Tom said. “I just wanted her to have time for me…time to love me.”

“I know that’s what you wanted, Dad, but, you know… I really don’t care about your wants. You certainly never cared about Mom and I. You didn’t even care about Tom, Jr. As far as I’m concerned you got what you deserved.”

“I’ll tell,” Tom threatened.

“You’ll go down with us then, you old fool. We’re all at risk. If you won’t do what I tell you, I’ll tell the police you killed Minnie.” Martha seemed happy with the prospect. Tom knew she wouldn’t hesitate to implicate him. His daughter, the child he’d never acknowledged, was ruthless.

He looked into space, seeing Minnie, hearing her voice. She had known all his secrets and never breathed a word to anyone. “You plotted to steal the control of my business first from me and then my heirs.” It was her voice he heard, not Martha telling him what she wanted him to do. He’d known it was over when Gabe and Amanda left with the copy of the will he tried to sneak by them.

He’d thought if Minnie no longer controlled the business, she would agree to be his. Again he saw her, heard her. “No, you old fool. I would never have married you. You know nothing of love. By being so controlling you’ve screwed up all your chances for relationships. You broke your own heart.”

It was true. He knew it. Minnie had warned him time and again, but he’d never listened.

Martha talked on, sure of his attention. “The key is Michael. If we can get him to cooperate and Amanda is out of the picture, we’ll have control over the majority of the stock. We have enough money now to control things. ”

He heard Minnie again through all the pain and guilt. “Michael won’t cooperate with you, any of you. He’s figured it out already. He can hear me, too. I won’t rest until I stop you. I’ll never go away.”

Martha finally stopped nagging him and went out to Gena’s. She didn’t pay any attention to the nondescript rental car that followed her from his house.

Tom watched Minnie walk toward him. She glowed with golden light, her chin lifted in the same stubborn defiance he remembered. His heart squeezed in his chest and he fought feebly for breath. “Rest, you silly man.” Minnie said affectionately. He immediately felt better, less guilty. He’d never intended her to be hurt and Minnie was not one to hold a grudge. The stroke that rolled through his brain ended his career ignominiously, but shielded him from prosecution.

Back at Au Natural Gabe got up and followed Amanda into the washroom. He couldn’t keep his mind on business around her. She was sitting on the edge of the sink with her legs spread splashing soap and water between her legs. It was a great view for him. She watched him watch her and started being less business like and more provocative. She loved watching him get turned on looking at her. He was a sensual man, well attuned to her nature. He was still naked and he arose to the occasion. His face and shoulders flushed darker as his organ got harder.

“I want you to take all these clothes off,” he told her. It suited her to comply with his wishes. He held her to balance her on the edge of the little sink as she stripped her blouse and skirt over her head. He bent and licked her nipples as he disposed of her bra and garter and stockings. Her clothing hit the floor…somewhere… Neither of them cared where.

She stroked his hardness and rubbed it between her own legs, stimulating herself on him and him, too. He wrapped his big hands around her hips and pushed when she had him positioned like she wanted him. Neither of them thought of a rubber. They kissed each other, passionate, open-mouthed kisses that turned to full body contact as they struggled to have every inch of themselves touching. Her nipples were rock hard against his hairy, hard chest. She wrapped her legs around him and rode him until she felt the pleasure growing to an unbearable heat between them. He was pounding into her and twisting deep in each thrust at her perfect spot. His fingers strayed to her back crack and gave her a really arousing tickle, throwing her into ecstasy so sharp she nearly fainted. His cell phone was ringing as he came in her uncovered. He was still coming when he wrenched out of her and reached for it. Even though she knew he’d had to do it…not quite coitus interruptus… but close enough, she vowed she would get the bad guys who were spoiling their fun.

Chapter 8

Martha drove to Gena’s with no idea that their plans were unraveling. She had various blackmail schemes in place that she was convinced had people under her absolute control. Then she heard one of those little Minnie whispers that gave her goose bumps. “There’s just one little problem with blackmail. There is always someone who will look you in the eye and say, ‘Fuck you. Do your worst.’” It had the ring of truth, but she forced the thought away.

Gena ran from the house as she drove up. She was screaming. “My boys, my boys. They’re both at the ER. Michael called! I have to go now!”

Martha grabbed her and asked, “What are you talking about?”

“My boys have been in an accident. I sent them after Allison like you said. Something went wrong. I have to get there. Aaron will never forgive me.”

“You stupid bitch,” Martha said. “Aaron doesn’t give a damn about you or those boys.”

“If I’d been able to get the money he would have come back to us,” Gena said hysterically. “It was all for him. I know he would have come back.”

She tore free of Martha, jumped into her own car and headed for the hospital. Martha followed and never noticed Reese when she passed his rental.

Scooby followed as soon as the street cleared. Both men called Gabe, interrupting he and Amanda in their executive washroom adventure. He called Heidi and asked, “Flash a badge at Heather and get her to the hospital now ASAP. Tell her it’s her brothers and Gena will meet her there. Can you handle it alone?”