Now Wouldn't You Like to Know (19 page)

“Speaking of finding Jack, I have a plan but I need your help as well as your participation. I know it’s a lot to ask after what you went through Diana. But I think we can end this madness tonight if we play our cards right.”

“So, what’s your plan?”

“First of all, do you feel you are up to participating in what I have in mind?”

“Sheldon, I don’t know what you have in mind but I will do whatever it takes to see Jack’s ass put behind bars.”

“Good,” I sighed. “All I need for you to do is take a ride with me and Mike tonight and make one phone call.”

“To Jack, I suppose,” she said.

“Yes.”

I went on to tell her the remainder of my plan. Afterwards, she showered and dressed while I put on two T-bone steaks, some thick seasoned fries, and made a garden salad. By the time she had finished dressing, the place smelled like a Texas grilled steak house. The steaks had been marinating since I left the apartment earlier to go over to Mike’s place. I wanted them to be tender and juicy since her lip and mouth were slightly sore. I cut her salad items much smaller than I normally did for the same reasons.

Sitting down, we ate a candlelight dinner and drank a small glass of wine. She was still on pain pills so her portion of wine was much smaller than mine.

I made a phone call, cleaned up the kitchen, and put on a movie for Diana while we awaited Mike’s arrival. My cousin showed up an hour and half later, just as the movie was ending.

We offered him a choice of red wine or a cold can of beer. He chose the Coors beer. Sitting at the table, the three of us went over my well thought out plan.

Chapter 19

We
left around 11:00PM in Diana’s Mercedes. We were headed over to Jack’s favorite watering hole. Once there we parked about a half block down from the entrance to the tavern. Diana was breathing hard but not from fear. When I inquired about what seemed to be a bad case of nerves to me, she told me that she was just excited about finally having an opportunity to put an end to Jack’s abusive ways. It was during this time that I had Diana take her excitement down a notch and initiate phase one of my plan. I had her call Jack and entice him to come over to the tavern to meet with her.

“Hello,” she said into the phone. “Jack this is Diana. You know you hurt me pretty bad and you owe me an explanation why you went off on me like that. You say you’ve wanted to talk to me. Well, I haven’t heard anything from you,” she said as she gripped her hand as though she was holding an invisible glass. Titling her head back she brought her free hand to her mouth as if she was about to drink something. I understood right then that she was letting us know that Jack had been drinking.

“Look Jack, I want to talk to you. No, not at my place. The cops are probably keeping an eye on my house in hopes that you might try to see me again. Where? I thought I’d meet you at your favorite watering hole. Matter of fact, I am already here. Besides, there are two very handsome looking men who have been eyeing me ever since I arrived here, so you had better not keep me waiting Jack. Okay. See you in a little bit.”

Mike and I chuckled quietly when we heard that part of her conversation. Leaning back in our car seats, we waited patiently.

Ten minutes after the call I had Diana walk to the entrance to wait on Jack’s arrival. I didn’t want him to see her in her car with Mike and I, even though the windows were dark tinted.

Diana was wearing a short dark purple leather jacket, a purple blouse with ruffles, and a black form fitting skirt and black stockings. Her swollen lips had gone down considerably and her bruised look as well. With makeup, she was able to disguise what was left of the bruise near her eye.

From my distant perch, I watched everybody who approached the entrance of the busy club and everyman who showed the slightest interest in Diana. In such cases I had suggested that she tell curious and interested pursuers that she was waiting on her fiancée who played tackle for the Minnesota Vikings. That would be enough to redirect their interest elsewhere, I felt. And it seemed to work since no man who had approached her talked to her more than a minute or so. To my surprise, she was hit on twice by two dike looking women. She sent them on their way as well.

A short while later, and to my delight, Jack appeared. Walking down the block, his hands in his pockets and his jacket collar up around his neck area, he appeared to survey the area more the closer he got to the entrance of the tavern. His hair looked slightly disheveled and his face unshaven again.

Reaching down into my carryon bag, I pulled out my binoculars. I wanted to make sure he wasn’t carrying any hidden or obvious weapons on his person. With the binoculars in hand, and at eye level, I scanned every inch of his body.

I watched anxiously as he spotted Diana and paused in front of her. As she had indicated, he looked slightly inebriated. He just couldn’t seem to steady himself for long. Before he began to talk to her at length, he darted his eyes around the area before returning his gaze to her. Apparently feeling safe, he began to talk as he rubbed his hands. It was a tab cold outside. Though I had not seen any evidence of a weapon, Mike and I remained at the ready. In a short while his gestures became more animated and his facial expressions grew more agitated. I felt like aborting the plan and getting her out of harm’s way. But I decided to wait a while longer. Whatever had set him off; she seemed to have found a way to calm him down. But less than a minute later he was pointing his finger at her in a menacing manner. And then the unlikely happened.

Not believing my eyes, Mike and I exited the car and sprinted towards Diana. That asshole had just pimp slapped her across the face causing her to tumble down to the ground. He immediately took off running once he saw our approach. I stopped to assist Diana while Mike went after Jack. A second after my arrival, two other women came to Diana’s aide. I asked her if she was all right and she signaled to me that she was so I told her I’d be right back, then I took off to hunt down Jack.

Rounding the corner where I last saw Mike go, I came face to face with bright red and blue blinking lights from one Sheriff’s Office cruiser and two unmarked cars. Mike was standing nearby watching as law enforcement was handcuffing Jack. Walking over to him, I punched him square in the face, probably breaking his nose.

“How do you like getting a taste of your own medicine, cowboy?” I leered. “I told you the last time to leave Diana alone.”

“I’m going to have you arrested and not only that, I’m going to sue your Black ass for hitting me and breaking my nose,” he threatened. “You all saw him hit me and while my hands were cuffed.”

One by one the officers denied seeing anything other than Jack tripping while running and hitting his nose on the sidewalk. Realizing his predicament, he shook his head and said, “Oh, so that’s how it’s going to be, huh.”

With that, they hauled him off while he yelled something about him having certain rights.

One of the detectives, whom had visited Diana in the hospital, and whom I had called earlier in the evening, approached me.

“I’m Detective Rawlings,” he said introducing himself. “You must be Mr. Sheldon Pierce.”

“Yes, I am,” I said shaking the detective’s hand.

“Oh, I could tell by the way you decked that sonavabitch,” he said chuckling. “I just wanted to thank you for the call earlier this evening about your plan. Honestly, I really didn’t think he’d fall for it but he did. And that’s a good thing.”

“I just didn’t think he could resist seeing Diana again, that’s why I thought it might work.”

“Well, just the same, we got another bad apple off of the street tonight. He’s wanted in two other counties on domestic violence going back two years. He’s college educated and all but remains one sick bastard. We’ll be in touch with you and Ms. Diana Cannon if we need any additional information.”

“Thank you Detective Rawlings,” I said.

“Oh, by the way, we have a paramedic en route to see if Ms. Cannon needs further medical attention. She’s a brave woman.”

“Yes, I know,” I said.

Once the EMI personnel arrived on scene, they treated Diana for an additional bruise but did not feel she needed to go to the hospital.

Within five minutes, Diana, Mike, and I were on our way to a Denny’s Restaurant for dessert. We were there for about an hour before we returned to Diana’s place. Mike crashed on the sofa while Diana and I retired to her bedroom. It had been a long day and we both needed rest. It was after 1:30AM in the morning.

When I woke up hours later Diana was up and about. Mike had already left for home. Rising out of bed, I could smell the aroma of bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, home fries, and grits. I smiled. It had been a while since I last enjoyed a delicious and authentic country breakfast. And I was ready for one right now.

After breakfast I rinsed then placed the dishes in the dishwasher and cleaned the table and kitchen counter area. Diana insisted on helping me. When we were through we retreated to the living room and sat down on the sofa.

“God, I’m so glad that this ordeal is over with,” she said sighing. I watched as her head fell back on the cushion and she closed her eyes. I drew closer to her and placed my arm around her.

“That’s two of us,” I added, planting a kiss on her temple.

“You know, I’m already missing you Sheldon.”

“Try not to think about it, babe. We’ve still have a few more hours before I have to head out to the airport.”

“I know but I can’t help it.”

“Look, everything will be all right.”

“I imagine so.”

“Believe so,” I said pointedly.

“I believe so,” she came back wearing a lovely smile.

“Listen, I have no doubt you’ll be able to transfer up north. Just stay positive and everything will work itself out, okay?”

“Okay Sheldon,” she replied.

“You know, you’re quite an attractive young lady.”

“Why thank you, sir. And you’re quite a handsome young man,” she replied, gazing up at me with those dreamy eyes of hers and that warm friendly smile of hers.

As though pulled by a powerful magnetic force, I leaned toward her. Diana sat up and met me halfway. For her efforts, I gave her one light kiss, then another, then another. Her lips had returned to their natural look, though her eye remained slightly bruised. Diana closed her eyes as my tongue traced a fiery trail along her bottom lip before tasting the inside of her mouth. My gentle probing continued until we both moaned softly.

Diana gasped when I kissed her neck and then her cheek and then her lips again. I wanted to kiss her everywhere. She obviously had a few places in mind for me. Undoing the top five buttons of her blouse, she opened it wide enough to expose her cleavage before titling her head back on the cushion. I opened her blouse the rest of the way and slid her bra downward and in the process exposing her swollen nipples. Bending down, I eagerly nuzzled the soft mounds of exposed flesh above the dark blue lace bra. By now the two of us were breathing heavy.

I spent the remainder of the day pampering Diana. She had done so much the night before that contributed greatly towards my peace of mind, especially having been released from the hospital the same day. I just wasn’t keen on leaving her here to deal with that asshole by herself. But it was over now. And I was determined to spoil her right up until it was time for my flight to leave. Diana buried her fingers in my hair as I continued to nibble, gently pull, and suckle her excited breasts. By now we were as aroused as we had ever been.

Turning sideways, Diana leaned back slightly as I found the rear hooks of her bra and unfastened them. Free at last, I thought. She then faced me. Taking into view the most prodigious pair of breasts this side of the Mason-Dixon Line, I savored them visually for a short while before tossing the bra aside. Lowering my head, I went to work again, this time circling one of her nipples with my tongue delicately before taking it in my mouth. Teasing, pulling, and suckling them until her sweet milky nectar began to flow, I gave it all I had to give, and then some. Looking up at her briefly, I could see that her eyes were shut tightly, her face a mask of desire and arousal combined.

“Here, don’t forget this one,” she whispered, and offered her other breast to me.

Without skipping a beat, I switched mounds and pleasured her neglected nipple like there was no tomorrow. In no time this one was as swollen and erected as its twin. At one point, I pushed her breasts together gently and took both of her nipples in my mouth and pleasured them with my tongue until her toes curled. I was beyond aroused.

Suddenly and unexpectedly, the doorbell rang. Neither one of us moved.

“Ignore it,” I said hoarsely, as I resumed my quest to titillate her breasts and relentlessly.

“Sheldon, baby,” she began. “I forgot that Detective Rawlings was stopping by this morning.”

“He’ll come back later,” I said. To make the point of how aroused I had become and wanted to finish what I had started, I began to kiss my way downward. Diana offered a weak protest, obviously hesitant to swim out of the haze of primal desire I had awakened inside of her. Sensing her weakness, I continued my assault, caressing and kissing her unmercifully. I could sense that she was about to lose total control.

Somehow, when the voice of the detective called out her name, she found a way to resist my seduction, though reluctantly.

“Just a minute!” she yelled back.

“Sheldon, he knows I’m here.”

“Now he does,” I uttered as I sat back. “Damn!” Rising up, I stumbled towards the bedroom. In my hand was the bra she had shoved there. After a quick grooming session, I returned to the living room where Diana had hastily slipped into her cotton blouse and fastened it. I watched as she checked herself in the mirror, combed her hair with her fingers, then went to the front door less than a foot away.

Detective Rawlings entered and scanned the area, his eyes pausing momentarily on me, before moving on.