Dark Secrets.

By Doug Pountain

   Joyce is in an abusive marriage, and she has only one friend who she can trust, her name is Carol. The two women have known each other since their school days, and both had also at one time worked for the same firm of accountants, but things had changed dramatically for both women since that time. Now, Carol and her husband, Graham, operate a small, but very sophisticated company. They are in an elite group of the worlds best computer hackers and investigators, and are employed by both private companies and governments around the globe to do what ever is required. They operate in the shadows and dark places where others cannot go, within the law, and otherwise to complete their mission and obtain information, whatever the cost.

   Joyce is eventually persuaded by her friend to leave this abusive man, and to begin a new life with new opportunities working for this exclusive group of individuals. Earlier in her life, Joyce had been able to navigate her way through complex equasions and decipher text with ease, numbers leapt off the screen and spoke to her, but had she lost any of her talents through years of the worst kind of treatment, had her skills deserted her, would she even be up to the task? This new opportunity was no 9 till 5 with an hour for lunch, it was dangerous and came at great personal risk, she would have to enter a dark and secret world of lies and deception requiring her to put her life on the line to complete her assignment, there would be no second chances if she got it wrong.

   After her induction is cut short by circumstance, and Joyce begins her first mission, she and her colleagues quickly begin to realise that all is not as it first appears, this will be a very different task to all that has gone before, not just for Joyce, but also for her colleagues as they find themselves embroiled with a very dangerous and powerful new force created by former enemies coming together, get in their way and you die. Money, power and control are everything to these people, and the outcome of this confrontation will effect everyones lives forever, a place where the very existance of man will be finally decided by one person who has much more than just a dark secret.

   The story will lead you through many different scenarios to a dramatic and unexpected ending. It will take you from something that begins as a very simple task, to one that eventually arrives at a point where no one can win, possibly not even mankind. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Doug Pountain
• Release date: Apr 22, 2023
• ISBN: 9781393413264

Doug Pountain

Hello, its great to meet you. I live in a small village in Leicestershire, England, and now i am retired, i have the time to do what i most enjoy, writing. Reviews are the life blood of authors, and if you have enjoyed reading this book, i would appreciate your review. I can be found at https://facebook.com/dougpountain or email [e-mail] I wish you all happy reading as i make myself a cup of tea and begin writing. Take care, Doug Pountain.

Book preview

DOUG POUNTAIN.

For my beautiful grandchildren.

Copyright © Doug Pountain 2023

All rights reserved , including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof in any form. No part of this text may be reproduced, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered or stored, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical without the expressed permission of the author.

This is a work of fiction. Names and characters are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.

The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibilities for them.

Prologue.

Joyce is in an abusive marriage, and she has only one friend she can trust, her name is Carol. The two women have known each other since their school days. Both had at one time also worked for the same firm of accountants, but things had changed dramatically for both women since that time, and now Carol and her husband operate a small but very sophisticated company. They are in an elite group of the world’s best computer hackers and investigators, and are engaged by both private companies and governments around the world to do whatever is required. They operate in the shadows and dark places where others cannot go, within the law and otherwise to complete their mission and obtain information.

Joyce is eventually persuaded by her friend to leave this abusive man, and to begin a new life with new opportunities working for this elite group of individuals. At one time Joyce, had been able to navigate her way through complex equations and decipher text with ease, numbers leapt off the screen and spoke to her, but had she lost any of her talents through years of the worst kind of treatment, would she even be up to the task?  

This new opportunity would also come at great personal risk, she would have to enter a dark and secret world of lies and deception, and her first mission will be a very different task to all that has gone before, not just for Joyce, but also for her colleagues as they find themselves deeply embroiled with a very dangerous enemy, you get in their way and you die. Money, power and control are everything to these people, and the outcome of this confrontation will effect everyone’s lives forever, a place where the very existence of man will be determined by the deeds and dark secrets of others.

This is a story that will lead you through many different scenarios to a Dramatic and unexpected ending. It will take you from something that begins as a very simple task, to one that eventually arrives at a point where no one can win, possibly not even mankind.

DARK SECRETS.

CHAPTER 1.

The time was 6.30 am on another cold and wet November morning. With a great deal on her mind, Joyce, made her way back upstairs to wake her husband for his breakfast just as she had done so for the past eight years since their marriage. She often thought back to that day in the warm spring sunshine when she had married, and which had been so full of promise and excitement. All of that was now a distant memory, and it had now paled into insignificance, and turned into something very different for her. Now in the cold light of day in this dark, damp and miserable fucking house, she realised that in this life, she was truly already dead.

Joyce, had a routine and got up every day an hour before her husband. This was to allow herself enough time to prepare, not just his food, but also to clean out the log fire and dust the house, while all the time creating very little noise and checking that everything was in perfect order before waking him. Her husband, John, was a strange man in many ways, he was very controlling, and could be quite brutal, both physically and mentally to anyone who he thought had upset him, or gone against his wishes in some way, something which on most days turned out to be his wife.

When they had first met, John was 27 and Joyce 21. He always treated her fairly well at first apart from his constant belittling of everything she did, but as her own father had also been a little abusive towards her own mother, Joyce, had always accepted this type of treatment as par for the course of being married. For the first few years of their relationship, Joyce, had carried on working, she was a well-regarded trainee accountant, and also a bit of a rising star with her company. She had always enjoyed her work very much, including the interaction with her work colleagues, and she gained a great deal of satisfaction from the contact.

One Christmas during her annual office party, to which John, had also been invited, a male colleague had asked Joyce, to dance, and she gladly accepted. She enjoyed dancing and also had some very good friends, both male and female at her place of work, but this particular evening was to turn out so very different for Joyce. After only a few minutes on the dance floor, John, stood up, walked onto the floor, and accused Joyce, of having an affair with the man she was dancing with.

He knocked the man to the ground, before then dragging Joyce, away by her hair, paying no attention to those around him, or her screams to stop. The police were called, but no charges were pressed against John. He apologised profusely to Joyce, and swore it would never happen again, saying that he was drunk and he didn’t realise what he was doing. But when they returned home that evening, and away from the police and the prying eyes of her colleagues, he hit her again and threw her to the floor, calling her a slut.

Why can’t you be more like my sister? She’s a wonderful woman, and when I was living at home she always looked after me properly, not like you, you are a waste of fucking space. And let me tell you, that if you ever call the police to me, I promise that I will make you pay for it. Don’t think you are going back to work there with all those toffee nosed bastards, you can stay at home and you will do as I say, do you understand? You useless, fucking bitch.

That was six years ago, six years of mental, and sometimes very physical abuse. John, had wanted children, but Joyce, had secretly hidden away her contraceptive pills that she took religiously, and as such John blamed her for being A barren woman. But there was no way on this earth that she was going to have this man’s child, no way that she would allow him to father a child that he would also abuse and control.

Her only real friend who she still had contact with in the normal world was a woman by the name of Carol. They had always been great friends when they had both worked at the accountants, and at every opportunity, Carol, would still come to visit her when she was alone at home, but always after John, had gone to work, her life was much different to Joyce’s. Carol, was a very outgoing and confident young woman, and she and Joyce had known each other since their school days, or in a previous happy life as Joyce called it.

Why don’t you stand up to him Joyce? He really is just a control freak, and a cowardly bastard, just tell him to fuck off, I certainly would.

It’s not as easy as that Carol, I think that given the right circumstances, he wouldn’t think twice about killing me if he thought he could get away with it.

Look Joyce, you are such a very pretty woman, and also very intelligent, and you have so much to give. Remember when we were working at the office, you were far better than some of the qualified accountants, and It seems such a shame that all of that energy and talent has now been allowed to decay and go to waste due to that piece of shit you call a husband, he’s the one that should be dead.

Joyce, looked at Carol, with so much sadness and regret in her eyes and in her mind, and thinking of what she had given up for this man. She often thought of another man who had also wanted to marry her, and he now had a thriving business and a family of his own, but instead she had chosen this slimy bastard, and a small tear fell from her eye.

I know exactly what you are saying is right, but don’t forget I also have his sister to contend with as well as him. She gives me as much abuse as he does, they just belittle me in any way they can, and I hate them for it. Oh Carol, you are so fortunate, you have fun, you have friends and you have a life, whereas I have nothing.

As Joyce, spoke to her friend in this dingy room of this miserable house, the tears now rolled down Joyce’s face. Carol, put her arms around her friend, and tried as best she could to offer some kind of sympathy, but she knew there was no real relief or respite to her suffering. These were just superficial words, and even though they were said with love and affection, they were no real consolation to Joyce’s suffering. They quietly finished their drinks before Joyce, said.

You had better go now Carol, before he comes home and finds you here, and I get a smack or something, but you will come and see me next week won’t you?

Of course I will. Replied Carol, who was by now very upset herself at being unable to offer any real assistance to the plight of this young woman.

Joyce, saw Carol, to the door and waved goodbye to her only friend as she drove away. John, worked at the fruit and veg market in Leicester, and Joyce never had any idea when her husband was coming home, and as such, getting a meal ready on time was always very difficult for her, especially in her very small kitchen of this two up, two down terraced house, and on this particular evening he eventually arrived home at 8pm.

I thought you would have been home earlier, and so your dinner may be a little overcooked. Said Joyce, as she placed it on the table in front of him.

What the fucking hell is that? He said, shouting at the top of his voice as he kicked away a tatty old chair from the side of the table.

What a fucking piece of shit you are. He said, as he grabbed the plate from the table and laughed as he tipped it over her head. Joyce, was so afraid that she just cowered on the floor in the corner of the room as she sought some kind of protection from the attack, and she peed herself a little through fear.

Now clean it up. He said, as he kicked her in the stomach where she lay.

She cried out in pain as he walked away, but there was nothing she could do. Joyce, once more overcame the pain and humiliation of the abuse, before she got the dustpan and brush and started to clean up the mess. John, smiled as he walked over to a cupboard in the corner of the room where the door was hanging on by the skin of its teeth. He took out a bottle of whiskey and sat in a chair, and now Joyce’s heart sank even further as she realised that could only mean one thing, sex. She had endured this routine for years, and she was also well aware of exactly what was expected of her, and what was coming next. It was about 20 minutes later that John, finally stood up, unfastened his belt, and dropped his trousers. Joyce, now had to kneel in front of him as he forced his unwashed penis into her mouth and mauled her back and forth until he finally ejaculated, and with this action now over he went to bed, to him this was sex. The gratification was certainly not shared.

She went into the kitchen and quickly washed out her mouth, and with tears in her eyes she looked around at her surroundings. The walls were exactly the same shitty colour, and they had the same shitty marks that were present on the day they had moved into this shitty hole. The house was really just a dump, and no amount of cleaning by Joyce, could ever make it anything other than a shithole, this was her prison, her own personal torture chamber, a place where she may one day die at the hands of this sick bastard.

What the fuck am I doing here in this shit hole? It’s only fear that’s prevents me from leaving, I know I am better than this, I fucking hate that man. She said to herself.

Something within Joyce, stirred that night as she looked in the mirror as she finally realised that Carol, was right. In her reflection she saw that she was indeed that same pretty girl who had never made use of what she had been given in the way of looks and brains, she knew she could do better than this. Her life up until this one moment in time had all been wasted. Joyce, had finally had enough, and this supressed and abused young woman was finally about to turn.

She didn’t go to bed that night, but instead she sat at the table in this house that should have been pulled down years ago, and pondering how to change her life for the better. But also her very existence and staying alive also came very strongly into the equation as she fully realised that the bastard she was married to would never let her leave willingly. Joyce, had no money of her own, John, had always kept hold of everything he earned, and he gave her just enough to buy food. He paid the rent and everything else, and so it became very obvious that her only exit would be with Carol’s assistance.

The following day was Saturday, but John, still worked, and as usual Joyce, carried on exactly as any other day, and as John, finally left the house, he verbally abused her exactly as normal, but for Joyce, today would be unlike any other. Even though it was still very early morning, she telephoned her one and only friend, and told her of her plan to leave her bastard of a husband.

About time, you can’t live with that heap of shit any longer, pack a bag and I will call and collect you in about 30 minutes, and then you can stay with us. You can have the old barn that’s down the drive, it’s not much admittedly, but trust me, it’s a million times better than living with him. Plus he doesn’t know where I live, and so you will be perfectly safe for as long as you want, now get your arse into gear.

Joyce, did exactly as Carol, had told her, but then packing a bag doesn’t take long when you have nothing, and now with all her possession’s firmly packed into a supermarket carrier bag, she eagerly, but also very nervously awaited the arrival of her friend, pacing up and down the room, and continually looking out of the curtains. Carol, arrived dead on time, and Joyce, threw the bag into the back seat of the car and climbed in.

I never believed for one moment that you would have had the nerve to go through with leaving that fuck pig, and so today, we will declare it to be the start of your new life. It’s not going to be easy for you, and you know he will come looking, but if we need the police, then so be it, but that’s not for today.

Joyce, sat there very quietly as they drove along, but she saw and heard nothing on the journey. She was so deep in concentration, her thoughts on this day were like no other.

I hope I have the balls to go through with this. She said to Carol.

What do you mean?  Go through with it. No matter what it takes you are definitely not going back there, I am determined to help you start a new life as a totally independent young woman. You have so much to give, and you deserve to be yourself and not a fucking doormat for anyone, and certainly not him, in fact, I will kill you if you go back. The comment brought a large smile to Joyce’s face.

If my husband Graham, were to treat me the way you have been treated, I would poison him first and then chop him up into small pieces, and I guarantee they would never find the bits.

Now that sounds like a really good idea. Replied Joyce, with a wry smile on her face that disguised the real fear that she felt deep inside, now it was fear of the unknown.

As Carol, eventually pulled onto her drive, her husband Graham came out to greet them. Graham, was a very different type of man compared to Joyce’s husband. He was a tall man, well built, but very gentle, he was 15 years older than his wife Carol, but their age difference had never entered either of their minds, they were just mad about each other, and totally in love.

Thank goodness you are in one piece Joyce, but look at that bruise on your face. He said.

I have several more in various places, but they will soon heal as they usually do. She replied.

Come on, let’s take you over to the barn, don’t expect anything fancy, it’s still very much work in progress. He told her.

As they walked along the gravel drive, Joyce, realised just how large the grounds of the house were, and as they eventually entered the barn and Graham put the lights on, Joyce, wept tears of joy as she surveyed her new, if only temporary home. Carol, held her hand as she took Joyce, on a guided tour. The barn was lovely and warm, and upstairs it had a beautiful bathroom with a large walk in shower, and downstairs a small, but well fitted kitchen. The lounge was at the other end of the house, and it also contained the dining table and a large corner sofa by the window. It still required a little more in the way of decoration, but that didn’t bother Joyce, to her it was everything, a chance for a new beginning.

You can stay for as long as you like, and most importantly you will be safe. Said Carol, as she embraced her friend.

I am so grateful to you both, but I have no money to pay you Graham.

Away with you, it’s only sitting here empty anyway, and so whatever you do, don’t worry about money. It’s about time you had a real life, and so just live it. Take this as a real opportunity to rebuild your life, and just be who you want to be without the pressure of wondering when you will next be beaten or abused.

Graham, now left the girls to talk alone about Joyce’s next move, and for her to unpack her Tesco carrier bag containing all of her worldly belongings.

Is that all you have to show for living so many years with that bastard?

Yes, that’s everything I own in this world. She said looking at her rather old and worn clothes compared to her friends.

Well let’s do something about that shall we?  What size are you, I think you are about the same size as me.

Why do you ask?

Look Joyce, you put the kettle on in your new kitchen, while I pop across the road, and I will be back in a few minutes.

Joyce, was in a world of her own now, as she explored her new kitchen before finding everything to make the tea, and about 10 minutes later Carol reappeared with skirts, dresses and blouses.

These are for you until you get your own clothes. Said Carol, who was by now over the moon that her friend of many years had finally made the momentous decision and left her abusive husband.

Oh Carol, I can’t just take and give nothing in return.

Don’t be silly, you are my friend, and the fact that you have left that fuck pig is payment enough for me, anyway it gives me an excuse to buy something new for myself.

The girls carried Joyce’s new clothes upstairs to her bedroom, and now with the concealed lighting on, it took her breath away as she looked around. No tatty wall paper or shitty curtains hanging at rotten windows, to Joyce, this was pure luxury, and on top of that she even had her own king size bed that she didn’t have to share with a man who was always snoring and farting, for this young lady life at the moment just couldn’t get much better.

Let’s run you a nice hot bath so you can soak away any connection to your former life, well go on get your kit off. This statement took Joyce completely by surprise.

I have never undressed in front of anyone before, I am quite embarrassed. She said.

Good grief, well if it makes you feel any better, then I will have a shower while you have a soak, but before I do that. Let me say that I have already put a bottle of wine in the fridge for us.

But it’s still early morning, and I was making some tea. Said Joyce.

So what, any time is wine time, and no matter how you look at it, this is a celebration. Replied Carol, who was by now over the moon that her friend had finally done the right thing.

Carol, went downstairs and returned a few moments later with the wine and two glasses, but Joyce, still hadn’t found the courage to undress, and so Carol, did no more, and she stripped off herself and turned on the shower.

I will give that a minute to warm first, I hate walking into a cold shower, but look your bath is ready.

Now out of options, Joyce, finally dug deep into her very low reserve of courage and self-esteem, before she finally plucked up the nerve and took off her clothes.

Look at those marks on your body. And Carol examined for the first time at close quarters what John, had done to her, and fortunately Joyce, had by now finally lost most of her inhibitions and stood naked with her friend.

He was such a bastard to me, but suddenly being here with you seems to be giving me so much more confidence. And they shared a very loving cuddle, which Joyce, found very strange, after all they were both naked.

Joyce, finally climbed into the hot water of the bath which was full of beautiful scented bubbles and she stretched out. She looked at the ornate tiles on the wall, the designer radiator and the shiny towel rail that was draped with colourful Egyptian cotton towels, this was indeed a whole new world compared to the shithole she had just left behind. They continued to chat as Carol, had her shower, and when she had finished she poured the wine and pulled up a chair before putting her feet up on the side of the bath.

Look Joyce, if we are going to give you a new life and a new start, then I think it only fair to point out, that every young woman now shaves their pussies, it looks like you are wearing an old persons wig down there between your thigh’s. And they both burst out laughing at this remark.

I haven’t laughed like that for a very long time. Said Joyce, as a small tear rolled down her cheek from her pretty green eyes.

Well we are going to do a lot more laughing like that now you are here. Replied Carol.

At that moment Graham came back to the barn. "Where are you? He shouted.

In the bathroom, and we are both naked.

Well neither of you hasn’t got anything that I haven’t seen before, so that doesn’t matter.

Bring a glass up with you. Shouted Carol.

The thought of Carol’s husband coming into the room while she was in the bath now filled Joyce’s mind with fear.

Carol, don’t forget I have nothing on.

Don’t be silly, it’s perfectly alright, you are under the bubbles anyway, and your bits are no different to mine.

A few seconds later Graham, appeared with his glass and poured the wine from the bottle which had been placed on the end of the bath, before he placed his backside down at the side of the bottle and carried on having a perfectly normal conversation with the girls.

You know, I really am so pleased for you Joyce, and trust me you are perfectly safe here. Carol, told me that your husband doesn’t know where we live, but even if he did it wouldn’t make any difference. We have several security measures in place in the houses and the gardens and that I will explain to you later, and as such he wouldn’t be able to get in if he wanted to, but you will be able to come and go as you please in perfect safety.

What time will your husband realise that you are not at home? He asked.

This question stopped Joyce, dead in her tracks. It was the first time that she had even thought about that, and to be fair, it did fill her mind with a little dread, but just by this simple act of being here naked with other people in the same room, served only to improve her confidence level tremendously.

He should get in about 6pm, do you think I should have left him a note?

No! Definitely not, you don’t owe that piece of shit anything, show Graham your bruises. Now what was Joyce, supposed to do?

You don’t need to if it will upset you, Carol, shouldn’t have put you in that position. Said Graham,

But Joyce, placed both hands on the side of the bath and pulled herself out of the water to reveal the marks, and as Graham, examined them closely, his anger and resentment for Joyce’s husband quickly grew.

He really was a bastard wasn’t he? He remarked. Let me go and get some tea tree oil, it will help disperse those marks much more quickly. Graham left the two girls and went back to his own home for the oil.

Carol, I would never have believed in a month of Sundays that people can share a life that is so very different to my own, and I would also never have had the balls to be seen naked by other people. You have opened my eyes, and now suddenly it all seems quite natural and normal. And for the first time, Joyce, had a little sparkle back in her eyes, something that had been missing for so long. Her confidence, and more importantly her self-esteem, were finally rising to the surface even after this very short passage of time.

Where’s that razor Carol? Let me get rid of this old woman’s wig as you called it between my legs, this is my life now, and my shaven pussy.

Carol, now had tears rolling down her face with laughter at Joyce’s statement as she went over to the bathroom cabinet.

Here’s the razor and the shaving cream, but don’t forget to be gentle or it will go very red and be a little itchy and sore, and you certainly don’t want a sore pussy.

Joyce, quickly rubbed the foam all over her pubic hair, and started to shave away the years of growth, and within a few minutes her pussy was as bald as a badger.

So that’s what it looks like, it’s been so many years since I’ve seen it. I think the last time was when we were at school together after sports, but then again it’s never had much use, or seen much action to be fair. John, was never the best of lovers even when we first got together, and his willy is a bit on the small side and not very thick either, in fact most times I never felt it at all, I just pretended to. I even had to check if he was still in there.

By now they were both in fits of laughter as Graham returned with the tea tree oil, but as he walked into the room they were by now uncontrollable with laughter.

Just wait until all those bruises disappear, and look at your pussy, wow what a transformation in such a short time, that’s absolutely brilliant.

But even with her new found confidence and a glass of wine, she still managed to blush a little at his comment. Carol walked over to Joyce and put her arm over Joyce’s shoulder.

Graham take a photo of us naked together.

He took his phone out of his pocket and told the girls to smile, and even though the concept of behaviour such as this was a little alien to her, Joyce, was more than happy to pose for her first ever naked picture.

Right, I have some work to do, and I also have some visitors coming to see me later, and so I will leave you two in peace. He said.

Carol, eventually got dressed and followed Joyce into the bedroom so that she could decide what to wear from the clothes that Carol had brought over, and eventually she opted for a red dress that was quite short, but very stylish.

Here, put these on as well.

And Carol past her a pair of very skimpy red nickers and a lacy red bra. Joyce, posed for a moment and looked at herself in the mirror, and the reflection she saw looking back at her was one that she hadn’t seen for many years, and again a few small tears again fell from her pretty green eyes which had been witness to so much abuse over the years. She had even forgotten that she was 5feet 8inches tall even without shoes. Joyce, was by now so excited by the things she had already done since she arrived, and she also realised what a true friend Carol, actually was. The girls finally made their way downstairs and sat at the table as Joyce, divulged what her husband had considered to be sex.

"Even though we never had any real sex for years, what he forced me to do now really fills me with disgust, I should have left him and his very small cock years ago. But I was so afraid of him, and truthfully I still

Reviews for Dark Secrets.

[Sandra Hicking · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Couldn't predict anything, great story leading to a brilliant ending, looking to read more of the authors books after this. I don't know his work, but i think he's one to watch.