Posse

By Douglas Browning

When investigators Deirdre Cash and Merrill Hock Hocken are hired by the Posse, a group of adventurous women of lascivious intent, to help them locate one of their missing members, they did not anticipate much of a difficulty, certainly not the morass of personal relationships in which they would find themselves. Several disappearances and an unsolved murder along the way kept them busy and guessing. Is there an ending to the story, or is it like the weather, ever-changing and never quite settled?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jan 6, 2017
• ISBN: 9781524567880

Douglas Browning

Douglas Browning, retired university professor of philosophy, lives outside Georgetown, Texas, where he labors at length over poems and novels, stays up throughout the night reading, writing, and listening to jazz, and enjoys life in his countryside hacienda with his talented and beautiful wife.

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Copyright © 2017 by Douglas Browning.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2016920493

ISBN:      Hardcover      978-1-5245-6790-3

                Softcover        978-1-5245-6789-7

                eBook             978-1-5245-6788-0

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

The poem Conceits is quoted in part by permission of its author and is from the book Poems: 1950-2009, Copyright © 2010 by Douglas Browning.

The poem Song of Fairies Robbing an Orchard by Leigh Hunt (1784-1859), quoted in part in Chapter 15, is in the public domain.

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

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 01/06/2017

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Contents

Part One Hide and Seek

1 Wednesday, October 12

2

3

4

5 Thursday, October 13

6

7

8 Friday, October 14

9 Friday, October 14 continued

10 Saturday, October 15

11 Saturday, October 15 continued

12 Sunday, October 16

13 Sunday, October 16 continued

14 Monday, October 17

Part Two The Posse

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31 Noon, Monday, October 10

32

33

Part THREE Finalities

34 Monday, October 17

35 Monday, October 17 Continued

36 Monday, October 17 Continued

37 Tuesday, October 18

38 Wednesday, October 19

39 Thursday, October 20

40 Friday, October 21

41 Sunday October 23

42 Sunday October 30

Part Four Weather Report

43 Storm Warning Mid afternoon, October 7

44 Wind Shift October 8-9

45 Rainstorm October 13

46 Forecasts October 13-4

47 Thunderstorm October 13

48 Blue Skies Friday, October 14

49 Volatility October 14-15

50 Incendiary October 16

51 Wildfire Monday, October 17

52 Path of Destruction October 20

53 Deluge October 20

54 Prevailing Wind October 30

This book is

for all those incredible women who have so

enriched my life.

I shall not be so foolish as to attempt to name them

but they know

who they are.

All your words are lies

Truth is the fire in your eyes

Love is for strangers

Love Is for Strangers, Walter Becker and Larry Klein

Darling! he said

I want you wild and free—

I didn’t marry you for your

Domesticity . . .

Venus, from Eternity Smith and other poems

Juanita Casey

I may not like it but I can’t rewrite it,

whether a book or a dancer’s life always

things end the way they end, do-dah-do.

Conceits, from Longing & Absence Douglas Browning

Legend

Choices have consequences. The most daring choices have, by their nature, unforeseen consequences. They are often of a dark and disruptive sort. Vast areas remain unexplored. There is no map.

Sometimes daring choices are the first faint signs of a slowly developing disease. One isn’t aware of the dire results that will eventually accrue. Such prescience is forbidden and often for the best. A simple but chancy decision by a solitary girl who almost stumbles into history anchors a story that unfolds its jagged course as might a fabled voyage across an unknown sea.

It may not be the big story. It’s hard to sort out. Developments veer and twist, run underground, are shunted off to surprisingly unexpected tracks, become tangled and jolt and accelerate into the other adventures that began elsewhere until any sense of cause and effect disintegrates. There is no map.

So it was that the great adventure of two and then three and then five women was as daring as can be imagined. One would never expect them of it. It was daring but it was also auspicious, compelling, and magnificent. It was a glorious challenge thrown in the face of the unknown. But however glorious the inception, the debris of details along the way were fated to take over. Like the weather; what happened just came to be. It’s the essence of a genuine, living adventure to be that way. There can be no map. The pages of the most careful planning shred in the wind. The journey is a living thing even until the very end. Alive as the moon and the sun and the snow. The seasons of our years.

Part One

Hide and Seek

1

Wednesday, October 12

Her first thought was how well appointed the two women were. Well-groomed and well dressed, those were better words for it. In terms of flesh and form, well endowed as well. Both were slender and sweetly contoured in face and limb. Their facial make-up was misleadingly minimal and exquisitely applied to appear so. Both sported slightly dangly earrings, gold in one case, silver in the other, and three or four inch pumps. Two upper-class women of palpable social standing. High-powered and high-maintenance paradigms of their species.

Ushered into Deirdre’s office by Vanesa, whose radiant beauty invariably intimidated visitors of the female persuasion, they went past her with a quick but obvious glance of appreciation. The younger woman tore her eyes from Vanesa with the slightest pursing of her lips and found Deirdre looking straight at her with brows lifted in appraisal.

Deirdre rose from her chair and came around her desk and greeted both women.

The older woman, maybe fifty or close to it, was draped in a mid-calf dress of light blue and dark green print. Her delicately highlighted dark blond hair clustered becomingly at her shoulders. Her pumps were shiny white and, as intended no doubt, drew attention to her bare ankles, which, like her arms and face, were evenly tanned and glowing. She had an open and amiable face. The faint smile on her wide lips suggested affability, though her blue eyes swept her surroundings with an intensity that missed nothing.

She spoke. Thanks for seeing us. My name is Nolan. My companion is Tonilynn, Toni for short or, more familiarly, TL.

Nolan your first name?

She smiled. Yes. I reserve my last name, both of us do, until we agree to work together with you.

Nolan, then. Irish?

Broad smile. Oh yes. My mother. And you? Do your green eyes and red mane tell the same tale?

Deirdre laughed. And my name too. Deirdre it is. Yes, my mother as well. Ah, the power of the Irish mother. Can’t ever be underestimated.

Deirdre briefly squeezed both of Nolan’s hands and turned to the other woman, who didn’t offer her hand.

Tonilynn, a good fifteen or more years younger than Nolan and two or three inches taller, wore a soft silken beige pant suit that clung nicely to her curves, featuring ample though not generous breasts and boyishly slender hips that surprised with a tightly hugged and assertive rear, breathtaking in its prominence and its clear division into two rounded cheeks. Long soft dark brown hair, gathered loosely at the back with a clasp, fell past her shoulders and swayed from side to side when she strode briskly into the office. Intense dark brown eyes dominated a fixed, no-nonsense face with a wide and sensual but unsmiling mouth. Deirdre took her in from her brown eyes down to her brown pumps with more than a passing glance at her well-wrapped treasure, while the woman returned the favor. Deirdre gave her a slight nod, a nod which said as clearly as words, I know who you are and I know you would like to get your mouth all over me. But Tonilynn’s face and posture remained fixed, though her eyes, without widening even the tiniest bit, burned fiercely into Deirdre’s.

So let’s sit and talk, Deirdre said, taking her seat behind her desk.

Nolan arranged herself, crossing her legs. We are interested in finding someone who is missing, a woman.

Missing how long?

Nolan pursed her lips. Let’s see. This is Wednesday. It’s been . . .

Two days, Tonilynn blurted, still standing. She disappeared yesterday.

Nolan jerked a glare at TL. Do you mind, Toni?

Toni held up both hands. Sorry, sorry. She sat and sighed. She stretched out one leg and slightly spread the other.

As Deirdre had suspected, the older woman was the one in charge.

Deirdre smiled broadly. The woman who is missing, she’s a friend of yours I take it.

Something like that, Nolan said. Actually, we don’t know her too well. We met her just a few days ago, but we’re worried about her.

A grown woman? How old is she?

About thirty something I would say. She looked over at Toni. Toni said, A little older, I think closer to forty.

You just met her but you’re worried about her. She’s been missing only a day, not long considering she’s of age. Have you thought about reporting her missing to the police?

We prefer not to get the police involved. That’s why we have come to you. If you agree to investigate and are unsuccessful after a few days, we’ll consider reporting it.

Deirdre was frowning. I take it you’ve looked for her. Does she live in Austin? This area? Do the two of you live here?

We’ve looked for her, yes. She and her husband—he’s also missing by the way, though we aren’t concerned about him—have a house here. Neither of them is there and a friend of ours, also concerned, has kept a watch on it and asked around. It seems neither of them has been seen since yesterday about… early afternoon. And, to answer your other question, the two of us and… She hesitated. . . . three of our friends, all women, are only visiting Austin for a few days.

Deirdre looked from one of the women to the other and back again before saying anything.

Umm. Well. It seems you and your female friends, five of you it seems, are visitors in our town and you just met the missing woman and yet you are interested in hiring our agency to locate her. Do I have it right?

Yes. I suppose it strikes you as odd, but that’s because you don’t have all the facts.

"It strikes me as very odd. But I’m intrigued. There’s a story here. Are you prepared to tell it?"

We’re prepared, but we must ask for confidentiality. The details are important, but they are personal and must remain private. I assure you that there is nothing illegal involved, nothing, but… you understand what I’m saying?

"Confidentiality is the name of the game in our business, but only between us and those we are contracted with. As it stands now, I don’t know enough to promise anything and as to whether there is anything illegal involved, that’s our, mine and my partner’s, decision, not yours. Let me ask you something before we go any further. You came to our agency, Hocken and Cash Investigations, without specifying which of us you wanted to hire. I’m a woman but my partner is a man. Both of us must be involved in this, whether we take you on or not. It’s time for me to ask Hock, my partner, to join us. Can you accept that?"

Nolan grinned. Of course.

Bring him on, Tonilynn said. I suspect a man is just what we need. Not to be crass, but a man is always more trustworthy than a woman.

Deirdre laughed. Maybe I’m misreading things here, but I suspect you mean men are more easily manipulated.

Tonilynn widened her eyes and laughed. Exactly. Though, speaking only for myself, I have little trouble manipulating either sex. Maybe I’m misreading things too, but I suspect you would agree. But, you know, manipulation is not precisely the right word. Dealing is closer, isn’t it?

Nolan was shaking her head. TL! Be nice.

Deirdre looked straight at Toni and held her eyes. Caring? Isn’t that even better?

Silence grew between them. Neither glanced away.

Tonilynn broke the silence. Women are devious, Deirdre. I’m calling you Deirdre now. Is that okay? So pardon me, Deirdre, I’m famously outspoken. Yes, dealing, caring, persuading, all good words. We bisexual women know about that, don’t we?

Nolan said, Shit!

Deirdre roared with laugher. Takes one to know one, Toni. I’ll call you Toni, if that’s alright.

Toni was nodding vigorously. God’s truth, woman. So bring in the man.

Deirdre raised her voice. Vanesa!

Vanesa came to the door with a grin. It was obvious that she had been listening at the door.

See if you can round up Hock, Vanesa darling.

Vanesa turned to leave, He’s in his sanctum. I’ll get him.

Toni, who had perused Vanesa earlier, now gaped at her. Good God! Where in God’s sweet heaven did you find that creamy little pot of honey custard? Jesus!

Nolan said, Shush, TL! Get hold of yourself.

Toni swung around to her. Don’t shush me, Nolan. You want her just as much as I do. We’ve come to the right place, darling. We’ve stumbled into the outskirts of a bisexual paradise!

I’m not bisexual, Nolan said.

Oh yes you are. Oh yes indeed. You’ve become a genuine banana-split woman. You’ll gobble it all up, chocolate, strawberry, pecans, and those little cherries on top.

So you’ve told me more than once. Get a new metaphor. You’re just showing off now. Pay no attention to her, Deirdre.

There was a knock and Hock opened the door and sauntered in.

Now we’re talking, Toni said. She sat up and came to attention.

Nolan laughed. Enter, sir. She stood and held out a hand. Now we can get down to business.

Toni exhaled long and slowly. I wish.

Deirdre said, Hock, this is Nolan whose hand you’re holding—give her back her hand now—and this one here is her AC/DC buddy who just proved how liberal she is. Tonilynn is her name. You can call her Toni.

Hock looked from one woman to the other. I think I must go out and come back in. I thought this was business, not a—pardon me—wet dream. But what the hell, I’m easy.

Toni said to Nolan, He’s perfect! Can I have him, Nolan? It wasn’t a question.

Deirdre cleared her throat. Sit down, Hock. Over there. You and I are about to be treated to a story.

Not quite, Nolan said. There’s a little matter of confidentiality.

Right. You’ve just hired us for an hour of consultation. The consultation fee is one hundred dollars. Confidentiality is guaranteed, though whether we go beyond it to a contract for investigation is yet to be determined. Satisfied?

The two women looked at each other. Tonilynn nodded. Nolan looked back to Deirdre. Agreed.

One more thing.

What?

A hundred dollars. Cash will do. Vanesa! Make out a receipt for one hundred dollars consulting fee and bring it in.

2

I’ll outline things for you, Nolan said, glancing at Toni. "Let’s see now. There are five of us women, all from Houston. For a number of years we have traveled for a week or more to a place, a city actually, where we reserve a suite in a hotel. We do this regularly, twice a year in March or April and October. Actually the first time it was in May 2005 and there were only two us, but then that October we invited Toni here to join us. Three years later we invited another woman and the next year there was still another and for the October junket in 2008 we were set with five from then until now. The five of us came to Austin on October 7, five days ago. Actually three of us drove here on that date and the two others joined us the following evening. Our plan was to leave on the thirteenth, tomorrow.

Deirdre interrupted. What are some of the other cities you visited on these ‘junkets’, as you called them?

That’s not what we call them Tonilynn put in. I’ve never heard you call them that, Nolan.

Nolan frowned. Expedition then. What’s the difference?

Toni shrugged.

As to other cities, well. Why do you want to know that?

Deirdre didn’t reply. She just looked at Nolan.

Okay. I’ll name a couple. Las Vegas twice. Guadalajara, Santa Fe, Savannah. You want the complete list?

It’s enough for now. You can prepare me a list with dates later if we decide to go on with this.

You haven’t asked why we did this and kept at it for, what, eight years is it?

I’ve got a good idea, but go on, tell me.

Nolan looked over at Hock. Sex, of course. All five of us are very adept at securing willing men. We take them to our rooms and have sex with them.

You fuck them.

We have sex with them. There’s more to having sex than fucking. But yeah, we fuck them and sometimes they fuck us. Sometimes we even pass them around, if they can get the strength to stand and get a hard on when we get through with them.

Toni laughed. Sometimes we get lucky.

Deirdre nodded. No women, just men?

Nolan looked over at Toni. Well, that’s the point. It’s good looking men with ready cocks we are after, but, you know, sometimes a woman, a wife maybe, gets wind of what’s going down, so we have to try to soothe them, get them in the right frame of mind.

Deirdre turned to Toni. Is she talking about what I think she is, Toni?

Toni grinned. Yep. One of my favorite chores, me and my Molly girl.

And successful, I suppose.

Who? The success is as much theirs as it is ours. You know how it is, don’t you, girl? Women are easy. They all have a secret desire for a sexy woman to make out over them. Most women are bisexual at bottom, they just don’t know it.

I would probably agree, Deirdre said. "Except I suspect most women do know it."

Toni broke up. I like you, you know. Isn’t she a prize, Nolan?

Nolan sat forward in her chair. Does what I’ve said shock you, Deirdre?

What? The fact that a number of women get together and go adventuring for sex with strange men? Not at all. It’s too common to be at all surprising. Two friends insist on a ‘girl’s night out’, as it’s called, just to enjoy being together. Don’t kid yourself. Their little pussies are dripping with eager anticipation from the start. Three women together, there’s no question, is there? I’m not shocked at the intent of your group and, if the other three in it are as attractive as the two of you, I’m not shocked by your success. What I am shocked at, however, is the way five arousing women hold together so well over a number of years. Envy, jealousy, and possessiveness, as well as personal vanity, would seem to make such cohesiveness impossible. After all, all women want sex, especially sex with anonymity, but few women can stand it when other women get involved. It’s the nature of womanhood, isn’t it?

Our group is well chosen, Deirdre. We also agree from the start how to avoid contention. Do I really need to go into this now?

Hock stood. He looked at Nolan and then at Tonilynn’s legs stretched out before her. I’m sorry, ladies, but there’s only so much a poor helpless man can handle here. I’m in the embarrassing situation of getting visibly aroused. It’s time for me to think of other things.

Well, Toni laughed, don’t gaze at the delectable Vanesa—Vanesa, that’s right isn’t it—as you go or the barely visible might become conspicuous.

Deirdre protested. You can’t leave, Hock. We have a decision to make.

I leave it to you, partner. I’m already sold anyhow.

Toni swung around in her chair and watched him leave. God, he’s what we go on these excursions in hope of. Is that gorgeous thing in the office out there? Sorry, I put that wrong. Has that gorgeous thing out there got him into her pants yet? I could be convinced to try very hard for either or both of those two. You, however… Oh, wait a minute. Is she your sacred bed-partner? I’ll bet she is.

It may be that both Hock and Vanesa are fair game for you. It’s not my business. But I’m not. But, by the way, in case you’ve forgotten there are questions waiting to be answered here. You still haven’t told me about the missing woman you want found. What’s the story, Nolan?

Scowling at Tonilynn, Nolan turned to Deirdre. Like I said earlier, pay no attention to my dear companion. Though I can’t help but agree with her fascination with the three of you we’ve met here—let me underline that just so you know—we are here to do business. So, then. We encountered Marissa, the woman we are concerned to find, the first night after we arrived here. She was having dinner in the Driskill restaurant with her husband. We didn’t pay much attention to her at the time, but the youngest member of our group took a fancy to her husband, caught his eye, contrived to meet him at the entrance to the men’s room, and invited him to join her for sex the following night. Of course he agreed without a moment’s hesitation, which may strike you as odd, but that’s because you are unaware of our girl’s incredible irresistibility to men of all ages and varieties, probably even to gays. What we didn’t realize at the time was . . .

You’re talking about Molly?

Nolan widened her eyes in surprise. Why yes. How did you know that?

Toni mentioned ‘my Molly girl’ as a companion for soothing interfering wives and mistresses. I assumed Molly was young and as sexually versatile and greedy as Toni clearly is.

Toni erupted. Hold on a damn minute. What do you mean greedy?

Deirdre grinned. Aren’t you? That’s the picture I get. You want your mouth on everyone you’ve seen in this office. Tell me I’m wrong.

Toni stared hard at her. Suddenly she chuckled. Well damn if you’re not dead right. I am a greedy bitch ain’t I?

Nolan threw up her arms. Well, now that that’s settled, can I go on?

Deirdre was still grinning. You know, it might be fun spending time with you gals. Your interplay with each other must be a riot. Entertaining for sure.

Yes, Nolan said, Entertainment and lots of sex.

Oh, that too. And if I’m not mistaken, plenty of camaraderie, or should I say real friendship and warmth. Pretty heady combination for a group of like-minded women! Your group, what do you call yourselves?

"Among ourselves, the Posse. You like that? More formally and legally—for example on the credit card we use on our excursions and to confuse three husbands, children, and spies—we are WPB, Incorporated. WPB, which we explain when we need to as standing for Women’s Political Bureau—a clearly meaningless organization that is meant to deflect any interest whatsoever—but which really stands for the Wet Pussy Brigade."

Deirdre roared. That’s what I mean. If I were not so tied up with my own profession and busy life I might just petition to join.

You have my vote, Toni exclaimed. You know, of course, that would insure your sexually availability to me.

Nolan frowned at Toni. It was becoming a habit. Nonsense. We won’t accept new members. Besides there is no policy in the Posse for mutual sexual availability. You know that, TL. That’s just more of your wishful thinking.

Really, Toni shot back. What about Marissa then?

A guest member and, yes, with availability specified. That’s what I’m in the process of trying to explain. Can I? Can you back off and let me get on with it, TL?

Toni looked at Nolan and smiled sweetly. I love you, Nol, you know that.

Nolan smiled back at her and held her eyes for a few long minutes. I love you too, darling.

Deirdre made a face. To echo a favorite comment of a dear friend of mine, Jesus fucking Christ.

Well put, Nolan said. As I was about to say when I was interrupted, what we didn’t know when Marissa’s hubby looked so longingly at Molly girl and fell all over himself welcoming the rope she had placed around his neck was that Marissa was well aware of what was happening. It seems that she was already on the verge of dumping him and his obsession with young girls. Like she told us later, he had become hooked on young pussy and the younger the better. Marissa at thirty-six had become obsolete, long over her shelf-life for him. It transpired that she had enticed him into marrying her only to ensure the continued availability of his overly large cock and his expertise in the proper use of it. Still, her design had come to grief. A big dick was not enough when his mouth had never been his talent, except perhaps—she didn’t know—for anyone but the children. Of course, Molly at twenty years of age still fell within the range of his obsession, but what she offered him beyond that was more than he or any red-blooded heterosexual man could even conceive of resisting. But for Marissa it was just another case of his out-of-control self-indulgence. He needed a little dose of come-uppance and she was determined to see that he got it. Little did we know. When he showed up at our suite under the name of Mike—we always insisted on fake names for our captives as well as ourselves—Marissa was with the hotel security officer and the night manager followed behind. She shamed him into putting on his pants and leaving and, just to be thorough about it, she accused all of us, all five of us at that point, of prostitution. Because Toni and I had already ensnared a lovely man, who was naked at the time and who swore indignantly that none of us had asked him for money but instead had treated him to drinks in the bar, the authorities declined to report us to the Austin police but did demand that our stay and reservations at the hotel be cancelled. So we had to move. Fortunately, the Blackburn Hotel had an available suite. Olay, now comes the intriguing part. You’ll love this, Deirdre.

I’m sure. I’m already entranced. You gals! Wet Pussy Brigade indeed. But I do have other appointments. Let me check with Vanesa about them and have her get us some coffee or something. Maybe, if I have to delay our discussion, we could have lunch together I have to confess, I’m on pins and needles to hear the rest of the Marissa story.

The two women nodded their agreement. Deirdre buzzed Vanesa. She entered almost immediately, smiling widely. As Toni held her eyes on her, measuring and sighing softly over every inch inspected, Vanesa’s smile turned to a grin and somehow she seemed to glow with an awareness of the obvious arousal with which Toni was regarding her. Deirdre was pleased by Vanesa’s sensitivity to Toni’s yearning and the manner in which she basked in the adulation she always felt, with unimpeachable reason, she merited. All business however, Vanesa informed her employer that she had an appointment in twelve minutes, but that the next appointment was scheduled for a good hour and a half after the time set aside for lunch.

When Deirdre thanked her, Vanesa turned to Nolan and asked if she could bring her something to drink. Receiving a no, she turned to Toni and asked her the same question. As Toni shook her head in denial, Vanesa took her eyes and held them for a moment and said Thank you in a soft voice. Toni caught her breath. Vanesa swung gracefully out the door.

Jesus, Toni whispered. I want to cry.

The three agreed to meet in the anteroom at eleven-thirty. As the two woman opened the door to leave, Toni hesitated. Be with you in a minute, Nol. Could I have a word, Deirdre?

Standing beside her chair, Deirdre waited as Toni approached.

I have a strange request Toni said. She looked down, seemingly a bit embarrassed, Then she looked up and raised her chin. I’ll give you a hundred dollars if you can get me one of Vanesa’s panties, one she’s worn for the day. You’re a woman like me. I’m sure you understand.

I understand alright, but a hundred dollars won’t get you within a hundred yards of Vanesa’s panties. You’re talking about diamonds, you know, not costume jewelry.

Toni shrugged. Two hundred then.

Now you’re getting serious, but you’re not there yet. Not by a long shot. Look what you’re asking. You’re asking for me to slip over to Vanesa’s apartment and steal the underpants she takes off that day after work and bring it to you, all for a mere two hundred dollars.

Toni stood there She looked down again. Okay, I get it. Five hundred. I have it right here in my bag.

Deirdre stared at her. You know, Toni, you’re a beautiful woman. Sexy as hell and you can believe me when I say that any half-alive woman, or man for that matter, would be lucky as hell to get into your pants or, failing that, just to smell them. Vanesa’s got you in a bind though, that little girl. Don’t think I don’t understand. She’s only twenty—I believe I’m right—and she makes my legs go weak just looking at her. If it weren’t for my own love child who’s also disturbingly beautiful and about the same age, I would have been all over Vanesa, panties and all, before she worked a full day for me. I also know—not from my own experience unfortunately—that she is about as delicious and passionate in bed as can be imagined. You are truly smitten and I feel for you. So I tell you what. I’m not going to steal anything from her. I’m going to tell her you’re dying for a pair and are willing to give her five hundred dollars for it. And I’m going to advise her to be nice and accept the deal. I’ll put it to her before she goes home today. Call me about four-thirty and have the money in hand and I’ll let you know. You’re not leaving until tomorrow, have I got that right? Plenty of time.

God, this is embarrassing. But I’m okay with it. She’s… Well, you know. Look, throw in a pair of yours and I’ll double the offer.

I don’t think I will, unless you come with it.

She jumped back. Well… Well, then. You’re such a tease. I know it too, but if we ever did, I promise I’d take you to heaven or die trying.

I know you would.

3

Seated at a corner table at Siete Años on South First the women echoed Deirdre and ordered the same light lunch, a green salad with guacamole and ice tea. So, on with Marissa, Deirdre said. What’s her full name?

Nolan answered. Marissa Kemper, Marissa Ballard Kemper to be precise, Kemper being her husband’s last name. His name’s Mickey Kemper. I think I mentioned he introduced himself to us as Mike though, which was in keeping with our insistence on anonymity both for ourselves and our captives.

Deirdre chuckled briefly in her throat. Captives. That goes along with the idea of a posse I suppose. She opened her bag and pulled out a small notebook with an attached pen. She asked again for Marissa’s name and its spelling. You have her and Mickey’s home address I would think.

We do, Nolan said "and a lot of other information you’ll find useful if, that is, we are able to hire you."

I want the full names, addresses, telephone and cell numbers and relevant info about you five women too.

"All that’s in the folder. Well, except the phone numbers for three of us. You can get the land phone numbers, I would guess, once you have our names and addresses, but two of us, me for one, have children living at home and, quite frankly, we insist we not be reached there. I’ll give you two of our cell numbers, however, through which you can get in touch with any of us if need be. All of that’s in the folder. And while I’m thinking of it, Marissa’s and her husband’s work numbers are there too. Marissa is a certified real estate agent but the agency she’s associated with refused to tell us anything about her whereabouts and that can only mean they don’t know where she is. We also contacted her husband’s business. He owns a shop—you may know it—called The Royal Bath. We were told he’s in and out but his wife hasn’t been around for ages. We haven’t followed up on that."

Deirdre nodded. "Yes, I think I’ve actually been in that place for some reason. Oh yes, I remember now. There’s a display of baths and commodes along one wall. You won’t be surprised to hear that the store is fondly known in Austin as The Royal Flush. Yes. I’ve also heard—it’s coming back to me—that the owner is quite the ladies man, but I’ve never met him."

Well, I can vouch for one thing. He has a super-sized tool hanging on him and that’s a selling point for a lot of women.

Teenagers?

Them too. It’s important to Molly for sure.

Well, look now. Before you intrigue me with the continuing saga of Marissa and her disappearance there is just the one hanging issue about our employment. I take it the Posse does not contain an underage member. Seventeen is the age of consent in Texas and your Molly at twenty or so is your youngest member. Nor do your women condone seducing anyone, male or female, who is under seventeen. Moreover, every single one of your members makes certain never to charge any fees for sexual favors or accept gifts of monetary value from the fortunate ones who you treat freely with your sexual favors. Also, consent of all parties is necessary, so rape or forceful servitude or assault or any such felonious or otherwise criminal treatment of your patrons is never an issue. I assume I’m on target about all of the foregoing, right?

Toni replied quickly. You bet.

Nolan hesitated for a moment. As far as the Posse is involved, you are right about all of it. But we can’t answer for the private lives of our members. That no member has ever had sex with anyone under seventeen or has ever charged money or such for sex, well I can’t guarantee. In fact, I know for a fact that many if not all of us have had sex prior to seventeen and with others also under that age. And I know that one of us actually engaged in long term sex with another female at the ages of fourteen through sixteen. But none of this or anything of the sort happened during Posse activity.

Toni spoke matter-of-factly. Yes, I confess. Nolan knows that I seduced my Molly, my lovely niece Molly when she was fourteen, and I continued to sexually entertained her with the glories of loving sex from that point on, throughout her remaining teen years and wonderfully, still do when we both feel like it. She was invited into the Posse at my suggestion when she turned seventeen,

Our finest decision Nolan remarked. Or one of them for sure.

Deirdre shook her head, coughed, and took a long swallow of tea. Excuse me. Such a delightful story. I can hardly wait to meet this phenomenal girl. I’ll have Vanesa tape your answer to the questions of legality I put to you, then we’ll sign a contract. Now I await with bated breath the denouement of our meeting, explaining Melissa.

Quickly done. Nolan resumed her winning smile. When Marissa broke up our meeting and the hotel guys told us to pack our bags, Marissa remained standing near the door and regarded us. She stood there, incredibly gorgeous, with her arms across her breast and her legs slightly apart and grounded solidly on the carpet. God, she was magnificent. By that time I think she had us pretty much figured out. She was seething, it was in her eyes, but there was something in the way she looked at us each in turn, took in the physical attractiveness, the loveliness, of each of us that struck me as rethinking things. Then she looked down for a moment and when she looked back up her face had lost its rigid sternness; it had relaxed and softened and we could see its beauty and then she nodded and left.

Yeah, Toni murmured.

Nolan paused and took a small nip of the guacamole. She put down her fork before resuming. The man we had with us, newly acquired and half undressed had already put his pants and shoes back on. Suddenly he stood up clutching his shirt and started out the door. He said he’d be back and then muttered something to the effect that he’d catch up with the woman and find out what she was up to. Now, we women read men pretty good and it was plain to us that Dean, as he called himself, was stirred by something much stronger than curiosity. We were resigned to our never seeing him again. But he accosted me the next evening with the request to consider Marissa—we heard her name for the first time—for inclusion at least temporarily in our club. Then he related in considerable detail what had transpired between the two after he rushed out in pursuit of her.

Love at first sight, was it?

"On his part, yes. Apparently, she fell for him too, but the undercurrent that had her in its grip was the excitement of the sexual extravaganza she anticipated with our group. We should have known. Her persistent attachment with a man who no longer offered her anything but sex and a monster organ showed at least this much, Marissa was a sexual being through and through. And a beauty, a sexy sexed-up beauty, just the sort of vixen who, had she been a Houston acquaintance of ours, would have fit right in with us. She would have been a ton of fun. Toni here and Molly Girl would have eaten her and her husband up alive."

A fork half way to her mouth, Toni froze and closed her eyes. Wanted her from the beginning. She stood there, just stood there, so fucking haughty and confident, just exuding sex. Dean caught it. You would have too, Redhead.

Deirdre shrugged. Sounds like I may well have.

Look Nol, Toni said, "you’ve been flapping