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Breaking and Entering
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Chapter 7
Christmas Eve was in full swing. The shops were doing stampede trade, the shop assistants going from one tired foot to another, wishing for closing time and a moment of peace and reflection within their family constellation. About four in the afternoon, while mayhem was oozing through the streets, Abe phoned Cath and booked a taxi. Despite assurances that her husband’s lips were sealed like a flight recorder, he gave an address a mile from Greg’s apartment. It was an icy walk, which required us to hang on to each other, which was what we had been doing most of the day. We arrived at a fancy iron gate, scrolled and adorned with decorative security spikes. Through the bare trees we could make out a condominium in the distance.
‘This had better work. I don’t fancy trying to find a cab home from here.’
‘It has to work,’ he replied. ‘We are already
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Chapter 8The phone next to Abe rang. It was eight o’clock, Christmas morning, in a hotel in Baltimore. I guessed it must come from a long way eastwards of here – somewhere people are awake at this time. I was right. It was Dee calling from Cairo. Abe put it on speaker.‘Greg has been in touch. He knows you used my card to access the apartment. He has sworn “to fix me and all my tribe.” It sounds bad. Does he mean my family or you two, who it seems, despoiled his cathedral?’Abe was silent. Dee and I knew him well enough to not interrupt his thoughts.‘The tribe will be we three, Dee. I wouldn’t bother warning your family - just cause unnecessary anguish.’‘What if you are wrong, Abe?’‘I’m well paid not to be wrong on these matters. Trust me! I’m more trustworthy than your previous c
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Chapter 9I tried to cook a Christmas dinner as best I could. Concentration was not easy. I could hear Abe’s conversation with Mave. He had put the phone on speaker for me.‘I have a proposition, Mave. I promise you won’t regret helping us – financially, that is. I know that someone in your position has to take the best offers going and may be tempted to go over to the other side, but, I promise, I will offer more.’‘Wrong, Abe. Cath and I never switch sides during a job. Do that once and the word gets out - we’d be too toxic to hire.’‘Good. Can we meet?’‘Where are you?’‘I’m going to send you an encrypted message. The URL I gave you ...’‘Okay, I understand. You don’t need to say more.’She hung up and Abe switched the phone off.I cooke
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Chapter 10It stopped snowing. The owner used his small snowplough to get us to the main road. From there on, the roads were clear. We arrived at Mave’s around nine. Cath was already there in her black catsuit – no tail. She looked stunning and I assumed would monitor events inside Oscillations, mouth shut, nearly invisible. At ten we set out for the club. Mave gave me the plan in the taxi.‘Meet me under the picture of the naked lady standing in an oyster shell. I may have to use the back entrance. I’ll find you, find Greg and introduce you. Keep your eyes down to hide your face. It’s handy it is part of the demure crap these guys want from a slave.’‘A what?’Why hadn’t I considered the milieu I was entering? This was no ordinary girl-meets-boy date. I remembered the alcoves with the selection of whips, canes and pad
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Chapter 11The plane lifted off. Mave’s farewell words were still in my ears. Apart from, ‘goodbye’, it was a list of things I had to watch out for.‘Was that bullshit?’ she started. ‘That story about a computer program that demands your input, or it fires Greg into the public domain?’‘No,’ Abe assured us.‘It’ll make no difference. He’ll come after you.’‘I know. Be careful. You are closer than we.’Mave fell silent. The conversation had ended. No one elucidated. As the ground disappeared I thought, ‘Time to enquire’.‘What could Greg still do to harm us? We have so much material – material so damning it would ruin his business career.’Abe took my hand.‘There is more than one way to skin a rabbit. We may find that by t
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Chapter 12I had thought I would have to look up where Abe, as a name, has its origins. The hotel clerk in Las Vegas saved me the trouble. He led us to sign the certificate, or whatever it was, on an oak table in front of the marriage centre, (which was little more than a set of broom cupboards). To get us to the honeymoon suite (it came as a package, like everything else in Las Vegas), he called the lift operator and announced loudly, ‘Honeymoon Suite for Mr and Mrs Abraham Bentwhistle.’ I died a little on my wedding day.Abe comes from Abraham, father of the nations. Bentwhistle comes from the same place as Grimshaw and should have stayed there. My childhood dream of one day ridding myself of Grimshaw is over. I pray I will wake one morning and discover Bentwhistle is one of his many aliases.‘No one uses Bentwhistle as an alias,’ he assured me. ‘Aliases m
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Chapter 13Work, home, weekend. I dreaded the coming Monday, when I would face Greg as Cornelia Bentwhistle, née Connie Grimshaw. Abe had plenty to say about our barmy plan. He posed the obvious and necessary question.‘What will you do, next Monday morning, when Greg sees Connie Grimshaw – the author of his woes? Mave says he has been chucked out of his cushy Baltimore life because his wife wants a divorce and the old man won’t pay for his perves. The police spent a week taking forensic evidence from his apartment and made press statements every day. Imagine the moment they announced the blood and tissue came from an Argentinian steer. He will not be a happy rabbit and will want your entrails hanging from a gibbet, and you invite him into your castle.’‘Maybe you are right. Perhaps I am trivialising his evil. I think the only way to put this away &nd
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Chapter 14 I met Tannhäuser the following Saturday, in the Tate. So John, ‘Did you see Greg?’ I asked. ‘No. I took your advice and put him off.’ ‘Was he difficult about it?’ ‘Not at all. He muttered something about a new job he had to concentrate on, but I should contact him as soon as I am in town.’ ‘What next?’ ‘I want to meet him, with you, and we try to talk some sense into him.’ ‘Ridiculous notion!’ I couldn’t believe the man’s naivety. ‘What is your idea?’ he asked. ‘I don’t need one. He is leaving me alone – at the moment.’ I didn’t tell Tannhäuser that I would be working as Greg’s boss within a few days, that he couldn’t return to the USA at the moment without facing retribution from his father-in-law, that we had enough on him to ruin his already shaky reputation. I didn’t tell him, because despite all the car
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Chapter 18. Contains sexual content. Abe and I were lost in first love. But all things slow down and it occurred to me that we hadn’t resolved his bigamy. I slid off and lay beside him. ‘Is your divorce through yet?’ ‘Ah,’ he said. I waited. Surely there was more. There wasn’t and despite all efforts, I slipped into a deep sleep enjoyed only by those with a clear conscience. I forgot to ask again and Abe had a business trip to New York. ‘Be careful. Greg might still have his heavies out, looking for us.’ Abe made reassuring noises, I was reassured, but looking back, he said nothing of importance. My day was busy and it kept me from dwelling on my man being away. Nevertheless, Dianne spotted my absent mindedness. ‘Anything troubling you?’ ‘Abe is away – gone to New York.’ ‘I see,’ she interrupted. ‘Was that wise?’ ‘It’s probably OK, but I’d rather he
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Chapter 17Dee had a stroke of luck with her new job. Her boss was away for a fortnight, and needed the phone answering professionally during his absence. Thus, Dee had plenty of time to organise Greg’s defeat at the hands of Freya. I knew little of what was going on, just that a major group visit to Silly Suits would be necessary. She booked us in for a personal fitting the following Friday evening, after hours. There was a further surprise. On that Friday, as I returned from work and was walking towards Abe’s garden gate, I saw in the distance two black women hauling suitcases. I looked a second time and was sure they were Mave and Cath. They grinned and waved and I walked past the gate towards them.‘This must have an ulterior motive, or are you merely on holiday?’ I asked as we exchanged hugs.‘Abe has a job for us. Client pays the flight, so we
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Chapter 16Monday came. No Greg. His first late mark. At least he has one human quality.I had meetings all morning. When I returned to the office, Dianne reminded me Greg was still missing.‘Is it time to try his mobile?’ she asked.‘Definitely.’I waited while she dialled. No reply.‘Perhaps he has quit our fair and lovely isle,’ Dianne offered.‘I’m not sure that would be so good. Before Greg goes we need resolved issues. Greg’s power over me, will resurface and come back to haunt me. He may as well be in the office. He will be in touch.’On the way home, I received a text from Greg.‘Sorry! Had to throw a sicky, as you people say. See you tomorrow.’With nothing resolved on that front, and as Abe was out until late on a case, I stopped off at my
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Chapter 15Greg and Tannhäuser’s BDSM date took place the next Friday. I wasn’t interested. I wasn’t sure why Greg mentioned it before he left work that afternoon, but I did relay the information to Dianne. She seemed worried.‘Come round for nibbles and a drink tonight,’ she ordered.‘Is that to make sure I don’t weaken and go to Plaistow?’Dianne laughed.‘I am sure you are not so daft as to keep an assignation with Greg and Tanny in a dodgy BDSM club. You hold a senior position in an international engineering consultancy company. There must be some grey cells with ‘common sense,’ between your ears. No, Connie! I know you won’t go near Plaistow tonight. Nevertheless, to make sure you don’t weaken, drop round, around nine. Madeline should be asleep by then.’I hesitated. Wimbledon to Hampstea
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Chapter 14 I met Tannhäuser the following Saturday, in the Tate. So John, ‘Did you see Greg?’ I asked. ‘No. I took your advice and put him off.’ ‘Was he difficult about it?’ ‘Not at all. He muttered something about a new job he had to concentrate on, but I should contact him as soon as I am in town.’ ‘What next?’ ‘I want to meet him, with you, and we try to talk some sense into him.’ ‘Ridiculous notion!’ I couldn’t believe the man’s naivety. ‘What is your idea?’ he asked. ‘I don’t need one. He is leaving me alone – at the moment.’ I didn’t tell Tannhäuser that I would be working as Greg’s boss within a few days, that he couldn’t return to the USA at the moment without facing retribution from his father-in-law, that we had enough on him to ruin his already shaky reputation. I didn’t tell him, because despite all the car
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Chapter 13Work, home, weekend. I dreaded the coming Monday, when I would face Greg as Cornelia Bentwhistle, née Connie Grimshaw. Abe had plenty to say about our barmy plan. He posed the obvious and necessary question.‘What will you do, next Monday morning, when Greg sees Connie Grimshaw – the author of his woes? Mave says he has been chucked out of his cushy Baltimore life because his wife wants a divorce and the old man won’t pay for his perves. The police spent a week taking forensic evidence from his apartment and made press statements every day. Imagine the moment they announced the blood and tissue came from an Argentinian steer. He will not be a happy rabbit and will want your entrails hanging from a gibbet, and you invite him into your castle.’‘Maybe you are right. Perhaps I am trivialising his evil. I think the only way to put this away &nd
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Chapter 12I had thought I would have to look up where Abe, as a name, has its origins. The hotel clerk in Las Vegas saved me the trouble. He led us to sign the certificate, or whatever it was, on an oak table in front of the marriage centre, (which was little more than a set of broom cupboards). To get us to the honeymoon suite (it came as a package, like everything else in Las Vegas), he called the lift operator and announced loudly, ‘Honeymoon Suite for Mr and Mrs Abraham Bentwhistle.’ I died a little on my wedding day.Abe comes from Abraham, father of the nations. Bentwhistle comes from the same place as Grimshaw and should have stayed there. My childhood dream of one day ridding myself of Grimshaw is over. I pray I will wake one morning and discover Bentwhistle is one of his many aliases.‘No one uses Bentwhistle as an alias,’ he assured me. ‘Aliases m
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Chapter 11The plane lifted off. Mave’s farewell words were still in my ears. Apart from, ‘goodbye’, it was a list of things I had to watch out for.‘Was that bullshit?’ she started. ‘That story about a computer program that demands your input, or it fires Greg into the public domain?’‘No,’ Abe assured us.‘It’ll make no difference. He’ll come after you.’‘I know. Be careful. You are closer than we.’Mave fell silent. The conversation had ended. No one elucidated. As the ground disappeared I thought, ‘Time to enquire’.‘What could Greg still do to harm us? We have so much material – material so damning it would ruin his business career.’Abe took my hand.‘There is more than one way to skin a rabbit. We may find that by t
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Chapter 10It stopped snowing. The owner used his small snowplough to get us to the main road. From there on, the roads were clear. We arrived at Mave’s around nine. Cath was already there in her black catsuit – no tail. She looked stunning and I assumed would monitor events inside Oscillations, mouth shut, nearly invisible. At ten we set out for the club. Mave gave me the plan in the taxi.‘Meet me under the picture of the naked lady standing in an oyster shell. I may have to use the back entrance. I’ll find you, find Greg and introduce you. Keep your eyes down to hide your face. It’s handy it is part of the demure crap these guys want from a slave.’‘A what?’Why hadn’t I considered the milieu I was entering? This was no ordinary girl-meets-boy date. I remembered the alcoves with the selection of whips, canes and pad
