Author's Note: Welcome to the final chapter of Den of Iniquity. I'd like to thank everyone who has supported this story over the past year, and especially rachel for her outstanding editing. This has been the most ambitious story I've tried to write. I am so humbled and so inspired by everyone's votes, comments and feedback. It's all we aspiring writers get! So please keep them coming. It helps so much to really know…
Annie and I rounded the entrance to the salon and were greeted by a wall of eerie silence. A few looked toward us as we entered. We'd barely stepped a foot inside before Chantelle's voice rang like an executioner's bell.
"Close the doors behind you, Roger."
Once I pulled the heavy salon doors closed, Annie hugged my arm tightly and we took our places in Chantelle's audience. Looking around I noticed some of the chairs from around the walls had been moved into a semi-circle. Chantelle sat on the edge of her over-stuffed, large black leather chair facing us. She had her hands clasped together around her knees. Claudio was leaning into her ear, whispering and gesticulating quickly. She had her head down and was nodding.
There were quite a few concerned faces amongst those gathered. Sitting on the chairs were Alex O'Donohue, Emmanuel Hammerstein, Royston Gardner, and their wives. Hammerstein and Gardner were keeping well apart, with their wives sitting between them. The men looked worried, while the women looked annoyed to be missing a perfectly good party. The rest of us stood behind the chairs, waiting for the axe to fall.
Neither Josephine nor Sylvia were anywhere to be seen. Looking around, I noticed Adrian and Jonathan were also missing. I figured they were still at their posts. Finally, Chantelle waved Claudio away, eying those around her. She stood up and put her hands on her hips. Later I would swear she looked six foot tall.
"I am very disappointed," she began. "Because among those I call my friends, there are those who would take advantage of the hospitality I have shown them."
Her eyes flickered over us. I wondered for a moment if she meant me. I shook my head at the ridiculous thought.
"Not only have they taken advantage of it, but they have deliberately and callously abused it."
She scanned over those standing to my left as she went on.
"Both in business and socially I hold honesty to be an inviolable requirement, and I have been let down today."
Emmanuel Hammerstein shook his head.
"Emmanuel?" Chantelle asked. "Am I boring you?"
Hammerstein answered gruffly. "I'm just wondering where this is going, Chantelle. It was all just a stupid mistake." His eyes flicked over to Gardner.
Chantelle's eyes narrowed.
"You allowed this to happen on my property. You knew. Despite your apparent lack of active participation, you allowed a criminal act to occur on my property. And to an employee of your own company!" She turned to Gardner. "And as for you… Your desire to play out your disgusting control-freak games sickens me. You are a weak, cowardly, conniving man. I have rarely seen behaviour less befitting of someone I employ. As my lawyers, Gardner and Hammerstein are dismissed. As my guests, you are no longer welcome. You may see yourselves out."
The wives of both men were on their feet and heading to the door. Emmanuel Hammerstein went to protest and Chantelle held up her hand. He stood and strode across in front of us all and stopped. Turning to Chantelle, he muttered, "You're all sick."
Chantelle shrugged and replied, "I have the photo, Emmanuel."
Hammerstein blanched. It looked like he was going to throw up. His wife asked, "What photo?" but she didn't get an answer. Emmanuel hustled her out of there as quickly as he could.
Gardner stood and shook his head. He opened his mouth as if to say something but decided against it. He turned on his heel and walked out, his wife tugging on his sleeve and three or four of the top lawyers and their partners followed him. I smiled when I realised the head of Videomax wasn't leaving. My boss Mike looked across at me and winked once, staying put and looking back towards Chantelle. I heard the salon doors open and close heavily and that was that. There were still about eight of us there. Chantelle turned her attention to Alex O'Donohue.
"I've known you for many years, Alex. I knew you sailed your boat close to the wind, but you have been playing a different game tonight, haven't you."
Alex cleared his throat before responding. "I don't know what you are talking about."
"Did you not try to talk Claudio into convincing me to float this business on the stock exchange?"
"Y… yes, I thought it was a good idea. I still do."
"And when it didn't happen, what did you do?"
Alex hesitated and looked down at his hands. His wife looked like she had no idea what was going on. He looked back up at Chantelle and his whole demeanor had changed.
"I spoke with Claudio's girlfriend."
"Josephine."
"Yes, Josephine."
"Would you like me to tell all these kind people exactly what you proposed to Josephine? Or are you man enough to do it yourself, governor candidate O'Donohue?"
He suddenly stood up and spoke, "I've had enough of this. I'm leaving. You'll be hearing from my lawyers."
"If I hear from your lawyers, the press hears from me, Alex."
He practically wrenched his dumbfounded wife from her seat and stomped his way to the doors of the salon. He turned around and looked daggers at Chantelle before finally leaving without saying another word.
It was all happening so fast I was wondering if I missed the explanation.
"Roger, Annie, please sit."
Annie and I took two of the vacated chairs and Claudio appeared and sat on the armrest of Chantelle's chair, right beside her.
Chantelle sighed before continuing. "I suppose you are all wondering what the hell just happened. And I'd like to fill you in enough to satisfy your curiosity, without sounding like I am starting vicious rumours. Let me just say that people I regarded as associates were willing to use my friends and my premises, not only to play their manipulative games, but also to damage my reputation and loosen my hold on the Domina Flagrante."
She looked around at all of us.
"This lifestyle does not compromise on things such as honesty, truth, and openness. Just about everything else is relative. One can come and go from the lifestyle. One can dabble or play now and again. There is no need to commit to a new way of living in order to enjoy some of the physical benefits one can get by playing with some of the tools of our trade. In other words, a person can proudly say they just play occasionally and would be welcomed here.
"But when someone comes along, who manipulates, lies, and cajoles people into doing things as part of a grand plan to bring me down - these are the people I cannot tolerate. I hold in my hand the power to ruin these men. All for what? For a ‘mistake', a ‘bit of fun'? One only has one's reputation to fall back on. And it's the one thing that always catches up with you. Oh, you can change your name, or move to a new town. One can always start over. But are the broken hearts and broken promises left in your wake worth it?
"Many years ago, I made a mistake when I wasn't honest. I hurt someone badly and she's never forgiven me for it. Because of the meddling of others I trusted, it almost cost me my reputation. If I hadn't lied to someone all those years ago, all this could have been avoided. So, I blame myself. But I want you to learn something. Everyone starts somewhere. Pretending you are someone you are not keeps others from really knowing you, which in turn keeps you from knowing yourself. Be honest to yourself first. And start now."
We all gave out a collective sigh. I think most were happy to have their innocence confirmed. That was certainly how I felt. We all sat there, silently mulling over Chantelle's words.
Claudio stood and clapped his hands, grinning. "Okay, let's go! There's a party out there, and we're missing out on it!"
Chantelle's huge smile was an enormous relief to me. It was amazing how close I felt to her, even though I'd only known her a few days. As she took Claudio's offered arm and I stood up with Annie on mine, I briefly wondered if she would ever find what she was looking for. Or had she already found it? And was that a twinkle I saw in her eye?
