Against The Odds Ch 02

IN THIS– CROSS-OVER Western arching 120 years, be prepared for a little humor and even satire, sex, romance and obnoxious attitudes. The setting is Clyde, a city of 27,600 servicing a hinterland of small productive farm units on the grassy and water restricted plains and large ranches rising into mountainous slopes. In pioneering days the Jefferson family arrived first followed shortly by the Elliot's. They cross-married but within this generation the two families divided because of 'the incident'. That centers on the very personable Miss Ellis Jefferson (33), illegitimate daughter of an Elliot, Ellis now a highly successful lawyer brings in man, Troy Gardiner, a graduate from her old university who has just returned from working in South Africa, to consolidate her property interests and manage them. Troy seduces his PA within a few hours of meeting her – or was it the other way round? That evening his landlady's daughter arrives to cook his meal and wants to release sexual tension. It all seems too good to last, and it won't.

*

Olivia the daughter of Troy Gardiner's landlady raised her arms and wheedled, "Come on Troy – come into my arms and hug and kiss me and then lick me into orgasm."

"That's adultery and you're a married woman."

"No, that's only playing around – if you shaft me that's adultery."

"Words Olivia, you're kidding yourself."

She pouted and showed her tuft of red hair which interested Troy. Well, it was up to her if she wanted to obscure the truth; why talk her out of it after failing in the first attempt? He licked his lips and moved into her arms, smelling her arousal.

She's a dangerous bitch, he thought, her teeth nipping both lips, tongue and ears and was now unbuttoning his shirt presumably to nip his nipples. Her chest was about as flat as his so she decided to give that area a miss.

"My pussy, my pussy," she urged. So he muffed dived and her head shot back onto the kitchen cupboards with quite a thump but she seemed oblivious to that. His tongue slipped over a soft haired vulva and into rather a lovely well-juiced pussy and his roving tongue went into deep exploration while one of his fingers circled her clit. She was too on edge to continue for long; she grabbed his head and appeared to be attempting to push it up the channel when she gushed and groaned and groaned as if releasing all of her frustrations.

Troy looked around for a tea towel but before he could move off she jumped off the bench and took him into her mouth and soon had Troy's eyes looking at the ceiling and rolling around like the head of a sunflower in the wind. He bulged, grunted and broke into a sweat as he grabbed her head and held it there, meeting absolutely no resistance. He emptied down her mouth; with barely a pause to catch her breath she stood up, smacking her lips as if she'd just had dinner.

"We must do this some more," she giggled. "Fetch me a towel while I see to your dinner."

* * *

The next evening in the restaurant Ellis decided on steak and salad and continued on pretending to be looking at the menu while studying Troy. She admired his long brown and clean-looking hair but really he needed a hair-cut. His body looked powerful and her fleeting thought was he could be really great in bed. So far he'd not disappointed her and that morning her office manager Molly said Kelly was raving about him and had said they already were bonding.

Lucky girl Kelly, he will attend to your needs for sure that is if you're they kind of married woman and young mother. Ellis was wearing her blue dress, with the shoulder straps removed; she hoped the top would not work down too much to give him the idea that she was available. He was out of luck if he thought that – he'd have greater chance of finding satisfaction in humping a hole in a fence post than waiting for her to bend over for him. She had this absolute rule – she was not to sexually engage with anyone on staff and no staff member was to sexually fraternize with another staff member and everyone knew they faced dismissal if they engaged in any such misconduct on the job. She had no interest in what they did away from work.

Ellis could feel Troy's eyes on her boobs. She wondered if he'd try to haul them out tonight and wondered whether she'd permit that to happen. He was unconventional and she knew he'd ignore the non-fraternization rule. But the reason for being here was not to prepare for a rutting. As soon as their orders were taken they saluting each other with their wine glass and she began telling him about the Jefferson and the Elliot history to fill him out on the extract she'd related the previous morning. Then said revealed to him – the only person she'd told apart from Uncle Jed – of her fears that her uncles could place her under immense pressure, possibly even rough her up a bit.

Troy seemed quite unconcerned.

"Did you understand what I just said?"

"Yes."

"Aren't you concerned for me?"

"A little; I'm sure with verbal pressure you can take care of yourself. If you come under psychical assault you'll ask if you want my help."

"God, you're cold and pragmatic."

"In a remote part of South Africa I saw a colored mine worker beaten almost to death for stealing a pack of cigarettes. If I'd attempted to intervene I would have been shot by the friend of the guy with the cane. Cold and pragmatic – perhaps? But at least I came out of there after seven years alive."

"Oh, I'm sorry; how awful that must have been for you."

"I love your strapless dress. You appear to have very nice tits."

"Breasts is a nicer word," Ellis said and then dabbing her lips with her serviette not knowing what else to do. Never had a man stunned her quite like that; she had not been expecting it; instead she'd been waiting for a typical tough guy answer to her question.

"Are you embarrassed about my comment," he asked unconcerned.

"I-I don't really think so; perhaps just slightly as I was rather caught off balance."

"They don't make you that top-heavy surely?"

"Oh no, of course not, I..." She then noticed the naughty boy smile and decided she must change the conversation. "I would be grateful if you could come to my assistance if I'm threatened, but only if that doesn't place you in danger."

"Okay, security, building relocations, placement of new buildings and property management were main tasks for me in South Africa. I need to see your house, it's a beautiful small dwelling on a small piece of land I was told – daylight would be best to view it; this Saturday perhaps?'

"Yes, come for breakfast or lunch. I'm one of the sponsors invited to help judge at a dog show in the afternoon."

"Breakfast is fine. Anyone wanting to slap you up a bit would probably try to jump you in the office car park – I'll install a full-blown alarm in you vehicle. You probably would be most vulnerable just as you arrive home or, if they really are smart, as you walk to your vehicle in the morning."

"Why then?"

"Because it's the time no-one expects anything bad to happen. They could try a kidnapping to really put the wheeze up you. These Jefferson brothers – do they farm together?"

"Yes – actually three ranches join and are worked today. I have no problem with that third person who is their son/nephew; he really is a good guy."

"Well I'd like accurate layouts of their homes and all outbuildings on their ranch. Should you go missing and I fail to find you quickly I'd pay a visit on those two uncles of yours. From what you have told me they'd be the most likely offenders although they could bring in heavies to do the job for them. Even so, they'd still want to see you after you were taken. You don't seem overly nervous?"

"No, I'm pragmatic," she grinned.

"Good girl; I don't want you to carry a gun. People who pull guns are more likely to get shot than those who don't."

"I do worry that they may kill me."

"Have you made a will?"

"No, in effect I have no family as I've already indicated."

"Well I suggest you make a will and leave your estate to the foundation for homeless children or illegitimate children or abused women; anything like that. Then you let it be known what you have done and make sure words leaks to the Jefferson brothers and their Elliot contemporizes."

"Of course, I see...with me dead any attempt to grab my assets would fail."

"Exactly, you're not just a pretty face with lovely blonde hair and great breasts, are you?"

"If you say so," Ellis said, only just managing not to smile. "What do you predict will happen?"

"If you were snatched, you'd be taken somewhere remote and left alone to stew until you submit and agree to carve up your assets from your grandmother to her children and the two brothers would work to secure power of attorney on their father's assets instead of you having that control."

"Would I be beaten?"

"Perhaps although you'd decrease that chance by not being defiant. Don't smart-lip them; try to look scared and confused saying things like you don't know what to do; that you want time to think about it. Quietly disagree with every thing they say and stutter, cry and mutter things like save me, save me. With luck they'll leave you to come to your senses."

Ellis looked at Troy appearing not at all confident. "Should I go to the police?"

"What do you think?"

"They may sympathize but will tell me there is nothing they can do."

"Exactly. I could also go and break a couple of legs, but will that stop them? Perhaps but you can't be sure. Best to catch them in the act and with kidnapping they'll be disgraced locally and put away for years."

"Or if we could capture them and call a joint families' gathering and lead them in and have the truth come out, recording it on film camera and place copies placed in safe custody in case they become bad boys again."

Troy told Ellis that was brilliant and if she handled that properly it could perhaps end up with the two families being reunited.

She said that was being a little optimistic.

"I reckon it depends how hard you try; be convincing and true and you'll win through."

"That sound like poetry," she giggled and he praised her for being brave, that he would have expected her to be shaking in fear.

"These two families took my young years and my teenage years from me; it was only when I went away to college and then on to university did I get a life. I'll not fear my uncles unless they torture me severely or appear about to kill me."

They ate their dinner still taking about trying to outwit the Elliot brothers, Philip and Richard. Troy asked who she could trust as accomplices.

"Alas, just three people: Uncle Jed who is in a wheelchair in the old folk's home, Molly and Philip's son Mitch."

"Oh that's hopeless; I was thinking about one or two trusted people I could take into the field with me."

"What's wrong with Molly?"

"She's a woman."

"Oh thanks. Women are no good it seems. Have you noticed the way Molly walks?"

"Not really."

"Well, she's light on her feet for a big woman, is a top skimobile rider in competitions and is very strong because she works her guts out with her husband all weekends on fencing contracts for other farmers; they only have dry stock on their smallish farm and both work in the city during the week."

"How can you possibly think of trusting Mitch Elliot?"

"Because I know him better than I do my own mother and two sisters. I went through school with him and for a while at college we were lovers; he remains friendly with me."

"Okay, going to bed with him is one thing but asking him to help me against his father – I find that a little rich."

"Then you'll have to trust me, won't you. When I say Mitch would come to my rescue and would beat his father and Uncle Richard to pulp if he found they'd wronged me you better believe me otherwise you are a fool; there's no-one else."

"Okay, then what about me – how is it you trust me and yet you don't know me?"

"Because of the way I first met you. I heard a voice while I was unconscious; I know I did, a women's voice. I'm not saying it was the spirit of my great-grandmother but I find I cannot reject that thought. When I came too I know I had been told to trust you and to use you on the mission."

"That is a little hard to believe Ellis; I'd think you thought what you wanted to believe."

Ellis turned her piercing eyes on Troy: "Are you calling me a liar?"

Troy grinned, holding up his hands submissively. "Of course not; I have no way of knowing what you heard, if anything. Doubting you is not calling you a liar. Let's move on, what mission?"

Ellis smiled thinly. "I couldn't think of any mission until this evening when you began imagining these threats against me and I started to half-believe you and then you seem to become so convincing. I thought perhaps dealing with my two dark uncles was the mission but a few minutes ago it came to me: My mission is to bring the two families together and it appears I'm plunging into the position to do that."

"Do you hear a voice explain that to you this evening?"

"No."

"Well, there is a purpose, you have a goal and a determined and planned effort will be necessary to achieve that goal so without doubt that is a mission. Those maps that I want – why don't you invite Mitch to your office and work on the maps; swear him to secrecy and if he promises you allegiance should his father or uncle physically interfere with you any way then call me in and we'll work on strategy. He'll need to be told that all of this is supposition and remains so until something happens. The threat could come from another direction – perhaps from hired roughnecks – or from even your mother and her brother. Perhaps nothing will happen; who knows? How we can lose is not been prepared; being prepared gives us a chance of countering any threat effectively I'll buy you a small radio tomorrow and a special receiver for me. Recharge the battery each Sunday without fail. When it is turned off or ceases transmitting for any other reason it will send an alarm to my receiver. Carry it at all times."

As they left the restaurant Ellis kissed Troy on the lips. "Thank you for being so supportive. Colin said you were different and know I now just how different you are. I can't figure out why Molly doesn't really like you. Well, if she's allowed to go into the field with you then you could find out."

Troy grinned and said she must also invite Molly if he's called in to meet Mitch to begin strategic planning. He escorted Ellis to her car and opened the driver's door for her. Holding her by the shoulders he said, "Remember – keep 'the mission' top of mind and that ought to reduce time to feel worried, Waiting for something bad to happen can become an unbearable strain. If it becomes too much or you do begin fearing for your life, then go to the police. You won't have evidence but the enquiry could frighten Phil the Pill off – he'll know he's the prime suspect if anything happens to you. You are a prominent citizen so the police will go out and question him and possibly conduct a bit of a search. That would make a person with a plan in mind to sweat."

"Yes, I agree. I've already thought of that option but now dismiss it because it leaves me no farther ahead. My only fear is that I'm not brave enough to see it through and will let myself down."

Troy kissed Ellis lightly on the lips and as he went to pull away gently found her kissing him back. After a tiny pause he pulled away completely in recognition that to take advantage of her foreboding this was, well, unromantic. Never in his life had Troy admitted to being unromantic – a lie of course, but right now thinking he could claim that status made him feel good.

The next day at noon Troy parked his motor-cycle in the prohibited stopping zone outside City Hall and twenty minutes later heard a voice he recognized – "Hey buddy"; Troy was the centre of interest around a small group of twenty-somethings, mainly female, wanting to know about his motor-cycle with a couple of females also wanting to know about him. The fair-haired cop with an arm trailing out the patrol car window was not moving to put his cap on, which was a good sign.

Troy walked over to the car and vary gingerly pulled out one of his new business cards that he'd stashed in his top pocket and handed it out to the cop and said, "Am I able to talk to you two guys about theory – actually it's a crime not yet committed; no joke and I'm as sane as the next fellow."

The two cops exchanged grins and the driver read the card. "Hey, he works for Miss Ellis Jefferson; that makes him almost okay."

The fair-headed copy said. "We eat over at The Grill on Oak Avenue from 1:00 if free; meet us over there. Love your bike."

Troy was having a beer at The Grill when the two cops walked in and walked straight to his table.

"The usual Duane?" called the bottled blonde with mammary overload at the counter and he called, "Feed it to me Daisy."

"I'm Megan," she pouted.

"Lovely Paul?"

"The usual Daisy."

"Yes Paul she simpered, brushing her fringe back and staring at him.

"And you sir."

"The usual thanks Daisy," called Troy and received the fingers, but with a smile.

"What is the usual?" Troy asked after the introductions were completed.

"Thin strips of beef buttered with hot mustard and swamped with fried onions on a so-called healthy roll and two cups of coffee, the first of which are coming across now – just look at those tits will you," Duane said.

The men looked and grinned, indicating to the smiling Daisy/Megan that she was welcome to visit this table any time she wished. She pouted and said unnecessarily, "Here's your coffee, boys."

Troy invented a story about one of the law firm's clients being harassed and the client fearing about being kidnapped and held hostage; he was seeking advice.

Paul said: "Kidnapping is a very serious offence. I'd first suggest you have your client medically examined."

"Yeah," said his partner Paul. "There may be a screw loose in the brain tin."

"And if not?"

"Our sergeant would question Miss Jefferson's client in her presence to look at the whole picture, probing for signs of probable threat or support for probable cause."

"And if that were indicated."

"A couple of us would be sent out to take a look at the client in his/her home environment looking for anything that might help and we'd leave saying we'd keep in touch and report back."

"And then what?"

"A conference with the inevitable decision to do nothing except to keep the virtually blank file open; or if evidence of harassment was found we'd interview the suspect or suspects."

Troy said that is what he'd expected; it would be rare for anyone without a criminal record to be fully interrogated and even more unlikely to be incarcerated. The cops reckoned they should be listening to him, not the other way round.

Duane grinned, "Here come those bouncy suckers guys; just take a look at them!"

"We get rather bored on street patrol," Paul explained sheepishly as Daisy/Megan minced away, putting in a little extra waggle.

"She get's bored as well," Troy suggested and joined in as the two cops roared with laughter, Duane choking, "I bet, rather often I'd think."

During the meal when it was discovered Troy had been in South Africa for seven years he was kept busy denying he'd not shot any Blacks or deer or elephants and wouldn't believe Troy when he said there were no tigers in the wild in South Africa.

Outside they kicked tires of his motor-cycle and then were off, but not before Paul gave Troy of number to punch into his phone to give him quick response from the police in the event of emergencies.

"But the fear of kidnapping is not an emergency," Duane said.

Troy rode down to the river for quiet reflection. He ran all the possibilities and decided Philip Jefferson would be loco to kill Ellis as that could be the end of any chance for him to enjoy wrenching her assets from her. Ellis was adamant that Philip's lawyers would not succeed in divesting her through the Courts. So Troy tried it from all angles: Knowing what I know and knowing what result I want, what would I do?