Redwood Nine

Chapter 9

Guilty, until proven innocent

Faces acknowledged the crash, as reality set in. Piney and Otto were on their bikes and hurrying towards the scene, as the girls got in with Wally and followed them. They came up to the intersection, unable to see much, because of the steam escaping from broken radiators. Piney stopped and jumped off, frantically looking for Lenny and his bike. A voice from the sidewalk got his attention.

"If you're looking for the idiot on the bike, he kept going like a bat out of hell, that way."

Piney looked over at the man that spoke and saw him pointing towards the motel. Fear and relief took over at the same time, knowing JT was driving just as wildly as Lenny was and thoughts of twisted metal and bone raced through his mind. He looked at Otto, still waiting on his bike.

"Go, to the motel."

Otto revved up his engine and popped the clutch, twisting the throttle wide open. The rear tire spun and smoked, as he tore off and began shifting up through the gears. Piney jumped on his Indian and gave it all he could and followed. Heads turned and watched them, wondering what was going on in Charming. The roar of engines faded, as sirens approached the scene, drivers and pedestrians milling about the wrecked cars, talking about the craziness of the bikers.

JT began gearing down, as he approached the parking lot of the motel, his focus on the office at the end. He entered the lot and began fishtailing on the gravel, holding on to it, keeping it upright. He straightened out and slowed to a stop at the curb. He stopped the bike and got off, marching into the office, the screen door slamming off the wall outside. No one came out, so he began yelling.

"Marlene! Marlene! Get out here."

No sound came from the living quarters, so JT went back and looked in. The outline of the corpse and its remains, were finally cleaned up, but a faint stain was still present. He yelled once more and walked in, taking a better look around. He looked in the bedroom and stared at the bed, knowing that's where Marlene had taken advantage of Suzy and Ann-Marie. He turned and strode out of the room and opened the door to the outside and looked around.

Marlene's Riviera was still in the parking lot, so she must still be there, but JT had no idea where, until he remembered putting Jake in the room. He began walking towards it, when he heard Lenny's bike racing up the road towards him. He watched for who it was, but he continued towards the room undaunted. Lenny pulled into the lot and roared towards him, waiting until the last second to brake and stop. He got off and ran over to JT and stopped him from going any further.

"Hold on, brother. What are you thinking about doing? Let's think this over, before you start something we can't stop."

JT's anger was as present as it ever was, his determination to carry through on his thoughts, the reason people worried about him. Lenny stood in front of JT physically and barred his progress.

"It's not your place, Lenny and none of your business. This is between me and that fucking woman in that room behind you."

Lenny was worried their voices were carrying into the rooms and tried to hush JT down.

"I said, get the fuck out of my way, Lenny. I mean it!"

Lenny wasn't going to let JT get involved in anything, while he was in that state of mind. He now knew Marlene was the root cause of the trouble, but what it had to do with the girls, was still a mystery. JT began pushing at Lenny to get out of his way, but Lenny stood firm, his size and weight, no match for JT.

Piney and Otto pulled into the lot and came right up to them, before stopping and getting off their bikes. They helped Lenny to keep JT under control, but the commotion began bringing attention to them. Curtains were opened in the occupied units and one unit in particular, had opened theirs. Jake looked out the window and saw JT being held back by his friends, the obvious direction he wanted to go to, was his unit. Marlene had assured him he had done nothing wrong, or committed any crimes, that she was aware of, leaving Jake to wonder why JT felt such hostility towards him.

He pulled on his pants and put on his boots, then lit a smoke and looked at Marlene.

"Guess we'll see just what did happen last night, Mar."

She gave him a kiss and sat on the bed, as he went to the door and hesitated for a moment in turning the knob, then opened the door. JT stopped fighting briefly, at seeing Jake, but his anger never diminished.

"Where is she, Jake?"

"Where's who, JT?"

"Marlene. Where is she?"

Jake looked at JT, stunned that his focus of rage wasn't him. He looked back at the unit and saw Marlene in the window, looking at him with fear in her eyes. It wasn't a fear of the unknown he saw in them, it was the fear of being found out about something, he knew he saw. His knowledge of her tells, told him she had committed a violation of some kind against JT, for him to be acting the way he was towards her.

"You tell that fucking bitch to get out here, Jake."

Jake spun back at him, his eyes glaring wildly at him. JT was taken by surprise at the ferocity of his look.

"Who the hell do you think you're talking to, boy?"

JT knew he had overstepped the boundary with him and realized his own place. His own rage lessened in the presence of Jake's.

"What ever the hell your problem is, you ain't going to go about it like that. You certainly ain't going to be acting like that to Marlene. Now you settle your ass down and act like a man and not some wet behind the ears kid, with a school yard grudge. One thing you learn JT Teller and learn well, show respect to women. You don't hit a woman ever and you treat them with respect, you got me?"

JT looked at Jake and saw a man who deserved his respect and to heed his warning. The guys could sense JT backing down and his eyes lost the anger in them. Jake saw he ceded to him and would comply with his orders.

"Now what the hell do you want with Marlene?"

Now the reason seemed embarrassing to him, as he tried to think reasonably and how to present it as such. He sighed and his shoulders slumped, as he couldn't come out and just say what it was. Now it almost became an embarrassment to him to have to ask her. Marlene saw the change in him and stood in the doorway. All eyes were on her, as she held their interest.

"Come inside, JT. Come tell me what has you riled up. I'll be fine Jake, JT isn't going to do anything, he promises. Don't you, JT?"

JT looked at her and then to Jake and nodded his head that he would comply.

"Let me hear you say it, son"

JT heard the use of son again and knew the disrespect had been put aside, his response now telling if he was in or out of Jake's graces.

"I promise, Jake. I'll show some respect to Marlene when I talk to her."

Jake knew he was sincere and shook his hand, then used his thumb to point over his shoulder to Marlene.

"Go on, but trust me, I'm going to know everything about this and it better be good."

JT looked at the seriousness in Jake's eyes and swallowed the lump in his throat. Marlene stood at the door and beckoned him to come in. What was once a raging animal she had to face, was now more like a scolded child in submission. JT walked past her and into the room, then Marlene turned and waved to them and closed the door. Jake asked for another smoke and waited for a light, then looked at all of them.

"What the fuck is going on, boys? I get a little drunk and the whole world decides to come apart at the seams. Somebody start talking."

Piney knew it was on his shoulders to set things right with Jake. He walked him away from the others and once he was far enough, he started to explain what he knew about it all. The guys watched them, as Jake kept looking at Piney every time he explained more, then stopped and turned him to face him. Piney nodded his head and raised his hands to say he couldn't give more to him. Jake looked at the unit and back to Piney, obviously making him confirm something. When the answer was still yes, Jake scratched his head and clapped Piney over the shoulder and walked back to the rest of the gang. Jake was shaking his head and seemed to be getting a smile on his face.

The rest wanted to know, but Suzy and Ann-Marie weren't saying a thing. Mary walked over and stood in front of them and scowled her meanest at them.

"It's all because of you two idiots. Piney and I saw you the other day. Oh yes, don't give me that look. You were both sitting right over there on that bench, right there. Piney and I came down the road and we were coming in that end of the driveway and saw you both. Don't try to deny it, we saw you. You had your hands all over each other, kissing like a couple of school girls."

That had everyone, who was still in the dark about it, brought up to speed instantly about the girls, but it didn't explain anything about Marlene yet. Suzy and Ann-Marie stood guilty as charged, their innocence shattered beyond repair, as all eyes went upon them. Tears started forming in both their eyes, as they waited for sentencing. Without knowing that they did it, the others began moving away from the pair, shunning them.

Sitting on the bed with his head down and his hands picking at themselves, JT was unsure how to broach the subject that had him seething a short while ago. Marlene sat on the bed across from him and looked at him, feeling a sense of control over the situation.

"So, what is it, JT? Why were you so upset at me?"

JT raised his eyes and looked at her, hearing her tone and knew she knew what it was about, but wanted to hear him say it.

"You know why. Suzy and Ann-Marie told me all about it. What the hell are you doing messing around with other women? You're married and have Jake even. Is that how you get your kicks, anyone that suits your fancy, you just figure it's okay to have sex with them?"

Marlene was still smiling, not phased at all by what JT said to her.

"JT, you sweet boy. You have no idea what pleases me. Do you think I forced those girls into having sex with me? They happily got naked with me and enjoyed themselves. You can ask them yourself, if they're willing to be honest with you. Ann-Marie has been at me all week to have sex together. Your little Suzy, she asked if I'd do her, she wanted to do it with me. I swear."

JT listened to Marlene and looked in her eyes, seeing there was no lies being told, only the brutal truth he didn't want to believe. He tried to understand her, but knew he had nothing in the way of worldliness, compared to her. Jake had said she was bored and looked at sex books to amuse herself and having sex with other women must have been one of the chapters she enjoyed.

"Suzy wanted to do it? She actually wanted you to do things to her? Why?"

"Poor, poor boy, you feel so let down, I know. You think you're not man enough to satisfy her, but in reality, you're not woman enough."

That made JT wonder what she meant by that.

"There was nothing you could do to satisfy her, not the way I know how to. Once that lovely bit of fluff, Annie had a taste, she told Suzy what I did and the rest is history, so they say. She stood right in front of me and told me she wanted me to make her feel like Annie did. How was I supposed to say no to such an offer? A sweet, sexy thing like Suzy, telling me she wants me to make out with her, I couldn't pass that up."

JT knew his rage was selfish in nature, his pride being the offended party. He was still in shock, hearing how his girlfriend was enjoying the idea of making out with another woman. He looked at Marlene, unsure of who he was looking at.

"Why?"

"Hmmm, let's just say I have no problem sucking cock and licking pussy. I enjoy sex and love feeling a man inside me, but a woman can do things a guy just can't understand, let alone do. Have you made Suzy orgasm four times in a row? I have. I can do it different ways too. Do you know anything about a woman down there? What everything is and what it's like when you touch it different ways? I do. Are you starting to understand it better now? It's nothing against you, or to do with you really. It's just learning about themselves from an older woman, who knows a few things they don't."

Once again, JT heard a speech that was all too familiar. He had just sat with Jake and heard how being with an older woman, would be an eye opening experience well worth pursuing. Now he was hearing the same talk, but from an older woman explaining how the girls got to know things the same way.

One word entered his head and stayed there, as he tried to figure out everything. Fair. Was it fair, for him to learn things and not Suzy? Was it fair, that she had done something in private and now had to answer for it publicly? Was it fair, that he be the one to judge her, when his thoughts to commit a sexual act, weren't with her? The more he thought on fairness, Marlene kept thinking on seducing him.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, JT. I know it must be hard to accept and understand something like this."

Marlene saw the battle of the mind going on in JT and played it to her advantage. She moved from her bed and sat beside JT, making sure she sat as close as she could beside him. She gently brushed his hair back from his face, using comforting moves to begin touching him. Her soft voice was soothing to JT and she knew he was falling under its spell.

"You're a wonderful, young man, JT. You're handsome and well built and I'm sure any woman would love to be with you."

JT heard the boost to his ego and ate it up, buying into Marlene's game. His expression changed and Marlene caught it, deciding she could take it further.

"I think you're very handsome. If I was a younger woman, I'd want to be with you."

JT heard that and made him look at her, looking at a woman who seemed to be offering herself to him. Marlene picked up on his look and played on it some more, seeing how far JT was willing to let things go between them. She continued stroking his hair softly, soothing his troubled soul and insinuating herself on him. Her breasts pressed against him more firmly and she waited for resistance, but none came. Feeling her moment was right, she turned and gently persuaded JT to lay his head on her breast and caressed his hair.

The heat between her breasts released the fragrance of her perfume to JT, entrancing him in its sensual pleasure. Marlene was positively beaming at that point, feeling triumphant in her control of JT.

"There, there. JT. Don't get bent out of shape over it. Think of it this way, Sweetheart. She now knows things about pleasing herself that you now get to know and do for her and..."

Marlene could see that JT was listening and paying attention to her words, lulled by them to seduce his mind to her will and take advantage of him.

"...she now knows ways to please you, that neither of you knew before. Wait until you experience those pleasures, then tell me if it was worth Suzy gaining that knowledge from me. You, I would love to teach things to personally."

JT's thoughts stopped instantly, as he heard her say those words to him. A million thoughts raced into his head at once and each one was screaming at him to listen to it. The ones that won out over the others, were the ones that made the greatest impact on him so far. It was Jake advising him to be with an older woman, to experience life's pleasures, then his description of what Marlene was like in bed. Then remembering what Marlene had said about Suzy learning and experiencing things, things that were ultimately going to lead to greater pleasure for him.

He took his head away from resting against her and saw the look in her eyes, saw the desire to make good her statement to him. He could feel the softness of her hands on him, at one feel, comforting, at another, controlling and directing. He had no idea what she was seeing in him, but she knew he was under her spell. Her hand came to his cheek, her thumb caressing it, but he could feel the subtle pull in her fingertips, urging him to come to her. Her lips parted slightly, pursing in fullness, as he felt them meet his.

JT was dominated by her mouth, insinuating her demands on him to respond. His logic was overruled and emotion took over, as her lips brought him alive with lust and sexual longing. Her hands went into his hair and grasped it tightly, holding his head firmly to her, as she devoured him into submission. JT's hands re-actively went around her body and clung to her, holding her tight to his body.

When she knew he was hooked on the feeling of her, she pulled away and saw the starvation and need in his eyes.

"Let me teach you, JT. Let me show you how wonderful it can be. Suzy will love what I can show you and she will be more than happy to do what I taught her, about pleasing a man. Haven't you seen the difference in her? Haven't you already felt some of the things?"

JT knew she was telling the truth. Suzy had been doing things to him that she never had before. Things that even he had never discovered about himself and realized he could do. He looked into Marlene's eyes, the green becoming more predominant in them. They told him that all he had to do was say yes, then unknown pleasures of the flesh would be bestowed upon him, by her. As a confirmation of her word, she took JT's hand and placed it on her breast, offering it to him.

"Like it JT? Know what to do to with it and make me horny for you? I'll teach you how to do that."

Her hand went to his crotch and she cupped his package in her hand. Softly she caressed and squeezed it and JT sat spellbound by her boldness, the directness in avoiding all the teenage round about ways of making it to the next base.

"You'll have no idea how wonderful I can make you feel, unless you let me show you."

JT felt his cock getting harder and harder by the second, as Marlene's hand manipulated it into a burgeoning erection.

"I'm not getting any complaints down here, JT. What about up here?"

Marlene put her finger to his forehead, as she continued massaging the constricted mass of tubular growth. JT swallowed and tried to get spit going, his mouth becoming very dry. Everything that made sense to him before he walked in, now seemed confused and challenged to believe in. He looked at Marlene and went with his feelings, the ones emanating from his groin.

With his hand on her breast, her hand on his erection and her face inches from his, he was lost to say anything other than, yes.

"Show me."

Marlene's smile broadened, her prey landed and ready to play with. Her lips met his and the heat was turned up in how they interacted this time. Lust was the only thing that mattered and the only thing that needed satisfying. JT allowed himself to be taken away by her, giving himself over to experimentation in the unknown.

Marlene pressed herself against him, trapping his hand against her breast, her hand continuing to arouse him and further his need for satisfaction. It was as though his moan was her signal, for as soon as he did it, she broke away and everything stopped suddenly for him. Her eyes held his, as she fixed herself and straightened out her clothing. She turned and looked at JT's cock, a swollen mass of sexual need and caressed it softly, then looked him in the eyes again.

"We'll have to work something out, so we have some time to enjoy ourselves properly. We can't have everyone knowing our business, now can we. I certainly can't wait to get this bad boy out and play with it more. Very nice, JT, I bet you can please a woman very well with it, can't you?"

"I, I...do okay, I guess."

"Mmmmm, when I'm done, you'll know you can and be a master at it. Why do you think Jake and I have been together all these years? He's learned what it takes to please a woman and got good at it. You can do the same."