As a couple investigate a criminal syndicate, they are drawn into a life lust and depravity that threatens to consume their relationship.
A story of exhibitionism, voyeurism and multiple partner wife-sharing .
Chapter 1 - The Assignment
"Briiiiing.... Briiiiing!"
The shrill jangle of the phone on his desk interrupted the investigation report Tom was working on. Rolling his eyes in frustration he glanced up at the clock on the far wall noting it was still only ten minutes to four o'clock before picking up the handset.
"Detective Sergeant Whitby."
Announcing himself he paused and listened while the disembodied voice of his boss asked if he was free to come and see him.
"On my way guv." He groaned inwardly closing the computer document he had been working on.
Getting up out of his chair Tom wondered what the governor, as they all called him, could possibly want with him this late in the afternoon.
Stopping in his doorway he quickly scanned his boss's office for any clue as to why he had been unexpectedly summoned. There was nothing unusual to be seen though. The late afternoon sun filtered through the blinds across a desk that was strewn with its usual disorganised mess of empty coffee cups and scattered paperwork.
"Hi Tom, come on in and grab a seat." In his shirt sleeves DCI (Detective Chief Inspector) George Freeman glanced up and ushered his subordinate into his office.
"What's up guv?" Tom dropped into the visitor's chair, curious as to why he'd been pulled off of his current duty without any obvious reason.
He waited patiently while his boss rummaged around amongst a pile of folders balanced precariously on the edge of his desk. Selecting a large manila envelope from amongst them he opened it and pulled out a sheaf of papers, taking a few more seconds to read through whatever was on them before looking up and regarding his subordinate for a moment.
"I need to re-assign you to another investigation, Tom." He informed him somewhat bluntly, "There's something that's come up, that I think only you can look into."
"Me!"
He sounded somewhat incredulous, thirty-year-old detective sergeants are pretty run-of-the-mill and, in his experience, unlikely to be the only option for a special job.
DCI Freeman pushed the handful of papers back inside the envelope and shoved it towards him, leaning back in his chair as he waited for the junior officer to look at them.
"Read that."
More than a little curious Tom took it and scanned through the few pages it contained, flipping back and forth as he took his time to digest the information it provided. When he had finished, he put them on the desk and looked over at his superior.
"Pretty sketchy stuff guv." He shrugged noncommittally, "There's not really a lot to go on."
"Exactly my thoughts. But this gang have been operating under the radar for quite a while now and it's obvious someone somewhere is protecting them." He steepled his fingers, his elbows on the desk, "We need to try and get someone on the inside and find out who's really running the show."
"You want me to go undercover then?" Tom queried seeking confirmation of the role he had been selected for, "There's not a lot there to give us an in."
He'd known George Freeman for five years, he was a good copper and as a DCI he looked after his team, but he knew his boss was holding something back. His manner told him that he had something else to add but that he was reluctant to tell Tom what it was.
"What I'm going to say Tom is rather sensitive and unconventional and only you can deal with it. Of course, you are free to decline this job if you want to. I'll understand." George Freeman finally spoke again, "But yes, if you take this on it will be an undercover operation."
"Sounds like heavy stuff guv, what's the problem?" Now he really was intrigued.
"I have it on very good authority that someone else is investigating this gang and we need to get a look at what they've found out. I suspect that they are ahead of us on this one." His expression told Tom that there was more to it than his boss had just admitted to him.
"Come on, out with it governor, I'm a big boy now, I'm sure it can't be that bad." Tom grinned.
"Oh, it is. It's a journalist." The senior officer sighed, "They have been doing a lot of digging and I'm told they have come up with some information. But they aren't sharing."
"Well, I can ask my wife to see what she can find out for us I guess." Tom offered with more than a hint of reluctance.
His 27-year-old wife Jessica was a reporter with the regional paper and they often found themselves at odds over his work and her reporting, especially when they were investigating the same thing. He knew he would have to approach asking her carefully if he wanted to avoid another argument at home.
"That's the problem." DCI Freeman looked miserably at him, "Your wife is the one investigating the story."
"Oh shit!" His loud, succinct exclamation fully reflected his feelings.
"So, will you take the assignment?" His boss asked him hopefully after a lengthy pause.
"I don't really have a choice do I, not if we want to get the information off of Jessica." Tom's voice made it obvious that he wasn't ecstatic about the situation his superior had just put him in.
"Not really. I can't put another officer on this although I could try to get the paper to put pressure on her but you know as well as I do, they'll cry 'police interference' and make our lives hell."
He grinned back knowingly, "Just like she's going to do to me you mean."
"I'm sorry Tom but what else can I do?" DCI Freeman shrugged. "Our options are pretty limited on this one."
He grimaced, "It's ok I'll survive, I'm sure."
"Thanks Tom. I'll clear your schedule. You can hand your work over to Lisa." Freeman's expression was one of frustration as he handed him the assignment, "Report in directly to me, at least until we know who we're dealing with."
Leaving his boss' office, Tom Whitby headed back to his desk to tidy his current paperwork away.
"What's up sarge?" DC (Detective Constable) Lisa Williams asked as he dropped into his chair opposite her.
He glanced across at the slim, pretty brunette who worked with him. If he hadn't been so totally in love with his wife, he could have gone for her in a big way. Her large brown eyes, bobbed brown hair and cute upturned nose made her look innocent and always made him feel protective towards her. But sometimes, the way she looked at him or the sway of her slender hips, sent a wave of desire through him that he found hard to resist.
"The boss has re-assigned me. You'll be taking on my workload for a while." He informed her casually, shoving a pile of folders across onto her desk.
"Oh great. More to do." She rolled her eyes and gave him a smile, "Has he given you anything good?"
"Can't say. You know how it is." He told her with a conspiratorial wink.
"Yeah, I know." She laughed and batted her eyelashes at him.
"I'll catch up with you later Liss."
With that he collected his jacket off the back of his chair, said goodbye to the rest of the team, and headed out of the station.
He needed a drink and some time to think about what he was going to say to his wife.
Ten minutes later Tom Whitby walked into the Red Lion, a nearby pub that most of the coppers from the police station frequented at one time or another.
He was pleased to see it was quiet this early in the afternoon though, with only a couple of old boys sitting in the corner playing dominoes as they nursed half empty pint glasses. It would give him a chance to think how to tackle the problem of getting the information he needed from Jessica.
"Hi Tom, we don't usually see you in here this early, what can I get you?"
Sarah, the barmaid, came across to take his order.
"Just a pint please love."
He watched her turn away to pull his drink at the pump, if nothing else came to him while he was there at least she was good to look at.
Sarah had been working at the pub for a couple of months now and she had got to know most of the regulars quite well. She was young, maybe 21 or 22, with short blue hair (this week) and a cheery smile. Her tiny skirts showed a decent pair of legs which, along with a pretty impressive chest, made her an ideal barmaid in his mind.
"Thanks." He paid her and took his pint, sitting himself on a stool at the end of the bar.
"What's up? You look like you lost a fiver and found a penny."
She obviously wasn't busy as she followed him and began to talk to him.
"Not much really." Tom frowned and replied after taking a mouthful of his drink, "Nothing you could help with anyway."
"You never know unless you ask sweetheart." She smiled leaning forwards on the counter and giving him a view of her tits down her top, "Lots of people ignore the barmaid when they are talking. You'd be surprised what we hear."
"It's just all these scams that are hitting people, we're looking into who's behind it."
Even though he was sure Sarah was straight he didn't want to give too much information away.
She looked at him and shrugged, "All I have heard is that the guys behind it are pretty nasty. They have things shut down tight."
"Heard from whom?" Suddenly she had his full interest now and it wasn't because of her chest.
"Friends that's all." Leaning closer she whispered quietly, "I have a few friends who are strippers. They hear stuff in the bars and clubs. That's all."
"Strippers?" Tom looked suitably surprised.
Sarah laughed, "Yeah, I know. I worked as one for a bit but it wasn't really my thing. So, I switched to being a barmaid."
For a second, he imagined Sarah without her clothes on and immediately pushed the very pleasant image aside to concentrate on what she was saying.
"How come they get to hear all this though?" He pressed her for any information he could possibly glean from her.
"You didn't hear this from me, right?" Her voice dropped to a whisper again as she glanced around, "But rumour has it the group have been looking to invest their ill-gotten gains in real estate. Primarily bars and strip clubs."
Tom sat back taking another mouthful of beer watching Sarah's pert backside as she walked away from him to serve another customer who had just come in. There were only two strip clubs in town, neither were particularly upmarket establishments, Sin City and The Lounge. As far as he knew neither one had been taken over recently but it was a lead, albeit a slim one.
