Eve Knowles Investigates, Part One.
Brighton
As a journalist and writer working for an adult publication, I've been called on to investigate everything -- and I mean everything. From wild weekends at swingers clubs to hurling custard pies at submissive men who got a turn on from getting messy and humiliated; and that was what I did. I indulged the fetish scene then wrote about the experience. I was given my jobs by my editor to investigate the whacky and the bizarre side of human sexuality, right down to what-goes-on behind the suburban curtains of commuter towns. That was what I did. I cruised through the adult world looking for stories, and I won't deny it, I got well-paid for the privilege.
My editor and boss was called Kimberley Rhodes. She was middle aged and attractive and always dressed expensively. She was the trophy wife of the publisher who had firmly placed his partner in charge of the magazine. (Mainly to keep an eye on what went on amongst the staff and report back.) But she was fine with me, and I got on with her, even though many didn't. It was true, she could be two-faced and vindictive, but I was never under any other illusions. I knew where I stood and knew the score. So I avoided conflict where possible. To me, a job was a job, and I liked keeping mine.
Her office was on the sixth floor of a large, modern block that over-looked the Brighton seafront. We all had allocated parking spaces so that was never a problem when I was called in for a meeting.
I had an appointment to see Kim at ten o'clock on the dot. It was another investigative story and I wondered what it was this time? I thought I'd covered most things, but she seemed very guarded about my next assignment on the phone. Not as if I was duly worried. I was game for most things -- well -- almost.
I parked my TVR sports car and took the lift. I said hello to the usual stream of staff that drifted from side rooms and waited at the desk of Kim's dutiful receptionist, Diane. Well, Diane must have known something because she gave me a slight smirk as I approached. She was failing to hide it, too. I sighed, sensing the ill-omen of that grin. Oh lordy, what has Kim got in store for me now? I thought.
"Please go through, Eve," said Diane as she buzzed our boss. "Eve Knowles is here, Kim," she said.
"Send her right in," said the slightly amplified voice through the speaker.
I went through the door and sat down in front of Kim's tasteful desk. In fact, the whole office was tasteful and the interior must have cost half the value of a Ferrari. Everything in the place was designer. And image to Kim was everything. Her hubby certainly decked out her office well.
Kim wore one of her habitual suits. Her sartorial taste was very stylish, the absolute opposite to my high street off-the-peg attire. But then, I wasn't in her financial league. Instead, I wore figure-hugging jeans, a scoop-neck tee-shirt and a raincoat. That was my style for the day -- cheap and practical.
"So, Eve -- are you feeling fit?" my boss asked as she beamed a smile that hinted at a little bit more than it wanted to really say. "I hope so as I've got an exciting assignment for you."
I smiled thinly, trying to dissimulate what was going on inside my head. "Well, I jog regularly, don't smoke and eat healthily, why? What's this next story? What am I investigating now?"
Kim leaned back in her executive chair, studied me for a few seconds, and then reached down for something. She suddenly produced a pair of black size six wrestling boots, calf-height, and placed them on the desk directly in front of me. I eyed them for a moment as a sudden feeling of portent descended upon me. What the hell was I going to do with them? I thought. Was she expecting me to fight someone?
"Female wrestling," said Kim enthusiastically. "That is your next story. There is an underground scene in this town and I want you to train and have a go, and then write about it."
I let out a nervous laugh. Was she serous? I was a writer, a trained journalist. I wasn't a grappler, but I sensed she's covered all the angles even before the protest passed my lips. "I....er!"
"And before you speak, I have pre-empted your next query," she interposed swiftly, hardly giving me time to speak. "I have arranged for you to train with this woman. I have every faith in your ability, Eve. And I'm sure you'll find a great deal of fun doing this."
She slipped a glossy business card across the table. "I want you to go over to this address, she is expecting you."
I took the small card and read the address. It didn't give too much away apart from a name, address and phone number. And that was it. The name said: Tina Farrell -- Trainer. But the name didn't ring any bells.
I didn't know a single thing about the grunt and groan game. To me it was all Kent Walton on Saturday TV, watching wrestling as a child and laughing at the risible theatricals and comical moves executed by fat men with beards and hairy chests. I didn't know much about women wrestlers, apart from night club mud or oil wrestling that catered for horny young blokes after a few drinks. And I hadn't tried that yet -- but knowing Kim, give it time.
"Will I be grappling in mud?" I asked as I placed the card in my pocket. "Is that the assignment?"
Kim shook her head and tapped the wrestling boots. "No, none of that stuff for you. And besides, that's all been done and dusted by other magazines. This is different, this is proper wrestling: the real competitive stuff."
I felt my heart race, and she noticed my unease. But Kim was always good at reading my thoughts. And she appeased my concerns in the only way she knew how. "I'll pay you twice your normal fee for this since you'll be training hard, and you'll certainly earn the extra."
She took hold of the boots and gave them to me, gesturing for me to take them. She was still smiling and bent down again, producing a small bag.
"I want you to wear this for your wrestling match," said Kim as she proffered the bag. "It's in the magazine's colours. "
I reached inside and took out a sexy-looking thong. It was in orange and it contrasted nicely with my slight tan. Black wrestling boots and a thong. And that was it? My mind was astute and it didn't take a genius to work out that this was going to involve a topless angle.