CHAPTER 1
Tommy Crago looked through bloodshot eyes at the hard-eyed blonde as she berated him for not being ready to do again and said what a fucking waste of time he was because she wanted to rumble till morning.
Looking at the beside clock Tommy saw it was only 9:45 and was hugely relieved the 27-year old, young enough to be his daughter, was ready to cart her over-demanding pussy home. Who at his age wish to fuck all night, um in reality?
"Don't bother about getting up," Donna-Marie said as she stuffed her panties, bra, stockings and shoes into her backpack. "I'll see myself out."
"Don't forget to ensure the door locks."
"Up yours grandpa," said the ungrateful bitch who'd devoured a seventy-buck lobster at the restaurant and had emptied a full bottle of champagne.
Tommy had picked her up in a bar, although thinking back he decided she'd made the play. She'd called herself Anastasia but when he'd laughed and said bullshit she'd said no her name was Donna-Marie. He had no idea if that were true and she'd not offered a surname but did it matter? Did it ever matter?
Next day Tommy awoke without his usual morning erection... Donna-Marie in two fucks had drained a fortnight's vitality from him. Er until he next saw a good pair of tits. And hour later a woman from Follow the Sun Tours called and said in a voice that sounded young enough to be his granddaughter, "Mr Crago I see from our records it's three and a half years since we sent you and Mrs Crago anywhere. I think it's time you looked at our travel options that could interest you guys."
"Think what you like. Mrs Crago died two years ago. Thank you for calling," he said, snapping his phone shut. Cheeky bitch.
Ten minutes later he took a call from the South Pacific manager of Follow the Sun Tours.
"Mr Crago we apologize for Katie our trainee's blunder. It was unforgivable."
He replied it was okay. "She wasn't to know."
"Oh Mr Crago, how generous of you. We have a South Pacific special at a discount of 15% running this month but in view of the aforesaid embarrassment over your late wife, may I offer you a discount of 50% on all travel and land travel you book through us providing you commit within ten days from today."
"Okay."
"I'm Lara Sweetman. Where would you like to go Mr Cargo?"
"I haven't a clue. You book me somewhere for fourteen days including flights and call back for a time when I can call to finalize."
"Oh Mr Crago. How wonderful. I'll do you proud."
She had a lovely voice. Tommy thought if she only fucked once before sleep and once in the morning he could be really interested. He then thought probably she was a pregnant church usher so that thought took a dive.
Two weeks later Tommy arrived at Christchurch in the South Island of New Zealand, very tired and disoriented. He went to the hotel after the overnight flight and slept all day, woke for dinner followed by an hour's walk that left him with good impressions. He then watched some forgettable TV and then slept till dawn. It was late spring and the birds were nesting and no doubt the hems of women's skirts and dresses were rising higher and necklines would be scooped lower. He associated that trend with spring.
Tommy had breakfast on the terrace and saw a woman in black look in his direction. She'd been on the same flight from Chicago to LA and again on the flight from LA to New Zealand. Was she an assassin for CIA or a relentless IRS officer?
He nodded and the rude bitch looked away without responding.
She looked under his age; he was fifty-five and retired for two years, thanks to the wealth he'd inherited from Trudy, his second wife, who'd aged thirty-seven had been killed during a supermarket hold-up. Silly bitch. Instead of handing over loot she'd kneed the thug crowding her in the balls and as he fell stuck him fatally behind the ear with the metal cash box she was refusing to hand over. His accomplice almost removed Trudy's head, giving her both barrels of a shotgun. Tommy had been at home cleaning the toilets but according to media reports the murderer then fell to the ground blubbering. Two supermarket managers seized and held him till the police arrived. Trudy was posthumously hailed as a heroine and the supermarket and its insurers paid out heaps into her estate, with Tommy being the sole beneficiary.
He had really missed Trudy for the first eighteen months but now he was chasing sluts, her memory had faded considerably.
The campervan company's pick-up bus arrived and the woman in black was seated just in front of Tommy but failed to acknowledge him as a fellow traveler. He wondered if she were a marriage counselor who ignored unaccompanied men.
At the office of the campervan company the woman behind the counter looked at the final two clients, checked her list and turning a little pale said "Jesus."
Tommy thought that was an unlikely name for a woman in black or her city of origin.
"We've screwed up. We're one campervan short."
The woman gave Tommy and the woman she introduced to him as Mrs Laurel King a cup of coffee and asked them to sort out who'd have the campervan. There was a run on rental vehicles because of the huge international event at the alpine tourist resort of Queenstown. Therefore it was unlikely another camper could be found in Christchurch during the next few days. One of then could hire a car and a tent.
Rather than sit in silence Tommy asked the fellow American, "Where do you come from?"
"Rockford Illinois. What about you?"
"Vandalia."
"Is that in the Deep South?"
"It's about 250 miles south of you, a one and a half hour drive in from St Lois."
"Then it's in Illinois?"
"Yes it was an early capitol of the state. How do you expect to find your way around New Zealand if you don't know you way round your home state?"
"God you are rude. I navigate on a need to know basis but it do know my way round in the north according to where relatives live and where department stores are located."
Tommy grinned.
She almost scowled and said, "You are one of those men who sneer at women who are interested in shopping aren't you?"
"No it's just that I'm an admirer of the female logic."
She looked at him closely and he smiled innocently.
Tommy sighed and said he would take a car and tent.
"You seem quite nice. Do you snore?"
"Can't say I've heard myself do that."
She nodded and asked did he pass wind excessively.
"Only on the John."
Tommy remained silent, guessing what she was thinking.
Finally she said, "I'm willing to share."
He was ready with his answer. "What about the embarrassment of watching me undress?"
She looked him straight in the eye and said, "If I see something I haven't seen before I'd be surprised."
Tommy held her gaze and they both ended up grinning. They stood and returned to the counter.