One: The Favor
I never expected the phone call from Chuck, my brother-in-law. See Chuck and I have never gotten along, probably starting from the fact that I called him "Chuck" instead of Charles.
Chuck was an accountant with a pretty big firm and ran his own branch in a fairly large Southern City (not going to say which). He made a monthly trip to New York for the monthly meeting and every quarter he had to go there for a week. It seemed pretty micromanaged to me.
Chuck was in his 48 years old and that was pretty much my big problem with him, that and the fact that he was dull and conversationally useless.
I was going to turn thirty in about six months, and in college. How does a thirty year old end up an undergrad in college (not going to say which one). When I graduated high school I was almost nineteen, I had one of those late summer birthdays and didn't start kindergarten till I was six. My parents wanted me to start off to college straight away, but I wasn't having it. After graduation I ran off and joined the Merchant Marine, I basically traveled the world where ever I could get a ship to take me. Then when I was twenty one 9-11 happened I opted out of the contract I was in at the time and joined the army. The six years I spent in the army I had four combat tours, two in Iraq, and two in Afghanistan. When I got out I figured I had the GI Bill, might as well use it. So here I am.
"Dirk?" Chuck asked as I answered. Don't know why he asked it as a question because it's my cell phone, who else would be answering it? And I don't know why my parents named me Dirk.
"Hey Chuck, how are you doing?" It was one of the rare times I wasn't sitting in my studio apartment studying. I was sitting in my studio apartment playing Halo 3. I didn't really want to listen to my brother-in-law's shit.
"Dirk thank you for your time, I have an issue I need to discuss with you regarding Tricia." Tricia is my sister, aka Chuck's wife. And who talks like that anyway?
"Everything ok?"
"Actually at this time I'm not sure, but I would like to ask that you keep this conversation in confidence."
"Uh, sure Chuck, between you and me, now what's up?"
"Dirk I'm afraid I need your help, I believe Tricia if she is not already, she is about to begin an affair."
I was so stunned I didn't see the Grunt stick a plasma grenade to me and I was brought back to my senses as Master Chief exploded on my TV screen. "Why do you think so?"
"One of the men in my employ, his name is Chapman, Curtis Chapman, is soon to be throwing a party per se. If I understand correctly woman will come and put their keys in a bowl, then go to a private room, men will then come, pay for Entrance to the floor and be allowed to go room to room and sample the wares so to speak. Afterwards there will be a silent auction to bid on the order of choosing a key from the bowl. At which point the woman will be expected to service him the rest of the weekend. Curtis has arranged this party, from his work computer and I monitored a confirmation e-vite from Tricia's email. I believe she is going to be one of the women at the party."
It sounded like a rich man's version of a version of a key party/bordello. "Ok, what do you need my help with?"
Chuck sounded visibly shaken. "Well, I know that some of the party per se is to be an equal ration of men and women. There is a buy in of $1000. The party will be the weekend of my quarterly meeting, so I will be gone Wednesday to Wednesday. It is the Veterans Day weekend, so most people have the weekend off, but we are continuing with our Quarterly meeting as per usual."
"Chuck," I interrupted, "What do you want me to do?"
"Dirk I know you have your winter holiday that week. "I have purchased a ticket in your name, arranged a limo to pick you up at the airport. And I have paid the $1000 buy in. I want you to go to the party and find out if Tricia is cheating on me."
I thought about it for a long moment. "Chuck, if they know your brother-in-law is going to be there they are going to hide Tricia."
"No, I've told Curtis that I've never actually met you but that you are the younger sibling of my old college roommate."
"So you want me to go to a sex party and find out if Tricia is cheating on you?"
"That would be the first part."
"Ok, what's the second part?" This was getting more and more complicated.
"I have arranged a brief case of $10,000 to be in the Limo. If she is there you are to use this money to try to win the silent auction. I want you to get her keys so that someone does not," it sounded like his voice cracked and I could hear the sniff that accompanies tears through the phone, "use my Tricia."
"Chuck you know your spending over eleven grand to FIND OUT if your wife is going to cheat on you? Something about this doesn't seem right man."
"Please Dirk. I will also forward $2000 to your account for your, inconvenience."
Now don't get me wrong, I don't like Chuck, but I'm not a total bastard. "All right Chuck, I'll do it."
"Thank you Dirk, I trust I can be assured of your confidence in this matter?"
"Absolutely man."
I had three days before I was to go to the airport. The next day I was received an email on one of my accounts (won't say which provider). It gave me the address to the hotel, a password to be allowed on the floor, and a dress code. That's right a Dress Code for a sex party.
As I packed my bag, I figured I had a win/win situation. If my sister was cheating, I made two grand to find out, then I'd spend a weekend with her, and at the end of it if I decided I should tell Chuck, I would. If I didn't, I made two grand, got a free weekend with Tricia, and she could do what she would do and I'd tell Chuck everything was fine. If she wasn't cheating, I was getting paid to go to a sex party, where I wouldn't have to worry about a guy trying to poke at me, and getting paid to take the pick of the litter. It seemed like win-win.
I then started to wonder if Tricia was actually cheating on Chuck. Chuck was a chunky 48 year old who was balding. Tricia was only thirty six, with flowing golden blonde hair, grayish blue eyes, and a very shapely figure. She modeled when she was younger and still during the holiday sale papers she appeared in ads. She didn't have an agent anymore but she did fine with freelance.
Thursday afternoon I drove to the nearest airport (stop trying to find out where all of us live) and boarded my flight. Chuck had sprung for first class. The offered me champagne, but I ended up having three Jack Daniels in the hour and a half flight. I figured I didn't have to drive when I got there so I didn't worry.
I was wearing a plain white t-shirt and khaki trousers, as per the Dress Code. I exited the plane and skipped the baggage claim since I only had a carry on. I won't lie, I was getting excited.
The Limo ride was fun, and there was an open bar, where I helped myself to another Jack Daniels. My leg started shaking from the excitement. I put on my plain ball cap, and my sunglasses (a plain black ball cap and a nice pair of wire frame Ray Bans) that completed the Dress Code, then opened the brief case that had awaited me and counted the ten packets of $20's each valuing at $1000.
The Door Man of the hotel opened the door of the Limo and I walked inside straight to the elevator bank. They actually had a guy working the elevator and he asked my floor.
"Twenty-fifth, the Chapman party."
"I'm sorry sir that is a private party."
I smiled, "I understand Sir, but I am Mr. Chapman's friend from Alberta." Alberta being the code word I was given in the e-mail.
The gentleman smiled, punched a code into pad and then the button for the 25th floor lit up. The elevator ride seemed to take forever and I almost jumped out of my skin when the Operator said "Your floor sir."
Two: The Tasting
I stepped out into the open way by the bank of elevators. I was met by a man with a clip board. "Your name sir?"
"Bond." I was going to kill Chuck for picking my fake name.
The man looked down the clip board. "Yes sir, I see everything is in order. May I?" He gestured at the brief case. I held it up and he sealed the seam with a red tape. "So that you may insure that it has not been tampered with during the evening." At that point he gestured to chair that held a place card bearing the name Bond. I placed my bag and my brief case there.
"Very well sir, a review of the rules." I stood and waited as he read off of his clip board. "You are not to remove your hat or glasses. The ladies are blind folded; the blind folds are not to be removed."
"Check."
"The women are in separate rooms. You are to go from room to room, tasting the wares so to speak."
"Ok." I was anxious.