A Tale of Two Wives Ch. 03

Chapter Three: Dan's POV

As soon as Tina was off the phone I called Ben, my police lieutenant friend, telling him about Menard's visit and Tina's call.

"Dan I'm sorry that all this shit's come down on you, I really am. You're a great guy and you don't deserve it. That asshole Menard... he deserves all those Colombians are planning and more. If I was playing this by the book I'd have to warn the bastard... hell I'd probably have to arrange some sort of protection for him."

"You can't do that..."

"You're too damn right I can't. There's no way I'm letting that backstabbing, murdering piece of shit walk away from this one. I'm very tempted to turn blind eye and wait until the Colombians take him out of the picture"

"But will Menard wait? He said he was coming back in a few days for the money. I can't let Katie and Lily be put at risk. I should just take them and run off for a three week holiday where Menard can't find us."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Trouble is, what happens to Tina if we disappear? That evil asshole could well go through with his threat and kill her. He's already attacked her at least once. Can your guys protect her?"

"Not unless I kick it upstairs and tell the Chief the whole story. I don't have the resources to guarantee her safety on my own. But if this case goes up to the big boys, who knows what will happen. If they believe Tina's story they'll have to step in and save Menard's ass."

"No! They wouldn't would they?"

"He's an innocent man as far as the law's concerned Dan. But they may not believe Tina... they could see it all as a story made up by a bitter bar girl. Either way Menard gets tipped off and Tina's in big trouble."

"Maybe I should convince her to come with us... pick her up at her apartment and we could all disappear."

"Hmm... maybe... but all of you running off at the same time...Menard's going to want revenge. He might not be able to track you down but the Colombians could. If he told them that you've run off with their money... "

"Damn! You think he'd do that?"

"It's what I would do in his place... take the heat off himself and put it on you. And those big cartels... they've got lots of money and muscle...plus they're ruthless. They won't think twice about getting to you via your family and friends... it's what they do. You can't take your Mom, Katie's family and all your friends into hiding."

"So what do we do?"

"For the moment there's not a lot we can do. We sit tight and hope the cartel acts sooner rather than later. In the meanwhile we try to find some way of stalling Menard."

The next day passed normally, without any incidents and the next day as well. I was still on edge but Katie seemed less anxious than I was. She had only seen Menard's good side. On day three I returned home after a long hard day in the operating theater. Katie had a chilled beer waiting for me and there was a half empty wine glass on the table, which was unusual, as Katie seldom drank alcohol or even coffee while she was breastfeeding. She seemed excited and a bit nervous.

"Dan honey, I've got some news and you're not going to like it."

Now I felt more than a bit nervous.

"Robert came round this afternoon, about 2pm."

When he knew I'd be at the hospital! The asshole was showing me just how vulnerable Katie was.

"So what happened?"

"He was very charming and polite... and I wasn't breastfeeding." Katie grinned. "I think he was disappointed. He asked how you were getting on with the money. I said you were still working on it. He told me that he was doing his best to protect us from the loan sharks... he used a couple of French words which I imagine were very rude. He made it sound like he was doing us a big favor rather than trying to steal our money."

I played the sweet, simple wife. I brought him coffee and cake. When he flirted with me I responded nicely. Anyway, long story short, he's joining me for a walk in the park with Lily... tomorrow afternoon."

I jumped to my feet.

"No! No way! That's crazy. I forbid it!"

Katie looked surprised and annoyed.

"Since when do we have a relationship where you "forbid" things?"

"We don't. We have a relationship where we discuss things and decide on them together. I don't remember discussing this or agreeing that you'd meet up with a dangerous criminal."

"Dan, I had to think fast and it was the only way I could think of to distract him. He doesn't scare me and I really don't think he'll try to hurt me. It's only a walk, in a very public place"

"He'll try to seduce you."

"Of course he will... that's what we're counting on. He wants me and I can use that to our advantage. All I have to is lead him on a bit for a couple more dates and it's over."

"A couple of dates! That might be all it takes. Honey, the guy's very good at manipulating people... look how he managed to get Tina."

"Tina wasn't prepared for him, I am. She was on her own, I have you right here, backing me up. I'm going into this with my eyes wide open. I want to do it to protect our family and Tina. It's not like we have another plan."

"Katie, I really admire your courage... what you're trying to do... but I still think it's a very bad idea. I'm not prepared to expose you to risks like that."

"But if I ring Robert and cancel it now could be bad for all of us. Why don't we call Ben, get his advice before we make a final decision."

I rang Ben at home and explained the situation. He was silent for so long I thought we'd been cut off but he was thinking hard, weighing up the options. Finally he spoke to me.

"Dan, I think we should go with Katie's plan. Sure there's a risk but it's minimal and not as risky as doing nothing. Menard's not planning to hurt Katie. I'm sure he wants to seduce her, humiliate you and get the money. He thinks he has enough time to do all three. That's his style; he's a gambler."

"Well I'm not... and I don't want that fucker getting his lecher's hands on my wife!"

"I hear you brother, but Katie's a strong, capable woman. She was fending off guys for years before you came along. She can keep him at bay for a couple of dates. Plus I can get a wire from Dave at the DEA... they've got some very smart bugs. That way we can hear what goes on and if anything remotely bad happens I can jump in."

"Did Dave tell you anything about the Colombian cartel?"

"Yeah... I was coming to that. The DEA's well aware of their presence here and their intentions to expand. I think they may have someone undercover in the organization, but of course Dave couldn't tell me about that. They knew about Menard owing them a lot of money but they didn't know about the hostile takeover, so Tina's information was very useful. Right now they're trying to find out when the hit is planned. I'll see if Dave has any news when I get the wire tomorrow morning."

The next day I had a demanding operation scheduled which would take over four hours. The patient had been waiting for months and I couldn't cancel. I had to put my worries about Katie out of my mind and concentrate on the challenge in front of me. At least I knew that Ben was on the case and wouldn't let things get out of hand. I just wished that Katie was with me in the theater and not out with a skillful and determined lecher.

When I eventually got home Katie seemed completely relaxed. Menard had been a total gentleman and had seemed to enjoy the simple pleasure of a family walk in a beautiful park, eating icecream and chatting with a lovely woman. Katie, bless her gentle heart, had started feeling sorry for him.

"At one stage Robert was pushing Lily's buggy and he was looking so sad. He said he really envied you having such a wonderful wife and family. I felt really guilty that I knew what was going to happen to him and I couldn't warn him."

"Katie, you've got to remember that he's the reason we're in this shitty situation. He stole Tina, he's threatening her and us to get money to pay off his debts. He doesn't deserve any sympathy at all."

"Yeah I know... I'm just saying he's not all bad."

"No-one is. Even the worst people have their good points. Maybe Hitler was kind to cats and Charlie Manson was good to his mom. And even the best people have their faults and weaknesses...their feet of clay. We're all mixtures... except you my darling, you're perfect."

"No... far from it. In fact I have a confession to make... and please don't get mad."

"I can't promise that...I'm not perfect either."

Katie took a deep breath and then made her confession in a rush of words.

"Dan this whole thing is really exciting for me. That's the other reason I wanted to do it. I've always been such a good girl, living a safe, unadventurous life. That trip to Nepal was my first time outside the US and this is the first time I've lived outside Idaho. For once I want to take some risks and going out with Robert, knowing he's a villain, knowing he wants me and is trying to seduce me while I'm actually playing him... it's a rush. I'm not just a wife and a mom, I'm like an undercover agent, wearing a wire, out there on the edge and loving it."

"Wow... I never guessed... I'm not mad, just surprised. You know this isn't a game right? It's deadly serious."

"I know Dan... but I think that's what gets my pulse racing."

"And I'm sure the fact that Menard is very smooth and good looking helps as well. Are you attracted to him?"

"Any woman would be honey. But don't worry... I'm totally in love with my gorgeous husband and I've got the situation under control. But there is one other thing..."

"What?"

"Robert asked me out to dinner on Friday night and I said yes."

"Oh fuck!"

My head knew that Katie would be going on at least one more date with Menard and that again they'd be in public with minimal risk but my in my gut I felt intensely worried and jealous, especially now I knew that Katie found the situation exciting and was attracted to the bad guy.

Friday evening came around much too fast and Katie, dressed up for her date with Menard, looked much too hot. Any hotter and she would have burst into flames. Her dark blue dress finished well above her knees showcasing her long shapely legs. The neckline plunged enough to reveal some mouthwatering cleavage and a glimpse of her black lacy bra.

This was the bra that contained the bug, hidden in her underwire. It was incredibly tiny yet still had a good range and apparently an electronic sweep would switch it off immediately, making it very hard to detect. When Ben had asked Katie for one of her bras she had given him this sexy one, not one of her nursing bras which were larger and less flattering. The black bra was a bit too small for her milk enlarged breasts which it squeezed up more than usual. Apart from her bigger breasts, Katie's figure was pretty much back to normal or should I say wonderful. Her tummy was a little rounder than before but that only added to her sensual curvaceousness.

Menard arrived bearing gifts, flowers for Katie, a soft toy for Lily and a bottle of scotch for me. It was a cheap blend but Katie was clearly touched and impressed by his thoughtfulness. He was dressed in an immaculate charcoal suit with a black dress shirt and a dark red silk tie. He kissed Katie's hand, complimenting her appearance and taking her arm. He gave me a wink as they left.

"Don't wait up Docteur. This will be a long and magical night."

Menard walked Katie to his car, opening the door for her and undoubtedly enjoying the view of her skirt riding up as she sat. The Lamborghini was gone; replaced with a much cheaper Renault Alpine.

As soon as they were gone I hurried outside to meet Dan as he pulled up in a nondescript sedan. Our regular babysitter Claire was looking after Lily. As soon as I was in the car, Dan raced off after Menard's Renault, before it was out of range. We followed at a safe distance until they arrived at a smart French restaurant called Verdigris. We parked well out of sight and continued to monitor the date. I soon discovered just how boring a stake out could be. At one stage I slipped out of the car and bought us some junk food while Katie and Menard dined on fine French cuisine. He was witty and charming, curse him, and Katie was laughing at his jokes, listening and responding in an encouraging manner.

After dining, my wife and her date went on to a small jazz club where they danced for a couple of hours. This was even more tedious. There was less talk but some of Menard's murmured remarks during the dancing were a lot more suggestive. Toward the end of the night there might have been kissing but it was hard to tell.

When Katie asked Robert to take her home, we left quickly so I'd be home first. Menard was much bolder on the return trip. At one stage he asked Katie, in a joking fashion, if she wanted to join him at the club for a night cap. Katie gently shut him down, explaining that she'd have to be up early to feed Lily.

They were in the car outside our apartment for much too long. I felt like the father of a teenage daughter and it was hard not to storm out there and bang on the roof of the car but eventually Katie came inside.

As soon as the door was closed, Katie threw herself into my arms and tried to kiss me. I pulled back. Her lips had just kissed Robert. Katie looked hurt but grabbed my hand and started to pull me towards the bedroom.

"Come on my lover, I need you inside me right now. I'm feeling so horrrrny."

Again I resisted. This behavior wasn't like my Katie at all.

"Please honey, I want to fuck you so bad."

"I'm not sure who you'd be fucking."

"You of course silly. My gorgeous husband who I love and want. Mind you... in my head you might look like a tall handsome Frenchman."

Katie burst into giggles. I turned my back on her and walked into the kitchen. She followed me and sipped gratefully on the glass of water I passed her.

"Hey... you know I was only being funny."

"Not so funny when I've already had one wife stolen by that fucking predator. Not funny at all!"

Katie sobered up a little.

"Honey don't be like that. I had a great time and nothing happened."

"Nothing?"

"Well nothing bad."

"So he took you to dinner..."

"Yes, to Verdigris... it was lovely."

"And he was charming... telling you how beautiful and sexy you looked... kissing your hand... maybe stroking your arm."

"Yes but it wasn't anything crass."

"Of course not. He's too smooth for that. Then he took you dancing. I guess that he's a good dancer."

"He's amazing!"

"What did you have to drink?"

"Ummm... I'm not sure... a glass of champagne at dinner, maybe two. Then a couple of cocktails at the club."

"More than enough to get you tipsy. Did you dance any slow dances?"

"Some... yes."

"Did his hands roam a bit?"

"Yes.. but I stopped him when he was trying to stroke my ass."

"But he didn't stop did he?"

"No." Katie's smile had gone and she started to look ashamed.

"Did he press his body against yours during the slow dances."

"Yes."

"Could you feel his erection pressing against you?"

"Yes."

"Did he kiss you while you were dancing?"

"Yes."

"And you let him?"

"Only twice."

"Tongues?"

"He tried that the third time and I stopped him."

"Anything else I should know?"

"Oh my," there were tears in Katie's eyes. "When we were sitting back in the booth he took my hand and put it on his erection. He said I had done that to him. It felt really large."

"So you felt his cock?"

"Only for a second."

"And in the car on the way home?"

"He had his hand on my thigh some of the way"

"Under your skirt?"

"Yes."

"Did he touch your pussy?"

"No... yes... he might have brushed his fingers against it but I pushed his hands away."

"What about in the car just now?"

Katie looked away and muttered something.

"Sorry I didn't catch that."

"He kissed me... really kissed me and fondled my breasts."

"OK to summarize... he took you to a top restaurant then dancing... got you slightly drunk, slow danced with you, groped your ass and tongue kissed you, let you feel his cock, stroked your thighs and your pussy on the way home, then kissed you again in the car, played with your breasts and left you feeling extremely turned on and wanting more. Did I leave anything out?"

Katie was extremely upset and embarrassed.

"Why are you being so horrible? You're making it all sound so sleazy... and it wasn't. You knew I'd have to lead him on a bit. Maybe I let him go too far... I did didn't I... I let him get to me. Dan I'm so, so sorry."

I wrapped Katie in my arms and stroked her hair.

"No honey... I'm sorry. I should never have let this happen. We're both out of our depth here. I know you're doing this to protect Tina and us but you've got to keep your guard up. Remember everything he's doing is with the aim of fucking you and cuckolding me, again. Step by subtle step he's winning. He's way too smart to just drag you into his bed but tonight he achieved pretty much all he wanted."

"I know, I know. I can't believe I fell for his routine. I can do better, I know I can."

"Hopefully you won't have to. We only need to stall him for a few more days... hold off on your next date..."

Katie interrupted.

"But Dan, Robert's taking me out again tomorrow... to a spa in the afternoon and then dancing at his club."

I felt sick. The spa sounded safe enough but a pampered and relaxed Katie dancing in the wolf's lair sounded like a recipe for disaster or successful conquest, depending on your point of view.

Katie's arousal had well and truly dissipated. We cuddled in bed, without having sex, holding each other with a mixture of love, need and fear.

I couldn't sleep but Katie seemed to have dropped off quickly. I whispered to her.

"When we get through this mess I promise I'll take better care of you. I'll take you to the nicest restaurants and we'll go dancing more often. I'll never let anything like this happen again."

Katie opened her eyes.

"Don't you dare run yourself down! You are the most loving, attentive, generous husband a woman could have. I love you with all my heart... and Lily... I love Lily with all my heart too... " Kate's voice trailed off into mumbling as she went back to sleep.

My racing brain wouldn't allow me to sleep. I'm sure some guys would accuse me of being the worst cuckold wimp on the planet but they don't know what they're talking about. Have they ever faced a cunning criminal like Robert? Do they know what it's like to have the people you love most threatened and to fear for their safety if you put a foot wrong? Maybe if I'd been on my own I might have tried to at least hurt Robert before he beat me or knifed me, but with Katie, Lily and Tina all at risk, violent confrontation wasn't an option.

I'm not a willing cuckold. I get no masochistic thrill from the idea of my wife having sex with another man. OK, I'm not the action hero type but I don't think I'm a coward either. I would challenge any tough guy to stand in front of a horribly mutilated body with blood pouring out and shattered bones everywhere and try to put this person back together. Surgery takes more courage than punching someone in his face.

So if I'm not a cuckold or a coward why did I let my wife go on another date with Menard? Much as I hated it, the plan seemed to be working. We had delayed Menard for nearly a week and he hadn't mentioned the money or threatened Tina since Katie went out with him. According to Ben's sources Tina was unharmed, still working in the club and Katie was fine. Menard had treated her well, all too well. The first date was innocuous and even the second wasn't so bad. Yes they kissed and touched a bit but Katie had stopped it from going any further. So why was I feeling so furious.

I remembered the way Menard gloated as he presented me with Tina, freshly fucked. Obviously he wanted to repeat that victory with Katie before he took my money. Well it wasn't going to happen again. A few more days and this predator would be hunting no more, but those days were a problem. I wasn't worried about Menard taking Katie to a day spa, but that night go for the prize and I wasn't convinced that Katie could resist him.