Unwelcome

"I'm not. That brief interview you told me about was run, and then they did a short piece of the continuing mystery of the deaths of your relatives."

"I can't believe they don't have enough crime and mayhem to fill their hour of morning news without pulling me into their drama trade."

"I think they're going to see if they can't turn your mess into a real who-dun-it and milk it for as much as they can. They implied that there were other facts in the making, but the investigators aren't admitting to anything."

"You're right, they want to milk my mess for whatever they can get out of it. I wonder where they were right after the bodies were discovered."

"Finding two skeletons just didn't stir their imaginations enough I guess. Now had they been freshly murdered, they would have been able to talk about the blood and all of that crap. Ben, you've graduated from the back page to the front I guess."

"Gee, lucky me. You know, maybe I better take some vacation and stay here. The security company will be here in the morning to train me and activate my system."

"Now that you're in the news that might be the better thing to do. Hell, your mind wouldn't be here anyway so we'd be paying you those millions and getting nothing from you."

"Millions you say. Sounds like I have a whole hell of a lot of back pay coming." Hugh laughed and said we'd talk Friday sometime and hung up. I called Ellie at her office and told her to pack a big bag so she could live with me at the farm for the week. She seemed to like that idea a lot.

Monday morning while they worked in the living room and dining room, I did a load of laundry while I waited for the security company. Then when they left just before noon, I found Collin and we walked around and talked about the details of what remained to be done, and I added one more small request. When he heard what I wanted to do, he loved the idea so much that he promised me it would be done before they left at the end of the day. I was trying very hard to not let all of the bad crap drag me down and spoil what should be a fantastic life changing adventure for Ellie and me.

I was waiting for Ellie to get home when one of Collin's men told me the sheriff was looking for me, so I went out and found Buddy standing there in the drizzling rain. "Hey," he said smiling. "Only got a minute because I'm supposed to be heading up one eleven, but I wanted to share something with you. Somebody from the sheriff's department told me he was out here during the night last night."

"For what?"

"Said he saw somebody in your yard as he was driving home from someplace, and he tracked the guy's foot prints in the dew on your well trampled ground out behind your barn, but then he lost the guy."

"Really?"

Buddy gave me a minute to think about that and then added, "Remember, I haven't even been here, but here's one more thing. Ya see, most any farmer will tell you dew doesn't form when a rain is coming," and he held out his hand to catch raindrops and smiled, and waited while the significance of that hit me.

I'm sure my face lit up as I asked, "What the hell? Why would he do that?"

"Think about it for a bit and I'll stop again when I get a chance. I'm by here pretty often."

"I'll be here most of the week Buddy, and I can't tell you how good it feels to know you're on the right side of this mess."

"I just gotta be real careful."

"You do just that Buddy."

He smiled and went back to his cruiser, and then headed toward where he was supposed to be patrolling, and I continued to stand there in the back doorway and think about what I'd just learned. It only took a minute for a thought to come to me. Could the other officer have been setting up an alibi? If so, to cover what? Then another possibility hit me, and I closed the door as I continued to run things through my mind. I also had to wonder if Buddy had shared his news with the state police, but then I was sure he had. It helped my frame of mind a lot just knowing that things were happening and they weren't going unnoticed. Now I was also damn glad I'd gone to the security extremes that I had been sure would prove to be expensive overkill.

When Ellie came in I was sitting at the kitchen table with my laptop. She kissed me and asked, "Working hard?"

I smiled and said, "Just sending an update to Ted and Dee and to Hugh."

"That's...wait, we don't have internet here."

"Just had satellite internet service installed. Slow, but it works. Oh, and we now have all security systems up and running so I have to show you how that works. Then there's the surprise I have for you, and..."

"Now don't just slip past that," and she kissed me again before she added, "What surprise?"

"Oh and I have big news from Buddy."

"You are truly cruel. Okay, what's the news?" I told her that story and she looked worried. "That isn't good at all."

"But now we have no reason to worry, and when I show you the system you'll agree with me."

"That is big news. That leads one to believe that mysterious lying deputy is hiding something, and that fact leads one to believe he's guilty of a whole lot more than that."

"So very true."

"Okay, so that's the big news, now about my surprise. Oh, and I did laundry and changed the linens."

She smiled as she put her hands on my neck and said, "Ben..."

"Okay, Collin and his crew are gone so let's go to the barn."

The rain had eased to fine droplets and the ground was still firm from all of the equipment and feet beating it down, and as we walked toward the barn she said, "it's like every day when I come home you have another surprise for me."

I stopped and as the misty rain continued to get us wet I said, "Do you realize what you just said?"

"Yes, I just said..." and then she smiled as she softly repeated, "When I come home."

"It's time to get you moved out here honey. Crazy things are still happening, but we have a good security system in place. This will be home for us and I'll be home every weekend at the least."

"Okay, but I don't like the weekends only part at all."

"After things settle down let's find a way to fix that problem."

Chapter Seventeen

As we entered the barn, Ellie was looking for any change, but she didn't see anything different until we topped the stairs and stopped. "Ben Whitehead, you get those down."

I pushed her ahead as she continued to gaze up at the rafters near the bar and I told her, "Can't I don't have a ladder."

"But those are my panties and bra. They are mine right?" and she looked at me as she waited for my answer.

"Yep, those would be yours." I saw the small smile curling despite her attempts to control it and added, "I think our guests will appreciate the eclectic decorations. In fact we need to add a negligee or three and maybe a...oh a teddy or something like that."

"How did they get up there if you don't have a ladder?"

"Um...Collin did that for me."

"He what? Tell me you didn't let him handle..."

"Had to. That was the only way to get them up there. Oh, and look closely and you'll see a whole bunch of little stainless hooks to hang other treasures from. I'm sure that if we ask our Halloween party guest they'll bring a contribution for the collection."

"Oh god, you wouldn't ask them."

"The ones I invite I certainly will. They don't have to contribute if they don't wish to. I know, they can sign them or put a little message on them before they are put on display."

"Oh my god," and she looked around and slowly spotted the other hooks that were waiting to be utilized. "I'm speechless. This has to be the most bizarre and weird thing I've ever even heard of, not to mention tacky and a little crude."

I laughed and told her, "Well they'd be crude if they were low enough for others to fondle them."

That's when she slapped my arm and said, "What have I gotten myself into? Do you have any more surprises for me?"

"Can't think of any at the moment. Oh, I need your help though. Go to Morgan's tomorrow and pick out some furniture for the loft and for the dining and living room."

"What? You should be at least helping me with that. I don't know what your tastes are."

"You know what was in the house and that was fine, but whatever you like. As for this loft, think leather or soft and very casual. Think seating groups with tables and lamps. Footstools too maybe. Just get it all lined up and then I'll call them and pay for the mess and get it delivered. Halloween is coming fast and we need to get the invitations sent out."

Her smile had taken control of her by then as she said, "You really are determined to have a big party."

"I am. Invite whomever you choose, and if any of them have a close friend that's good too. I'll do the same. Oh, and ask them to bring a bottle to share and we'll provide everything else. We just aren't going to have time to stock the bar and do the preparation ourselves so I've hired a couple from Cookeville to help us with decorations and provisions like cups dishes and snacks and all of those things. I'd like this to be a party like no other."

"I'm getting the feeling you're going to get your wish honey. My god you're going through money like water."

"Well the spending will slow down dramatically soon, and most of the money is being spent on the farm, that we should get back plus a lot more. I'm taking a risk I know, but I have every reason to believe that even in a worst case scenario we won't lose a dime, and I've upped our possible profit to a quarter of a million on this place."

"I'm just not used to thinking in those kinds of numbers, especially when we're talking money."

"A lot of this is new to me as well, but we'll be fine. Now are you in the mood for something else I think I've figured out?"

"Why do I feel like I need to sit down?"

"That's exactly what I had in mind. Come with me my queen."

"Oh god, so this involves the throne." That's when she noticed it was now on its pedestal. "Oh, now doesn't that look more impressive."

"Doesn't it though. Now face me," and I started to undress her.

She was smiling and she didn't try to stop me, but she did ask, "What are you up to Ben?"

"A couple of things at least. I want us to be naked in our almost completed loft. You for sure need to be naked, because I'm going to tell you a story and I think it will help to get you into the mood; the proper frame of mind."

"So this involves sex."

"I can only hope so my love, but there is even more to this."

We were finally naked and she caught me with my little camera in my hand. She smiled as she looked up at her hanging unmentionables and said, "I still can't believe you."

As I reached behind the chair I told her, "Okay, now sit on your throne and hold this in your left hand."

"Oh my god no."

"You have a scepter like no other my love."

"That's a dildo at the top."

"I prefer to think of that as a crest."

"Oh, how crude and tacky."

"Precisely so. Now your crown," and it really was a nice, if cheap, crown. Sorry, I couldn't find a way to have a dildo crest for your crown."

She was looking at her scepter as she said, "I can't believe you even said that just now. My god, now where else can this possibly go?"

"The most interesting part is about to be presented. Now get comfy honey. Slouch a little maybe. Left leg over the left armrest like..." and I moved her leg which opened her treasure to my eyes as I smiled and added, "Oh yes."

"Oh no, this is so sleazy."

I ignored her and said, "Now your right arm on the armrest, your hand just draping off of the end very casually." I was grinning like a fool as I looked at her and said, "Oh yes, this will look stunning in a frame and hanging on the wall."

"Not in this lifetime lover."

"Yes, my very sexy queen that I love so very much."

"If you want me to continue to be your sexy queen you'll forget about the frame and hanging part."

"Okay, now I have your picture so I'll kneel at your feet and tell you my story."

"Haven't we been through this before?"

"Yes, but his will be different. This will be what I believe to be the truth. Recent history actually."

"Okay, I'm listening. My guard is up, but I am listening."

I knelt next to her and I made it a point to rest my hand on her naked thigh and started my tale. "Honey, remember when we studied that long trench and the bits and pieces of junk that we could see?"

"Yes."

"Well this has to do with those...I'll call them artifacts I guess. Anyway, here's what I think. This loft floor was sanded and smooth, but there was no furniture. That means that either somebody went to a lot of trouble to get rid of the furniture, for no discernable reason that I can come up with, or they were in the process of doing what you and I have done. They wanted to convert this loft into a play area for adults. I've been thinking about the things we were able to see, or rather see part of, and here's what they were. There was that large dark...black or blue, what we thought was part of a chair or something, but it wasn't. That was a large contoured foam piece of...furniture I guess you'd call it, for certain sex positions. A large sex aid. Now I'm going to assume their plans were for something like this. Like I said the other time, imagine a number of friends gathered here. But this time, imagine every one of them naked. They planned to have their king or queen on this throne that doesn't fit in the house at all, and he or she would sit there, much as you are now perhaps, and maybe...I'm just guessing at this part, but maybe they were directing the action. You know like, Joe I want to see you with...whoever, Gertrude maybe. Maybe they planned to have different kings or queens at each gathering. With me so far?"

"But why bother to toss that...sex cushion into the hole?"

"I have the answer for that, but first, are you still with me, or do you think I'm totally off track?"

"It all sounds plausible at the very least."

"Okay, so we have naked couples mingling and you've directed them into some sexual action while you watch and sip on something or whatever."

She smiled and looked at the soft dildo in her hand and said, "Or decided to entertain herself in some way."

I was afraid that I was losing her, but she was solidly in my scenario after all, so I said, "Oh baby yeah. Okay, now about those straps or whatever you might call them that we saw. Once I discovered what that cushion was, that led me to the second discovery. The sex swing."

Her smile grew as she said, "The sex swing? Oh, I think I know what...well I know they exist, so go on handsome, you're doing great."

"That's about it. They had it hanging in here somewhere, probably by a rope from one of the rafters."

"But why bury them? Why would they care if somebody found them while looking for the victims?"

"This is the last part of my speculation. I think the murderer was with them and he had my relative in that swing just before he murdered them, or maybe even had her more than once in the past, and left his DNA on them. Into the webbing of the swing and the seams of the cushion. He feared that even if he wiped them with something his DNA could be found. After all, it only take a few cells now to get the full profile. More than enough to make them worry."

"That does make sense honey."

My hand had been slowly teasing her as I talked, but I got up then and said, "Another thought came to my mind about that chair too."

"Should I be afraid?"

"Oh no, you should be eager to learn what I've figured out."

"Okay, tell me."

I put her hands up to the ornamental knobs that decorated each side of the back of the chair and then moved her other leg up and over the arm on that side. "Now if that doesn't look sexy."

She smiled and told me, "Slutty you mean."

"Now pretend that your wrists are tied to those knobs and your legs are strapped to the arms at your knees. Got that?"

"Yes, and then what? I'm not good for much in this position."

"Sure you are. Now remember, you are totally immobile and defenseless."

"It's scary when you put it like that."

"But you trust your lovers."

"Oh, I have more than one lover now?"

"Why not? Your lovers are now free to do things to you like this," and I teased her opening with my finger.

"Oh honey that's..."

"Or this," and I played with her breasts and kissed her. "You just have to sit there and enjoy or endure as the case may be. You might have to watch as I jack off and maybe cum all over you."

"You wouldn't leave me out while you were having fun."

"But first I'd put my cock in your mouth and you'd suck me and use that chance to tease me."

"You and my other lover. Remember, I have to service both of you."

"That's right. But I'd rather do this," and I slipped my finger into her and teased her clit.

"Oh damn it honey, I need you baby. I wanted you even when I pulled in the driveway."

"Okay, I'll take pity on you and release you from your bonds." That was the end of our so called role playing and we soon learned that that smooth looking wood didn't make a soft bed. I was still on her and my cock was slowly shrinking as I told her, "I think we need to invest in a dozen or so floor cushions."

She laughed and said, "A dozen or more? Do you plan on others joining us?"

I kissed her and said, "I'm not ready to share you with anybody, but what if two couples decided to play at the same time?"

"And you think that might happen at the party?"

"Nope, but I think it would fit our sleazy decor to give that impression."

"I think you're right. I know a seamstress so I'll have her make us some oversized cushions."

"Perfect."

Chapter Eighteen

Late Tuesday morning, Ellie called and said, "I'm moving my living room furniture out to the farm so all I need to look at is dining room. Oh, and I'm at the furniture store now. I'm taking the day off to shop, so I'll bring dinner."

"Great, how is it going?"

"Not bad. It's pretty easy spending your money. I just point at things and Millie smiles and writes them down. Her commission will be huge I'm sure."

"You're starting to scare me. Listen, I think I'll run over to my other place and work on the party invitations and get them printed. Then tonight we can work up a list."

"Hon, let's not invite a hundred people okay? Maybe a dozen couples or so."

"That's all?"

"That's twenty four, plus if they have that close friend you mentioned, we could have over thirty."

"I guess that's true. Okay, I'll call the party planner slash caterers and get that set with them. I'll be home by five."

"See you there baby."

For once my plans went perfectly. I designed the invitation and printed thirty of them, and stopped at the post office and got the stamps. I was back at the farm by four and sipping refreshing iced tea when Buddy pulled in. This time he came in and we sat at the table and I asked him, "What's new Buddy?"

"Not a lot, but things are humming behind the scenes. I'm picking up a word here and there, but nothing solid so far."

"I'm going to share my view on how things went that night and you see if it fits the facts as you know them." I went down the list including the sex furniture in the trench and the sanded barn loft floor.

I thought I did a pretty good job of filling in the gaps, but Buddy asked, "But where do the drugs come in?"

"Right the drugs, I forgot that part. I think they were partners. Whoever it was knew something was buried in that shed and he was back to get it only to find it was gone."

"Very good Ben, but I'll remind you that I don't think all of the drugs have been found."

"Oh shit Buddy, don't remind me."

"Sorry, but...well damn, I can't say, but there is good reason to believe that so don't be surprised when the state boys appear for another try with dogs and whatever else they can dream up. I agree that the victims were almost surely in on the drug connection. Maybe as a storehouse and those gatherings that were mentioned were also people picking up their cocaine or whatever. That means things could be hidden anywhere on this farm."