11:30 pm

"Goodnight, drive carefully. See you next week," shouted Vicky across the floor as the last of the club members departed.
Only three people remained in the room now: Katie, Malcolm and Vicky. They were all seated around a table and waiting. Katie for Brian Bensen, Malcolm to say goodnight to Katie, and Vicky to finally lock the place up after everyone had gone.
Vicky was ready to enquire about Malcolm's sleeping arrangements for the night, but Katie got up from the table and crossed to another table in the row of six. She returned carrying a bondage magazine.
"Phil's left this behind," said Katie flopping the magazine down on their own table and resuming her seat.
Malcolm saw that it was a copy of something called 'Rope Tied' and pictured a naked girl on the front cover all trussed up like a chicken with her arms and legs all tied together behind her back. Malcolm observed the picture with interest. The girl on the cover bore a striking resemblance to Vicky. She had the same blonde hairstyle and the same lanky and leggy appearance. For a brief moment he considered doing the same to Vicky, and pictured the scene. Then quickly he realised that he was dreaming again and he drove all such thoughts from his mind. These sort of thoughts always seemed to get him into trouble. As an alternative he began to consider just how did Katie know that it was Phil who had left the magazine behind?
Vicky looked towards both Katie and Malcolm seated across the table. Both were quiet and preoccupied by their own thoughts. Malcolm was flicking through the pages of the magazine and Katie was keeping one eye on the door across the other end of the room, and one eye on the time. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to raise the subject concerning Malcolm's sleeping arrangements for the night.
"Where are you stopping tonight then Malcolm? Have you organised anything yet?" Vicky asked Malcolm but making sure that Katie also overheard every word.
Malcolm shook his head. "Nothing at present Vicky," he replied honestly. "I was thinking of just driving back home, and maybe come back again next week. Perhaps I can become a permanent member here!"
To be truthful he had made no plans whatsoever in any direction, and he was seriously contemplating returning to Cuckoo Cottage with the intention of coming back again next Saturday. The only thing he had on his mind all night was to try and be with Katie alone, with no-one else in sight, and somehow that never came to pass. Now Katie was waiting for Brian Bensen to collect her, and it looked very much like this was an opportunity missed. But he had never expected it to be easy, or to be settled after just one visit. So becoming a member of 'Bows and Ties' and by turning up regularly every Saturday, he reckoned that given a few weeks he would be in a position to ask Katie to come and live with him.
Katie raised an eyebrow. She was thinking 'home' meant Littlesea, and that was a long way away. The problem was she and Brian Bensen lived in a one bedroom ground floor flat and there was not much room to swing a cat anywhere. It had actually been a bachelor flat until just about a week ago when she moved in with him. And that was also the reason for all Brian's current activity. He had been offered the chance of moving into a bigger place across the other side of town, and he had gone to speak to the owners tonight.
So having no room for Malcolm herself, she simply remarked: "I don't think that's a good idea Malcolm… you don't want to travel all that way back at this time of night, do you?.. It would be best if you stayed up here somewhere tonight and go back tomorrow... it really would!"
This was the opportunity Vicky was waiting for and she stepped in straightaway.
"I know!… Why don't you come and sleep at my place tonight Malcolm?… It's a big place with three spare bedrooms… and there's no-one else stopping at the moment… So you won't be putting anyone out… will she Katie?" suggested Vicky and finally making the offer she had been plotting all evening.
Katie gave a little knowing smile and nodded her head in agreement. She had realised almost straightaway that there was more to this little offer than meets the eye, but Vicky was a good friend and she was saying nothing untoward.
"That sounds like an excellent idea, doesn't it Malcolm?… Vicky's got a great big place and Nick's away for the rest of the week… So why don't you stay there tonight and keep her company?" agreed Katie.
Malcolm hesitated. "I.. I'm not sure!" he replied.
He had it in his mind that a return to Cuckoo Cottage would be the best answer for two reasons. One, he felt safer there, and two he was beginning to have second thoughts about the state he had left Jenny in. Perhaps he ought to go back and check out her condition.
"I think you ought to stay tonight Malcolm. It's a long drive back," reminded Katie, then on seeing further hesitation she added forcefully. "Go on, tell Vicky you'll stay at her place!.. Go on tell her!"
It was that voice of Katie's again. It was that dominant and forceful way she put things that made Malcolm's will crumble away to nothing.
"Okay!… I will… I'll stay at Vicky's tonight… and maybe travel home in the light tomorrow," he conceded.
Why did Katie always keep doing this to him?
"Good, that's settled then. You come home with me tonight," said a very cheerful Vicky. "There's a spare bed already made, so you can get your head down straightaway if you want."
Vicky was very happy. She had finally got her way. Malcolm was stopping at her place tonight.
At that point the door opened over on the other side of the room and in walked Brian Bensen.
As he crossed the floor to join them, Katie spoke to Malcolm at a whisper. "Don't leave tomorrow until you've seen me will you Malcolm?… And don't tell Brian where you're stopping tonight… Tell you what, I'll come round to Vicky's place in the morning to say goodbye… So stay there until I arrive… Is that clear?"
Malcolm nodded his head in agreement. "I'll wait," he agreed.
He thought it all very odd, but would never question anything Katie told him anyway. However all this secrecy must have something to do with Nick's jealousy.
Katie then turned towards Vicky and gave an assurance: "And don't worry Vicky, I'll make sure Nick never gets to find out. I won't tell Brian a thing!… Honest!"
Katie was aware that Brian would be off again early in the morning, and would not be back for a couple of days, so she would be free to pop over to Vicky's house at any time. She was also not a stupid girl and was fully aware of Vicky's intentions. Therefore her lips would be sealed. Brian would never get to find out. The secret would remain strictly between the three of them and jealous Nick would never get to find out either.
Brian Bensen arrived at the table.
"Good evening ladies... Good evening Malcolm, and did you have a nice time?" he asked.
"Very good… in fact excellent… Katie has been absolutely wonderful all night," he replied, and for once he was being totally honest with his answer.
"That's fine, and you liked our little get together tonight?" he queried.
"You sure have a brilliant club here Brian," he replied, once more being truthful in his reply.
"Good!" answered Brian, then glanced at his watch.
He always seemed to be a man in a hurry.
"Katie, we'd better get going. I've got to be off again at seven in the morning and I want to get a bit of kip," he told the redhead.
Katie got up, kissed Malcolm on the cheek, then moved to stand by Brian's side. "Come on then," she told Brian and threading her arm beneath his elbow.
"Good night then Vicky, and goodnight Malcolm… and do drive carefully all that way back home to Littlesea won't you?" she said.
"Will do!" lied Malcolm falling back into his old habit.
"Goodnight you two," added Vicky and removing the keys to the building from her shoulder bag.
"Goodnight," added Brian accompanied by a little wave.
And with that the couple turned and started to walk away across the room, their arms interlocked, and both with totally different thoughts upon their mind. For Brian it was the possibility of getting a bigger flat for the two of them to live in. Tonight's trip had been fruitful and he could not wait to tell Katie all about it as soon as they were in the car. And Katie thoughts? They were focused somewhere else. She was just hoping that Vicky would not go into her Master and slave routine tonight with Malcolm. Hopefully she would just get him to tie her up and leave her to sleep like that overnight.
As they reached the door Katie told Brian: "Malcolm's decided to drive all the way home tonight… I do hope he's all right."
"Couldn't he stop at Vicky's tonight?" he asked.
"Don't be silly. You know how jealous Nick gets," she reminded him.
"Yeh!… I guess you're right," replied Brian. "It's probably best that they go their separate ways."
Vicky looked to Malcolm. "Come on then Malcolm, we'd better get going too," she told him, and with that she slung her bag over a shoulder and started heading for the door.
Malcolm followed with helmet under his arm.
"Where have you parked your motorcycle?" she asked.
Even though she had never enquired, it seemed obvious from the way Malcolm was dressed that he had arrived here by motorcycle.
"Over the road, in the pub car park. I parked it right up in the far corner and out of the way," her told her.
"Oh, that's good, it'll be safe there. I don't want to appear awkward, but it's best you don't turn up on a motorcycle. The neighbours might see or hear it and tell Nick. The best thing to do is come with me in my car, and I'll bring you back tomorrow to collect it," she explained.
Malcolm considered that the least people who knew the better. Somehow being secretive slotted well into his own plans.
"That sounds like a good idea. I've got my case strapped to the back. I'd better collect it. But otherwise, I think it's the best idea. I'll come with you, and we'll come back to collect my motorcycle in the morning," said Malcolm readily agreeing to Vicky's plan.
"Okay, that's all settled then. You come back with me and leave your motorcycle here," agreed Vicky.
Vicky relaxed now that Malcolm had agreed to leave his motorcycle behind. It was the only stumbling block to her plans. What she really did not want was for people to see a motorcycle parked in her drive overnight. Nick could be a very awkward Master sometimes and would punish her severely if he every got to find out.

11:45 pm
 
Davina and Tracy were sat in their car waiting. They had managed to keep up with the BMW, just, and were parked in the pub car park opposite an old hall where Katie Brown had been dropped off. To remain as inconspicuous as possible they had parked right away in the far corner next to a motorcycle with a small case strapped to the back.
They had watched the BMW return, presumably to collect Katie Brown, and Davina started the engine in readiness to follow. The BMW had pulled up on the opposite side of the road, and had left the lights on. It seemed obvious that the driver was not intending to stop long.
"Here she comes now… She's with that man again… We'd better get going," said Tracy.
Davina engaged first gear and crawled towards the car park entrance. As she did so another car parked much closer to the entrance pulled out in front  of them and came to a halt at the road. By the time it was their turn to exit the car park the BMW was disappearing into the distance. She wanted to pull out and follow quickly, but other traffic coming up and down the road prevented her from doing so. By the time the road became clear, the BMW was long gone.
"Shit!…" cursed a frustrated Davina. "I don't think we'll catch him now."
"He's probably taking her home anyway. Perhaps we ought to think about stopping somewhere and go back to the house tomorrow," suggested Tracy.
Davina tended to agree. "How about stopping here? The pub says it has vacancies, and it's still open. I think there must be an extension tonight. After all it's a Saturday and a holiday weekend," she said.
"Seems like a good idea," agreed Tracy.
Davina reversed into the nearest parking spot close to the entrance and they got out.
"Right, we'd better go in and see if they've got a room then," said Davina locking the car doors.
There was a side door to the pub that opened out onto the car park. They made their way to the door, opened it up and entered. Just as Davina was closing the door she happened to glance back into the car park to take one last look at the car and check that she had switched off the lights. It was at this point she got the shock of her life. Malcolm Smith was walking across the car park. He was dressed in black leathers and carrying a helmet. He was making his way to the motorcycle in the corner.
"Tracy?" she whispered and leaving the door partially open. "It's him!… He's outside!… I think that's his motorcycle in the corner... Take a look!"
There was only enough room for one at a time to look out of the partially opened door. Tracy peered through the small gap and watched a person in riding leathers collect a case from the back of the motorcycle and start walking back towards the entrance.
"He's going back," Tracy informed Davina as she pushed the door almost shut so as not to be seen.
As Malcolm Smith approached the car park entrance, Tracy opened out the door a little wider. While she had been looking in one direction, a large Volvo estate had started up and drawn out to stand waiting near the entrance.
"He's getting into a car!" she exclaimed. "He's going!"
The two girls stepped out of the door only to see the tail lights of the Volvo disappearing onto the road.
"Shit!…" exclaimed Davina. "We'll never catch him now… Did you manage to get the number?"
Tracy shook her head. "No.. sorry," she replied.
"Neither did I!" tutted Davina.
"What are we going to do now?" asked Tracy.
Davina had a think.
"Well we know that he's here, and that's his motorcycle up in the corner... At least we must assume so, he was dressed in leathers and carried a helmet… If it is his motorcycle and not something stolen and abandoned, then hopefully he's going to come back sometime and collect it, possibly in the morning… We need to phone Georgina and tell her the good news, and wait here until the morning... So I think the best thing to do now is to do exactly what we were going to do… we see if they've got a room for the night here, preferably overlooking the car park… and we wait for him to return," proposed Davina and outlining her plan.
Tracy was disappointed that they had lost him, but she did not disagree. It was also getting close to midnight and she was feeling very tired.
"Okay Davina," she said. "Let's go and see if they've got a room for us at the inn."

End of Chapter Thirteen