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CHAPTER EIGHT - Sneaking Out

Having said farewell to a rather bemused Anthea, I locked the big oak door to the dungeon, pocketed the key, and made my way up the stairs.
At the top I looked about for signs of life. All was quiet, so I crept down the corridor to the door marked 'Emergency Exit'. It was fastened by a single Yale lock. This meant that it could be opened from the inside but needed a key to get in. For extra security there were bolts top and bottom, but they were not engaged, and I doubted if they ever were. I turned the latch and pulled open the door just a fraction. Not surprisingly I found myself peering out on a terrace that ran around the back of the house. This just had to be the staff entrance, the door through which all non-members came and went without detection.
I closed the door quietly and looked behind me. The corridor was still deserted so I decided to move quickly and take the flight of stairs up to the first floor of the house.
I was grateful for the thick carpeting, for stealth had never been part of my act. The fact that I was now supposedly a Private Eye and no longer a real detective struck home to me as I crept warily up the stairs. Suddenly the differences became all too apparent. Whereas before I could just walk boldly into a premises and simply flash my 'ID Card', or threaten them with a search warrant, now I had to move guardedly and with utmost caution.
So it was with great intrepidity that I inched my way up the stairs and tiptoed my way along the landing above. The corridor on the first floor was 'L' shaped. It followed the side of the house for a short distance then turned to run down the centre of the building. As I approached the bend I heard voices and a door being closed just around the corner. I froze and looked behind me. There was nowhere to hide except make a hasty retreat for the stairs. I decided to take the bull by the horns and move on and investigate. Keeping my back against the wall I edged myself along to the corner and peered around. Luck was with me, the voices I'd heard were those of Hendry and his apeman sidekick. They had their backs to me and were heading in the opposite direction, making for the main staircase.
At the top of the big wide stairs Hendry stopped for moment to look at his watch.
He then spoke to the big fellow: "That shot should keep her out for about three hours. I'll get Fernando to clear the place and lock up by midnight. Then, when everyone's gone, you take her down below and lock her in the cage. I'll take Anthea home as soon as she's finished with that new guy, then I'll come straight back here and see if I can get any sort of sense from her. If what Max say's is correct then…"
After that the conversation faded from earshot as the two men began to descend the main stairs to the hall below. I pondered upon what I had just overheard. It sounded like the undercover female cop was in deep trouble. I began to wonder if there was anything I could do to help.
I looked to my watch. The time was twenty minutes to ten o'clock. I'd been away from Anthea for about five minutes. I allotted myself half an hour maximum at the most. Any longer than that and I reckoned she would start wondering where I had been all that time, and start to ask awkward questions.
As soon as the coast was clear I moved quietly down the landing and tested Hendry's office door. As expected it was locked, and not wanting to be seen outside the office I returned to the comparative safety of the corner and stopped to think.
I'd been in Hendry's office the day before, so I was aware that there was a balcony to the room. I decided to give it a try whilst my luck was still holding. The door to the room adjoining Hendry's office stood almost opposite me. A sign on the door said 'Library'. I could see no light coming from under the door, so I slipped across the corridor and turned the knob. My luck was holding. The door opened inwards to reveal a darkened study with easy chairs and book shelves against the walls. It was too dark to see the literature but I guessed all would be of a pornographic nature. I moved swiftly into the room and closed the door behind me.
There were two large sash windows to the room looking out on the back of the house. The curtains were open and enough light was coming into the room without turning on the lights. I moved to the window nearest Hendry's office and, standing well back, looked down on the gardens.
I detected the source of the light. There were a couple of those orange spotlights planted amongst the shrubs and throwing light back upon the house. I edged a little closer, keeping my body behind the curtains, and peered outside. The edge of Hendry's balcony was almost touching the side of the window and looked well within reach. If the balcony had been any further away I guess I would have simply packed it in there and then and returned to Anthea. But I saw my opportunity and decided to go for it whilst the gods were still favourable. I raised the window gently, letting the cool night air blow past my face. I leant out, extended an arm and found that I could touch the stone balustrade without over extending myself.
I hesitated for moment and took a deep breath before sticking my head out of the window and clambering up onto the sill. After that I moved swiftly taking a firm hold of the balustrade and bundling myself over to land rather unceremoniously on the balcony beyond. I stood up, brushed myself down, and promised to get myself an exercise bike if I ever managed to get out of here in one piece.
The curtains to Hendry's office were drawn and only a few threadlike rays of light could be seen shining out upon the balustrade through chinks in the material. I put an eye to the nearest crack and peered in.
I could see Bo. She was seated on a chair placed in the centre of the room and facing my direction. Her head was slumped forward and her arms were held behind her back. Other than that I could see very little, for Hendry's big desk lay between me and her.
Slowly and gently I tested the handle to the balcony door. To my surprise the door opened. I looked heavenwards and gave a little thanksgiving prayer. Perhaps the gods were with me after all? I squeezed in through the narrowest of gaps and closed the door behind me, and all the time remaining behind the curtains. After several seconds delay to satisfy myself that the coast was clear, I opened the curtains a fraction and peered into the room. I could see that the light was coming from a lamp on top of the desk. It was the only light in the room and was trained upon Bo.
I came out of hiding and circled Hendry's desk to get to Bo. Her excuse for a dress, just a criss-crossing of leather straps and three strategically placed triangles, had become entangled about her body, possibly as a result of a struggle. A press-stud, once holding one of the breast patches in place, had come undone, and a nipple poked out just above the flapping leather triangle. The lower part to the construction had ridden up her body too, and from the way she was sitting, with thighs wide apart, I could see that she was wearing nothing more than a skimpy black g-string below the web of straps.
I moved around behind Bo, being careful not to disturb anything. Her wrists were handcuffed behind her back, and the bracelets were threaded between the bars of the chair to hold her down. But I could see that all this was academic, for in the short term our little Miss Wonder Cop was not going anywhere. She was spark out, her head slumped forward to her chest, and her breathing deep and regular. I placed a hand under her chin and raised up her head. I could see that she had been roughed up a little. Nothing serious though, just puffed up eyes and reddening of the cheeks, but enough to indicate to me that these guys could be very mean bastards if they really put a mind to it.
I let her head flop back to her chest and looked around the room. Her handbag was on the floor next to Hendry's desk. I picked it up, placed it on the desk and rummaged down through the contents to reach the bottom.
My earlier assessment had been correct. There was a false bottom to the bag concealing a small cassette recorder. Unbelievably it was still going, suggesting that Hendry had not got around to looking inside. I removed the recorder and traced a wire up to the big brass stud on the side. I snapped it away from the stud, then removed the packing from the base and tried to make the inside of the bag look as normal as possible. The recorder itself was not very big and I slid it into my jacket pocket. I also found an ear-piece on a length of wire which I pocketed too.
I searched for further incriminating evidence. The lighter with hidden camera was there as expected, but I could find nothing else, no identity cards, no credit cards, no drivers licence, just the usual make-ups, lipsticks, eye shadows, plus all the normal things one would expect to find in a working girl's bag such as condoms and a rather large and somewhat threatening vibrator.
I did however find a couple of key rings. One had a car key and a door key attached, the other a single latch key and a smaller locker key. This second ring was of interest. If my reckoning was correct, then this ring held the key to the emergency exit. I put it in my pocket, along with the lighter, but replaced the car keys and returned the bag to the floor where I'd found it.
I took one last look at Bo. She was still breathing deeply and showing no signs of coming round. Hendry had said that she would be out for three hours and I could see no reason to disbelieve him. I decided to call it a day. There was very little I could do for her at this moment in time. She would be just dead weight if I tried to be the hero and carry her out. And what would I do next? And where could I go once I got her outside? I decided my best bet was to wait until just after midnight and rescue her from the cage before Hendry returned.
I left everything just the way I found it and retraced my steps back as far as the bar. Fernando was there, plus Denny North and girl in the centre still going about their business, but apart from these three, the room was deserted. I assumed the rest of the inmates had retired to the rooms upstairs. I clambered up on a stool to face Fernando. The clock behind the bar was showing five minutes to ten o'clock. I'd been away from Anthea for about twenty minutes, so time was pressing.
"Not finished already are you Woody?" asked Fernando as I scaled the dizzy heights of the stool.
"Half time," I told him simply, "give me a double scotch please, and can I have a tape for the camera downstairs?"
The video camera seemed like a good excuse for calling at the bar. At the time I could think of nothing else.
Fernando dispensed a double whisky into a glass from an optic and placed it in front of me along with a blank video tape in its cellophane wrapper.
"The tape goes on your monthly account," he informed me, but failed to mention a price.
"I know, Anthea's told me all about it," I said knocking back the whisky and dismounting the stool.
"That's all right then! She'll show you how to load it," said Fernando.
I doubted it knowing her present disposition, but I did not disillusion him.
"Thanks, well, back to the grindstone I suppose," I said, and tossing the tape up in the air and heading for the far door.
As I walked away Fernando called across the bar: "Oh and Woody, don't forget to take that wrap off the security camera when you've finished."
I turned, and, with a wry smile, I told him: "Will do!" and left it at that.
Halfway down the basement stairs I stopped to take a closer look at the picture of the girl about to get a roasting. Out of focus and in the background I could just about make out the vague outline of a cage. It was as I had suspected, the photograph had been taken here at the club.
Deep in thought I continued on down the stairs to the dungeon. I unlocked the door and entered the chamber. Needless to say, Anthea remained stretched across the rack just as I had left her. I locked the door behind me and walked across to confront her.
Anthea was waiting for me as I arrived. She raised up her head slightly to greet me.
"Did Woody my master have a nice drink?" she asked on my arrival.
I picked up the riding crop I'd used earlier and patted her lightly on the stomach.
"Did I ask you speak?" I asked.
Anthea watched the crop bounce up and down on her stomach a couple of times before answering.
"No my master, sorry my master," she apologised.
I carried on patting her with my riding crop, moving up her body to drum out my message on her breasts.
"Then don't… I don't want to hear another word from you unless you are given permission to do so… Is that clear? And you may answer this once," I told her.
Anthea rested her head back on the boards.
"Yes my master, I understand," she replied demurely.
Having sorted that little lot out, I held the blank video tape to her face.
"I changed my mind about the video," I informed her, "I thought perhaps I ought to get something verging on what can only be described as a collector's item, seeing I'm told it's a great privilege for me to be down here with you."
Anthea turned her head, looked at me and smiled, but kept her silence as instructed. I returned my best lecherous grin then moved away to gather up the tripod and camera. I set everything up at the bottom of the rack so that it pointed down the full length of the table. I next inserted the tape, adjusted the zoom, and set the thing in motion. Satisfied that something inside was whirring, I returned to take up a position where hopefully both Anthea and myself would be in view.
Idly stroking the side of her face with a light touch from my fingertips, I asked her: "Well my dear, are we ready to try something a little more serious?"
Anthea stared deep into my eyes, smiled, then gave a little nod of her head. I could tell from her reactions that she was hot and game for anything. I decided to test her to the limit, but not straightaway, there was a cassette recording I wanted to listen to first.
From a stand not far away I collected a ball-gag and blindfold. I Returned to Anthea and showed her the items. Without fuss she opened up her mouth to accommodate the big red ball and allowed me to strap it in position behind her head. I then slipped the blindfold over her head and pulled it down over her eyes. I felt happier now she was nullified and unable to see what was happening.
Next I went in search of a vibrator. I seen some earlier over on a side table so I set off across the floor. I selected the biggest from a choice of about a dozen, tested the battery, and found that it buzzed away quite merrily. I then returned to Anthea and held the humming to her ear.
"I want you to come. And I want to hear you climax for real," I told her, "I don't want any faking, otherwise you're in for a very bad time. Do you understand?"
Of course she could not answer me properly with the ball-gag her mouth, but the head nodded enough to indicate yes.
I moved down the rack slightly, hooked a finger beneath her panties and pulled them down as far as the thighs. I ran a finger down her exposed crack and it glided smoothly over the surface. I could see that she was wet and in no need of a lubricant, so I moved the vibrator into position, excited the clitoris for a few seconds, then slid the giant buzzing weapon deep into her crack.
I noted with interest the sudden tensioning of the body as the vibrator began to work its erotic charm. I then pulled the panties back up in order to hold the vibrator in position. My only fear now was that she would come too quickly, and before I had finished listening to Bo's tape, so I decided to up the odds.
I patted Anthea between the legs and against the slightly protruding end of the vibrator.
"I want you to come three times for me," I told her, "and no faking, otherwise things are going to be very bad. Show me you understand?"
Anthea's head left the boards slightly and nodded up and down.
Happy with the response, I walked away to the far end of the chamber, settled myself down on the steps and removed the tape recorder from my pocket. I then placed the ear-piece in my ear and began to listen to the tape.
Bo must have switched on the recording in the dressing room, for to begin with a conversation was taking place between Bo and another girl, most probably Suzette. They were talking about someone called Emily using all their make-up again.
I wound on in spurts, stopping to listen to a few words each time. Doing it this way I was able to follow Bo's progress from dressing room to bar very quickly. I ploughed on. My own conversation with her came and went, as did Hendry's request for her to accompany him to his office. I moved on quickly after that.
To start with she was asked to wait outside the office with big Ronnie whilst Hendry made an important telephone call. By the length of the tape it must have taken a considerable time. But eventually I found the point where Bo was asked to enter the office. I sat back to listen.
It started with Hendry saying: "Come on in Bo... I'm sorry about the delay... Please sit down will you... Get Bo a chair will you please Ron?" This was followed by a rustle of activity, including the swishing of curtains in the background.
While all this was going on I just detected Bo asking: "Well, what is it you want to see me about Hendry?"
She did not get an answer. All I could hear were a lot of shuffling and rumbling going on in the background.
This activity lasted a couple of minutes before silence fell and Hendry spoke once more.
"Right my dear," he said, obviously settling down, probably in his own big chair behind his desk. "I've just bumped into Max outside…. he thanks you for the loan of your car…. and he returns your keys.... here.... catch...."
There were sounds of something been thrown and caught, and then a loud clunk as the keys entered the handbag close to the microphone.
Hendry continued: "Max has left your car parked just across the street. I'm to tell you the garage has fixed his own car and he got it back today... He sends you his apologies... He says he's sorry he can't come in to thank you personally, but he was waiting for someone to come and collect him and take him back to his office. But he says he'll be back here tomorrow night to thank you."
"Thanks Hendry," Bo replied, then added: "Is that it then?.. Can I go now?"
There was a pause. Just by listening to the tape I could sense the tension building.
"Perhaps!" replied Hendry eventually, and followed by another longish pause. "No, stay there a while longer... sit back down Bo... there's something I would dearly like to know first."
"And what might that be Hendry?" inquired Bo sarcastically.
There was another thoughtful pause.
"Tell me my dear, is this your mobile phone?" asked Hendry.
There came a thump on the desk.
"Where did you get that?" snapped Bo.
"Max found it in the glove compartment of your car," Hendry explained.
"Then you've no right having it. You should have left it alone," retorted Bo.
"Why did you leave it there?" enquired Hendry.
"I forgot!… Why?… Is that a crime?" replied Bo with a snarl.
She sounded a little uptight at being asked such a stupid question.
"Perhaps a little careless of you," suggested Hendry.
"Hendry!… What is this?… It's no bloody business of yours what I've got in my car... I'm off...," said an indignant Bo.
"I said sit down!" snapped Hendry, his voice raised for the first time.
There was a thump. The sound of a chair falling over backwards by the sound of it.
Then Bo began to protest. "Ouch! Keep your fucking hands off me you great oaf!" she swore, her voice noticeably raised above the noisy goings on in the background.
"Here, put these on her," said Hendry when the hullabaloo had died down. Something then got tossed through the air and caught with a metallic thud. I guessed these to be the handcuffs arriving on the scene.
Another struggle ensued.
"Ouch! You're hurting my fucking wrists! Let me go you great wanking bastard!" cursed Bo, still obviously putting up a stern fight.
The struggle did not last long and I heard Ronnie say: "That's it boss… that should hold her."
"You hurt my fucking arms you great oaf of a baboon..." swore Bo still protesting vigorously.
"Think yourself lucky he didn't break them!" remarked Hendry.
"What's this all about Hendry?" asked Bo angrily.
"If I can get your co-operation I'll tell you," responded Hendry coldly.
"Get on with it then Hendry!" retorted Bo impatiently.
"Ah! That's better!... Co-operation at last!... Mmmmm... now let me see... Where was I?... Ah yes,… I remember... we were talking about mobile phones weren't we? Mmmmm... funny things mobile phones aren't they?" said Hendry teasingly.
"What about them Hendry?" said Bo sharply.
"Well sweetheart, for one thing they can store telephone numbers. Lots of telephone numbers. Damn useful thing to have when you're out and about and can't remember the number. Saves a lot of bother. I use them myself, and you know what? So does old Max, and that's what our little chat outside was about. We talked about telephone numbers stored inside mobile phones... and one mobile phone in particular... this one of yours."
"I don't know what the fuck you're talking about Hendry. Now let me go will you!" said Bo, her denial sharp and immediate.
"Keep your knickers on sweetheart! Wait till you've heard all what I've got to say first," said Hendry.
"I tell you I don't know anything about fucking numbers in fucking phones... Now get these fucking cuffs off me and let me get back to work," swore Bo as belligerent as ever.
"I said keep your knickers on sweetheart," jibed Hendry, "Wait till you've heard what Max has to say.... I think you should hear it."
"Bollocks to Max!… Now let me go!" bawled Bo.
"Shut her up Ronnie!" said Hendry obviously getting a little fed up with Bo's antics.
There followed a loud slap followed by an even more irate Bo yelling: "Ouch!... Hendry keep your fucking baboon off me will you?"
"Only if you promise to sit still and listen to what I've got to say," said Hendry, his voice raised and angry.
I guess Bo sensed the change in atmosphere, as did I. This was now one bitter Hendry speaking.
"Go on, tell me then!" she said in a much more subdued tone of voice.
"Ah!" exclaimed Hendry, "I do believe the message has got through. Now listen sweetheart, and listen good, I want an explanation from you... A good one... You see... Max told me he used your phone today. His own was on charge and he was a bit desperate to communicate with someone. Apparently he was aware that you had left your own in the glove compartment. Anyway the reason why is neither here nor there. The fact is he used it with a promise to make it up to you later. But then a strange thing happened. He said he wasn't thinking at the time, and instead of dialling the number he wanted, he typed in the letters 'HQ'. He said it was instinctive. 'HQ' on his own mobile gets him straight through to his office. So he did it without thinking and dialled 'HQ' instead, and you know what? Well this is the really interesting bit... dear old Max got through to Police Headquarters, that's what.... Well you can imaging his surprise... The police answering instead of his secretary... He tells me he hung up immediately, and I don't blame him..."
"It's all one big mistake Hendry," said Bo on hearing the tale. "I've never programmed any numbers into the damn thing. Someone else must have done it. 'HQ' was probably there when I bought it."
"In already?…. Don't give me that shit!" swore Hendry bitterly, "And besides… there's something else... six numbers in all... Max wrote them all down and dialled them when he got back to his office.... Two more were mobile phones... Tango Fox-trot something was the reply he got from one of them... Romeo Echo from another..."
Bo broke in: "I tell you they must have been in there when I bought it. I don't use the fucking thing that much. That's why I forgot and left it in the car," she said, still stoutly defending her corner.
"But my darling Bo, there's more, much more!" continued Hendry ignoring her remarks. "You still haven't heard about the other three numbers. Now let me see! Ah yes! I've got them all written down here somewhere.. Ah yes!... Here they are!... Number four… Max thinks you get straight through to Customs and Excise with that one... But he didn't hang on long enough to find out... Then there's number five... well that turns out to be the phone number of your flat.... and finally number six... well would you believe it?... it's Hendry's place!.... That's what Max's written down for number six... Strange that... very strange indeed... Especially if they were put in before you had the phone... Who else would know these numbers beforehand?"
"I don't know do I? Someone else must have put them in, not me," said Bo sticking doggedly to her story.
"I hope for your sake someone else did," replied Hendry coldly. "I just hope they did. Now the big question is, what am I going to do with you until I've got time to find out?"
I could see it all now. Bo, in a crisis, offering someone called Max her car with the intentions of ultimately getting closer to him and winning his affections. Max was probably a member here. Especially if he was coming back tomorrow night to see her. It was all good classical undercover stuff, and most likely would have come off had not this little mishap with the mobile phone occurred. Her cover had been blown wide open. I knew it and I guess she did too.
I followed the tape on. There were further rumblings. Draws being opened and shut, people moving about.
"What you doing with that?" asked Bo as things began to settle down.
"Just a little pin-prick sweetheart," said Hendry, "a sleeping draft, that's all. I've got a little bit of business to attend to right this minute, otherwise we'd be getting down to sorting out this mess straightaway. But never mind, you won't miss a thing. I promise you, when you wake up you'll find yourself centre stage, right at heart of the entertainment so to speak. So just dwell on that thought for a moment will you sweetheart... think... and think good... and be ready with your answers... I need to know the truth... I need to know the truth badly... And one way or the other I'm determined to find out."
"Hendry!… No!…You're making a big mistake!…. Please!…No!…" protested Bo.
"Keep her arm still," said Hendry unconcerned.
"Hendry!…. No...o...o....o.....o......o!..," squealed Bo, her protest beginning on a high pitched note and gradually fading away to nothingness.
Afterwards silence fell upon the room.
"God! Is that the time?" remarked Hendry after a short while. "Ron, we'd better get going... She's okay... she's out… just leave her... she won't be giving us anymore trouble for quite some time... come on!.."
And that was where I came in at the top of the stairs.
I switched off the tape recorder and began to think deeply.
I needed a way of getting Bo out of here.
But how?
That was the question.

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End of Chapter Eight