Double Trouble (11 page)

Chapter 20.

Maureen, Stephanie and I stared at each other after Janice had left.

“What’s gotten
into
her?” Maureen wanted to know. “She’s acting totally weird.”

“There’s certainly
something
going on,” Stephanie agreed, rubbing her lips with the back of her hand. “I don’t know who that was, but it
wasn’t
Jan. I think she has a major problem, but I can’t fathom what it is just yet.”

“So what do we do?” I asked.

“Nothing right now,” Stephanie replied. “We’ll have to wait and see. You two can go ahead though. Just don’t make too much
noise
. I’ll be in the living room.”

“Stef,
please
!” Maureen objected. “Don’t be so
rude
.”

Stephanie grinned wickedly. “Hey, it’s not a
crime
, or anything,” she remarked. “I’d
love
to see you two get together. I know what it’s like to be lonely and I’m totally envious of the both of you. You have my blessing, for what it’s worth.”

“Thanks, Stef,” Maureen said. Then she hesitated and said slowly, “Kim told me that you thought
I’d
written those notes.”

“Yeah,
sorry
about that,” Stephanie apologised. “The thought
did
cross my mind at one stage, but Kim convinced me that it wasn’t you after all. Blasted nuisance, really. Now we have to find
another
culprit.”

“Can we cross
you
off the list, Stef?” Maureen asked, intently.

“
Me
?” Stephanie exclaimed in unfeigned surprise. “You think it was me? Well, I
never
! The thought of anyone suspecting me of being the guilty party honestly didn’t enter my head. Well, I suppose, I’m as
good
a suspect as anyone, but I can assure you that it
wasn’t
me. Poetry just isn’t my forte and I hope I don’t bruise anyone’s ego here but I don’t fancy
anyone
in our little group, not even Kim. Sorry, Maureen, but it
isn’t
me.”

“Then
who
?” I asked, baffled.

“Well, there’s only Janice left or some
outsider
.”

“If it’s some outsider, then we may never know,” Maureen complained.

“We have only
one
note to go,” Stephanie consoled, “and maybe that last one will explain everything.”

“We can only hope,” I prayed.

“In the meantime,
mes enfants
, go and make each other happy,” Stephanie advised, “before Jan comes back and wants to
join
in the festivities. I’ll go and get the chocolates.”

Stephanie departed, leaving Maureen and I alone.

“Well,” said Maureen, blushing and shuffling her feet, “here we are.”

“Yes, indeed,” I added, “here we are,
indeed
.”

A tense silence ensued, which neither of us was prepared to break.

“Look, this is
silly
,” Maureen finally objected. “Kim, my darling, I know you’re much too
good
for me. I don’t know
what
I was thinking. I’m nowhere in your class.
Forget
about it, why don’t you.”

I put a finger against her lips to stem her flow of words. “Hush up, you silly thing!” I commanded sternly. “Sweetie, if anything, I shouldn’t be thinking of being with
you
. You’re kind and gentle and loving, and you’re just what I
need
in my life right now. Let’s simply see what happens first, shall we?
I’m
willing to try.”

“Oh, I’m
more
than willing,” averred Maureen, “but I still think I’m crazy to imagine that you could let yourself be attracted to someone like
me
. Honey, you’re
gorgeous
and I’m as plain as
plain
could be. I can’t make myself believe that this will last.”

“This isn’t about
looks
, dear heart,” I reminded her. “I’m attracted to you as a
person
, and not from anything as shallow as external appearances.” I reached out for her hand, invitingly. “Are you coming?”

“Yes,” she gulped in a breathless squeak, putting a trembling hand in mine.

I led Maureen into her bedroom. The place was
swarming
with stuffed toys of every shape and species.

“Maureen!” I objected. “What the devil are all
these
? Do you
collect
them, or something?”

“A
little
bit,” she admitted, with an awkward smile. “When some people get sad, they buy a hat, or shoes. I buy a stuffed
animal
.”

I looked around at the myriad rows of plush toys staring at me in an intimidating and disapproving fashion. “I didn’t realise that anyone could ever get
this
sad,” I muttered. “Well, we’ll have to see if we can
change
that.”

I drew Maureen to me, put my arms around her and kissed her. She surrendered to my embrace. I could feel it in her relaxed muscles and the way her lips pressed against mine.

“Oh, Maureen, honey,” I said, cupping her face in my hands once we’d finished the kiss, “my only wish is to make you happy.”

“I’m already there,” she murmured. “This is everything I’ve ever dreamed about
right
now.”

“We’ll see if we can
add
to that,” I promised, reaching down and undoing the buttons of her dress.

Chapter 21.

Maureen and I spent the next half hour or so becoming intimately acquainted with the intricacies of each other’s bodies. From her moans of delight, I assumed that she
enjoyed
the procedure. I did too, of course. She was shy at first, naturally enough, and blushed furiously when I removed all of her clothes, but her ardour overcame her initial reluctance and she entered fully into the spirit of things soon after. I had to educate her in the finer details, but she proved an apt pupil and soon had me hovering on the edge of ecstasy. Afterwards, when we were both lying side by side in utter contentment, she turned over and kissed me gratefully.

“What’s
that
for?” I asked, sleepily.

“For showing me how lovely it can be for two people to be together,” she murmured.

I smiled at the adoration in her eyes. “Don’t put me on a
pedestal
, honey,” I cautioned her. “I have
lots
of faults.’

“Not from where I’m standing,” she contradicted.

“You’re lying
down
, not standing,” I reminded her, with a grin.

“So I am,” she said, in mock surprise. “And I’m lying next to the most beautiful creature on God’s earth. Pinch me, I’m dreaming.”

“Very well, if you insist,” I said, tweaking her nose. She giggled and rolled over on top of me, staring into my eyes. “I still can’t believe this,” she whispered.

“What, sweetie?” I asked, gently brushing some errant curls away from her forehead.

“That you’re here with
me
,” she said, reaching down and stroking my cheek with wondering fingers. “Kim, sweetheart, you could be with
anyone
you wanted.”

“I
am
. I’m here with
you
, my darling,” I confirmed. “Don’t keep putting yourself
down
all the time. You’re lovely and I don’t want to be anywhere else at this moment but in your arms.”

Maureen’s eyes instantly filled with tears. “Look at
what
you’ve done,” she sniffed. “You’ve made me
cry
. Well, I hope you’re
happy
.”

“
Very
,” I informed her, tenderly brushing the escaping teardrops from her cheeks. I pulled her head down to mine and gently kissed her in appreciation.

We were still kissing when the door burst open, startling the both of us. We looked around and saw
Janice
, flushed and excited.

“I thought I’d find you in here!” she exclaimed, and, before our astounded eyes, she began to rip off her clothes and throw them heedlessly around the room. In a few seconds she was entirely naked and she leapt onto the bed, almost squashing Maureen.

“Well, this is
cosy
,” she said, putting one arm around Maureen and another around myself. “When do we start?”

Stephanie hurried onto the scene just then. “Sorry guys,” she apologised, “I couldn’t stop her.”

“
Stef
!” roared Janice. “You’re just in time! Come and
join
us!”

“No thanks, Jan,” Stephanie replied, eyeing the three of us. “In fact, perhaps you should leave Maureen and Kim alone for now, sweetie. I think they’re
finished
, anyway.”

Janice looked to Maureen and asked, “You
are
?”

“I’m afraid so, Jan,” Maureen said hastily. “We were just getting up when you arrived. Perhaps some other time?”

“
Damn
!” Janice swore. “You two sure know how to be a killjoy.” She reluctantly climbed out of the bed and began searching for her clothes which had ended up draped over a variety of stuffed animals.

Maureen and I looked at each other in relief, tumbled out of the bed and began hurriedly dressing.

When we were all presentable once more we adjourned to the living and sat staring at Janice.

“What are you all looking at
me
for?” she demanded.

“It’s the way you’ve been acting lately, sweetheart,” Stephanie replied gently. “It’s not like you at all. We’re a bit
worried
about you.”

Janice seemed surprised. “About
me
?” she exclaimed. “Why? What have I
done
?”

Stephanie coughed in disbelief. “Well, just
now
, for instance,” she said. “Jan, honey, you don’t normally strip off and demand to be in a
threesome
.”

“In a
what
?” Janice demanded. “Stef, wash your mouth out with
soap
! The very
idea
! I wouldn’t be caught
dead
in a situation like that! I think your sense of humour leaves a lot to be desired. It’s none of
my
business I know, but I think that Maureen and Kim are disgusting to be.……..
together
like that. It’s unnatural and a
scandal
. That’s all I have to say on the matter.”

Once again, Janice had succeeded in leaving us open mouthed.

“Let me get this
straight
, Jan,” Stephanie said slowly. “You
deny
that you were just in the bedroom with Kim and Maureen, wanting to join them in a sex session?”

“Of
course
I do!” Janice snorted. “Stef, have you taken
leave
of your senses? Don’t be so
revolting
! If this is a joke of yours, it isn’t funny at all.”

“But, Jan
you
…..” Maureen began to speak, but Stephanie cut her off with an abrupt gesture.

“Let’s just leave it at that for now, shall we?” Stephanie urged, staring intently at Janice. “We can talk about it later,
hmm
? We have a
puzzle
to solve, remember?”

With a warning look at Maureen and myself, Stephanie read out part of the latest note for us again:

‘
Flames burn lower,

Breath is slower.
’

“Okay, that’s it,” she announced. “Any ideas so far?”

“Come on, Stef, don’t be shy,” Maureen said. “You’re the
clever
one here. You must have some ideas.”

“Well, yes, I
do
,” she replied, “but I didn’t want to take over the proceedings.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” I told her. “We’re a
team
, Stef. If you know something, spit it out. Why waste time?”

“Okay, then,” Stephanie announced. “This is what I think. The ‘flames burn lower’ bit could refer to a lack of
oxygen
. A fire will burn lower if there’s lower levels of oxygen in the air. That also ties in with the ‘breath is slower’ line too.”

“A lack of oxygen?” Janice questioned. “Where would you find
that
?”

“On a
mountain
,” announced Maureen. “Everyone knows that you have to carry oxygen with you if you’re climbing mountains.”

“Exactly,” Stephanie pronounced. “So we’re looking for somewhere high up. It might not
be
a mountain though. There are some pretty tall
buildings
around. Okay, on to the next lines.”

‘
Not man-made,

Time delayed.
’

“Not
man
made, eh?’ Stephanie pondered. “That appears to rule out
buildings
, then. Mountains it is.”

“
Time
delayed?” I asked.

“Mountains last virtually
forever
,” Janice answered. “There’s very little decay over time in one of those babies.”

“Oh,” I said, “of course.”

Stephanie read out the next lines.

‘
Capture flight,

Without a fight.’

“That’s a bit tricky,” I mused.

“Not necessarily,” Janice said.

“You’ve an
idea
?” Stephanie asked.

“Maybe,” Janice told her. “What do you find on a mountain, or, at least, somewhere
high
?’

“Snow,” Maureen volunteered. “And clouds sometimes.”

“Rocks,” I added.

“How about
birds
?” Janice suggested. “The word ‘flight’ may be a clue here.”

“Yes, but to capture it without a fight….how does
that
fit in to your bird theory?” Stephanie asked.

“I’m only guessing here,” Janice replied, “but I’m pretty sure you won’t be able to capture a bird without
some
sort of a struggle, so it can’t be talking about the bird per se, so the meaning must lie with something the bird
possesses
. Something concerned with
flight
.”

“Of course,” Stephanie declared. “Jan, you’re so
clever
!”

“Please explain to the
rest
of us, then,” Maureen requested, politely. “You know, to the remainder of the group who can’t quite achieve the genius IQ
status
of others more gifted.”

“Sorry, you guys,” Stephanie apologised. “Sometimes I get wrapped up in my own little world. Okay, here it is. If it’s not the bird
itself
, but is still related with flying, then it must be ‘
feathers’
. What else could a bird have that it uses to fly with?”

“Of course,” Maureen exclaimed. “
Feathers
! It’s all so simple and obvious once it’s explained. Why can’t I solve these clues the way you and
Jan
can? It’s not so difficult really.”

“It takes a special type of mind to see the
connections
,” I told Maureen, sadly, “and I’m afraid that you and I just don’t have them, sweetie.”

“Enough reminisces, ladies,” Stephanie declared. “On to the next two lines. We’re on a roll.”

‘
Look within,

Sparrow’s kin
.’

“Look within?” Maureen asked. “Within
what
?”

“How about a
nest
?” I asked. “If this whole thing is referring to birds, then maybe we have to look in a bird’s nest.”

“Cleverly done,” congratulated Stephanie. “What do you think, Jan? You’re our resident expert.”

“Sounds fine to me,” she conceded. “Let’s see, what’s kin to a sparrow? An eagle, perhaps? Do we have any
eagles
around?”

“Sure,” Maureen agreed. “There’s plenty of them up in the hills.”

“Now we’re cooking with gas,” Stephanie chuckled. “Here’s the last lines.”

‘
High enough,

Yellow bluff.’

“Hmmm,
not
so easy,” Stephanie commented, scratching the side of her head. “Any ideas, anyone?”

Utter silence greeted her remark, until Maureen tentatively raised her voice. “Um, I may have a suggestion,” she timidly announced.

“The floor is yours,” Stephanie grandly announced. “Dazzle us with your insight, O Gifted One.”

Maureen smiled uncertainly.

“Stop behaving like an
idiot
, Stef,” Janice scolded. “Go ahead, Maureen.”

“I think I know about the yellow bluff,” Maureen announced. “There’s a series of cliffs north of the town and one of them has a very distinctive clay strata running through it. The cliff face is definitely
yellow
looking. I used to go for hikes up there when I was younger. Perhaps that’s the one the note is talking about.”

Stephanie clapped enthusiastically. “
Excellent
work, you guys,” she proclaimed. “Okay, we have a yellow cliff, quite high, with feathers and an eagle’s nest which we have to look inside. By golly, I think we’ve
solved
it. Once again, congrats to all. Break out the chocolates and wine!”