The English Woman

by Inch, Jennifer

  "Hi Fran" she smiled as she looked her up and down and turned to Angelo. "Angelo my Italian love" she said teasingly as she also gave him a kiss on the cheek.

  Fran was lost for words and felt uneasy. Joe took her hand. "Come on let's get out of here, we can all go in my Chevy" he said as he led Fran away.

  They went to a German bar, which also sold delicatessen food, and ordered some beers but it was so noisy that they struggled to make conversation. After a while Lauren suggested they went back to her apartment, and so Joe purchased some food to go. Joe drove them to Lauren’s apartment near the University, and as Joe opened some beers and was passing them around there was a knock on Lauren's door.

  "Hi Rod" Lauren said as she opened the door. Rod was also studying music at the University and he had lived in England for a while and was anxious to meet Fran. "This is Fran" Lauren said as she waved her hand in Fran's direction.

  "Hi Fran. It's great to meet you. My mother is from England and when my father died I went back there with her to live for a few years" he informed her as Joe handed him a beer. "Thanks Joe" he said taking the beer.

  While Fran talked with Rod about England she kept glancing over to Joe and Lauren, who were on the couch listening to Angelo playing. She felt the jealousy taking over and found it hard to concentrate on what Rod was saying. She noticed as Joe stood to go into the kitchen Lauren ran her fingers down his back. "I'll help you get the food" she announced in a loud voice as she looked at Fran. Then she followed Joe into the kitchen. Soon they both returned carrying plates of food and passed them around. Fran was glad to have an excuse to get away from Rod and to sit with Joe. Joe put an arm around her and gave her a kiss before he started to eat, which should have made her feel better, but still Fran could not relax.

  After a while Joe realised that the tension between Fran and Lauren was not going to get any less so he stood up and announced "Fran and I are leaving now. Nice piano playing Angelo, good to see you Rod, thanks for the hospitality Lauren" and he turned towards Lauren while Fran got up from the couch.

  "Okay Joe, hope I see you again soon" she kissed Joe on the cheek and turned to Fran "and you Fran; nice to meet you" she said sarcastically.

  "And you too" Fran said as she bit her lip.

  After Joe and Fran left the apartment Lauren said to Rod and Angelo "Well, what do you think of the little English lady?"

  "She seems nice" answered Rod. "And cute" added Angelo.

  Lauren laughed "Did you see the filthy look she gave me; I really wound her up?" and added when she saw their disapproving looks, "do you think I can get Joe back?"

  "I don't know; he seems keen on her" Rod said looking at Angelo, and Angelo added choosing his words carefully "You shouldn't have flirted so much with Joe."

  "We'll see. Anyway she'll be gone soon" Lauren said as she walked into the kitchen.

  **********

  Fran and Joe were silent as he drove towards the Canyon, and then just before Richard and Stephanie's house Joe said "I think Lauren had already arranged for Rod to call at her apartment this evening, that's why she suggested going back to her place. She deliberately used Rod to keep you occupied while she flirted with me, just to make you jealous."

  Fran wrung her hands, "Well it worked; the bitch" she said under her breath.

  As he pulled up, Joe looked at Fran. "Don't worry I'm not going back with her. You're my girl now, and I'll show you just how much I think of you when I take you to the cabin tomorrow" he said as he pulled her close.

  "Oh Joe, I'm so looking forward to getting away for a few days" Fran said before she kissed him passionately.

  **********

  Joe arrived late in the afternoon the next day, after filling the Chevy with gas and buying food and drink from the supermarket. Fran was packed ready for her trip to the mountains. They had a meal in Jack’s restaurant on the way. It was a pleasant drive with the quiet volcano Mount Lassen always prominent on the horizon.

  After about an hour as they started to ascend into the mountains they stopped at a restaurant for coffee. Joe had known the owners for years, and as they were the only people in the restaurant he chatted to them whilst they drank their coffee. The son was a large, sluggish character with a rather obnoxious personality, and Fran thought the restaurant would soon be short of customers when the day came that he would run the business.

  Mineral was situated in the mountains and the air was thin and chilly. It consisted of about twenty log cabin type homes with a ski slope, tennis courts, restaurant and other facilities that make up a holiday resort. Jessica’s cabin was shut up with shutters over the windows and surrounded by small conifer trees. The original mobile home, which Fran thought looked like an old fashioned English caravan, was still clearly visible. A roof had been erected over it and a large bedroom and sitting room with large stone chimney had been built inside. The sitting room had patio doors but was entered by way of the original mobile home door. Joe unlocked the door and stepped inside, followed by Fran.

  “There's a dead mouse here!” exclaimed Fran as she bent down by the patio doors.

  “What’s the matter, Fran?” enquired Joe as he walked back into the room.

  “I'll get rid of it” Fran said and picked the mouse up by the tail and disappeared outside.

  "When Jessica said wild animals, I didn't think she meant mice" Fran said laughing as she walked back in.

  "I'll show you a wild animal" Joe said as he picked Fran up off her feet and carried her into the bedroom. They both fell on the bed laughing and Joe started growling as he undressed Fran. Fran responded by purring like a cat and clawing at him. Soon they were naked on the bed, growling, purring and clawing and when they made love they did with hot passion, Joe mounting Fran like some wild beast until she could take no more. The sheets were soaked from their bodies and Fran's hair was a wet tangled mess across her face.

  "Joe, that's enough, I'm exhausted" Fran said as she slid away from him.

  "My little pussycat had enough" he said as he leaned over her trying to lick her ear.

  She rolled out of the bed. "I'll get us some water from the kitchen" she said as she walked out of the room "we must get the beer and food you brought into the fridge."

  They got dressed and fetched the groceries and bags from the Chevy. As they had eaten on the way Fran just took two beers from the grocery box and before handing one to Joe said "I'm afraid it's a bit warm, would you rather have a coffee?"

  "Yes, I don't think I could drink warm beer, and I must have a shower. Will you join me?" Joe asked with a grin.

  "I certainly need a shower before I hit the sack" Fran responded smiling.

  They drank their coffee and then showered together. They rubbed soap on each other's body and then Joe entered Fran from behind and they became as one. Fran felt wonderful and alive as Joe wrapped his wet body around her.

  They slept well that night in each other's arms; Fran had no bad dreams and Joe wanted the feeling to last forever.

  **********.

  The next morning they awoke early to sunlight beaming in through the gaps in the shutters and the sound of the birds in the trees outside the cabin.

  "What would you like to do after breakfast" Joe asked Fran as he gave her a kiss on the neck.

  "Let's have a light breakfast so we can go for a good walk" Fran suggested as she kissed his forehead.

  "Okay, but we mustn't get lost. It's been a while since I've been up here and I'm not that confident in finding my way about" Joe said.

  "I'll do us some sandwiches and we can take some beers which should be cold by now" Fran suggested as she pulled on her jeans.

  Joe found a map of the area, and after cereal and tea they started out on the track behind the cabin.

  "This map is not very detailed but it should be some help" Joe said studying the map as Fran walked behind him.

  They walked for about an hour and then Fran said as she sat down on a rock "Joe I need to rest and have a drink."

&nbs
p; Joe pulled out a water flask from his rucksack and handed it to Fran as he sat on a rock next to her. "That's better" she said wiping her lips with the back of her hand. "I need a tissue" she added as she bent down to take one from her rucksack that she had placed on the ground.

  Suddenly there was a rustling noise, and before Joe realised what was happening, Fran put her hand in her rucksack and pulled out a 22 calibre handgun. She fired at a snake near her rucksack and the bullet blew the snake's head into a bloody mess.

  "My god Fran, the Army trained you well" he shouted as he leapt up from the rock.

  "Let's get out of here" Fran said as she put the gun back in her rucksack and walked off, leaving the remains of the snake on the ground.

  Joe gazed at the snake in disbelief for a minute and then ran after her "it was only a garter snake; it wouldn't have harmed us. You didn't need to bring a gun; it's not that dangerous around here. And where did you get it?"

  "Well I didn't know if it was poisonous or not" she said, and added "I borrowed the gun from Richard. It's the one I used when we went shooting."

  "And I expect he doesn't know" Joe thought as he caught up with her.

  They carried on walking, stopping only briefly to eat the sandwiches and drink the beer, until they had completed a circular route back to the cabin. When they got back into the cabin Fran walked into the bedroom, threw her rucksack on the bed and took off her jeans. Joe followed her into the bedroom and picked up the rucksack from the bed.

  "I don't want a loaded gun hanging around the cabin" he said as he pulled out the gun and emptied the remaining bullets onto the bed.

  "Okay Joe, now give me the gun, I've got to get it back to Richard unmarked" Fran said trying to grab the gun.

  "No, I'm not giving it back to you so that you can reload it, I'll put it away."

  "Come on Joe give me the gun" she said as she pulled down his jeans, put her hands in his briefs and squeezed his penis so hard that he dropped the gun.

  "You bitch" he said angrily.

  She picked up the gun and teased him with it by running the barrel around his neck, under his chin and across his chest. "My big strong lion afraid that his little pussycat might hurt him" she said.

  "Stop messing around Fran."

  Then she ran the barrel around his penis. "Fran, stop!" he said and grabbed her wrists so tight that she loosened her grip on the gun and he took it from her.

  "So you want a piece of cold metal" he said turning the sexual play around so he became the dominant partner.

  Joe put the gun to her lips. "Yummy" she said seductively while licking his juice off the barrel.

  "So you like it. Do you like it here?" he said as he circled her left nipple with the tip of the gun. "Or here?" he said as he moved the barrel down her stomach and tickled her clitoris with the end of the barrel.

  "Oh yes" Fran purred as her body started to throb. Then he pushed the barrel into her vagina and touched her G spot with the tip. "Oh Joe, I want you" she shouted as her whole body contorted. He thrust the gun in and out of her, and then he replaced it with his penis and exploded inside of her.

  **********

  When Fran awoke the next day all she could think of was how hungry she was, and then she realised that with all the love making the day before they had forgotten to have an evening meal.

  "Joe I'm famished, can we go out and have a good meal?" she asked.

  "Yes, so am I. There's a restaurant not far" Joe said.

  After leaving the cabin they stopped in the local shop where Joe chatted to the owner, then on to the restaurant next door for a meal. Joe and Fran ordered minestrone soup and when it arrived it looked like all of the left-overs from the previous week, including some chips floating on the top, and they decided it tasted worse than it looked. After a few spoonfuls Fran began to feel sick and pushed her bowl away.

  “I'm afraid I can't eat any more!” she said feeling queasy.

  “I can’t eat mine either. It’s revolting” Joe agreed, “I'll send it back.” He called over the waitress and told her that the soup was inedible.

  “Yes, I thought it looked very thick. I will take it back. Would you like anything else?” she said without any apology.

  They ordered a meal between them which to their relief was very enjoyable. As they left the restaurant Fran was feeling even more ill, so Joe went back into the shop next door where he bought some antacid tablets, which relieved her symptoms tremendously.

  When they got back in the cabin Joe got Fran a glass of water, then they both took of their shoes and slouched down on the couch. Fran put her feet on Joe's lap and he took of her socks and started to massage her feet.

  "Oh, that feels nice" Fran said. "I'm feeling much better now."

  "That's good." Then Joe asked "What do you intend to do Fran? Are you going back to England or will you try and stay in the States?"

  "I don't know. I haven't decided."

  "You could stay. Maybe you could help out on the ranch."

  "I haven't got a green card, and what could I do?"

  "The Mexicans who work on the ranches around here don't have green cards. Most of them found their way up here last year after the floods in Tijuana."

  "Yeah, they are working illegally. I wouldn't want to be looking over my shoulder all the time. Besides what would I do?"

  "You could help mother out with the administration side of the business. You will be surprised how much work that is. Mother has to do all the cooking and cleaning, and now she is helping with the girls" he said. "And she is not getting any younger" he thought.

  "Putting it that way I don't know how Nancy copes. She must be an angel" Fran said laughing, but as she saw the response on Joe's face she wish she hadn't sounded so sarcastic.

  Joe stopped massaging Fran's feet and moved her legs from his lap. "I'll get us some beers" he said and went to the kitchen. Fran followed him and put her arms around him from behind.

  "Did I touch a nerve? I think I'm going to have to make it up to you" she said as she pulled his shirt out of his jeans and undid his flies, so his jeans dropped to the ground. She had a hot throbbing sensation between her legs and the sexual tension was going up through her body, so she took of her jeans and jumped on his back wrapping her legs around him.

  "Fran you are insatiable. Okay let me get these jeans off completely before I break my neck" Joe said as he stumbled trying to get out of the jeans with Fran on his back. All the time Fran was laughing and almost strangling him with the effort of staying on his back. "You're some crazy English bitch" Joe said as he staggered out of the kitchen towards the bedroom with Fran still holding on. This time they didn't make it to the bed, Joe was in such a tangle with his jeans that he fell, and they both landed in a heap on the living room floor.

  "Okay I know you like it rough. Well you've brought out the beast in me again" Joe said before they made passionate love again.

  They stayed in bed until it started to get dark. "We'd better clean up the place, pack and get back to the Canyon" Joe said as he got out of bed.

  "Oh, do we have to Joe. I want to stay here with you and make passionate love everyday" Fran said sleepily as she lay in a foetal position.

  "Come on Fran" and he slapped her bottom.

  "Ow! Okay I'm coming" and she jumped out of bed.

  Soon the cabin was clean and tidy and they were packed ready for the drive back. They drove around the lake and Fran took some photographs with Mount Lassen in the background before the sun completely set. On the way back they stopped at Jack’s restaurant again for a snack and a coffee. As it was late when they arrived back at the Canyon Joe slept on the couch.

  FINDING FRAN

  Fran awoke to the 'phone ringing and as she was coming around she heard Joe speaking and then suddenly put down the 'phone.

  "What's up Joe" Richard asked as he strolled into the kitchen.

  "It's Sara; she is a lot worse so they have taken her to hospital. I have to go" he said as he grabbed his rucksack
and headed out the front door.

  Stephanie appeared "Joe shouldn't I come with you" she shouted after him.

  "I'll ring you and let you know what's happening" he shouted back as he opened the Chevy door.

  Not long after Richard and Stephanie left for work the door bell rang. Due to its remote location Fran was surprised that someone should be calling.

  "Hi, I'm Detective Berkman, and I've come to question you about the death of Daina Petusky" Berkman said as he showed Fran his badge. "Can I come in?"

  Fran was taken aback. "The death of Daina! Yes, come on in" Fran said as she showed him to the armchair by the large fireplace.

  "Her body was found on St Petersburg beach the day you left Tampa. She had drowned the day before, which was the morning you went swimming after the party at Mykolas' house" Berkman explained as he sat down.

  Fran stood over him "Why are you here? What's it to do with me?" she asked.

  "I have interviewed everyone at the party and everyone who went swimming that morning. You were the only one I haven't been able to interview because no one knew where you were."

  Fran sat on the arm of the couch, "but it's nothing to do with me" she said adamantly.

  "I just have to tie up all the loose ends before I close the case. At the moment we think the verdict will be accidental drowning. When did you last see Daina, did you see her swimming?"

  "The last time I saw her she was in the sea with all the others."

  "Did you see any strangers in the water or on the beach?"

  "No, not that I remember."

  "Were you aware that Nina Wallace walked out of the party because she was jealous of Daina?"

  "Yes, I was with her at the time."

  "And you saw her leave?"

  "Yes."

  "Did you know that Theophilus Lebednick, Teddy to you, was looking out for Daina because she was the daughter of his second cousin, Vadimas Petusky, who is a member of the Lithuanian Government?"

  "No, I didn't know that" Fran could not conceal her surprise.

  "Well if you think of anything give me a call, I'm staying at the Holiday Inn in Chico" he said as he got up from the chair and handed her his card.