The Collectors: Revenge Becomes Her

by Hargrove Perth

  Jonathan wondered what Greg could have meant by such an odd statement. Greg stood and waved his hand in the air at the man who had just entered the bar. Jonathan looked at the way the man was dressed. He certainly didn’t fit in with the people Greg generally surrounded himself with on any given day. The man was wearing a corduroy blazer, blue jeans, a Stetson, and a pair of cowboy boots.

  “Jonathan Masby, I would like you to meet James Griggs,” Greg said.

  “Nice to meet you,” Jonathan said and extended his hand toward James.

  “Same here. Greg tells me you all went to school together.”

  “Yes, seems like it was ages ago. It has been awhile since I have seen him. It was a pleasant surprise when he invited me along your expedition,” Jonathan replied.

  “Expedition? That’s a nice way to put it.” James hit Jonathan on the arm and pulled up a barstool next to Greg.

  “How long till the others arrive?”

  “Bill and Jack are going to meet us tomorrow. Bill couldn’t get a flight out of Seattle till late tonight. I am going to pick them up at the airport later,” Greg replied.

  Jonathan had not seen Bill Hyndes or Jack Stryker in nearly as long as it had been since he had seen Greg and was slightly excited at the prospect of seeing his old college roommates.

  “Bill and Jack are flying in?” Jonathan asked.

  “Oh, yeah. I forgot to tell you. Bill, Jack, and I have been hooking up for a month’s vacation every year for the last couple of years. They enjoy collecting too,” Greg said smiling.

  Jonathan just nodded his head. He was beginning to wonder what Greg was up to and why Greg was associating himself with someone like James. Jonathan knew all too well what Greg was like and James did not fit into Greg’s high society ways.

  “Come on, let’s hit the strip club down the street,” Greg said as he buttoned his jacket.

  Jonathan left a tip on the bar for the bartender, pulled his jacket off the back the chair, and then followed his friend out the door into the dimly lit street. He walked behind Greg and James as they talked and quietly listened to their conversation.

  “Are you sure he is up for this? I mean, he seems a little skittish,” James asked Greg.

  “Look, he will be fine once we get him up to the cabin. He likes to nail a little tail just as much as the next guy. It’s all good,” Greg said.

  Jonathan stopped behind Greg and James as they stood at the entrance to the strip club. Jonathan looked up at the large flashing neon sign. The sign read ‘Big Jim’s Gentleman’s Club’.

  “Welcome to my humble establishment,” James said as he tipped his cowboy hat.

  Jonathan sighed. It all made sense now. James was Greg’s endless supplier of easy sex. No consequences and no strings, just the way Greg liked it. Jonathan stepped through the door into the smoke filled nightclub with a slight sense of dread. Wherever they were headed on Greg’s great new conquest to add to his collection, Jonathan could not get there fast enough.

  James took Greg and Jonathan to his private booth and motioned for one of the scantily clad waitress’ over to the table. Her long red curls hung down over her enormous breasts, which were barely concealed by the black leather corset she was wearing. Greg grabbed her by the back of the red ruffled panties she wore and pulled her down into his lap. The young girl giggled as he slid his hands between her thighs.

  “There’s plenty more where that came from if you’re interested,” James said as he watched Greg restrain the girl who was now seated in his lap.

  “Maybe later,” Jonathan said and nodded his head in gratitude.

  “Your loss,” Greg said, laughing as he smacked the redhead hard across her ass when she stood up.

  James had the girl bring them a bottle of Crown Royal and three glasses of ice. Jonathan ordered his own drink and asked the girl to bring him a bottle of Chivas. If he was going to be stuck in what was nearly a brothel, he may as well drink what he wanted.

  Before Jonathan knew it, it was nearly 2 a.m. and half his bottle of scotch was gone. Greg had disappeared into one the back rooms with the little redhead long ago. Rather than continue to sit there in silence, Jonathan decided to make idle conversation with James to try to learn a little more about him and his relationship with his friend.

  “So how did you meet Greg?” Jonathan asked as if he didn’t already know the answer.

  “He likes to collect the same as I do. I met him here one night at the club when he was harassing one of the girls. He doesn’t mean any harm. He just likes to get his dick wet the same as the next guy,” James said and started to laugh.

  “So what types of articles do you collect?”

  “The kind that can’t escape,” James said coldly.

  Jonathan wondered what James could have meant by such an odd statement. Just as he was about to question him a little further, Greg stumbled up to their private booth and slid into the seat.

  “Almost time to go to the airport. You are going with me, aren’t you Jonathan?”

  Jonathan slowly nodded his head. The night just kept getting more and more bizarre, and Jonathan was beginning to wish he had not responded to Greg’s email.

  Jonathan waited for Greg to walk down the street to the other bar to retrieve his car. In typical Greg fashion, he squealed the tires of his Jaguar all the way up the street and came to a screeching halt in front of Jonathan.

  “Some things never change,” Jonathan whispered as he walked around the back of the Jag.

  Jonathan looked out the window as they rode to the airport and barely said a word. He just couldn’t stop thinking about what James had said earlier.

  “When are you going to tell me what the hell is going on?” Jonathan asked angrily.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, what the hell did James mean when he told me likes to collect the ones that can’t escape?”

  Greg burst out laughing. He couldn’t believe James had made such a near blatant admission.

  “Wait till we get where we are going and then you will see,” Greg replied.

  It was the last question Jonathan would get to ask him as they pulled into the airport and met their friends at Gate 26.

  Bill hadn’t changed very much since college. He still looked the same except for an additional twenty pounds. Which in Bill’s case, was not such a bad thing in Jonathan’s opinion. Bill had always been thin as a rail. He still had that long straggly hair that made him look like a cross between a hippie and a Wall Street broker. Jack was as serious as ever when he approached Jonathan and offered to shake his hand and then grabbed him by the shoulders and hugged him.

  “You look great Jack. Private practice looks like it has been good to you,” Jonathan said.

  “Can’t complain in the least. There are worse jobs in life than being a doctor,” Jack said.

  The four of them walked to Greg’s car, and Jack loaded their bags into the tiny trunk of the Jaguar.

  “Damn dude. When are you going to get a car that actually has a trunk for these trips?” Jack asked.

  “Whenever you buy it for me.”

  “That’s real funny, asshole. You make way more money than I do, and if you think I am riding between your two smelly asses for six hours you have got another thing coming,” Jack said wryly.

  Jonathan looked at Jack curiously. At least now, he knew they were going somewhere that was within a six-hour drive. The question now was where and why. The only place six hours north of there was Jackson’s Hole, Wyoming and a whole lot of wilderness.

  Greg slowed down the car and turned into a gated community. He reached into the glove box, pulled out an id card, and slid it through the reader next to the gate.

  “Home sweet home boys,” Greg said as the gate opened and then closed behind them.

  The mansion that came into view was as near to something out of Forbes 500 Magazine as a house could get. It had a minimum of six acres of land with it and a large stable. Jonathan watched the horses run along the
fence as the Jag drove by.

  “Money, gentlemen, can buy you whatever you want,” Greg said as he slammed on the brakes of the car in front of the house and slid the Jaguar to an abrupt stop.

  Jonathan watched as Greg’s butler descended the stairs to open his door. He was beginning to wonder how Greg had acquired this much money. Though Greg had made decent grades in college, he never really majored in any one thing. Surely trading and selling rare antiques didn’t pay this well.

  The truth of the matter was Greg’s money came from many resources. It would not be until two days later that Jonathan would learn the truth about his friend and how he had acquired the vast majority of his wealth. Moreover, that truth would make Jonathan sick to his stomach.

  Chapter Three

  The Selection

  Jonathan immediately noticed that Greg did not have to show Jack or Bill to their rooms. They simply made themselves at home. Jack walked straight over to the bar, made himself a drink and mixed one for Bill. Jack jumped over the back of the leather sofa and landed next to Jonathan. Bill turned on the big screen television and made himself comfortable in one of the six entertainment style recliners.

  Jonathan was in awe of his surroundings. Collecting and selling rare finds obviously paid much more than he realized. Greg emerged wearing a smoking jacket and leaned against the bar as he listened to the three of his friends talking.

  “So how is the law practice Jonathan?” Jack asked.

  “It pays well enough, if that’s what you mean. I have to say it is rather lackluster. It certainly isn’t as exciting as I thought it would be. I mostly defend wealthy clients who are trying to keep their ex-wives from bleeding them dry. I actually thought about becoming a public defender for a while, but I don’t know if that would really be any different. They are all guilty of something. The only plus is next month I will become a full partner in the firm.”

  Jonathan replied.

  “I am sure you’ll like the first check,” Greg said and laughed.

  “How is your private practice coming along?” Jonathan asked Jack.

  “Great. I took on four more doctors the end of last month, and we are going to expand the offices. I only work three days a week. Hell, last year I brought home six figures after I paid my malpractice insurance.”

  The last time Jonathan had seen Bill he was still living in his parent’s garage doing freelance computer design. He wondered if Bill had finally made a success out of computer programming and design. Jonathan watched his three college roommates reminisce about days long past as he remained silent.

  “Jonathan, you have barely said a word all night,” Bill commented.

  “I was enjoying listening to you all relive your conquests,” Jonathan said.

  “Well, that will all change in a few days,” Greg said.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Jonathan asked.

  “This trip is all about you Jonathan. We thought it was time you lived a little. Shit, all you did in college was study. Now you’re successful and it’s time to enjoy it,” Bill said as he walked to the bar to get another drink.

  It was nearly dawn, when Jonathan realized they had talked through the night. Jack was passed out on the couch. Greg and Bill were still talking. Jonathan wedged himself into the corner of the couch and closed his eyes, hoping he’d catch a few winks.

  He had only gotten about three hours of sleep when Greg slapped him on the shoulder.

  “Go get in the shower. It’s about time to go.”

  Jonathan stumbled down the hallway to the main level bathroom.

  “Damn,” he whispered as he closed the bathroom door.

  Jonathan had seen his fair share of nice houses when he dropped divorce papers off to his clients, but he had never seen a bathroom quite like this one. A forty-six inch television was mounted on the wall across from the john, and the shower had four shower-heads. At least he would be awake by the time he got out. Jonathan reached in and turned on the hot water then stripped down.

  Greg burst into the bathroom while Jonathan was showering with a cup of coffee for him and sat it on the counter.

  “Hurry up, man. We don’t have all day to find her.”

  “Find who?” Jonathan called out.

  “Your dream girl.”

  Jonathan heard the bathroom door close while he rinsed the shampoo out of his hair as he wondered what Greg was really up to this time.

  When Jonathan walked back into the living room, he was greeted by James. It was obvious that he was going along which disappointed Jonathan slightly. It was not that he didn’t like James; he seemed like a nice enough guy. He had just wanted to spend some more time with his old friends.

  James had his Hummer parked on the grass in front of the house with the engine still running. As they piled into the Hummer, Greg leaned over and whispered something to James that Jonathan couldn’t hear. Both James and Greg turned around and looked at Jonathan and then started laughing.

  “Real fucking funny, Greg. If I am here to be the brunt of your jokes, you may as well go without me. I don’t have to put up with that shit like I did in college. If you want to be a prick, then do it on your own time and don’t waste mine,” Jonathan said with disgust.

  “Man, you haven’t changed a bit. I don’t even know why I asked you to come up here. You are still the same uptight, self-righteous bastard you always were.”

  “Come on, Jonathan, lighten up. I can guarantee you are going to enjoy this. Hell, why do you think I come up here every year? It sure isn’t for Greg’s superior disposition,” Bill said and began to laugh.

  Jonathan remained silent as they drove into town. They stopped at Ardmore’s Hardware and went inside. Jonathan reluctantly followed Greg into the hardware store at his insistence. Greg bought two rolls of duct tape, several different types of rope, including cotton clothesline, a shovel, four burlap bags, a handful of bandanas, and two large bags of lime. It seemed like a rather odd purchase, but then again, nothing was normal about Greg.

  Greg handed Jonathan the shopping bags and picked up the two bags of lime and carried them out to the Hummer. James was waiting at the rear of the vehicle with the door open so Greg could toss the bags in the back. Greg laid the two bags of lime off to the right side and took the bags from Jonathan and tossed them in the back.

  The next six hours were a myriad of stops that included everything from the grocery store to Hot Totties, the local porn shop. Jonathan leaned against the car door and closed his eyes in the hopes of catching a bit more sleep while James and Greg were in the porn shop. An hour later, Greg returned triumphantly with a huge smile on his face and several bags of pornographic films and several pieces of lingerie. Jonathan thought it was an odd place to stop, but knowing Greg, he probably had something big planned with several of the girls from James’s club. Nothing was above Greg Johnson.

  James pulled into the parking lot at Woodies Bar and Grill. They had been on the road for nearly three hours. It was a well-deserved rest stop and Jonathan was getting hungry.

  Bill motioned to the waitress, and she came over to the table. He ordered a round of drinks for everyone as he surveyed the room as though he was looking for someone. The waitress returned with their drinks, several menus, and asked if they were ready to order any appetizers.

  “Not yet, but maybe in a minute,” Jack said.

  “Okay, well just let me know when you are ready,” she said.

  As she walked away, Greg made one of his usual sexist comments toward what she had just said about being ready.

  Once they placed their orders and the waitress had left, James leaned across the table.

  “So, what do you think about her gentleman?”

  “Hey, this trip is all about Jonathan. Let him decide if she’s the one,” Jack said.

  “Well, Jonathan?” Greg asked.

  “Well what?”

  “You think she could keep your dick hard? She’s pretty right?” Greg asked.

  “Yeah, she�
�s pretty. What the hell is this about?”

  “Nothing. We just thought we’d help you hook up while we were on vacation,” Bill said.

  Jonathan didn’t bother replying to what Bill had said. If he was interested, he would make the move on his own without their help.

  No one really said anything as they ate. James paid the check and covered everyone’s tab. He said it was an easy tax write off as a client dinner. It was no wonder he had money. He never missed a beat. After only an hour, the five men were back on the highway headed to the mystery location.

  Jack suggested they stop at a dive hotel as it came into view rather than driving any further. Everyone agreed it would be better to start out early in the morning and get a fresh start. Jack volunteered to share a room with Jonathan. Jonathan grabbed their bags out of the Hummer and carried them toward the grungy hotel room. He dropped Jack’s duffle bag when he attempted to open the door and a black bag fell out. Jonathan knelt down to pick up the bag and noticed it was Jack’s doctor bag. He placed it inside the duffle bag and pulled the zipper shut. Jonathan tossed Jack’s bag onto the end of the bed and closed the door.

  “Sorry man. I dropped your duffle bag and a couple of things fell out. I put it back and zipped up your bag. Didn’t want you to think I was rifling through your stuff.”

  “I thought I zipped that. Oh well, no big thing,” Jack said as he unzipped the bag and pulled out a clean tee shirt and a pair of flannel pants.

  Jonathan waited until Jack went to the shower and opened the black bag. Inside were several different types of sedatives, painkillers, two types of sleeping pills, and a bottle of Rohypnol. There also were several syringes, rubber tubing, and an IV bag with its tubing and needles. Jonathan carefully replaced the contents the exact same way he had found them and lay down on the bed. He turned on the television and watched the baseball game while he waited for Jack to get out of the shower. Jonathan wondered if Jack had developed a secret addiction. It certainly wasn’t something Jonathan was going to ask him about once Jack got out of the shower.