They stood watching me as I gradually became sober again. Sandy and Larhonda were leaning against the sink and stove; Dave was sitting across the table from me. His face was no longer a double image.
"What's going on?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.
He slid a picture across to me. "What's this?" I asked, picking it up. It was a shot of me on my knees with his prick in my mouth.
I looked at it for a split second, the images coming back to me. I felt disgust with myself and with Dave. What kind of guy was he, anyway? I slammed the photo face down on the table.
"What the hell's the idea?" I asked. I looked from Dave to the women. Larhonda had a slight smile on her face and I blushed when our eyes met. She must have been watching when Dave made me do all those things.
"Pete," Dave began, "we've got ten more just like that one. Now, we've got a little agreement we want you to go along with. If you don't, well, I'd hate to think about your life in this town if these pictures start falling into the wrong hands, say, your boss, your parents, friends, and so on."
I looked at him in horror, astonished at what he was saying. I was beginning to feel sick. "What is this?" I asked. "I didn't know what I was doing. I was drunk… and what do you have against me, anyway? I never did anything to you."
"But you did something to a friend of ours." Sandy stepped forward, arms folded across her chest. She no longer had a friendly, come-on kind of smile when she looked at me. Now she was frowning and her eyes told me that she didn't think much of me after all.
"What?" I exclaimed. "Who?"
"Lois Kranz," Sandy said. "We were friends for years in New York. Then she got married and moved up here. But we've always kept in touch and when we moved up here awhile ago we had her over for dinner one night. She broke down and told us everything."
I swallowed. I felt like just getting up and running out. The whole thing was like a bad dream. All my plans, everything – what was going to happen?
"So, you've been blackmailing her," Dave said. "That's pretty low, isn't it?"
I didn't say anything, just scowled at him.
"You're a real loser, pal," Dave said. "Christ, girls, imagine this jerk falling for it. Pal, you've got such a big ego for a little man. Did you really think we needed you for our fun and games? Did you really believe you were so terrific that we had to make it with you right away or die of frustration? God, what a creep. What a…"
"Shut up, will ya!" I half rose in my seat, but sat down again when Dave stood up and glared down at me. He was too big to tangle with. I knew that if I tried anything, like getting the pictures and running, I'd come out the loser.
I sank down in the seat, miserable. Sandy came over and smiled like some kind of a sadist.
"Big time," she said. "Ha! You're nothing my friend. I wouldn't look twice at you, you know that? What I can't understand is how Lois ever made it with you. I guess when you live in a small town you can't be choosy."
"That's the truth," Larhonda said. "If this cat's an example of what's happening in these parts, look out! I'm beating a trail back to New York!"
"Why don't you both just shut up!" I hollered. My face was hot. "Downstairs, you both loved it! I didn't hear no complaints downstairs!"
"We love sex, Pete," Sandy said. "That's why we loved it, not because of you." Then she came right behind me and put a hand on my shoulder and her mouth to my ear. "Hell, Pete," she whispered, "I've had broom handles that were better than you."
All three of them burst out laughing at that. I rose and put my hands on my hips.
"Listen, I'm getting out of here. I don't have to take this shit from you."
"Yes you do!" Dave snapped, coming out of his laughter. "Sit down if you don't want to have to leave this town for good."
Glumly, I resumed my position on the chair. I had a good idea what he was up to and there didn't seem much I could do about it. My blackmailing days were over. It's funny, but at the moment I wasn't so upset by the end of my plans. What was really getting me was the truth about the broads and their reaction to me. They had only been using me. Sandy didn't like me after all.
This depressed me more than anything. Here I thought I was turning on actresses and models and all the time they were scheming, using me.
"Now, are you ready to hand over the pictures?" Dave asked.
"If I don't, I guess you'll do what you say," I said.
"That you can be sure of," he said.
"All right," I said, "you can have them."
The three of them looked at each other. "We didn't expect you to be so cooperative, Pete," Sandy said. "Why are you being so nice about it?"
"Well, I don't have no choice, do I?" I snapped. But the truth was, I figured that even if the jig was up with Lois, they didn't have to know about the other broads and I'd still be able to work my plan.
"We want the money back too," Dave said. "Lois told us she's sent you two hundred and ten dollars."
"Yeah, that's right," I said. "But I can't give you the money until tomorrow when the bank opens."
"That's all right, but we want the pictures right now." Dave looked at me, waiting for an answer.
I paused for a few seconds. "Right now? I can't do that," I said. "I'll have to go home for them – I'll tell you what, I'll go home and bring them back here right away."
What I was afraid of was Dave finding any of the other shots of the different women. Then he would really be on to me. And all the stuff was in the trunk of my car, even the bank book. I couldn't have him nosing around.
I rose and looked at him to see if he would go for it. He rose too.
"I'm coming with you," he said.
"But – why?"
"I don't want you holding out any of the shots. I want them all. If I go with you and am there when you go to your hiding place, I'll get all the shots. It's not likely you'd have more than one stash."
"But – but why would I hold out on you? I mean, with you having those… shots." I pointed to the bunch of pictures of me in his shirt pocket.
"I don't know, Pete," he said, "I just don't want any loose pictures of Lois around. You figure it. It's dangerous for her and her life here. So, if you're ready, I'll come along."
I didn't know what to do. Here was a spot. If I didn't use my head fast, my whole scheme was gonna be out the window.
"But, Dave, the shots are hidden in my room and at this hour my folks are asleep. They're light sleepers, Dave. What if they wake up and find me and you in the house at this hour?"
"Just tell them I'm an old drinking buddy come home for a little chat. Tell them anything, I don't care."
"But, Dave, they wouldn't believe…"
"Look, I don't give a shit!" he snapped. "All I want is the pictures. Now, let's go!"
There was no way out of it. We put on our coats and stepped out to my car. Just as we got there I stopped, thinking like a bastard. This was it. I had to tell him the truth and hope he'd keep out of my business. I knew there was no way to fool him; he was dead set on being there when I broke out the shots. And I knew what would happen if I didn't play ball with him. I could never live with the shame of everyone knowing and seeing what I had done.
"Uh, Dave, we don't have to go to my place."
"No?" He stood there breathing out puffs of frost, looking at me for an answer.
"No," I said. I paused, not wanting to do it, then forced myself to unlock the trunk and pull out the large brown envelope. I saw it was hopeless, but it was still torture handing the envelope over to him. He held out his hand as I slammed the trunk down. I faced him, hesitated a second, then handed it over.
"Aw, shit," I mumbled.
"Well, well," he said. "So we don't have to go to your place after all." He turned and went back to the house. I followed, hoping he wouldn't give me a hard time about the bank book and all the other stuff.
When we were back in the kitchen, Dave opened the envelope. He and the two broads were sitting around the table, I was standing glumly by, leaning against the refrigerator. I was in a sweat as the pictures tumbled out, followed by the book, and a sheet of paper I used to keep track of all the broads and their weekly payments.
Dave let out a long, low whistle. "How'd you take these? You have an accomplice or something?"
"Not exactly," I muttered.
"Look at this one!" Sandy passed a pic to Larhonda. "I'm getting horny just looking at them."
Dave was flipping through a stack of shots and passing them on. "There's some nice stuff up here," he said, turning to me. "I'll give you credit for good tastes anyway."
"It's too bad he had to do this," Sandy said to her husband. Then to me, "You know, sex isn't something you should use like a knife or a gun to hold people up. Sex should be enjoyed for its own sake. Anybody who'd do a thing like this has gotta be sick!"
She seemed pissed. I didn't say anything.
"Pete, it looks like you have a regular business going here," Dave said. He had finished with the pictures and was looking at the list of names and the bank book. "Christ, almost two thousand dollars in here."
I swallowed uncomfortably. "Listen, those other broads, you don't have to worry about them, do you? I mean, it's only Lois you're worried about."
Dave looked at me and shook his head. "Are you kidding? Do you think I could sleep nights knowing you were ripping these poor women off? These women who just wanted a little good fun out of life?"
"We're going to destroy the pictures and return all the money to every one of them," Sandy said. She had such a look of hate on her pretty face that I couldn't face her. I looked down at the floor. I could see it was impossible, that no amount of pleading was gonna change their minds.
"Are you gonna give me the pictures you took of me?" I asked. "That's only right."
Dave and Sandy looked at one another for a minute; it was obvious they hadn't even thought of this. Then Dave said, "Maybe sometime, Pete, but not just now. I think we ought to let you worry about it for a while. Just in case you get any ideas later on, about revenge or some such thing. If you behave yourself for a couple of years, well, who knows?"
Christ! I didn't want them pictures falling into the wrong hands. The thought of friends or my parents seeing me sucking cock and having my ass reamed was really frightening me. If those pictures ever got around I'd have no other choice but to leave Northridge. My ruined plan was secondary in my mind now.
"Pete, are there any other women not on this list that we ought to know about?"
I looked at him. "No," I said uncomfortably. "Why?"
"Tomorrow morning," he answered, "at nine, you and I are going to meet at the bank and you're going to withdraw every cent that's in here and give it to me." He held the book up and shook it. "We're going to return the money to these poor dolls."
"How do I know you won't keep it yourself!" I was pissed and my words shot out of my mouth.
But Dave only laughed. "You don't know," he said. "For all you know, Sandy and I might use it to go on a trip or throw a party. But there's nothing you can do about it. You have no choice. It doesn't matter to me what you think, but I'll tell you, we really are going to return it. These women have suffered enough."
"You know, Pete, you really have been a help to us, in a way," Sandy said. "Who knows, maybe we'll make some new friends." She ran her fingers over the pile of pictures. "There are a few in here I wouldn't mind meeting."
So she was bi. She plucked out a picture of Annie and Jo and held it up to me. "Who's the slim one?"
I told her and she took another look at the list of names. "Oh, yes, here she is. She and I are going to have to get together one of these days."
Not if Jo had anything to say about it, I thought.
Dave sighed, yawned, and rose. "Well, we've had a busy night," he said. "I'm ready for some sleep. Why don't you just get lost now? I'll be waiting for you in front of the bank at nine sharp." He looked at me and then turned to the two women.
"Ready for bed?"
They both said yes. The three of them followed me to the door, one on each of Dave's arms. As I went through it Sandy said, "Good night!" Then she and Larhonda giggled.
When I was out at the car unlocking the door, Larhonda stuck her head out a nearby window.
"Drive careful, now," she said. I could hear Dave and Sandy guffawing inside.
I turned to face Larhonda and gave her the finger. Black bitch! She laughed even louder and then disappeared. I couldn't understand how she could tease me and laugh at me after all the sex we'd enjoyed together.
I tore down the drive to the main road. It was slippery but I didn't care. The last few hours had been almost dreamlike, but now as I left the house behind me, the reality of my position was coming on strong. I was now cold sober and beginning to really understand what had happened. I was wiped out! All my plans were up the creek! No business in the spring, no fleet of vans with my name on them, just more of Carl's crap and the boys down at Ed's playing pool for the next fifty years.
"Oh, Geeee-zuz!" I almost ran into a tree then, but I got control and forced myself to slow down. I have to admit that more than once on that ride home, as I passed big trees and telephone poles, the thought crossed my mind. It would be easy, over in a second, and my troubles would be over for good.
But I didn't do it. I drove on home and went to bed. I didn't sleep at all. The next morning I showed up at the bank at nine. Dave was waiting for me in front. He was alone.
"Here," he said, handing over the book. We went in and I withdrew the money and handed it and the book to Dave when we were outside again. Not a word had passed between us since we went in. I turned to leave.
"Just a minute," he said. "Come with me to my car."
I followed him reluctantly and when we were sitting in his Corvette, he took out the list of names and a pen.
"Now, there's two thousand here," he said, patting his pocket. "I want you to go down this list and indicate how much each woman has paid you. Otherwise, I'll have no way of knowing who gets how much."
He gave me an almost-friendly smile as he handed me the pen and paper. I didn't say anything.
An hour later I was sitting in Ed's having a beer, out of a job. It seems Carl had gotten three calls between nine and ten from three women who each asked for me and made bold sexual cracks about my plumbing. This was all Carl needed to hear.
"… you been goofing off for weeks now and I can't take no more of it. This one broad, she says, 'Send Pete out right away, I just love the way he fills my pipe.' What is that? She sounded weird, like a colored broad or something with a load on. No, I'm sorry, Pete, you go screw around on somebody else's time."
I didn't need to wrack my brain to figure who the broads were. Larhonda and Sandy, of course, and probably Lois.
I sat in Ed's all afternoon, drinking and sulking. What a dirty thing to do, get me fired. I mean, they had the pictures and the money, wasn't that enough? If I had to think for a year, I'd get even. Oh, yeah, they hadn't heard the last from Pete Novak.
In the meantime, I was out of a job. Owning my own business seemed like such a luxury. I didn't even have a job! What the hell would I tell my folks? And jobs were hard to come by this time of the year. Maybe I'd have to wait months for something to open up.
"Hey, Ed, you hear if they're doing any hiring down at the highway department? You know, plowing and like that?"
"I don't know, Pete," he said. He was down the other end talking to a customer. "Why don't you try them?"
"Yeah," I said. Christ, me a snow shoveler!
I stayed there drinking into the night. About ten Tony came in for a sandwich. He spotted me and sat down, put in his order, and took a swallow of beer.
"I sure am sorry," he said, avoiding my eyes. "I've been trying to talk the old man into changing his mind, but so far he's not listening."
"Thanks anyway," I mumbled. "Aw, shit."
"Who were those broads?" he asked. I shook my head as if to say I didn't know. "Do you think they were some of the ones we were fooling around with?"
"Shit, I don't know," I said. "They had no cause to fuck me, those broads you're talking about. I don't know who did it."
I just wanted him to leave; I wasn't in the mood for lying or even talking to him. He did leave after his eats and I breathed a sigh of relief.
"Ed, gimme another beer."
At midnight I was stoned, sitting there with my head drooping and a cigarette dangling from my lips. Over in the next room I could hear some of the boys playing pool. They had been playing for at least an hour and for the same amount of time I'd debated with myself whether or not to go in and join them. I wanted to, to get my mind off my troubles, but something held me back. Those guys represented everything I had tried to rise above. Now I was with them again, with no hope of ever escaping. I didn't even want to go in there.
"Hey, Pete, wanna game?" It was Joe Azzari, sticking his head through the door.
"Yeah, all right." I swung off the stool and took a few shaky steps toward the pool room.
What the hell!