Chapter 7. A change of owner?
For two weeks Kathy's life on the boat became a routine of cleaning work and
seeing paying clients. Most just wanted plain sex at ?50 a time. On 'good' days
she entertained four clients, other days nobody, except for Doric. Life wasn't
all cleaning and sex. Trying to keep his charge amused and out of trouble, Doric
took her on trips in the motor boat and patiently taught her how to handle it.
Soon she had to take total control of it when they went to buy supplies or go to
the wharf. It was all so different from her life in the city. Instead of having
to combat people, she was having to overcome the challenges nature threw at them
in the form of wind, weather and tides. Despite the natural challenges she found
herself enjoying the life except for the way necessity decreed she should earn
money.
Reggie sent four of his friends down on the first Sunday and Doric took them on
a four hour cruise on the 'Golden Dragon'. Inexperienced as she was, Kathy had
to act as crew and waitress. Because Reggie had sent them Kathy expected sex to
be on the menu but no, they really did just want a day out on the river.
Fortunately it was warm and fairly calm so serving drinks was not a problem.
Kathy must have done it well as they gave her ?50 tip.
"The boss is having a meeting here on Thursday," Doric announced, "He may bring
Phyllis so be on your best behaviour. Act respectful. I given him good reports
on you so far. Don't let me down."
"I'm not sure I can after the way the bastard treated me."
"You can and you will!" Doric's voice was low with menace. "Otherwise you will
go to bed a lot sorer than you got up. Or worse."
"What'ya mean, worse?"
"Look Kath, Reggie has to contacts to send you away. You could end up in a
Middle Eastern brothel or a specimen in a medical lab. I don't know." Doric was
thoughtful for a few moments, "What I do know is that in these last few weeks, I
have come to enjoy having you here, not just to fuck with at night but I enjoy
your company. I will do what I can not to lose you but there are limits to my
power. If you misbehave, think yourself very lucky if you only end up with a
sore arse."
*****
Kathy piloted the launch to the marina where Reggie and Fiona awaited them.
"Phyllis had a hair appointment so my niece persuaded me to allow her to come
instead," Reggie introduced her to Doric. "Thought a day in the sea air might do
her good. It looks to have put some colour into Kathy's cheeks and I hope you
have been putting colour into her bottom cheeks too."
"As and when necessary, Boss."
"I see you have been learning her some nautical skills. She brought the launch
in very nicely."
Reggie didn't speak directly to the girl but Fiona piped up with a lame, "Good
morning Kathy."
"Morning Miss."
Kathy again took control of the launch and returned to the 'Golden Dragon'.
After helping Fiona aboard she lithely leapt over the rail herself. Before going
below, Doric whispered, "Treat them like you did the four we took out the other
Sunday."
"Can I get you something to drink Sir? Miss? Tea? Coffee? Something stronger?"
"Coffee."
"Tea please Kathy." At least she was trying to acknowledge I am human, thought
Kathy.
An hour later Doric's phone rang. The guests had arrived. Doric was having a
quiet but serious conversation with Reggie. "Shall I get them Sir?" Kathy asked.
Reggie seemed doubtful but Doric nodded.
There were only two well dressed men on the pontoons as Kathy pulled alongside.
"All aboard for the "Golden Dragon," she grinned.
"And who might you be?"
"Kathy Sir. General dog's body, whore and slave. I am made to charge ?50 for a
straight fuck. Blow jobs and other things extra." To herself she said, "Perhaps
I can knock off a bit more of my debt with them. They seem well heeled."
On the trip back they asked her about the services she offered and how she came
to work for Reggie. "Oh, I just robbed a few of his shops and he caught me. Now
I've a large bill to pay off or I go to prison. I was already on probation."
"Maybe we could offer you a similar but more lucrative position. We'll try and
talk about it later."
On board Kathy offered them drinks but they requested coffee. "We need clear
heads for these negotiations," the taller of the two men answered. Kathy made
them a full pot and when it was served they asked to be left alone with Reggie
until negotiations were done. "On no account do we wish to be disturbed." Again
it was the taller one giving the orders. Doric suggested Fiona might like a trip
along the river as the weather was still warm.
"When we see you on deck, we'll return," Doric suggested.
Kathy took the wheel and headed downstream. A couple of times, Doric had to give
her instructions but otherwise she went where she felt like going. With all the
small dinghies sailing around them, they couldn't travel fast and the engine was
quiet enough to hold a conversation without shouting.
Fiona came and sat alongside asked how she was doing.
"Fine, I actually like it living on a boat away from the town."
"Is Doric treating you okay."
"Like you really care!" Kathy spat the words but then recovered, "Yes, he's a
big cuddly bear. It would be great to be here if I didn't have to do what I have
to do."
"What do you mean?"
"I have to fuck the sailors from the timber boats to earn enough to pay off the
stuff I took from his shops. Didn't he tell you that."
"Yes, but it didn't really register. Will it take long?"
"Well a timber boat only comes in once a fortnight and stays a week so I get to
earn some that week but the next one is a lean, only the dock workers and most
of them have wives and lovers. It will be a while before I am free again." They
sat in silence for a while, Kathy watching where she was going, Fiona the
colourful spectacle of the boats. Kathy broke the silence. "How are you getting
along with Reggie and Phyllis?"
"Great."
There was something about the way Fiona said the one word that caused Kathy to
give her a sideways look. "He fucked you yet?" Fiona blushed and Kathy knew she
had scored a hit. "You been to any of his parties?"
Fiona shook her head, "No, but there is one tomorrow they might let me attend."
"Sounds as if you like sex more than you did when we were at school." Fiona
blushed again but didn't answer.
An hour later they saw the two men emerge on deck. No sign of Reggie but that
was nothing to worry about. Kathy maneuvered the launch alongside and waited
till the others were aboard and Doric had made the painter fast before jumping
on deck. The others were heading below. Fiona screamed. Reggie was bound and
gagged on the side bench.
"Don't move any of you!" Both of the 'guests' held hand guns. "Doric lie face
down on the other side." Doric hesitated. Small guy put his gun to Fiona's
forehead. "Do it!" Tall guy bound and gagged him. "Your turn Fiona."
"No, please, why?" A slap silenced her. Her wrists and ankles were quickly bound
and a gag tied over her mouth.
"It's a pity you couldn't see reason, Reggie. Now you will all have to suffer.
We'll come back later and see if you have changed your mind. If not maybe we'll
feed you all to the fishes."
Kathy still stood at the top of the companionway. Small guy turned to her. You
will take us back to the marina. Your slavery with Reggie is ended. You can now
work for us."
Street-wise Kathy, knew she had at least to play along with this. She pulled the
launch alongside, got in and started the engine. As she did so she noticed tall
guy had his brief case open and was putting something in the cockpit locker.
Knowing she wasn't supposed to see, she concentrated on the engine so when she
next looked up, the men were ready to leave.
"What about my stuff?" she asked.
"Plenty more where that came from. Let's go."
"No need to tie it, we won't need it again. Give it a shove," Tall Guy
instructed her when they reached the pontoons. Quietly she watched as the launch
drifted upstream.
They walked to the car park. "Ours is that one." Small Guy pointed to an open
topped sports car. We've got some other business on the timber boat." They took
her to an office where she was told to wait. An hour later they came back.
"Sorry, we will be a while yet. We have to go on board and speak with the
captain."
"I need to pee," Kathy said. They nodded in the general direction of the loos.
The Ladies was locked so she slipped in to the Gents. Hearing footsteps and
voices, she lifted her feet off the floor in case anyone looked under the door.
"Can we trust that Kathy?" It was Small Guy's voice.
"I think so but we will have to keep an eye on her. If she decides to run, then
she will almost certainly head for the city. She'll want to keep away from
Reggie after what I hear he did to her."
"She's a tough little cookie and dammed attractive too so she should do well in
Stockholm. I'm sure Captain Johansen will make her more than welcome on his trip
back." Small Guy laughed at himself.
"Yeah and by then the bomb will have gone off and she will be the chief
suspect."
Kathy heard them rinsing their hands. "By 3 a.m. the boat will be at the bottom
of the river and we will be far away."
After they left, Kathy finished her business. She knew now, she was jumping out
of the proverbial pan into the fire. How could she escape? She knew Bjorn
Johansen and didn't like him. He had visited her on the 'Golden Dragon' and she
felt he could be very cruel. Then there was Doric. She couldn't leave him to
die, her conscience even wanted to save the other two. But how?
First she returned to the office where the others were waiting and took her to
the timber ship. Captain Johansen met them at the gangplank and escorted them to
his cabin. "Ove!" he yelled, and when a seaman appeared he spoke quickly in
Swedish.
"Kom." Ove signalled Kathy to follow him.
"We'll finish our business here and collect you then. Might be a little while so
make yourself comfortable," Tall Guy explained.
Knowing what she did and not having understood what the captain had told Ove,
Kathy decided to play with the seaman. He led her aft. Apart from the ever
present hum of engines, the ship was relatively quiet. Unloading had been
completed that afternoon and everything was battened down ready to go. They
were, Kathy guessed, waiting for the tide to give them a little more clearance
over the bar and the entrance to the river. That would be after midnight. If she
could escape Ove, they might not miss her until well after that. The channel was
narrow, and all eyes would be concentrating on navigating the large vessel down
the water way.
Kathy stopped and leaned over the rail looking at the lights beginning to appear
in the darkening sky. "Nice and peaceful," she murmured to the seaman alongside
her, hoping he would understand. He seemed to. Sliding her hand down his
trousers she felt the bulge of his cock and massaged his through the material.
Ove had of course, heard exaggerated stories of the 'Golden Dragon' whore from
his ship mates but had only half believed them. Now he knew they were true.
"You have a cabin?" Kathy asked.
"Ya!" Ove didn't see any harm in taking this sexy bitch to his cabin before he
locked her in an empty container.
Once inside he quickly divested himself of his clothes. Kathy noted the seaman's
knife in a sheath at the back of his belt. Her eyes also took in various other
objects that might come in useful particularly the hardwood fid, a kind of
wooden spike about eighteen inches long and two or more inches in diameter at
the fat end tapering to a point. Although she didn't know its real purpose was
for splicing ropes she could see it would make a useful truncheon. Kathy lay
herself on the bunk so it was within reach and opened her legs. Ove quickly
entered and she encouraged him to perform fast and furiously. Before he came he
was panting from the exertion and not paying much attention to the girl writhing
beneath him.
"Zonk!" Stars flew and then blackness. Quickly Kathy bound and gagged her victim
with his clothes and spares rope ends she found in the cabin. Dressing herself
she put the knife and belt around her, donned the seaman's hat and left the
cabin locking the door and taking the key with her. Luckily for her, most of the
crew were in the mess having a beer and as they would be leaving soon there was
not much to do for the next couple of hours. She made her way to the ships rail
and looked down. Too far to jump and the noise would create attention. The
gangway was watched so no escape that way. Hearing two seaman approach Kathy hid
under a lifeboat until they passed. Her body pressed again a metal drum. A hose
reel. She could just make it out in the darkness. "They must use it to wash the
decks," she thought, "I wonder if it is long enough...?" By feeling the size of
the reel she thought it might at least reach well towards the water. Cutting the
twine binding the hose end, she was pleased the reel had been kept well oiled.
Lowering the end over the side until all of it was out, she took a last look
around. The two seaman were coming again. Pressing herself into a tight ball
against the reel she waited, heart pounding, until they had passed. Obvious a
nightly exercise for them.
Quickly Kathy climbed over the side gripped the hose. Would it hold her or would
the end just pull off the fitting? Kathy just had to take that risk. Fortunately
it held but as the hose lay directly against the ship's side she would not he
able to just slide down. "Thank God for the rehab course they sent me on in
Wales," she muttered to herself. They had learned to abseil on a rock face but
then there were instructors telling them exactly what to do and safety ropes and
harness. She had none of these things and only a memory of the correct way to do
it. Luckily it all came back as she held herself away from the ship and was able
to walk herself down its side until she felt water at her feet. Quietly she
slipped in and began to breast stroke her way along the boat side. It wasn't far
and the tide helped, although that wasn't running hard.
Her earlier view of the river as she had stood at the rail with Ove, had not
just been to admire the peace and serenity but she looked for the launch. It had
been where she anticipated. In a small bay where all the flotsam accumulated.
She could either swim slowly in her clothes or go ashore and swim out to it from
a closer point. The latter had a greater risk of being spotted. She swam but was
nearly exhausted by the time she reached it. Only barely was she able to haul
herself over the side and she then lay for some minutes on the floor boards to
recover.
Another motor started not too far away. "Now's the time to start my engine, the
other one will drown the noise." So it proved. Kathy very slowly eased the
launch well into the main part of the river and away from the timber ship before
cruising down to the 'Golden Dragon'. If the men were right about a three
o'clock time for the bomb to go off, she had a couple of hours to go. As she
came alongside another thought entered her head. "Supposing I....?"
Opening the cockpit locker she saw a vague outline of the bomb. "I daren't touch
it. I need a torch to see." There's one in the galley. Opening the hatch she
went down. Not wanting to put on any lights in case they were watching from the
ship, she felt and found the torch and looked around the saloon. The three were
still as they had been bound. She decided to leave them for the moment. They had
left her tied long enough. Except Doric though. Still, it might be worth making
him wait. Kissing his forehead she whispered, I'll be back. Have some unfinished
business."
In the torchlight, the object in the locker resembled pictures she had seen of a
land mine. On top was a dial. As Small Guy had indicated it was set for 3 a.m.
It looked so innocuous but would deal death in a short while especially sitting
there on top of a fuel tank.
With extreme care she slipped it inside a black plastic bag and placed it in the
launch. A shiver made her realise she was soaking wet so she stripped off as the
launch moved along. In the after locker were a pair of her dark blue working
overalls. They would cover most of her white flesh and make her less visible
later. Better take Ove's belt, just in case," she thought as she buckled it on.
Mooring the launch in the darkest area of the marina, she made her way back to
the car park. No one was around. The car was still there. Stealthily she placed
the mine under the driver's seat. The black bag was invisible in the darkness.
Voices! The two were coming back. Crawling on her stomach to the next car, she
hid beneath it. Both men were laughing at the way they had fooled Kathy. "Little
do they know," she said to herself as the car started and sped away down the
rural roads that connected the marina with the motorway. It was 2.20 am.
Hearing the car noise die in the distance Kathy stood and looked around. She
could hear activity on the wharf. Quietly and keeping to the shadows, she made
her way to the seawall and peered over. The timber ship was leaving. Slowly it
made its way down river. Had they found Ove yet? she wondered. Nothing indicated
they had. It all seemed normal and peaceful.
"Oooh look what we have 'ere." The voice caused Kathy to turn. Two men were
lurching towards the marina, obviously drunk. "Think she fancies a fuck Fred?"
"You are in no state to fuck anyone, John."
"Yes, I can. I'm going to get 'er."
"You come near me and I'll cut your balls off." Kathy stood in front of them,
knife in hand.
"Leave 'er John." But John broke free from his companion, pulled out his cock
and made a dash for his intended victim. Kathy's mind was clear. She had been in
fights before. Tripping John she quickly had him on his back and the knife under
his soft cock.
"Don't do it Miss. He's too drunk to know what 'es doin'."
John moved and the knife drew blood. It was not intentional but Ove's knife
really was sharp. Kathy shone the torch on it. Only a small cut but lots of
blood. "You'll live," Kathy hissed, "But remember it when you next want to rape
a girl." The sight of the blood sobered John somewhat.
Kathy stood still with the knife at the ready, "Take him home Fred. It's only a
small nick."
"I'm sorry Miss, we didn't expect to see a girl at this time of night. His wife
will give him hell, and me too for not looking after 'im, when she finds out and
I don't think we can hide it." Fred produced a handkerchief and tied it around
his friend's cock to staunch the bleeding and then led him away. Kathy never
found out where or heard what story they concocted for the wife.
Wearily now, Kathy returned to the 'Golden Dragon'. Ove's knife again came in
useful to cut Doric's bonds.
"No questions," Kathy snapped as she cut Reggie free and looking at the clock
she added, "You all should have been dead twenty-five minutes ago." The blood
stained knife in her hand, killed any further questions he had."
"We're having our cabin," she announced as she led Doric away, "You two can
sleep where you like."
