Jennifer’s Massage

“This is my first attempt at submitting a story; I must confess that due to a poor imagination this story is of necessity based on a true life experience.”

The voyueristic highlight of my career, more like a hobby than a career, occurred a few weeks ago at a nudist resort in Flordia. My wife and I decided to spend a few days in the sun, for the first time we tried a nudist resort, not knowing really what to expect.

We are not totally new to the nude sun bathing and beach scene, having previously been to a few nude beaches in the Caribbean when on vacation. Our experience in the Caribbean was both erotic and relaxing, but this time we were looking for something a little closer to home since our time was limited to a few days.

We live in the northeast so we were able to book a flight to Flordia pretty easy for a long weekend. Both my wife and I have busy careers and we look for a place where we can unwind quick and let it all hang out for a few days before heading back to the grind of our daily jobs.We liked the nude beaches in the Caribbean,so we decided to give a nudist resort a try.

Our flight to Flordia was direct and seemed to take no time to get there. By mid afternoon we had found the resort and were checking in, a lot of sun left for the day. Nice place, rooms a little small, but we were’nt there for the room.Huge pool area with adjoining pools and hot tubs, islands with palm trees and several bars were very handy around the pool area.

By the time we settled in and ventured out of our room it was past mid day, the crowd was light compared to the number of lounge chairs spread around the pool area. The people there were a real mix of ages and body types, ranging from 20’s to 60’s I would guess, most of the crowd seemed to be in the late 30’s to 50 age bracket.

My wife and I by the way are in our early 40’s, she’s exactly 40 actually. My wife is an account manager for a advertising agency and has what you would call an artsy background. She was definately one of the best looking women in the pool area, she drew subtle looks from some of the men scattered nearby as she spread out her towel on the lounge chair.

For anyone who hasn’t visited a nudist resort they run a reasonable tight ship, no overt sexual activity or conduct is allowed. I have found that that dosn’t preclude more discrete activity and what happens in the privicy of your room is your own business.

Our room was close to a wide path that led from the pool area to a restroom and gatehouse type building, part of the path was covered by a arbor that provided shade over the path itself. The chairs we staked out were close to our room and had a view right up this path toward the arbor area. I only give this layout since it was a major factor in my excellent day of voyeurism the next day.

Our first day actually past uneventfully, we spent an hour or so in the sun before we retired to the bar for a drink or two , ate dinner in the resort resturant,clothing optional by the way, and early to bed. It had been a long day with the early flight and all.

The next morning we slept in. I intentionally avoided having sex with my wife since I knew the day would be more fun if we both were a little horny.When I looked out our window there were already people around the pool, more than the day before and it was still early. I took our towels and drapped them over the same lounge chairs we had the day before, it looked like there would be a crowd today.

After a quick breakfast we gathered our stuff and headed for our chairs. Again I noticed my wife gathering looks from the males around the pool area. I love to see guys admiring my wife , I don’t know whether it’s exhibitionism or voyeurism or some combination of both but I like to show her off and see the reaction of other men.

My wife’s name is Jenifer and like I said before she just turned 40. She is 5′9 and 130 lbs.with short dark hair, small tits, and a smooth shaved pussy, which by the way was the norm at this resort for all ages. Some were trimed with a patch, some smooth, but few full bushes.

Jenifer has an unapproachable air about her, sort of a sophisticated look, which adds to her alure as far as I’m concerned. It seems to be an attraction for other men as well.It makes it even more exciting when this unapproachable sophisticated woman shows an uninhibited side and lays it all out there for you to see.

We were laying out around the pool reading U.S.Today when around 10:00 a guy starts setting up a massage table on the pathway leading toward the restroom. This was only 30 feet or so from where we were sitting and I could look at the foot of the table straight on. It took him 10 minutes or so to set up before his first customer of the day arrived, I later learned people had made appointments the day before.

This first customer was a rather full figured woman as they say. She climbed on the table nude, this is a nudist resort after all, and lay face down. The masseur,dressed in a white tee shirt and white shorts,who was a man in his 40’s I would guess went to work on her tan but plump body.Seemed pretty professional in his work.

As he finished her upper body and moved to her legs I noticed her legs were moved somewhat apart and if not for her chubby thighs it would have been an excellent beaver shot. As he finished one leg and moved to the other leg she became more open to view. This was when I noticed the first guy get up from his seat around the pool area and walk up the path toward the restroom. Walking c slowly past the massage table with its nice view of this womans crouch. From my vantage point I could only see her ass cheeks. This first guy was followed shortly by two other men who also found an urgent need to use the restroom. This woman apparently had a 30 minute session and was soon finished. I had the perfect seat.

This routine continued for the rest of the day. Every time a woman was on the table several guys would get up and walk by, taking their time to look. It seemed the messeur would intentionally move the womens legs apart as he massaged them. If no effort was made to move them back together it resulted in an outstanding pussy shot. He would do this as he massaged their backside and again when he massaged their front. Some of the women covered their mid section with a towel, but most didn’t. He did’nt touch their tits other than to just brush by;like I said no outward sexual activity.

Although there was nothing overtly sexual about his methods it seemed he was intentionally spreading their legs apart either for his own pleasure or that of the men who walked by,all of whom seemed to be regulars and know the score.

He offered a 30 minute massage which was usually a back massage only and a one hour massage which was both front and back. He followed the same pattern on every customer, work on the upper body, then the lower body, then flip over and do upper then lower body. A study stream of customers all day, one man and the rest women. Only one of the women was somewhat attractive and this did not go un-noticed by the men in that area of the pool deck. Lots of walk by’s and lingering about near the massage table.

Later in the day there was a break, my wife was back in our room staying out of the midday sun.I wandered over to talk to the masseur. We struck up a conversation and it turned out he worked at this resort 3 days over weekends, and the rest of the week he did massage work on call.

He did house calls, couples massage, what he called relaxation and erotic massage, almost whatever you wanted. He gave me his card. He told me the resort had strict rules against sexual contact etc. and he complied with them since they were his biggest source of income. As we talked I told him that I just was interested in watching and that I was interested in making an appointment for my wife later in the day. He had noticed her he said, he knew where we were sitting and discribed her as taller with short black hair and a nice figure. Right on. I asked if he could give her an erotic message, without violating any of the resort rules. I would just keep a distance and watch.

I asked about some of the other guys who hung around the pool area who seemed to keep a close eye on his work. It turned out two of them were local guys who lived in condo’s on the resort property. He was aware they were alert to what was happening ,and yes he sometimes did do a little extra for their benifit. He was very open with me, mainly since I had expressed my interests and it was my wife who was the object of my voyeurism. He felt that was ok, even kind of healthy in a twisted sort of way I suppose. I let him know I didn’t mind the other men joining in the voyeurism and found it hightened the excitement. We were set for a 5:30 appointment, his last of the day. I paid for the massage and gave him a $40 tip. One hundred dollars well spent it turned out.

I went back to our room and let Jennifer know I had set up a 5:30 massage. She wasn’t totally thrilled but after some talk about nobody knows us here and it will be sexy etc. plus she could tell I really wanted her too have a massage, she caved in to the idea.

She wanted to take a shower, shave her legs, and although it was unspoken shave her pussy as well. She came out looking smooth and relaxed, her toe nails freshly painted, all ready for her massage. We just had time to stop at the poolside bar for a drink, hopefully to relax her further.

Sitting at the poolside bar she had a sheer wrap around her waist and was topless, her perky tits and the thought of her massage giving me a semi erection under the table. We had time for two drinks which was even better. 5:30 approached as we got up and headed over toward our lounge chairs where she dropped off a bag then she walked toward the massage table with only the sheer wrap around her waist. Several guys took notice immediately, this was by far the best thing that had shown up for a massage all day.

Jennifer had not paid much if any attention to the massage area as far as I knew and wasn’t familiar with the routine. She intoducted her self and they exchanged some words with the massage guy. She un-fastened her wrap and took it off and sat down on the edge of his table then rolled over on her stomach, face down, arms at her side, feet close together. Hmmmmmmm. I had another semi erection already.

The masseur who was named Richard ,according to his card, put oil on his hands and moved to the foot of the massage table. This wasn’t his normal routine he usually started on the upper body. He begin with her feet and spent a good deal of time with her feet and calves, ever so slighly moving her leg to the side. He flexed her leg at the knee and massaged her calves, moving to her thighs he worked slowly reaching her inner thigh but stopped short of her ass cheeks. I knew he would be able to see her hairless peach by now with her pussy lips peeking out of the slit between her legs.

He finished her first leg and picked up a rolled towel and placed it at the bottom edge of the table. He rested her foot on the rolled up towel. Although it was not any type of restraint it acted to keep her foot somehow engaged and in place, she didn’t move her foot. Richard knew a trick or too.

Richard put more oil in his hands, glanced my way and moved to the other of the table. He did the same routine massaging her feet,calves,and upper thigh. Again he stopped short of her ass cheeks. His hand went up the side of her hip and came back across her ass, just one pass no more. Once again he reached for a rolled up towel, placing it near the edge of the table. He rested her foot on this towel. Jennifer was now spread eagled, her legs parted with a foot near each edge of the massage table. Her body glistened with oil. I was sure her puckered tight ass hole would be winking back at his glaze between her spread thighs. Jennifer made no move to close her legs together.My semi got harder, I reached for a towel to cover my lap.

Richard moved to the head of the table; again looked my way and applied more oil to his hands. He took her right arm holding it our straight he begin to massage her hands and fingers and slowly worked his way up her arm to her shoulder. Once done he let her arm dangle over the edge of the table. Moving to her other arm he repeated the same routine letting her arm hang off the edge of the table. She looked totally relaxed.

Jennifer looked like a limp doll,with her arms drapped over the side and her legs spread and feet slightly flexed resting on the towels. A master at work it was beginning to look like. I wanted to get up a walk past for a closer look but I couldn’t until my hard iron died down. Two guys had already taken the stroll by her spread out body while he was working on her arms.

As I sat and watched Richard dumped more oil onto his hands and begin to apply it to her upper back and shoulders. He was standing at the head of the table working her upper and lower back when one of the local guys came up to the table and stood at the foot, right between my wife’s spread legs. He said something to the massuse who replied back. Richard bent over and said something to my wife and wiped his hands on a towel and reached to pick up his appointment book. He came down to the foot next to the local guy and exchanged some words and wrote something on his appointment book. They both stood there looking at my wifes pussy from 4 feet away and she lay spread eagle in front of them. Maybe there is something perverted about me, pretty sure there is, but I get really turned on by guys voyeuring my wife. Hmmmmmm.I’m hard as a rock.

This must have been planned is all I could think. Did ole Richard alert them that a hot babe was scheduled for 5:30? They didn’t hurry, lingered a bit you might say taking in an A+ pussy shot. I later learned Richard just told her he would be a minute , he wanted to make an appointment. While they were standing there she heard them talking about appointment times.

They finished their convesation. Two more guys walked by, angling directly toward the massage table with a direct view between Jennifer’s legs, then veering off to go around the table. As he returned to the head of the table Richard put his hand on my wifes leg and ran in up the length of her body to her shoulders. He picked up where he left off, running both hands down the small of her back right to the top of her butt then spreading each hand off to the side and coming back up the length of her torso. This pulled her ass cheeks apart a little, he looked my way. I’m still not mobile from a stiff dick, confined to my chair by a rageing hard iron under my beach towel. Richard continued working her back as another guy strolled by for a closer look.

He leaned over again and said something, then walked down the table and patted her ass, she slowly sat up and rolled over to lay face up. Her nipples were hard, I could see them from my distance. Richard placed a folded towel across her mid section covering her from below her belly button to just below her smooth hairless pussy. Bummer, did she ask for this?

Jennifer has small perky titties with nice hard nipples. Laying down flat there was as small swell of her breasts with her nipples standing up stiff. Her hip bones were not covered and the concave curve between her hips created a valley. Richard once again moved to the foot of the table and poured oil into his hands. He started with her feet once more and worked his way to her calves and upper thighs. His hands slid under the towel for a momment just brushing by. He repeated this several times, his hand disappearing beneath the towel for a moment or two then re-emerging along the side of her hips. This guy was a master. Was he touching her? Would she let him?

He had both hands on her leg and slid them upward massaging as he moved up. The hand on her inner thigh disappeared under the towel once again and came back out on the side, it was like he made a swipe across her pussy mound. Would she let him do this,apparently so. My cock is about to explode. Richard repeated this move several times. He finishs the leg he is working on and again takes the rolled towel and places it under her knee with her foot resting near the table edge.

This same process is repeated on the other leg and thigh, the only difference I’m thinking is that her legs are spread and where is his hand going when it disappears beneath the towel. Jennifer lay still no resistance no attempt to avoid contact. He finishs this leg and places a towel under her knee with feet placed near the table edge. You can see under the towel, it only barely covers her pussy but the view is not good, to shaded.

He moves to the head of the table, says something to her and reaches down and removes the towel from her mid section, folds it in thirds and lays it across her tits. Jennifer may have felt covered somehow, I don’t know but I can tell you for sure she was showing it all. Her legs were spread, her lower body was glistening with oil, her cunt was parted slightly, and I might add also oiled and her inner pussy lips were protruding slightly. This dosn’t usually happen unless her pussy has been rubbed, plus I could tell there was massage oil on her smooth hairless pussy. My cock ached. Richard looked my way again, probably saying, how am I doing sport.

A small parade of guys headed toward the restroom at the end of the path. One of them had a towel wrapped around his waist, I wonder why. No bull 4 or 5 guys walked by while Richard oiled up his hands again. There was no chance I could get up, my cock was about to burst. Seeing my wife laying there totally relaxed, naked, with her smooth pussy glistening with oil on display for a passing stream of men was more than I would have hoped for on my best voyeur fantasy trip.

Richard started with massaging her neck and shoulders working his way to her arm, which he again extended and worked her fingers, palm, and wrist. His massage continued up her arm to her upper chest. He did the second arm and hands in the same way. His hands slid down each side of her body to her mid section which he lightly rubbed in a circular motion, coming close to her pussy mound but not below, which was no mans land according to the resort rules. When his hands came up her body on the side he knocked the towel aside. He said something to her, then moved the towel to her stomach, exposing her tits once again. Being somewhat limited by having to avoid her breasts he moved his attention to her shoulders and neck once again.

He looked my way, probably wondering why I hadn’t walked by while she was on the table. Jennifer still lay there totally exposed and totally relaxed with only a folded towel draped across her stomach. Was this the end, I wasn’t ready for it to end, but the hour drew near.

Richard wasn’t quite through, he once again spoke to her then removed the towel. As he stood beside the table he moved his hands down the outside of each leg until he reached the area of her hips, he then pulled his hands to the sides toward her ass. He did this several times. He looked at me. Jennifers cunt had opened a little more, I knew it had to be wet, and Richard could probably tell also. He let her lay there a bit while another man took a stroll by the table.

He kept his hand on her shoulder as the other guy who I knew to be a local came up and stopped, speaking to Richard. They had a conversation, about who knows what, but it was obvious to me the purpose was to show his handywork; that being a beautiful women laying naked spread eagled, covered with oil, her pussy slightly open, and her husband watching with approval.

The local left, it was almost like he came to give approval. Richard tapped my wife on the shoulder and she sat up on the edge. It took her a bit to gain her equilibrium. He gave her a card and said something. She did not put her wrap on, since she was covered with oil. I could tell that all eyes were on her as she came my way. I still couldn’t get up, my dick was still at full staff and that wasn’t on the approved list at this resort. She picked up her bag and went to the room to shower after we exchanged a few words.

John shook his head. “No. That is absolutely ridiculous.”

“Are you saying that they willingly offered themselves to you?”

“Some of them did,” he replied, looking at Bridget and the other girls.

“And you encouraged them?”

“I didn’t mean to. I didn’t “want” to! I knew that what I was doing was wrong, but I couldn’t help myself. The drug overpowered me.”

“Are you blaming your behavior solely on the influence of EJAX-472?”

“No. That was only a part of it. But those girls threw themselves at me. Not all, but most of them. Those little sluts knew what they were doing.”

His use of the word ’sluts’ brought both laughter and reprobation from the audience.

“Because they saw you in a compromised position and took advantage of you?”

“Yes. I never threatened to hurt anyone. They made up that lie to save their own skins.”

When Stephan had finished questioning John, he seemed nowhere closer to the truth than when he began. He returned to his seat looking perplexed. Gustafson, on the other hand, looked like a shark getting ready for the kill.

“Doctor Hellstrom testified earlier that EJAX-472 acts to, as she put it, ‘override normal behavioral inhibitors in the brain,” the prosecutor began. “Do you think your reckless behavior can be attributed to this fact?”

“In part. But the girls goading me on certainly didn’t hurt.”

“Let me ask you this. Would you have done what you did, let’s say, if you were drunk for instance?”

“Possibly.”

“So, even under the influence of alcohol, some part of your brain, the ethical part, can make the distinction between that which is morally acceptable and morally objectionable?”

“Yes.”

“Yet this does not seem to be the case with EJAX-472. It seems to have overridden your built-in inhibitor mechanisms, those very same mechanisms, which most people rely upon to conduct themselves in a civilized fashion, and allowed you to behave in ways you might not consider, even if you were under the influence of a less potent stimulant.”

“Look,” John replied, feeling himself being led into a trap. “I’ll be the first to admit that the drug is extremely powerful. But you can control the impulse to a certain degree. Some men have done it. Craig Lundquist for instance. But most men, me included, we kind of let our baser instincts take over. And when you’re surrounded by a bunch of beautiful women, it’s very difficult to resist the impulse to think and do immoral things.”

“What you’ve said goes against the evidence concerning this drug. It is my belief that the drug exerted such an influence over your mind as to preclude you from behaving in any way other than the way you did.”

“That’s not true. The drug by itself cannot control your mind. It cannot make you act immoral.”

“Again, what you say is contrary to the evidence. Let’s face it, Mr. Cardelli, your higher brain functions were so muddled and confused from taking EJAX-472 that your only desire was to engage in sexual relations with those girls even if it meant employing physical violence to do so!”

“No! No!” John said angrily, as he brought his fist down upon the arm of the chair. “You’re trying to make me into some kind of mindless monster, as if the drug had destroyed all my reason and judgment. If that were the case, and I had physically abused my students, as they falsely claim, then show me their cuts and bruises. Well you can look Mr. Gustafson, but you’re not going to find anything. Look at them. Do you see pain in their eyes? Do you?”

“That will be enough, Mr. Cardelli.”

“No, it’s not enough!” John snapped, looking directly at Bridget and her associates. “Look at their faces. All so pristine and innocent. But not one of them had the moral rectitude to come forward and tell the truth about this whole damned thing. I say shame on you all!”

The students of St. Bridget’s sat completely stunned and silent, as did the entire

audience, as John stared them down. He then cast a sidelong glance at his wife, Ann, who looked as if she were on the verge of tears. My heart went out to the distressed man, whose only crime was that he was a normal, healthy, red-blooded heterosexual with a powerful libido. He certainly had not deserved the treatment he received from his traitorous pupils, who were now forced to confront their own moral cowardice in light of his intimidating accusation.

Gustafson himself was taken aback, surprised at the vehemence displayed in John’s impassioned speech, and stood silently to one side, waiting for the uncomfortable silence to end.

For a very long time I had believed that the involuntary ejaculation response did indeed override the higher brain functions to the point that the victim could not control his reactions. This was true in most cases, but Craig Lundquist had shown that the response could be forestalled—and for a very long period of time. This “mind over matter” approach was completely unacceptable to Gustafson, whose two-dimensional way of thinking would not have allowed him to see that the drug reacted differently with different people, which is what made it, in its current state, so insidious.

Someone coughed in the back of the room and the sound of feet shuffling quickly ensued. From behind me I heard someone tell somebody else to sit down. It sounded more like a command than a request.

“Your honor?” said a pretty girl with dark hair.

All eyes in the courtroom turned toward her. She was standing, alone and anxious-looking amidst her seated companions from St. Bridget’s. Her voice was high-pitched and somewhat shrill, but it caught the judge’s attention.

“Yes, young woman?” the judge replied.

“May I come up there and speak to you please. It’s very important.”

Gustafson shook his head and smirked.

“Does what you have to say relate to the case at hand?” the judge asked.

“Yes, sir, it does.”

“Then you may approach the bench.”

Stephan looked at me, then at the girl, neither of us knowing what to expect.

As she walked up the aisle I saw the consternation on the faces of her classmates, unprepared for this show of individualism. John followed her every movement; his handsome face, which had been clouded over with anguish, now reflecting a faint glimmer of anticipation. The girl smiled at him as she came to a halt before the bench.

“What is your name?” the judge asked her.

“Abigail Rylander, your honor. But most people call me Abby. Actually, Abby Gabby, because I tend to talk a lot.”

She giggled a little bit and then resumed.

“I don’t want you to put me on the witness stand sir. I just want to say something in defense of Mr. Cardelli.”

Gustafson quickly interjected. “Your honor, it is a little late for…”

The judge raised his hand. “I want to hear what she has to say. Go ahead Ms. Rylander.”

Looking straight at her beloved teacher, Abby took a deep breath and began.

“Your honor, everything Mr. Cardelli has told you is the truth.”

A chorus of groans greeted the girl’s statement as the audience absorbed the full impact of its implications. At first I thought the distraught cries were coming from the schoolgirls until I realized that it was the parents of these girls who were now reacting with anger and dismay over the possibility that their children might not be as innocent as they seemed.

“Settle down please,” the judge said to the audience. “Please continue Ms. Rylander.”

Abby looked at the other girls and was dismayed to find them all intently staring at her with looks of immense disapproval. I, myself, could feel the hate emanating from that little group of treacherous brats and felt like taking them in hand and administering a good old-fashioned spanking to each of them.

“Bridget started the whole thing, your honor,” Abby began. “She knew, we all knew, that Mr. Cardelli liked to look at our legs. So she teased him because she’s got very beautiful legs. And then he started to act strange, and I could tell that he was touching himself under the desk. Before you know it, he had taken his thing out, I mean his penis, and started to play with it in front of us. Then Helga and I joined in, then the rest of the girls. I guess we all got carried away because all of us were crazy about him. But I’m the only one who really loved him. And I still do Mr. Cardelli. That’s why I had to tell the truth. I tried to lie about it and be like the others, but it’s not right that you should suffer. I’m sorry that we hurt you. I’m sorry I hurt you.”

As Abby related this story, the voices of upset parents and their children steadily rose in volume until by the time she finished the entire section was in an uproar. The judge ordered them to be silent or face charges of contempt, but it took several minutes for them to settle down just the same. I saw Bridget Veerhoft arguing with her distraught parents, her fist shaking in Abby’s direction. Bridget’s blonde friend, Helga, was quickly ushered out by her outraged mother, telling the bailiff that she would return as soon as she took matters in hand with her daughter. Several other stupefied parents and their children spoke in harsh whispers, but the disillusionment and anger in their voices was quite apparent. Several of the parents made threatening gestures at John, and some even accused Abby of betraying her friends, thinking such a betrayal to be a greater evil than withholding the truth. Abby’s own father and mother were now coming under attack and Mr. Rylander, fearing an altercation, took his frightened wife by the arm and led her out into the aisle. By this time, the bailiff and three other court officers were attempting to quell the pandemonium.

“Your honor,” said Mr. Rylander to the judge. “I’m Abby’s father. I would like to take her out of here now.”

Seeing that the girl and her parents would now be the constant target of insults and threats, the judge decided to let them leave.

“You may go young lady,” the judge said. “Your testimony will be admitted into the record.”

“Thank you, your honor,” she said politely.

Abby looked at her teacher as she turned to go. For a moment it appeared as if she were going to reach out and touch him, but she held back.

“Thank you, Abby,” he said. “That was very brave of you.”

His words were to her like the fragrance of some exotic balm whose soothing essence seemed to help assuage her tormented conscience. She stood before him, her eyes full of sadness for her bittersweet victory.

“Goodbye Mr. Cardelli. I’ll miss you.”

The girl turned around and briskly walked down the aisle toward her waiting parents, who took her by the hand and escorted her out amidst a chorus of howls and jeers. Bridget Veerhoft was the most vocal among them, calling her a traitor and a bitch. Abby never looked back.

Several more minutes passed before the judge and his officers finally managed to bring order to the court.

“Do you have any other questions, Mr. Gustafson?” the judge asked.

“No, your honor,” he replied gruffly.

“You may step down, Mr. Cardelli.”

When John returned to his seat, Ann kissed him and spoke to him encouragingly. Ms. Stedman, who had hitherto treated him like an object of dread, walked across the aisle and sat next to him. She said a few things to him in a soft voice and he responded by nodding his head. They then shook hands and she returned to her seat, both she and John looking satisfied.

“I should like to call a recess at this point,” the judge said. “This hearing will reconvene in one hour.”

With that he swiftly rose and exited out the door behind him.

Stephan looked at me and held my hand in his.

“We found a gem underneath a rock. We can count ourselves lucky.”

Abby’s testimony had indeed proved fortunate, for now it raised serious doubt as to whether my drug could, solely of its own accord, be said to drive people to commit mindless acts. As with everything concerning EJAX-472, there was a very large gray area that had to be taken into account in any assessment of its efficacy, or lack thereof.

On the second floor of the building there was a cafeteria where Stephan took me, and the rest of our group, to lunch. I had a chance to talk with Michelle and my other colleagues during the recess and they all expressed their appreciation to Stephan for his efforts to help me. Michelle, Sheila, and Jennifer were all in high spirits, believing that the hearing was going in my favor. Dr. Hagstrom however, remained quiet, though she shook her head in acknowledgment several times in response to some of the more positive comments from my colleagues. Lynette and Maria told me how much they had enjoyed seeing the snotty brats from St. Bridget’s brought down a few pegs. I noticed that those same girls and their parents had not decided to eat in the cafeteria, ostensibly because John and the others were eating there with us and they wanted to keep their wayward offspring away from him.

“My career as a teacher is ruined,” he told me. “But Ms. Stedman is willing to drop charges against me based on Abby’s testimony.”

“It took a lot of guts for her to do what she did,” I said.

“Her honesty paid off. Ms. Stedman is going to expel Bridget and Helga and several of the other girls, but Abby is going to graduate; valedictorian of her class no less.”

“Beauty, brains, and a kind heart,” Ann said. “Should I be jealous John?”

“But a voice like Mickey Mouse!” I joked.

They both laughed along with me.

“She really cared about you John.”

“I will never forget her,” he said with a touch of sadness.

Cheryl and Craig stopped at our table on the way to the snack bar. They were holding hands and Cheryl was all smiles. Craig, however, looked troubled.

“I want to apologize to you doctor Swensen,” he began, “I should never have lied.”

“It’s all right Craig,” I said. “I know you thought you were trying to help me. Don’t fret over it.”

Cheryl laughed. “Oh believe me, he’s going to fret over it no matter what you say.”

“If that prosecutor didn’t have that tape, I would’ve gotten away with it.”

“Speaking of that,” Stephan said. “I don’t recall getting a copy of that particular video, and I should have.”

“Somebody obviously didn’t want you to see it,” I said.

“It’s against the law to withhold any information like that. There’s such a thing called ‘disclosure,’ in this country, which means that both the defense and the prosecution must divulge all their information to each other. There can be no surprises.”

“It looks like some of the evil seeds I planted are still sprouting,” Philip said.

“Could be Philip,” Stephan replied. “But if it happens again, I’m going to ask the judge to dismiss the case and demand an inquiry.”

“Why didn’t you do that when you found out about the video?” Rebecca asked.

“Because I believe we’re close to having these charges dropped. I’ll deal with Gustafson later.”

Stephan and I talked at length about the how the hearing was progressing, and some of our talk touched upon more personal matters. I got the feeling that he was trying to get to know me as a person, not the wild woman doctor I had been so callously represented as in the press, and I was glad of it. During the course of our conversation he managed to finish a heaping plate of spaghetti, but I ate very little. Unlike myself, it appeared that the stress of the hearing had not impaired his appetite one bit.

After he finished eating he returned to the courtroom, informing me that he had some business to attend to. I got up and walked across the room and looked out the window onto the grounds below. All around the front entrance to the building were reporters and media types still congregated just beyond the periphery of the police barricade. It seemed their ranks had swelled since we were first admitted, the mass of bodies extending outward beyond the line of trees that lay on the border of the perfectly manicured lawn. The thought of dodging all those reporters once again made me queasy.

“Penny for your thoughts, sis.”

“Oh, Bonnie!” I said. “You startled me.”

She looked out the window at the teeming mass of people below. “What a mess!”

“I dread having to deal with that,” I said, echoing her sentiment.

“Philip and I have had a pretty tough time of it too. We’re thinking of going to our summer residence up north. Want to come?”

“Maybe,” I replied. “How do you think he’s holding up?”

She looked somber. “He’s depressed over this whole thing, but he has a lot of faith in Stephan. I do too.”

“He’s a good man. I think he’ll do right by you.”

“And you!” she said, pinching me playfully on the arm. “Oh, come on. I saw the way you looked at him, sis. You like the guy!”

“There’s something about him that’s different—unusual for a lawyer. I don’t know what it is?”

“Humanity?” she laughed.

“He does have a great sense of compassion for others doesn’t he?”

“Just like you, Chris,” she replied.

“Of course he’s very handsome too,” I added.

“That’s what I like to see,” she said, raising her hand to adjust my hair. “Despite all the bad things that have happened to you, just remember that you have a lot of good people on your side who love you and care for you. In the end, that is what will pull you through this whole crazy situation.”

Sometimes Bonnie had a way of saying things that went straight to my heart. Unlike me, she was neither analytical nor philosophical, but her simple heart-felt wisdom always shone through in dire times, and always made me feel better.

It was 1:00 PM when the hearing was resumed and Judge Carlsdotter came out of his chambers looking somewhat flustered. He sat down on his chair and spent the better part of a minute just trying to adjust his long, black robe. He seemed preoccupied.

“This hearing of the state versus Christiana Swensen is now rejoined,” he began. “Mr. Ambrose, you may call your next witness.”

Stephan’s eyes fell on the little man seated between the two tall officers. It was the moment I had hoped would never come.

“I call Luis Ramon Hernandez to the stand.”

Reluctantly, and casting an expression of contempt at Stephan, Luis swaggered over to the witness chair and sat down with his lower body thrust forward. He stretched his legs out before him as if he were sitting casually at home, in arrogant indifference to the decorum of the court.

“I understand that the police have exonerated you on all charges related to the theft of EJAX-472 in light of information you supplied that led to the conviction of Mr. Philip Olmstead. Is that correct?”

“Yeah, man. That’s right,” he replied, his body a bundle of nervous energy.

“However, the charge of robbery is still being held against you.”

“They’re gonna let that charge drop too. As soon as this farce is over.”

“You seem pretty certain of that.”

Luis made no reply. He simply sat there looking smug.

“Mr. Hernandez, you have made no secret of your hatred for Dr. Swensen. Was what she did to you not just recompense for your own abysmal behavior?”

“Objection your honor.” Gustafson complained. “Hypothetical question.”

“Sustained,” the judge said.

“All right, let me put it this way,” Stephan resumed. “You were paid a great deal of money by Mr. Olmstead to infiltrate the Clinic. Why didn’t you just perform the robbery and leave? Why start an altercation?”

“I had to make it look good man. I had to play the part, you understand?”

“I understand. But you didn’t have to hit people. That’s what you did isn’t it?”

“They humiliated me,” he replied, throwing me a hostile look. “You don’t do those things to somebody and expect to walk away.”

“But you physically assaulted several women on her staff and threatened her as well. She could have easily had you arrested.”

“Better she had done that than putting me through hell!” he said, raising his voice. “What kind of a doctor does those things to a man?”

“Obviously she felt she was justified.”