Adultery The Naughtiest Wife

[reema4uhoney]

Chapter 23: Consequences

 

 

The door opened and one man and one woman stood on the other side. The man wore a brown suit that looked very off the rack. He was 5’9 inches tall and greying. His shoes were scuffed and unpolished. His eyes, however, were intelligent and piercing. The woman was much younger, perhaps thirty. She wore a conservative outfit with black hair tied back behind her head. She was in great shape and her body looked like that of an athlete. She could have been attractive, but her dress and demeanor made her feel cold to Shubhangi.

 

“Can I help you?” Shubhangi asked certain they had the wrong door.

 

“Shubhangi?” the older man asked.

 

Shubhangi nodded.

 

“I’m Agent Jackson…and this is Agent Mclean…we’re with the FBI…can we ask you a few questions?” the man said flipping his badge in a practiced move.

 

Shubhangi stood there confused and intimidated, she knotted her robe tighter around her. Her mouth was dry and her stomach tightened. The day had just taken on a surreal quality and the edges of the world seemed sharper than they had a moment before as the adrenaline hit Shubhangi’s blood.

 

“May we come in M’am?” the woman asked pushing the door open before the words were out of her mouth.

 

“I guess so…” Shubhangi said as the woman pushed into Shubhangi’s living room. Agent Jackson followed Shubhangi in closing the door behind him. Richa sat on the couch wide eyed as these two strangers pushed into their world. Strangers were something neither of Shubhangi or Richa wanted or needed right now, especially those with guns and badges. Shubhangi’s mind raced wondering what this was about.

 

It was then that Shubhangi noticed the brown leather bag that the woman agent of the government carried. It was Richa’s camera bag. Richa recognized the bag immediately and jumped up and attempted to take it from Agent Mclean.

 

“That’s mine…” Richa said as she reached for the bag.

 

Agent Mclean spoke softly but held the bag out of Richa’s reach “And you are?” she queried.

 

“Richa…” Richa replied.

 

The two agents exchanged a glance that said “It’s them…”

 

“Shubhangi…Richa… why don’t we’ve a seat and talk…” Agent Mclean said smoothly leaving no room for discussion. Agent Jackson had somehow magically moved to the couch and beckoned them to join him. Shubhangi felt terribly uncomfortable in only her robe with these two making themselves at home in her apartment. Shubhangi felt naked and afraid and she hated them for that feeling. Shubhangi wondered if it was an intentional ploy to question them this early when they would likely not be dressed. Shubhangi suspected it was. But what choice did they have. Shubhangi and Richa sat on the couch with the agents directly across from them.

 

“What’s this all about?” Shubhangi asked boldly hoping to get to the bottom of this.

 

The agents exchanged glances and this time it was Jackson who spoke “Ever heard of a club called ‘X’?” he asked.

 

It was Shubhangi’s and Richa’s turn to exchange glances. Shubhangi wondered if they looked guilty of something.

 

“Yes…I’ve…unfortunately…” Shubhangi said truthfully.

 

“And were you there last night?” Mclean piped in.

 

Shubhangi sighed and said “You know we were…or you wouldn’t be here…”

 

“And this is yours?” Mclean said to Richa indicating her camera bag.

 

“Yes…I left it at ‘X’ by accident…it was behind the bar…and when we…Er…left…I forgot it…” Richa said fiercely. Richa had almost said ‘escaped’ but caught herself in time.

 

“When you…left?” Agent Mclean asked emphasizing that she did not miss the pause.

 

“Yes…may I’ve it back.?” Richa asked. Mclean and Jackson exchanged one of those glances again and Jackson nodded. Mclean handed Richa her bag.

 

Richa immediately opened it and sorted through its contents. “Where’s my film?” Richa asked.

 

“Confiscated…sorry…” Mclean answered not really sounding sorry at all.

 

Shubhangi was now really confused. “Maybe you two can fill me in…but what exactly is going on?”

 

“What time did you leave last night ma’am?” Jackson asked.

 

“I don’t know…maybe 11:30…we were home by midnight…I know that…” Shubhangi replied.

 

“And can anyone confirm that?” Mclean asked.

 

Shubhangi felt her temper rising and her eyes going cold. “No…they cannot…”

 

“Well maybe the cab driver…” Richa said helpfully. Shubhangi could have slapped Richa.

 

Jackson had magically produced a pen and notebook. “What cab company young lady?”

 

Richa stared at him unknowingly. “I don’t know…a yellow one…” Richa said with sarcasm.

 

Shubhangi sighed in resignation and said “It was Chicago Checker Cab Company…the driver was a middle-aged man with grey hair and brown eyes…I don’t know his name….”

 

The agents once again exchanged one of their glances. “And you two say you left before midnight…” Mclean asked.

 

“No…I don’t ‘say it’…that is what happened…” Shubhangi snarled really not liking this condescending bitch.

 

“I mean no disrespect…” Mclean said sarcastically which only made Shubhangi madder.

 

“So…you left the club early and then what?” Jackson asked.

 

“We came back here…” Shubhangi said. “Now why are you so interested in our evening?” Shubhangi asked again.

 

“And you got back here by midnight?” Mclean asked again.

 

“Do you always answer a question with a question?” Shubhangi asked fuming.

 

Mclean smiled and said “No ma’am…I’m just trying to ascertain the time you arrived here last night…”

 

“I already told you…we were here by midnight…maybe before…I didn’t check the atomic clock…now what the fuck is this about?” Shubhangi snarled at both of them.

 

“No reason to get upset ma’am…” Jackson said in a reasonable tone that further fueled Shubhangi’s anger.

 

“No reason to get upset? Are you kidding? It’s before 9 AM…I’ve had a hell of a day already… and now the FBI is here harassing me…and refuses to tell me why…so yes…Mr. Jackson…I’m upset…and you can get the hell out of my house…or tell me what is going on…” Shubhangi fumed. Shubhangi stood and walked toward the door and started to open it for them.

 

“Does the name Chad…mean anything to you?” Mclean asked without even beginning to get up.

 

Shubhangi slammed the door and turned back to them. Richa’s eyes were wide with fear at the mention of Chad’s name. Shubhangi face must have gone white. Shubhangi took a deep breath and let it out. “Agents…I don’t know what you are getting at…but please spit it out…”

 

Jackson shrugged again as if saying ‘what the hell’.

 

Mclean turned to Shubhangi and Richa and said, “Chad was murdered last night…three blocks from ‘X’…his head was cut off…and body was left in a dumpster…” In one fluid moment Mclean produced from her pocket an 8x10 color glossy of Chad’s severed head.

 

Richa gasped. Shubhangi shuddered. Both of them were speechless and repulsed.

 

Mclean continued “Now…let’s cut the shit…you were both at ‘X’ last night…you probably used drugs…and you definitely had sex with Chad…at least one of you did…” She paused staring at Richa whose face would have flushed if it was not so green from staring at the photo.

 

“Now Chad is dead…and it appears…he was killed by some people from ‘X’…I want to know who killed him…and I think you two have information that might be valuable…so…we can do this one of two ways…choice 1 is…you sit your skinny ass back down…and talk to us…about everything that happened last night…or choice 2 is…we drag you downtown in your bath robe…throw you in lockup with the hookers…and dykes for a few days…and if there is anything left of you after that…we will talk to you then…” Mclean said dropping all pretense of civility.

 

This woman was deranged with obsession and as dangerous as anyone who had killed Chad. Shubhangi looked at her eyes and knew she meant to do every word of what she said. She was crazy with power and the reality that she could make good on her turned Shubhangi’s blood cold. Shubhangi stood dumbfounded. Tears welled in Richa’s eyes. Shubhangi looked at Richa and swallowed her anger. Shubhangi walked softly to the edge of the couch and sat down again.

 

“What would you like to know?” Shubhangi asked in resignation.

 

Jackson produced a tape recorder. “Everything…” he said. And Shubhangi told them.

 

* * * * * * * * * * *

 

When Shubhangi finished her story leaving out no detail they all sat in silence. Richa had corroborated many of the historical facts about her meeting Chad at work, her crush on him, and culminating with fucking him in a strange living room above the throbbing dance floor of ‘X’. It was now nearly noon, but Shubhangi had no appetite even though it had been dinner the night before since she’d eaten. Mclean took notes as they covered the story again and again. After the third time she put away her pen and notebook. Jackson stood signalling their departure. He made an effort to shake Shubhangi’s hand and said “Thank you for your help Shubhangi…and you too Richa…”

 

“Wait a minute…” Richa said. “That’s it?”

 

Shubhangi was happy to get Agent Jackson and Mclean out of her house as fast as possible, but Richa had a point.

 

“What do you mean?” Mclean asked with the edge back in her voice.

 

“Well what happened to Chad? I mean he was an asshole…but someone killed him…Who? Why?” Richa asked.

 

Mclean looked uncomfortable for the first time and Shubhangi enjoyed her discomfort, Shubhangi didn’t know why. Jackson seemed to consider for a minute and sat back down. “Have you ever heard of a man named Roland Spiegel?” he asked.

 

Shubhangi and Richa both shook their heads in unison.

 

Jackson said “Spiegel owns ‘X’ through a variety of holding companies…both here and in New York…he has several business interests…that include illegal drug trafficking…and weapons smuggling…we’re not talking small arms to street gangs here…we’re talking about missiles to Syria…and Anthrax to Iraq…since 9/11 the risks of drug…and weapons trafficking have increased…it’s the agencies number 1 priority…and the penalty includes death…it’s not an easy case to beat anymore…and a lot of the Spiegel’s of the world have looked for higher profit…lower risk businesses…”

 

“So…he retired…and runs nightclubs now?” Shubhangi asked incredulously.

 

“Hardly…now his interests have moved from…distribution to manufacture of drugs…he has hired chemists from all over the world…to produce new varieties of recreational drugs…” Mclean said.

 

“You mean like Ecstacy and LSD?” Richa asked.

 

“Well…crudely speaking yes…but these drugs are so new…there are not even hard defined laws against them…the drugs produce euphoria…strong sexual response…and a feeling of godlike power in a few…the feelings people pay big bucks for…” Mclean said.

 

Shubhangi nodded beginning to understand. “So…he uses his clubs to sell these drugs? Right?” Jackson and Mclean shook their heads as if explaining something to the slowest kid in the class.

 

“I wish that was all he did…but as I said…he is now the manufacturer not the distributor…”

 

“What does that mean?” Shubhangi asked feeling left out of the discussion.

 

Mclean turned to Shubhangi and said “He uses ‘X’ to test his drugs not sell them…it’s his own personal FDA…without the pesky regulations…that protect people from dying…he gives the drugs…to test subjects…and sees what will happen…the reactions in the subjects are recorded…and analysed to further refine the drug…”

 

“One of his drugs looked very promising…except that it had the unfortunate side effect…of killing anyone who used it within 48 hours…others caused madness and massive strokes…still others create this euphoric feeling…and cause strong sexual responses…” Jackson said.

 

Shubhangi thought of the feeling that hit her the night before and was horrified. “And we took some of that shit last night?”

 

“It appears so…” Jackson said.

 

“Recorded how?” Richa asked.

 

Mclean turned to Richa and asked “What?”

 

“You said the reactions are recorded and analysed…if they have scientists looking at this from all over the world…how are the reactions recorded? I mean scientists wouldn’t collect cocktail napkins that said ‘Got horny’ as scientific data…and I didn’t see any lab coat types there…” Richa said.

 

Jackson fidgeted in his seat for the first time, but then said “They videotape the reactions…and then send the video files over the internet…to encrypted locations all over the world…so far we’ve not been successful in intercepting…and decoding the recordings….Mr. Spiegel seems to have developed a new type of encryption technology…that he has not licensed or share with the rest of the world…”

 

“Oh shit…so right now…there is a video of us…getting fucked three ways from Sunday on the internet?” Shubhangi asked.

 

Mclean smiled and said “Actually no…we were able to intercept last night’s tapes…due to our involvement in Chad’s murder…they had not yet been encrypted…the tapes are how we found …you two so quickly…that and the camera bag helped…”

 

Shubhangi could not think of anything to say, she had a million questions, but the thought of the FBI having a video of her and Richa having sex was not a prospect Shubhangi had planned on.

 

“And you are going to destroy those tapes right?” Richa asked fearing she knew the answer.

 

Jackson said “Hardly…they are the only hard evidence of what is going on…we have known about Spiegel for a while…but the tapes are proof that something nasty is going on…right now there are 300 Federal Agents worldwide…investigating him because of those tapes…”

 

Shubhangi closed her eyes as the enormity of the situation hit her. 300 FBI agents all watching her fuck. And Shubhangi wondered how long before some pervert in the pentagon uploaded that file to the internet or NBC news just because he was a pissed off bureaucrat. This was out of control.

 

Jackson must have read Shubhangi’s face. “Don’t worry Shubhangi…only 4 people have seen the tape…and that is all that will probably ever see it providing…we can get Spiegel to court without it…”

 

Shubhangi saw the trap was just sprung and Shubhangi wondered what it meant. “Which of course is really why you’re here?” Shubhangi said.

 

“You’re a quick study…” Mclean said sarcastically and with distaste for Shubhangi. Shubhangi wanted to punch her teeth out of her head.

 

“What does that mean?” Shubhangi asked.

 

Mclean handed Shubhangi her card and said “We’ll be in touch…for now…just don’t plan on leaving Chicago for the next week or two…”

 

“It’s a free country…” Richa said defiantly. It was bad timing, but Shubhangi knew how Richa felt.

 

Mclean just smiled and said “Young lady…you’re absolutely right…it is a free country…but let me tell you…what I’ll do to your freedom…should you decide to exercise it…first…I’ll personally send a tape to your mother…secondly…I’ll personally hunt you down…and toss your ass in federal prison for obstruction of justice…and third…I’ll make sure you’re more famous than Paris Hilton…so use your freedom wisely…”

 

Richa met Mclean’s eyes defiantly, but in them she sensed the same madness Shubhangi did and eventually was the first to look away. Richa would not be going anywhere, and neither would Shubhangi.

 

“Wait…what about us? What about the drugs we took? I mean are we going to be okay?” Shubhangi asked worriedly.

 

Both agents looked at each other again now visibly uncomfortable. Jackson spoke “Honestly… we don’t know…the fact that you seem okay now…seems to work in your favour…I think the danger is likely over…all of his drugs that have been horrific…have had consequences within 48 hours…but most much quicker…”

 

“So…we’re either okay…or in the next 24 hours we might…” Richa’s voice broke and she could not finish the thought.

 

“You mean…you have sat here for three hours questioning us…knowing we may drop dead at any minute?” Shubhangi said too horrified to adequately convey her revulsion. “We’ve to get to a doctor….” Shubhangi said.

 

Jackson gripped Shubhangi’s arm as Shubhangi attempted to push past him. There was hardness his eyes, but also compassion and kindness. “It won’t do any good…” He said softly. “The drugs have already done any damage that is going to be done…and metabolize quickly… your body has already suffered the damage…it is going to incur…it’s really just a matter of if it kills you or not…you can go to the hospital…but it’s still just a waiting game…here or there makes no difference…”

 

Shubhangi whirled around now really angry. “But…of course…it was important to talk to us… before you mentioned this little ‘wrinkle’ right? I mean what if we didn’t cooperate fully… knowing we could keel over in the middle of questioning…wouldn’t look good not to get the full report would it…” Shubhangi was pissed off. How could these people act like this?

 

Mclean said reasonably “It really won’t make any difference…one way or the other…what’s done is done…”

 

Shubhangi turned on her savagely. “Fuck you…maybe you would feel differently…if you were…the one who drank that spiked screwdriver last night…you fucking cunt…” Shubhangi had never felt hate so strongly as she did for that woman in that moment. Shubhangi slammed the door on them hard. Shubhangi trembled at revelation as she looked at Richa. Shubhangi pictured both of them face down in a sopping mess of their own blood and vomit. The image had a premonition quality to it, and the hairs on Shubhangi’s neck stood up in fear. Shubhangi and Richa sat down, neither able to speak, and waited for death or redemption.