Jon Reskind - The abducted bride

"And, oh yes, she was traveling with an older French woman. Nice looking also and about thirty-nine or forty years old," Kevin added as he finished describing Jean to the apparently close listening Shalla.

"Yes," Shalla finally said after a long minutes thought. "I do recall such a pair. What is it exactly that Monsieur wishes to know about them?"

"Nothing in particular," Kevin flustered for a moment. "I-I just wondered if the young one had any v-visitors or went out much at night."

"Ah," Shalla's face brightened as though in comprehension. "Monsieur is a detective, no possibly, for the young ladies husband?"

"Y-Yes I am," Kevin lied, thinking it might be the least painful way to ask embarrassing questions. In fact he was glad that Shalla had made the mistake as it wouldn't put him in the position of the jealous husband chasing after an errant wife.

"Well then, if it is a business matter then I think I can he of assistance," Shalla grinned, proud of his cleverness in leading the American on to think that he did not know he was her husband. "How does fifty American dollars sound for my information?"

"Yes, that will do," Kevin said, matter-of-factly, and reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. He carefully peeled five tens from it and placed them on the desk in front of the grinning Arab. He didn't like the man's looks at all, but this was the only thing that he had to go on so he had no choice in the matter. His own personal pride dictated that he at least find something out about Jean's activities the last few days before he went home and filed for divorce. Even if it was all over he would like it verified by someone else too. He still was having trouble believing what his own eyes had seen last night.

"Good," Shalla said, tucking the bills carefully under his robe. "Now we understand each other."

"Please hurry," Kevin asked. "I haven't much time and I want to know all you can remember about her movements while she was staying here."

"Well actually, Monsieur, there is not much to tell. She was just like many of the other young tourists. She came here for a good time because evidently she had a very negligent husband who could not satisfy her back in the States or somewhere. It is a very common cause for the women who come here. They have no fear that their little indiscretions will become known."

Shalla paused for a moment watching with secret satisfaction the blank expression on Kevin's face. He knew this would get to him because he recalled the groans of passion and relief from the American girl and knew she had never been screwed the way he had given it to her before. There must have been something lacking in the husband. Shalla had the knife in him, he knew, and he twisted it further as he watched the color of Kevin's skin ashen slightly as the words he was hearing sunk into his mind.

"She had several lovers here the first day and just did not seem to be able to get enough. She kept going out into the streets for more. Do you believe it, Monsieur, she even tried to get me into her room but I explained to her that I am a business man and not for that kind of thing."

"The Arab was almost bursting inside now with the joy of watching Kevin squirm before his words. It was all he could do to keep a serious expression on his face as he described a few of the lovers that Jean had brought back into the room with her. He had no way of knowing just how devastatingly effective his lies were as he did not know that Kevin had watched Jean being sodomized in apparent ecstasy last night and was at the point where he would believe anything without question. Shalla had his final blow for the spoiled young American now. He had been saving it for the last of the descriptions to make certain it hit with the correct impact."

"And, Monsieur, the last she brought here was enough to make a man cringe. He was a giant Nubian black from the south of Algeria. A sailor I think and he must have been built big enough to kill any ordinary woman but she loved him I could hear wild sounds coming from her room for hours after they went inside. And it was disgraceful, the way they made noises like animals. I was tempted to knock on the door and throw them both out. I was afraid they would disturb the whole hotel, Monsieur, and we must protect our clientele from such inconveniences. Do you not agree?"

"Do you not agree, Monsieur?" Shalla repeated, an indignant expression on his face. He pushed the question to force Kevin to answer. He wanted him to have to speak and show his emotional weakness. No wonder the girl had been so hungry with someone so weak for a husband. It was unusual too, he mused. The American sailors that came into Marseille had the reputation for being the most insatiable men on earth and one didn't see the whores of the town out working for days after the American fleet left. It was joked about the quarter that there was not one left that could walk after such an ordeal. Well, this one was different, he was not the common American stock. It would be good for him to suffer a penance for his cowardice.

"Yes, yes of course, you could not let them make so much noise," Kevin said slowly, his eyes misting. "And what of the older woman?" he queried after a pause.

"Ah, Monsieur, that was the mystery. She was the tower of virtue, which is most unusual for French women. She tried very hard to hold the young girl down. They had just yesterday a loud argument right here in front of me about the way she was acting but she would pay no attention to the French lady. She just told her to mind her own business that she knew what she wanted out of life now."

"And what did the French woman say?" Kevin asked. This must have been after she had returned from picking him up at the station yesterday and he was curious even in his grief about what she had tried to do.

"She just said to the girl that she has a surprise for her and for her to be good tonight."

"And did she?" Kevin knew the answer after what he had seen last night but wanted it substantiated again for some unknown reason in him that would not admit Jean had turned so quickly away from him. "Did she ask you about going to a special place or anything like that?"

Shalla paused for a moment. He could sense that this was a loaded question and knew also that if the American knew about that special place and the fact she may have asked about it, then someone had told him that he had directed her there.

"Is there a particular reason you asked, Monsieur?" Shalla asked cautiously.

"Yes, there is," Kevin replied, innocent of what the Arab was thinking. "Someone said she was directed to one of those exhibition and orgy places last night and may have gone."

"Oh, why yes, I do remember her asking about one, but Monsieur, I know of no such places and I explained it to her."

"Most probably in one of the bars on the street. They would all know about them. I understand there are several around the city of Marseille. I am certain she asked as she seemed determined to find something unusual and bizarre in the way of sexual experience. She also said something about finding a happiness she had never known before. We get many strange ones here, Monsieur, and I would say she was one of the strangest. You must tell her husband, Monsieur, not to expect her to ever come home. They always find themselves a lover and stay. I have seen hundreds like her."

Kevin's heart sank. He had heard enough. It was obvious now from what the Arab was saying and what he had seen last night that Jean had played him for a complete fool all this time. He had been a child and nothing more in her eyes. Well if that was the way she wanted it then there was nothing he could do or wanted to do for that matter, it was her life and she had obviously decided to go about it without him.

"Thank you for your assistance," Kevin mumbled as he turned and started toward the stairs. "You've been very kind."