cool, controlled voice, 'May I be of service, madam?'
Trembling inside like a plate of jelly, but outwardly composed, Mindy responded, 'I would like to speak with the director of The Institute.'
'May I inquire as to your name and business?' Mindy wasn't certain, but she thought she detected a slight bulge under the man's left arm. He might be carrying a guy, a bodyguard for the man running The Institute.
'Tell him Mindy LaFarge desires a few words with him. It's a private matter.'
The butler never blinked. He stood back, opening the door for Mindy. 'If you would be so kind as to wait here, I shall announce your presence to Dr. Hunt.'
Mindy entered the hall and had to catch her breath at the splendor and elegance of her surroundings. Everything, but everything, in The Institute was first class. The decor in the 'waiting room' was tasteful, quiet and well arranged. The walls were hung with two original Rembrandts and one Vameer, although Mindy did not recognize them as such. The furniture had the air of antiquity about it, yet seemed to be functional. There was none of the fragile appearance that normally shrouded antique furnishings.
Mindy did not have the opportunity to further examine the room. The butler returned and said. 'This way, Miss LaFarge. Dr. Hunt will see you right away.'
He led the way up a spiral staircase to the second floor. Mindy was lost in a paradise of her situation. This might work, this wild scheme of hers. She wanted to see Dr. Hunt, the apparent director, before making any firm judgment as to her chances.
Whatever happened, she couldn't be any worse off than she already was.
She was ushered into a massive office as tastefully appointed as the downstairs rooms. Behind a large desk sat a man in his early thirties, swarthy, with coal-black eyes and hair. He had a square jaw, a powerful demeanor that made him attractive rather than handsome.
Above all, he exuded power.
Mindy knew instantly that Dr. Michael Hunt, or so it said on the nameplate, was the top man at The Institute.
When he spoke, his voice was a baritone, resonant and commanding. 'Please, Miss LaFarge, be seated.' He indicated a plushly covered chair beside the teakwood desk. He waited until Mindy was seated, eyeing her in true appreciation. His eyes did not miss the deep plunge of her neckline or the barely suppressed swells of her tits; he certainly did not miss the flash of smoky stocking as Mindy sat and gracefully crossed her long, slender legs.
He returned to his desk chair and took a cigarette from a silver-inlaid case on his desk. As he lit the cigarette, he said, 'I'd offer you one except you don't smoke, do you?'
Mindy, surprised, asked, 'How do you know that?'
'I keep a reasonably up-to-date file on all my inmates.'
The silence between them lengthened as they studied one another, coal-black eyes boring into emerald- green ones. Mindy finally broke the silence.
'You know why I'm here.'
'Not really, but I think I can make a fair guess. You wanted to show you could escape but didn't. You probably want a better position at The Institute and considered this the best way of showing your loyalty.'
'You're right on the beam. Very perceptive.'
A small smile wrinkled at the corners of Dr. Hunt's lips. He only said, 'It is to my advantage to be on top of any situation. Having a Ph.D. in psychology helps immensely. I can read you like an open book.'
'Well, am I going to be able to move up in the organization? I'd do anything to get even with Michelle. I hate her with a passion you would find difficult to believe after what she's done to me.'
'Come now, Miss LaFarge. That's a natural reaction. Guardians are not paid to be liked. But I think you should have few complaints. I did stop her from using the whip to discipline you.'
'And did you order her to totally degrade me!' Mindy's green eyes flared with radioactive intensity. 'Did you tell her to have that filthy animal crawl all over me and that disgusting man piss on me?'
Dr. Hunt tented his fingers and peered over the tops. 'Keep talking.' He appeared interested in what Mindy had to say.
'And how about taking pictures of me being fucked by that dog? Did you enjoy watching? Or were you outside the green door with your ear pressed against it so you could hear? I didn't mind the rest of the patrons, even that white-haired bitch who damned near ripped out my cunt, but Laurence and his dog really got to me.'
When Mindy fell quiet from lack of breath. Dr. Hunt slowly said, 'I do not know of a person named Laurence. True, we have the kennel rooms, but those are reserved for special patrons. I think it might be instructive to speak briefly with Michelle on this matter.' He reached over and pressed a button on his desk.
'Wyatt, bring Michelle here. Class II.'
After the brief and cryptic message, he simply rocked back in his large executive chair and waited.
In a few minutes, the butler and Michelle came into the office. Mindy noticed Michelle did not carry her whip and that the butler had his jacket unbuttoned, his left hand resting lightly on the lapel.
Michelle went absolutely white when she saw Mindy. The woman's mouth opened, then closed with a snap.
Dr. Hunt said, his voice quiet yet menacing, 'Michelle, I'd like you to meet… Miss LaFarge.' The formality was not lost on either Mindy or the leather-clad woman.
'I understand that the kennel room was recently used by a patron named Laurence. My records indicate no such patron. And the kennel room has not been used for over a month. In addition, the revenue from your wing does not reflect such use.' Dr. Hunt casually flicked an ash from his cigarette into an ashtray before continuing. 'I also understand there are some films of this unauthorized encounter.'
'Please, Dr. Hunt, I can explain! She hates me! It's all a lie! A giant lie she concocted to get me in trouble. There's no film because none of it ever happened!'
Jet-black eyes studied Michelle for a moment. Then Dr. Hunt said, 'There is no way Miss LaFarge could have known of the kennel room if she'd never been there. And, you probably didn't realize this, but I keep video-tape records of everything in certain rooms.'
If possible, Michelle blanched to a whiter shade of pale.
'This man Laurence did not pay, did he? Really, Michelle, you know the penalty for things like this. He used a special room and didn't pay. You allowed one of the inmates knowledge of our activities. You allowed the use of one of our inmates. To watch.' A slight lift of a bushy black eyebrow was all the sign Dr. Hunt made.
Michelle, in blind panic, spun and grabbed at Wyatt to shove him out of the way. At the slight indication from his employer, the butler had drawn the compact pistol nestled under his arm. A Walther PPK S-9 was aimed directly at Michelle's head. Wyatt quietly said, 'I have it loaded with Parabellums.'
Michelle turned back and started to say something in her defense, saw the look on Dr. Hunt's face, then seemed to wilt.
Dr. Hunt simply said, 'Put her with Kasca.'
Michelle's eyes widened in horror and she screamed, but Wyatt had her out of the room and down the hall in an instant.
Mindy looked perplexed. 'Kasca?'
Dr. Hunt shrugged, then said, 'One of the nastier punishments we have at The Institute. Kasca is a quite demented Hungarian. I suspect Michelle might last several days, perhaps even a week before she leaves us.'
'But you pose a problem for me. Inmates normally remain inmates. They are not allowed to move up in the administrative sectors of The Institute. But you've shown initiative and daring, and you were extremely successful during your tenure as inmate. I think that might qualify you to fill a vacancy that recently opened in our staff but it would have to be on a limited basis to start. You would have to show ability in this position before I could feel confident in giving you more freedom.'
Mindy considered. It was obviously Michelle's job he was referring to; 'What sort of limitations?'
Dr. Hunt's eyes roamed her body, then came back to her green green eyes. 'You fulfill the role of guardian with all the pay and privileges save one. You would not be allowed to leave the grounds. Normally, the guardians are allowed ten days a month off to do as they please. You would have the time but simply would not be permitted to leave. That's not as bad as it might sound, however. There are several complete libraries on the grounds. In addition to other recreations.'
