Lethal Libido

Contents

The Beginning of the End

Erin

Bad Wind

The Final Straw

The Solution

The Club

Friday

David

The Split

The Detective

Atlanta

A New Start

It’s Over

The New Job

Finding the One

The Roller Coaster

Oh, My God!

The Aftermath

Hurricane Wind

The Call

The Investigation

Rainy Days and Monday

The Autopsy

The Counterattack

The Private Investigator

Jenson

The Wake

Crystal

The Investigations Continue

The Confrontation

Lightning

Jennifer

The Polygraph

More Blustery Winds

Colleen

Fired But Still Alive

No Turning Back

Lunch With Jennifer

The Hotel

Sheila Arrives

Resolution?

The Surprises Just Keep Coming

Good News

The Awesome One

False Start

The Bracelet

Jennifer’s Place

The Agony and the Ecstasy

Epilogue

Warning

"Sometimes, out of nowhere, a bad wind blows . . . could be drink, could be some woman that don’t belong to you and despite the weight that’s holding you to the ground, when that wind comes, it picks you up, light as a leaf, and takes you where it wants. We’re in control until we’re not. Then we’re helpless." *

* Douglas McGrath, Director, Screenwriter, Infamous, Warner Independent Pictures, 2006

The Beginning of the End

Jeff stared at his reflected image in one of the gym locker room mirrors. Although his hairline had been receding for years, it appeared more pronounced than ever. The hair that remained was now predominately gray. Even worse, his last visit to the barber shop reminded him publicly of new unwelcome hair that had mysteriously appeared. After trimming what was left of the hair on his head and without a word of warning, the barber used his clippers to remove hairs now growing in and on Jeff’s ears. After the initial dismay, he glanced at the mirror to discover if anyone else was watching. Then, as if he needed to add insult to injury, the barber held a hand mirror behind Jeff, thereby focusing his attention on the bald spot on the top rear of his head. The barber had unwittingly discouraged a good tip.

Here he was, a day away from his fifty-third birthday and in absolutely no mood to celebrate. Jeff thought back to three years prior when his wife Sheila suggested sponsoring a party to commemorate his fiftieth birth anniversary. He politely but firmly declined the thoughtful offer. Since then, his life had continued its downward spiral. Their marriage of nearly thirty years was coasting in neutral while Jeff’s job was simultaneously hitting the skids. As much as he tried to fend it off, time had begun to take its toll on his body as well. Jogging had been one of his favorite physical and mental release outlets. The exercise was great and it helped to relieve the everyday stresses of life. However, last year he had developed pain in his lower back and numbness in his foot. The MRI explained both. The diagnosis was a herniated disk of the spine which effectively terminated his jogging career. The diagnosis was devastating.

Then, there were the other symptoms of just getting older. His memory wasn’t what it used to be. Could Alzheimer’s be setting in already? Jeff concluded the pot could have had something to do with that. He also noticed the onset of wrinkling of his skin. What the hell was next? He wasn’t looking forward to it, whatever it was.

Despite his age and much to his surprise, there was one aspect of life that hadn’t yet begun to deteriorate. In fact, his libido seemed to be stuck in overdrive. His orgasms were longer and more intense than ever before. Even he had to admit that he had become sexually insatiable. It was as if he were an eighteen-year old trapped in a fifty three-year old body. If there was one thing that God had gotten right, it was the female body. Like most men, whether they admitted it or not, he thought about women and sex often.

To his great dismay, conjugal sex had become less than exciting. While his sex drive had grown, Sheila’s had disappointingly waned. She blamed menopause for her disinterest. Dealing with hot flashes, her job and housekeeping left her in no mood to satisfy his needs. Jeff had grown weary of her weight problem as well. Despite his continuous pleas, she refused to exercise or cutback on her food intake. She responded to his complaints with if you loved me, you’d accept me the way I am. She was right but his displeasure continued unabated.

One evening, in response to his continuous sexual demands, she finally proposed a solution to his problem ever so cynically yet perhaps precisely, You need a mistress.

Her perceptive comment reminded Jeff of two previous unsolicited opportunities to have affairs with co-workers. Despite their advances, he was unresponsive. He had never pursued another woman on his own. Sheila’s suggestion had never occurred to him. Maybe she was right.

Up to now, his life had been normal. He had married, raised a family, worked hard, and done everything he was supposed to do. Now, he was no longer willing to accept whatever challenges that life presented and just roll with the punches. Perhaps he had finally hit his midlife crisis. Acceptance and complacency were replaced by aggressiveness. In fact, he had adopted a new motto, Don’t shit on me.

To help mask his discontent, he recently acquired a new distraction. Instead of buying a sports car, he rewarded himself with a Jacuzzi spa. He added an extension onto the back deck to accommodate this incredible machine. He installed some stereo speakers and spent many a late night soothing his aging body, listening to light jazz and gazing up at the starlit sky, occasionally with the aid of some excellent pot. The only thing missing was the eighteen-year old nymphet.

Besides the occasional joint, he had also started to drink more than usual. Heineken was his beverage of choice. A case of the green ones had become a weekend necessity. Tolerating workdays also required at least a few. The bottom line was there was a need not being satisfied. Was it his fault? It was easy to convince himself that it was not. Jeff could rationalize with the best of them. He was a male and God made men this way. No, it wasn’t his fault.

Jeff returned to his office from the locker room, sat at his desk and stared out the window. It was a Friday in late February and a snowstorm was in full force. He awaited a call back from his best friend Bill. He was beginning to wonder whether the outing would actually take place. They had planned it several weeks ago and his anticipation was building to a peak. A snowstorm was not what he needed, but then, what else should you expect in February in the Northeast? He remembered back to his grade school years when snow was the greatest thing going. No school, snowball fights, sledding… what was not to like? Now it was just a nuisance. Bill was from New Hampshire and an avid skier. He loved this crap. It reminded Jeff of the time when Bill and he worked and commuted together. One snowy day, the company closed down the office early and they departed at noon. The usual forty minute drive dragged on for five hours. It would have been even longer but for Bill’s illegal use of the breakdown lane. He swerved in and out of traffic like a maniac. Somehow, they made it in one piece. Jeff suspected that today’s storm would be just a minor nuisance to Bill.

It wasn’t just the weather that had him depressed. How things change. It had been just a year ago that he had been promoted to Director and awarded his division’s Most Valuable Employee award. He had loved the job and looked forward to work every day. Now, his division had stopped booking new business and the company was trying to sell off the portfolio. The division was suddenly deemed to be non-core. It was prudent to just dump it. Create stockholder value was the corporate battle cry. Jeff overheard one senior manager describing business reality. He revealed that the latest quarterly results weren’t up to expectations and used a rather effective analogy to describe his plight. He said that he could either be driving the truck or standing in front of it. Naturally, he preferred to be behind the wheel. That meant that only one thing… heads would have to roll. Either you kept the Wall Street analysts happy or your replacement would try his best. Jeff knew that it was only a matter of time before his neck would be on the block.

His job had deteriorated to responding to internal and external inquiries about the portfolio. The result was he was either twiddling his thumbs or in the midst of an emergency. Sure, they paid him good money to waste the time but his mind needed to be stimulated. The job that once was challenging had evolved into nothing more than a pain in the ass. Jeff had proven himself as a problem solver but now the only problem was deciding how long his workout should be. The highlight of his workday was heading down to the fitness center where he exercised five days a week. At least his body was a beneficiary of the situation. He spent many an hour on the Stairmaster and the bike. Jogging was no longer an option but if the weather was pleasant, he’d go out for a long walk. Jeff still pumped the iron as well. As one of his fellow gym members expressed it, he put a lot of twenty year olds to shame. At six three and two hundred and twenty five pounds, he still cut an imposing figure. One of his old college football pictures hung on the office wall as inspiration. Sometimes, he’d just stare at it longingly and think back to the good old days.

Tonight was their regular poker night but Bill had a special experience in mind first. He convinced Jeff to make his first excursion to Bill’s favorite strip club. It was over an hour drive away but he assured Jeff that it was more than worth the time and effort. Bill was a connoisseur of establishments of this nature and so Jeff trusted his judgment. Sheila would be none the wiser. It wasn’t like he was cheating on her. As the saying goes, just because you’re on a diet, it doesn’t mean you can’t look at the menu.

Jeff hadn’t enjoyed the visual pleasure of a strip club in quite some time. It must have been at least twenty years since he had last witnessed a live naked woman other than his wife. He joined a few of his coworkers for a lunchtime visit to one such establishment. Nudity was not legal but the dancers were apparently misinformed. After an hour or so of ogling a number of rather impressive naked bodies, the undercover policemen in attendance sprung into action and broke up the party. The dancers, DJ and owner were arrested. A female bartender subsequently described the dancers’ illicit behavior in a rather descriptive fashion, They showed the pink. Despite the fact that the police ignored the patrons, Jeff still found it to be a fairly disconcerting experience. Perhaps that explained his long time absence from the stripper scene.

Bill finally called and they cemented the plan. Jeff left the office at three-thirty, confident that he would not be missed. Bill explained that they needed to get there early enough to insure themselves good seats at the bar. They met at a commuter parking lot and Bill had come prepared with a supply of cold beers. They both popped one open and toasted to Jeff’s upcoming adventure. Bill had already prepped Jeff and so he was prepared with a roll of single dollar bills in his pocket. While they traveled, Bill did his best to describe what a dollar would buy. He explained that placing a dollar on the bar top would attract the personal attention of one of a number of lovely unclad ladies and a short presentation of their physical assets. Jeff’s negative attitude began to soften and level of excitement grew as they continued their journey.

The beer and conversation made the hour trip both short and pleasant. Before Jeff knew it, Bill was signaling to turn off the highway. A couple of traffic lights later, he pulled into a parking spot on a side street. It was just a short walk to the entrance. Once inside, Jeff’s eyes slowly adjusted to the relative darkness. Straight ahead of them was one end of the bar. There were two empty stools in front of them and they immediately put them to use. There was a walkway on the inside of the bar and a large platform inside the walkway. The bartender came over and Jeff ordered the first pitcher of beer. Next, he focused his attention on the main attraction, several naked women circulating around the platform. Bill laid down his first dollar on the bar and Jeff followed suit. The nearest dancer came over and scooped up both Jeff’s and Bill’s dollar and then started to dance in front of Bill. Jeff wasn’t sure if she thought he had some sort of disease and was rather offended. She sat down on the platform in front of Bill and began to perform her routine, opening and closing her legs, exposing herself for thirty seconds or so. Despite her neglectful treatment of Jeff, he was nonetheless close enough to be impressed with her performance. However, her slight meant she never again saw one of his dollars. Fortunately for him, she was only one of five. The dancers moved continuously along the platform to the next customer with a monetary contribution residing on the bar top. Bill’s promise that they were young and generally good looking and that they indeed displayed everything in front of you was confirmed.

It wasn’t long before the young ladies were replaced by a new set of dancers. They entered the bar area wearing some sort of sexy outfit but then quickly stripped down once on stage. Bill explained that the dancers worked in half hour stints on the dance platform during their seven-hour shift. During their half hour off stage, they would solicit lap dances which took place in a separate room. Bill was content with the visual pleasures available sitting at the bar. Jeff was more than satisfied as well. Bill informed Jeff that a second shift of dancers began at seven. Sure enough, an entirely new set of dancers arrived. By then, the club had really heated up as there were now standees surrounding the bar.

Jeff was beginning to feel quite comfortable with the assistance of the beer and overdose of naked women. In fact, he became enthralled with one particular dancer as evidenced by his continuous placement of singles on the bar top. Eventually, his generosity and interest began to bear some serious fruit. She became friendlier and more adventuresome. Jeff was amazed at how close she could put certain of her body parts next to his face without touching him. Motivated by his monetary contributions, she knelt on the inner platform and placed her arms on the outer bar. She arched her back and her most impressive breasts were within centimeters of his face. Jeff was sorely tempted to make contact with his lips but wisely resisted. Eventually she moved his cup of beer out of the way, turned face up and placed her feet on the outer bar. She moved her legs toward him and surrounded his head with her thighs. Her most private parts were now fully exposed. There was virtually nothing left to the imagination. You could ogle their most private assets up close and personal. He concluded that Bill was right. He had never spent a dollar so wisely.

They remained for another half hour when Bill reminded Jeff that there actually was a poker game at his house and they were expected to appear. Jeff reluctantly agreed to leave but he departed the club a more than pleased customer and thanked Bill profusely.

Over the course of their visit, they had consumed several pitchers of beer. Neither was feeling much pain. Bill drove and they experienced an unexpected distraction on the ride back. Despite the still snowy road conditions, Bill applied his usual heavy foot to the accelerator. Flashing police lights were the result. He pulled over and the state trooper requested both licenses. He also poked his head into the back seat and made note of a cooler with a number of empty beer cans. He then walked over to Jeff’s side of the car and demanded that Jeff step out. After he exited, the officer directed him to sit on the metal barrier on the side of the highway. Totally baffled, Jeff complied without protest. Even though anonymous, he felt the stare of passengers in the passing cars. He could only imagine what crime they thought he had committed. His naked woman high started to wear off in a hurry. Maybe this was the penalty for having had too good a time. The trooper eventually returned from his car and allowed Jeff to return to his seat. He then directed Bill to follow him to the next exit. Now, Jeff figured that they were in real trouble. Bill followed the trooper’s car which led them to a parking lot just off the exit. He parked and the officer returned the licenses and handed Bill his speeding ticket. The officer suggested they rest there for a while, returned to his vehicle and departed. Jeff let out with a big sigh of relief. He had escaped unscathed. Bill wisely turned the keys over and Jeff drove the rest of the way back with his friend passed out in the passenger seat. When they arrived back home, the poker game was still in full swing. While Bill headed straight upstairs to his bed, Jeff sat down at the table and provided the crew with an animated and vivid description of the events of this most memorable evening. Poker suddenly took back stage. Jeff’s tale of naked women became the entertainment.

Jeff awoke Saturday morning with a bit of a hangover. Sheila was still asleep as she had been when he returned home last night. As he stared at her still very attractive face, he wondered how their relationship had turned so sour.

Jeff thought back to when he and Sheila had first met. He was a senior in high school and visiting Cornell University for a football recruiting weekend in early April, having received an acceptance letter from the school back in February. He was assigned to a sophomore who was also a member of a football fraternity. He was informed that he was invited to a pajama party that night at the house. It turned out that a blind date was also included in the program. He was ready and willing except for one slight shortfall. He didn’t wear pajamas. His host kindly provided a pair.

That night at the frat house, after changing into the borrowed outfit, he was introduced to purple passion, a concoction of grape juice and grain alcohol. While waiting for his date, he loosened up by consuming several cups. Although a beer drinker, they went down quickly and without complaint. Finally the women arrived and Jeff was introduced to Sheila. She had short blonde hair and the cutest face he had ever seen. She was about five and a half feet tall and despite towering over her at six feet, three inches, was immediately attracted to her. She excused herself to change into her nightwear. By the time she returned donned in a nightgown, he had two cups of the purple beverage ready. She took one and they introduced themselves more formally.

Sheila was a freshman at nearby Ithaca College and a health major. Jeff was… well, let’s just say that he couldn’t be a senior in high school. His host helped provide the cover. He was a freshman engineer and football player. Fortunately, Jeff also looked much older than his current seventeen. In fact, he had already ordered alcohol in restaurants where the drinking age was twenty one without being carded. They found an unoccupied couch and talked a while longer. Jeff managed to describe his Cornell first year experience with feigned sincerity.

A few minutes later, they were distracted by the sound of the live band and Jeff asked Sheila if she would like to dance. She smiled and readily grasped his hand and they joined the other revelers on the dance floor. After several fast dances, the band began to play a slow tune. Jeff, now really feeling the passion, held out his arms in front of him. Sheila didn’t hesitate and wrapped her arms around his back and her head fit perfectly under his chin. Jeff enclosed her with his arms as well and they swayed together to the music. Everyone else seemed to disappear and Jeff never felt so close to a female in his life.

After the dance, they refilled their cups and discovered a darkened room where the floor was covered with mattresses and was now complete with couples lying down upon them. Given his moderately intoxicated condition, Jeff unabashedly asked Sheila whether she would like to participate. She concurred and they found an unoccupied mattress and joined the group. However, their activity was limited to nothing more than conversation.

After another round of dancing, Sheila suggested they take a walk together. Heading upstairs to change back into their street clothes, they located a bedroom. Jeff changed into his outfit while Sheila entered a closet to dress in privacy. Much to their dismay, the closet door wouldn’t reopen from the inside. Jeff’s efforts from the outside were equally fruitless. He finally sought help from one of the frat brothers who, after considerable effort, managed to dismantle the door knob. Released from her captivity, Sheila looked a bit embarrassed. Jeff was apologetic and somewhat nonplussed by the situation as well. They left the house and started their walk without a word. Sheila finally broke the silence by breaking out in laughter. She made light of her finally coming out of the closet. Jeff was impressed with her sense of humor. He reached for her hand and she readily grasped his. They continued their walk, hand in hand, and conversed for another good hour.

As they were returning to the house, Sheila took the initiative and caught Jeff by surprise with a query.

Well, are you going to ask me for my phone number?

Actually, Jeff had no such plan. He liked her but hadn’t yet considered a continuation of their newborn relationship. The alcohol responded.

Absolutely, you beat me to the punch.

She wrote down her number on a note pad from her pocketbook, handed it over and followed up with a more problematic request.

And your number?

Jeff’s phone number was definitely not from Ithaca. Fortunately, his creativity kicked into gear.

Well, my roommate didn’t pay the phone bill. I can give you the number but it won’t do you much good.

Will you promise to call me?

Yes, I will.

To make a long story short, Jeff accepted Cornell’s offer, visited Sheila back in Ithaca in May and confessed his real age and college status. He brought along a copy of the Cornell acceptance letter which seemed to assuage her initial skepticism. Despite his deception, she agreed to attend his senior prom.

Over time, Jeff learned that Sheila’s parents were divorced and that her father was an abusive alcoholic. Unlike him, she had experienced a tumultuous upbringing. He admired how she had managed to keep her life on an even keel.

Sheila also came along just as Jeff started to mature sexually. He was a Catholic and had seriously considered entering the priesthood. How things changed once the hormones finally kicked in. His priestly inclinations were replaced by carnal desires. Sheila more than satisfied those new found cravings. She made sure that Jeff never felt the urge to seek satisfaction elsewhere. Her strategy was most effective. By the end of his freshman year, he was in love.

Jeff managed to survive the grueling engineering curriculum at Cornell. Although he had scored an 800 on his math SAT, he discovered that theoretical math, physics and engineering were just not his cup of tea. Jeff did quite well through the first three semesters but hit a rather thick and painful wall during the second half of his sophomore year. He was required to complete a physics course in electromagnetism while enduring multi-variable calculus the same semester. During the first week of the physics course, the professor did a quick review of multi-variable calculus. Jeff realized he was in some serious trouble. Lectures consisted of copying down mind numbing differential equations non-stop for fifty minutes. Although he survived the course, he began to doubt the viability of his career choice. The next crisis occurred after completion of his junior year. He was informed during the summer that both of his roommates of the previous two years had been asked to pursue other academic options. Despite their example, he managed to hang on and graduate on schedule.

Jeff achieved much better results on the gridiron. In fact, his football performance was inversely related to his academic achievements. He rode the bench for the majority of his first two years. Dissatisfied with his status, he took the initiative and requested a transfer from the offensive line to the defensive side. His strategy proved to be fortuitous as he became a varsity starter at defensive tackle both his last two seasons and was selected first team All-Ivy his senior year. Jeff even received a letter of interest from the Cincinnati Bengals. However, he recognized that he had neither the size nor the killer instinct necessary for professional football.

The bottom line was that he had spent four years and a lot of his father’s money finding out what he didn’t want to do for a career. He considered going straight to graduate school in business but decided that it made more sense to get his feet wet first. Sheila had pressed for marriage immediately after his graduation. Uncomfortable with his employment situation, Jeff managed to deflect her ongoing pleas by agreeing to live together. He moved into her apartment in New Jersey where she had found her first job. Despite the fact that his parents liked Sheila, they objected strenuously to the new living arrangement. When he mentioned their objection to her, she was a tad pissed off. She directed him to inform them that it was none of their fucking business. Having decided that he wanted to live with her for the rest of his life, Jeff agreed. However, he expressed her sentiment to his parents a bit more diplomatically.

After settling in, Jeff took the train into New York City to begin his job search. It took only a week to receive a job offer from a business that sold office printing equipment. He would be selling an automated high quality duplicating system to businesses in a Manhattan territory. Surprising even himself, he managed to place his first machine after just three weeks. It was installed three weeks later. Another three weeks after installation, he was called into the office of the manager, Stan Levi, who had ordered the machine. His words were still indelibly etched in Jeff’s memory.

Mr. Collins, this machine has been a complete embarrassment to me. I think they’re starting to call this Levi’s folly behind my back.

Much to his dismay, both the machine and his commission were recalled. Despite this first unmitigated failure, Jeff managed to land a second customer a month later. This customer’s experience wasn’t much better. He called one day to find out how the machine was functioning. The office manager’s response was unsettling to say the least.

Your service guy just left. His parting words were ‘I can’t fix the damn thing.’

Jeff’s very next call was to a head hunter. By chance, one of the head hunter’s associates had a high level personal connection with a company in the equipment finance business that was conveniently located only twenty minutes from his apartment in New Jersey. They were seeking someone with a math or technical background. It was a case of being in the right place at the right time. He landed the job with one interview.

Giving up the city commute, New York State and City taxes and a depressing job provided Jeff a new lease on life. Feeling much more comfortable, he finally bought an engagement ring. Sheila was ecstatic and they were married the following June. Their first child was born a couple years later. Sheila quit work to become a full time mom, and Jeff began a night school MBA program. A second son arrived during those studies. He remembered long nights with Sheila typing up papers between breast feedings. The completion of his three year program was followed by the birth of their third and final son.

Despite his full time work and occasional travel schedule, he managed to participate in most of his son’s activities. He coached soccer, basketball, football and baseball on and off for many years. He also participated in the YMCA Indian Guides program with all three. In fact, he was awarded a trophy at his eleventh consecutive summer campout in recognition of his steadfast support for the program and his sons. All three were now graduated from college and living on their own.

Sheila went back to work when their youngest reached high school. She started processing health insurance claims and was quickly promoted to a manager position. The hours were long and the pay was less than generous but she loved the work. The money paid for her clothes and vacations. It also provided her with independence and self value.

While exercise was addictive to Jeff, Sheila seemed to be allergic to it. Three babies and a sedentary lifestyle had taken a rather serious toll on her figure. As a result, sex had become less than enticing.

Sheila and Jeff lived in a four bedroom colonial in a very pleasant New Jersey suburb and enjoyed a comfortable life. They experienced a typical marital relationship. They had disagreements on a regular basis but one of them eventually ended up apologizing and they always slept together in the same bed.

Back to the present, Jeff had already concluded that it was prudent to simplify their lives by selling the house, banking the money and renting a condo. Without job security, they needed to reduce financial obligations. Sheila wasn’t too excited about the prospect but he was confident that she would see the light. When it came to managing money, Sheila was out of her league. Spending it was her favorite pastime. He had already set up a trust so that if he passed away, the estate would be managed by a trustee paid to protect her financial security.

In summary, his life had become mundane and uninspired. Clearly, he needed a change. He had sacrificed and worked hard all his life and needed some payback.

Erin

As she was applying makeup and staring at her image in the mirror, Erin recollected when she sat in the exact same chair preparing for her first Carnival performance some four years earlier. She had just turned eighteen and the financial burden of taking care of her mother and younger sister required some serious income. Her best friend suggested they pursue the only business that would generate some quick and potentially substantial revenue… exotic dancing. New, young and attractive women were always in demand. Within a week, they became independent contractors at Carnival, a relatively upscale operation. She remembered both the excitement and nervousness of her first engagement. Despite the awkwardness of stripping naked for a group of leering men for the first time, she not only survived but generated several hundred dollars. The awkwardness dissipated over the following week and Erin quickly became a popular and successful attraction. Her good looks and personality proved to be a winning combination. She worked four shifts a week and was soon averaging five hundred for each shift. She always asked for top dollar and knew she was worth it. The money kept her motivated and hustling for business.

Over time, Erin honed her skills and learned to focus her attention on the customers that she sensed were financially endowed as well as respectful. There were dancers and then there were strippers. The strippers sold their bodies, engaging in sex with customers both onsite and off. Erin considered herself a professional dancer. Unlike some of her coworkers, she wasn’t looking for that night’s bed mate. It meant skipping most of the younger, better looking guys and uncovering the ones that sought an hour of fantasy. While her great body and looks provided the initial attraction, it was her gift for conversation that resulted in repeat VIP room clients that kept her coffers full and her time on the stage at a minimum. It also meant terminating sessions that got out of control. There were no second warnings when hands wandered where they didn’t belong.

Now, it had become no more than a