Chapter Five: Eyes Wide Shut
Daylight shone through the windows. Corrine woke up and looked around her "Wow, what a night." she said. A quick glance around the room confirmed that she and Sasha had simply crashed on their return. Neither one had changed clothes, and Sasha had not even bothered to take off her shoes. Corrine took a quick glance in the mirror and sighed- she looked a mess. Rode hard and put away wet as her grandfather would have observed sagely from behind his pipe.
Sasha stirred, and Corrine gently shook her companion. "Wake up, Sasha." she said.
Sasha's eyes slowly opened, then she looked around the room. "How long have we been asleep?" she wondered.
"Almost 10 hours." Corrine replied, already undressing for the shower. She wrapped herself in a towel and walked to the bathroom. The water started moments later.
"Okay, at least were refreshed and alert, but what do we do today."
"Beyond getting that air-tank back!?" Corrine raised her voice to be heard over the shower.
"Well, we need to find out about our friends from yesterday." Sasha reasoned. "The ones that boarded us, that is. I figure they're probably in with the Yorskshires."
"Yeah, too bad we didn't any names!" Corrine added with a laugh.
"So we mix and mingle and ask a few questions ? Make it look like we're working on our tans while we find those Bikini Bandits."
"Pretty much."
"Well I'm starving- so food is on my mind just now," Corrine said, merging from the bathroom in a plume of sweet-smelling steam, rubbing out her hair with another towel.
"Room service?" Sasha asked, lifting the phone.
"My thoughts exactly." Corrine said nodding.
After a hearty meal, Sasha and Corrine were departing their bungalow brightly colored bikinis and sarong skirts. Each carried a beach bag containing more than just sunscreen and beach towels. The girls wandered the beaches for a while, stopping only to chat with a few locals and take pictures with Sasha's camera. After a while they came upon a small beach bar designed to resemble a grass hut, with several little parasoled tables set around on its concrete slab. Several bikini-clad waitress were at work there.
“Looks good to me, I'm parched.” Sasha said.
Corrine ordered a pitcher of iced tea and two glasses and as they sat down at a table, Doctor Anna Wells came by. She wore a blue one-piece swimsuit under a knee length khaki skirt, and sandals.
“Missed you at the party, last night.” Corrine said sharply.
“Beg pardon?” Dr. Wells asked, wide-eyed.
“Last night, we received an invitation to a party being held by the owner of the resort and you, Dr. Wells.” Sasha said.
“There must be some mistake,” Dr Wells replied, genuinely shocked, “I don't even know the owners.”
“Well regardless, we walked into a trap put together by our old friends, The Yorkshires.”
Anna gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. "Good heavens!" she exclaimed " Are you two alright? Should I call the police?."
"An occupational hazard." Sasha said.”Obviously they were using your name to help lure us there.”
" But still - to think two criminals like that know I'm here at the resort, alone.”
“You might want to switch your accommodations, Doctor.” Sasha advised,” you'd make a valuable hostage for the Yorkshires.”
“I think I'll do that, right now.” Dr. Wells said with a nod and walked quickly back the way she had come.
Sasha then smirked and shook her head.
“What's on your mind, Sasha ? ”
“It's probably nothing.” Sasha said. The girls finished the tea, Corrine tipped the waitress a 20, and the two sleuths continued wandering the beach.
Somewhere on the beach, someone slipped some coins into a pay phone and called Percival Yorkshire....
"My air tank should be today too, " Corrine said "We'd better pick in up."
"Good idea,." Sasha said. "I want to get a little diving in later if we can. But first, a little souvenir shopping."
Sasha and Corrine stopped at a gift shop by the beach that was close to the diving shop where the air tank was being fixed, looking causally over the merchandise. The girls separated in their wandering, Sasha being drawn to a collection of over-priced bottled sand paintings and Corrine toward the postcard and sunglasses racks. As Corrine was looking over the post card rack in the gift shop, she spotted two young women, both blondes . They wore white cotton shorts and matching red bikini tops. Corrine reached over and angled the sunglasses try-out mirror so she could see the pair better. The girls certainly were familiar. Corrine risked a quick turn and looked at the pair. One of them was looking straight at her, nudged her partner and the two departed quickly. Corrine picked out two cards and paid for them.
After putting her new purchases into her beach bag, and not spotting Sasha in immediate speaking distance, Corrine set out after the two women. She'd seen the door they had left through and a brief glance showed which direction they were heading. Corrine maintained a discreet distance while trailing the pair, walking at a pace that would ensure she could be close enough to notice any change in direction. The duo had made a full circle and came back to the bungalows of the same resort the girls were staying at. At one of the first buildings, the duo entered. Corrine waited briefly, then cautiously approached the bungalow. On arrival, she looked around before checking the door. It was unlocked, so she let herself in.
She closed the front door without making a sound. She then took a step and heard the one of her flip-flops slap against the sole of her foot. It wasn't terribly loud, but no sound is welcome when moving around in secret. As she slid off the sandals, she glanced out the sliding doors. The two women, she followed were out back sunning themselves with another woman. All were topless, eyes closed and apparently oblivious. Corrine looked around the living room . There also appeared to be a working kitchen, two bedrooms, and the bathroom contained a shower stall and hot tub and a full-sized bath tub.
Corrine crept into the nearest bedroom. It was most likely the master bedroom, as it contained a king bed. She looked around and was impressed by the satin sheets and crisp linen. What impressed her was the bowl of Andes thin mints beside on the night stand. She couldn't resist taking one and sampling it. She then noticed a protective case for eyeglasses lying beside the dish. She doubted there would be any glasses inside, perhaps she could get a name off the case. As she picked it she was surprised there still was a pair inside. She slid it out, a pair with dark plastic frames.
Something was wrong, she noted. From her experience, she knew such frames were gauche, especially for somebody with the cash to afford this luxury. She opened up the arms and inspected the lenses. Sure enough, they were no different than window glass. They looked familiar as well. Her mind raced to put the equation together,- Doctor Anna Wells...
...Who was now standing in the bedroom doorway. "Hello Corrine!" she said cheerily "So nice to see you again"
Corrine tried to run for it, but was she was grabbed quickly and held tightly. Doctor Wells then clamped a hand over Corrine's mouth. "I don't want to hurt you." she said calmly. "But if you force me, I will."
Corrine nodded, then was dragged toward an armchair Doctor Wells' two companions were setting up in the middle of the living room. She mentally cursed herself as she felt Anna's arm around her bare waist. It had been a trap all along. Once at the chair Anna let go and Corrine sat down. She also got a good look at her. It wasn't the lack of the glasses or that Anna's light brown hair now cascaded freely beyond her shoulders that Corrine found so different. It was the bikini bottom and white tied off blouse were the surprise, revealing a splendid figure that a model wouldn't mind having.
"I believe introductions are in order." Doctor Wells said. "Corrine Ricce, meet Sylvia and Ilsa. "
Corrine looked the two over. They had each thrown on some kind of wrap. Sylvia had short hair and Ilsa long. "I doubt that they're you personal trainer and Swedish masseuse." Corrine said.
Anna chuckled "True, but they are with me. Ever hear of the Bikini Bandits?"
"Once or Twice."
"Meet a Charter member. It payed for my Ph.D, and now I maintain a discreet gem smuggling operation."
"As in lost Inca treasures?" Corrine surmised.
"Exactly, but that's not why I tried to warn you and Sasha off. Its the fact. I'll have admit, you two are faring very well, until Percival and Bianca Yorkshire decided to tip their heavy hand into all this. "
“So you are partnered in this?” Corrine asked.
“Yes, those two criminals have their uses, such as keeping any suspicions focused on themselves instead of me. You know interestingly, I offered them 250 grand to help me out with this little endeavor, but when they heard they were going to get their hands on you and your detective friend, they said they'd galadly help me out for free. You must have really pissed them off. ”
Sylvia and Ilsa returned with a huge canvas bag. "Here you are, Anna." Ilsa said.
"Thank you." Anna said "You two are so helpful, but you need to work on a few things. Like tying women up. Hold her down."
Ilsa and Sylvia then rushed forward and pinned Corrine to the chair. Anna took some rope from the bag and tied each wrist to an arm of the chair. That done, she carefully secured a wide belt of rope around Corrine's waist and then tied each of Corrine's knees and ankles to a chair leg. After the second leg was bound, Anna ran a hand up one of Corrine's calves.
"Nice." she said. "You must use the same skin cream I do."
“Don't touch me !” Corrine snapped, lurching ineffectually in the chair. Doctor Wells grinned wickedly.
She picked up a small plastic bag. "I'm so glad I thought of now. Something to make sure that pretty mouth of yours stays shut." She opened the bag and took out a small foam rubber ball. Corrine twisted her head, and slammed her jaws shut. Anna took hold of Corrine's pony tail and said. "Don't make this difficult. I might not want to hurt you, but I can't say the same for my two companions."
Corrine reluctantly opened her mouth and Anna stuffed in the foam rubber ball. The two locked eyes. Ilsa and Sylvia each handed Anna a brightly colored silk scarf. Anna used as a gag, tying the fabric tightly over Corrine's stuffed mouth, the other she made and used as a blindfold. "There," she said happily, "She's completely helpless. She can't kick or yell, and her hands are in no position to use sharp objects, which she can't see to use anyway."
"What about that detective ?" Sylvia asked "The same for her?"
"No. Different person, different trap."
Sasha had in the meantime picked up the air tank and returned to the bungalow. Corrine's disappearance worried her. The phone rang. "Yes" She said expectantly.
"Oh, Sasha, thank God its you!" came the voice on the other end.
"Doctor Wells?" Sasha said in a puzzled voice.
"I think Corrine might be in trouble."
When it came to Corrine and trouble, might was an understatement. Nevertheless, Sasha tried to stay calm when she said "How so?"
"I saw a man and a woman grab her. I'm sure it was the Yorkshires. I think they spotted me, so I left quickly."
"Where are you now?"
"Bungalow Three. And please hurry."
"I'll be right there."
As Sasha walked along she started to wonder about the call. Anna had sounded a bit melodramatic. What if Anna had casually encountered Corrine at the gift shop and somehow lured her to the bungalow? As a result, she approached it cautiously, lurking about the vegetation planted around it to conceal things from prying eyes. she slipped in among the leaves and branches, catching her sarong-style skirt once and only briefly. She had a good view of sliding doors and saw a figure seated in a chair. This figure moved but could not get up from the chair. It could only be Corrine. As Sasha watched, she saw Anna moving toward the doors.
I'd better leave, Sasha thought. She'd only taken a step backward, when she saw the two blonde women behind her, one of them had a gun in her hand. "I can explain this.” She began calmly enough.
“Never mind, detective.” the girl with the gun said, cocking back the hammer.
"Sasha, you might as well give yourself up." Doctor Wells said " Neither you nor Corrine will be harmed if you give come quietly."
Seeing herself outnumbered, out-gunned and trapped, Sasha gave in. Once in the room, she called Corrine's name. Her companion shot upright, as if rescue was at hand but Anna said. "Sorry, Corrine, but Sasha can't help you now." Even as Anna spoke, Sylvia and Ilsa were setting out another chair opposite the one Corrine occupied. "See if you two can't do the same for her." Doctor Wells told her two assistants as she indicated Sasha.
Sasha was placed in the chair and the two women went to work. They matched their mentor's work perfectly, right down to the gag and blindfold. "Very good." Anna said.
"Should we get the boat ready?" Sylvia asked.
"We should leave them here until dark." Ilsa advised.
"Go out and get the get boat and have it off the cove." Anna advised "I'll take them out after dark. Once we're all out on the boat, then we can all enjoy ourselves."
She then stood between the two chairs. "Now you two girls just sit tight, you're going to be here quite a while."