Inner Circle (22 page)

On the evening of the third day she was glad to see Nora fold up the cot and take it away. She returned with a plain black knee length skirt, a pink cashmere sweater, a strand of pearls, matching earrings, and a pair of black leather pumps. “Doctor see you in study. Eight o’clock. I come back,” Nora informed her. Kathy’s heart sank. But, she reasoned, they really couldn’t hold her here against her will. They might start playing the notes again, might pull her back into the place where she had no will or at best had very little. She’d have to fight against it. At the sound of the first note, she’d force herself to concentrate on something else, plug her ears with cotton, scream. She wouldn’t let these madmen pull her toward that place she was determined never to visit again.

The clothes fit perfectly. She applied conservative make-up and waited anxiously for Nora to return. Instead of Nora, it was Mrs. Foster who opened the door. She smiled slightly seeing the fear in Kathy’s eyes. Without saying a word, she indicated Kathy was to follow her.

Once more she was seated opposite Doctor Gruber, his polished oak desk between them. She was struck by how he resembled a tall, thin corpse. His waxy skin seemed to absorb the light. His long white fingers were folded impassively on the dark desktop. “Ah, Mrs. Ryan!” he exclaimed as if he was surprised to see her. “You look lovely as usual. I’m sure you’ve recovered from your recent minor abrasions.” Without waiting for her to respond, he continued, “Tell me, have you been bothered by the notes, the petit-sonata?”

“No, Doctor. I haven’t heard them at all.”

“Yes, I haven’t employed them these past days. Although they help me to control you in a limited way, I wanted you to be absolutely free and independent for our meeting this evening.”

“Control me in a limited way!” Kathy exclaimed, “I would have said they give you excessive control. They take away my will entirely. I…I’m nothing but a robot…a mindless slave!” Her eyes flashed with anger.

“I suppose from your point of view, that’s how it must seem. But, as I keep reminding you, if you were strongly, I mean very strongly opposed to the suggestions I made, you would not act on them.”

“I don’t wish to offend you Doctor, but, frankly, I don’t believe you. I couldn’t have…couldn’t have,” she was unable to finish.

“In any case, I have no intention of playing the petit-sonata again. I could easily do that or drug you and turn you into an obedient zombie like Jamie, but where’s the challenge? It’s my wish that you choose to remain with us, that you elect of your own free will to become a permanent member of our little family.” Kathy started to object, but he held up a hand to stop her. “I insist that you stay two more days. After that, you’re free to walk out of here with my promise that there will be no more discordant bells to haunt your sleeping or waking hours.”

Kathy had already made up her mind to escape in the middle of the night if possible, but agreed to Gruber’s terms hoping he wouldn’t feel it necessary to lock her in. “Yes, Doctor, I’ll stay but just two days. And one more condition, I don’t want to see...”

“Who? Frederick or Negra?” he interrupted.

Kathy hesitated, “Neither,” she said, “but especially Frederick.”

“Very well. He’s furious with you. He’s been in a rage for the past two days. He wants me to allow him to whip you and, my dear, if that were to come to pass, it would take at least a week for you to heal. I must admit, the young man can be dangerous.”

“But why? Why is he angry with me?”

“It seems that for some reason beyond knowing, Negra has transferred his loyalty from Frederick to you. Frederick treasures the dog’s unswerving obedience and devotion more than Jamie’s. Since your trip to the basement, Negra has refused to obey Frederick and has also refused to eat. He just lies on the floor of his cage and whimpers. If he doesn’t start eating, I’m afraid he might die.”

Kathy recalled the dog’s frantic barking as she was being whipped. “I’m sorry,” she said.

“Perhaps you’d be kind enough to pay him a visit? I have a feeling that if he sees that you’re all right, he may give up his hunger strike.”

“No, Doctor, I don’t really,” she paused.

Gruber leaned across his desk. “If the animal doesn’t begin to eat, Frederick might give the order to have him shot. Quite honestly, Mrs. Ryan, the dog’s life is literally in your hands.”

Kathy wondered if this were another trick, a strategy to keep her here. However Gruber seemed earnest. She shook her head “Very well, but nothing like…like what happened. I’ll just let him see that I’m all right.”

“Of course, just to say ‘hello’ nothing more. Frederick is so angry he wants me to have the animal destroyed. But I’ve become somewhat fond of the dog, and he is such a magnificent specimen.”

Going down in the elevator, Gruber turned to her, “You, too, are a magnificent specimen, Mrs. Ryan. Somehow you look even more beautiful now than you did when you arrived just a few days ago. Perhaps our climate agrees with you. Or is it something else?”

Kathy said nothing. The door slid open. Negra scrambled up as soon as he caught her scent. When he saw her he yelped like a puppy and his stubby tail began to wag vigorously. Kathy stepped closer to the pen and said softly, “There, there, Negra. You see I’m okay.” Mona emerged from the shadows with a large pan of dry food that she shoved through a door at the bottom of the cage. Negra didn’t take his eyes from Kathy, his short tail seemed to be shaking his massive body.

His yelping subsided to a happy whimper as Kathy approached. Standing next to the cage, she reached out to stroke his nose that he’d pushed through one of the openings. His head was almost level with hers. She looked into his big black eyes and almost burst into tears. “Eat, Negra, please eat,” she said. He did, hungrily, glancing up at her with every few bites. When the bowl was empty, he once more shoved his snout through the opening. She smiled and petted him. “Good boy, Negra, good boy,” she said.

A slight smile crossed Gruber’s face, “I do believe, Mrs. Ryan, you’ve saved the animal’s life, at least for now.” Kathy gave the dog a pat on the head then turned back with Gruber to the elevator. Negra whimpered and whined. “He’s very fond of you,” Gruber said.

“Please, Doctor Gruber, don’t let him be harmed,” Kathy said.

They stepped out into his study. “I make no promises, Mrs. Ryan, surely you must know that by now.”

On her way back to her room behind Mrs. Foster, Kathy was troubled by the idea that the dog might be destroyed because of her. What a vindictive, spoiled, absolutely despicable man Gruber’s nephew was. She reminded herself that he was also psychotic, a certifiable lunatic.

As soon as Mrs. Foster left, Kathy tried the door. It was unlocked. She packed her clothes and cosmetics, putting the things she was wearing in the suitcase along with the black gown, the heels, and the pale violet baby-doll nighty. She dressed in the yellow suit she’d worn on the trip and placed the flat sandals beside the bed. She would wait until two o’clock in the morning and try to escape. Rheinbeck couldn’t be more than ten miles away. There was over five hundred dollars in cash in her wallet plus her credit cards. With any luck, she’d be sleeping in her own bed tomorrow night.

When she was sure no one would be up, she grabbed the small suitcase and tiptoed down the hall and the stairs fully expecting the front door to be locked. To her surprise, it wasn’t. Everything seemed too easy until she came to the main gate that was electronically sealed. The entire property was surrounded by an iron fence, the bars too close for her to slide through and too high to climb over. There had to be a back entrance for deliveries, she thought. Glad to see that no lights had come on in the chateau, she hurried across the lawns and down a path where there was, as she’d suspected, a gate that swung open as she pushed on it.

The gravel delivery road was narrow and unlit. In the pitch black she could see only a few feet in front of her. She knew it had to lead to the main road. After an hour she began to have doubts. Once headlights approached. She ducked into the bushes at the side of the road. It must be a delivery of some sort but why at such an odd time, she wondered. A half hour later the gravel road still stretched into the darkness. The only alternative to going on was to return to Gruber, and that was no alternative at all.

Suddenly from behind her the headlights appeared again. It has to be someone from town who made a delivery she reasoned. Taking a chance, she stood in the road and waved her arms. The van slowed and stopped. When she went to the passenger’s side the driver motioned for her to get in. “Oh, thank you,” she began as she slid into the seat and pulled the door closed.

Just as the van started to move, she heard a noise behind her. Before she could turn, a thick chloroformed pad was pressed hard against her nose and mouth. Blackness came immediately. Several hours later she began to revive. The strong acrid sting of the chloroform still filled her nose and mouth. She was sitting up but couldn’t move her arms or legs, which she realized, were bound to the chair. She also saw that she was completely naked. Gradually, the vague figure across from her came into focus. It was Gruber.

He smiled at her, “Please forgive me, Mrs. Ryan. I mean for the restraints. I wanted our little conference to be private and chose not to run the risk of having you become violent or attempting to run away again.”

Kathy tugged at the leather straps but they were secure and the chair was of heavy oak. “Damn you!” Kathy shouted. “You can’t keep me here. That’s kidnapping which is a federal crime. I demand that you let me go home!”

Gruber leaned back and observed her for a moment still smiling, “I remind you, Mrs. Ryan, that you came here really quite anxious to pay us a visit. I also call to your attention the fact that your behavior since your arrival has been somewhat unusual…bizarre in fact. The servants and Frederick will be happy to testify to that fact.”

“You’re crazy!” Kathy yelled. “You’re all crazy!”

Gruber went on as if he hadn’t heard her, “Then there’s the matter of a tape recording. I believe it shows Mrs. Ryan engaged in a rather intimate encounter with a rather large animal.” Kathy struggled against her bonds and was about to scream when he slammed his hand down on the desktop.

“Enough!” his voice rose. “I could have had you drugged. I could have hypnotized you so powerfully you would, indeed, have become a mindless slave. I could make the bells ring in your ears constantly day and night.” His pale face had flushed a faint pink. She’d never seen him lose his composure. He frightened her.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

He sat back in his leather chair and the ghostly pallor returned to his skull-like face. “I did not send for you Mrs. Ryan. You came to me of your own free will. But for Frederick’s sake, I’ve decided you are going to stay until we no longer wish for you to stay. Your freedom will depend on two things: first you must cooperate with us and, second, we will come to a point when we feel you no longer amuse us.”

“Cooperate in what way?”

“By freely, without drugs or hypnotic trances, providing entertainments for us and our friends here in our home and at their estates.”

Kathy felt her stomach churn. “What kind of entertainments?”

“I think you know. We’ve discussed it before.” He leaned toward her, “For our pleasure, you will, after some training, offer yourself in dramatic settings to their dogs. Before the assembled guests in grand houses both here and in England you will service the pets of our friends. The select group is composed of eight houses. We are known as ‘The Inner Circle’ and often refer to ourselves as ‘The Canine Circle’.” Kathy shook her head violently and squeezed her eyes shut. Gruber ignoring her went on, “In addition you will become Frederick’s obedient companion and, from time to time, you will mate with Negra.”

“No!” Kathy screamed, “No! God damn you! Never!”

“In time, you will come to view Negra as your Master. In the houses of each member of the Inner Circle there is a magnificent dog who has been highly trained and given a human bitch of his own. You will become Negra’s human bitch.”

Kathy looked across at him fully composed now, her eyes bright, her voice calm, “I’ll die first,” she said, “or you will.”

Gruber lifted his hand. Immediately Nora appeared on one side of her and Mrs. Foster on the other. Nora grabbed Kathy’s forearm and held it firmly while Mrs. Foster inserted a long needle just below the elbow. Kathy slumped forward, unconscious.

When she awoke she was once more in the room she’d been given upon her arrival.

Chapter Ten

Kathy awoke much as she had the day after her arrival. She was somewhat disoriented, but pleasantly excited, expectant. It was not unlike the feelings she had as a child on the mornings of her birthdays or on Christmas morning. She sensed the day would hold some happy surprises.

Quickly she got out of bed and went to the tall barred window. It was a bright, sunny day. In the distance she could seen the sun glinting off the river. The huge oak trees shaded the long circular driveway. Overhead, wispy clouds drifted through a soft blue sky. Kathy smiled and hummed a tune that sounded discordant but strangely familiar. She frowned at a vague memory, or was it a dream, about a house in some distant place where she had friends her own age. She tried hard to recall it. Her musing was interrupted by the sound of a key in the lock of her bedroom door. Mrs. Foster entered. Kathy pulled her robe tightly around her and, turning toward Mrs. Foster, stood with her head bowed. It seemed the right thing to do in the presence of Mrs. Foster.