Tai Anne Roper

by Nicole Sutter

It didn't.

Instead, Tai Anne Roper burned her way through Silicon Valley, up the peninsula and onto the James Lick Freeway and into San Francisco.

The City. God how she loved it. Oh, she loved LA, and all the magic it held. But if Los Angeles was like Disneyland, then San Fran was like... Oz.

She got off the James Lick at 4th, and proceeded west on Geary to Union Square, a block wide, downtown park surrounded by high-end jewelers, clothiers, department stores and skyscrapers. McClintock was staying at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel located a block up at Powell and Sutter.

The Sir Francis Drake was one of the old Grand Hotels of a bygone era. Tai was savvy enough to use the underground car park beneath Union Square. She then jogged up Powell Street --racing a cable car all the way-- and nodded to the doorman dressed in the Beefeater's uniform who opened the brass and glass door that led to the Sir Francis' ritzy art deco lobby.

A concierge waited behind a teakwood desk big enough to land an F-16 on, looking distressed at her dusty cycle leathers.

"Can I... help you?" He asked. He had a Brit accent and reminded Tai of John Cleese and the Ministry of Silly Walks.

"Tai Anne Roper, I have an appointment with Matthew McClintock."

"I believe you had an appointment at noon." The concierge looked at his pocket watch. "Seeing how it is now 12:51 in the afternoon, I will call and let him know you have at last graced him with your presence."

"Well, la-dee-dah!" Tai replied. She brushed herself off with her gloves while he made the call.

"Mr.. McClintock will see you," he said. "Take the express elevator to the 18th floor."

"Great. Which room?"

The concierge sighed. "When Mr. McClintock stays with us, he takes the entire 18th floor."

"Well, raise my rent!" Tai swallowed and went off to find the elevator.

The express elevator shot her up 18 stories like a bullet from a gun. As she stepped off the lift still a little wobbly, she found herself surrounded by two giants. A boy giant behind her and a girl giant in front of her.

Both were dressed in California casual. Pressed Khakis and green knit golf shirts. A monogram on the left breast of each identified them as employees of McClintock Industries.

The man was at least six foot six, with muscles layered over muscles. He had a long mane of blond hair, piercing blue eyes and looked like da Ah'nold's stronger brother.

The woman was blond as well, with the same piercing blue eyes. She was shorter at around six foot three or so. She too had the same big, greasy slabs of muscle as the man. Maybe they were related, or at least had the same pharmacist.

"Hiya!" Tai said. "I'm here to... Jiminy Crickets!!!"

Tai gulped as she was grabbed around the wrists by the man behind her and easily lifted about 10 inches off the ground, her arms straight overhead and her body stretched.

"Do not be ah-lahmed," The man said in a German accent that reminded her of 'Hogans's Heroes'. "Vee must search all who see Mitter McClintock. Ya?"

"Ya, ya!" The woman said as she stood in front of Tai and looked into her eyes. "Mein name es Gretel."

"Lemme guess," Tai twisted her head about to look at the man. "Hansel?"

"Ya-volt!" He replied as Gretel quickly and very throughly ran her hands over Tai's body. Tai gasped as her hands squeezed her breasts through her sweater, her thumbs finding her nipples quite nicely, thank you. Twice in one day? Tai thought. Mebbe I need to get some Xena breastplates...

Gretel bent down and ran her hands over Tai's tight leathered hips, legs and ankles. She checked Tai's big Biker's wallet and other incidentals in her pockets while Hansel held her suspended in the air with ease. Tai looked up and tried to struggle in the grip of the Hansel. He laughed.

"Are you alright, libschen?" the woman eased in close to Tai's face. She was smiling, her breath warm against her lips. Hanging there, overwhelmed by nameless emotions, Tai did the only thing she could think of doing.

She kissed Gretel.

Hansel gasped and almost dropped her. Gretel backed off, wiping her lips with the back of her hand.

"Release her," Gretel whispered. Hansel gently let Tai back to the ground. "Comen ze..."

Tai followed Gretel down the long, hotel corridor to Room 1812. The Presidential Suite.

"I'm sorry," Tai offered.

"You have notink to apologize for, libschen," Gretal smiled, just before hammering on the door.

"Enter!"

Tai, Hansel und Gretel entered a massive suite that had picture windows looking out over the north side of The City, giving them a stunning vista of the both Russian and Nob Hills, Coit Tower and the TransAmerica Tower.

The suite itself was worthy of a king. Money and power always led to the finer things in life. At least for awhile.

"You must be Tai Anne Roper." The man who had been practicing his putting strode forward to greet her. Hansel und Gretel disappeared.

And that's when Tai Anne Roper fell in love.

Before then, she had of course loved people, or rather, grown to love them. But never before had she simply fallen in love.

The man was a shade over six feet, rugged and handsome looking. Not Hollywood handsome, or Eurotrash handsome either, but just handsome in that way only a Real Man can be. Handsome, that is.

This handsome man held out his hand. "I'm Matt McClintock."

She knew he was fifty plus, but he looked late thirties, with a touch of salt and pepper in his short, dark hair. Hazel eyes. Strong jaw. Broad shoulders. Good body. He wore a pressed cotton shirt, black Armani pants and Italian loafers.

"Miss Roper?"

"Hmmm? Oh!" Tai realized she had been staring at him moony-eyed for several seconds. At least she hadn't drooled all over herself. She shook hands with him.

"Let's talk," he smiled at her, leading the way to an old, large desk that was probably owned by General Fremont or somebody. A state of the art pc notebook was on the desk, running some programs.

McClintock closed the notebook and looked at her.

"You're late."

"I'm always late, but I'm worth it!" Tai grinned.

McClintock looked up at her, frowning.

"My apologies... sir," Tai said, suddenly feeling like she was 12 years old. "If there is some way I could make it up..."

"I'm an old fashioned kinda guy, Miss Roper," McClintock said. "Not very... PC. I believe that a woman's place is in the home, seeing to her man and raising their children."

"Hooooookay," Tai said.

"No disrespect intended," McClintock said. "I have hundreds of women in my employ who have no desire for family or children, and the huge salaries I pay them makes me immune to the special rules I apply to them."

Tai sighed, aware that her biker jacket seemed too tight. She unbuckled it. "Su-Such as?"

"Penalties... for not doing their job. Or being late to an appointment. I don't like being kept waiting, Miss Roper."

"Hey, w-who the hell does?" She giggled nervously.

"I once had a secretary who was late for an important conference," McClintock said. "I gave her the option of termination, or to be taken across my lap for a good, hard spanking."

"Wow," Tai said.

"She took her punishment... and has been five minutes early to every appointment since then."

"Did she enjoy it?" Tai smiled, moving closer to him.

McClintock turned and stood next to her. "No. She was sobbing and begging me to stop. She had her skirt up and her panties down and a very red bottom."

"Oh."

"This isn't a game with me, Miss Roper. This is my world, and my rules."

"Yessir." Tai straightened her shoulders, almost standing at attention before him. "Then perhaps I too deserve a... punishment."

"Really?" Now he smiled. "Be careful, Ms. Roper. Don't let your mouth write a check your pretty bottom can't cash."

"I'll take that chance, sir."

"Fine." He took a long wooden ruler off the desk and flexed it once in his strong hands. "Please place your hands in front of you, palms outward."

Tai obeyed.

"No... on second thought, palms downward."

Again Tai obeyed.

McClintock put the ruler down and gently took her right hand into his and kissed the knuckle.

"Consider yourself forgiven, Ms. Roper."

"Thank you, sir." She was blushing.

"Now, can we discuss my missing daughter?"

***
They sat down at his desk.

"Anything to drink?"

"A diet anything with ice, sir."

"That's all the paperwork on Jessica's disappearance." He nodded at three big folders on his desk as he got a can of Diet Coke from the bar and poured her a glass with lots of ice. "SFPD, Feds and private investigators."

Tai Anne Roper flipped through the papers. Lots of interviews, pics and footwork. All for nothing.

"I'll save you some reading." McClintock handed her the drink. "On Wednesday morning, my 19 year old daughter Jessica left her sorority house near McCloud University. She drove in her car to the City to visit with me for a few days, knowing I would be here on business thru Monday. She registered at the Motorlodge Motel in North Beach..."

"Why didn't she stay with you, here?" Tai asked. "You seem to have plenty of space."

"She wouldn't hear of it!" McClintock said. "She's 19! A grown woman." He shook his head. "'Quit treating me like a lil girl, Dad!' is her favorite phrase of late."

"Go on."

"Wednesday night, Jessica and I went to La Folie, a restaurant on Russian Hill. We had a great time. She talked about school, her life, boyfriends... nothing seemed wrong." He sighed. "I dropped her off around 11 pm at the Motorlodge. She said she was going right to sleep, and would meet me here at the Sir Francis around noon for a daytrip on the yacht."

"And then?"

She called around eleven the next morning, said she couldn't make it. I said I understood. She said she would call about dinner that night. She never called." He looked out the window. "It took most of Thursday night and all day Friday to get the police and the Feds jump-started, even when I lit a fire under their lazy asses."

"The authorities like to wait 24 hours on missing persons cases involving adults, when there is no sign of a struggle. Most of the time it means wasted manpower when the missing person comes bopping back home."

"Well, my Jessica didn't come bopping back home!" McClintock growled.

"And nothing since then?"

"Nothing. Jessica has been missing," he looked at his Rolex. "for 49 hours. No ransom demands. No clues whatsoever."

"I notice the Feds aren't here to listen in on your phone calls."

"And they won't be either," McClintock said. "But that isn't your concern. If this is a straight kidnap for ransom then I have all my bases covered. You're here in case its something... else."

"Like a runaway?"

"That. Or some guy she met who just swept her off her feet. Christ, who knows."

Tai thought for a second. "When she called you Thursday to cancel your noon date, where was she calling from?"

"Who knows."

"The police would," Tai looked over the files. "If there is one thing you can be sure of, it is that every call can traced... ah!" She squinted at the paper. "Does Jessica have a cellphone?"

"God yes. She lives on it!"

"Well why didn't she use it?" Tai asked. "When the cops traced the call she made to you, it came from a Pacific Bell payphone at Grant and Stockton."

"That's Chinatown," McClintock said. He grinned at her. "And that's why I'm hiring you! You have a fresh take on this. Hell, you can't be much older than my daughter!"

Actually, I'm 19 as well, sir." Tai replied.

"All the better." he went to the desk and handed her a thick envelope. "Here, you'll find a McClintock company Visa card with a 25 thousand dollar limit. Use it for all your expenses. Also there's five thousand dollars in cash. Use it however you see fit. Consider yourself on retainer to me personally for... $800 dollars a day?"

"Tha-tha... Thats... good." Tai managed.

"There's a number in there to call if anybody with a badge gives you any crap. And if you need plainsclothes backup, I can have my security people anywhere in metro SF in fifteen minutes."

"Good to know."

"This is fantastic!" He grinned. "For the first time since Jessica disappeared, I feel some honest to God hope!"

That's when he took her by the shoulders and kissed her. Tai tried to kiss back but she was too busy trying to keep her insides from melting.

"Wooooo..." McClintock pulled gently back. "I am sorry, Miss Roper. I shouldn't have..."

"Sure you should've." Tai arched forward and kissed him back. It wasn't her first kiss, but it was her first Man Kiss.

In all the years, and all the wild situations she had gotten herself into, she had never before kissed a man on the lips with romantic intent.

Until now.

Tai eased back, licking her lips.

"Damn... creamed my leathers again," Tai whispered. Then her face went deep crimson as she realized she had spoken aloud.

"That's... alright... Tai." McClintock held her tight as she snuggled into him. t was the first time he had used her first name.

***
Ten minutes later, Tai exited the bathroom of McClintock's suite, pulling at her tight leathers.

"Feeling... ah, better?" McClintock asked. He was standing behind the bar with a glass of straight whisky in his hand.

"Yessir," Tai replied. "And I am sorry for my unprofessional conduct."

"Nonsense," McClintock replied. "I made the first move." He paused. "If you think you might have trouble working for me because of this..."

"No sir!" Tai stepped forward. "If anything, I want to find your daughter more than ever! I will find Jessica for you, sir! I promise!"

"Good. Thank you, Tai."

She smiled. "I should be going now. I have several leads I want to check out."

"Fine," McClintock replied. "I would walk you to the door... but it might be better if I stayed behind this bar for another... ahem, few minutes."

"Oh? Oh!" Tai's face colored again. "Goodbye then, sir. I'll contact you when I learn something."

"Why not tonight?" McClintock said quickly.

"Say... Eightish?"

"Sir?"

"I am having a small, intimate dinner party up in the Starlight Room here at the Sir Francis tonight. I was going to cancel. But frankly, I need to blow off some... uh, steam."

"Eightish... is good." Tai whispered.

"And don't be late!" McClintock said with mock anger.

"Will I get a spanking?" Tai asked.

"You might get a lot more," McClintock said. "Where are you staying? I'll have my driver pick you up in the limo."

"I'll be at the Motorlodge Motel in North Beach," Tai replied. "Staying in your daughter's room if I can manage it."

"Good idea." He paused. "Tai..."

"Yessir?"

"Be careful. I wouldn't want you to disappear either."

Tai Anne Roper smirked. "Don't worry about me, Sir!"

She then proceeded to walk smack dab into the closed front door. She got knocked on her ass, and McClintock had to help her up and put some wrapped ice cubes on her face for a nasty nosebleed.

It wasn't the smoothest of exits.

Main Menu

Back to Friends Page

Back to Stories Page