Tai Anne Roper

by Nicole Sutter

She knew she had been lucky. Good, but lucky. She had played the damsel enough for The Wenche to let down her guard and for Fiendly to make a few mistakes. But she also knew she had come damn close to becoming overseas air freight.

Now she was motoring north on Kearny, trying to get back in the groove. OK, girl. You've got a job to do... do it.

Stopping at a red light on Sutter, she hooked her Nokia cellphone into the helmet she wore. She would be able to talk hands free while she rode, via the earphones and voice-mike wired into the interior of the helmet.

Tai first checked her voice mail. Six messages from Iwana, who was getting desperate and growly. Tai sighed. She had only been out of her sight for six hours.

She put off the inevitable and speed-dialed a friend in The City.

"Hello?"

"Jeb! Hi, guy!"

"Tai? Damn, its good to hear your voice! Where are you?"

"In The City."

"Really? Lemme look out the window... Nope, no mushroom clouds or firestorms visible. You haven't been in town for long!"

"Hardy har har. Lissen, I need a fav from you."

"Name it, beautiful."

"I need all the dirt you can dig up on Matthew McClintock. And not his Fortune 500 bio, either. Doesn't have to be for publication. Just what you think has a basis for fact."

"Gotcha. You looking for his daughter?"

"Roger that."

"Be careful. Your old buds Fiendly and Wenche are in town working for him. They might not appreciate the competition."

"Yeah, I found that out already."

Jeb chuckled. "I bet you did. When do you need this?"

"Yesterday."

"Okay, I know a few people willing to speak off the record. Tell ya what, meet me around 4 pm at the soccer fields in Golden Gate Park, east side off JFK drive. I'll have something for you then."

"Thanks, Jeb."

"De nada."

She clicked off as she rode her Honda into Chinatown. Then dialed up Iwana Binder.

"Heylow?"

"Hey, gf."

"Sistahgrrl! Where the eff have you been? Ah've been worried sick 'bout you!"

"Gear down, babe. Just doin' my j-o-b!"

"Then you got the gig?"

"Yup, checking out a few clues here and there, I'm staying here maybe thru the weekend."

"Mmmmm... any probs?"

"Nope." Tai chose not to mention that in the six hours since she had been out of Iwana's sight, she had attacked by her mother's Rambettes, almost forced to marry the avatar of a Hindu Goddess, met the man she loved and just avoided becoming the bound love slave to Prince Jeffri of Brunei.

"Well, stay frosty, sistahgrrl," Iwana said. "You a prime piece of girlflesh. Don't want nobody takin' what belongs to me."

"Yes'm." Tai wondered what would happen when and if she told her about her feelings for Matt McClintock. It wouldn't be pretty. "Oh, Iwana? I need for you to run a background check on a couple of bad guys."

"OK, shoot."

"First one is a Doctor Fiendly. No first name or middle. Mid to late fifties, male calk, six feet, 145 pounds, salt and pepper, brown eyes. Brit national."

"Got it."

"Number two is Fannikins Wenche, with an 'e' at the end. No middle name. Late twenties, female calk, five foot six, 125 pounds, brown hair and eyes, fake boobs. American." Tai paused. "Run it state and local, but also NCIC and INTERPOL. Also check the international terrorist databases in Europe. I think Fiendly has some history with the IRA and the Sinn Fein."

"Okey-dokey." She chuckled. "Dr. Fiendly and Fannikins Wenche? Damn, sistahgrrl, where do you come up with these names?" Iwana Binder asked.

"Just lucky I guess," Tai Anne Roper replied.
***

Tai clicked off the phone just as she halted at the major intersection of Columbus Avenue and Broadway.

Looking east and west on Broadway, Tai saw the usual collection of titty bars, porno theatres and fast food dives. But looking north she saw North Beach, an eclectic neighborhood of coffee houses, book stores, head shops and residentials stairstepping up Telegraph Hill to the apex of Coit Tower.

It was here in the heart of San Fran's Little Italy that the 'beat generation' of the fifties had been founded by resident writers Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsburg. And somehow the beatniks of the fifties had begat the hippies of the sixties, the disco divas of the seventies, the yuppies of the eighties and the grunge-goths of the nineties. Now North Beach was a mix of any and all of the above.

***

The North Beach Motorlodge was on Vallejo, just off Columbus. It was no Mark Hopkins, but it wasn't a no-tell motel either. A parking lot and courtyard framed on three sides by two stories of retro-fifties motel with plenty of neon. For 80 bucks a night, you couldn't do better in The City.

It was run by a Viet-American named Mr. Poon. Tai wanted to ask him how many jokes he'd had to endure being a motel manager with that name, but she didn't dare. Besides, who was she to talk?

After identifying herself as a PI, and showing him what a twenty dollar bill looked like, Poon showed her Room 216, where Jessica McClintock had stayed.

The bed was still unmade, but otherwise it looked fairly neat. Tai made a quick circuit of the room and the adjoining bathroom. The wastebaskets were empty.

"When did she get in?" Tai asked.

"Wednesday, 'round noon," Poon replied. "Paid up through Monday."

"And when did you see her last?"

"Thursday... I think."

"Was she with anybody?"

"I dunno. Lotsa comings and goings here, ya know?" Tai knew. The parking lot had been full of cars. Besides the touristas, lots of teens and twentysomethings with money to burn came here.

"She had her own car?"

"Yeah. Blue Miata convertible. But it stayed parked. When she went anywhere it was on foot."

Tai nodded. That was logical. Parking was scarce even if you could afford it. Besides, public transportation was everywhere.

"Who else has been in this room since she disappeared?"

"Hmmm... the police. The tole me to keep the room locked for a few days. They searched it good, took all her personal effects and towed the car. Thats it."

Tai nodded and held out a crisp C-note. "Would there be a problem if I took this room through Monday?"

Poon snagged the bill. "No problem."

He left her the key and was gone. Tai threw her heavy knapsack onto the bed and sighed.

Her tummy growled. And she was thirsty.

Tai spotted the small fridge under a cabinet and checked it out. There were four bottles of ice cold Rolling Rock still in a six pack carton. The cops hadn't searched all that good.

"There is a God," Tai whispered. She claimed a bottle and popped the cap and drank it down almost in one long swallow.

Sighing with contentment, she noticed a piece of paper stuck to the bottle. It was a cash register receipt.

She held it up to the light. It was from Eidelmann's Bakery & Deli, 268 Columbus Ave, and was for two sandwiches at $8.95 apiece and a six pack of bottled beer for $7.95. It also had a time stamp of 4:23 pm, last Thursday.

She burped. Now, back at the Joe Mannix Detective School, thats what was called a clue.

***

Eidelmann's Deli was only a couple of blocks away, so Tai walked it. It was located just a few doors down from the famous City Lights Bookstore, and was easy to spot because it was the only Jewish deli along an avenue of Italian cafes, coffeehouses and restaurants.

Tai Anne Roper spotted an older, balding man behind the counter, watching her with interest as she crossed all six lanes of Columbus and came thru his door.

"Thank you!" he announced to her as she entered.

She looked around, the place was near empty since it was past 2 pm and the lunch crowd was long gone. It was a pleasant, old fashioned eatery.

"Me?" She grinned.

"You! Preety girl! Oy vey, you make my day!" He went to his cutting board. "Sometimes, I don't have such a good day. You see, my wife is gone. My sons are grown and into those goy dot.coms. Oy Gevalt!" He paused. "But then, every once in awhile... I get to look at a very preety girl crossing the street," he looked at her and smiled, "and sometimes that preety girl even come into my deli... and that really makes my day!"

"Well, maybe you can make my day." Tai held up a photograph of Jessica McClintock. "Recognize her?"

"Ach! Another preety girl!" His eyes widened. "Yes! The girl that is missing! The one I read about in the newspaper! I thought I recognized her! She was in here not too long ago..."

"I found a receipt form this deli, with a timestamp for 4:23 pm last Thursday," Tai said. "Ring any bells?"

"Maybe." He looked at her. "But what is it to you, preety girl? You're too preety to be a police officer..."

"True." Tai flicked out her ID. "My name is Tai Anne Roper, and I am a licensed private investigator."

"Hmmmm.... Hoookay." He nodded. "Jerome Eidelmann. This is my deli. You want anything? Let me make you something while we talk."

Well, she was starving. "Yeah..." She looked over the bill of fare. "I'll have a Reuben... with extra kraut and Russian dressing, on toasted Sourdough. And a sour pickle. And chips."

"A good choice!" He began building her sandwich. "So? Ask away, Miss... Roper is it?"

"Just call me Tai," she smiled. "Do you remember this girl coming in last Thursday?"

"Yes, yes. I remember all the preety girls." He shrugged. "If this makes me a dirty old man, then so be it! But I would especially remember two preety young girls such as that, coming in together as they did."

"Two? Then she wasn't alone?"

"I just said this. Two girls. What, you aren't listening to me now?"

"Yes. Yes I am. Do you remember the second girl?"

"Ummm... She was oriental. Excuse me, Asian. I mean no disrespect, hokay? Anyway she was very preety. Very young like this missing girl. She was wearing this... stuff, the kids today like to wear. Y'know, tight and black and slippery looking... plastic kinda... stuff. Not like you and this nice tight... leather is it?"

Yeah, leather," Tai said. "Was she wearing vinyl? PVC?"

"Whatever they call that stuff... It was tight, and she looked good in it! Oy oy oy!
Anyway, she was with her, and they ordered two sandwiches. The girl who's missing ordered a pastrami on rye with the works. The ori... excuse me, Asian girl ordered a veggie special. No meat, like the kids today like, y'know? They also got a six pack of beer. Rolling Rock I think."

Tai nodded. "Can you think of anything else about the other girl?"

"Hmmm.... she was cute. She was short, shorter than the missing girl. Also she had short, black hair, not a crew cut but spikey... and she had this... thing around her neck."

"A necklace?"

"No."

"A collar?"

"Yeah, a thing around her neck."

"How was the missing girl dressed?"

"Mmmm... casual dressy. Nice blue jeans, hip huggers. Also a white top and a jacket. She had a nice kiester too."

"Do you have closed circuit TV here?"

"What? Do I look like Wells Fargo or something?" He looked at her. "You want your sandwich for here or for to go?"

"To go." Tai said. "One last thing. Did the police talk to you yet?"

"Nope. Do you think I should call them? Tell then what I told you?"

"Naw, I'll tell them." Tai smiled. "And thank you, Mr. Eidelmann, you have made my day!"

She arched over the counter and kissed him on the cheek. He blushed.

A minute later, Tai was running back across Columbus, lunch in hand. Eidelmann watched her all the way, thinking that she had a nice kiester too.

***

Back at her room at the Motorlodge, Tai sat on the bed, spread out the three files worth of investigation and looked them over as she gobbled the Reuben and drank two more bottles of Rolling Rock.

Twenty minutes later she was pleasantly stuffed, and incredulous as hell. The investigation into Jessica's appearance had been a sham. An exercise in procedure at best.

Sure, the cops, the Feds and local PIs had covered all the bases. Talked to friends, relatives and known associates, questioned the neighborhood pervs and ex-cons, searched The City and sent out fliers and alerted the media. But something was missing. Either these guys didn't want to really find Jessica, or they had been told not to find her.

And the only person with that kind of juice was...

Matthew McClintock.

Tai looked at the pics of Jessica laid out in front of her.

Cute girl. Yes, indeedy. About Tai's height and weight, but a lil more busty fer shure. With long, dirty blonde hair and green eyes. She had her mother's eyes. Her famous actress mother, Fiona Jacklin. She would have to check her out once she made it back to LA.

Tai blinked as she traced Jessica's cheek. She was feeling a little... light headed. That second Rolling Rock --really her third-- was doing her in.

She glanced at her watch, she had time for a quick shower before meeting Jeb.

She unzipped and unbuckled her boots and her leathers, padding naked into the bathroom.

Under the hot, hard jets of water, Tai soaped herself up good. Her boobies were sore. She looked down and saw the black and blue marks courtesy of The Wenche.

Groaning, she slipped her head under the water letting her long, fine black hair get soaked through and through.

Almost impulsively, her left hand snaked between her legs, her fingers sifting throught the taut folds of her cunt. Searching and finding The Spot that would carry her away. Tai once more fast-forwarded thru her collection of fantasies.

What about Matt McClintock? Oh Yeah. he would do nicely.

First, Tai Anne Roper had found Jessica safe and sound. Now she imagined a little chapel in the Redwood forest. She was wearing a long, white satin wedding dress, while her Matt looked resplendent in a tux. In the front row, Tai's two moms where crying, while a straitjacketed and gagged Iwana Binder hummed angrily away under guard.

And later... a honeymoon on some private, South Sea island. Just The two of them. Tai and her rich, handsome, multi-millionaire husband...

Suddenly the shower curtain was ripped away, and Tai turned from her fantasy to have the hard, black rubber maw of a plumber's helper slapped onto her face. She couldn't see or scream as the suction held it tight to her skin, covering her eyes and mouth.

Somebody had hold of the stick on the end though. They yanked on it, pulling Tai face first out of the shower and bellydown onto the tiled floor.

This somebody held their foot down on the stick, keeping her trapped there as they knealt down and snatched up Tai's flailing arms. Cording them together with wrists crossed. Then they grabbed Tai's feet, placing a knee in the small of her back as her legs were bent back and her ankles were crossed. More unforgiving cord was used.

The somebody grabbed the stick again and yanked a bound Tai to her knees. They then twisted the dirty rubber maw off her face so she could look at her attacker.

"Hullo, cunt!" Fannikins Wenche laughed in her face. She was wearing a catsuit of shiny black latex that had an evil gleam to it that matched the evil in her eyes. She was sitting on the toliet lid enjoying Tai's discomfort.
"You really didn't think you would get rid of us that easily, did you?"

Tai managed a deep breath that also got her old friend the red rubber ballgag shoved deep into her mouth. Tai squalled and yanked as hard as she could at her bound wrists and ankles as The Wenche buckled it tight.

"There, all secure!" The Wenche smirked. She looked into Tai's panicked eyes with a bemused indifference. "Fiendly is watching the front, which gives us a little 'quality time' together, hmmmm?"

Tai hummed frantically as she watched The Wenche smear KY jelly over her shiny, latex gloves.

"Now, open wide," The Wenche said as she spread Tai's legs. "And scream..."

Suddenly there were seven gunshots from the next room. Heavy caliber. Fired as fast as someone could pull the trigger. Then a man's shout. Then nothing.

The Wenche grabbed up Tai and pulled her to her feet in front of her. She took out a stainless Walther PPKS from her boot and jammed it into Tai's ear.

"Fiendly?!!" The Wenche shouted.

Nothing from the other side of the locked door.

"Fuck!" The Wenche hissed. She considered her options, then kicked the door open, leading a bound, naked and still wet Tai Anne Roper out to the motel room.

The Wenche took in the scene and screamed. Tai screamed as best she could into the ballgag.

Dr. Fiendly was dead, his bloody, headless corpse lying on the floor with blood still pumping all over the curtains and walls.

Behind them, both women could hear an odd crunching sound, like someone chewing on bones.

The Wenche turned, still intent on using Tai as a hostage and a shield.

Coiled up against the wall was the dark, living visage of the Kali-Ma. The Mother and Goddess of All Destruction. At least nine feet tall, with skin as black as midnight. Her terrible and beautiful face split by a razor blade smile of long, even teeth stained with fresh blood. Around her neck, her necklace of skulls had a fresh addition.

To her credit, The Wenche got three shots off before Kali grabbed her right arm in her massive hand and lifted her off the floor.
Kali snagged her left arm up in her other hand, then grabbed her feet with her two lower arms so that The Wenche was stretched out and pulled taut.

The Kali-Ma chuckled, a deep, earthy sound.

"Make a wisssh..." Kali rasped.

Tai turned away but still heard The Wenche's strangled scream and the terrible parting of flesh and bone. More blood sprayed over the ceiling and walls.

Tai rolled onto her belly and attempted to crawl like a worm towards the door. She was snatched up almost instantly and found herself dangling helplessly before Kali.

"You thought you could essscape me?" The Kali-Ma laughed at her. As she chortled, Tai could see a ghost of Shakira within the creature. The Avatar and the Goddess were indeed as one.

"Do not worry my pretty one," Kali continued. "I have jussst the place to keep you sssafe and warm..."

Tai squirmed in her grip as The Kali-Ma spread her massive, corded legs apart. The Goddess' sex was impossibly wide and dripping, and as Kali steered Tai's head towards it she realized with horror where she would be kept.

"Yesss... sssafe and deep within me... Forever..."

Tai Anne Roper awoke with a start, rolling off the bed where she had dozed off and landing with a thud on the carpeted floor. She looked wildly about, gasping.

She looked at her watch. She had only dozed off for a few minutes. But she was soaked with sweat. The motel room was the same as before. She shook her head. She should never have had that third Rolling Rock.

She still had time for a quick shower. She unzipped and unbuckled her boots and her leathers and padded naked into the bathroom.

This time making sure the door was locked and bolted.

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