Double Cross

Part 13

"I killed him," a panicked Elvis whispered to Lesley as he hurried into the bedroom.

Lesley didn't quite comprehend the words. "What?"

"George," Elvis explained, keeping his voice low so neither Eric nor Nate would overhear.  "I was doing my laps, and that bastard came up behind me in the pool and tried to pull down my swim shorts.  So... so I held his head under water until he drowned."

"Oh, my God!"

"I know," Elvis said, his eyes darting toward the doorway.  "I don't know what to do."

Lesley took a moment to gather her wits.  "You have to get out of those wet trunks and into regular clothes.  Then... then we need to come up with a story.  You tell everyone you left the pool with George, and came back to the bedroom."

"Then what?"

"Uh, then we took a nap, and George must have decided to take a swim by himself," Lesley decided.  "It must have been a tragic accident.  I'll be your alibi."

"But a nap?" Elvis questioned.  "We've never done that.  Nate and Eric are dumb as stumps, but I'm not sure even they'd buy that story."  He held up his wrist.  "And George scratched me a bit struggling to get his head up.  How're we gonna explain that?"

Lesley bit her lip in thought.  "Get out of those wet trunks and ... I'll think of something."

A few moments later, Elvis returned wearing his baggy jogging pants and a t-shirt, drying his hair with a towel  "You think of something brilliant yet?"

"Yes," Lesley replied, giving a wane smile as she started to strip off her own clothes  "We weren't taking a nap at all.  We were making hot, passionate love, and I scratched you in the throes of passion."

Elvis laughed, and hurried to join her in the bed.  "Of course... what else could it be?"

***

Less than an hour later, Nate burst into their bedroom without knocking.  Seeing Elvis and Lesley tangled up in a sheet and obviously naked took him aback.  "What are you two doing?"

"What's it look like?" Elvis snarled, pretending he was put out at the interruption.

"Have you been here all morning?"

It was Lesley that replied as she sat up, tugging the sheets to her chest for modesty.  "Not all morning.  After George brought Elvis back from his morning swim, we decided to get a different type of exercise."

"So, you saw George bring Presley back into the house?"

"Yes, of course.  You know perfectly well Elvis isn't allowed to go anywhere without one of you three strong men guarding him."

"What seems to be the problem, Nate?" Elvis asked, sitting up as well, but not caring about his level of modesty.

"George is dead."

"What!?" Lesley cried out in fake surprise.  "How?"

"Drown in the pool," Nate replied.  "Idiot apparently went swimming alone."

"That's terrible," Lesley replied, shaking her head.  "What are you going to do?"

"I dunno," Nate said, frowning.  "Eric is trying to contact Carl right now.  I guess we'll have to bury him.  In the meantime, don't you two try to get out of this room.  Me an' Eric are gonna be busy for a while."

"What about lunch?" Elvis asked.

"Is that all you think about?  Food?"

"Nope, not just food.  I think about sex, too."

Nate glared at Elvis.  "I'll have Gretchen bring you some sandwiches.  Just shut up and go back to whatever the hell it was you were doing."

"Thanks, Nate," Elvis said, grinning.  "We'd enjoy doing that."

***

An hour later, Gretchen was allowed to enter Elvis' bedroom, and brought a tray of food with her.  She carefully placed it on the table, giving a small smile at the two younger people sitting on the sofa.  "I made extra sandwiches today for you, Elvis."  She glanced back over her shoulder toward to door to make sure they were alone.  "Nate and Eric are too preoccupied to notice."

"Thanks.  I've had a strenuous morning," Elvis said, truly meaning it.

Gretchen's smile grew wider.  "Yes, Julius and I heard this information from Nate."  She gazed at Lesley.  "You are taking birth control precautions, Miss Lesley?"

"Uh, well..." Lesley stuttered out, blushing.  In fact, once she'd gotten into bed with Elvis as a cover story, they stopped pretending altogether.  Their morning had been quite pleasant, and Lesley quickly discovered that Elvis was quite a talented lover.  No wonder Priscilla had been so frustrated at her husband's lack of interest. 

Plus, George's demise only added to their new-found fervor since Lesley couldn't help but admire the fact the Elvis had the fortitude to actually eliminate one of their kidnappers.  She wished she'd had the ability to take out the other three men, the ones that had assaulted her not so very long ago.  The four kidnappers were evil, and it was obvious it was going to be either the kidnappers that survived, or the other four occupants of the island.  

Gretchen stepped closer, lowering her voice.  "Do not be surprised if Mister Carl feels very sickly in the near future."

Elvis and Lesley exchanged puzzled looks.  "What's wrong with him?"

The older nurse gave an guarded smile as she once again checked the door.  "His business in the States was seeing his private doctor.  His doctor won't find out what's wrong with Mister Carl.  Only my Julius knows, and Julius can be very secretive."

Then she left the room, leaving Lesley and Elvis to puzzle over her vague words.

***

January 8, 1975

With his income crashing despite the booming sales of Elvis' records, Vernon Presley was forced to lay off all of the Memphis Mafia, only retaining Charlie Hodge and Joe Esposito to act as security for Graceland, although he was desperately trying to pay the ongoing bills that the huge mansion accumulated on a monthly basis.

He could feel his own health starting to rapidly decline, and right now he was on the phone with his ex-daughter-in-law.  "It would've been his fortieth birthday today."

"I know," Priscilla said gently, knowing how badly Vernon was taking his son's disappearance.  "Have the authorities heard anything?"

"No.  It's like he fell off the face of the Earth.  I don't understand it, and neither do they."  Vernon sighed.  "I'm so stressed out, I can just feel my heart pounding in my head.  I don't know how I'm going to pay all these bills that keep coming and coming."

"You're having money issues?" Priscilla asked, sounding surprised.  "But I've been reading about how his albums sales are going through the roof.  That isn't true?" 

"It's true, but I'm not seeing any of the money.  I think I might have signed everything away to Colonel Parker back in August."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Vernon.  Let me make some phone calls.  I think you might be needing a very good attorney, very quickly."

"It might be too late by the time anyone can help me," Vernon replied sadly, gazing around Graceland.  "If Elvis is alive, his home might be in foreclosure by the time they locate him."