Dipster Hooful

Chapter III - Found

The month had gone by without Lenore. From Samuel's insistence, Mans and his friend had reluctantly gotten involved. They hadn't found anything interesting pertaining to Lenore within the village or on their alpine wanderings.

The police had been at the mountain house and at the city house. A return meeting had been arranged the following day. Nikki's recommended service had paid a call beforehand. They had provided a thorough job, finishing well into the evening. All had been polished and dusted and attended to, including the residents. The next day the officials were greeted relaxed.

Nikki was of course absent from the meeting. Samuel had been alone with the police, a man and a woman. The past history of Lenore's emotional instability had turned up. They were seeking confirmation and the observed effect of his reaction.

The woman asked, "Is it correct that your wife was not currently seeing a doctor, nor on prior prescribed medication?"

Samuel nodded in confirmation, saying,"Yes."

"We've run out of leads. And to be frank, our resources are exhausted. At this time we must propose a conclusion we have all been reluctant to hypothesize: Could it have been she went to the cliff edge to enjoy the view? And perhaps, she happened upon misadventure? Whatever befell her, we believe she met her death in the lake below."

The man added, "The lake does not give up its dead."

Samuel's response was honest and frantic: he broke into a hyperventilating panic.

The policeman had sympathy for Samuel's state. He tried to calm down an obviously bereaved man. Matters of practicality were brought up.

The policewoman's role had been to observe while remaining detached. At first, she suspected Samuel was playing up an exaggerated state. But as he did not calm down, she changed her mind, concluding his state was genuine.

That evening, after the police had left, Nikki let herself in. Samuel was still on the couch. Bleary eyed. He had worked himself up into a state much as when Lenore went first missing.

She said, "The mountain house has remained exclusive to my personal attention, it being too far for the service girls to travel just for the day. Perhaps we might make some special arrangements. I could organize it. Would that make you happy?"

He didn't respond.

"Come," she said pulling him to his feet. She led to the bathroom. The steam shower was started, set to blisteringly hot. Nikki took off her clothes, giving the g-string a wiggle show before it too joined the pile in the tiled corner. Samuel remained dressed standing before her, as though a doll. He was stripped of his clothes. She played at being disappointed, but smiled a grin before kissing at his flaccidness. Meanwhile, the steam was doing its thing building thick clouds.

"Come along big boy," she said. Pulling him into the shower and into her embrace. "Let me take care of you tonight. You deserve some deep attention. Your Nikki knows what you need."

As he began to respond to her attention, she whispered, "Now there you go. Your body knows. You just need to listen to it. Problem solved."

The morning was late when they managed to depart for the country house. It was Nikki's insistence that got them on the road. There had been eagerness in her movements pushing at him.

After they arrived, she flew about the house raising shutters, opening windows.

"The air is so crisp fresh outside. Let it push all the staleness out of this house."