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Bound for Carlotta
Length: Genre: Fiction Fiction - Quirky Mystery Suspense Thriller
The Book in One Sentence:
Blurb/Logline:
Synopsis: Driving down the highway in a snowstorm late at night, Dean hits something—a deer? It looked more like a body bent over in the snow-and-sleet-filled darkness. He goes back to search but finds nothing. At home, the local police, acting on a tip, show up to investigate. They, too, come up empty-handed, although Dean knows that the inspector isn't satisfied.
Dean meets Lynne on the Internet and begins a flirtatious e-lationship. Before long, he fears he is falling in love with her. He wouldn't worry--in fact, he would be thrilled--except for the fact that she is ten years younger than he. Still, he succumbs to his own desires and invites her to his home for dinner.
Later, while surfing the Internet for a florist, he stumbles across a Web page for Dominatrix Mistress Carlotta. Her image looms large across the screen--massive breasts and an angelic face, a body clad in leather and chains. “Contact Me...and become my 24/7 Slave Today!” the screen beckons. Intrigued and amused, he has little problem resisting the invitation. He has heard of BDSM, of course, but always thought it too “fringe” for him.
As time passes, Dean finds himself growing more and more fascinated with Lynne. He has never known anyone--at any age--to be more perceptive or intuitive, more loving and caring. But in one of their hot late-night sessions, he finds himself unable to concentrate—or achieve orgasm. He envisions he is making love to Mistress Carlotta. Lynne, confused and hurt, leaves.
Dean is angry with himself. He considers begging Lynne to forgive him and goes to his computer to e-mail her. There, he once again runs across the Web site for “Dominatrix Mistress Carlotta, your Mistress.” Torn between two worlds, he agrees to meet her on line. What is this fire burning within? Could he be submissive? A closet sub all these years? As the time for the meeting grows close, he goes to his computer, but she fails to show. An e-mail message orders him to meet her on-line at 2 a.m., but once again she fails to show.
After a sleepless night and desperate for help, Dean calls Lynne. Near tears, he apologizes to her, begging her forgiveness. He asks her to come over, and she finally agrees. Later that night, with Lynne asleep, he wanders into his office, where his computer screen glowers: “Contact me immediately!” He pauses before sitting down behind his desk and connecting to the Web. Carlotta tells him that he has been bad and must be punished, then e-mails him further instructions. He quickly pulls up his mail to find a short note from M.C.:
You saw me at the University the other day and recognized me; you were wrong to divulge that recognition. You were bad not to contact me immediately, as I requested yesterday. If you wish to be forgiven, be at 334 State Street, second floor apartment, at 4:45 P.M. sharp!” Lynne walks in on him, sees a woman's erotic image on the screen, and assumes he is having a cyber affair. She tells him that she is leaving him for good.
The next day, Dean races to town to meet Carlotta. She leads him to her basement, littered with SM objects, and proceeds to begin his inauguration into the erotic world of BDSM.
The next day, Dean is miserable. He tries contacting M.C. by e-mail but fails. He goes to the Web site, but it has disappeared. He tries pulling up old e-mails from her only to find that they, too, have vanished. In fact, his entire computer has been stripped of documents, e-mails, everything. Carlotta! He sits in near hysteria, trying to decide what to do next, when suddenly M.C.'s site pops onto the screen. There he finds a photograph of a naked woman in chains and gag, looking helplessly off to one side. The copy on the screen is a threat from M.C.—either he must surrender to his new mistress completely or bear the consequences. In agony, he calls Lynne one last time.
Armed with all of the gory details, Lynne convinces Dean to see a counselor she knows. The counselor explains to him about the strange allure of power play and Dominance/submission. Dean returns home and learns that Lynne has been attacked and brutally beaten. He knows instinctively who is to blame. He knocks on M.C.’s door, allows her to take him once again to the dungeon, and suddenly turns on her. After grappling for several minutes, he manages to overpower her and bind her to her own rack. He leaves.
Dean finishes his cognac and throws another log on the fire, and then he goes to his computer to check his mailbox. He finds one message, from Carlotta: “A few days ago, you killed a woman, ran her over in the middle of the road, and left the scene of the accident. You escaped the police then. Let’s see if you can do it again … after they have discovered the body…”
Fear races through him. He forces it down, then disconnects from the Web before picking up the telephone and dialing.
“It’s me,” he says. “She’s struck.”
Dean waits patiently in his living room well into the evening. Finally, Carlotta shows up and tells him that, for betraying her, he will pay the price. She has spattered blood—blood taken from his girlfriend, Lynne, when she had been attacked—all over the front of his car … but only after she kicked in the bumper to make it look as though he had hit something. But, he asks when Carlotta confronts him, what is it that he is supposed to have hit? She replies, “Your own girlfriend.”
“And what about a body? The police never found any sign ...”
Carlotta smiles. “Probably lying down in the field next to the road, where you left her.”
Dean gets up as though to go out. “Don’t bother,” she says. “The police are there by now. I expect they’ll be calling on you at any moment.”
And how did the police find out about the accident, he asks. “Oh, probably some busybody with an anonymous tip. You know the type.”
Yes, he says, he knows.
Just then, several cars pull into the driveway. The police enter the house. As Carlotta waits for Dean’s arrest, they slap her in cuffs. When she protests, they tell her that they had learned from an anonymous source that Lynne was in danger, that the Domme had planned on having her killed. They went to Carlotta’s home, found her torture chamber, and shortly thereafter apprehend her two “slaves” trying to break into Lynne’s house. In their possession was a vial of Lynne’s blood, taken from her after their earlier assault. Between that, the records the police had downloaded from Dean’s computer before Carlotta had them erased, and the blood on the bumper of Dean’s car (the same blood that is on the blood-stained rag they found in the back seat of Carlotta’s Jaguar), they are sure they have a solid case.
"Oh, yes, and one more thing," the inspector tells her, showing her the pictures she has taken of Dean in shackles. "Your computer log of e-mails and instant messaging? They're gonna hang you."
As the police escort Carlotta out, Lynne passes her on the way in. Carlotta scowls at her: “Your day will come.”
Lynne smiles back. "It already has."
Lynne embraces Dean, the two locking lips in front of the fireplace. “You know,” she says, “Carlotta wasn't completely wrong. Not about everything." Dean turns to her. "What do you mean?" Lynne smiles as she pulls a pair of steel cuffs from her pocket. He takes the cuffs and dangles them in front of her, saying, “You know, you just might have something here. But I’m through with all this Dominatrix business.” “You are?” she asks, surprised.
He grins. “But I know someone else who would look awfully good in these tonight.” He motions toward the stairway leading to the bedroom. “Shall we dance?”
Lynne smiles disarmingly and starts
up the stairs before pausing. "I love to dance," she whispers. "But
I'll lead."
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NOTE: All material is copyright protected. No portion of this material may be copied or reproduced, either electronically, mechanically, or by any other means, for resale or distribution without the written consent of the author. All copy has been dated and registered with the American Society of Authors and Writers. Copyright 2009 by The Swetky Agency |
