"Tropic of Eros" - Chapter 20

   Unaware of the horrific incident which had just transpired
between Trish and Lindsay, the group of Kristanna, Devon,
Pamela and Amy - all of whom were still gathered together at
the dinner table - looked on with confusion as I made a mad
dash through the adjacent front room, then exited the estate.
Paying their collective words of concern no attention at all,
I sprinted as fast as my legs would take me toward the nearby
volleyball court located in the outdoor athletic complex.
   Once there, I hopped onto the _Bombardier Sport DS650_ -
an all terrain vehicle (ATV) - and revved its engine high.
An instant later, I went speeding off through the front lawn
of the mansion, and then into the nearby forest.
   "TRISH!" I screamed at the very top of my lungs, my head
literally on a swivel, as I glanced around in all different
directions.  Going in excess of 60 miles per hour on the
forest trail, the only thing that mattered to me right now
was Trish - and her safety.  "TRISH!"
   Moments ago, I had watched Trish (by way of the voyeur
room) exit the house and run off into the forest in a mad,
frantic state of mind.  I had no idea what she was capable
of, but had to assume the worst (suicide).  Thus, I hopped
onto the nearest ATV and went searching for her.
   Without a soul in sight, I slowed down and cut a wickedly
sharp turn which was too close for comfort near a tree, and
went looking in that direction.  "PATRICIA ANNE [last name]!
WHERE ARE YOU?  TRIIIIISH!  TRIIIIISH!"
   Off on the distance, I caught a brief - and I do mean
_brief_ - glimpse of a blonde head.  Slowing the ATV down, I
was able to focus on that head and quickly realized that it
was, indeed, Trish.  She was running toward the cliff!
   "_TRIIIIISH_!" I screamed, turning the vehicle and then
going right at her at maximum speed.  It only took a few
seconds until I slowed down and stopped just short of her.
After dismounting from the ATV, I had the inclination to
rush at Trish and tackle her to the ground.
   "STAY AWAY FROM ME!" she hollered, turning to face me,
before I could make my move on her.  Her body trembling,
Trish slowly backpedaled toward the aforementioned cliff.
There was about 2,000 feet of air between the edge of
that cliff and a collection of huge, jagged rocks resting
in the ocean below.  "LIES!" she howled.  "ALL LIES!"
   "Stop right there!" I demanded, pointing a finger at her,
as she was no closer than five steps away from the ledge.
"Trish!  Stop it!  Think about what you are doing!"
   I made a motion to move toward her, but Trish took two
steps closer to the ledge and screeched, "Stay back!  Come
any closer, and I'll jump!  I SWEAR TO GOD, I'LL JUMP!"
   Holding both hands out in front of me, I took a deep
breath and nodded my head at her.  There was about 15 feet
of space which separated the two of us.  If I made a lunge
at Trish, she would have enough time to turn and take a
header off of the cliff.  So, my only recourse here was to
try and settle down what was a suicidal woman with words.
   "I know what happened," I stressed to her.  "I know wh..."
   "LIES!" Trish spat out.  "TOTAL LIES!  I NEVER DID A THING
WRONG TO THAT LITTLE BITCH!  LINDSAY IS LYING TO YOU!"
   "I didn't talk to Lindsay," I countered, my hands still
extended.  "Please, Trish... you have to listen to me."  I
motioned for her to come toward me.  "Come here, and let's
talk about this.  Step away from the edge!"
   "STAY AWAY!" Trish demanded, taking a half-step back.  "I
KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING!  YOU ARE TRYING TO _TRICK_ ME!"
   "I know you didn't do a thing wrong to Lindsay!" I said.
"I KNOW that she is trying to set you up!  Trish, think about
your FAMILY!  You have said since day one that you love your
family, and miss them.  DON'T DO THIS TO THEM!  Don't throw
your life away because of something you are innocent of!"
   "HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?" she demanded.  Trish was in a
maniacal rage right now.  I had never seen her act so
unstable and violently before.  Here was a very sweet and
friendly young woman who had a hearty smile and good word
for everyone who was fortunate enough to be in her path.
One would never believe that by looking at her now, though.
I had to do whatever it took to calm her down.
   "HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT I AM INNOCENT?  HOW DO YOU KNOW
THAT LINDSAY IS A FUCKING _LIAR_?"
   "I just KNOW, Trish!  I just do!  You HAVE to trust me!"
I waved my hand, which was still extended, at her.  "I want
you to step away from the cliff, and take my hand.  I don't
want you to do something foolish.  Your FAMILY does not want
you to do something foolish!  LISTEN TO ME, TRISH!  LISTEN!"
   "I LOVED THAT GIRL SO MUCH!" Trish erupted.  "SHE RIPPED
MY HEART OUT AND STABBED ME IN THE BACK IN THE SAME BREATH!"
   I dropped down to one knee and implored, "I know, Trish!
PLEASE!  Take my hand!  Take it!"  If there was not so much
space between us right now, I would most definitely lunge at
Trish and try to corral her, if necessary, with force.  How
could I live with myself if she took the big jump?
   "HOW DO I KNOW THAT YOU ARE BEING HONEST WITH ME?"  Trish
shook her head and added, "YOU COULD BE LYING TO ME, TOO!
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED?  HOW, JEREMY?  _HOW_?"

   I had no choice but to say...

   "I have cameras everywhere, Trish.  Hidden video cameras."
Through her anger, she looked at me with a confused expression
as I pressed on, "There are cameras everywhere on the island,
recording your every move.  All of the girls' moves.  I... I
saw everything that happened between you and Lindsay.  I have
it on film.  You are innocent, and I can prove it if need be!
I was in my voyeur room when it happened!"
   "Cameras?" she quaked.  "Voyeur room?  Wh-why?"
   I inched closer toward her, my arm still extended.  "Take
my hand, Trish.  Please take it.  I will see to it that
Lindsay never hurts you again.  She won't even be here to
hurt you.  I will send her home.  Please, Trish.  Please!"
   When the 28-year-old crumpled down to her knees and hung
her head low, losing eye contact with me, something inside
of me snapped.  I made my move and rushed toward Trish.  She
tried to back away at the last possible instant, but I
grabbed her wrists and yanked her away from the ledge.  I
came this close - [ ] - from avoiding a catastrophe.
   Now embracing her with both arms, I withstood the
onslaught as Trish took a series of wild swings at my
chest and shoulders with her fists and forearms.  I made no
move to block or deflect those flailing limbs, allowing
Trish to take all of her anger and frustration out on me.
The only thing that mattered to me right now, of course, was
that we were a good ten feet away from the precarious ledge.
I was not about to let Trish move any closer to it.
   Trish hit and pounded on me so many times that eventually,
she became quite winded, and began to lose her strength and
stamina.  Then, perhaps realizing what she had done, Trish
suddenly stopped and looked directly at me.  Her eyes were
completely saturated with tears as she whined, "J-Jeremy..."
   Battered and bruised from her physical assault, but still
standing in one piece, I took a deep breath and said a silent
prayer of _thank you_ to God once Trish buried her face upon
my shoulder and began to cry.  Finally, we were out of the
danger area.  Trish was no longer fighting or resisting me
as I continued to hold her with both arms.  In fact, her
entire body went limp.  I went down to the ground with her,
now standing on one knee, and let her cry.
   "I l-loved her so m-much!" Trish fretted.  "How c-could
Lindsay do that to me?  HOW?"
   "I don't know..." I said in return, a tear or two (or
three) streaking down my own face.  "I don't know, Trish."
   "All I wanted to do was make Lindsay happy!"  Trish's
crying fit was becoming more out of control with each and
every passing second.  "I just wanted to love her, Jeremy!
I JUST WANTED TO LOVE HER!  She... she calls out A-A-Amy's
name when we're having sex, then accuses me of rape!  I
NEVER RAPED HER!  LINDSAY SEDUCED ME!  LINDSAY _SEDUCED_ ME!"
   "There are some mean and rotten people in this world," I
countered, my voice soft and soothing.  "Lindsay accused you
of that because she wants you off the island, Trish.  She
wants as many of you girls gone because, to her, it increases
her chances of getting the $500,000.  I heard her say that
after you left the room, Trish.  I have it on video..."
   Trish suddenly pulled her face away from my shoulder and
glared at me.  "Why do you have cameras watching us?"  Trish
seemed to become even more angry once she added, "What RIGHT
do you have to have video cameras spying on all...?"
   "Trish raped Lindsay!" came a faint howl.  "Trish raped
Lindsay!"  Needless to say, Amy's screams caused Trish
to stop in mid-sentence and glare off into the distance.
Not only was Amy quickly approaching us, but Kristanna was
right behind her.  "Trish raped Lindsay!"
   Kristanna, the expert in martial arts and self-defense,
moved ahead of Amy and then closed the distance between us.
Kristanna - my jovial, happy-go-lucky sweetheart - appeared
to be fuming with rage and hatred.  Kristanna made a motion
to grab Trish and tear her away from me, but I held my hand
up and demanded, "BACK OFF!"
   Kristanna's intense expression broke as she backpedaled
two steps and looked at me.  "Trish just finished raping
Lindsay!  She has to pay for it, Jeremy!  SHE HAS TO PAY!"
   "Trish did not do a thing wrong to Lindsay!" I exclaimed.
   "But Lindsay said..."
   "I happen to know, FOR A FACT, that Trish did NOTHING
WRONG!" I told Kristanna, hoping that she would believe me.
Apparently, Kristanna did.  She caught my indirect reference
to the voyeur room and suddenly put her fists down.
   "Wh-what happened?"
   "Trish raped Lindsay!" Amy insisted.
   "SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Trish screamed at Amy, her senses
exploding in a fit of wild fury.  I found myself having to
physically restrain Trish from attacking Amy as she hissed,
"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUCK YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT!  SHUT
THE FUCK UP, YOU BITCH!  SHUT UP!"
   "Shhhhh... calm down," I tried to tell Trish, embracing
her with a vice-tight grip from behind as she continued to
squirm and struggle, attempting to break free.  Meanwhile,
Amy looked timid and frightened - and for good reason.  I
did not think that she was going to throw another unfound
accusation Trish's way.
   After several seconds, Trish finally quit her struggling
and began to cry once again.  She was in a terrible state.
   "You know, FOR A FACT, that Trish did nothing wrong?"
   I nodded my head at Kristanna.  "Yes."
   "Then what happened?"
   "Lindsay basically seduced Trish into having sex with
her.  Things were going perfectly well until Lindsay - I
have no idea if it was intended or not - screamed out Amy's
name in the middle of their encounter."  Amy's eyes went
wide in response as I added, "Trish was hurt, obviously, and
the encounter was over.  Lindsay demanded that they continue
having sex.  Trish refused.  They got into an argument and
then, Lindsay said that she was going to tell me that Trish
had raped her.  I would send Trish home, Lindsay thought,
and that would eliminate one of her competitors for the big
$500,000 payout at the end of August."
   Kristanna was dumbfounded.  "Are you SERIOUS?"
   Frowning, I nodded my head.  "Apparently, it is all about
the money with Lindsay.  Looks like she will go to any and
all lengths in order to be the $500,000 winner.  As I think
about it, of all the girls, Lindsay has talked and hinted at
the $500,000 prize more than anyone else thus far."
   "How could she accuse Trish of RAPING her?" Kristanna
sighed, kneeling downward and placing a hand upon Trish's
shoulder.  "I'm sorry for ever thinking - even for one
instant - that you were capable of something so horrible."
Kristanna wrapped both arms around Trish, who continued to
cry out her pain and frustration.  "Shhhhh, honey.  Shhhhh."
   Meanwhile, I still kept my own arms around Trish from
behind.  I was not about to release her until I felt that
she was mentally stable.  That may not be for a long time.
   Soon, I switched my focus to Amy.  She appeared totally
shell-shocked as I eyed her rather intently.
   "Do you know anything about this?"
   Amy shook her head.  "No, I don't.  Well... I do know
that Lindsay really wants that money.  She wants to set her
family up really good after her father's death.  But I had
no idea that she was capable of something so sinister..."
   "I heard Lindsay say something about you and her, Amy,
and the money," I mused.  "Sharing it?"
   She nodded her head.  "Yes.  Lindsay and I agreed that if
either of us win the big money, we were going to split it.
You give $500,000 to one of us, $100,000 to the other.  We
were going to split it up $300,000 each."
   "Were you in on this plan of hers?"
   "What plan?"
   "To eliminate the competition," I answered, which caused
Amy to glare back at me in complete shock.  "Lindsay thinks
that she got rid of Trish.  Apparently, she was going to try
and do something to Devon and Pamela, too."
   Suddenly, Kristanna was miffed.  "DEVVY?  What did Lindsay
want to do to MY Devvy?"  Kristanna even trembled with anger
as she hissed, "If Lindsay tries to hurt her, why... I'll..."
   "I had NO IDEA that Lindsay was planning anything like
this!" Amy stressed, cutting Kristanna's words off.  Her
eyes bulging, muscles strained and right hand up in the air
as a solemn oath, Amy added, "I SWEAR to you, Jeremy.  I
swear on my grandmother's grave.  I had NO IDEA that Lindsay
was trying to eliminate the others.  The... the money would
be nice, sure.  But I don't care about it THAT much!"
   I offered Amy my most serious expression.  "I hope that
you are telling me the truth.  I WILL find out, Amy, if you
are not.  Trust me on that.  I WILL find out."
   Her right hand still in the air, Amy countered, "I swear
to you, Jeremy.  I had nothing to do with it.  The only thing
that involved me was that if either of us won the money, we
were going to split it 50-50.  That's it.  I SWEAR!"
   Amy may be a lot of things - a nymphomaniac for sure, but
also harsh, aggressive, a girlfriend stealer (ask Trish about
that) and an unfaithful wife (ask her ex-husband), but I got
the overwhelming sense from her that she was not capable of
telling a lie to my face at this point in time.  Furthermore,
nothing in her body language or posture right now suggested
that she was lying.  I really wanted to believe her...
   "Lindsay has wanted the money all along," Kristanna said.
"She acts all sweet and innocent around Jeremy as a way to
entice him, and get him to notice her."  Kristanna focused
her gaze upon me.  "Lindsay is not like that around the
others, Jeremy.  She is very opinionated and outspoken.  I
also think that she is very selfish and snobbish.  I thought
that well before what I learned today."
   "Lind-Lindsay said that you were the _flavor of the day_
for Jeremy," Trish told Kristanna, which made her angry once
again.  "Made it seem like you two weren't really in love."
   Amy frowned.  "I shouldn't say this, but I'm going to
anyway.  Lindsay is in deep enough trouble as it is.  But...
but she was not a virgin when she came here..."
   Trish's gaze shot upward.  "WHAT?"
   Amy shrugged her shoulders.  "Maybe it was a way for her
to entice Jeremy even more, and ultimately get the money.
But Lindsay told me just last night that she had her hymen
surgically restored before coming to the island."
   My heart literally hit the ground.  "WHAT?"
   "Lindsay said that she lost her virginity when she was
15," Amy remarked.  "She... she told me all about it.  It
cost $2,000 to have a cosmetic surgeon restore her hymen."
   Suddenly, I felt sick inside.  What had ranked as one of
the most special moments in my whole life - that three-some
with Trish also included, where I supposedly took Lindsay's
precious cherry - was nothing more than a lie now.  _A LIE_!
   "HOW DO WE KNOW YOU'RE NOT MAKING THAT UP?" Trish spat at
Amy.  "YOU COULD BE SAYING ALL OF THIS TO SAVE YOURSELF!"
   Amy shook her head and backed away.  "No, I'm telling you
the truth."  She glanced at me and said, "Are you going to
send Lindsay home, Jeremy?  Please don't think about doing
the same to me!  I don't want to leave this island!  I did
nothing wrong!  You HAVE to believe me!"  Frantic, Amy added,
"You can keep the money, Jeremy.  Give the $500,000 to
someone other than me.  I will GLADLY take the smaller payout
of $100,000 as long as you let me stay all ten weeks.  I... I
don't even need any money.  I just want to stay here..."
   "Lindsay certainly did seem to be a quick learner in terms
of sex," Kristanna observed.  "She can lick a mean pussy for
a girl who lost her virginity just two weeks ago.  I know a
girl in Norway who had her hymen surgically restored.  All
it took was a half-hour, and she went back to work the next
day.  It also explains why Lindsay's pussy feels so tight."
   "How does it work?" I asked, curious.
   "The doctor stitches the frayed ends of the hymen back
together, or uses a patch of tissue from the vaginal wall,"
Kristanna explained.  "The hymen being the cherry.  The
procedure also tightens the vagina.  As I said, it would
explain why Lindsay's pussy feels so incredibly tight."
   "Do you believe me, Jeremy?" Amy sulked.  "I don't want
any money.  Keep the $100,000 if you want!  I just want to
stay here and enjoy these upcoming seven or eight weeks with
you and everyone else.  Don't pay me anything!"
   I took a deep breath and nodded my head at her.  "Yes, I
believe you."  Amy sighed in a great deal of relief as I
warned her once again, "You better be telling me the truth,
though.  I WILL find out if you are not.  Trust me on that."
   "I STILL LOVE LINDSAY!" Trish suddenly exploded, again
squirming and writhing in my arms as I held her tightly.  I
stared at Trish in total disbelief as she cried out, "OH MY
GOD... WITH A TIGHT, LITTLE BODY LIKE THAT, HOW IN THE WORLD
COULD I _NOT_ LOVE LINDSAY?"  Trish hung her head in shame
as her loud sobbing fit reached even greater proportions.
"THAT GIRL STEPPED RIGHT OUT OF MY ULTIMATE FANTASY!"
   Kristanna placed both hands upon Trish's face and pulled
upward until she made eye contact with her.  "How can you
possibly still love her?  How can you love that horrible,
little schemer after what she did to you?"
   Trish shook her head and fretted, "I don't know..."
   Kristanna gazed up at me and shrugged her shoulders, the
expression upon her face suggesting that she had absolutely
no clue on how to handle and console Trish and her emotions.
Then again, neither did I.  She was obsessed with Lindsay.

                           * * *

   "Look, I'm sorry!" Lindsay said to me perhaps 30 minutes
later, trying to defend herself, once I had returned to the
mansion and sought her out.  "What I said to Trish was in
the heat of the moment!  I admit that it was out of line,
and that I shouldn't have ever accused her of raping me!"
   With the knowledge that Trish was safe and secure in my
personal suite right now with Kristanna keeping her company,
I frowned at Lindsay and countered, "You just can't throw
an accusation around like that.  Do you know how serious
something like rape is, Lindsay?  Are you aware how much?"
   The 18-year-old had given me quite a surprise when, once
I found her two minutes ago, she went onto give an immediate
apology about what happened earlier with Trish.  Of course,
I was expecting Lindsay to continue to lie.  Trish really
did rape her, I thought she would say.  Trish needed to be
booted off of the island, and never allowed back.
   Instead, Lindsay claimed that she had made a horrible
mistake in the heat of the moment.  She seemed sincere -
for what that was worth - in explaining herself to me, too.
But it did not matter.  It was too late for redemption.
   "Please let me go and apologize to Trish!" Lindsay begged
me, almost crying.  "I can say some really stupid things
when I get wound-up like I was!  Please, Jeremy!  Please!"
   I shook my head at her.  "No, that is not possible."
   "What is not possible?"
   "You apologizing to Trish."
   "Why?"
   "Because you're going home in an hour."
   Lindsay's eyes nearly exploded as she glared at me.  "I
don't want to go home, Jeremy!  PLEASE!  Let me stay!  I
made a terrible mistake!  I deserve a second chance!"
   "You made a couple of terrible mistakes," I informed her.
"You have lied to me and everyone else here, Lindsay, since
day one.  You were not a virgin when you came to the island.
You got your hymen surgically restored.  Right?"
   "_AMY_!" Lindsay exclaimed.  "WHY DID SHE TELL YOU THAT?"
   "In your warped, little mind, you thought that being a
virgin would increase your chances of receiving $500,000 at
the end of August," I theorized.  "Maybe I would like you
more, you thought, and you would ultimately get the money.
Why else would you lie about being a virgin?  Why would you
go through the trouble of even getting surgery done?  You
knew that I was 30 and that the ultimate fantasy for most
guys my age is deflowering a virgin teen-ager."

   Lindsay was speechless, indicating her guilt.

   "I've been good to you," I sulked.  "I gave you an advance
of $100,000 for your family.  I have treated you - and all of
the others here, for that matter - with 100 percent respect,
class and dignity.  You, on the other hand, have done nothing
but lie to and scheme against everyone here."  Lindsay glanced
downward in total shame as I vehemently shook my head at her.
"That day you and I had with Trish, Lindsay... it was, at the
time, so very special to me.  I... I had never been with a
virgin before.  I cannot believe you lied to me about it!
And on top of that, you accused Trish of rape because you
wanted me to send her home.  Trish loved you, Lindsay."
   "I took back what I said about Trish raping me!" the young
woman erupted.  "I TOOK IT BACK!"
   "If only you could take back everything else that you lied
to me and the others about," I sighed.  "That day you and I
had with Trish, it still is special to me.  But not because
of you.  Rather, because it was my first time with Trish.  I
think that she is a very special person.  Trish would have
never done anything bad to you."
   "I NEED THAT MONEY!" Lindsay cried, making eye contact
with me.  "MY FAMILY NEEDS IT!  I ONLY DID IT FOR THEM!"
   I nodded my head at her.  "I know that your mother and
sisters are in need of money because when your father died
last year, he did not have much in savings, and did not have
insurance.  But that is no reason for you to do what you have
done."  I paused and continued, "God, Lindsay.  You should
know by now that I am a very giving and generous person.  I
was going to take care of you, and your whole family.  I was
going to take care of all your financial difficulties."
   Lindsay sniffed her nose.  "What do you mean?"
   I shook my head.  "Doesn't matter now."
   "What?" she insisted.
   "I suggest you go to your guest room and pack all of your
belongings.  A helicopter will be here for you in an hour.
You will be escorted to the airport in Lima, then put on a
jet to Houston, and then Cincinnati."  Tears were cascading
down Lindsay's face as I continued, "You screwed up, girl.
You won the lottery by coming here.  You may not know it, but
you really did.  But your selfishness and complete lack of
honesty ruined whatever chance you had to reap the rewards."
   Lindsay dropped to her knees before me and even tugged at
my shirt.  "PLEASE, JEREMY!" she whined.  "PLEASE LET ME
STAY!  I'LL BE NICE TO TRISH!  I'LL FUCK HER!  I'LL BE NICE
TO EVERYONE!  OH GOD, PLEASE LET ME STAY!  I NEED THE MONEY!"
   "All of the others - Kristanna, Devon, Pamela, Amy and
yes, even Trish - once she gets her wits about her - want
you GONE," I countered.  "If Stephanie was still here, she
would want you gone, too.  I am sorry, Lindsay.  Well...
really, I'm not sorry.  But you have to go."
   "I NEED THE MONEY!" she screamed.  "PLEASE!"
   I shrugged my shoulders.  "You had enough money - $2,000,
I guess - to get your pussy stitched back together.  Your
family must not be in that bad of a state."
   "That was a business investment!" Lindsay exclaimed.  "We
knew that we would get that money back!"
   "And you did," I nodded.  "$100,000 was wired to your
mother's bank account.  Unfortunately, I cannot take that
back, so it's yours.  But it could have been a lot more.
Multiply that by 15.  That's what it could have been."
   "$1.5 million?" she gasped.
   "You better hurry and start packing," I advised her.  "The
helicopter will be here before you know it."
   "But Jeremy!"
   I pointed in the direction of her guest suite.  "Go."
   "JEREMY!"
   "GO!" I insisted.
   "_FUCK YOU_!" Lindsay screamed, rising to her feet and
glaring at me in total hatred.  "IF I WOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT
YOU WERE ATTRACTED TO A 35 DOLLAR _LAP DANCE WHORE_ LIKE
PAMELA, OR A SKANK LIKE KRISTANNA WITH A FAKE ACCENT, I..."
   "Get out of here!" I demanded, cutting her off.  "NOW!"
   Lindsay finally did turn and retreat to her room to pack
her suitcases, but not before giving me the ultimate insult
by spitting right in my face.  "YOU ASSHOLE!"
   If there were any subtle doubts or lingering guilt within
me about sending Lindsay home, they were now erased.