Chapter 10

The following morning, Sunday morning, she expected him to abuse her again in some way. Instead, he said, "Get dressed. We're going for a little ride."

"Where are you taking me?" she asked.

"To town," he shrugged. "I need groceries, and there are one or two restaurants open today. So I'll take you to eat."

"I'm surprised you didn't try finishing what you did last night," she maliciously snapped, still not wise enough to know when to keep her mouth shut.

"I have no intention of going down on you again until you beg me for it, Susan," he said to her. "Now get dressed."

"Aren't you afraid I might try getting away?" she asked.

"Where would you go?" he laughed. "We're way up in the mountains, countless miles from the kind of civilization you know. As a result, all you'd do is get lost in the vast forests over here, and eventually starve to death. You might be lucky and find some hunters. If they don't accidentally shoot you in that brown dress, mistaking you for a deer, then they might use you some other way. After all, the only law up here is some hick sheriff in one of the larger towns that's miles away from the little village where we're heading. Each man is a law unto himself, up here."

"You'd be well rid of me then, wouldn't you," she snapped. "Well, I won't give you the satisfaction of dumping me. If I die up here, you'll have to kill me yourself."

I'm crude, but not that crude," he assured her. "Now hurry up. I have some business to attend to as well. It will keep me busy for quite some time."

They got into his Imperial and he drove to a tiny little village that was no more than a city block long. It had old-fashioned wooden sidewalks that one saw in old westerns, and the streets were poorly paved. Granted, there were no horses, and the automobiles parked here and there were relatively new, but it looked like some old west town suddenly come to life.

There was a movie there, but Susan wouldn't be able to go there. Without her glasses she wouldn't be able to see a thing. There were also dress shops, but on Sunday they were closed.

Tom took her to a small restaurant where they had a large brunch, and then he said to Susan, "I have business that needs attending. I'm buying some additional land up here, and it's going to be a bit of a haggle. You'll find notions stores that are open, as well as certain variety shops. Buy whatever you want, and tell them to put it on my bill. I'm pretty well-known around here, and I have credit at all the stores. You'll see."

"But why should they take my word for it?" she asked.

"You mean about being with me and so they can put things on my bill? I already told them I would be bringing a certain charming young lady up here, and so they're expecting you."

"You told them to expect me?" she asked.

"Yes!"

"And they know we're not married?"

"Who knows what they think?" he shrugged.

"But they'll think I'm a whore."

"Well, you are," he smiled. "You're my own private whore. Bye now."

He rose, walking out of the restaurant after paying, leaving her there by herself.

Susan went to the restaurant cashier and said, "I'm with Mr. Warren, the man who just paid you."

"Oh, yes," the cashier, a woman in her middle fifties, with silvery gold hair nodded. "He's such a fine gentleman, Mr. Warren. You're Mrs. Warren?"

"Yes," Susan lied. "I was wondering if I might borrow a dime from you. I'll return it before I leave."

"Certainly," the cashier smiled, handing Susan the coin.

"Where's the telephone?" she asked. "In the rear of the restaurant," the woman replied. "What is the name of this charming town?" Susan asked.

"It's just a village," the woman replied. "Quilton Village."

"Thank you," Susan said, smiling.

She walked to the rear of the restaurant without bumping into any of the chairs, and finally made out the old-fashioned phone booth. Stepping in, she pulled the doors shut, and the light went on. She was barely able to make out the numerals as she dialed.

The operator came on, and Susan said, "Operator, I'd like to reverse the charges on this call."

Then a harsh voice said, "Hello!"

The operator asked if he would accept the charges, telling him it was from a Miss Susan Kean, and the voice said, "Yah! I'll pay for the call." Then, "What is it, Susan?"

"Izzie," she gasped. "I need help. I've been kidnapped by a man, and at the moment he's left me alone in the village of Quilton. I don't know where it is. Can you find it and come and get me?"

"Yah! Izzie told her. "I'll be dere as quvick as I can."