CHAPTER 6
Deputy Amy Cole stared helplessly at the burning candle standing in the fluid filled pie pan. She did not know what the fluid was, but anything used by a convicted arsonist must be highly volatile. The arsonist had told Starr that the arrangement couldn’t fail, and Amy could find no reason to disbelieve the claim.
She squirmed uselessly in the chair, but all she managed to do was to poke herself with the badge that Starr had pinned to her panties. She was so completely trussed with tape and securely roped to the chair that she knew she would never be able to free herself before the candle burned down and set off the flammable liquid in the pan. There was no way out.
Starr had even gloated about making her watch. Poor Summer, obviously still bound and helpless in the bedroom, would share Amy’s fate, but would probably never even know what had happened. Amy had to watch every excruciating detail. She redoubled her struggles. There just had to be some way to get free and save herself and Summer.
Some wax from the candle dripped into the liquid. Amy held her breath. It did not ignite, but she knew that it was only a matter of time.
The midafternoon sun was bright and warm as Starr Bell drove south on the county road that ran past Sky’s ranch. She grinned at Copper beside her.
“Ever been on a naked, tied, and gagged car ride before, Kid?”
Copper retorted angrily into her cloth and tape gag.
“Oh, I know, I know,” joked Starr. “You’re twenty-one and you’re no kid.”
She slid two fingers into the waistband of Copper’s panties.
“And technically, you’re not really naked either. But don’t you worry: I’ll fix that real soon.”
Copper mewed in alarm and scooted away. Starr laughed.
“Oh, don’t worry, Honey. I’ll be real gentle with you. Real gentle.”
She stroked Copper’s left thigh with her right hand. Copper, unable to get any farther away from the outlaw, desperately searched the sky in all directions. Starr noticed.
“Whatcha lookin’ for, Sweet Thing? Oh, yeah. Your uncle’s the big flyboy, isn’t he? Well, I think I left enough trouble back at the ranch to keep him and all the Sheriff’s men busy for a while.”
Copper continued to search. Starr also looked uneasily around.
“Still,” she mused, “it might be better to get outta sight until closer to dark. It’ll make it harder for a plane to spot us that way.”
She shaded her eyes with her hand, now looking along the side of the road.
Summer Smith groaned and struggled feebly, trying to make herself more comfortable on Sky’s bed. She was so securely tied, and had been all day, that she had no illusions about freeing herself. She was also still blindfolded, but when Starr had taken Copper from the room she had left the door open. Summer had heard the fugitive leave the house, and knew that she had probably taken Copper with her. While she was concerned about the girl, Summer knew that Starr’s departure meant that she would soon be found and freed. She tried to be content with that thought. It was only a matter of time.
It took Starr only a few minutes to find a rocky formation that hid the car fairly well. The outlaw pulled the car into it. There were still more blankets in the back of the station wagon. Starr took one out and spread it on the ground nearby. Copper was hauled from her seat and dumped on it. While the girl writhed in her bindings, Starr covered the rest of the car with brush.
“There!” declared the outlaw. “Your uncle will never see that.”
She sat beside Copper and began unbuttoning her shirt, regarding Copper with a hungry smile.
“And best of all, we can get better acquainted.”
Copper froze in disbelief as Starr peeled off her shirt and bra. The escapee started to sidle toward her bound prisoner, but stopped.
“Oops. These might get in the way.”
She reached into her waistband and took out Summer’s automatic pistol and Deputy Cole’s service revolver. She laid them on her shirt, keeping her body between Copper and the weapons.
“Now come to me, you sweet thing,” cooed Starr.
She reached around Copper and dragged the helpless girl toward her. Copper protested into her gag, and tried to squirm away.
“Oh, yeah,” whispered Starr. “Put up a good fight for your honor. I know I did when they had me like this when I was first in jail. But I got to like it.”
She crushed the smaller woman against her and began planting kisses on her neck and shoulders.
They were interrupted by the roar of a plane’s engines overhead. They both looked up. It was a twin engine Cessna. Copper screamed Sky’s name into her gag. Starr cursed.
The plane passed over them, then banked to take a second pass. Releasing Copper, Starr Bell reached for the two guns she had left beside them. With both of them in hand, the bare breasted fugitive stood up and strode into the open where she could get a clear shot.
As the plane headed back for them, Starr took Deputy Cole’s revolver in her right hand. It was the larger caliber weapon, and more effective against the plane. She waited, the weapon at her side.
Copper watched, helpless. She screamed a futile warning into the gag as the Hummingbird, in what seemed to be slow motion, came closer.
Starr raised the pistol and began firing. The shots were squeezed off rapidly, but not wildly. The plane began to wobble and roll. Apparently out of control, it disappeared behind a rocky hill nearby.
“I got him!” cried Starr. “I really think I got him!”
She turned to Copper, who gazed up at her with horror-struck, unbelieving eyes.
“I got the great Sky Ryder!” the outlaw continued. “There’s no way he coulda pulled outta that! He musta crashed!”
She was suddenly quiet and listening intently. They heard no crash, but neither did they hear the sound of the plane’s returning engines. Starr’s exultant mood was dampened.
“I’d better make sure it’s not a trick of some kind. We’ll wait a while. I might have to go check it out.”
Looking much less elated than just a few moments before, Starr sat down to wait.
Though she was becoming exhausted, Deputy Amy Cole struggled desperately. The candle had burned down almost to the surface of the fluid in the pan. She had only minutes, perhaps seconds, to save herself. But her bonds would not loosen.
The hinges of the front screen door of the ranch house shrieked as it was wrenched open, then the door banged as it swung shut. Amy heard heavy steps in the next room, then voices.
“Miss Copper? Miss Copper, are you here?”
It was the voice of Fred Merrill. Amy went mad struggling and mmphing in her chair. She tried to bounce herself toward the kitchen door. The flame was about to reach the surface of the liquid.
The barrel of a rifle appeared at the frame of the kitchen door. Merrill’s face peered around the edge of the frame. His eyes went wide and he was apparently struck motionless by the sight of the nearly naked, bound and gagged deputy. Joe Bailey appeared behind Merrill. Frantically, Amy wagged her head toward the pie pan on the counter. Merrill quickly sized up the situation and turned back to Bailey.
“Quick! Get her loose, Joe.”
Merrill dashed to the counter and blew out the candle. He lifted the plate, dropped it in the sink, and turned on the taps. With a sigh of relief, he turned back to Amy, a slow smile spreading across his big face.
“Well, I guess you were right, Deputy,” he said. “There wasn’t any real trouble here, was there?”
Bailey had removed the tape from over Amy’s mouth. She spat out the gag wadding as Joe took out his pocketknife and circled around behind her to work on the ropes holding her to the chair.
“I’m sure it wasn’t anything that the deputy couldn’t handle, Fred,” Joe deadpanned as he started cutting.
Amy Cole was gratefully gasping air.
“I’m so glad that you got here in time, that you’re welcome to make jokes,” she managed to get out between deep breaths. “She really wanted to roast us.”
Amy watched as Merrill looked curiously into the sink. He stuck a hand down where he had dropped the pie pan, then drew it back. He rubbed his fingertips and thumb together, as though testing what was on them, then held his index finger up to his nose. Gingerly he dabbed the fingertip on the end of his tongue.
Joe Bailey looked up from his work.
“What was it, Fred? Kerosene or paraffin?”
Merrill shrugged. Another slow smile began.
“I’m no expert, but I’d say…”
He stuck his hand back into the sink and drew up a handful of suds.
“…bubble bath.”
Amy groaned.
“Why that no good—“
She was interrupted by the arrival of Wade Norman coming from the back of the house.
“Hey, Fred—“
He stopped, open mouthed and frozen at the sight of the beautiful, bare breasted and still bound deputy. Merrill decorously stepped between Amy and the boy.
“What is it, Wade?”
Norman had trouble getting out the words.
“Another woman back there,” he said, jerking his thumb over his shoulder. “She’s all tied up and gagged, and nearly naked.”
“It’s Summer Smith, Fred,” explained Amy.
Merrill turned back to Norman.
“Well, be a gentleman, son. If you’ve got your knife, cut the lady loose.”
Norman stared vacantly at him for a second.
“Oh… Yeah. Sure.”
Fumbling at his hip pocket, he wandered back toward the bedrooms.
Merrill turned back to Deputy Cole.
“Now what happened here? And where’s Copper?”
Starr Bell reached down for her shirt.
“Well, Honey,” she said to Copper, “I’m going to have to make sure that your uncle really did crash. And to make sure he doesn’t try anything, you’re comin’ with me.”
Copper looked over Starr’s shoulder and gave an agonized gurgle.
Starr turned. A trail of smoke was rising from where the plane had disappeared.
The escapee tossed her shirt away and turned back to her prisoner.
“Now, let’s see. Where were we?”
She dropped down beside the bound girl and put an arm around her.
“We were just getting acquainted.”
Starr pulled the tearful blonde close and began stroking her shapely body. Copper was too distraught to struggle very much as the outlaw played with her. She stroked and caressed the bound woman’s body all over: feet and legs, thighs and hips, belly and breasts, shoulders and neck. After several minutes playing with Copper’s nipples, Starr reached down and took hold of the waistband of Copper’s panties.
“Let’s get rid of these,” she whispered.
There was a noise from the rocks nearby. Starr stopped abruptly and listened intently. Reaching for Deputy Cole’s pistol, she slowly got to her knees. She looked in all directions. There was nothing for a few seconds, then another sound like a small rock falling. But had it simply dislodged naturally, or had it been caused by someone moving?
Starr stood up and cautiously advanced toward the spot from which the noise had seemed to come, a small rock outcropping not far from where the car was hidden. With the pistol leveled, she quietly advanced, carefully checking behind some large rocks as she went.
From behind a strong hand grabbed her right wrist and raised it so the pistol was pointed harmlessly skyward. Another arm went around her bare torso. She was pulled up against a tall, athletic form. Instinctively, her finger jerked on the trigger of the pistol. There was an audible click. The gun was empty. She had used all the rounds shooting at the plane.
“Give it up, Bell,” said a voice behind her.
It was the voice of Sky Ryder.
She twisted in his grasp and tried to kick him, but he countered her moves with practiced ease. The pistol fell from her fingers as he applied pressure to her wrist. Her arm was wrenched behind her back, and a cuff snapped over her wrist.
Sky Ryder pulled Starr’s other arm back so that Sheriff Winchell could cuff her other hand.
“Nice work, Sky,” said Winchell. He then called out: “You can come out now, Charlie.”
Deputy Barnes stepped from the rocks where the noises had come.
“You showed a lot of cleverness to escape and get this far,” said Sky. “Then all it took to catch you was a thrown pebble or two.”
“I guess you didn’t crash then,” said Starr.
“I just made it look like I was in trouble,” Sky answered. “I landed behind that hill and started a little fire to make you think I’d crashed and burned.”
Starr shook her head.
“The oldest trick in the book, and I fell for it,” she said ruefully. She smiled a little at Sky. “I’m kinda glad though. Hope I didn’t shoot up your plane too bad.”
Two State troopers, one of them carrying Starr’s shirt, came up. They draped the shirt over her shoulders and one of them began buttoning it. She looked at Sky.
“Next time somebody in jail warns me about a guy, I’m gonna pay more attention,” she said glumly.
“You’d be better off not thinking about what you’re going to do next time,” advised Sky. “Just do your time and start clean when you get out.”
“Around here, going straight is real good advice,” added Winchell.
“You’re probably right,” mused the outlaw.
She turned to Deputy Cole whom she had spotted untying Copper.
“No hard feelings, deputy,” she said sheepishly. “I’m really not a killer, but I don’t want the other cons to think I’d be easy on a cop.”
Deputy Cole nodded. She was dressed in her uniform pants and shoes, but her badge was pinned on one of Copper’s shirts that fit her tolerably well. Copper, now free, was putting on clothes that Amy had brought for her.
The troopers took Starr away.
“Where’s Summer Smith?” asked Sky, not seeing his neighbor.
“Here I am, Sky,” called Summer as she hurried to them. The Sheriff made me wait back there by the car.”
She was wearing some of Sky’s old clothes. With the sleeves and pant legs rolled up, she looked somewhat comical. Sky cocked an eyebrow.
“Not a very fashionable look for such an attractive gal.”
Summer made a face.
“You should have seen me when your men found me.”
Copper looked up from buttoning her shirt long enough to glare at Summer.
“Well, maybe it’s a good thing you didn’t see me that way!” giggled Summer.
Sky turned to Copper.
“And you, young lady,” he lectured. “I thought I told you to be careful.”
“Oh, I was, Uncle Sky!” protested the girl. “But when I saw a strange woman driving Mrs. Smith’s car, I thought I’d better try to find out where she was going, and who she was, and—“
“And you ended up in a big mess!” finished her uncle.
Copper made a face and waved a hand casually.
“Oh, that! It wasn’t anything I couldn’t have handled. Why if I hadn’t been so worried about you, I’d have gotten loose and turned the tables on that woman long ago. In no time I’d have brought her back to the ranch all tied up and gagged.”
“Is that so?” asked Sky, arching his eyebrow again.
He winked at Deputy Cole and Summer. Amy drew her handcuffs from her belt, and Sky slipped a bandana to Summer.
“Oh yeah, Sky,” continued Copper, gathering steam. “Why I’d have used one of those judo moves you taught me and—“
She stuck out a hand like a weapon, only to have Amy snap a cuff on her wrist.
“Hey! What---“ was all she could get out before Summer stuffed the bandana in Copper’s mouth. As she used another to tie it in place, Amy skillfully locked Copper’s hands behind her back.
“Well, it looks like you’ve got things in hand here, Sky,” grinned Winchell. “I’m giving Deputy Cole the night off, but I have to get back to town and write my report. Come on, Charlie.”
Winchell and Barnes trudged off toward their car.
Sky put his arm around Summer Smith’s shoulder.
“After all this excitement, how about a nice quiet evening in town. Dinner and a movie?”
“Glad to, Sky. You fly back to the ranch while Deputy Cole and I take Copper back in my car.”
“Yeah,” said Amy. “I think we’d like to test her on some of those miraculous escape abilities.”
“I’ve got a few ideas we can try!” Summer said.
“And I’d be glad to stay with her tonight while you two are in town,” added Amy. “That way I can get some pointers from a real expert.”
Copper glared at the two women and protested unintelligibly into her gag.
Sky and the two women laughed heartily.