Sky and the Hijackers

Fiction by Frank Knebel

Chapter 7

“So what do you think the hijacker gang will try today?” Copper Ryder asked eagerly.

     Across the table, Julie Ryder, looking lovely in a loose-fitting lightweight skirt and front-buttoning blouse picked up her coffee cup and took a sip. A passing waitress noticed that Julie’s cup was nearly empty and leaned over to her, slightly lifting the pot she was carrying.

     “More coffee, Mrs. Ryder?” she asked.

     “No thanks, Sally,” said Julie. “The breakfast was mighty good though. Give Jeb a well done for me.”

     The trim, dark-haired, fortyish waitress smiled.

     “I sure will.” She turned to Copper, who wore her usual uniform of checkered Western shirt and jeans. “How ‘bout you Copper?”

     “None for me either,” she replied, wiping her lips with a paper napkin. “We’ve both got things to do this morning.”

     The waitress took a book of checks from her apron pocket, leafed through them, and tore one out of the book. She laid it on the table next to Julie.

     “You two have a wonderful day today.” She smiled knowingly. “And not too many adventures now.”

     Julie smiled back.

     “Copper’s been the one having all the adventures lately. But don’t worry: it’s going to be a dull day for both of us.”

     After Sally had gone, Copper turned back to Julie and repeated her question. Julie laughed softly.

     “I haven’t the faintest idea what they’ll do,” she said. “I hope they’ve learned their lesson and given up trying to ruin the Irons sisters’ business. I’d think that having ten of them in jail might make the rest think twice about trying anything.”

     Copper looked a bit disappointed.

     “But do you think they’ll really be scared off?”

     “I don’t know, Copper, I really don’t. But I’m glad that you and Sky will be watching Karen and Jill when they go out to Professor Stanton’s site this afternoon.”

     “Yeah. This time there’s too much stuff for us to fly it out for them like we did last time.”

     “And there are going to be deputies escorting the truck from the office to the excavation site.” She arched an eyebrow at Copper. “But remember that Sky wants you to stay away from their office this morning.”

     “Oh, Julie, I don’t think that---“

     Julie held up a hand to end the discussion.

     “Orders from Lieutenant Commander Ryder must be obeyed in this case.” She smiled. “Besides, he wants you to fuel up the Hummingbird before you two start out this afternoon.”

     “Oh, I’m going to do that as soon I get through this list of chores in town,” she said eagerly. She looked at her wristwatch. “Aren’t you going to be late for your hair appointment?”

     Julie opened her purse and took out some bills to pay the check.

     “There’s no sense in being early. Karen and Julie’s aunt, that Mrs. Vinson, has her appointment right before mine and I don’t want to spend any more time with her than I have to.”

     Copper giggled as Julie put some coins on the table.

     “But I really shouldn’t be too late,” Julie continued, glancing at her own watch. “Would you mind paying this so I can get over to Shirley’s?”

     “I’d be glad to,” said Copper, taking the check and the bills from Julie. “Will you be staying in town very long?”

     “I have a few other errands to run after my hair appointment, but I should be back at the ranch before you and Sky leave.”

     They both slid out of their seats in the booth and started for the door.

     “Okay. I’ll see you back at the ranch.”

     Julie went to the door as Copper stopped at the register to pay the bill. Deputy Ben Norris was waiting as Jeb filled two paper cups with coffee.

     “Hi, Copper,” the young deputy said with a smile. “Been tied up by anyone this morning?”

     She slapped him lightly on the arm. Julie grinned as she left the café.

Shirley Maxwell slowly turned May Vinson’s revolving chair so the woman could check all angles of her completed styling job in the mirror. The prim blonde woman studied her reflection carefully before answering.

     “Well, it seems to be all right, Shirley. Could you show me the back too?”

     Shirley glanced at Maura McCarthy, her young blond manicurist, as she reached for a hand mirror. Because Mrs. Vinson was carefully scrutinizing her hair, Shirley could not risk making a face while she could be seen in the mirror, but Maura rolled her eyes slightly. Shirley shook her head quickly, then gestured in the direction of the mirror to caution the girl as she held up the hand mirror behind her customer’s head.

     Shirley Maxwell was in her early forties, but plainly believed that it was necessary for a beauty shop owner be the best advertisement for her business. Though her figure was not of traffic stopping measurements, she was trim and immaculately groomed. The blond coloring job on her hair was beautifully done, so well done that, were it not for her deep brown eyes and eyebrows, it could pass for natural. Maura, much shapelier of figure, had the casual, effortless beauty of the young. As with anyone who worked for Shirley, her hair was stylishly cut, in a bob-style, and her blue eyes were perfectly made up. Both women wore the light blue uniform frocks of Shirley’s shop, Curls by Shirley.

     Shirley held the mirror so that May Vinson could check both front and back at once. Though Mrs. Vinson’s expression was far from pleased, she finally nodded.

     “Well, it’ll do for today,” she said with a look of suppressed disappointment at Shirley. “I do hope that we can get everything just right next week.”

     “Yes, ma’am,” Shirley replied wearily, obviously well acquainted with her customer’s habitual response.

     May held up her right hand and studied her nails, then turned to Maura.

     “Even though I’m a bit rushed, I need you to fix these two fingers, dear,” she said holding up the ring and little fingers. She smiled condescendingly.

     Shirley swept the cover sheet from Mrs. Vinson’s shoulders. The slender, elegant woman, dressed in dark slacks and a crisp white blouse, rose from the styling chair and took the few steps to the client’s stool at Maura’s little station near the curtained doorway to the back room.

     “Are you going riding or something today, Mrs. Vinson?” Shirley asked as she dropped the sheet into a small laundry bin.

     May Vinson’s face crumpled with distaste.

     “Heavens no! How could you possibly think that?”

     “Oh, I meant no offense,” Shirley said quickly. “It’s just that I don’t remember the last time you wore slacks to your appointment.”

     Before May Vinson could answer, the bell above the door of the shop tinkled as the door opened. Julie Ryder stepped in.

     “Good morning, Shirley,” said Julie with a bright smile. “Hello, Maura, Mrs. Vinson.”

     Shirley and Maura greeted Julie. May Vinson merely nodded.

     “I think I’m going to splurge for the full treatment today, Shirley,” said Julie. “Hair, nails, facial, and massage.”

     “What’s the occasion?” asked Shirley, smiling broadly.

     “Oh, nothing really special,” Julie began. “It’s just that sometimes---“

     The opening of the door with the accompanying ding of the bell interrupted her. Three women, two brunettes and a blonde, entered the shop and remained standing in front of the door.

     “Yes? May I help you?” asked Shirley.

     The three women stood in a line, blocking the door and windows of the shop. The woman in the middle was a rather tall, shapely blonde with an attractive but hardly striking face. She wore a summer dress and heels. The two brunettes flanking her were both attractive, though in different ways. The shorter brunette was even more shapely than the blonde, her full breasts, attractively flaring hips, and well-formed legs all being shown off by a dark, form-fitting dress. In contrast to the womanly curves of her body, her face appeared rather thin and hard. The taller brunette, who was a bit older than either of her companions, had her raven-black hair combed back from a flawless cameo face. She also wore a lightweight dress, though it was less constricting than the other brunette's was, and carried a large canvas over-the-shoulder bag.

     “We all need our hair done,” the blonde replied, glancing at the taller brunette who stood closest to the door.

     The brunette peered out the glass door and nodded to the blonde.

     “I’m sorry,” said Shirley. “But we have no appointments available this morning.”

     The blonde opened her purse and rummaged inside with her right hand.

     “Oh, I’m sure you’ll be able to fit us in somehow.”

     When she drew out her hand it held a gleaming automatic pistol, which she pointed directly at the women. The shorter brunette drew a pistol form her bag as well.

     Shirley, Maura, and May Vinson all gasped in surprise and terror. Julie tried to remain calm.

     “Look,” said Julie, “if you need money, just take all we have. We won’t resist. But just be careful with those---“

     “Oh, this isn’t a robbery, Mrs. Ryder,” the blonde replied coolly. “Although we are, in our own way, going to take something.”

     She nodded to the tall brunette, who turned the sign in the door from ‘Open’ to ‘Closed,’ and began pulling down the shades.

     “I think we’ll be more comfortable in the back room,” continued the blonde. “Shall we go, ladies?”

     The voluptuous brunette with the pistol stepped over to the manicurist’s table, grabbed May Vinson by the wrist and pulled her to her feet. Seeing what happened to her customer, Maura hurriedly stood up as well, knocking over some of her instruments. Julie extended a hand to Shirley, indicating that she should lead her, then followed her through the curtain into the back room. The blonde and her pistol were close behind Julie. The other brunette remained in the front, turning the bolt on the door and closing up the shop.

     The ten by twelve foot back room and contained Shirley’s desk and chair, some shelves holding extra beauty products, two folding chairs, and a chair with a bracket in the back made to hold a dryer hood. There was no hood attached at the moment.

     “Ah, yes,” said the blonde with satisfaction. “Everything we need, at least there will be when Jean joins us. All right, ladies. Everybody start stripping.”

     Maura was horrified.

     “You want us to what?” she cried.

     “Strip.” The blonde smiled minimally. “You know, as in take off your clothes.”

     May Vinson stared evenly at the blonde.

     “My dear woman,” she said haughtily. “I have no intention of stripping for you or any---“

     A sharp slap across the face silenced her. The blonde continued with no hint of irritation:

     “You’ll do as you’re told.” She paused. “My dear woman.”

     May Vinson put a hand her cheek, watching the blonde. She showed no sign of being humbled.

     “Well, since you put it to us so nicely...”

     She unbuckled the belt of her slacks and started to slide them down her legs. Maura grabbed Shirley’s hand.

     “What’re we going to do, Shirley?

     Shirley put one arm around the girl. With her other hand, she began unzipping her frock.

     “We’re going to have to do what they say, Maura.”

     Julie Ryder unfastened her belt.

     “Don’t worry, Maura,” she added. “They won’t hurt us if we cooperate.”

     “How right you are, Mrs. Ryder,” the blonde said suavely. “And some of you will be even more not hurt than the others. Let’s get a move on, ladies.”

     Reluctantly, the four women undressed. Neither Shirley nor Maura wore a slip under their uniform dresses, though both had on garterbelts and stockings with their low-heeled shoes; Julie wore a short slip under her loose skirt and blouse, as well as garterbelt, hose and moderate heels. May Vinson had only bra and panties under her Capri pants and blouse, and white socks and flats. The two armed women had May, Shirley and Maura throw their clothes in a heap in one corner, keeping Julie’s clothes separately piled on one of the shelves. The tall, cameo-faced brunette now joined them.

     “All set,” she announced, hoisting her bag onto a shelf and opening the flaps. “The shop’s all closed up tight and we can start on them now.” She reached into the bag and pulled out several lengths of gleaming white clothesline.

     “What are you going to do?” Shirley asked anxiously.

     “Nothing that’ll hurt you,” said the blonde. “But we still have a lot of work to do on the clothes, girls. You two” --- she indicated Shirley and Maura --- “get rid of the shoes and stockings.”

     She turned to Julie. The right side of the blonde’s mouth curled up.

     “You have an even longer way to go, Mrs. Ryder. Keep stripping.”

     She turned to May Vinson, who had tried to anticipate her orders by slipping off her shoes and socks. The blonde’s smile curled more.

     “And you, socially prominent lady, let’s have your bra too.”

     May Vinson’s face showed shock for a moment. The shock was fleetingly replaced by a glare of anger but, perhaps remembering the slap she had received, the woman regained her composure and reached back to undo the hooks.

     “I can’t say I agree with your methods,” May said coolly, “but I must say that you have a good eye for quality lingerie.” She handed the bra to the shorter brunette and stood with her arms at her sides. Her breasts were not large but they were firm and well shaped.

     The brunette examined the bra.

     “Nice piece of goods,” she remarked to the blonde, then tossed it over her shoulder.

     The taller brunette had busied herself by taking some pieces of white cloth from her bag and giving a few of them to the other brunette. As Julie, Shirley and Maura continued to disrobe, the two brunettes made gags for their prisoners by placing a ball of white cloth in the middle of a long band of the same cloth, then holding the ends of the band and swinging the wad around to wrap it firmly.

     “Ready?” asked the blonde. When the brunettes nodded, she continued. “All right, girls, everybody take a gag, put the wad in your mouth, then tie the ends behind your head.”

     The gags were passed out to the four women. Gingerly, they packed their mouths with the wads and, after some coughing and mews of discomfort, secured them in place. Julie, Shirley and Maura were now reduced to bras and panties only while panty-clad May Vinson stood coolly defiant, making no attempt to cover her exposed breasts. The blonde reached out with her free hand and stroked her fingertips over one of May’s nipples.

     “Nice pert ones for a woman of your age,” she said. She waved her pistol at the broken dryer chair. “Come on over here and put your hands behind your back.”

     Maura gasped into her gag and grabbed Shirley.

     “Okay, blue eyes,” said the shorter brunette to Maura. She took a piece of rope from Jean, the taller brunette, and fingered it lasciviously. “You’re next. Get rid of the bra and come on over here.”

     Maura’s eyes grew wide. She shook her head frantically and clung tightly to her employer. The brunette reached a hand out and started forward. Maura squealed into the cloth packing in her mouth. Shirley shook her head and stepped between them, pointing to herself. She reached back to unhook her bra.

     The blonde put a hand out to stop the brunette.

     “It’s all right, Lisa,” she said. “Take Shirley first. The other one’ll cooperate when she sees that nothing bad will happen to her.”

     Shirley slipped the bra straps from her arms and dropped it on the desk nearby. She turned to Maura and gave her a reassuring pat on the arm then crossed her wrists in the small of her back. Lisa looped them with rope several times, cinched the loops and tied off the ends. Jean had done the same to May Vinson’s hands, and she now began circling the woman’s arms and body with ropes just below her breasts. Jean made six turns with the long rope then tied the ends behind May. She reached around the bound woman and tweaked her erect right nipple.

     “Look!” she announced “She likes it!”

     May Vinson kept her head up but closed her eyes briefly and reddened.

     “Just keep working, whether she likes it or not,” the blonde replied. She turned to Julie, who was still in bra and panties. “Keep going, Mrs. Ryder. You’re our special case here.”

     Lisa and Jean worked with incredible speed and efficiency. Within two minutes, both Shirley’s and May’s hands and arms were thoroughly bound. Ropes were wrapped around both women above and below their breasts to trap their upper arms, and just above navel high to pin their forearms behind them. Cinching ropes were added over these last wraps between the women’s arms and backs to pin their arms closer to their bodies.

     Julie removed her bra. The blonde took it from her, adding it to the pile of her other clothing.

     “That’s enough with them for now,” said the blonde to her henchwomen. “Tie the other two.”

     Maura still shrank back from Lisa. Julie put an arm around Maura. The younger woman looked up at Julie, who gave her as reassuring a look as she was able under the circumstances, and nodded slightly. Julie reached behind Maura and gently undid the hooks of Maura’s bra. The tearful girl let it slide off her arms. Julie turned to Jean and presented her hands for binding. Maura followed her example, turning to Lisa.

     As her henchwomen tied the last two prisoners, the blonde put her pistol away and took two rolls of inch-and-a-half wide adhesive tape from Jean’s bag. She tore three six-inch pieces from one roll and faced May Vinson. She pressed the first two pieces over the helpless woman’s mouth in the shape of an ‘X’ then added the third piece horizontally along the line of her lips. She then had the woman sit in the dryer chair with the missing hood.

     “Don’t think we’ve forgotten your legs, socially prominent lady,” she said. “We’re going to do you up nicely before we’re all done. You’ll have quite a story to tell the bridge club this week.”

     The bound woman glared at her. The blonde added the same taping job to Shirley’s gag as the other women continued the tying of Julie and Maura. When they were also bound hands and arms, tape was added to their gags as well.

     “You two take Shirley and the manicurist,” the blonde ordered Lisa and Jean. She smiled her crooked smile. “I’ll handle the socialite.”

     The two brunettes forced Shirley and Maura to sit, Shirley in her desk chair and Maura in one of the folding chairs. The prisoners’ legs were bound and cinched at the ankles and above the knees. The blonde did the same to May Vinson in the heavily padded dryer chair.

     Julie watched the women with growing fear. While the blonde leader’s enjoyment in having May Vinson in her power was only mildly catty, the two brunettes seemed to be leering at the other captives in a barely suppressed sexual frenzy. Though her legs were free, without the use of her hands there seemed no hope of success in making any kind of break to summon help or raise the alarm. She writhed her hands behind her, trying to find some slack. There was none.

     The blonde leader finished with May Vinson and checked on the two beauty shop employees.

     “They look real good,” she said. “Put ‘em on the floor.”

     Lisa and Jean hauled Shirley to her feet then lowered her to the floor on her right side. They put Maura on her left side with her head opposite Shirley’s feet and vice-versa, then pushed the two close together. The brunettes began binding the two together at several places.

     Julie saw her chance. Lisa and Jean and their stretched-out captives lay between their blonde leader and Julie and the door. The bound woman sprang to her feet and made a dash, through the curtained doorway for the front door of the shop. As she ran for the front door, Julie got a good look at the lock, then turned her back as she reached the door. Her only hope was to turn the bolt with her bound hands, throw the door open and stagger out, hoping someone would see her and know from her bound, gagged and nearly naked state that she was in need of help. She reached the door and grappled for the bolt with her right hand. She managed to turn it, but the wrong way. Just as she was turning in the other direction, the blonde appeared from behind the curtain. Julie was able to turn the bolt and pull on the handle to open the door but, with most of her weight against it, she merely closed it immediately. Before she could try again, the blonde was on her, dragging her to the floor.

     “One of you, bring me some rope for her feet!” the blonde called, holding Julie down with one hand as she reached up and re-bolted the door with the other. Julie tried to throw the woman off, but the blonde wrapped herself in an embrace around her bound captive. Julie looked up to see the blonde, breathing hard but smiling at her.

     “I’ve never had to do this with a woman before,” the blonde gasped. “It opens up a whole world of possibilities.”

     Jean came from the back room with two more pieces of rope. She grabbed Julie by the ankles and started to wrap them only to have the blonde stop her.

     “No, not yet. There’s something I owe her first.”

     She reached down to the waistband of Julie’s panties and peeled them down to where Jean held the struggling woman’s legs.

     “Get rid of them,” the blonde ordered. “Then we can tie her.”

     Jean smiled at the blonde, then at Julie.

     “A pleasure.”

     Despite her resistance, Julie’s panties were pulled completely off. Jean then bound and cinched her ankles together while the blonde did the same to her legs just above the knees. They looked down in triumph at their naked captive.

     “A bit of a workout, wasn’t she?” asked Jean.

     “The best ones always are.”

     Jean held up another strip of white cloth.

     “I thought you might need this, too.”

     “Just what I was thinking of.”

     The blonde took the cloth band from Jean and bound it tightly over Julie’s eyes. Her work almost done, the blonde took a deep breath.

     “How are the others?” she asked Jean.

     “Lisa’s adding the blindfolds now.”

     “Good.” The blonde stood up. “Let’s get her into the back and signal for the car.”

     The blonde took Julie by her arms and shoulders, Jean by her feet. Together they lifted the bound woman and carried her to the back room once again. Shirley and Maura were already blindfolded. Lisa stood behind the chair to which May Vinson was bound, a blindfolding cloth in her hand. The blonde nodded to her and she tied the cloth around May’s head, covering her eyes. The helpless woman gave a little squeak of alarm as the band shut off her sight.

     “Call for the car, Jean,” ordered the blonde. “But before we go, I think that our club president here can use a couple more touches.”

     Lisa stepped back and watched as the blonde took another rope from the bag and looped it over the ropes securing May’s ankles. She slid the free ends back under the chair to Lisa, who still stood behind the bound woman.

     “Pull that tight, then tie it off,” she said. “We’ll keep those little feet out of mischief. But first...”

     She bent over May and pulled the woman’s panties from her hips down to the ropes above her knees. Though May had so far undergone the indignities of being stripped and bound with fortitude, this last touch was apparently too much. She protested into the gagging cloth and tapes, shook her head, and threw her body from side to side in her bonds, causing the chair to creak loudly. Lisa pulled the free ends of the ankle tether tightly under the chair and secured them to one of the back legs.

     “What do you think?” the blonde asked as Lisa stood up.

     “It’ll be some story to tell to the Kermit Ladies’ League,” said Lisa with a grin. “If she dares to tell it.”

     The blonde raised May’s chin. The woman tried to pull her head away. The blonde finally released her.

     “Let’s get Mrs. Ryder ready to travel, shall we?”

     The two wrapped Julie in several of the larger covers for the beauty shop’s customers. Jean reentered through the back door.

     “It’s here,” she said.

     “Take her,” Mary La Rocque ordered. “I’ll get her clothes.”

     The two brunettes lifted the helpless Julie and carried her out the back door to the alley while Mary bundled Julie’s clothes into the bag that had formerly held the ropes. After one last look at the three prisoners, Mary followed the others outside.

Rowlands was waiting in the alley. Bradford and Reeves had taken Julie from the women and were lifting her gently into the back of a panel truck. Monroe was keeping watch next to a car parked just behind the truck. Rowlands raised an eyebrow at Mary.

     “You did quite a number on her, didn’t you? Enjoyed it too, I’ll bet.”

     “I always enjoy my work, Mr. Rowlands. You should see the other ones.” She handed him the bulging bag. “Here are her clothes. Do you really think that this’ll stop Ryder?”

     “If anything will, this will. It was either his wife or his niece, and this seemed easier.”

     Mary gave him an appraising look.

     “I may have misjudged you,” she said thoughtfully. She laid a hand on his arm. “Laughton’s better looking than you, but looks aren’t everything.”

     He made a face.

     “I’ve got enough trouble getting along with Laughton as it is. You’re welcome to him and he’s welcome to you. No offense meant, but I have a job to do and I want to keep things simple.”

     Her crooked smile was back. She nodded slowly as she watched him.

     “So what I heard was true. You really want that little deputy with the big boobs. Strothers said that you spent a little extra time with her the other day. Well, I’m not the jealous type. You can have us both if you want.”

     Rowlands regarded her calmly.

     “I don’t believe for a second that you’re not jealous. Though it’s a nice offer, sorry, not interested right now. You know what to do next?”

     Mary nodded.

     “Jean has the first shift with her. I’m going to stay too.”

     He nodded.

     “All right. But just because she’s tied up, don’t underestimate her.”

     “We can handle her. Don’t worry.”

     He smiled grimly.

     “I had a woman boss who said something like that not too long ago. She’s doing twenty years in the Federal pen right now.”

     “You just do your job.”

     Rowlands turned. Bradford was waiting.

     “We’re ready,” said Bradford.

     “Okay. Take her away. The women will be right along.”

     Bradford nodded and headed for the driver’s door. In a few seconds, the truck had pulled away. Jean and Lisa had already started up the side of the beauty shop to get the car they had left in front. Mary turned to go.

     “Remember,” Rowlands warned. “Watch her close.”

     She looked back at him.

     “And you watch out too, Mr. Rowlands. Don’t go underestimating Ryder yourself.”

     She walked away, following Jean and Lisa. As Rowlands turned to the car, he saw Monroe watching her leave. She was giving anyone watching her from the rear her best look: hips slightly swaying and hair swinging gently from side to side. Monroe was a young man, lean and well-built, with a slightly hooked nose and hair so severely parted and combed over that there seemed to be an awning stretching above his forehead.

     “Not bad,” he said softly.

     Rowlands shook his head.

     “No, son,” he said. “Real bad.”

“I’ll get it!” yelled Copper Ryder.

     She took a bite of her peanut butter sandwich and bolted from the kitchen table toward the living room to pick up the phone. Sky Ryder smiled after her and took another sip of his iced tea. He checked his watch. His niece immediately called him.

     “It’s for you, Sky.”

     “What, not some fellow asking you for a date tonight?” he asked mischievously as he took the receiver from her.

     “Very funny for a Tuesday,” she said, making a face at him.

     “Hello. This is Sky Ryder.”

     “Mr. Ryder, I have a very important message for you.”

     “Who is this?”

     “Let’s just say I’m an old friend.”

     Sky did not like the caller’s tone though he did not recognize the voice.

     “What kind of message is this?”

     “It’s from your wife, Mr. Ryder. The former Captain.”

     “Who is this?”

     “An old acquaintance of yours and the Captain’s. We have her, Mr. Ryder.”

     “How do I know that?”

     “One of our men is just about to deliver proof to you.”

     Copper was standing a few feet from Sky. Hearing a car slowing on the road outside, she turned to look out the door.

     “Sky, there’s a car stopping outside the gate,” she called. “They threw something out!”

     “See what it is, will you, honey?”

     The girl dashed outside.

     “I think your message has just arrived,” Sky said into the phone.

     Copper came slowly back onto the porch examining the paper-wrapped bundle she had torn open.

     “What is it, Copper?” demanded Sky.

     “I don’t understand,” she said haltingly. “It’s just a woman’s clothes. In fact, they look like Julie’s.”

     Sky snatched the bundle from her and examined them. There was no doubt they were the ones Julie had worn that morning.

     “Satisfied?” asked the man on the phone.

     “All right. What now?”

     “There’s a price for getting her back. You’re going to have engine trouble and be unable to follow the trucks going out to Professor Stanton’s dig this afternoon.”

     “What?”

     “I think you heard me. You’re not going to interfere. That plane of yours stays on the ground if you want your very pretty wife back in one piece.”

     “I understand.”

     There was a pause.

     “I hope you do, Mr. Ryder. I hope you do.”

     The line went dead.

     “What is it, Sky?” asked Copper. “How did Julie’s clothes get back here?”

     Sky held up a hand to stop her questions. He made a new connection on the phone and waited while it rang.

     “Get me Sheriff Winchell.”