Sky and the Starlets

Fiction by Frank Knebel

Chapter 6

The white laundry truck slowed to a stop and waited for the red light to change. Dugan slowly turned his head to the right, appearing nonchalant as he checked for signs of pursuit or alarm on the passenger’s right side of the vehicle.

     “All clear over here,” he said softly. “How about with you, Baynes?”

     The dark-haired, mustachioed driver stretched to disguise his scan of his side of the truck.

     “No sign of any deputies or anything much movin’ around. I think we got away clean.”

     The corners of his mouth rose slightly as he looked at his husky passenger. Dugan chuckled grimly.

     “Got away clean, huh. Good joke for a laundry truck.” He swung his chin around to look over his left shoulder at Arlene and Gloria sitting on either side the large laundry basket in the rear. “How are our other passengers?”

     Arlene looked down and reached over the edge of the basket. A gagged mew of alarm came from inside followed a few seconds later by another. She looked up at Dugan and smiled sedately.

     “The little darlings seem to be quite well,” she said. “They’re a bit sensitive right now but they’re in good health.”

     Arlene reached into the basket with both hands. Two more gagged yips came from inside, followed by some moans of protest. Dugan looked at Gloria.

     “What’s she doing, Gloria?” he demanded. “Can the girls breathe all right?”

     Gloria looked down. They had removed the layer of sheets and towels that had covered the bound actresses and had pulled back the portion of the sheets that had been wrapped around their heads and upper torsos. The tape-gagged and blindfolded faces, shoulders and bare chests of both bound blondes were visible. Arlene was stroking the breasts of both women, which also bore telltale red marks of the pinches she had just applied.

     “We uncovered their heads so they can breathe,” said Gloria. She looked uneasy as she continued: “Arlene’s just playing with them a little.”

     Arlene glared at her.

     “It’s nothin’ serious,” Gloria added lamely.

     “Get your hands out of there, Ahlene,” said Dugan. “You know the rules. No damage to the merchandise.”

     “But I’m not hurting anyone now, Dugan.” cooed Arlene. “In fact I’m being real friendly. They should be enjoying this.”

     She was making circular motions with both arms. The volume of the gagged protests increased. Gloria was watching nervously.

     “Well, cut it out!” snapped Dugan.

     The light turned green and Baynes started the truck forward. Dugan swung back to facing forward, continuing to keep an alert watch ahead and to his side.

“Okay, Jonesey, let’s go.”

     When the car did not move, the little man looked over at Jones behind the wheel. The lean driver was staring ahead, apparently lost in thought. Jackson slapped him lightly on the shoulder. Jones looked up, startled. Jackson pointed at the truck a few cars ahead of them in the line of traffic.

     “They’re going, Jonesey. We need to keep them in sight.”

     “Yeah, but we can’t look like we’re followin’ ‘em,” said Jones as he put the car into gear. He added softly: “Not too close and not too far. Yep. That’s how it’s gotta be.”

     Jackson noted his distracted manner.

     “Thinking about all the money we’re gonna make on this one?”

     Jones shook his head slowly.

     “Nope. I was jus’ thinkin’ ‘bout what might be goin’ on in the back o’ that truck. I’ll bet Arlene’s probably havin’ some pretty innerestin’ fun with those two.”

     “You think so?” Jackson settled back in the seat and considered it for a moment. “Yeah, you’re probably right about that.” He looked at Jones, raising one eyebrow. “And I guess you’d like to see what she’s doing.”

     “That Arlene’s quite a gal.”

     Jackson’s eyebrow rose further.

     “Got a thing for her, too? I thought you had eyes for Patricia.”

     Jones chuckled.

     “I got eyes for all of ‘em, Jackson. All of ‘em.”

Dispatcher Bonnie Johnson was making urgent sounds into the cloth wad and covering adhesive tape of her gag. Deputy Amy Cole tried to calm her. With her gagged mouth pressed against Bonnie’s it was no easy job, but with slow repeated hums and what she hoped was reassuring eye contact Amy managed to quiet her helpless partner. Amy guessed that Bonnie, whose nose had been forced between Amy’s and the thick mat on which they rested, was having difficulty getting enough air. When Bonnie was calmer, Amy was able to slip her chin around the side of Bonnie’s head. Once she had done so, the loops around the backs of their necks slackened and, by a little shaking of her head, Amy was able to get them to slide down enough that the two women could lean their heads back. With a mew of relief Bonnie arched her neck back and sucked in a gulp of air through her nose. Amy hummed inquisitively. Bonnie nodded and hummed in reply.

     Amy now concentrated on what she could possibly do with her bonds. As had happened several times before, her own cuffs had been used to secure her hands behind her back. Amy knew from some romantic play with Harry that, despite her fairly short arms, she had the ability to slide her cuffed wrists down below her butt and work her arms under her, eventually getting her hands in front. Of course, this maneuver was possible only if she were able bend her elbows apart and tuck her knees up almost to her chest. With her arms bound closely to her sides and her legs and upper body tied closely against Bonnie’s, there was no hope of doing any of this. She tried to press the little finger and thumb of her right hand close together in the hope that making her palms as small as possible might allow her to slip her hands from the cuffs. But she could not quite work her hand through the opening.

     She looked at Bonnie. The brown-eyed, brown-haired dispatcher was calmer and breathing freely now, but she kept looking down and to her side with wide eyes. Amy figured that the girl, freed from her fear at being held at gunpoint, was realizing what an embarrassing situation their captors had placed them in. Clad in only their panties, tightly gagged and bound face to face and breasts to breasts with another woman was a position in which she might dread rescue nearly as much as remaining as she was. Bonnie wiggled uselessly. She tried to say something. When Amy continued to look blankly at her, Bonnie repeated her question several times. Finally Amy realized what she was asking ‘What can we do?’

     Amy tried to keep the look in her eyes as comforting as possible as she slowly shook her head.

Copper Ryder tried again to find the knots on her wrist ropes. No matter how she searched with her fingers, she was unable to find them.

     “Great!” thought the girl. “Just my luck to be tied up, once again, by experts who know enough to keep the knots out of easy reach. Why do they all come to Kermit?” She looked down at her exposed breasts. “And why do they all want to see boobs?”

     She looked over at Amy and Bonnie lying bound together face to face on the floor. She could see Bonnie working her hands energetically but uselessly in the cuffs behind her back.

     “Well, I guess it could’ve been a lot worse,” Copper thought. “I’m not handcuffed, my breasts aren’t smushed against another woman’s and I didn’t have to have my gag pressed against anybody else’s. What was the point of that, I wonder?”

     She could feel her legs beginning to cramp and tried to stretch her feet out in front of her a bit. She could barely move her feet an inch against the tight tether connecting her bound ankles to the back of the chair.

     “Just got to relax,” she told herself. “Sky and the others will break in here anytime now.”

     She looked at the Miss Kermit contestants bound to the wheels of the stagecoach. Having been tied before, Maura and Estrelita were bearing up well. Carol and Marianna were struggling noisily and energetically. Carol’s face and upper chest were still flushed red with embarrassment and her cheeks were wet with tears, some of which had rolled over the tape covering her mouth and lower face and dripped onto her large, firm breasts.

     “Poor girl. That Jones gave her a good fondling as he tied her there. I can see why though.”

     For a few moments Copper lost focus on her predicament as she compared the breast size and condition of her fellow captives and herself. Another furious bout of struggling from Virginia Gregory snapped Copper from her catty reverie. The attractive agent thrashed wildly in her bonds and moaned loud protests into her gag. For a few seconds Copper was worried that the woman would tip herself and her chair over. But very quickly the woman tired herself and stopped, collapsing into her bonds and breathing loudly.

     Copper checked Shirley and Summer. Shirley was sitting quietly aside for some movement of her bound hands and an occasional glance over her shoulder at the front doors. Summer looked at the two bound deputies on the floor then back at Copper and tilted her head slightly to one side. Copper could read her meaning: It’s not us this time.

“Make way there! Make way! The mayor’s coming through!”

     Some members of the crowd gathering in front of the Armory turned in the direction of the shouts while others kept their eyes fixed to the men trying to pull the doors open. Deputies Al MacKeever, Ben Norris, and Andy Rivera had joined Sky and Reverend Andrews, but they had not been able to force the chained doors open.

     “Mr. Ryder,” said Reverend Andrews, “I think you’re right about Miss O’Connor and Miss Malloy being in danger here. And somehow I feel that it’s partly my fault for being so late. Whatever happened in there went on while you were waiting for me to arrive.”

     “It’s not your fault, Reverend,” said Sky. “It sounds like that message about helping someone was a trick to delay you, just the kind of thing a minister couldn’t ignore. It was very cleverly done.”

     Before Andrews could speak again, the crowd parted enough to let Deputy Barnes lead Mayor Holmes and Councilmen Roberts, McClain, and Eckhart join the group at the doors.

     “What’s happened here, Sky?” panted the Mayor, unused to the exertion and jostling he had just experienced. “Where’s the Sheriff?”

     “We don’t know exactly what’s happened, Mr. Mayor,” Sky said calmly. “The doors have been chained from the inside. Winch is trying to get in the back door.”

     “There has to be a way to get in,” insisted Roberts. “There’s no telling what could be happening to those poor girls!”

     “Just as I said, Mr. Mayor,” Eckhart said emphatically. “I knew that this whole thing would come to no good.”

     “Oh, shut up, Bob,” said McClain. “Forget about all that for now; we’ve got to get in there! Let’s send for a cutting torch or something. Somebody go get Jim Lester at his garage. Or Tom Anderson. He’s a plumber. They’re always cutting metal.”

     Sky held up a hand to stop a couple of men in the crowd who had turned to carry out these suggestions.

     “Deputy Tyler’s bringing the bolt cutters he carries in his patrol car. I think we can get the doors open far enough to use those. But let’s not panic and start running around in all directions.”

     “An excellent idea, Sky,” said the Mayor. He gestured to the people all around them. “Keep an eye open so you can let him through.”

     He had no sooner said this than a woman cried out: “Here he comes!”

     The crowd made a narrow path for Deputy Harry Tyler as he picked his way through the mass of people. Several of them encouraged him on or patted him on the back as he passed. Sheriff Winchell reappeared as Tyler ran up the concrete steps to the level of the doors.

     “What did you see, Winch?” Sky asked.

     Winchell took a couple deep breaths.

     “No sign of anyone back there, Sky. Both doors are locked. Steve and Bill are trying to get the vehicle door open.”

     “I think we’ll get in this way easier,” said Sky, nodding to Tyler. “Let’s go, Harry. ” He waved to MacKeever and Norris. “Come on boys. Let’s open this door as far as we can.”

     The two deputies pulled on the handle as Sky pushed against the open edge of the door. Andy Rivera and Reverend Andrews added their pulling power to the exposed edge. Tyler pressed himself against the other door of the set and slipped the cutters through the opening. After a moment he was ready.

     “Got it,” he said.

     “Easy now, boys,” Sky cautioned the men variously pulling and pushing on the door. “She’ll come open pretty hard if this works.”

     The sturdy deputy squeezed the handles of the cutter together. There was a loud snapping sound from within and the door, still being pulled by the four men, flew open. The deputies staggered backward trying to keep their balance.

     Sheriff Winchell picked his way through the crowd of deputies and city officials and put his back to the doors. He gestured to Barnes and Norris.

     “Charlie, I want you and Ben to keep everybody back,” he said drawing his service revolver. “Nobody comes in until I give the word.”

     “Right, Sheriff,” the lanky deputy said with a determined nod.

     “Stand back for the press!” called a familiar voice.

     Norman Barrett led another small group that included Julie Ryder, Fred Merrill, and Deputy Sue Kendall through the crowd.

     “If you’re going in there, Sheriff, I’m coming with you!” the editor declared.

     “Sorry, Norm,” said Winchell. “I can’t let anyone in until I know it’s safe.”

     “What about us, Sheriff?” asked Julie, pointing to herself and Sue. “The women in there may need us.”

     “Sue can go in with us.” His expression softened a bit. “I’ll send her out for you if we need you.” He turned to his remaining deputies. “Harry, Andy, and Al, I want you men with me. And, Harry, I know that Amy’s in there but I don’t want you taking any fool chances.”

     “Okay, Sheriff.” Tyler put down the bolt cutters and took his pistol from its holster. The other deputies also drew their weapons.

     “I need to go too, Winch,” said Sky. “Copper’s in there.”

     “And Summer,” put in Fred Merrill. “You’ll have to have somebody shoot me to keep me out, Winch.”

     Winchell nodded.

     “All right, Fred. Just stay back until we’re sure the place is clear.” He checked his little group. There were nods all round. “Let’s go. Keep ‘em back Charlie.”

     “Be careful, Sheriff, “ said Mayor Holmes.

     Barnes and Norris began to edge the crowd back as Winchell turned, opened the door and led the way inside, Tyler and Sky following.

     Maura McCarthy tugged on the ropes around her wrists. She thought that they might have loosened a bit in the past few minutes, though she was still unable to slip her hands from the loops. She paused to rest and shake away a few blond hairs that had fallen over her forehead and eyes. She looked across at the women tied to the chairs a few feet from the coach. Copper was inching her bound hands around to her side in an attempt to reach a knot in the loops around her waist. Shirley worked on her wrist bonds with her eyes closed and face turned toward the ceiling. Every once in a while, the dyed-blond beautician would glance back over her shoulder as though expecting help. The agent, Virginia Gregory, had apparently exhausted herself and had been sitting quietly for some minutes. Summer Merrill was also quiet, but Maura could tell from the concentration in her expression and the slight tilt of her shoulders that she was trying to free her hands. Amy and Bonnie occasionally made noises to one another. Maura had watched as Amy tried unsuccessfully to slip her wrists from the cuffs behind her back. Carol, only inches to Maura’s left, seemed calmer now and there were no more tears. Both she and Marianna kept looking down as though still in disbelief that their bare breasts were on display. Maura could not see Estrelita at the end of the line very well, but all the Miss Kermit contestants appeared to be over their panic.

     Maura was just about to go to work on her wrist ties again when she heard the noise at the door.

Amy Cole’s right shoulder and arm, the side she was lying on, were becoming sore. She had just pressed down with her feet and tried to squirm enough to find a new spot on which to rest her weight when she heard the banging of someone trying to force the doors and voices from outside. Then there was a loud snap and one door was opened. A few moments later she could hear footfalls in the hallway. The Sheriff called out followed by some other voices. The women around her raised a gagged chorus in reply. She heard Harry Tyler’s voice above the others:

     “Sheriff! Sky! They’re in here!”

     A moment later Harry’s boyish face appeared above her. Bonnie shrieked into her gag and closed her eyes.

     “Come on now, Amy,” said Tyler with a smile of relief. “You’ve got to admit that sometimes I’m a handy guy to have around.”

     Harry pulled his knife from his belt and began cutting the ropes holding Amy and Bonnie together.

     Copper Ryder tied the belt of her loose-fitting robe extra tight in an attempt to keep it from falling open.

     “All I know, Sky is that they put Joan and Diana in some kind of laundry cart and took them out the back way.” She pointed at the small door for emphasis.

     Amy Cole was buttoning up her uniform shirt.

     “That’s right, Sheriff,” she said with a nod. “We could hear a truck or car start up right away, but we couldn’t tell you what it looked like or which way they went.”

     Harry Tyler approached the group.

     “The girls are nearly decent again, Sheriff. Should I have Andy let people in when they’re ready?” He put an arm around Amy’s waist and softly asked her: “How about you? Are you all right?”

     Amy nodded and laid her head against his shoulder for a moment.

     Sky and the Sheriff checked the progress of the women around them. After the deputies had freed the bound women, they had helped them in finding their clothing or robes and had tried hard to be discreet as the women dressed. Julie Ryder and Sue Kendall had circulated among the women, assisting them and offering words of comfort as best they could. Right now Shirley, Julie and Sue were helping the Miss Kermit contestants make their swimsuits temporarily wearable by tying their cut shoulder straps in order to keep the suit fronts in place. Fred Merrill had his arm around Summer as they talked quietly with Virginia.

     “I suppose that the Mayor and those councilmen will blow a gasket if we don’t let them in soon,” said Winchell.

     “Norm Barrett’s getting antsy too,” said Tyler.

     Winchell beckoned to Julie.

     “How are they, Julie?” he asked her. “Anybody need medical attention?”

     “I think everybody will be fine after a nice hot bath, a stiff drink, and a good night’s sleep,” said Julie. “A couple of them, like Miss Gregory there”--- she pointed at the agent--- “have a few bruises from struggling hard. We should have a doctor look at them.”

     Winchell turned to Tyler.

     “Doc Barton’s on his way with a couple other docs and nurses from the hospital,” said the deputy.

     Winchell nodded. He scanned the area again then looked directly at Tyler.

     “Let the docs in but nobody else until all the girls are checked out. Sky and I are going to have a look out back.” He turned to Dispatcher Bonnie Johnson, who was still obviously shaken. “Bonnie, I’m counting on you and Amy and Copper to help these civilians. You’ve been through a rough time, but you’re all right, and I know that you can help them.”

     The pretty dispatcher’s posture straightened noticeably. Some color returned to her face.

     “Right, Sheriff,” she said, trying to sound firm. “You can count on us.”

     “Come on, Bonnie,” said Amy. “Let’s see what we can do.”

     As the three young women walked away Tyler grinned and nodded at Winchell, who winked in return. The Sheriff and Sky crossed the room to the back door and opened it. Deputies Cooley and Harrison were there keeping back a gathering small crowd of onlookers.

     “What’s the story here, Steve,” asked Winchell. “Did anybody see anything?”

     “What’s all this commotion, Sheriff?” interrupted a familiar voice. “What’s happened in there?”

     Sky and Winchell turned from Cooley to see Councilman Bayer in the front row of the curious.

     “We’ve had a bit of trouble, Mr. Bayer,” Winchell said slowly. “Somebody broke into the Armory and kidnapped Miss O’Connor and Miss Malloy.”

     “Kidnapped them?” cried Bayer. “But who? And why? And what do they want?”

     “We’re going to try to find out. But I can’t do it talking to you.”

     He turned back to Cooley who had drawn out his pocket notebook.

     “About a half hour ago, a white truck pulled up behind the door here.” Cooley pointed at the smaller door for pedestrians. “A husky man in white coveralls unloaded a cart on wheels from the truck and rolled it to the door. Someone inside opened it for him. A few minutes later, two men in white coveralls rolled it out again, then loaded it into the truck and drove away. During the next few minutes, more people came out, alone or in pairs. We’re not sure how many in all, but there were at least two women among them, maybe three.”

     “Sounds like the same bunch that ambushed Julie and Copper,” Winchell said to Sky.

     “You mean the same people who tried to kidnap them before have struck again?” said Bayer. “And this time they’ve been successful? What were your people doing all this time, Sheriff?”

     Sky took a step toward the beefy councilman.

     “What did you see out here, Mr. Bayer?” he asked pointedly. “Maybe you could help us.”

     “I?” He was obviously taken aback and began to stammer. “W-w-why I didn’t see anything. I just got here a few minutes ago. I believe I might have seen a white truck, but that’s all.”

     “You saw more than that!” shouted a man in the crowd. “I saw you talking to the man as he was unloading that cart.”

     Everyone was staring at Bayer.

     “W-w-well, yes, ... come to think of it, I did say a word or two to him,” he said haltingly. “I remember now. We all know that the National Guard company is out on maneuvers this week, and I wondered what laundry they could be picking up. The man said that a few items had been overlooked the week before and were going to be left for them.”

     Winchell was about to say more. Sky shot a glance at his friend as a sign to wait.

     “Thank you so much for helping us with that,” said Sky without a trace of irony. “If you remember anything more, I hope you won’t hesitate to mention it.”

     Sky and Winchell huddled with the two deputies.

     “See if you can find out anything more about that truck,” Sky told the deputies. “I doubt that anyone got the license plate, but check with everybody who’s out here.”

     “Right, Sky,” said Harrison.

     As the two deputies went among the crowd, Sky and Winchell headed to the back door.

     “Did we just add to our suspect list, Sky?” asked the Sheriff.

     “I don’t know, Winch,” said Sky. “But it’s something to keep in mind. But right now we have to find that truck.”

The laundry truck, followed by one car, pulled into the lane leading to a run-down, single-story ranch house a few miles from town. Another car was parked in front of the low stone and clapboard porch. A woman stood waiting, her arms folded across her chest. A tall man sat in a wooden swing suspended by rusty chains from the porch roof. He sat up alertly as the truck approached, but did not rise to his feet. The truck stopped and the engine was shut off. The doors on both sides opened.

     “Not bad time for an old, slow truck,” said Patricia Perry.

     Dugan stepped out.

     “We could’ve come fastah, but we didn’t want to risk attracting any attention,” he said.

     He motioned Baynes to the back of the truck. The following car stopped a short way behind the truck. The engine was shut off and Jackson and Jones got out. They joined Baynes at the rear doors of the laundry truck and helped lift the cart from the vehicle. Jackson assisted the two women to hop down while Baynes and Jones rolled the cart to the porch. Dugan joined the two in lifting the cart the eighteen or so inches to the porch. As the men climbed up to join her, Patricia parted the sheets covering the cart’s two occupants.

     “Well I see that our little actresses came through their trip like a couple of real troupers,” she said with mock-girlish enthusiasm. She turned to Jarvis in the swing. Her voice hardened. “Get ‘em inside. You know what to do.”

     “Oh, can’t we help too?” asked Arlene.

     The blonde’s face was eager, but Gloria was wringing her hands uncomfortably and regarding Arlene as though she was a ticking bomb.

     “Sure you can, Arlene,” said Patricia, “though it doesn’t look like Gloria’s too eager to join in. Come on. We may need your help.”

     Arlene took a couple soft steps and made a cat-like spring onto the porch. Gloria took a few hesitating steps toward the porch and wrung her hands again for a moment before mounting the three steps to join the others. Arlene grabbed her by the elbow.

     “Come on, Gloria,” she urged. “This’ll be fun!”

     She hustled Gloria inside.

     “We’ll need to leave a couple men on guard out here,” said Patricia. “It doesn’t look like we’ve been followed, but I don’t want any nasty surprises at this stage. Assign someone, Dugan.”

     Dugan surveyed the team.

     “Jones, you and Baynes keep a lookout. There should be some binoculahs in Jarvis’ cah. Check out anybody who drives by. The rest of you, lend a hand.”

     As Baynes fetched the field glasses, Dugan, Jarvis and Jackson rolled the cart through the door. Patricia held the screen door for the cart then, when she was sure that Jones was watching her attentively, strolled after them with a provocative swing of her hips.

     “That Patricia’s got a mighty fine li’l gitalong there,” said Jones as she disappeared.

     Baynes snorted softly and raised the binoculars to his eyes.

     “Forget it, Jonesey. She’s way out of your league.”

     “Stranger things have happened, Baynes.” He added softly: “You just never know.”

The interior of the ranch house was mostly empty and forlorn-looking. A few pieces of worn-out and broken down furniture had been left by the last occupants, giving the place a haunted atmosphere even in the brightness of midday. The glass of several windows had been broken allowing the winds to deposit a thin layer of whitish-gray dust over most of the floors and remaining furniture, adding to the haunted look. The men had rolled the cart into the front room to the right of the entryway, probably the former parlor of the house in happier times. A single high backed wooden chair stood in the middle of the room and two small tables, one missing a leg and the other pushed over on its side were all the furnishings that remained. The sun poured through a window without glass in the southern wall, the light reflecting brightly off the sand that nearly covered a large, red and blue patterned rug.

     “This is the place,” said Patricia. “Get them out of there.”

     The men tossed out the covering laundry items so they could lift their two bound, gagged, blindfolded and nearly naked prisoners from the cart. The women were placed on their unsteady feet and held, Diana by Jackson and Jarvis, Joan by Dugan.

     “See, Gloria,” said Arlene. “Aren’t they cute!”

     She took a step toward Joan and tweaked one of the actress’ nipples. Joan mewed in alarm and leaned away. Dugan slapped Arlene’s hand.

     “Where do you want ‘em?” he asked Patricia.

     Patricia put a hand to her chin surveyed the room. Aside from the chair the only place a prisoner could be secured was a round supporting post near the doorway they had just come through. Patricia pointed as she spoke.

     “Tie Miss Malloy to the post over here. Let’s give the star’s chair to Miss O’Connor.”

     Jackson and Jarvis lifted Diana and carried her the few feet to the upright beam. Dugan prodded Joan to hop a couple times and sat her in the chair. Gloria and Arlene drew more ropes from the laundry cart and waited. When the prisoners were in place, Gloria helped Jackson and Jarvis tie Diana to the pillar while Arlene went to work with relish in lashing Joan to the chair.

     “Real star treatment here, huh?” Arlene asked mockingly as she worked. “You two were lucky last time, but this is going to be different.”

     Patricia watched Arlene with a smile. She looked at Jarvis and Jackson.

     “Let Gloria finish tying up our little starlet. You two, get it set up. We want to give them plenty of time to watch.”

Joan O’Connor felt the tape being peeled from her temples. When the tape was pulled away, the cloth pad covering her right eye stuck to it and was pulled away as well. The pad over her left eye remained. She shook her head a couple times to dislodge it. Even with her eyes uncovered, it was a moment or two before the young actress could see anything.

     After two hours in total darkness, the room seemed blindingly bright. When her eyes were able to focus the first thing she saw was her friend Diana Malloy standing tied to a post directly in front of her. Diana was still wearing only the bottom of her polka-dot bikini with her eyes and mouth covered with wide adhesive tape. A hooded woman was in the act of removing the blindfolding tape. Diana was still bound in the same way as when Joan had last seen her, but now there were additional ropes around her upper body, waist and all along her legs holding her tightly against the round pillar. When the tape and pads were pulled from her eyes, Diana blinked and shook her head as if trying to clear her brain. When she focused on Joan, she gave a little squeal of alarm into her gag.

     Joan’s captors had not removed a single rope from her original bondage. Her hands remained tied behind her, her arms looped tightly to her back and sides, and her legs were tied at the knees and ankles. Now there were many more loops holding her in the chair: a few loose ones around the front of her neck connected to the headpiece, some much tighter ones around her upper body and her waist secured at the back stiles, and more over her lap tied under the seat. Her bound ankles had been pulled back under her and secured to the stretcher under the chair. A few minimal wiggles told her that escape was impossible.

     The woman wadded up Diana’s blindfold tapes and tossed them into the cart. Another woman and two men, all similarly hooded remained with the leader.

     “I hope you think it’s a pleasant view, girls,” the woman leader said sarcastically. Here voice dropped a little. “Because it’s not going to get any better.”

     She strolled over to Diana and took hold of the double lines of rope running through her crotch. Diana shook her head and protested into the gag. The other woman did the same to Joan’s crotch rope.

     “With such sexy young stars here, it’s a shame we didn’t have more of a chance to play with these,” the leader said in a mocking singsong. “Such a shame.”

     She tugged on Diana’s rope as the other woman pulled on Joan’s. The two actresses moaned into their gags.

     “See how nice it can be?” cooed the leader. She stopped abruptly and released the rope. “But enough fun. Let’s get down to business.”

     She nodded to the two men. One was the little man in the cheap suit, Jackson, Joan recalled, and the other appeared to be the husky, broad-shouldered one with the New England accent, Dugan. They took hold of either side of Joan’s chair, lifted it, and turned it so that she now faced the window, the same direction as Diana. Though the sun was very bright, Joan could tell from the slight breeze that there was no glass in the frame. Sticking up from the sill was what appeared to be a large magnifying glass. On the floor in front of the window were a large amount of crumpled newspaper and a few cans of varying sizes bearing the legend ‘Highly Flammable.’ Joan looked up at the woman in horror.

     “A neat little arrangement, don’t you think?” she said. “In about ninety minutes or so, the sun will have moved enough to send rays through the magnifying glass. The glass focuses the rays on the paper and it heats up. A fire starts and pretty soon all those cans heat up too. Poof!”

     The two bound blondes struggled and pleaded into their gags.

     “Oh, you don’t have to thank me. I just thought it would be a real treat for you two to have your blindfolds off so you could watch it all. I know that suspense is important in the movies and this allows you build up maximum tension over your predicament, doesn’t it? It’s an end well suited to a movie, though perhaps more fitting for a silent movie. You know, one of those with the beautiful and virginal heroines in jeopardy. Well, we’ll just leave you two to your fun. Enjoy the show, girls.”

     She spun on her heel and walked briskly to the door. The other woman followed and the two men brought up the rear with the cart. The door closed and in a moment car engines started outside.

     Once again, Joan and Diana were alone and helpless.