REUNION
A Kat Derringer Adventure
By J.R. Francisco
Newly elected Durango County Sheriff Katherine (Kat) Derringer pulled her black TrailBlazer into the parking lot of the convenience store known as the Shop 'n Safe. After a long day of seemingly endless paperwork and administrative duties Kat had been on her way home when she remembered that she was dangerously low on groceries.
She contemplated going out to dinner but felt mentally spent and tired. Besides, if she went out she would have to dine alone. The only other person in her life was her sister, Lindy, who lived with Kat. Lindy was also a deputy in the sheriff's department and currently working the night shift. At the moment Kat craved two things: a long hot bath and a pint of chocolate ice cream.
If that wasn't depressing enough, tomorrow was Valentine's Day. Needless to say, Kat would not be receiving any flowers or candy from anyone, at least not this year. Not that she minded all that much. As a young and single woman, Kat enjoyed her independence. Being in a relationship in order to receive flowers on Valentine's Day did not sound all that appealing to Kat.
Apart from that, Kat's life was going great. Though she had been sheriff for only three months, she had yet to see any real action besides the usual petty crimes indicative of small town life. Domestic disputes and bar fights was as bad as it got . . . thus far. It was certainly a far cry from Kat's previous occupation of Palm City police detective. Though her stint as one of Palm City's finest had been brief--five years to be exact--it had left Kat with enough experiences to fill several volumes. Some of those murder cases still made her cringe.
Kat killed the engine and stepped out of the Blazer. She immediately realized that her navy blue jacket, matching knee-length skirt, and black pumps offered little protection against the chilly February night. Despite that, Kat preferred feminine attire instead of the traditional sheriff's department uniform. As the only female sheriff in the entire state, Kat was a pioneer and not about to "sell out" her gender for the sake of fitting in or being accepted.
She paused before the door of the store when she noticed the sign warning that no firearms were permitted in or around the premises. Kat carried a holstered and concealed 9-millimeter automatic in the vicinity of her lower back. Being the county sheriff, the sign obviously did not apply to her. The only time she had relinquished her weapon had been two weeks ago at the local high school where she had given a career day speech. Even that had taken some convincing.
Wind chimes hanging over the door announced Kat's entrance into the convenience store. The interior of the place, though cluttered, was warm and comfortable. Faint country music played from a radio behind the counter, which stood next to the entrance. A rugged-looking Hispanic man who needed a shave and haircut stood behind the cash register. He shifted uncomfortably and nodded at Kat. His eyes then shifted nervously across the store, toward a closed door.
Eight years of law-enforcement experience had instilled a type of sixth sense in Kat. She immediately got bad vibes about the man. His gaze, which she had seen before, quickly raised a red flag in her perceptive mind. She remained calm and made her way through the first isle. She noticed the cashier following her with his eyes.
Kat then heard loud thumping coming from behind a closed door across the store. The same door the man had stared at when she had entered. Kat turned toward the cashier to observe his reaction. He swallowed nervously and his face filled with apprehension. Something was definitely wrong. Muffled screaming followed the thumping.
That was enough for Kat. She reached behind her back for the 9-millimeter.
The man beat her to the punch. He pulled out a revolver from under the counter and aimed it at Kat. "Don't move!" he yelled.
Kat froze with her hand on the butt of her weapon. A second later and she would have had the weapon out. Her heart raced as she contemplated whether to draw her gun or not. She locked eyes with the nervous man as he darted out from behind the counter and approached her.
"Put your hands up!" he ordered. "Do it!"
Kat realized she wouldn't stand a chance at pulling out her weapon before he pulled the trigger. She had obviously stumbled into a robbery in progress and guessed the real cashier was probably out of the way behind that closed door.
Her law enforcement training quickly kicked into gear. "What's going on here?" she asked, raising her hands.
"A robbery!" the man said sharply.
"Where's the cashier?" Kat asked, focusing the barrel of the snub-nose Magnum that was now only a few feet from her face.
"She's all tied up right now," the robber said sarcastically. "Just like you're about to be."
Kat did not like the sound of that. "Is she all right? What did you do to her?"
"Shut up!" the robber said. He turned toward the closed door across the store. "Hey, get your ass out here and lock up the place!"
Kat felt her stomach twitch. The robber apparently had an accomplice. This was getting worse by the minute. She had to act now. The nervous robber had the gun trained on her but his head was turned. Without warning, Kat lunged at the man.
She lowered her shoulder and plowed into him, executing a perfect tackle. Unfortunately, the hood outweighed Kat by at least forty pounds. Her attack sent him staggering against the counter but he stayed on his feet. Even worse was the fact that he still held the gun! Kat grabbed the robber's gun hand and attempted to wrestle the weapon from him.
"Knock it off!" a deep voice behind Kat shouted, which was followed by a gun being racked.
Kat knew she was beaten. She released her grip on the hood's gun hand and turned. She came face to face with the second robber, who was armed with a sawed-off shotgun that he had leveled at her. The man was white, scruffy, and heavyset with cold eyes. He was dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt that did little to conceal his thick torso.
"Lock up the place!" the heavyset man told the Hispanic thug. "I'll keep her covered."
The Hispanic robber glared at Kat as he made his way toward the glass door of the convenience store. He stuffed his gun in the waistband of his jeans and fished out a set of keys from his pocket.
Kat steadied her beating heart and fought back her mounting dread. Her breath came in short spurts and her mouth was suddenly dry. She stared at the man holding the shotgun, noting the intensity in his face.
"I'm Sheriff Katherine Derringer," Kat managed to say between heavy breathing. "Put that gun down and give yourselves up before somebody gets hurt."
The heavyset thug laughed. "Shut up!"
The Hispanic robber finished locking the door. He flicked a switch near the entrance and the lights in the store went out. Neon beer advertisements and the glow of the soft drink coolers provided enough lighting but not enough to draw too much attention.
"This chick says she's the sheriff," the heavyset robber told his friend.
"I can show you my badge," Kat offered. "Just let me reach for it."
"Screw that!" the Hispanic robber said. "Let's take her into the room and tie her up with the other chick. I don't give a damn who or what she is."
The heavyset man stared at Kat with curiosity and something else, which sent a chill through her. She now regretted announcing she was the sheriff. From personal experience, she knew most criminals hated anyone with a badge and were only too happy to engage in some payback.
"Hold up," the heavyset thug said. "Let's see if she's telling the truth first." He addressed Kat, "Okay, let's see the badge. Nice and slow. You try anything and I'll put a hole between that nice rack of yours."
Kat reached for her badge, which was pinned around the waistband of her skirt and concealed under her jacket.
"Hold it!" the Hispanic robber stopped her. "I'll get it."
The man stepped behind Kat. She flinched as his hands snaked beneath her jacket and around her trim waist.
He located and removed the badge, holding it up to his companion. "What do you know? She is the sheriff. Wow!"
The white robber's eyes glowed with delight. "She's definitely the hottest sheriff I've ever seen."
At five foot six with a trim but curvy figure, well-developed breasts, a slim waist, and long shapely legs; the robber's assessment was accurate. Along with her shoulder-length chestnut hair, high cheekbones, hazel eyes, and full lips; Kat resembled a model more than a law enforcement official.
The Hispanic robber's hand went under her jacket again. Kat's heart sank when he located the gun in the small of her back. He pulled the weapon out of the holster and held it up.
"Chicks with guns," the robber announced, spinning the gun on his finger. "Is there anything sexier? I don't think so."
Kat swallowed. "Look, give yourselves up," she said sincerely. "This is crazy. You get the death penalty for killing a law enforcement officer."
"Who said anything about killing anyone?" the white robber scoffed. He motioned toward the door where Kat had originally heard the thumping noise. "Let's go, sheriff, through that door. Move!"
"What are you going to do?" Kat asked.
"Shut up and move it!" the Hispanic robber snapped.
Under the current circumstances, Kat had no choice but to obey. She steadied her pounding heart and walked toward the closed door as the two robbers followed her. Whatever they planned on doing with her, it was not going to be something pleasant.
Kat braced herself as she pushed the door open. She stepped inside a small office. A desk and chair barely fit at the far end of the room. Above the desk were several shelves containing office supplies and cleaning products.
Kat stifled a gasp when she spotted the real cashier on the floor. The blonde and attractive young woman was thoroughly bound with rope and gagged with duct tape. Her arms were bound behind her back at the elbows and wrists, which looked extremely uncomfortable. Bands of rope were lashed around her upper body, further immobilizing her arms. Her thighs, knees, and ankles were bound with more cord. A short length of rope connected her wrist bonds to her ankles. Several bands of duct tape were wrapped completely around her head and over her mouth, making for an effective gag.
The young woman was dressed in jeans and a bellybutton-baring top. She was currently lying on her stomach. She looked up at Kat and whimpered pathetically, pleading for help with her eyes. Unfortunately, Kat was in no position to offer the girl any assistance. Kat had a sinking feeling she was about to join the girl on the floor. The fact that there was an opened duffel bag containing cord and a duct tape on the floor next to the girl confirmed Kat's premonition.
"Get on floor and lie on your stomach," the Hispanic robber ordered. "Hurry up!"
To reaffirm his request, he smacked Kat across her backside! Kat gasped and turned toward the robber, her eyes blazing with outrage. She was about to say something but the other robber raised his shotgun at her. The Hispanic robber chuckled and leered at Kat.
She thought about stalling but decided against it. The last thing she needed was to draw the ire of two armed criminals. These men were probably nothing more than a couple of small time crooks. Had they intended on killing or hurting her, they would not go through the trouble of tying her up . . . or would they?
Kat lowered herself on the floor next to the young woman. She lay on her stomach and waited. The Hispanic robber grabbed the duffel bag and straddled Kat, sitting on the back of her thighs. She flinched but remained still as he gathered her wrists behind her back and began lashing them together.
As she felt the cords being wrapped tightly around her wrists, the reality of the situation finally struck Kat. She was being tied up by two men after failing to stop them from robbing a store! This was not helping her credibility as county sheriff.
The Hispanic robber added several cinching loops between her bound wrists, making sure Kat would be unable to slip her hands through the cords. He picked up another length of rope and began lashing it around her elbows! Kat grunted with discomfort as her elbows were cruelly pulled together. She immediately felt the strain on her shoulders and arms.
The robber tied off the rope on her elbows and made his way down her legs. He took another piece of cord and expertly lashed Kat's knees together just below the hem of her skirt. A final length of rope was used to secure her ankles. In a matter of minutes, her legs were a single, useless limb. The ropes dug into her knees and ankles, through her stockings, where her skirt ended. Kat now regretted wearing feminine attire for work today.
The robber dismounted from Kat and stood on his knees beside her. He picked up another length of rope and tied it between her bound ankles, which further tightened the cords around her feet. He pulled her shapely legs toward her backside and connected the loose end of the rope to her wrists, leaving Kat strictly hogtied.
Kat was extremely uncomfortable. As a Palm City detective, she had heard and read reports about crime victims--particularly women--who got tied up by criminals. She had never actually thought about how it felt to be bound and helpless. Now she knew, and she didn't care for it. But the worst was yet to come.
"I need something to stuff her mouth with," the Hispanic robber told his companion.
The prospect of being gagged did not appeal to Kat whatsoever. "You don't have to do that," she protested. "There's no one around to hear us."
"Shut up," the Hispanic robber said sharply.
The other robber looked about the small office. He spotted several cleaning products on a shelf, along with some crumpled rags. He grabbed one of the rags and tossed it at the Hispanic robber.
The Hispanic man caught the rag. "Perfect." He wadded up the filthy cloth into a tight ball and held it against Kat's lips. "Open wide, sheriff."
Kat gazed anxiously at the rag, which looked like it had already been used. She hesitated but realized she was only delaying the inevitable. She sighed and parted her lips.
The robber chuckled. "That's a good little girl."
As soon as the disgusting rag was in her mouth, Kat began to retch and gag. The robber ignored her distress and grabbed a roll of duct tape from the duffel bag. He tore the tape from the roll and plastered it over Kat's stuffed mouth. He lashed the tape completely around her head, disregarding the havoc it would create on her hair when removed. After several loops around her head and her mouth, the he tore off the duct tape and smoothed the end against her cheek.
The man stood and looked over the thoroughly bound and gagged women. "These babes aren't going anywhere."
The white robber studied the two helpless women. "Let's make things more interesting . . ."
The man handed his shotgun to the Hispanic robber. He stepped over Kat and knelt before the young cashier. The young woman's eyes widened with panic. She tried to roll away but he caught her by the legs. The cashier shook her head and whimpered as the robber reached for the fly on her jeans!
Kat saw what was happening and mewed furiously into her gag.
The robbers ignored the muffled pleas of the two young women. The white robber merely chuckled as he unbuttoned the cashier's jeans and tugged them down her bound legs. The frantic young woman uttered muffled sobs between intense pleading as the robber jerked her jeans down around her upper thighs, revealing her pink G-string underneath.
He paused and stared at the young woman's panties. "How cute!"
He hooked his fingers inside the waistband and pulled the panties around the girl's legs.
Kat looked on in panic. Was this slime-ball going to rape the girl? She couldn't let his happen! Kat rolled on her back and stomped her feet emphatically as she yelled at the robber through her packed mouth.
The Hispanic robber placed his foot on Kat's stomach, holding her steady. "Settle down, sheriff lady!" He laughed and said, "Don't worry. I'm sure you're next."
The robber kneeling over the sobbing young woman shook his head with disappointment as he gazed at the girl's private area. "Damn," he said, looking up at his companion. "She's definitely not a natural blonde."
"She's still a piece of ass," the Hispanic man said. "I'd do her."
The white robber laughed. "You'd screw any woman with a pulse."
The Hispanic robber laughed. "Shit! I'd do a woman without a pulse, depending how she looked."
The white robber reached for the young woman's tight yellow top and jerked it up past her breasts, revealing a matching pink bra that strained to hold up a pair of full breasts! The girl shrieked with indignation but could only squirm helplessly as the robber pulled her bra past her jiggling breasts!
The man expressed pure delight as he gazed at the magnificent breasts with prominent pink nipples, which at the moment stood upright. He flicked his finger against one of the hardened buds and looked up his companion. "I guess it's true what they say about fear and a woman's nipples."
The Hispanic robber stared at the young woman's breasts, mesmerized by their fullness and the swaying motion brought about by the girl's writhing.
Kat could not bear to gaze at the young woman's terrified face any longer. The helpless sheriff closed her eyes and turned her head toward the ceiling. She trembled with rage at not being able to help the young woman whose only crime had been working here tonight.
Kat suddenly felt a pair of hands on her legs! She opened her eyes and gazed down at her lower body to discover the white robber kneeling over her. A surge of panic swept over her when she realized what he was doing! She screamed at the man and thrashed about as the thug reached under her skirt and moved his rough hands up her stocking-clad legs, taking her skirt with them as he did so!
The man paused and leered at Kat. "What the do we have here?" He looked up at the Hispanic robber. "You're not gonna believe this!"
He rucked up Kat's skirt past her upper thighs, revealing dark brown stocking tops, several inches of creamy thighs, and four black lacy garters! Kat sobbed with anger and humiliation at being exposed like this. She had always worn sexy and feminine lingerie under her clothes, which served as a reminder of her gender. It was also exciting and a bit provocative, like she was getting away with something. At the moment, however, she was not getting away with anything. She closed her eyes and clenched her fists, vowing revenge against these two bastards!
The Hispanic man whistled at Kat's shapely legs clad in the stockings with the black garter belt. "Man, I should have gone into law-enforcement."
The white robber pulled Kat's skirt past her hips and around her waist, revealing a pair of black bikini panties, which she wore over the garter belt. As usual, most of the bikini bottom was wedged between her buttocks! Kat stifled a gasp and whimpered through her gag. Was there no end to her humiliation?
She got an answer to that question when the robber hooked his fingers inside the waistband of her panties and yanked them down past her hips and thighs. Kat groaned and opened her eyes. She glared at the white robber with sheer contempt. Her police training once again reasserted itself. She studied the man's face, making a mental picture of every detail and feature in her mind.
The white robber ignored Kat's angry gaze and stared at her private area, which was adorned with a single "landing strip" of silky hair. Kat's cheeks burned with humiliation when she recalled her grooming preference down there. Was this really happing, she wondered? Perhaps it was all a dreadful nightmare. Perhaps she was about . . .
"Mmmphhh!"
Kat's eyes expanded in shock and outrage when she felt the man's fingers slip inside her! She bucked and writhed on the floor, shaking her head as she cursed and yelled at the robber. The Hispanic robber held her steady by pressing his foot against her stomach, pinning Kat against the floor.
"Oh, yeah!" the white robber said as he moved his fingers inside Kat. "How does that feel, sheriff?"
Kat shook her head as she choked back a sob. She was on the verge of wailing but vowed not to shed any tears. She was a strong woman and no man had ever made her cry, and it was not going to happen now! She fought back her rage and lay still as the man's fingers poked, probed, and wiggled inside her.
Despite her newfound resolve, slowly but surely Kat felt herself getting excited! Her body's betrayal disgusted her, but she was powerless to prevent it. She could not help uttering a muffled moan of excitement through her gag as his fingers stroked her. Kat stifled a sob and shuddered as unwanted pleasure surged through her body!
The man stared lustfully at Kat. "Looks like I still have the old touch."
The words snapped Kat out of her arousal. She glared at the robber and cursed at him, unleashing a string of incoherent threats.
The man withdrew his fingers out of Kat and placed them in his mouth.
Kat sobbed and turned away with disgust.
"Mmmnm," the he said, savoring the taste. "Maybe some day we'll meet again and I'll give you a sample." The white robber stood and stepped over Kat. "Let's get the hell out of here."
****
Kat grunted dejectedly into her gag. She was sweating and exhausted. Though she could not be sure, she guessed it had been more than two hours since the two robbers had departed, leaving her and the female cashier bound and gagged in the office room of the Stop n' Save convenience store.
The two women had spent the past two hours fighting to break free--without any success whatsoever. At first the young store cashier had tried to free herself by squirming and tugging against her bonds. After fifteen minutes she had exhausted herself and lay spent on the floor, still tightly bound and gagged. Her only reward for her valiant effort was a fine layer of perspiration on her face.
Kat, for her part, had used a more methodical approach. She first tested her bindings, looking for any weakness or slack. Of course there weren't any. Next she had tried reaching for any knots within her grasp. That had not worked either. The cords were tied tight and her fingers were not agile enough to pull at any of the knots.
Though Kat had vowed to remain calm, frustration eventually won out. She had jerked and thrashed gamely against the ropes, hoping to break free by some miracle. Of course she had failed miserably. Like the cashier, Kat had only succeeded in tiring herself out. After twenty minutes of desperate struggling and grunting, the young sheriff lay exhausted, panting wildly, and still securely bound. Perspiration covered her forehead and streamed down the sides of her face.
After the two women had regained some of their strength, they tried untying each other. It had taken some effort, but through a series of grunts and head gestures Kat had finally communicated her desires to the young cashier. They rolled back to back against each other and Kat had then tried picking at the knots on the cashier's ropes. After twenty minutes of the tedious task, Kat realized that the knots were too tight. There was no way she was going to pull them apart with her fingers, which were already numb and throbbing from the tightness of the wrist bindings.
Kat eventually gave up and lay exhausted on the floor. Then it was the cashier's turn to pull at Kat's knots. The result was the same. The young woman had failed to make any progress with the sheriff's knots. The cashier finally realized this and pulled her fingers away. She rolled onto her side and waited. Kat also rolled onto her side, since that was the most comfortable position. The two dejected young women lay facing each other on the cold floor of the small office. Perhaps as an oversight, the men had left the lights on in the small room.
That had been more than two hours ago, and now it appeared that Kat and her bondage companion were going to spend the entire night bound and gagged until someone found and released them. That disconcerting thought sent a wave of anxiety through Kat. She shuddered at the thought of someone, especially a man, finding her tied up and gagged with her skirt hiked up around her waist and her panties down around her thighs!
As the sheriff of Durango County, she was the chief law enforcement official. What would people think or say when details of this humiliating incident were made public? Not only had she failed to stop a crime in progress, but she had been relieved of her weapon, allowed herself to get tied up, fondled, and left completely exposed! How could she ever live that down?
I have to find a way out of this, Kat thought with despair. Throwing caution to the wind, she once again began struggling. The cramped office again filled with fierce grunting as she tugged, pulled, squirmed, and wiggled against the tight ropes. Her nostrils flared and the gag made it difficult to breathe but Kat didn't care. She had to break free! Her struggling was so intense that she actually felt lightheaded and dizzy. She was on the verge of passing out but she persisted. Failure was unacceptable!
After ten minutes of fierce but ultimately futile struggling, Kat moaned with frustration as she lay on her side, panting, heaving, and covered in sweat. Her blouse now was soaked and clung to her body, especially to her breasts. Perspiration from her forehead seeped into her eyes, resulting in a burning sensation. She grunted angrily, blinked several times, and shook her head.
She was still tightly tied as when the men had left. The packing in her mouth was completely soaked with saliva and extremely uncomfortable. A constant burning had now settled in her arms, brought about by her elbows being bound unnaturally together. Her legs had begun to cramp from being bent for so long. Had she not been in shape, Kat doubted her body would have been able to withstand the grueling bondage.
Even worse was the mental aspect of the situation, which began to take its toll on Kat. She had never felt so helpless and vulnerable in her life. This was just downright humiliating! As a police detective she had always taken care of herself. She had held her own in the rugged streets of Palm City. She had to be twice as good as her fellow male cops, and she was. Kat had always prided herself on being independent, resilient, tough, and in control. At the moment, however, she was anything but resilient or in control.
Had she been alone in the room, Kat might have shed some tears of outrage and humiliation; but the fact there was a young woman gazing at her stiffened Kat's resolve. If she was going to spend the next several hours bound, gagged, and helpless; she might as well do it with as much dignity as possible. Tied up or not, she was still the sheriff of Durango County and had an image to uphold.
****
Damn the image! Kat thought.
The determined sheriff was in the middle of yet another bout of desperate struggling! She had remained still for over an hour but had finally given in to her emotions. She was damned if she was going await rescue by anyone!
Kat kicked, arched, and heaved with everything she had left. The ropes strained but held. After several minutes she again collapsed, completely exhausted and defeated. Even worse was the excruciating pain on her limbs brought about by her thrashing. Her fingers throbbed and felt like knobs as the cords around her wrists tightened and hampered her circulation. Her arms ached from being bound together at the elbows. She had a cramp on her right leg, which she could do nothing about but endure the sharp pain.
Kat moaned miserably into her saliva-drenched gag as she lay on her side. Her breasts heaved with every labored breath she took, making for an interesting visual. Strands of perspiration-wet hair were plastered against her cheeks. One of her heels had fallen off during her struggling and now lay several feet from her stocking clad foot. She was a sweaty, tired, and helpless heap. All she had wanted, more than four hours ago, had been a hot shower and some ice cream.
The next three or four hours were the longest and most painful of Kat's life. No matter what position she tried she could not find a comfortable one. Each time she shifted or rolled over, some part of her body screamed with protest. More than once she fought back tears as her arms and legs ached and burned with unbearable pain. She fought through the physical torture by vowing to hunt down and catch the two lowlifes who had done this to her.
Adding to her frustration was the fact that she could do nothing to at least salvage some of her dignity by pulling up her panties and tugging her skirt down to a modest length. Whoever found her would no doubt get an eye-full. Kat hoped and prayed their rescuer was a woman.
Kat then began running through a list of possible rescuers. Of course she knew the morning shift cashier would eventually find them, but maybe someone else would come to their rescue before that. She glanced at the young cashier, wondering if she had anyone who cared where she was at the moment? A boyfriend perhaps? Parents maybe? Surely someone had to miss her? So far no one had come looking for her. There had been no sound of a ringing phone either. That was not a good sign.
While Kat lived with her younger sister, Lindy was working the overnight shift and would not be home until eight-o'clock. Besides, she had told her sister, and the rest of the staff, not to call her at home unless it was an emergency. Kat now regretted issuing those orders. No one would miss her until she failed to arrive at work at nine o'clock.
"Sheriff!"
Kat snapped into alertness as if she had just been poked with a cattle prod. She raised her head to attention. Had someone just called out to her? Was she imagining things now?
"Are you in here, sheriff?"
No, she wasn't imagining it! Someone was calling for her! The voice sounded vaguely familiar and definitely male.
The young cashier perked up and screamed through her gag. Her cries were reduced to desperate moans but still quite audible. The girl had some lungs on her, Kat observed.
Kat thought about joining the girl in calling out for help but it sounded like she could manage without her. Though Kat longed for freedom, she suddenly became acutely aware that her skirt was still around her waist and her panties were down around her thighs. Not only was her sex exposed but also her choice of underwear. Oh, good God! Kat thought.
Despite being hogtied and gagged on the floor, Kat attempted to look as dignified as possible. She rolled onto her stomach in an effort to conceal her exposed private area. Of course that left her round backside completely exposed. She braced herself for even more embarrassment.
The office door suddenly swung open, or rather, was kicked open.
"Holy shit!"
Kat braved a look toward the office door. Her heart dropped and her stomach turned when she spotted her rescuer. Standing near the office entrance and holding his service weapon was none other than Deputy Jay Bayless.
At 38 years-old Bayless was the oldest deputy in Kat's department and the only carry-over from the previous sheriff's administration. He had run against Kat for county sheriff and had lost by a landslide. Which was not surprising, considering that Bayless was chauvinistic, rude, and insensitive. He was also one of Kat's most vocal detractors. In fact, his days as a deputy in Kat's department were numbered. And now he was her rescuer. Could things get any worse?
Bayless' eyes expanded with shock and awe as he took in the incredible sight of the two exposed young women bound and gagged on the floor. "What the hell happened here?"
Kat was too embarrassed to keep eye contact with Bayless. She turned away and remained still, her cheeks burning. She failed to notice the sardonic half-smile that had formed on the deputy's face.
****
"Are you sure you're all right, sheriff?" Deputy Bayless asked. "Maybe you should see a doctor?"
Kat glanced at Deputy Bayless, looking for any trace of insincerity in his face. It had been ten minutes since Bayless and the store manager had freed her and the young cashier from their bindings. Not only had Bayless seen Kat in the compromising position, but the store manager had as well. She had noticed the twisted pleasure on the manager's face as he worked on untying the young cashier. Ever so often he would glance over at Kat, which made the young sheriff cringe with humiliation. She noticed that Bayless took his time freeing her.
Once they were free, Kat and the cashier, whose name was Amanda Taylor, had quickly adjusted their clothing. That had resulted in even more humiliation. There was no subtle way for a woman to pull up her panties! Kat's cheeks had burned with unabashed embarrassment. She had felt like bolting from the store and hiding out somewhere, away from the leering eyes of Bayless and the store manager.
According to the manager, he had been driving by the store at five in the morning when he had noticed Kat's black Trailblazer parked outside the store. He checked the vehicle out but found no one inside. He called Amanda at her apartment but she wasn't home. He then called the police. Bayless had been in the area and took the call. He met the manager outside the store and he let him inside.
Amanda seemed to be pretty shaken up by the incident and said very little, allowing Kat to tell what happened. Though she was concerned about the young woman's mental well-being, Kat had other things to worry about. She had to do everything within her power to make sure the more graphic details of this . . . incident . . . did not reach the public ear.
"Don't release any details about this to anyone," Kat told the cashier and the store manager. "This is an ongoing investigation. We'll draw up a police sketch and try to find these two men."
Bayless gazed suspiciously at Kat. He was about to say something but Kat stopped him with a sharp look. She could swear she detected a hint of wry satisfaction in his eyes. She would deal with Bayless later and in private.
****
The once quiet interior of the convenience store buzzed with activity. Amanda Taylor and Kat stood across the store, away from Deputy Bayless and the store manager. A third deputy named Brandon Galindo had also joined Bayless and the manager. Deputy Galindo was a thirty-four-year-old Hispanic man. He was ex-Marine and still appeared to keep in shape. Kat liked Galindo personally and had even felt a hint of disappointment after spotting the wedding ring on his finger.
Besides Galindo, the other new arrival at the convenience store was Rachel Graham, the sheriff's department lone detective. Detective Graham was a statuesque beauty with shiny dark hair, an angular face with expressive green eyes, and a shapely but robust body with well-developed breasts, curvy hips, a tight round ass, and long graceful legs. A pair of tight jeans and a form-fitting leather jacket showcased her flawless physique perfectly. The shiny badge clipped to the waistband of her jeans gave her a sexy aura of authority--not that she was aware of that herself.
At the moment Kat and Amanda were discussing the robbery with the sultry detective as she scribbled notes on a small notebook. Though she was sure they could not hear her, Kat gave Bayless and the other three men sideway glances, looking for any signs of snickering or taunting looks on their part.
"Sounds like these guys came prepared for a job like this," Rachel said after Kat finished. "They brought rope and duct tape with them. Since they didn't wear gloves we should be able to get some prints. If we do, I'll send them to Palm City so they can run them through their database. I'm also gonna check and see if any similar crimes have been committed elsewhere around the area."
Kat nodded, impressed by the professionalism of the thirty-one-year-old detective. When Rachel Graham had applied for the job of detective shortly after Kat took over as sheriff she found the woman to be standoffish and a bit too rigid for. Her record, however, was impressive. She had served as a sheriff's deputy in Arizona for ten years before being promoted to detective. She had solved a number of crimes ranging from murder, rape, and robberies. Though their relationship was cordial, Kat and Rachel were not exactly best friends.
Eventually, it was determined that all the two robbers got were a few hundred dollars. They had failed to find the large denomination bills, which were hidden under the cash compartment of the register. Of course they had done far more damage to Kat than anything else. After Amanda Taylor left Kat and Rachel had a private and rather personal conversation.
"That must have been some experience," Rachel said, gazing at Kat's chaffed wrists where the ropes had been. "You're lucky all those bastards did was tie you up."
Kat shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah, I guess you're right."
****
"You stupid bastards! What the hell were you thinking?"
The two men, Joe Montoya and Maxwell Long, had no reaction at the outburst from their "boss." Though Michael Radford was a middle-aged mild-mannered smart-type with oval eyeglasses, he was not beyond using profanity and raising his voice to express his anger.
Standing next to Radford in the cheap motel room was another well-dressed man. Jack "Crunch" Stiles was the muscle of the foursome. His long hair was slicked back and he sported a stubble on his rugged face. He stood with his arms crossed, glaring menacingly at Montoya and Long.
"Look, we needed some quick cash," Long replied. "In case you don't know, we've been lying low the past year. I even had to get a 'real job'. Do you know how demeaning that is for a guy like me?"
Radford was not buying it. "Idiot! You're about to get your hands on five million dollars! All you had to do was wait one more day! But no! You had to go rob a two-bit convenience store. Then you attack and tie up the sheriff! You can't make this shit up! You two morons have now placed the whole plan in danger!"
"Ah, come on!" Montoya chimed in. "It's not that big a deal. We'll disguise ourselves and be out of this lame town before anyone sees us. And you should see this chick who's the sheriff! Oh, man!"
Radford sighed with exasperation. "This is what happens when you work with amateurs," he said to no one in particular. He shook his head. "Just wait until Kresser hears about this. He's gonna crap bricks."
"You haven't called him yet?" Long asked. "He doesn't know we're here?"
"No, I haven't called him yet," Radford replied sharply. "That's not part of the plan. We're supposed to meet him tomorrow morning at some café called Rosalba's. Eight o'clock sharp."
"That should give us enough time to disguise ourselves," Long said. "I've been meaning to try a new look anyway."
Radford glared at Long. "Yeah, you go do that."
After Long and Montoya left the motel room, Radford and Stiles gazed at each other. Radford stared at the closed door and then lowered his voice. "After we get our hands on the cash I want you to take care of those two imbeciles."
Stiles nodded. "What about Kresser?"
"Him too. We can't take any chances." Radford chuckled. "I think we're about to give these local yokels some excitement."