Chapter 6

The next day, the buzzer sounded from the front gate. Amy answered it and had a brief conversation with the person there. She pressed a button and caused the gate to open and grant admittance. A short time later, there was a knock on the front door.

"Will you get that Sam? I'm on the phone," Amy called out and hurriedly picked up the phone and pretended to be on it.

Sam answered the front door and found the bookstore cashier standing there with several large boxes on a two-wheel cart.

"Where do you want these?" He asked.

"Where do I want what?" Sam returned the question.

"You are Samantha, aren't you?" He inquired.

"Yes"

"Well then, these are yours and I need to know where you want them," he said.

"What are 'these'?" She asked.

"Why, your books, of course. They're all paid for; I just need to know where you want them."

Just then, from the corner of her eye, Sam saw Amy who was peeking around the hallway entrance and trying very hard not to laugh.

Sam stepped back from the door and pointed to a spot next to the entrance. "Just put them there and thank you," she told him. The clerk left and shutting the door, Sam turned to Amy, "What are these?"

"The start of your library Sam. Those are the books you looked at in the book store," Amy said.

"All of them Amy?" Sam asked, "I didn't expect to get any of them and certainly not all of them."

"Well you did and I have a carpenter scheduled to come over later this week and build shelves for them. A computer is on order and will be delivered this week. The phone company is setting it up for internet so you will be all set by this time next week," Amy said and grinned. "Oh, and before I forget, here is a credit card so that you can buy things either on the internet or locally."

Sam just stood there with her mouth agape, looking at Amy and not knowing what to say.

"Amy, I can't ... What are you... ? You don't have to..." Sam started several times.

"Just say 'thank you Amy' and let it go." Amy said laughing and placed the credit card on the top of the stacked boxes.

"Sam I feel bad about turning your life upside down and inside out, but I'm afraid that is the way it is. I wish I could take the chance and let you continue in your old life, but I do not feel I can. Your body will never be found and Charlie will get the blame. The police will eventually give up the search. I know from our talks while we were driving that you have no close family, no boyfriend and in fact, no close friends. That is sad but it is also good for my purposes, since your disappearance will fade in people's minds rapidly."

Amy looked Sam in the eyes and then continued. "Sam your old life is dead and gone and can never be resumed. Your bookstore, your home, everything is gone. I don't want you to hate me but I do not feel like I have any choice except to keep you close. For now at least, you are going to have to remain here in my house and with very little contact with the outside world. You can buy and sell books on the internet for something to do because I know you have a strong interest in books. I will help you start a business if that is what you wish. I will leave the details up to you for that is not my area of expertise. I tend to have more experience in killing and ending things than starting them. For the last time, I will say that 'I'm sorry' and I will add that this is the best I can do. You need to understand that I am unused to apologizing to anybody for anything. I will also add that I grow weary of your moping. The choice is yours, you can dwell on the past and be miserable or you can look at the future and try to make the best of it." Amy's eyes blazed momentarily in anger and then just as quickly softened.

Sam hung her head and tears started to fill her eyes and roll down her cheeks. Amy pinched her chin between her fingers lightly and raised Sam's head until their eyes locked. "Be strong, little one. Be strong and you will survive, be weak and you will perish."

Amy shrugged her shoulders as if to remove the somber atmosphere that had settled on them. She released Sam's chin and withdrew her hand but not before, she gently stroked her hand over Sam's wet cheek with affection. She cleared her throat and then smiled at Sam as she changed the subject and atmosphere.

"Now, I'm going for a swim. Will you join me?" Amy asked.

"Ok," was all Sam could manage, "and thank you Amy. Thank you for all the things you are doing and trying to do. I'll try to be more cheerful."

"Meet you at the pool then," Amy said, turned and walked down the hall toward her room.

Sam went to her own room. First, she went to the bathroom, dried the tears from her eyes and washed her face. She opened a dresser drawer and removed a one-piece bathing suit that she had picked out, skipping the skimpy ones that Amy had picked beside it.

Once she had changed, she opened the curtains and entered the center courtyard. She made herself comfortable on one of the lounge chairs to wait. Moments later Amy walked through the sliding doors that led to her bedroom.

"Amy, my God..." Sam started. Amy was wearing a swimsuit that gave the words 'dental floss' a whole new meaning. Three triangles barely covered her areolas and sex.

"I don't think God has anything to do with it Sam," Amy chuckled and turning her back to Sam, made a smooth dive into the pool. When Amy had turned her back to Sam, she saw that it was a thong type bottom with only a string running up and joining the other string that circled her waist.

"Jesus, Amy," Sam said.

Amy swam to the side of the pool, pulled herself out, and looking at Sam said, "No I don't think he had anything to do with it either. She then embarrassed Sam completely by saying, "So I take it you like my bod' Sam."

Sam turned beet red and turned away so that she was not gawking at Amy.

Amy laughed, "Oh come on Sam, I'm just having fun with you. Don't get all worked up over it."

Without saying a word, Sam tossed her towel away and dived in the pool so that Amy could not see how red her face was. She stayed underwater for as long as she could and then came to the surface facing away from Amy.

Amy sat on her lounge watching Sam as she swam from one end of the pool to the other repeatedly until she was totally out of breath. Sam swam to the side of the pool and placing her arms over the side, stood in the pool panting. She was too tired to get out of the pool.

Amy stepped over to Sam and offered her hand. "Here, let me help you out," she said.

Sam, thinking that Amy was simply going to give her a boost, reached a hand up. Amy grabbed her arm and effortlessly pulled Sam from the pool. Sam could not believe her eyes. Amy was not a large woman, she was no larger than Sam herself, and yet she had lifted Sam from the pool with one arm as if she was light as a feather.