Chapter 7

Not even casting a glance at her to make sure she was securely fastened, Casanova stretched Fran out the same way.

Renee felt even more frightened as she realized that the straps were already attached to the bed, just shoved under the thin mattress. All he had to do was pull them out and fasten them around her wrists. As if he did this sort of thing all the time.

"What is it you're doing to us?" Renee asked shakily, scared, sick, ashamed of what she'd just done with this man who had assumed the proportions of a beast.

The man turned back to her. He was still naked. Without his fancy shirt and expensive black charro jacket he had lost some of his attractiveness. His ribs stuck through and he was pigeon- chested. His face had taken on a foxy, mean cast.

"Do? Me? I will do nothing. It is you who will do everything. Everything I say."

"You can't get away with it. Our families know we're down here. They'll send the police looking for us," Renee lied desperately.

"Tch, tch, senorita! Your friend, she told me everything. That you two are here alone. And you told no one you would come to a filthy place like Tijuana."

He nodded wisely and smiled. "Si, maybe when you don't go to school in two weeks, maybe they look for you. Maybe in Los Angeles, no? That is where your friend say you are supposed to be. In Los Angeles with her relatives. Los Angeles, she is a big town, not"

Renee's heart sank. Hopelessly she nodded her head.

"You see! Besides," he was pulling on his clothes and talking, "in two weeks you won't be here no more. You be somewhere else."

Panic clamped down on Renee. Her chest was being squeezed in a giant vise that tightened and tightened until she could scream. "What do you mean?" she whispered.

The Mexican grinned wickedly. He took a hypodermic from his jacket and sat down beside Renee. Slowly he squeezed the plunger. A needle jet of clear fluid shot into the air.

Pushing her buttocks with his hand he half turned Renee.

"What are you doing?" she asked, really scared now. She felt the sharp bite of the needle in her rear, saw the syringe come away empty.

"What have you done?" she screamed at him. "What have you done?"

"I am, what you say, trainer? No? Yes, that is what I am."

The Mexican seemed to be fading away in the distance as he talked, twirling further and further away. The lights were so bright. So much color. And his voice echoed so in the corridor.

"I train putas, little one, and then I sell them." He smiled and held the needle toward her and she shrank away from it because it was huge, at least as big as his head.

"Do not be afraid, Chica. He is your friend." The Mexicans voice faded in and out and Renee had to strain to hear what he was saying. He and I, we will tame you. Then I will train you myself. Do not be afraid. We will not hurt you... you... me... worth... mucho... dinero... to..." and the words faded into nothing.