Chapter 7

Adele was very proud of herself. She couldn't have been any happier than when she looked into the mirror that afternoon and saw the new coat her husband had bought for her. It was a beautiful mink and though he really couldn't afford it on his salary it was something he wanted to do for her.

She brushed her red hair back over the collar of the coat and studied herself.

"You're beautiful in it," her husband said.

"I know that," she replied. "But we really can't afford it, darling." "Sure we can. I can borrow money to pay for it and it's something you deserve." He got close to her and his lips tried to find hers.

"Not in public, darling," Adele said, glancing around at the few dozen customers in the shop.

He accepted her refusal as part of her shyness.

The truth was that Adele could hardly stand for him to touch her. At limes he seemed like such an old and ugly man, a man she had married only for security and for very little else. She was a poor girl from a poor family and the only thing she'd ever had were her looks. She could have probably married any one of a dozen young men, but she chose to be the second wife to the graying principal.

The reason was simple.

Adele didn't like sex. She had discovered that about herself every early in life. It was kind of strange that a woman who was so attractive to men was so cold toward them, but she didn't question her impulses.

She knew she had to give him what he wanted and she did so seldomly and reluctantly.

He took her lack of passion as a sign of good breeding, and he didn't force himself on her as a young man might have done.

Adele was very proud of herself for having chosen such a husband.

"Oooooh," Adele said. "It does feel so good on me. I'll make everyone in town jealous." "Yes," he said. "You deserve to make them jealous." He tried to get close to her again, but she brushed him away.

"Quit that," she said, laughing. "I'm going to have it wrapped up and sent to the house. It's too hot to wear it this afternoon."

"Maybe we could both go home," he said.

It was obvious what he wanted. Adele shrugged. It had been a long while since she'd let him have his pleasure and the mink coat was pretty. He looked so horny that it would only take a few minutes anyway.

But she was always the practical one.

"You have to go back to work," she said. "I'll be nice to you this evening." The intent of her words left him rubbing his crotch. Adele smiled at her husband and winked at him.

"Now don't you be late," she said.

The look on his face left no doubt that he would never be late.

Adele had a little more shopping to do before she went home. She loved to shop. It had always been one of her favorite pastimes. As she was leaving the lingerie shop, she didn't see the truck pull out behind her.

She was halfway home before the truck began blowing its horn.

She pulled over a little so that the truck could get by. The truck didn't pass, but the driver kept honking at her. It made her angry. She thought it was probably some boy flirting with her. Well, she would teach him a lesson.

She pulled her car to the side of the road and stopped.

The truck pulled to a stop behind her.

"What the hell are you trying to do?" Adele asked, climbing out of her car.

She saw the beefy, red-faced man and her blood ran cold.

She slipped back into the car and turned the ignition. The car started, but then the man was beside the car. Before she could change gears, he reached in and grabbed the key.

"Don't be in such a hurry, Mrs. Saunderson," he said softly. "You've got no place to go in such a hurry." "What do you want?" she asked. "Who are you?" "Name's Rebus Turner," he said. "And I think you know what I want." She screamed very loudly. He reached across the seat and gave her a slap on the side of her head. She was stunned. No man had ever struck her before.

"Now don't you scream," he said. "Scream and I'll hurt you." Immediately she started screaming again. This time he struck her hard. Her head went back and tears burned her eyes. She could feel his hand bruising her shoulder.

"Stop," he said. "I mean what I say. One more scream and I'll really start hurting you.

She was petrified. She stopped screaming.

He smiled gently at her. "That's better. Now just get out of the car." "Where are you taking me?" "Don't ask questions. Just get out of the car.

Adele climbed out of the car. She was aware of his eyes looking hotly at the amount of thigh revealed by her sliding skirt as she got out of the car. She quickly tugged her skirt back down into place.

He reached inside the car and pulled the hood latch.

"Well just leave the hood open," he said. "In case anybody who knows you sees the car. They'll think you just had some mechanical trouble and some nice person has already given you a lift." "My God!" Adele said. "What are you going to do to me?" "You'll find out," he said softly. "If you really don't know already." He took her arm and pulled her to his truck. He opened his door and pushed her up into the cab. His hand brushed against her buttock and her ass felt good and firm.

Adele was thinking quickly. She was remembering all of the stories she'd heard about women getting raped. Stories about horrible mutilations kept flashing through her mind. Women who fought their attackers got hurt, so she wouldn't fight. She looked closely at the man who now climbed into the cab.

He was big and he was dressed like a farmer. His hair was short and his face was hard. His muscles bulged from beneath his cotton shirt. A few black hairs circled above the neck of his shirt. She could smell his sweat.

"You're going to kill me, aren't you?" "Don't know yet," he said.

They rode in silence for a while. Adele could feel her heart pounding so loudly she thought he could hear it. She kept tugging nervously at her skirt.

"Please," she said. "My husband doesn't have a lot of money but he'd pay it somehow, no matter what you asked. All you have to do is let me call him." "Don't want your money." "What do you want?" "Hell," he said. "You're a good-looking woman. You're the kind of woman money can't buy." He turned the truck off the road. They were in a clump of trees that couldn't be seen from the road. He turned the ignition off.

"Get out." She climbed out of the cab. He waited a few minutes before he got out. He made a sweeping motion with his arms.

"You can run if you want to. That would make it more fun. Much more fun." She looked around. The road was not far off. She might have a chance of finding someone to help. Also the woods were dense and she might be able to hide. Or maybe there would be homes hidden by the woods. God, if she could only move. But she knew her trembling legs wouldn't carry her very far.