Chapter 18

Amos and I were up early again the next day and we headed down to George's place to help them load up. Tearing down his blower and grinding wheel machinery was the biggest problem, but it wasn't much and we found plenty of room to store the parts that needed to go in the two wagons. George, Donald, and Dan took off for their trial run about noon.

Amos went over to George's house to visit with the Damsel Jennifer while I spent the rest of the day walking around town and just looking things over. I even went by the bank my Damsel's owner worked in and it seemed about like I thought it would be.

It was made to look like the real bank, as best it could, but it was smaller and not nearly as sturdy. Apparently the goons were out collecting when I made my way by, but I knew they'd be back in time to help the owner home to lunch.

I beat them there and was having a nice lunch of my own in the inn across from his house when they escorted him there. He unlocked the door, went inside, and then the two goons left to find their own meal I guess. I was still sitting in the same place when they came back for him and left.

I made a few more rounds around town that afternoon and then ate my supper in the same place, watching the banker's return and the song and dance he made getting his cash box inside the house while the goons watched out for him.

To me the whole thing was stupid since it wasn't going to help him hold onto his money. Of course I had the advantage of knowing I had a key into his house and of course the precautions he was taking weren't going to help one bit.

I walked by George's place after the banker was settled and I found Amos, George, Dan, and Donald working on Dan and Donald's wagon. One of the iron wheel rims George had made for it had come loose and they were getting it repaired.

"So George, did everything else go about right?" I asked.

"Better than I expected. We'll be ready to roll in the morning. In fact we'd be ready in an hour or so, but we don't think leaving in the dark would be such a good idea," he said.

"Me neither. Are you planning on leaving from here?"

"Yes. We'll come over here in the morning to hitch up the teams and then drive by our houses to throw in the last of our things and take off from there," he said.

"I guess you'll be leaving with them, Amos?"

"Not on your life. I'm going to stay with you and make sure you get away," he said.

We argued for about half an hour over it and I finally convinced him he needed to leave with the others and get the Damsel Jennifer away from any commotion I might cause. Of course I didn't intend to cause any, but then again he didn't know it.

Another supper in my own inn was in store for us and then the next morning Amos ate breakfast with me - another sausage and loaf of bread - and then we went over to George's place. They were all there getting the wagons hitched, and after saddling Joe Bob, Amos mounted up and they headed out for the houses to finish loading. I told Amos I'd probably catch them in three or four days.

The rest of my stay was spent being a little nervous. I mostly sat in the inn across from the banker's house. I planned on letting him leave and then going right over and letting myself in.

After his lunch Saturday I got another break. He and the older woman came out the door at the same time. Apparently she was going shopping again and they happened to leave together.

As soon as both of them were out of sight I walked across the street, used the skeleton key George had left me, and walked in like I owned the place. The first thing I did was lock the door behind me.

I found the Damsel Elaine in the same room where I'd found the Damsel Dena before, and she was oh so glad to see me. The banker had left a hitch in her get-along though. He had a chain attached around her ankle and it was mounted solidly to the wall.

He probably wouldn't have done it if he'd realized it wouldn't do what he wanted it to, as in, keep the Damsel. All it was going to do was make me hang around until he got home. I told Elaine to lie back down and keep quiet until the woman came back.

"You mean Gertie?" she asked.

"I don't know her name. It's just the woman who keeps house here," I said.

"It's his mother. You aren't going to hurt her are you?"

"Of course not. I didn't hurt her last time I came to this very house to retrieve a Damsel. In fact I'm going to try and not hurt the banker. He's a pretty good customer by now. It's a lot safer for a Damsel to end up in his clutches than any other place I know of," I said.

"That's easy for you to say. You don't have to jack him off every night," she said.

"You must have been caught and brought right here nearly as soon as you were released on Chaos. Most of the Damsels I've retrieved would have killed to end up in such an easy captivity.

"Now, lay there and keep quiet while I tend to Gertie," I said, and I left her.

Poor Gertie was scared even more shitless when she came back in the door. I let her get it locked before I showed myself, and I even let her put the groceries down first.

"It's nice to see you again, Gertie," I said, as soon as she'd put her packages down.

She turned to face me and she looked like she was getting wound up to scream until I pulled out my sword.

"I'd hate to have to cut your head off to keep you from screaming, Gertie. If you did scream all you'd accomplish is get your boy in a lot of trouble. What do you think the neighbors would say if they knew he was keeping a slave? What do you think they'd say about you for not telling it?"

It let the air out of Gertie and she slumped to the floor. I went over and helped her up and put her in a comfortable chair and then fetched a wet cloth from the kitchen and patted around on her face with it until she was back with me.

"Now, Gertie, do you know where the key to the lock around the Damsel's ankle is?"

"The Damsel? Oh, you mean Elaine. Yes, I know where it is. He keeps it on a chain around his neck. He'll never let you have it," she said.

"Well, he doesn't have to let me. I can always cut his head off and take it," I said, and poor Gertie fainted again at the thought.

I applied the wet rag again and I had to do it three more times before she came back. She gave me a pitiful look then and started asking me to let him keep the girl.

"He doesn't hurt her and I make sure she has plenty of food. Can't you just leave us alone?"

"No, Gertie, I'm afraid I can't. Why doesn't he find himself a wife?"

"He doesn't want a wife. He just uses the girl for relief," she said.

"Well he is just going to have to keep buying girls for relief then, but there will always be someone coming by to retrieve the girls. It might not always be me either, and some of the others might kill him for it,"

"But he's my son - can't you help him somehow. He's a good boy and makes a good living. He just has needs," Gertie said, and I realized the perfect solution to the problem.

"Why don't you take care of his needs then, Gertie?" I asked.

"I could never do such a thing."

"And why not? After all, it's to save his life. No matter if you do or not I'll be accosting him once he comes into the house. I'm going to have to put you in another room and gag you again," I said, and then I did it.

I took her into his bedroom and tied her hands to the headboard then I tied one leg to each side of the foot of the bed. I topped it off with a gag in her mouth again.

Of course I thought I'd come up with the perfect solution for the two of them. Gertie wasn't really ugly or anything and she looked like a healthy enough woman, even if she was a little plump and long in the tooth. Hell, come to think of it, she wasn't even that old. Who knew, maybe her banker boy would like some pussy if it didn't burn his dick like fire when he put it in.

The rest of the afternoon crawled by. When I finally heard the key in the lock I backed into a side room and hid out of sight. I let him lock the door, put the bar across it, and carry his box over to the kitchen table and set it down before I stepped out behind him and drew my sword.

There was no mistaking the sound it made, and he turned at once, pulling a small knife. I didn't quite laugh at him, but I nearly did.

"What's your name, I forgot to ask Gertie?"

"Delbert. My name is Delbert," he said, waving the knife at me.

"Well, Delbert, let's think about our situation a minute or two. I have a four-foot sword, and it is a fine and very sharp one and you have a six-inch knife. If it comes to a fight, which one of us do you think is going to win?

"I'm a trained fighter and you are a banker. Are you starting to see the handwriting on the wall yet?" I asked, and he dropped his knife.

"Take the money then, and be gone. I can recover somehow," he said, and looked resigned.

"Well, I'm going to take a little money off you to cover my expenses, but the lick will be lighter than you expect.

"First though, we need to talk about your habit. It won't be so bad if I keep coming after the girls you buy, but sooner or later another Hero will get the job and he'll probably just kill you.