Chapter 3

We looked across the street as we passed by her house. It looked like every light in the house was on. As we walked up my driveway she said, "I'd give anything to hear what's going on in there tonight."

I grinned and asked, "Really? Anything?"

I just happen to have three digital recorders recording every sound that those bugs I planted are picking up. The bugs became active as soon as I planted them.

I let her in and locked the door behind me. I showed her to one of the guest rooms. While she was getting situated I went to my computer room. I called Jon and told him briefly what just happened. I told him we were on for tomorrow. Then I looked at the three recorders for the bugs I just planted. They are high end machines and after spending all that money on them I'm curious to see how well they work.

They each have counters that indicate how many minutes are recorded on them. I replaced the disk that recorded conversations in the living room. It was that one that contained almost all of the conversation that took place after we left.

I put the disk in my computer and waited for Tawney to join me. When she came in we sat down to listen to what Amber and Dan had to say after we left. The recording in the living room started from almost as soon as I arrived. I planted the bug as soon as I sat down. I skipped over everything that happened before we left them alone. I started listening from just before I left the first time. We heard my final instructions to them and then the attack on Tawney almost as soon as I closed the door behind me.

It was quiet for a moment after we left together the second time. Then Amber found her voice and attacked Dan viciously.

He alternated back and forth between attacking Amber and defending himself. They were yelling and drowning each other out so that it was hard to understand them.

Not long after it started they both began attacking Tawney in absentia. Dan gave Amber hell for not having the balls to get an abortion and then for not giving Tawney up for adoption after she was born. He put Amber down for leaving their infant daughter with him for almost three years while she traveled around the country changing her identity, scamming rich men for a living and spending most of the money on herself while he was left behind to make a living and change a mountain of shitty diapers for a crying brat.

Amber agreed that she should have gotten rid of Tawney one way or another. Then she screamed at Dan for complaining about the money she was bringing in. From there she went to attacking him, not just for allowing a man to come into their home and rape his wife, but for actually assisting, guiding my dick into her. She belittled him for letting me wipe my nasty cock all over his face. They seemed to finally reach an impasse at that point and they returned to attacking their daughter.

I saw Tawney wiping a few tears from her eyes. I put my arm around her shoulders and held her. I would have liked to console her. But I wasn't sure what to say. What do you say to a young girl with parents like that?

In a tearful voice she said, "I'm sorry. I should be used to it by now. They made it clear for as far back as I can remember that I wasn't wanted and I wasn't loved. It's just hard to hear your mother and father talk about you like that."

Now I'm even more furious with her parents, and I wouldn't have thought that was possible. Every time they opened their mouths I became more furious. But I took comfort in the fact that I'm going to make their lives a living hell, hopefully for the rest of their shitty lives.

As her parents continued to scream at each other on the recording I quietly said, "If it makes you feel any better, I wasn't kidding earlier. I'm going to destroy them. I'm going to teach those two psychotic, self absorbed, cold blooded animals a lesson that will last them the rest of their sad lives."

"If there's anything I can do to help, I would love to have some part in whatever you do to them."

We listened then as they began to settle down and try to figure out how to fix the problem that is me. They discussed ways to neutralize me, moving quickly to killing me. That seemed to be the only option that appealed to them. Neither of them evidenced the slightest reservation about taking another human life. I would have been surprised if they did. They've killed before and it obviously doesn't bother them.

They talked about the best way to go about it and agreed that first they'll have to locate my evidence stash and learn the identity of the investigator who put everything together for me.

Things quieted down after a while. They went upstairs to get ready for bed. I had listened to all that I could stomach. The upstairs conversations could wait until tomorrow. I asked Tawney if she wanted or needed anything and then I hugged her for a moment before we went to our bedrooms to get ready for bed.

I finally let her go. She stepped back and looked up at me for moment. Then she said in a voice choked with emotion, "I've wondered what it would be like. A hug does make you feel better, doesn't it?"

I was glad that she turned away then. If we continued to stand there like that, looking at each other for even a few more seconds I think I would have had tears in my eyes!

I watched her walk away for a moment. Even from the back I could see how sad she is. I'm not normally an emotional person. I don't wear my feelings on my sleeve. Any tendency towards tenderness that I possessed when they led me away in handcuffs was quickly beaten out of me in prison.

But I could feel the emotional pain radiating from her very core. I wanted to go back to her and hold her. I wanted to tell her that everything would be alright, that she would find a good home and people to take care of her and love her. Those are the things that I want for her. I hope I can make it happen.

The next morning I awoke at the usual time. I sleep a little later now that I don't have the noise of a prison to wake me and guards to put me in line and march me to breakfast. But I still awake by six-thirty and no matter how hard I try, and I have tried, I can't turn over and go back to sleep.

I got up and started to go downstairs to make coffee. I sleep in the nude and when I'm home alone and the weather is nice I usually don't wear much more than a pair of sloppy old shorts around the house. I was just about to leave my bedroom when I remembered that I have a houseguest. I put on a pair of regular shorts and a t-shirt and went downstairs.

Once the coffee was started I set the bacon and eggs out. I only eat breakfast occasionally. I don't know what Tawney's eating habits are. But I get the impression that she doesn't often get to enjoy a good meal.

I brought in the morning paper and sat in the dining room to drink my coffee and read the paper. I normally drink my coffee and read the paper in the kitchen. But I wanted to keep my eye on Amber and Dan this morning.

Amber was the first to leave. Before getting in her car she went out to the street to get her newspaper. She was leaving a few minutes later than usual this morning. She appeared to be dressed the way I ordered her to dress. I had my binoculars ready and I used them to get a closer look. It was easy to see that she was wearing the lacy bra under that sheer blouse, even from a distance.

With the binoculars I could just make out the faint dark spots on her chest where her nipples showed through her bra and her sheer blouse. She's going to be popular with the men at the bank today!

I couldn't be so certain that she had left off her pantyhose or her panties. But it appeared that she dressed in accordance with my directions. I'll find out at lunch time.

Tawney came down not long after Amber left for work. She was showered and dressed and all ready to start the day. I made her breakfast and we sat together while she ate as though she hasn't eaten in weeks. After she finished her meal I asked her what she likes to eat. I explained to her that the care and feeding of twelve year old girls is something that I know nothing about.

She smiled and said, "I don't normally get to eat breakfast. This is only the second time in my life I've had bacon and eggs. Sometimes I have enough time to eat a bowl of cereal. But usually I don't finish my morning chores in time."

"Morning chores?"

"I have a schedule of things I have to do every morning. I clean bathrooms or vacuum or change the bedding and wash the sheets and towels. It's something different every day. Then I have to get ready for school. By the time I'm ready it's usually too late to eat.

"School let out for the summer on Wednesday. I still have to get up and do my chores before my parents go to work. But then I can eat breakfast before I do whatever is on my list of chores for the day. I was supposed to mow the lawn today and then start cleaning the garage."

"Christ! You were nothing but a slave to them!"

She shrugged.

Then she floored me again when she said, "For lunch I have a peanut butter sandwich. Then for supper..."

"Wait a minute. That's all you ever have for lunch?!"

She seemed embarrassed. But she nodded.

"You've never had anything but a peanut butter sandwich for lunch in your entire life?"

"No. That's what I'm allowed to have."

"What do they give you for dinner, dog food?"

She smiled wryly and said, "No. I eat whatever they do for dinner except on the nights they go out."

"How often do they go out? And what do you eat those nights?"

"They usually eat out two or three nights a week, sometimes more, sometimes less. I usually have a hot dog or a can of soup. Something like that. When they stay home we eat things like meatloaf or a tuna casserole."

I stared at her in disbelief for a moment before I asked, "Have you ever been to a doctor or a dentist?"

She shook her head. But then she said, "I went to the emergency room a couple of times. But after a doctor told my parents that the next time they brought me in they were calling the cops they started taking it easy on me."

I reached over and pulled her into my lap. I held her in my lap and nearly crushed her. I quietly said, "That's all over now. I'm going to see to it. I don't know what's going to happen to you now. But I'm going to make it my business to see to it that you are happy from now on."

"Can't I just stay with you?"

I'll admit that I was quickly developing a soft spot in my heart for this poor, sweet, ballsy young girl. But I don't think I'm the right person to be raising a teenage girl and even if I did think it was a good idea I doubt if there's a judge in the country who would agree.

I kissed the top of her head and replied, "I think you're probably the nicest kid I've ever met. But I don't know anything about raising kids, especially a teenage girl just entering puberty. You should be in a home with two adults who know what the hell they're doing when it comes to raising kids. And you'll need a woman who can guide you. Men know next to nothing about women and I know less than most thanks to your mother.

"But I promise that I'll make certain you're in a good home and I'll make sure you're happy. And if you'll let me, I would be happy to be a part of your life."

I could tell that she didn't like that answer. But she didn't say anything. Not about that anyway. She asked, "What are you going to do to my parents? What could you possibly do that will make up for the terrible things that they've done?"

I looked at her for a moment, wondering if I should tell her. If they realized that when I'm through tormenting them I'm going to turn the evidence I have over to the cops they'd run for the hills. I want them to believe that the revenge I have planned for them is finite and that within a reasonable amount of time they'll get their lives back, such as they are.

I told Tawney that she'll have to keep what I tell her to herself for that very reason. She grinned and replied, "I'm going to enjoy this as much as you. I'd never do anything to spoil your plans."

"I'm going to humiliate and degrade them even more than they did me. I'm going to make your mother..."

"Do you have to call her that? Call her by her name. When you're referring to her, mother is only half a word."

I chuckled and resumed my explanation. "I'm going to make Amber do every nasty thing I can think of. I'm going to force her to have sex with strangers in public places. I'm going to make her dress like a slut.

"By the time I finish with her half the men in town will have seen her naked. And a lot of them will have had sex with her. I'm going to do my damnedest to break her down. I want her to experience the despair that I did when she destroyed my life so cavalierly. Every nasty thing that I can think of she will do."

"And your ... and Dan, too. That reminds me. I have a question for you. I have the impression that Amber was the mastermind, the one in charge. But Dan doesn't seem as easily led as I imagined. Who is really in charge over there?"

"Amber is smarter, I think. She's the planner. I guess she was probably the planner back then, too. But she lets Dan think he's in charge most of the time."

I laughed and said, "So it's just like a typical home?"

She smiled and said, "Yeah, except that they are murderers and thieves."

Dan finally left for work. I suggested to Tawney that we go to her place and pack her things. I want to get all of her stuff moved to my house before her parents get home. I don't want them to see where we're moving Tawney's things to and the only contact I want to have with them is when I'm tormenting them.

I took a few boxes from the garage and we went across the street. She used her key to open the door and we went up to her room. When I saw how little she had to pack I could only shake my head.

Amber's closet is so full of clothing it was hard to find anything last night when I was choosing what I wanted her to wear today. By contrast, Tawney owns five outfits for school and two outfits to wear when she gets home. She owns five sets of underwear and two pairs of pajamas. She has one pair of shoes and one pair of running shoes. She has one doll and one stuffed bear. She owns no books, no computer, no radio or CD player. She isn't even allowed to put pictures on her walls!

She lives in poverty while her parents spend all of their money on luxuries for themselves. Hell, our cells in prison were homier than Tawney's room!

Every time I learned something new about Amber and Dan my anger grew. Amber is going to have a really unpleasant lunch today.

We packed up Tawney's few possessions. As it turns out we only needed two of the three boxes we brought with us. And they weren't full.

We carried the boxes back to Tawney's new room in my house. I had to take a shower and get ready to meet Amber. I left Tawney to put her things away. I took a shower and got dressed.

I took Tawney downstairs and showed her how to use the television and the DVD player. I missed a lot of movies while I was locked up. When I got out I bought a large selection of DVDs to try and get caught up.

I suggested that she enjoy a movie and told her I'd be back as soon as I finish tormenting Amber. I gave her a hug and told her that as soon as I get home I'm going to take her shopping.

She smiled and said, "I don't need anything."

She meant it. She sincerely believes that to be true.

"Sweetheart, you need everything. As soon as I get home we're going shopping."

"I'd rather go with you now. I want to see Amber get a taste of what she has coming."

"I'm going to a bar. You can't go in a bar. You're too young."

"What if I hide somewhere before she gets there?"

I started to tell her that she would have to wait here. But then I stopped and thought it over. I chose our meeting place because the owner of the bar is a former cellmate of mine and we're still friends. I drop by his bar once in a while and I've gotten to know a lot of the regulars.

The owner, Gary, knows what I have in mind for Amber and doesn't have a problem with it. When I told him what I wanted to do he even offered me the use of his bar. He doesn't yet know it's going to happen today. So I'm going to have to get there a few minutes early and set things up.

But now that I think about it, I don't see why Tawney can't hide in the storeroom and leave the door ajar. She can watch through the crack in the door and maybe get a little satisfaction from seeing what her mother goes through if things work out the way I imagine they will.

"Tawney, I'm starting to think it might be good for you to see your mother punished. Everything you've told me about her today, everything I've learned about the way you've had to live has made me want to ... well, I can't say something like that to a twelve year old girl."

"Yes you can."

I laughed and said, "No. I can't. Sweetheart, you probably have a pretty good idea what I have planned for Amber at that bar today, don't you?"

"I have a good idea. Mr., Oh my god! I don't even know your name! You told us your first name last night but with everything that's happened I've forgotten!"

"I'm sorry. I've been so rude! I should have introduced myself. My name is Paul Cable. Please call me Paul."

"Paul. That's good. You look like a Paul.

"Paul, if you're worried that seeing what you do to Amber today will upset me, don't be. I want to see her suffer. I hate her. She has never shown me any love or affection. The kindest emotion I feel for her is resentment. The worse you treat her the more I'll enjoy it. I would much rather watch what you do to Amber than go shopping."

"Okay. Let's go. I can't promise I can talk the guy who owns the bar into it. I can only promise to try. You may end up sitting in the car for an hour. But we're still going shopping."

I drove down to the small bar about three blocks from the bank where Amber works. I parked in the back and told Tawney to wait in the car. I went around to the front and entered through the front door.

My detective, Jon, was sitting in a dark corner with a friend. We greeted each other with a smile and a nod. So far things are going exactly as we planned them.

I greeted a few friends and sat at the end of the bar. It was about half an hour before lunch time. But this little bar doesn't get much of a lunch crowd. The only food they sell is pickled eggs and a variety of chips. There were about a dozen men in the bar. I recognize most of them. It appeared to be just the kind of small, depraved crowd I anticipated when I planned this.

Gary finished what he was doing and came down to the end of the bar to take my order. I told him that Amber is coming in at lunch time and I want to put the plan I discussed with him into effect. As part of the plan he's going to get to fuck her first.

His huge grin made it clear that he was ready and more than willing.

I then told him that Amber's twelve year old daughter is in my car and that I want to sneak her in and let her watch through an opening in the storeroom door.

He had a real problem with having a girl that young in his bar. If anyone complains he could lose his license. And he wasn't too happy with the concept of a girl that age watching her mother get raped in a bar.

I quickly went over what happened last night and what I've discovered about the way Amber and Dan have been raising their daughter. I told him that to protect her I already moved her into one of my spare bedrooms. She hates her mother and she begged me to bring her here today so that she could watch.

He was still uncomfortable with my plan. He has reason to be. His business license is at risk if the wrong person sees Tawney in the bar. But he reluctantly said, "Okay. Sneak her in the back door. Try to avoid being seen."

I asked him for a beer and then I went down the dark, narrow hallway that leads to the back door. I opened the door and waved Tawney in. The look of excitement on her face when she came in almost made me laugh.

I explained that I'm going to try to sneak her into the storeroom without anyone seeing her. She nodded her understanding.

She followed me back down the hallway. I stopped at the point where the narrow passageway opens into the bar room. The door to the storeroom was on our right just a few steps into the main room. I looked around casually. I actually wasn't too worried about anyone seeing us. I know most of these old farts well enough to know that they won't give a damn. But to placate Gary I looked around to see if anyone noticed us.

Gary came over and opened the door to the storeroom and we took a few steps trying not to look too furtive. Tawney darted inside and turned to look up at Gary. She smiled and said, "Thanks. I appreciate this. I know you can get in trouble for letting me in here. But I'll behave, and I think that I really need to see this.

Gary wasn't so sure. But her adorable, innocent little face melted his heart instantly. He nodded and went to the bar to get her a Coke. I went over and took a couple of sips of my beer. Then I stood in the center of the room and loudly announced, "Gentlemen, and I use the term loosely."

When the mild laughter in response to my stale joke died down I said, "Can I have your attention for a minute?"

Everyone stopped talking or shooting pool and turned to see what I was selling. When it was quiet I said, "A few of you know me. A couple of you already know about the plans I've been making for a woman named Amber. For the rest of you I'll provide a brief explanation because I want your help.

"Fourteen years ago a woman accused me of rape. There was no rape. The very first time I ever saw the bitch was when she showed up to testify against me in the courtroom. She tried to shake me down in exchange for dropping the charges but I was sure I wouldn't get convicted.

"Thanks to the bruises her boyfriend left on her, her sweet, innocent face, and her tears on the witness stand, I spent almost fourteen years in prison. I got out recently and hired a good private detective. He was able to find enough evidence to exonerate me and to prove that she pulled the same scam on several other men. He also discovered evidence of a murder she committed.

"In a few weeks I'm going to turn all the evidence I have over to the cops. But first I want some revenge. I started blackmailing her last night. I went to her house and fucked the shit out of her. I intend to break her. I'm going to degrade and humiliate her. I'm going to make her life a living hell.

"It started last night when I fucked her in front of her husband and her teenage daughter.

"Today I ordered her to come here during her lunch hour. Assuming that she's too afraid to disobey me, she'll come in here in a few minutes and reluctantly do everything I tell her to do. That's where you guys come in. If anyone wants a very bad blowjob or a pretty good fuck, I am going to make her available to you. If you aren't interested in taking part you're all welcome to watch."