Chapter 2: On with the Story

After Kim left I made my way to the kitchen where Alice anticipated my needs and had prepared a sumptuous lunch for me. I invited her to join me since I had something to talk with her about.

She set another place at the table and sat down to eat. "Mister Sherwood, what did you want to talk with me about?"

"Alice, first of all I wish you would just call me Art. You people may be paid servants but I consider you like family."

"Okay Mist— oops ... Art. What's on your mind?"

"Alice, I have noticed that you and Fitzroy seem to have gotten quite close to each other."

She sat quiet for a moment with a worried look on her face and then hesitantly said, "You are right sir. I guess we have become very close. I might even say that we are in love with each other. I hope that this doesn't mean that one of us has to find a job elsewhere."

"Alice, stop worrying right now. I am thrilled that you two have found love and you both can stay here as long as you wish. Also you don't have to sneak around when you want some together time. Just do it with my blessing."

Heaving a sigh of relief she came over to me and gave me a kiss on the cheek and said, "Thank you."

"Alice, save some of your kisses for Fitzroy. I'm sure he will enjoy them. I, however, will never turn down a kiss from a pretty lady such as you."

She then grabbed my head and plastered a passionate kiss squarely on my lips that made smoke come out of my ears. Once I got my breath back I slyly said, "Poor Fitzroy doesn't stand a chance against your charm."

She merely declared, "I hope not."

We finished our lunch and I went back to checking out the negatives. After about an hour I recalled that Kim had said that she would be right back after lunch. I got a little puzzled so I went across the street to check up on her. When I entered their house I saw Kim tied to a chair with a gag in her mouth. She had a terrified expression on her face so I crept over to her and whispered for her to be quiet.

She nodded her head so I slid the gag off her mouth and she immediately said, "Art, we are being robbed! The guy took Mom up to her bedroom and he said he was going to enjoy her for a while, whatever that means."

"Kim, I am going to untie you and I want you to go across to my house and call 9-1-1 and tell them what's going on. Stay there until I come to you. I am going to see if I can help your mom."

Kim quietly went out the front door and ran across the street. I silently crept up the stairs to the bedroom and peeked inside. I saw Grace naked and tied to the bed while the burglar undressed. When he had his shirt over his face, I entered the room and hit him as hard as I could squarely in the stomach. He doubled over and I brought both of my fists down on the back of his neck splaying him out on the floor. I dropped my knee across his neck and quickly tied his hands behind his back. I grabbed another rope and hogtied him so he couldn't move. Fortunately I didn't have to think about what to do since my training in the military kicked in and I was operating on autopilot the whole time.

I then stood up and got out my pocket knife to cut the ropes holding Grace and removed her gag. She broke down crying and grabbed me in a secure bear hug saying. "Oh God, thank you Art ... Is Kim all right?"

I assured her that Kim was fine and was across the street at my house. I went to her closet and got her a robe to put on and helped her downstairs as the sheriff's deputies arrived. I told them that the perpetrator was tied up upstairs and they went right up and brought him down. He was moaning and groaning in pain and they took him out and put him in the back seat of their cruiser. It took about an hour for the deputies to take a statement from Grace and while that was going on I went over, got Kim and brought her back home. She was shaking and so scared I had to carry her the whole way. She gave her statement of what happened and collapsed on the couch.

Once it was determined that both girls were okay with no injuries and the rape had not been consummated, the deputies gathered the necessary evidence and took pictures for their report. They told Grace and Kim that they would get back to them when it came time for formal charges and left to put the bad guy in jail.