Chapter 15: A Perilous Search
Mary and George entered the Mitchell barn and turned on their flashlights. Immediately, they saw several of the larger items from the time capsule lying around here and there. As Mary searched, her keen hearing picked up a hollow sound from a portion of the floor. Throwing an old blanket aside, she found a trap door. It was heavy. George helped her open it more or less silently. It led to a dirt floor tunnel under the barn. Mary said, "You go down and search the tunnel. I'll replace the rug and everything then go search the house." George agreed and descended into the tunnel, shutting the trap door.
Mary was fussing with the blanket when she heard footsteps outside the barn. She quietly crept to the doorway of the barn. As the figure walked past her position, she jumped out and put the person into a chokehold. It was a girl, and after the mysterious girl passed out from the chokehold, Mary set her down gently on the ground.
It was Edna, George's ex-girlfriend and Arthur's current girlfriend. She was all tarted up, and looked like a prostitute in a sheer short dress and lots of makeup. She could see Edna wasn't wearing panties. Edna had not been outrageously dressed like this at the jazz club party. What was going on? Edna was carrying a small purse that held mostly condoms.
As Mary rounded the corner of the farmhouse, there was Mr. Mitchell holding a shotgun. "Well, you're finally here, Edna," he said. "It's nice to finally meet you. Art has told me a lot about you." Here Mitchell lowered the shotgun and chuckled a little. "I thought it was probably you out here. The dogs have been going crazy with their whining and whimpering."
He pulled a wad of cash out of his pocket. "Here's the $65. It should bail our boy out of jail and then some."
Mary nodded, stepped forward, and reached for the money, which Mitchell withdrew. "Not so fast," said Mitchell, "You need fulfill your part of the bargain first."
Based on how Edna had been dressed, Mary now had a complete picture. Her first instinct was to call the whole thing off on Edna's behalf and walk away. She should find out more, so she said, "Why don't you tell me what you think I've agreed to."
Mitchell was quick to fill her in. "I believe you've agreed to fulfill my manly needs, whatever they may be, all night long. In the morning, I'll owe you your $65. Are we clear?"
"I don't think that's what we agreed to," replied Mary, fishing and buying time.
"All right, whore, if you insist. $30 up front it is, and $35 in the morning. But you'd better please me every second between now and noon tomorrow, or I'll be an unhappy customer. As I'm sure you know from Art, I can be a very unpleasant unhappy customer. I'm already displeased. You promised to dress up. Instead, you look like a filthy cunt of a sharecropper." Mitchell grudgingly gave her $30. She put it into her purse.