Copyright 2012, 2020 Lisa Summers
I'm still scratching my head over the events of February 18-20th, 2020. All I can do is relate them to you, and see what you think:
Marion Fredericks, the busty, attractive thirty-eight year old owner of Manse Antiques, was reviewing her account statement from the local bank, when a young couple entered her store. "I certainly don't get many like these two," she thought to herself. Her usual demographic were middle-aged, well to do types looking for the perfect, distinctive piece to showcase in their McMansions.
The girl was about eighteen, very cute and petite, with long, curly black hair, blue eyes, and a pleasant smile and nice teeth. Her breasts were small, her bottom compact but round, very round. Marion noticed those things about teenaged girls. She also noticed that this one was pregnant, a baby bump just developing on her cute body.
The male was older, and scruffy, affecting a 'Miami Vice' look long after it had gone out of fashion. Marion didn't find him at all attractive, for several reasons I shall not go into here.
"Welcome to Manse Antiques," Marion said to the two. The girl flashed Marion a dazzling smile, the man ignored her. They walked around, looking at this and that for a few minutes, and then left.
It was no more than five minutes later, when two masked figures burst in, pointing guns at her, one of them yelling in a man's voice, "Don't say anything, don't make a fuss, come with us."
Remarkably calm, Ms. Fredericks, said, "Okay, okay, don't get excited, you don't need those, please put them away before someone gets hurt. I'll go with you, without a fight."
The taller of the two assailants said, "Oh. Okay, right." The two proceeded to tie Ms. Fredericks' hands behind her back, and placed a black, cloth bag over her head, then led her out the back to their van parked near the back door.
She was pushed into the back, onto a carpeted floor, and then lay there quietly, thinking through her options. She tried the knot on her wrists, and had no luck. She listened for sounds from the two assailants. They appeared to be young, one male, one female. They also sounded as though they were amateurs, arguing about some romantic issue between them.
"I was not looking at that guy!" one of them, presumably the female member, said.
"Well, he was looking at you!" the other retorted.
"I can't help that!" the female voice replied. Marion couldn't help but think that the female voice was very pleasant.
After a drive of about fifteen minutes, Ms. Fredericks was bustled out of the van into a building. Judging by the springiness of the floor, and the general draftiness, Marion thought it might be a mobile home, a particularly poorly built and maintained one. Marion was plopped down onto a sofa with shot springs, one of them poking her in her shapely butt through her skirt.
The bag was pulled off her head, and Marion was not at all surprised to find herself facing the young couple who had entered her store shortly before her kidnaping.
"Oh, hello," Marion said, her attention directed more to the girl, who was far more pleasant to look at than her companion. She looked around her, and found that her assessment of her surroundings was correct - the single wide trailer was disheveled, though Ms. Fredericks' practiced eye did note several rather nice furnishings, when contrasted to the shabbiness of the structure itself.
"Shut up," barked her male companion. "Where do you keep your money?"
Marion stared at him, saying nothing.
"Where is it, bitch?" he asked again. Still, she said nothing.
"Please, where do you keep your money?" asked the young girl. Marion found her voice very soft and pleasant.
"Your friend - is he your boyfriend, or business partner, or" - she shuddered - "your husband, told me to shut up..." Marion explained. The girl stared hard at the man.
"Yes, Mike likes to try to be rough, but he's really kind of sweet," the girl smiled. "At least when he's sober. Anyway, forget that he told you to shut up, and tell him where you keep your money."
"Well, that's simple enough," Marion replied, smiling back at the girl, pleased to see that the girl had dimples. Marion loved girls with dimples. She looked healthy, too, in spite of her companion. Marion believed that it was important for young girls to watch their diet, particularly if they were pregnant, as she hoped this one was - she'd undoubtedly have a beautiful child.
"I keep my money in the bank," Marion answered. The girl got a blank look on her face, but the male's face reddened.
"Stupid bitch," he snarled. "Rumor has it that you're a fence for local crooks, and you've got a big wad of cash from your 'side' activities. Where is it?"
"A fence?" Marion answered, perplexed. "What on earth is a fence?" She hastened to add, "I mean, I know that a fence is a barrier to exit or entry, and that it is also an Olympic sport, but I don't see where either of those apply..."
"JESUS CHRIST!" thundered 'Mike'.
"And what is your name, dear?" asked Marion. "I'd hug you, but..." she shrugged her shoulders fetchingly.
"Oh...Sarah, ma'am," the girl replied. She winced, and tried to reach back to rub her lower back.
"I'm very pleased to meet you," Marion replied. "I could help you with that, by the way." Marion looked pointedly at Sarah's back.
"My back?" Sarah said, looking at the woman hopefully. "That would sure be nice. Mike, can I untie her?"
"What, and have her run out of here? Don't be stupid," he said, frowning at Sarah.
"You could tie my leg to this coffee table," Marion suggested. "And use a complicated knot so that I couldn't untie it."
"Yes, that sounds like a good idea," Sarah said. "I want to see what she can do for my back. It's your fault that it hurts, anyway," she said.
Mike looked a little repentant, Marion thought. Apparently he'd done some dumb man thing that resulted in injury to his pretty little girlfriend, and she wasn't going to let it go.
"Look, goddamnit, I'm not running a fucking health spa here. Look lady, I want to know where your money stash is! If you don't tell me, I'm going to break something - on you!"
Marion broke out in tears. "I can't possibly remember if you're going to threaten me!" she said, her voice wavering. "I want to cooperate, but I'm so frightened!"