My wife, Debbie, called me at the office a few minutes after four: "Hi Jason...I'll be a bit late getting home. Geri and Rachel are going to stop at Bob's Bar & Grill for a drink and they asked me to join them.
That idea didn't thrill me — Bob's is only about ten minutes from home, but the place doesn't have a great reputation. "Okay Deb, but be careful, and don't drink too much."
"Relax honey, I'll have just one beer. I should be home by the time you get there...and I have something important to tell you tonight."
"If it's important why don't you tell me now?"
"No...not on the phone...you'll have to wait until we get home...I love you, bye."
At five o'clock I headed for the door, however, my boss caught up with me. "Wait up a minute Jason. I know you've had a rough week and you're anxious to get home, but Charlie Swan at Jackson Enterprises just called. They're having problems with their security system and they can't afford to have it down over the weekend. Charlie specifically asked for you...you've worked on their system before and he trusts you."
I arrived at Jackson Enterprises a few minutes before six, adjusted the sensitivity on one of their motion detectors, repositioned two cameras, and reset a circuit breaker. I was back out the door by six-thirty.
I had to pass right by Bob's Bar & Grill on my way home and noticed Debbie's car still in their parking lot — not a good sign. She obviously stayed a lot longer than she'd said she would. I parked and walked in, hoping I wouldn't find her drunk.
There were several people on the dance floor, but she wasn't among them. She wasn't sitting at any of the tables or in any of the booths along the wall. I didn't think she'd be perched on a barstool, but decided to check anyway. Most of the stools were occupied, but no Debbie, and I hadn't seen her friends either. Maybe they're all in the restroom, I thought. Girls always seem to go there together. I slipped onto an empty bar stool and ordered a mug of draft beer. The bartender slid it across the bar. "Anything else I can get for you?"
"Just some information. I'm looking for a woman..."
"Ain't we all, but I can't help you there."
"No, it's not like that...I'm looking for a specific woman...shoulder-length, straight, black hair, slender build, 5 feet, four inches tall, 120 pounds, pretty face, but has a small scar near her right eye. I don't know how she's dressed, but she's a school teacher and..."
"Yeah, I saw her. She and a couple other women are in the back room playing pool."
"Oh hell...that's why she's still here. She loves to play pool...thanks." I walked around the end of the bar and opened the door to the back room. There were two pool tables in the room. A tall blonde woman and a dark-haired slightly plump woman were using one of the tables. I assumed they were the other teachers. Several rough looking guys were crowded around the near end of the other table, but I didn't see any of them holding cue sticks.
"Don't give her anymore to drink...I want her awake for this," one of the guys said as I approached the table. "Just hold her still for a minute."
I heard something rip and a woman groaned then one of the guys held up what was left of a pair of light blue bikini panties.
"Oh no...no...you can't...oh...oh...nooooooo"