Debbie had not eaten anything since she had arrived at Pin Oaks for the interview. Despite everything, she was now very hungry. She fixed herself a sandwich from her kitchen. But she made sure she was waiting for Thornton when he returned at 1:00.
Thornton cheerily announced that one of the calls he had fielded earlier in the day was from me. I had heard good things about his business from colleagues. I was a partner in a large commercial real estate firm and was in town on business. I sometimes retained high-end escorts on these trips. I had not used Pin Oaks before. But I was going to give it a try based on what I had heard.
I had told Thornton that my ideal contact would be a very pretty lady in her mid-30's. I liked women that were on the petite side but that had ample breasts. It was important to me that she also be articulate and well-educated. That is, it should be someone that I could envision encountering in a corporate setting. I wanted an escort that did not look like an "escort." For the right person, money was no object. (The last part really got his attention.)
Thornton immediately thought of Debbie for this assignment. The question was whether she could really be ready to be sent out. How did he know that she would not just bolt and run the first time she was out of his sight? But as he examined her demeanor at the beginning of that afternoon, it just seemed to him that she was not the same person who had come to his office for a job interview. Her will had been broken. She now insisted that her reason for living was to please him. Maybe she was a really good actress. But it seemed to him that she really meant it.
He decided that he would give her a chance. He told her he would be taking her to meet me that evening. So that afternoon, they would try a role play scenario. Thornton would be the client. Debbie would be in the role of the escort. It would be her job to do everything possible to please the client. Thornton would not help her by telling her what to do. She was a mature woman and should instinctively know what was expected of her. If she did a good job in the role play, he would give her the assignment. Thornton said he would be back in one hour and would be in the role of the client. In the meantime, Janet would come in and bring her something to wear and help her prepare, as she would need to be sure to look her best.
When Thornton left, Debbie was briefly alone. She said to herself, "So this is what prostitution is like." She was convinced that she now had no choice. They had gotten her to believe that she was a wanted fugitive. If she did run, where would she go? Who could she confide in? Her friends had all seemingly turned against her. Although she still detested Thornton personally, she told herself that he was now the only one who could protect and provide for her.