'Just le' me get my hands on her…'
'You just cool it… Dad! Stay in bed and sleep it off!' Don's voice had a steely quality Gabe had never heard before.
'What th' hell's this… my own son telling me what t' do?!'
'Yeah… that's right…! And, like keep your hands off of Charity!'
'You makin' threats…?' Gabe blustered.
'No… just laying it on you… like the way it is!'
Gabe made another effort to get up off the bed, but Don pushed him prone, again, and told him, 'You better sleep it off, Dad!'
Dimly, through his befogged brain, Gabe Scott knew that he was in no condition to argue or fight. Yeah… sleep it off… tomorrow… I'll take care of both of 'em… tomorrow. He turned away, curled himself into a ball and growled, 'Get th' hell out of here!'
Don left the bedroom, Charity's letter still in his hand. I wonder what in hell's so important… and so personal in this?
Closing the bedroom door, he flopped into the overstuffed chair, considered the envelope for a moment and came to his decision. He would read it. Charity probably wouldn't like it… but his curiosity had been aroused. Personal, or not… he had to know the contents.
Removing the sheets from the envelope, he began to read. He read the letter twice, to absorb all that was in it. He whistled between his teeth. 'Well…!'
His reaction was not extreme. He took it in stride. Damn! I see why it's so important to Char! She really had it laid on her… but good! Poor little gal…! But, Christ! It sure changes things… that makes me and Char only half- brother and sister!
He thought about it for a moment:… And, Dad knows it, too! He found the letter where Char had hidden it! Hell! No wonder she's scared!
Carrying the letter with him, he went to his own room, still thinking as he stretched out on his bed. There's one thing, for sure! Charity can't stay here…! But, I don't have enough of a stake to get us out! I'll have to do something about that, right away… like tonight!
Glancing out the window, Don saw that the sun was almost down. I'll see if Ray'll help me… he's got that big.45 automatic…
Then, he slept for an hour. He awoke refreshed and went into the kitchen to find some food. There wasn't much to eat, but he threw together a hasty snack and began wolfing it down.
Charity heard him rummaging in the kitchen and came out to join him. She sat down near him, her eyes downcast.
'Y-You read Mom's letter…'
'Yeah… I had to… to find out why it was so damned important to you…'
'Then… y-you know… a-all about Mom… a-and m-me?'
'Yeah…' he mumbled around a mouthful of food. 'I'm going to get you out of here!'
'You are…? Oh, Donnie… I–I was hoping y-you'd say that!' She was ecstatic with joy. 'I–I just couldn't stay h-here!'
'It'd be hard…' he agreed.
'It'd be impossible!'
'Don't worry, Char…' he grinned. 'I'll take care of you… somehow!'
Don didn't tell Charity what he planned to do. Christ! She's got enough to worry about! Right after he finished his plate of food, he arose from the table and told his sister, 'He'll probably sleep all night… but stay in your room, anyway… with the doors locked! I'm going out, tonight… for a while.'
Charity showed her disappointment in her quick frown of disapproval and her dull, 'Oh…'
Quickly, he added, 'But, not for long…'
'Why a-are you going… l-leaving me a-alone…?'
'Damn it, Char!' he snapped. 'You'll be all right! I've got to find a way to get us out of here… for good!'
On impulse, then, he leaned down and kissed her, quickly, full on the mouth. She was taken by surprise. She gasped, 'D-Don…'
'Now, get off my back… and be sure to stay in your room!'
Donnie didn't really know why he had kissed her, but there was a strong feeling in him, at that instant, that he loved his sister more than anything else in the world.
… And, he knew, in the back of his mind, that there was a strong element of danger in what he planned to do. He thrilled to it. There was a challenge in the danger of it.
He left her sitting there, perplexed and puzzled and went directly to his own room, locking the door, securely, behind him. Swiftly, he took the snub-nosed.38 from its hiding place and slipped it into his waistband, put on his jacket and stocking cap and left the house through the back door.
Striding to his big motorcycle he started it and swept out of the driveway to roar off down the street toward the avenue. Damn it! I hated to leave her there… but I don't know any other way to do it!
Ray Donahue came to the door, only after Don had rung the doorbell several times, then leaned on it, hard, in one continuous ring.
'Don… like don't make so much noise, man! What do you want… this time of night?'
Looking at the tall youth, critically, Don knew, on the instant, that Ray was stoned… probably on pot.
'Well… like what are you toked up on, Ray?'
Elaborately, the other invited him in and closed the door, before answering, 'I got me some hash, man… the best!'
'And you're stoned… all by yourself?'
'Of course… man except for little old Marcia…'
'Marcia… who?'
'Just little old me… Marcy Lunceford…'
Don was startled by her voice, but was, instantly, agape with surprise when he turned to see her. She was completely nude as she walked from the hallway into the living room and lowered herself to the sofa, stretching out on it and arranging herself, provocatively, sure of her impact on him. She went on, then, 'Come on over here, lover boy… I want to see you close up…'
He gulped; the memory of her that night, in her yard, came flashing back to him. She was even more beautiful than he had remembered.
Sitting down beside her, he said, 'Okay here I am, now what?'
Marcy ran a trailing hand over his thigh. She smiled a tight, coy little smile and said, 'Ray's been telling me some interesting little things about you…'
'That right?' he said with some nonchalance… but his heart skipped a beat. 'Like what?' He glanced up at Ray in time to catch him trying to signal Marcy to silence.
If she saw, she chose to ignore it, as she went on, 'Oh, things…'
Ray broke in, then, saying, 'Want to join us, Don? The party's just starting… and I've got some more hash… What do you say, man?'
'Maybe… like…' He turned back to Marcy and reached out to a full-rounding, naked breast, his hand cupping and caressing, her pink nipple coming to instant, alert erection. He took the berry-like bud between his fingers and squeezed it, hard. She winced and tried to pull away.
'Oh! That hurts!'
Leaning over, his mouth at her ear, he gritted in a low, deadly voice, 'That's just for starters! I can think of lots more… so you want to start telling me all those interesting little things Ray's been telling you… about me?!'
'N-No…!' she said, loudly.
In a narcotic haze, Ray had sat down, heavily, into an upholstered chair; now, he struggled to his feet and said, 'What the hell's going on?'
'Nothing…' Don said, mildly, innocently.
