Page 62 of His Virgin Vessel

"No." Dad still wasn't shouting. His voice sounded almost confused, as if all the sense had gone out of his world. It was horrible to hear. He knew what was going to happen next, and I guess I did too. I undid my seatbelt, so when another man reached in to grab me, there would be nothing to stop him.

"No!" Dad yelled, but did not fire. He knew he couldn't.

"You do anything, and your other daughter's brains are going to be all over your back seats!" Yelled the harsh voice, underlining the horror in which my father now found himself.

The last thing I saw, as I was yanked out through the broken window, was the frustrated anguish on my father's face.

# # #

I didn’t know how long we drove. I was tied up and blindfolded, bundled onto the floor of a car, with no concept of what was going on around me. I wasn't even sure if I'd been awake for all of it. I might have passed out from stress or fear, or perhaps they drugged me. The truth was that it might have been days later, for all I was aware when the blindfold was pulled off. I don't think it was days - probably just a matter of hours - but that sense of displacement and confusion was enhanced when I blinked in the sunlight and peeled my sticky eyelids open to see water all around. We were on a boat.

"Welcome, Miss Dugas." The greeting came from a man seated in a large chair on the deck. Objectively he might have been described as 'handsome,' but there was something about him that wouldn't allow the adjective, as if his nature had distorted his features. You couldn't look at the man without being repulsed. "My name is Frank Rassi. I believe you've heard of me."

"What have you done to my dad and my sister?!" That was the single question that had beat in my brain throughout this ordeal. I had no idea how that standoff had ended.

Rassi laughed. "Nothing. What sort of fool would I be if I started hurting the people near to you? How could I control you if they were dead?" He shrugged. "By force, I suppose. I could order one of my men to beat some obedience into you. And that would work. But it's a lot of effort, and nobody likes seeing a pretty face all bruised and bloody. Well, some people do, but they’re strange, twisted people. I hire them quite regularly. It's good to have employees who enjoy their work and don't get squeamish about it. But I digress. Your father and your sister are fine, and will remain so if you do as I say."

"What do you want me to do?" It didn't really matter. Whatever it was, I would do it to keep my family safe.

"Nothing, really," Rassi said, gesturing vaguely with a tall drink with an umbrella in it. "Just don't try to escape."

"I don't understand." Why did I matter? I was nobody. How did having me here help?

"I believe you know Asa Covert?" He did not wait for me to answer, but continued. "I can't tell you how delighted I was to hear that he's behind bars, where a thug like that belongs. He's made business very difficult for me in more than a few towns in the area. Having him out of the way ought to have been a dream come true. But his 'War Cry,’" Rassi used contemptuous air quotes, "are continuing to resist. He continues to exert an influence, even in his absence." Rassi took a long sip of his drink. "With you as my guest, I think that influence can be put to good use. And, with War Cry out of the way, I will be free to continue my legitimate business interests, unencumbered."

"So, I'm here indefinitely?" I asked, trying to at least seem brave.

Rassi waved a dismissive hand. "Of course not. Once Asa is tried and put in general population in a jail, having him killed will be quite easy. The inconvenience to you should be temporary and minimal. So, cheer up."

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