"Sure was," Richard replied. "And I checked, honey, you used the same scam before, right?"

"I-I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh? How about Jack Kinsiki in Cleveland? Marvin Jalowitz in Chicago?"

Melinda felt as if her breath was being taken away.

"So you know what we're talking about," Richard said.

Melinda trembled. She cursed herself.

"Into the back!" Hugh snapped.

"What?" Melinda said, then shrieked as the woman gripped her leg.

Richard grabbed her shoulders, and Melinda was hauled over the back of the seat. She screamed and struggled, but suddenly there were handcuffs on her wrists. Before she could gasp, a blindfold was over her eyes and she was being pushed to the floor.

"Scream and I'll gag you as well," Richard threatened.

Melinda was too terrified to do anything. She crouched on the floor, wondering desperately where they were going.

It took under an hour, but they were well outside the city when the car stopped. The air was fresh on Melinda's face and there was gravel under her feet. Somewhere to her right two dogs were barking loudly and she trembled again.

She was pushed down a flight of steps, then the cuffs and blindfold were taken off. The light was dim, but more than bright enough for Melinda to see. She shrieked in panic.

The place looked like a dungeon. There were racks holding whips and chains on the walls, a horizontal wheel in the middle of the floor, and bars, ropes and other torture instruments all over the place. Against the opposite wall was an enormous four-poster bed with a canopy over it.

"What are you doing, let me go!" Melinda screamed, then turned to run.

The heavy door slammed and Melinda was trapped. She held her hand to her mouth and backed up to the wall, sobbing in desperation.