She remembered that now and she shivered with disgust.

It was a bright sunny morning and she had to get up. Ray would not be back for weeks and she had to get used to looking after things herself.

She stretched like a cat and threw the sheet off her body and finally left the bed.

In the bathroom she brushed her teeth and washed her face. Then she slipped into a robe and walked down the stairs to the kitchen to make some coffee.

Emmylou would be sleeping late this first day of her vacation. Paula knew Emmylou had been up late last night watching television.

After she poured her coffee, Paula sat at the kitchen table and idly turned the pages of the morning newspaper. She finished the first cup of coffee and rose up to get the second when the back door of the house suddenly opened and there was a man standing in the kitchen.

"Lord, you frightened me," Paula said, stepping back. "What is it, please? Who are you?"

It was then she saw the gun.

He grinned, waved the gun at her and said, "Sit down, lady. Just sit down and keep quiet."

Paula was sure she would faint, but she didn't. She obeyed his order and sat down at the kitchen table.

"Look," she said, "if you want money, I'll give it to you, but please go."

He chuckled and she didn't like the sound of it. "Who else is in the house?" he said.

"My husband."

"The hell he is, we saw him leave this morning. And it looks like he's going to be gone awhile. That's right, isn't it?"

"He's coming back this afternoon."

"You're lying, lady."

"What do you want?"

"Who else is in the house?"

"Only my daughter. She's upstairs asleep. Please don't hurt us."

Then the back door opened and another man appeared. He was a big man, bigger than the first man.