"Hi," he called out. "Come on… I'll take you home," he called.

Kate peered into the dimly lit interior of the car and she made out the features of Sam Dagon. For a moment she was furious… how dare he follow her like that. How dare he even wait for her after work! But then, she felt another jab of pain from the soles of her aching feet, and she realized that it was silly not to accept a lift from him, since the buses ran infrequently at that time of night.

"Hello… Mr. Dagon…" she said. "You really frightened me for a minute there!"

"Hop in Kate… No cause for fear, it's only me!"

Kate slid into the seat beside him, a small voice of warning sounding in her brain, but the comfort of the smooth leather seat and the warmth of the inside of the car quickly quieted the voice, and she turned gratefully to the man to thank him. But when she turned she saw that his eyes were on her, staring at her in a very strange hungry way… a way that she had seen on occasion before, from passing strangers who observed the swing of her hips, the jut of her breasts as she walked down the street. She blushed violently when she saw that Sam Dagon was looking at her that way… so close to her. But now the door was closed and he had already started up the powerful motor of the Mercedes… and there was really nothing to do but sit there.

"Where do you live, Kate?"

Why did he keep on using her name like that? It made her nervous… like he was some old high school teacher of hers or something.

"Over on Portrero Hill," she answered. "You make a right at the next corner and just keep on going until you get to…"

"That's all right," he interrupted, "I know the area well. You just direct me once we get there… OK?"

"All right," Kate answered, mentally reassuring herself. After all, she had seen this man often… He wasn't just a stranger… and he had given her all of those good tips. He was almost a friend really. She slipped off her high heels and let her feet rest on the carpeted floor of the car, and leaning her head back, she let out a soft sigh.