He beamed down on her with a foolish grin on his face, as though he had discovered some very basic truth about life and the workings of nature, but the importance of his find left Ann unimpressed.

"Thank you," she said hurriedly, and turned quickly toward the path he'd indicated.

"No charge," Moses called after her, giggling ludicrously, "no charge! Maybe you can do me a little favor sometime, hmmmm?"

But Ann didn't hear. She already dismissed his obviously intoxicated behavior, and her thoughts were now all focused on what she would say to Bob to convince him to help her persuade Lani to return home. But no matter how hard she tried all the little speeches she constructed in her head as she walked quickly down the path toward the Pool seemed insufficient. How could she even stand in front of this man who had just fucked her daughter right before her very eyes, much less try to convince him to let loose his obviously powerful hold on her! What could she possibly say to him that would have any effect, would hold out even the slightest chance of success?

She still hadn't made up her mind when she came suddenly into a small clearing, with a small pond in the center, and stopped abruptly. She raised her hand to her mouth in surprise at what she saw, and stepped quickly back under the trees. She almost turned back up the path, but something made her turn her eyes back to the side of the Pool, and gaze with fascination at the forbidden sight she had stumbled upon.

Bob Seikerd was standing by the edge of the pond, his tautly muscled young body facing away from her, his naked buttocks and thighs presented clearly to her gaze. He was drying himself slowly with a towel, rubbing his back and legs with languid, loving motions. She stifled a moan of embarrassed excitement and felt the small of her back tingle with the lurid sight. He spread his legs slightly, bending forward to wipe his thighs, and his testicles were dark shadows hanging from between the crevice of his buttocks.