"I've got to go to the bathroom," Christy said when she came back to the table.

"In the back there," the man said.

Christy walked away. Beth didn't think much about it as her daughter went through the room into the back. She was so hungry that all she could think about was the food. She was also tired and she put her head down on her arms for just a minute.

Startled, Beth jerked herself upright. She must have dozed off for a moment and when she opened her eyes she found that she was still alone. She didn't know how long she'd been sitting there. The beefy man behind the counter was gone. Immediately she thought of her daughter.

Beth got up quickly and went down the hall into the back. She hadn't gone but a few steps when the beefy man suddenly blocked her way. He was grinning lecherously.

"Where are you going, baby?" he asked.

"Where's my daughter?" Beth asked.

"She's safe," the man said. "You'll see her again. Just as soon as you make me happy."

Beth shivered with disgust. She knew she had to find her daughter quickly. She tried to push her way past the man, but he grabbed her arm. His grip was like iron.

"Not so fast, baby," he said. "I've got some big plans for you. Some really big plans."

Up to that moment, Beth hadn't really been scared. But now one look into the awful man's eyes and she knew he wasn't playing some kind of sick, sadistic game. She slapped at his face but he was a lot quicker than she was. He dodged away from her swinging hand and he hit her on the side of the head. She was shocked. She had never before been struck and the blow was hard enough to stun her.