''tturnaround,butReyacaughtaglimpseofhisstrikingbckeyesintherearviewmirror.Shifty,restless.Asmallhodangledfromoneear,givinghimacool,celebrity-likeaura.

ThoseeleganthandstiedahandkerchiefoverReya''''''''seyes,thenstuffedaballgagintohermouth,segittightlyatthebackofherhead.Herlipswereforcedwideopen,leavingonlymuffledwhimpers.Herarmswereyankedbehindherbadbound,pressedunfortablyagainsttheseat.

Blindfolded,Reyaspeirerideligthegag,itspstickytastestrangeandfn.Bythetimehertonumb,thecarfinallystopped.

Shedidn''''''''tknowwhatawaitedher,butshewasn''''''''tafraid.

Reyacouldn''''''''tdie.Atleast,notfromphysicalharher,thiswasjustahrillingadventure.

Someoedherinabridalcarry.ShewonderedifitwasSilverRingorCo.

Adoorcreakedopen.Thepersoncarryiurnedafewersbeforetossioasoft,bouncybed.

"Littlegirl,we''''''''rehome,"Co''''''''svoicechimed.

Reyamentallyscoffed.Thebedsheetsfeltwrong.Theairsmelledwrong.

Herwristswerefreed,andtheblindfoldremoved,butthegagstayed.

Blinking,shetookinthemessybedroom:clothesstrewnacrossthefloor,tippedliquorbottlesoable,thickcurtainsblogthewindow.

SilverRingloungedonaredlip-shapedsofa,fiddlingwithasmalldigitalcamera.Cocrouchedbythebed,armsbraeithersides,staringather.