璇玑之心刃·冷血悍将-第121章

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uncut　drugs；　and　that　frightened　her　more　than　the　threat　of　a　beating。　Unable　to　go　home　…　she‘d　called　once　and　had　the　phone　slammed　down　by　her　mother　even　before　she　could　beg　for　help　…　and　not　trusting　the　social　services　which　might　have　helped　her　along　a　different　path；　she　finally　found　herself　in　Washington；　DC；　an　experienced　street　prostitute　with　a　drug　habit　that　helped　her　to　hide　from　what　she　thought　of　herself。　But　not　enough。　And　that；　Kelly　thought；　was　probably　what　had　saved　her。　Along　the　way　she‘s　had　two　abortions；　three　cases　of　venereal　disease；　and　four　arrests；　none　of　which　had　ever　e　to　trial。　Pam　was　crying　now；　and　Kelly　moved　to　sit　beside　her。
‘You　see　what　I　really　am？‘
‘Yes；　Pam。　What　I　see　is　one　very　courageous　lady。‘　He　wrapped　his　arm　tightly　around　her。　‘Honey；　it‘s　okay。　Anybody　can　mess　up。　It　takes　guts　to　change；　and　it　really　takes　guts　to　talk　about　it。‘
The　final　chapter　had　begun　in　Washington　with　someone　named　Roscoe　Fleming。　By　this　time　Pam　was　hooked　solidly　on　barbiturates；　but　still　fresh　and　pretty…looking　when　someone　took　the　time　to　make　her　so；　enough　to　mand　a　good　price　from　those　who　liked　young　faces。　One　such　man　had　e　up　with　an　idea；　a　sideline。　This　man；　whose　name　was　Henry；　had　wanted　to　broaden　his　drug　business；　and　being　a　careful　chap　who　was　used　to　having　others　do　his　bidding；　he‘d　set　up　a　stable　of　girls　to　run　drugs　from　his　operation　to　his　distributors。　The　girls　he　bought　from　established　pimps　in　other　cities；　in　each　case　a　straight　cash　transaction；　which　each　of　the　girls　found　ominous。　This　time　Pam　tried　to　run　almost　at　once；　but　she‘d　been　caught　and　beaten　severely　enough　to　break　three　ribs；　only　later　to　learn　of　her　good　fortune　that　the　first　lesson　hadn‘t　gone　further。　Henry　had　also　used　the　opportunity　to　cram　barbiturates　into　her；　which　both　attenuated　the　pain　and　increased　her　dependence。　He‘d　augmented　the　treatment　by　making　her　available　to　any　of　his　associates　who　wanted　her。　In　this；　Henry　had　achieved　what　all　the　others　had　failed　to　do。　He　had　finally　cowed　her　spirit。
Over　a　period　of　five　months；　the　bination　of　beatings；　sexual　abuse；　and　drugs　had　depressed　her　to　a　nearly　catatonic　state　until　she‘d　been　jarred　back　to　reality　only　four　weeks　earlier　by　tripping　over　the　body　of　a　twelve…year…old　boy　in　a　doorway；　a　needle　still　in　his　arm。　Remaining　outwardly　docile；　Pam　had　struggled　to　cut　her　drug　use。　Henry‘s　other　friends　hadn‘t　plained。　She　was　a　much　better　lay　this　way；　they　thought；　and　their　male　egos　had　attributed　it　to　their　prowess　rather　than　her　increased　level　of　consciousness。　She‘d　waited　for　her　chance；　waiting　for　a　time　when　Henry　was　away　somewhere；　because　the　others　got　looser　when　he　wasn‘t　around。　Only　five　days　earlier　she‘d　packed　what　little　she　had　and　bolted。　Penniless　…　Henry　had　never　let　them　have　money　…　she‘d　hitched　her　way　out　of　town。
‘Tell　me　about　Henry；‘　Kelly　said　softly　when　she‘d　finished。
‘Thirty；　black；　about　your　height。‘
‘Did　any　other　girls　get　away？‘
Pam‘s　voice　went　cold　as　ice。　‘I　only　know　of　one　who　tried。　It　was　around　November。　He　。。。　killed　her。　He　thought　she　was　going　to　the　cops；　and‘　…　she　looked　up　…　‘he　made　us　all　watch。　It　was　terrible。‘
Kelly　said　quietly；　‘So　why　did　you　try；　Pam？‘
‘I‘d　rather　die　than　do　that　again；‘　she　whispered；　the　thought　now　out　in　the　open。　‘I　wanted　to　die。　That　little　boy。　Do　you　know　what　happens？　You　just　stop。　Everything　stops。　And　I　was　helping。　I　helped　kill　him。‘
‘How　did　you　get　out？‘
‘Night　before　。。。　I　。。。　fucked　them　all。。。　so　they‘d　like　me；　let　me　。。。　let　me　out　of　their　sight。　You　understand　now？‘
‘You　did　what　was　necessary　to　escape；‘　Kelly　replied。　It　required　every　bit　of　his　strength　to　keep　his　voice　even。　‘Thank　God。‘
‘I　wouldn‘t　blame　you　if　you　took　me　back　and　set　me　on　my　way。　Maybe　Daddy　was　right；　what　he　said　about　me。‘
‘Pam；　do　you　remember　going　to　church？‘
‘Yes。‘
‘Do　you　remember　the　story　that　ends；　"；Go　forth　and　sin　no　more"；？　You　think　that　I‘ve　never　done　something　wrong？　Never　been　ashamed？　Never　been　scared？　You‘re　not　alone；　Pam。　Do　you　have　any　idea　how　brave　you‘ve　been　to　tell　me　all　this？‘
Her　voice　by　now　was　entirely　devoid　of　emotion。　‘You　have　a　right　to　know。‘
‘And　now　I　do；　and　it　doesn‘t　change　anything。‘　He　paused　for　a　second。　‘Yes；　it　does。　You‘re　even　gutsier　than　I　thought　you　were；　honey。‘
‘Are　you　sure？　What　about　later？‘
‘The　only　"；later"；　thing　I‘m　worried　about　is　those　people　you　left　behind；‘　Kelly　said。
‘If　they　ever　find　me　。。。‘　Emotion　was　ing　back　now。　Fear。　‘Every　time　we　go　back　to　the　city；　they　might　see　me。‘
‘We‘ll　be　careful　about　that；‘　Kelly　said。
‘I‘ll　never　be　safe。　Never。‘
‘Yeah；　well；　there‘s　two　ways　to　handle　that。　Yon　can　just　keep　running　and　hiding。　Or　you　can　help　put　them　away。‘
She　shook　her　head　emphatically。　‘The　girl　they　killed。　They　knew。　They　knew　she　was　going　to　the　cops。　That‘s　why　I　can‘t　trust　the　police。　Besides；　you　don‘t　know　how　scary　these　people　are。‘
Sarah　had　been　right　about　something　else；　Kelly　saw。　Pam　was　wearing　her　halter　again；　and　the　sun　had　given　definition　to　the　marks　on　her　back。　There　were　places　which　the　sun　didn‘t　darken　as　it　did　the　others。　Echoes　of　the　welts　and　bloody　marks　that　others　had　made　for　their　pleasure。　It　had　all　started　with　Pierre　Lamarck；　or　more　correctly；　Donald　Madden；　small；　cowardly　men　who　managed　their　relations　with　women　through　force。
Men？　Kelly　asked　himself。
No。
Kelly　told　her　to　stay　in　place　for　a　minute　and　headed　off　into　the　machinery　bunker。　He　returned　with　eight　empty　soda　and　beer　cans；　which　he　set　on　the　ground　perhaps　thirty　feet　from　their　chairs。
‘Put　your　fingers　in　your　ears；‘　Kelly　told　her。
‘Why？‘
‘Please；‘　he　replied。　When　she　did；　Kelly‘s　right　hand　moved　in　a　blur；　pulling　a　。45　Colt　automatic　from　under　his　shirt。　He　brought　it　up　into　a　two…hand　hold；　going　left　to　right。　One　at　a　time；　perhaps　half　a　second　apart；　the　cans　alternatively　fell　over　or　flew　a　foot　or　two　in　the　air　to　the　crashing　report　of　the　pistol。　Before　the　last　was　back　on　the　ground　from　its　brief　flight；　Kelly　had　ejected　the　spent　magazine　and　was　inserting　another；　and　seven　of　the　cans　moved　a　little　more。　He　checked　to　be　sure　the　weapon　was　clear；　dropped　the　hammer；　and　replaced　it　in　his　belt　before　sitting　down　next　to　her。
‘It　doesn‘t　take　all　that　much　to　be　scary　to　a　young　girl　without　friends。　It　takes　a　little　more　to　scare　me。　Pam；　if　anybody　even　thinks　about　hurting　you；　he　has　to　talk　to　me　first。‘
She　looked　over　at　the　cans；　then　up　at　Kelly；　who　was　pleased　with　himself　and　his　marksmanship。　The　demonstration　had　been　a　useful　release　for　him；　and　in　the　brief　flurry　of　activity；　he‘d　assigned　a　name　or　a　face　to　each　of　the　cans。　But　he　could　see　she　still　was　not　convinced。　It　would　take　a　little　time。
‘Anyway。‘　He　sat　down　with　Pam　again。　‘Okay；　you　told　me　your　story；　right？‘
‘Yes。‘
‘Do　you　still　think　it　makes　a　difference　to　me？‘
‘No。　You　say　it　doesn‘t。　I　guess　I　believe　you。‘
‘Pam；　not　all　the　men　in　the　world　are　like　that　…　not　very　many；　as　a　matter　of　tact。　You‘ve　been　unlucky；　that‘s　all。　There　isn‘t　anything　wrong　with　you。　Some　people　get　hurt　in　accidents　or　get　sick。　Over　in　Vietnam　I　saw　men　get　killed　from　bad　luck。　It　almost　happened　to　me。　It　wasn‘t　because　there　was　something　wrong　with　them。　It　was　just　bad　luck；　being　in　the　wrong　place；　turning　left　instead　of　right；　looking　the　wrong　way。　Sarah　wants　you　to　meet　some　docs　and　talk　it　through。　I　think　she‘s　right。　We‘re　going　to　get　you　all　fixed　up。‘
‘And　then？‘　Pam　Madden　asked。　He　took　a　very　deep　breath；　but　it　was　too　late　to　stop　now。
‘Will　you　。。。　stay　with　me；　Pam？‘
She　looked　as　though　she‘d　been　slapped。　Kelly　was　stunned　by　her　reaction。　‘You　can‘t；　you‘re　just　doing　it　because　…‘
Kelly　stood　and　lifted　her　by　the　arms。　‘Listen　to　me；　okay？　You‘ve　been　sick。　You‘re　getting　better。　You‘ve　taken　everything　that　goddamned　world　could　toss　at　you；　and　you　didn‘t　quit。　I　believe　in　you！　It‘s　going　to　take　time。　Everything　does。　But　at　the　end　of　it；　you　will　be　one　goddamned　fine　person。‘　He　set　her　down　on　her　feet　and　stepped　back。　He　was　shaking　with　rage；　not　only　at　what　had　happened　to　her；　but　at　himself　for　starting　to　impose　his　will　on　her。　‘I‘m　sorry。　I　shouldn‘t　have　done　that。　Please；　Pam　。。。　just　believe　in　yourself　a　little。‘
‘It‘s　hard。　I‘ve　done　terrible　things。‘
Sarah　was　right。　She　did　need　professional　help。　He　was　angry　at　himself　for　not　knowing　exactly　what　to　say。
The　next　few　days　settled　into　a　surprisingly　easy　routine。　Whatever　her　other　qualities；　Pam　was　a　horrible　cook；　which　failing　made　her　cry　twice　with　frustration；　though　Kelly　managed　to　choke　down　everything　she　prepared　with　a　smile　and　a　kind　word。　But　she　learned　quickly；　too；　and　by　Friday　she‘d　figured　out　how　to　make　hamburger　into　something　tastier　than　a　piece　of　charcoal。　Through　it　all；　Kelly　was　there；　encouraging　her；　trying　hard　not　to　be　overpowering　and　mainly　succeed