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