Echo

solution it could be. But they must accomplish so much before he could even broach his idea to Scotty and Abby. And of course Echo. That could be his big stumbling block right there. Sighing, he pushed their shopping cart up to the register. He helped Scotty unload their purchases, grimacing at the pile of equipment. But behind his sunglasses, a tiny pinprick of rainbow light pulsed, giving his mouth the suggestion of a smile.
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    As Jose and Scotty wheeled their purchases out of the store, they passed by a huge heap of bagged garden soil stacked halfway up the wall. They failed to notice a stubby, bandy legged man with a dirty plaid cap pulled down over his face. He leaned with his back on one of the bags of garden soil, seemingly in a doze. As Jose and Scotty passed by, Armoni twitched. A minute passed. He slowly rose and pushed his cap to the back of his head, his eyes following the backs of Jose and Scotty as they made their way to Jose’s car and loaded their purchases. Armoni slowly chewed a tobacco wad, his teeth stained with the vile juices that leaked out the corners of his mouth, landing on his shirt. Casually, he made his way to a parked white Volkswagen, spitting a wad on the pavement. He slid behind the wheel and pulled out in front of Jose and Scotty as they continued to stack their purchases. With a salute in his rear view mirror, he calmly pulled out of the parking lot and sped down the road.
    ###
    Jose finished loading the equipment, his anxious mind already on painting the treehouse. Jose paused as he pulled up behind a white Volkswagen blocking his way. The driver made a gesture in the car then pulled away. Jose turned the car in the other direction and hurried home.

Chapter 10
    Katie just finished celebrating her seventeenth birthday. She knew she rated about a four on the pretty girl meter. Her tree trunk legs and round plain Irish face accentuated her stout figure. Not surprisingly, she longed to be kissed by a boy. She used to worry about that fact, all the time. But that was in the past. Ironically, it was the very reason she now hovered on the verge of death.
    Her weakness debilitated her to the extent she no longer registered her surroundings. She couldn’t even summon the strength to fight her captors. Time in the basement passed in a confused kaleidoscope of pain and abuse for over a month; possibly longer. She found herself still strapped to the same table they strapped her to so long ago. The day she fell like a foolish eager moth into their psychotic web.
    Six months ago, she felt flattered when Kelly and Tomas started to pay attention to her. Kelly was a few years older and so pretty. They worked together in a popular seafood diner downtown. She made a few bucks bussing tables for the cocktail waitresses after school. She knew Tomas liked to watch her from the bar as he mixed drinks for Kelly and her customers. She thought Tomas liked her. His sexiness made her heart race as he cornered her in the kitchen, pressing his leg into her hips, brushing his lips against her ears, telling her how much he wanted to be with her. She dreamed about the first time she would let him kiss her. She would fantasize about it all day in class while she neglected her assignment. Her face would burn with shame as she remembered Tomas’s insistence that they keep their feelings a secret. All the time, he and Kelly laughed behind her back.
    When Tomas asked her in to his house the night he offered to give her a lift home after work, she almost dropped the tray she carried. After work, she flew to his little white car, flopping eagerly into the front seat. Her excitement rose as he induced her into stopping by his house before he took her home. Her enthusiasm slipped as he pulled up to little more than a shack in the woods outside town. He swept her inside before she could protest, passing through the tiny living room to a filthy kitchen. He pointed to a scuffed chipboard door in front of him, claiming his apartment was in the basement. Katie felt a stirring of anticipation as he took her arm, stroking it softly. He opened the door and turned on the light.
    Descending, he told her to shut her eyes, a surprise awaited her. Carefully helping her navigate the stairs, he murmured in her ear; telling her how long he spent dreaming of this moment. He led her over to the table she was now chained to. He told her to sit, but not to open her eyes. Slowly his hand caressed her flat and undefined breast. She