Honeymoon for Three

door. You knew that. You said it was a wonder his bicycle wasn’t stolen.”
    Penny stopped for breath, trembling. She had an overwhelming desire to attack Alfred. There was complete silence. Penny wondered whether she had said too much. Had she sealed Gary’s fate? If Alfred took one step toward him, she was prepared to charge.
    “Emily made fun of my bellybutton,” Alfred said.
    “She made fun of your bellybutton two days before she was going to be married?”
    Alfred frowned. “She shouldn’t have gotten married. She was…”
    He stopped talking. He had confirmed her thoughts. Emily was her best friend from high school. She and Emily had gone around together. They had similar views of the world. They were almost the only two girls who were nice to Alfred. Penny left Fenwick and went to California. Emily stayed in Fenwick.
    “I never disrespected your bellybutton.” In fact, Penny hadn’t known he had an outie bellybutton until last night, or if she had she’d forgotten it.
    Alfred admitted that she had paid the proper respect to his bellybutton with a slight nod.
    “So why do you want to kill me?”
    “I don’t want to kill you.”
    He had a funny way of showing it. “Why do you want to kill Gary? He’s never done anything to you.”
    “Because he’s trying to take you away from me.”
    Penny couldn’t believe the arrogance of that statement. She and Gary were married. Of course, Gary might not want her after what she had done. Penny looked at Gary, who had been following this discussion from a kneeling position. She was sure he could get up, but the way he held his body and the expression on his face suggested that he was in pain. He might not be much good in a fight. She had to be the one to save him, and if possible, herself as well.
    Penny took another step away from Alfred and said, “Let Gary walk away. If you do, we won’t say anything to the police about this. Or about Emily.” She almost choked when she said that. “But if you do anything to Gary…”
    “You think I don’t know what you’re doing,” Alfred said. “You think you can twist me around your little finger. You pretty girls are all alike.” He raised his gun and pointed it at Gary.
    Penny said, loudly, “You want me to be yours, don’t you?”
    Alfred turned to look at her, again. At least she had some control over him. Behind him, Gary motioned urgently for Penny to get away. She couldn’t do that.
    “It’s very simple. If you want me, then all you have to do is take me like a man is supposed to take a woman.”
    Penny crossed her hands at the bottom of her sweater and in a single fluid motion pulled it up and over her head. She dropped it on the rocks. Her eyes held Alfred’s and wouldn’t let them go. She didn’t dare look at Gary or she wouldn’t be able to do this. She unbuttoned and unzipped her slacks and let them drop to her feet. She stepped out of them, something she wouldn’t have been able to do if she were wearing shoes. Her eyes were still locked on Alfred’s.
    “We’re going to do this right. Everything comes off, the way it’s supposed to.”
    Penny unhooked her bra, slid the straps off her arms, and let it fall on her other clothes. She had Alfred’s full attention. He didn’t look at Gary. Perhaps he had forgotten about Gary. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Gary had started to stand up. She slid her panties down and stepped out of them. Only her socks remained.
    “Now you see me the way I am in your picture.”
    Penny put her hands on her hips, giving him a good look. Then she took a step toward him. He didn’t move. She hoped Gary wouldn’t say anything and break the spell. She took several more steps. Alfred held the gun loosely, pointing down, as if he had forgotten about it. If she could just get it away from him.
    She advanced slowly, keeping her eyes locked on Alfred’s, willing him to stay focused on her. With her peripheral vision she saw Gary get to his feet and take a step toward Alfred from behind. She was almost to Alfred, herself. She thought she saw him tremble. She didn’t dare go for the gun and break the spell. At least not yet.
    Two more steps and she carefully put her arms around Alfred’s neck. She whispered, “Take me like a man. Then she kissed him on the mouth. At first he didn’t respond. Then he did. He was kissing her. She opened her mouth and put her tongue into his mouth. His arms went around her. She could feel the cold metal of the