Love Can Be Murder

told me he had looked for his gun after Jimmy left, that he'd called you because he thought you'd know where it was. I had a feeling that you'd drop by...because you were still in love with Deke."
    Penny shook her head.
    "Sure you were," Allyson said, then laughed. "Love is nothing to be ashamed of, Penny." She licked her lips. "Deke died happy."
    "The v-voodoo doll?"
    "Coincidence." Then Allyson scoffed. "Come on, Penny—you don't really believe in voodoo, do you? We've made a fortune off the black magic freaks, selling them remains that they think will give them some sort of magical powers." She put her hand up to her mouth in a conspiratorial gesture. "Between you and me, they're just plain old cannibals. Sickos, if you ask me."
    Apparently, it took one to know one.
    Penny moistened her dry lips. "Why...why are you telling me this?"
    Allyson looked confused. "Well, so you'll know what to expect, of course."
    Ice cold terror set up in Penny's veins.
    "Surely, you don't think I'm just going to let you go? This is actually a fortunate turn of events. Now you’re simply going to disappear. There will be a note, some missing clothes, a suitcase gone from your closet." Allyson angled her head. "Well, it's not as if you have anyone to come looking for you, do you?"
    Tears welled in Penny's eyes. On that account, the madwoman was correct.
    Allyson raised a gun and pointed it at Penny's heart. "Let's go."
    "Wh-where?"
    "To the basement—that's where all the fun stuff is."
    A bullet through the heart versus years of torture? Penny would have taken the former but for the fact that she was the only hope for the two women manacled upstairs. She made her feet move, keeping her eyes open for a way to escape. "Were you the person who shot at me?"
    "Yes. Skinny bitch—you weren't a big enough target to hit."
    When they reached the basement, Penny could almost feel Allyson's energy level rise. The woman turned on the lights, revealing her dominatrix garb of robe, corset, and boots.
    "Take off your clothes."
    "What?" Penny asked, horrified.
    "Take. Off. Your. Clothes."
    Trembling noticeably, Penny removed her clothing down to her panties and bra. Her mind reeled. She saw spots behind her eyes—what would the woman do to her if she fainted?
    "That'll do," Allyson said, then gestured at the devices in the room. "What's your pleasure?"
    A lump formed in Penny's throat, but she refused to cry—it would only play into the woman's sick fantasies. "You pick."
    "Ooh, you're a pleaser," Allyson said. "I like that. Hm, how about the chair of nails? It's good for beginners."
    Penny almost buckled, and out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a shadow on the stairwell. At first she was afraid it was more of Allyson's cronies, but then she realized that those people had no reason to be quiet. Hope billowed in her chest. She almost cried out.
    "Why don't you turn on the sound track?" Penny asked. "It's too quiet."
    Allyson smiled. "I know what you mean—there's nothing like the sound of people screaming to put me in the right mood." She walked to a panel and flipped a button, turning up the volume until the sounds of screeching and agony vibrated down to Penny's bones.
    But it worked to mask the person's approach. Because on the stairs behind Allyson appeared a familiar set of boots, then faded jeans, then holey T-shirt and leather jacket, then B.J.'s face. He held his gun at the ready.
    Penny used her peripheral vision because she didn't want to alert Allyson to his presence, but it was hard to hold back the tears of relief...and fear. Allyson would think nothing of shooting B.J. And Penny was sure his was one death she would not be able to withstand.
    "Come here," Allyson said, nodding to the chair.
    Penny surveyed the sharp tips of the six-inch nails set into the seat of the chair at quarter-inch intervals, and swallowed. "Do you think you can put the gun down to help me into the chair?"
    Allyson smiled. "Only if you promise to behave."
    "Where would I go?"
    "True." Allyson set down the gun, then beckoned her forward.
    Penny moved slowly to give B.J. time to advance.
    "It's important you get into the chair very gently," Allyson said, then smiled. "We don't want a lot of blood the first time."
    B.J. put his gun to the back of Allyson's head and shouted over the sound track, "Freeze or I'll blow your head off!"
    Allyson went rigid with surprise, her painted mouth rounded. She made a movement toward her gun, but he kicked it across the