Three days after that, Ellie was exhausted. She managed to get $200 together; it wasn't enough. She wondered what Rocky would take from her. He usually cut off fingers, but he might not go for that since he knew how important her hands were to her work. He'd do something hidden…she felt sick.
She called from a pay phone to let him know that she wasn't running.
"Want me to wire what I've got?" she asked.
"I want all of it," he answered flatly. "In two days."
"Come on, it'll take me that long to get back to you," Ellie bargained.
"Four days," Rocky said, then the phone clicked in her ear.
She rubbed her forehead and hung the phone up. She moved almost on autopilot, catching a bus and riding in a daze. Where could she go? What was he going to do to her?
Archie looked out at the rain pouring down from his spot on his front porch. It wasn't a big storm, but there was occasional lightning and thunder. He nearly jumped out of his skin when the next flash of lightning illuminated a person standing at the foot of the porch steps.
"Holy shit!"
"Sorry," Ellie said. "I didn't mean to scare you."
She was totally drenched; her long hair plastered down, her clothes clinging to her body, her bruise standing out stark against her pale face.
"How the hell did you…" he began.
"Your address was on your driver's license," she explained. "I have a great memory. If you want me to go I will…"
"In the rain?" he asked. "Come on up."
She walked onto the covered porch and sat down on the porch swing.
"Before you ask, I have no idea why I'm here," she informed him. "I'm not trying to steal from you. I just didn't want to sleep on the bus and I was near this town…"
Thunder rumbled in the distance and Archie saw her jump.
"Scared of storms?"
"Always," she answered. "Since I was a kid."
"Come inside," he offered. "You can take a shower…I'll put your clothes in the dryer."
"What will I wear in the meantime?" she asked.
"I don't know," he answered. "I have some pajama pants that might not fall off of you, and some tee-shirts."
She walked into the bathroom and undressed, turning the shower on as she tossed her clothes outside the bathroom door.
Archie picked them up, leaving a pair of flannel pajama pants and a white tee-shirt in their place. As he tossed her clothes in the dryer he wondered again what the hell he was doing.
Ellie showered and then, noticing the disposable razors, she shaved as well. She wondered what this guy's deal was. And why was she still hoping for another kiss?