Joe flew to the bed and dove in, breathing heavily. Angelic dropped her hands and made a face before shrugging her shoulders. "I had to make the rules," she said despairingly. She moved away from the bed, exiting the cage to turn off the light before returning and climbing into bed.
Angelic laid a hand on Joe's chest. He shoved it way and turned his back to her, scooting as far over as he could without falling on the floor. He lay there, stiff, biting his bottom lip to keep from screaming. He felt lost; alone; deserted. He had no one. Frank hated him. His friends hated him. Vanessa probably wanted him dead. And Angelic...No, she didn't hate him. Was he doing the right thing? She did care about him. She had gone to all the trouble of learning everything about him. She tried to please him. More than anyone else ever had. Would treating her nice really be such a bad thing?
Iola! The name shot daggers through his heart. How could he have forgotten what Angelic had tried to do to her? And Frank! Sure, Frank was mad at him, but that was Angelic's fault. Is it? his subconscious asked. Frank believed the lies. Frank believed I tried to take Callie away from him. Not only that! Frank and all his friends believed he was capable of cheating just to make a good grade on one lousy history exam. They should know him better than that! Joe moaned. If Frank really cared about him, how could he have believed Angelic's lies? Perhaps...Angelic was helping him. She had been showing him that he had no true friends.
Everything was so confusing. If only he were tired and could just block out everything. He didn't wnat to think. He didn't want to hurt.
Sensing Joe's distress, Angelic reached out and began massaging his neck. Joe lay still, unsure if he was pleased or upset. She kept up the ministrations, moving down to the top of his shoulder. Joe moaned and turned onto his stomach.
"That's it," Angelic whispered, getting to her knees and applying both hands to Joe's shoulders. "Just relax," she told him, keeping her voice low. "I won't take advantage of you." She paused. "Tonight, anyway," she amended, moving her hands down his back.
She massaged his back, working up and down each side. When she moved to the middle, she spoke again. "If you'll take your shirt off, I'll get some baby oil and then I can really work on those muscles."
Joe thought the proposition over. Honesty, she had promised him. And he had come to believe she meant it. She would leave him alone tonight, he had no doubts on that score. He moved his shoulder. He was starting to feel release form the tension which had turned his muscles into a conglomerate of knots. "Would you please?" Joe asked, lifting his head to look at her in the dim light which shone through the open basement door.
She smiled, nodded, then got out of bed and left the cage, locking it until she returned. While she was gone, Joe went into the bathroom, used it, brushed his teeth and discarded his shirt in the hamper before returning to bed to await Angelic.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Well?" demanded Frank, impatiently looking over Phil's shoulder. Except for Tony, who had to remain at Mr. Pizza and work, all the teens had headed over to Phil's. Callie, knowing Vanessa would want to be in on their discovery, had called her and told her to meet them at Phil's. Since the other teens had already eaten, Frank and Callie each took a slice of the other's remaining pizza and ate on the way to Phil's. They had been there less than ten minutes when Vanessa arrived.
"I'm looking," Phil said, trying not to snap. Frank wasn't giving him time. But, he realized, Frank was overwrought and had to be given certain allowances.
Callie filled Vanessa in as Phil moved his fingers across the keyboard. Understandably upset, Vanessa was relieved to know Joe was still alive. She prayed Joe would forgive her for accussing him of betraying her trust, especially when that was exactly what she had done to him.
Phil quit moving his fingers and sat back. "His files aren't computerized," he informed the group. "But I did get a name, address, and phone number of the owner." He hit control print. When the sheet came through, Frank snatched it and pulled out his cell phone.
Everyone remained quiet as Frank waited for his call to be answered. The silence grew more palpable as each ring went unanswered. Finally, Frank disconnected.
"Let's go to his house," Vanessa suggested. "We..we can wait for him to come home if he's gone."
Frank nodded. "I intend too," he said. "But if he doesn't come home, then we still need the stakeout at the produce stand," he added, looking at his friends.
"I'll be there at five thirty in the morning," Biff promised.
"And I'm taking over at ten thirty," Chet put in.
"And if she still hasn't shown, I'll stay from ten thirty until close," Phil assured his friend. "But this is going to work out," he continued, standing up and putting a comforting hand on Frank's shoulder. "Bob Billings will come home, give you the address and then you'll contact the police and Joe will be home before morning."
"No," Frank denied. "Even if we do get the address, we'll have to wait until she leaves Joe alone before we go after him."
"Why?" Vanessa inquired.
"Because if she sees us or the police, she'll know we've come to rescue Joe and..." Frank stopped speaking, the lump in his throat having grown to large.
"Because she would rather see Joe dead than let him go," Chet explained for Frank.
Frank glanced at his watch. "It's two-thirty in the morning," he said, looking over at Vanessa. She had sat in the passenger side of the van all evening without saying anything. Even her answers to questions Frank had asked had been one syllable. "He's not coming home tonight," Frank added, starting the car.
"But he may just be out partying," Vanessa said, reaching over and placing her hand on Frank's to stop him from putting the van into gear. "What if he comes just as soon as we leave?"
"It's late," Frank said gently, aware of how much Vanessa did care about Joe. "There's nothing we can do tonight. I'll take you home and pick you up in the morning. We'll come back then," he promised. "All right?"
Vanessa nodded slowly and put her hand back into her lap. "When?" she asked as Frank put the car in gear and pulled away fromt he curb.
"I'll pick you up at six thirty," Frank answered. "Since he's not at home now, if he does come home, I doubt he'll be awake before seven."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Joe awoke with a start. The last thing he remembered was Angelic returning, wearing a short, black, nylon nightgown with ruffles and carrying a bottle of baby oil. She had poured some oil on her hands and began massaging his shoulders. He must have fallen asleep soon after that. He had to give her credit, she was good. He had become so relaxed he had forgotten all about where he was and why.
He looked down at the head which lay snuggling in the crook of his arm. He thought briefly about pushing her away; but was it really hurting him to hold her while she slept? After a moment's hesitation, Joe gave a sigh and closed his eyes.
