We marched them into the barn. Brad kept looking at Nora. She didn’t lookback.
Milo said, “Hold on to her, Alex,” as hepropelled Brad up the center path.
Choosing the ’59 Caddy, he stashed Brad in the front passenger seat.
“Looky here, an after-market seat belt.” The sash was drawn over Brad’sabdomen. The skin on the back of his neck had gone as white as his hair. Helooked like a piece of marble statuary.
Nora focused straight ahead. Her wrists felt soft, as if bones had begun tomelt. She smelled of French perfume and cannabis.
Milo made sure Brad was secured, thenclosed the Caddy’s door. As metal hit metal, I felt a shock of tension coursefrom Nora’s shoulder to her hip. She said nothing but her breathing quickened.
Then she lifted her right foot and tried to drive a spike heel into myinstep.
As I danced away she began twisting and spitting. I probably hurt hermaintaining control, because she cried out. Or maybe that was acting.
Milo strode over and took her. “Check theworkbench and see if you can find suitable bindings for Ms. Funnel here.”
Nora Dowd said, “Brad raped me, it was nonconsensual.”
“That’s redundant,” said Milo.
“Huh?”
“Nonconsensual rape.”
Confusion in the dope-ruddy eyes.
Milo said, “That’s some art project hangingfrom the door.”
Nora began sobbing tearlessly. “Dylan! I loved him so much, Brad got jealousand did that horrible thing! I tried to stop it, you’ve got to believe me!”
“How’d you try to stop it?”
“By reasoning with him.”
“Intellectual debate?” said Milo. “Themerits of organic kapok versus polyurethane foam?”
Nora wailed. “Oh, my God ! This is terrible !”
Still dry-eyed. An onion would’ve helped.
She sniffed. Looked up at Milo.
He said, “Your show’s closing due to bad reviews.”
 
In a workbench drawer, I found a roll of duct tape and two spools of heavy,white rope. Milo said, “Do it.”
He had Nora’s arms bent behind her back and she’d switched from crying tocursing. She swore louder as I bound her wrists, tried to head-butt Milo’s arm. By the time he managed to drag her across thebarn from the Caddy and get her in the passenger seat of a white ’55Thunderbird, she’d gone mute.
He said, “Fun, fun, fun, when Milo takes itaway,” and belted her in, too.
The two of us stood there. Panting. His face was sweaty and I felt moisturetrickle down the side of my head. My ribs hurt. The back of my neck felt as ifI’d encountered a blunt guillotine.
Milo used his phone.
The sirens began as distant moans, enlarged to nuclear trombone slides.
I was working hard at not thinking and the noise was sweet music.
 
--- oOo ---
 
Eight sheriff’s squad cars, strobe-fest of blinking lights.
Milo had his badge out right away.
A slit-eyed, sunburned serge............