In the first few minutes of our companionship, he convinced me that the West was the place to winter, and Nevada was not a bad place year ’round. He was tidy and pleasant; I felt comfortable and safe; and this one ride would take me all the way to my wintering ground. I was reluctant to give all this up to talk to the police and make statements about Earl Foster, who was such an objectionable person, and now quite beyond help. I decided somebody else could deal with Earl Foster—and I could wait to eat; I wasn’t very hungry after all.

We took turns driving all day, then stopped at a run-­down roadside motel for the night. Lewis ar­ranged our accommodations, and I was so tired I said nothing. We slept in separate twin beds in the same room without incident.

I awoke at dawn to the sound of a huge truck pulling off the road, and then I smelled the cafe that shared the same parking lot with the motel. I arose silently—Lewis still slept—dressed, and went out. I spent my final dollar on two Styrofoam cups of coffee and brought them back.

Lewis woke when I returned, and he propped himself up on one elbow and looked at me, his dark hair tousled over his head, his eyes puffy from sleep. He rubbed his darkened chin and smiled boyishly at me.

“ ’Morning.”

“Good morning,” I said, and handed him a cup. He plumped his pillows up next to the wall and sat up, bringing his sheet with him. His smooth skin contrasted pleasantly with the white of the bed linen.

“Sleep well?”

He nodded, then put his cup down in the center of a black stain on the wooden nightstand. He held his arms out to me and wiggled his finger.

“C’mere.”

I sat on the edge of the bed shyly, knowing that he was about to seduce me, knowing too that I was ready. It wasn’t Lewis, exactly—it was just time.

He sat forward, the sheet falling away, and kissed the side of my neck. I closed my eyes, and soon he turned me and began to unbutton my blouse. My heart was beating so fast that I could hardly breathe, not from excitement, but from fear, I think; I didn’t know if this would hurt or be pleasant; I didn’t know if I would like it or hate it. Sexual matters were a completely blank area and I was suddenly very anx­ious to learn. But I was used to being in charge of my life. And in this instance, in this sleazy motel room, Lewis was in charge, and I was about to let him be in control of my body.