The sound of that familiar accent penetrated her panic, and she realized it was Dan holding her captive! Her mind reeled. It was happening again! She had been attracted to him, flirted with him, and now he was going to rape her! Her paralysis unlocked. She couldn’t let this happen to her a second time.

She began a desperate struggle for her freedom, kicking and trying to jab him with her elbows, but he was strong, so much stronger than she, with iron-hard muscles that had been shaped by years of physical conditioning. He hauled her into the woods as if she weighed no more than a child. She tried to scream, but the pressure of his hand on her mouth was merciless.

“That’s good. You’re putting up a good fight, sweetheart. You’re making me work for it.”

She bucked in his arms and tried to scream beneath his palm, but he held her fast. She could dimly make out a round wooden structure ahead, and as he dragged her closer, she saw that it was a gazebo.

“I’m going to give it to you good,” he whispered. “Just the way you like it. Give you that hurt you want so bad.” He hauled her up the steps through an arched opening in the ivy-covered latticed walls. He wasn’t even breathing hard.

“You’re going to be helpless. I can do anything to you I want and you won’t be able to stop me.”

He dragged her into the darkness, and terror clawed at her the same way it had in that hot, dark pool shed so long ago. Keeping one hand clamped over her mouth, he shoved the other under her skirt and reached for the waistband of her panties.

“First I’m gonna rip these off.”

The awful sounds coming from deep in her throat were garbled from the pressure of his palm. She hadn’t wanted this. Please, God, don’t let this happen to her again. Once again, she heard that horrible whisper at her ear.

“Maybe I should start here instead. Is that what you want me to do?”

He released her mouth and grabbed the bodice of her dress in his fist. With one hard jerk, he ripped.

Two things happened simultaneously. A violent scream erupted from her lips. And the hand cupping her breast froze.

“Val?”

He groped her breast. His entire body stiffened. And then he jumped away from her as if she were radioactive.

She began to sob. The amber glow from a yellow bug light mounted on a post suddenly flooded the interior of the small gazebo, illuminating outdoor furniture, a sisal rug, and the fact that he was staring at her in horror.

“Phoebe! Jesus . . . Jesus, Phoebe, I’m sorry, I— I didn’t know it was you. I— Val was supposed to . . .”