Page 8

C atching the trash from the canister, Sara pushed open the back door to the lounge and left it propped open.

Tomorrow, the truck would come to empty the big dumpster, so everything had to be taken out tonight. Normally, Jim did it before he left each night, but he had taken the day off.

She lifted the lid, gazed inside, and tossed the bag onto the piled trash inside.

The back door to the lounge suddenly shut and she turned toward the noise. Expecting to see one of the waitstaff or even Kevin, she was surprised to find two big men.

One had his hand planted against the door and the other was walking toward her.

“What are you doing out here all alone, beautiful?” one of the men said.

“Taking out the trash.” Sara thought fast, the back door was closed, and it locked when that happened, so she’d need to head around the building to the front entrance.

It was close to closing time, and there were only a handful of customers inside. Her cell phone was sitting behind the bar and her purse, with the backdoor key, was in the break room.

She gave the guy a quick smile and hurried past him.

“Aw, don’t be in such a hurry.” The man’s laugh sent a chill up her spine and she wasn’t surprised when he grabbed her arm before fisting her hair.

Fear lent her strength, and she kicked at him and screamed, but the other man was there, closing a hand around her nose and mouth.

“Get her legs,” the second guy hissed.

The first man slipped his hands up her thighs and yanked at the button of her pants. When the button popped and the zipper came down, Sara fought like a wild thing, but her pants were yanked down and away.

Oh God, they were going to rape her.

Right there in the alley.

Nausea threatened to bring up her lunch, but she wasn’t going to take this sitting down. She gouged with her nails and bit with her teeth.

A shrill scream erupted from her throat.

Kevin made his way down the back hallway and reached for the break room door key pad when he heard Sara scream.

Sprinting toward the back door, he tore it open and ran out into the alley.

Two men had Sara in their grip, her pants were gone, and they were forcing her to the ground.

“You son of bitch!” Kevin snarled and launched at the two men. He kicked one in the stomach and threw a punch at the other, connecting with the man’s jaw.

Sara toppled to the dirty concrete, and the men scrambled away from him.

They ran, and Kevin crouched down to take hold of Sara’s shoulders.

She cowered away.

“Sara, it’s okay. It’s me.”

She gazed at him, her eyes wide with fear, and then she launched into his arms.

“Shhh, it’s okay. They’re gone.” His voice came out gruff and hoarse.

Sara sobbed, and he picked her up in his arms, managed to get her pants off the ground, and carried her to the back door. Juggling her, he pulled out his keys and opened the back door before carrying her inside and into the break room.

He placed her on the couch and then crouched to help her first put one foot and then the other back into her pants. She stood to pull them up over the scratches on her legs and zip them up. The button at the top was gone, but the zipper kept her pants in place.

“Here, sit back down,” he said, running a hand over her head and hair before gently urging her to return to the cushion.

When she sank back down, he hurried over and poured a cup of coffee from the brewed pot and added a heavy dose of cream before carrying it back to her.

He wrapped her hands around the cup and urged her to take a sip.

If he had had whiskey back there, he might have added a shot.

“Thank you,” she whispered and took a tiny sip of the hot coffee and then a bigger one.

“I was taking out the trash and they were there.”

“I’ll report it to the police,” he said.

“Don’t tell them…”

“I’m calling the police,” he said firmly. “I won’t tell them they removed your pants, but I’m telling them you were attacked.”

Two hours later, Sara had filled out the police report taken by the nice female officer, who went by the name of Carie. The woman had shown up at the lounge along with her partner, whom she called Officer Rick. Sara was sure that the use of first names was to make her feel more comfortable sharing the details. Both officers were very sympathetic when she walked them through what had happened during the attack and where the assault had taken place.

“Were they vagrants? We’ve seen an influx of riffraff now that it’s warmer weather,” Officer Rick said.

“No, they were dressed in nicer clothes than that,” she said, describing the two men. “They didn’t smell like they didn’t have a home. One of them had bad breath, though.”

“Okay, we’ll go on this and alert the station to be on the lookout,” Officer Carie said with a small encouraging smile. “Do you need us to drive you home?”

Sara looked for Kevin, who straightened up from where he was leaning against the break room counter.

“I’ll take her.”

She gave him a grateful nod and the cops left.

Kevin locked up the lounge and ushered her into his car.

She was quiet on the way to Mandy’s place. The feel of the attack lingered, and all she wanted to do was wash the stench off her body and curl up and sleep.

“I called Mandy while you were showing the cops the alley,” Kevin said.

“Why?” She sighed, the last thing she wanted was to wake up her friend when she had little kids to watch all day. Glancing at her watch, it was just after four in the morning.

“Because…I figured she could help?” Kevin offered regretfully. “Sorry.”

“No, it’s okay.” She reached across between them and gripped his hand that was resting on the seat. “Thank you, Kevin. You saved me.”

He lifted her hand and kissed the back of it. “You’re welcome.”

Mandy was indeed awake and watching for them through the front window. The woman rushed out on the front porch when they pulled up and grabbed her in a tight hug when she got out of the car.

“Take some time off, I’ll handle the bar,” Kevin said and ran a hand over her head and hair.

“Thank you,” Mandy said and Sara echoed her friend.

They made their way into the house and Kevin drove off after the door was closed and locked.

“What happened?” Mandy wailed in a harsh whisper.

“Two perverts behind the bar caught me when I was taking out the trash.” Her hands shook as she followed Mandy up the stairs and into her room.

Mandy shoved pajamas and a clean towel at her and ushered her into the bathroom where Sara scrubbed her bruised legs and the rest of her body as well as washed her hair beneath the warm water.

She didn’t shed any more tears. The time to cry was over. She was just grateful that Kevin had heard her screams. And she reminded herself that she had fought the men before any permanent damage could be done. Kevin had rescued her, and for that she was eternally grateful.

Mandy was there and tucked her under the covers before crawling in with her.

With her friend there beside her, she was able to get some sleep.