Rock Radio - By Lisa Wainland Page 0,94

on Dana. She consumed the champagne rather quickly.

Now, it was only a matter of time.

Dana leaned her head against the window. She hadn’t realized how tired she was from the weekend. “I’m just going to close my eyes,” she said to the driver, hoping he’d get the hint that she was in no mood for conversation.

“Okay,” Larry replied, thrilled at her request.

A few minutes later she was completely out.

“Dana?” Larry said.

No answer.

“Dana?” he said louder.

No answer.

She was unconscious. Larry hit the gas and sped north on the highway. The clock was running now, he had to get home before the medicine wore off. Luckily he was able to make good time. Fifteen minutes later they were at his complex. Larry parked the limo in front of his house and ran to unlock his front door. He looked around quickly to make sure no one was around, then opened the car door.

There she was.

Dana Drew.

And she was all his.

The sight of her stopped him in his tracks. She looked so peaceful, so beautiful. He stroked her raven hair. It was so soft. Then he bent down to kiss her cheeks and then her lips. He shook with excitement.

“Hey, Larry, nice wheels.”

He slid quickly out of the car, shielding the open doorway from view with his body. It was his nosy neighbor, Theo.

“Thanks, Theo.” He closed the door quickly, waiting until Theo got inside his townhouse before reopening the door. Stay focused. Stay focused.

Carefully he lifted Dana from the car, kicked the door closed and sprinted with her into the house. He hadn’t estimated her weight. Even though she was quite thin, she was unconscious, so her body felt like a lead weight. Once inside he placed her on his couch, then ran back to close and lock the front door. He studied her sleeping so peacefully on his ratty brown sofa. He wished he could leave her there, but he knew he couldn’t. One day he knew she’d lie there willingly, but for now, he had to be careful.

Larry removed from under the couch a roll of duct tape and a pair of scissors. He pulled her arms behind her back and wrapped the thick black tape around her wrists. Then he bound her ankles. Dana was still out cold. He felt her neck and found a pulse. Good, she was still okay. He lifted her body and brought her to his little room, his private castle for his fairy princess. Gently he placed her body in the small chamber beneath the stairs, then closed the door and locked it.

Larry moved swiftly, putting away the tape and scissors, then straightened up his family room to neat perfection. Larry peeled the driver’s clothes from his body and slipped on a pair of shorts and a plain white t-shirt. He then jumped back in the limo and began the long drive back to Naples to return the car. He had promised the guy the car back by Monday intentionally. In case things didn’t go as planned he then had an extra day, padding, he liked to call it. But everything went so smoothly, there was no reason to wait. The sleeping pill bottle said each pill would last for a guaranteed eight hours sleep. The three pills combined with the champagne should keep her out for a long, long time. Enough time to return the car and get back before she woke up.

It was all Larry could do to keep himself from racing to Naples. He needed to be calm and go the speed limit. He couldn’t afford to get stopped by the cops now. Nearly two hours later he was back in Naples. He pulled into Talbot Motors and went inside. The same old man with the white hair was behind the counter.

“Mr. Holden.” He never forgot a customer who paid cash.

“Yes,” Larry said, “I have your car,” he slid the keys onto the counter, “and the rest of your money.” He held out several large bills.

The old man counted the money. “Let me get you your change.”

“Keep the change,” Larry said, feeling like a big shot. He always wanted to say that, just like they did in the movies.

“Thank you, sir.”

Another sir! Just like the guy at the home improvement store. Already his association with Dana was paying off with respect.

“Bye,” Larry said and walked from the store. When he was sure that he was out of the man’s sight he began sprinting to the shopping center. His familiar rusty green