Read Online Butterflies in Heat by Darwin Porter - Free Book Online Page A

you'll be able to achieve orgasm."
    Numie's head snapped from side to side to show his refusal.
    Then it's time to begin," Mitch said calmly.
    A cold metal object was placed on Numie's genitals. It felt dull—not sharp at all.
    A sudden force of energy shot through Numie. Heaving his chest forward, he unseated his rider. His knees found Jeb's chin as their target.
    Then, for the first time, Yellowwood's face at the barred window came into view. How long had he been watching?
    Both assailants got up and retreated to their bunk. A steel eating knife was dropped to the floor.
    Yellowwood opened the cell and entered. "I see the boys were having a little harmless fun with you," the sheriff said to Numie. He roughly pulled the gag out of Numie's mouth and moved to untie his feet.
    "They were going to kill me," Numie said, sitting up.
    "Hank and Dave put you in the wrong cell," Yellowwood said. "Sorry about that."
    Numie shouted. "You did this to torture me."
    "Watch the accusations," the sheriff said. "You could be in more trouble than you're in now. And you're in plenty of trouble. "
    Hank came in. He removed Numie's handcuffs. Numie rubbed his raw wrists, then held the doth gag to his bloody nose.
    Dave entered with Numie's jeans, tossing them on the floor. "Put on your pants," he ordered. "Quit showing your bird to all these perverts."
    "Damn you!" Numie yelled.
    "Now, now," Yellowwood cautioned. "Overlook that, Dave. The kid got roughed up a little and he' s overly emotional. Mitch is just up to his old tricks. Right, Mitch?"
    Mitch didn't answer.
    "And so are you, Yellowwood," Numie charged.
    "I'll forget you said that, boy," the sheriff replied. "To show you how generous and considerate we are around this hotel, I'm going to let you make one phone call."
    "Who do you know in this town?" Dave asked Numie. Now fully dressed, Numie stood in the corridor in front of the phone. "Leonora de la Mer," he said. "She's hired me as her chauffeur. Get her on the phone. She'll straighten out this whole mess."
    "De la Mer," Dave said. "It figures. That broad's the only one in town crazy enough to hire you. She's always hiring beatniks. Gets you cheap—that's why. At least that explains marijuana cigarettes in blue paper." Dave dialed her number. "Speak to her secretary," he said.
    "Anne," Numie said tentatively into the phone. "It's me, Numie."
    "Where are you?" asked the voice.
    "In jail."
    "I see."
    "What do you see?"
    "Most drifters end up there before the first forty-eight hours," she said.
    "I need help. Could I speak to Leonora?"
    "Of course."
    A sudden silence and then another voice was on the phone. "This is Leonora de la Mer. What do you want with me?"
    "It's Numie " he said, his voice desperate. "I'm in jail, and I need help."
    "Numie?" she asked. "I don't think I remember you. But then I meet so many people in the course of a day."
    The deputy was listening in on the extension. He decided to break in. "Miss De la Mer, this is Dave. You know, the sheriff's deputy."
    "Dave?" she asked.
    "Yeah, you know me."
    "I know Mr. Yellowwood, you mean."
    "Anyway," Dave continued, "this kid here was busted. Carrying around a blue-wrapped marijuana cigarette, the kind you smoke."
    "I beg your pardon," she said. "And I don't know that young man."
    "Leonora, I was just at your place," Numie protested. "I'm in real trouble. I lifted that cigarette from your study."
    "Dave, as you call yourself, it sounds to me that the young man you've incarcerated is a thief," Leonora said. "However, I won't bring charges, if that's why you're calling."
    "That's not why I'm calling," Numie said. "I need someone to bail me out."
    "The young man is obviously insane," Leonora said. "Apparently, he steals from me—how he got into Sacre-Coeur, I'll never know—then he wants me to bail him out. You must admit the whole suggestion is outrageous."
    "Leonora, please, " Numie said. "I've been tortured."
    "You know that's a lie," Dave said.
    "I have pressing