I hate this place more and more and poor old Marlene will die if we can't get her away soon. She's very brave, that girl and won't kowtow to them at a...l, no matter what horrible things they do to her. And they have done some very nasty things to her - even more so than to me and Marcella."She told Angela about the weeks turning into months that Marlene had spent in the hold and how she was still sick and pale even after being brought back up again. Angela felt her anger growing by the second as. “Yeah, it is. Mostly elderly people live here with several young couples with children added in the mix to liven things up. I bought the house last year and it’s been really nice so far.”“Bought it, huh? I thought the houses here were for rent only,” Ilse said, sounding impressed by my explanation.“They used to be, but the corporation that owns them wants to invest in a new project and needs the money. They’ve been selling these houses to the people renting them for the past two years, but. "You don'thave a lot of guesses left, you know. And not much strength either, I'llwager."Her foot slipped a bit, and I decided to take pity on her, after all, Ididn't want our little game to end prematurely. I pulled her leg back alittle, so that it was a little more centered; then I dropped the rope andbegan to use the fat leather strap, aiming the first stroke across herbelly. It landed with a loud crack that made me smile at the girl'ssatisfying scream."You get twenty-five of these," I. .. desirable. Sexually." Oh, God, Gail," he muttered quietly.Completely distraught, she pulled her knees up to her body, leaned over sideways against the arm of the plush chair in a fetal position, and sobbed bitterly. He let it go on for too long a period, and then he rose, snatched a fistful of tissues from a pop-up dispenser on the desk, and went to her side. He shushed her gently, laying a beefy hand lightly on her shoulder. He felt that he'd never been good enough at "soothing" patients..