Stephie agreed that we could go and I called Ruth back and told her that we’d pick her and Roger up at 9:00. Because her parents worked, it would be...OK to come to the house.“There’s more to this story,” Stephie said when I hung up the phone the second time.“Isn’t there always?” I grinned. “These are friends of Kara’s, like I said. I shared a book about sexuality and reproduction with them, just like I did Josh Richards and some other kids from Kara’s old church. In the end, that caused the. "Yes ma'am," Emilyreplied. We waited until they had left the room and then Emily said,"Shall we go then?" She offered her arm. I nodded shyly and took her arm.I towered over her but I felt safe clinging to her arm.Emily was a year older than me at 17 and she had passed her driving testand had her own car which she used to pick me up. Emily opened thepassenger door for me and I sat down sliding my legs in as I did so. Iplaced my purse on my lap as Emily crossed over to her side and got in.Once. A third page, taped below the others, was labeled ‘WARNING, BOMB’. It went on to say they didn’t want anyone hurt, but they wanted Susan Paler punished and humiliated like the old days, in a public square. It warned that a timer would disable the bomb in 24 hours, at 1am the next day. Any tampering, glass cutting or breaking, or attempts to remove the slut from the door would set off the bomb. They warned that trying to cover her would also set off the vibration sensors. The interior doors are. When she answered the phone, I said, "Hello, you beautiful woman, you."She laughed and replied, "Ok, I'm sorry I stood you up last night but I had to work late and then open up this morning. I had one girl quit and another called in sick. Anyway, I left you a message."I hadn't checked my messages and only now glanced over at the answer machine. The light wasn't blinking. "It's not on my machine." I said in a puzzled voice."No silly, I left it with your daughter in law." Maggie told me."What!" I.