"When my turn came, Miss Winchelsea told me to stay standing up. "So," shesaid, "you are the little girl who used to be Barry Bassenthwaite, aren'tyou... I've heard a lot about you, Beverly. I heard that you were a verynaughty little boy in infant school. Is that correct?" Yes, Miss," I said."Well, Beverly," Miss Winchelsea said, "you are looking very smart inyour new blue pinafore dress. I hope you will be on your best behaviour.You may sit down. The same goes for all of you," Miss Winchelsea. Despite knowing it was hopeless, that she was mere moments from being found out, from being taken away from the only man other than her father who’d ever treated her with kindness—despite knowing all this, Jamie had never been one to surrender without a fight. The first man who’d sodomized her when she was barely fourteen had lost an eye in the encounter, which likely accounted for the viciousness of the beating that followed, leaving her unable to move for the next several days. Her own knife. We discussed our Thanksgiving plans; she and Anna were going to see their Mom and brother in Cleveland. I thought out loud, that maybe the guys and I could work something up. The conversation flowed nicely; I just enjoy her company. And… as we were cleaning up our snacks to leave, she gave my butt a pat and gave a saucy little, "Mmmm." I told her, just wait for Tuesday.----------When the day came around, I was working but got out at three. My bourbon was gone so I stopped for a new bottle,. Katie was already leaving the shop.It was a long white lace skirt."Fuck you!" I shouted after her back as she left the shop.What did she take me for? A transvestite? What was she? A Prostitute?A Madam?I could not sleep. I went over to look at what was going on round thebackyard of her shop where music was playing. I saw my girls dancing withher boys. Tracey, my cashier, was in her back room with Henry. They wereboth undressing. As I watched Katie crept up behind me without menoticing.