point, his caresses became so objectionable that Prue jerked herself away and said, âKeep your hands to yourself, Leon! This is a public place!â He grabbed her hand and grinned. âWeâll go to a private place then after the show.â
The private place proved to be something called the Blue Moon. When they pulled up in front, suddenly Prue remembered something. âWait a minute!â she said as Dicus prepared to get out. âIâm not going in that place. Thatâs where Bobby Stuart got into trouble and Maggie Satterfield was attacked.â
âYou donât have to worry about that, baby. I been here before. I can handle any trouble that comes.â
Against her better judgment, and protesting all the way, Prue was dragged inside the nightclub. As soon as she stepped inside and looked around, her heart sank, and she knew she had made a terrible mistake.
Mark was up late studying; his parents had already gone to bed. He jumped when the phone went off right behind his head on the kitchen wall. Leaping up, he wondered who could be calling at eleven oâclock at night.
âHello?â
âMarkâ?â
âPrue, is that you?â
âWhyâyes. Mark, I need you.â
Mark clutched the phone harder and said, âWhatâs the matter? Where are you? Youâre not at home?â
âNo. Iâm out on Highway 28 at a Texaco station, the one right across from the water tower.â
âI know the place,â Mark said. âWhat are you doing there?â
âPlease, donât ask questions! Can you come and get me?â
âSure. Iâll be right there. Do your folks know youâre out?â
âI donât want them to know anything. Please, just come and get me, Mark.â
Fear shot through her voice, and she said, âPlease,â in a whisper.
âAll right, Prue. Donât worry. You stay right there inside the station. Iâll be there in twenty minutes. All right?â
âAll right, Mark.â
Mark hit the front door running, got into the Buick, the familyâs second car, and hoped that his parents wouldnât hear the engine start up. It caught at once, and he eased out onto the road, waiting until he got out to the blacktop before he opened it up. Floorboarding the accelerator, he shot through the night, a thousand things racing through his mind. He covered the distance in record speed, pulled up beside the Texaco station, which was still lit up, and by the time he got out of the car he saw Prue running toward him. Her eyes were wide, and her lips were trembling, and he said, âPrue, what is it?â
âPlease, Mark, take me home.â
âSure. Get in the car.â He walked over with her, opened the door, then shut it when she was inside. Quickly he moved back to his own position behind the wheel, put the Buick in gear, and drove away. Out of his rearview mirror, he saw the attendant standing outside scratching his head. Twisting his head, he saw that Prue was as far away from him as she could get, and she was staring out the window. He also thought he could see that her shoulders were trembling as though she were crying.
Reaching over, he touched her shoulder and said, âLook, Prue, youâd better tell me about it. What are you doing way out here in the middle of nowhere?â
Prue did not turn for a moment. She cleared her throat, searched through her purse for a Kleenex, and then blew her nose. Finally she turned and said, âIâve been at the Blue Moon with Leon Dicus.â
âWhat?â Mark swerved the car as he turned to face her. âHave you lost your mind, Prudence Deforge?â
âPlease donât scold me. You canât say anything that I havenât said to myself.â
Mark heard the plea in her voice and turned his attention back to driving. He said nothing, and she sat there quietly until he pulled in her driveway. âThe lights are