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of the peaceful…with…the…world。 That she slept in this air…conditioned room under that satin sheet because her ancestors had carted men and women and babies across an ocean in the hold of a stinking rat…infested ship； did not seem to intrude on her sleep at all。 Butler hated her。
He stepped back and from his pocket took a small foil…wrapped packet。 Carefully he pinched the top to break the air…tight seal。
The characteristic smell of chloroform rose from the package into his nostrils。 From the packet； he pulled out a heavy gauze pad soaked with the drug； and carefully put the foil back into his jacket。
Quickly he moved forward。 He stood alongside the girl and transferred the chloroform pad to his right hand。 Then he reached down and covered the girl's nose and mouth with the pad。 Hillary Butler bolted upright in bed； and the big man dropped his body on hers to hold her still。 She thrashed for a few seconds； her eyes wide open and shocked； trying to see her attacker； but only able〃 to see the glint of light reflecting off a golden chain…link ring on the hand that covered her face。 Her thrashing slowed down。 Finally； she was still。
Butler stood up and looked down at the unconscious girl。 He left the pad on her face and methodically began to search the room。
He carefully went through a clothes closet that ran the length of one wall； looking at dresses and rejecting them until he found one； a blue and white jersey shift with a hand…made label from an exclusive New York City couturier。 He made sure the other garments were hanging neatly before he closed the closet。 On a dressing table； he saw a polished ebony wood jewelry box。 He reached inside and grabbed a handful of jewelry； carried it to the room's little night light； and inspected it He took an engraved golden charm bracelet and a pair of gem earrings。 The rest he returned to the box。
Butler rolled up the blue and white dress and stuck it under the belt of his trousers。 The jewelry went into an inside jacket pocket。
At the bed； he pulled the chloroform pad off the girl's face； put it back in his pocket； then lifted the girl up in one muscled arm； carrying her under his arm like a rolled up set of blueprints and went back to the window。
With ease that surprised him； he carried the girl down。 Still holding her under one arm； he moved toward the line of trees and headed back for the roadway where his car waited。
He dumped the little rich girl on the floor in the back of the car； covered her with a blanket and then drove off quickly。 He didn't want to be stopped by any policemen wondering what a black in a rented car was doing in this section of the county at almost three o'clock in the morning。
After parking hi the motel lot in front of his room； Butler placed a fresh chloroform pad near Hillary Butler's face； then went inside his room where the prostitute was still unconscious。
He dressed her in Hillary Butler's blue and white dress； then put on the stolen jewelry。 The charm bracelet engraved on the back。 〃To Hillary Butler from Uncle Laurie。〃 Earrings。 They were made for pierced ears。 The whore's ears were not pierced。 Butler swore under his breath。 Damn； just like a white bitch； not to have holes where you wanted her to。 He rammed the point of one earring through the fleshy lobe of the unconscious girl who did 〃hot even stir； even though drops of blood ran down her ear from the small hole。 He clipped the earring hi back with the small squeeze lock attachment； then fastened the other earring in the same way。
Butler untied the girl's ropes and stashed them in his small suitcase。 From a back partment of the bag； he pulled out two heavy brown…colored plastic bags； shaped like army duffle bags。
He stuffed the prostitute into one of them。 The bag locked at the top with metal snaps but there was enough gap in the closure for air to get in。 General William Forsythe Butler took the other bag out into the parking lot。 There was no one in sight。 Only three cars were parked in the lot； and those rooms were darkened； their occupants probably asleep。 Butler opened the back door of the Buick； reached in and began to feed Hillary Butler into the bag。 He handled her without tenderness； breaking the strap of her light nylon nightgown。 The gown slid down； revealing a creamy white well…formed breast。 Butler laid his black hand on her breast； feeling its warmth； looking in the dim light at the contrast between her skin and his。 He tweaked the end of the breast viciously； and the girl flinched in her stupor。 He grimaced to himself as he released her。 Get used to it； honey； he thought。 There's gonna be more where that came from。 Your family's got a three…hundred…year…old bill to pay； and payment's gonna e right out of your fine white hide。
Butler closed the bag with the snaps； then again glancing around the lot； slipped back into his room； picked up the bag containing the street girl and carried that back to the car。 He tossed her into the back seat on top of Hillary Butler。
Then he cleaned everything out of the room and left； wiping all the doorknobs free of prints； and leaving the key in the door of the room。
Fifteen minutes later； his rented car was parked in a black unlit street； a scant hundred yards from the pier where the Liberian freighter was now ing to life； preparing to sail。
Butler locked the doors of his car and went looking for the captain。 He found him on the bridge of the ship and whispered a few words to him。
The captain called a sailor to him and talked to him softly。 〃Your keys；〃 the captain asked Butler。 Butler gave them to the sailor who turned away。
Ten minutes later； he was down on dockside below the ship with a big steamer trunk on a forklift。
〃Carry that trunk to my cabin；〃 the captain told another sailor； who scurried down the gangplank and helped the other lug the heavy trunk aboard。
Butler waited a few minutes； then went to the captain's cabin。
The trunk was neatly in the middle of the floor。 Butler opened it and roughly yanked the plastic bag out of the trunk。 He opened the clips on top； glanced in and saw the prostitute wearing Hillary Butler's blue and white dress。 Carefully； he pulled the plastic bag down until the girl's face and shoulders were free。
Butler looked around the cabin。 On a small table near the captain's big bed was a fourteen…in…long bronze statuette。 Butler hefted it in his hand。 It was heavy enough。
He walked back and knelt alongside the unconscious whore。 How peaceful she looked； he thought； as he raised the heavy statuette over his head and slammed it down with the force of a hammer into the girl's face。
Butler was thorough。 He shattered her teeth； broke her facial bones； and for good measure broke one of the bones in her left arm。
He stood up； puffing slightly from the exertion。 The carpet on the floor was spattered with gore； and with a towel from the captain's private bathroom； he mopped it up as best he could； then washed the statuette clean。 He noted what looked like specks of blood imbedded in the link design of his gold ring； and carefully washed it out under running water。
Butler snapped the dead girl back into the bag but left it on the rug in the middle of the floo