It took more than a year for the cases to come to trial. Crystal testified against Jeff, who found himself facing a very long jail term for among other charges, both kidnapping and murder. He was found guilty of both and sentenced to two consecutive life sentences, both without the possibility of parole.

Mr. Smith had a good lawyer, the best that money could buy. Crystal had no knowledge of his role in any of Billy's dealings, so she couldn't testify against him. Lila refused to testify against him, possibly because she knew he would keep the business going and she could continue to work. She knew he would pay as well as Billy, and that he would need someone to train the new employees. She was sure he would want to keep the same quality as Billy had. She was right.

Lila was found guilty of various prostitution charges. She had no actual part in the kidnapping of Crystal by Jeff. The DA had originally considered some type of RICO charge, but could not prove that she was part of the conspiracy to enslave Crystal for sexual purposes. She received a small fine, and probation. The wheels of justice are not done with her yet, the Internal Revenue Service is looking into her tax situation. Who knows what they will find?

Crystal is back in school, getting a much needed education. She wants to become a police officer like her Dad and Zack. Neither are too keen on the idea. Both have their heart set on her becoming a wife and mother. Zack would like her to be his wife, but hasn't asked her yet. He feels she needs time to grow and become everything she can be. He's willing to wait. She's worth it.

Lunch was held at the large round table in the sun room. Crystal loved the sun room. Plants and flowers in rows on some kind of terraced display, hanging baskets of trailing vines, and even trees potted in large containers strategically placed throughout the very large glass walled rooom. A small but very attractive fountain provided the soothing sound of water running over rocks. Through the walls one could see the long expanse of manicured lawns with trees and shrubs that provided a sense of privacy. All designed to make you feel as if you are outside.
Yet, without the attendant heat and humidity. All in all a very comfortable and attractive room. The table was white wicker, rather large, yet light and airy in keeping with it's surroundings. Crystal wold not have suspected that this room was the design of the very cold business like woman seated across from her. Neither Lila nor Crystal had had a chance to eat yet, so both were doing justice to a very flavorful chicken salad.

Billy's seating arrangement provided Crystal with the best view of the room and grounds. This was an intentional move on her part. "Let the gal see what money could buy" was Billy's thought. "Maybe she can be bought." Nothing during the library conversation had given Billy any indication which direction Crystal intended on taking. She did agree to Bily's suggestion that she try the escort service only, of course, she would require some finishing before that could tke place. Lila had offered to let Crystal live with her, but Billy had decided that Crystal would live in the guest house on the property, ostensibly to keep her safe from Jeff. The community was secure, Billy had the latest alarm system installed and Crystal felt that this would insure her safety so she agreed. Lila was extremely disappointed and it showed.

Zack and Mr. Smith were having a quiet conversation regarding the afternoons plans. Zack had reminded him that the limo neded to be garaged for some work, and he had planned on taking care of it that afternoon if Mr. Smith wasn't planning on going anywhere. Zack planned on contacting his Lieutenant and handing over the tape made from this mornings eavesdropping session. The sooner he turns over the tape the faster a plan of action can be put into effect, and Zack did not want to waste any time. Crystal was surreptitiously studying Zack, and wondering exactly how he fit into all this. What part did he play? During a trip to the bathroom, Crystal had looked at the little button behind the lapel of Zacks jacket. She wasn't sure what it was, but having spent as much of her spare time as she could afford to, at the movies, she thought it was a bug. A tiny microphone. What would a chauffuer need one of those for? Maybe she would ask him, but caution told her that she needed to be alone with him before she did.

Crystal wasn't sure what happened next. Did she hear the sound of the shot? Was it the glass shattering? All she knew was that the quiet of the luncheon was interrupted by the staccato sound of gunfire, although, she didn't know that it was gunfire. She sat frozen while glass shattered and fell all around, slicing tender flesh. Lila and Billy slumped forward onto their plates. Was that blood? Zack jumped up shouting for Crystal to get down, and pulled her down beside him. She was aware of more gunfire, and of a spreading warmth from her left shoulder. She put her hand up to see what it was and she discovered blood. Surprisingly she didn't feel any pain. A large shard of glass had sliced deeply into her forehead and was beginning to bleed into her eyes. She could hear what sounded like Jeff screaming. She didn't know he could feel pain, she thought before slipping into unconsciousness.

She regained conciousness just once that night. She thought she heard her Daddy talking to her, but that couldn't be possible. She just knew that someone was holding her hand, and she was in bed somewhere. She didn't know where, or how she got there. She just knew she had to sleep some more, she was so tired. Daddy kept calling to her, but she couldn't see him and she had no strength with which to answer. She needed to sleep, and that is what she did. Lieutenant David Lynn sat by her bedside, holding her hand. With him was one of the finest undercover police officers he'd ever had the pleasure to work with. "Zack,do you think she'll testify against Lila and Jeff? With Billy dead, the only case we have is against Mr. Smith and those two." asked the Lieutenant.
"I don't know Dave, I only got to meet her this morning, now yesterday morning, come to think of it. I do believe she found the bug in my jacket, and she didn't say anything." responded Zack. "I guess we won't know until she wakes up. Are you sure this is your daughter? You haven't seen her in almost 10 years, how can you be sure,,,, people change?" "She had ID on her, Zack. Also a picture of her Mother, my ex- wife. She's my daughter all right, but she may not want her Father. She believes I abandoned her when she was 7. That was 10 years ago. I am positive that her Mother never told her that I supported them all these years. The doctor said that she would fully recover, and I will help her any way I can, any way she will allow, at any rate. She's going to need a place to live, or maybe she'll want to go home to her mom. I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

During their conversation, Crystal had begun to stir, she was awake enought to hear, but not yet able to respond. She had been listening, and now she knew that her Daddy had not abandoned her, that she had been taken care of all these years, financially , by the one man that she thought she had lost. Yes, she would testify against Jeff and Lila, although Lila had been kind to her at a time when she needed someone to be kind. Still, she did take her to Billy. "Thank God it's over, " she thought as she opened her eyes and found her voice. "Daddy, is that really you?" she asked. "Yes Crystal, it's me, and I'm so glad to see you."

"Will you stay with me?" she asked. "Yes," he answered, "as long as you want me to"

"Billy will be very pleased with this, Lila." Mr. Smith said quietly. "I'm sure there will be a little something extra in your pay envelope this week". Lila wished he hadn't said that. Not in front of Crystal. She wasn't sure that Crystal trusted her entirely, and she needed to have that trust. "Mr. Smith, if you could see how this poor child was being forced to live, you'd understand why I say that Billy doesn't owe me anything." Lila hoped that Crystal was listening. From the drivers seat, Zack could see Lila's face and he hoped that Mr. Smith was not paying any attention. What Zack saw, would mean trouble for Miss Lila. Her naked longing showed, and Zack knew Mr. Smith wouldn't like that at all. To divert Mr. Smiths attention away from the ladies, Zack asked if Mr. Smith had been aware of Jeff's presense behind the vehicle when they pulled away. "Did he see us?" asked Mr. Smith. "No, I think not sir, he didn't look at the limo at all." Responded Zack. "Good...good...That means we have some time to get the ladies to Billy, before Jeff starts looking for her."

As they pulled up to the guard station of the gated community, Riverpoint, the guard stepped out and waved them through. Miss Billy had left instructions that the limo was to be directed to her, immediately upon arrival, without the ususal security check. This limo was a regular visitor to Miss Billy's estate and the guard saw no reason not to comply with her request. Zack thought this departure from the usual routine, was an interesting turn of events.
Apparently this girl was extremely important to her. He wondered why. To Zack, Miss Billy was a person of interest. He had his own reasons for that interest, and they led to his being the driver of Mr. Smiths limo. Pulling into the long tree shaded drive, Zack parked, and got out to assist the passengers out of the vehicle. As he was assisting Crystal out of the vehicle, Miss Billy came out the door and down the steps, giving Crystal her first look at her savior. "Welcome, why don't you all come inside where it's cooler?" said Billy. She turned to lead the way, but not before giving Crystal a long appraising look. "Yes," she thought to herself,"this one will do fine".

Crystal was uncomfortable with Billy's looking at her and chose to study the house she was being invited to enter. She had never seen anything so grand. She didn't know a thing about architecture. She had no idea that the wide expanse of steps that curved upward towards the door were marble. She just knew they were a very pretty pink with other colors shot through like winding rivers. She knew the red brick was not new, but appeared to be in immaculate condition. The large double doors with long windows on each side made the entrance look like the door to a fairy tale castle, and the rounded corners of the house added to that effect. She didn't know what they were called. She didn't know that the large area with the fence around it way at the top was called a "widows walk". She only knew that looking at all this made her feel small and insignificant.

Inside the mansion it was much cooler, and Crystal wished she had dressed in something different than what she had put on. She was shivering, whether from cold or nerves she didn't know. Zack noticed her shaking and took off the jacket of his chauffers uniform and placed it lightly around her shoulders. "Here" he said, and smiled.
"I'll get it back when I leave." Billy ushered them to the library, directed Zack to the kitchen for something cool to drink and asked him to let Cook know that they would be staying for lunch. All of them, and he was to eat in the dining room with them when it was time. In the meantime, he was to make himself at home in the guest lounge at the back of the house. "Dismissed" thought Zack, and that was fine with him.

In the library, Billy, began questioning Crystal about her life. Trying to get the girl to open up. She needed to get to know the girl better. Needed to find the way to keep Crystal in her employ. This was not the usual hooker looking to better herself. This was a young naive girl that had found her way to the big city in the clutches of the wrong kind of man. Somehow Billy would find a way to use that to her advantage. She needed to listen carefully to Crystals story, so that she would know how to act. Did Crystal need a Mother Figure? Only her story would tell her. What were Crystals dreams? How could she make it appear that she was the only way Crystal would ever reach those dreams? One thing was for sure, Crystal would be living here, with Billy, she did not like the look on Lila's face when she didn't think Billy could see. Lila was entirely too fond of Crystal. Billy smelled trouble from that direction. Well, Miss Lila, we'll see about that.

Crystal sat quietly after telling Billy her story. She began to wonder what was in store for her. No longer sure that this was the right decision. Maybe she had been too quick to trust Lila. She wasn't sure why Lila had appeared to want to help. Her experiences in the last few weeks have taught her that maybe she needs to think things through better before acting. She had needed to get away from Jeff, but she is no longer sure that this was the right move. There was someting too cold in this Billy, and something too warm in the way Lila looked at her. It didn't feel right, and she didn't know what to do about it. She wasn't sure she could do anything about it and where did that leave her? She was grateful to Zack for the loan of his jacket, it helped her to feel less exposed to all these prying eyes. She hooked her thumbs under the lapels, to pull the jacket closer to her neck." What's this?" She felt a small round button on the back of one of the lapels. She decided not to say anything, she would find out later what it was. This was Zacks business and she was going to stay out of it.

After delivering Billy's message to the Cook, he told her it was a fine day and he would be going outside to sit in the Gazebo. He'd brought his cassete player and headphones becuse he was listening to one of those books on tape. "Didn't have much time to read anymore" he told the cook, so he would take advantage of every opportunity that he could to at least listen to his favorite books. Once outside in the Gazebo, he put on his headphones and fiddled with the dials until he could hear the voices from within the library. He hadn't been sure the microphone in the lapel of the jacket would pick up everything as well as he hoped it would. Bless Crystal Lynn for the shivers that allowed him to leave the jacket where he could record the conversations. His Lieutenant was going to be very pleased with this bit of luck.

The Vice Squad had been looking for a way to put Sheldon's Champagne and Limosines Escort Service out of business for a very long time. Getting the other pimp in the process was going to be the icing on the cake. He sat there listening to Crystal Lynns story, up until this point he had been thinking she was just another hooker. He had been angry with himself for feeling attracted to her. She was a beautiful girl, and he had been disgusted with the waste of such beauty. This is a complication that they hadn't planned on. This is going to change everything. He wanted... no he needed... to get Crystal out before it was too late.

"Crystal, you have to get away from Jeff, it isn't safe for you to stay with him. I can take you someplace safe if you are willing to go. Trust me, we can work this out." Lila is shocked at what she just blurted out. No thought to anything, just out, and now if Crystal says yes, she has no idea what to do. "What am I doing?" she thinks, "Where is this coming from?" Turning and taking one last look out the window, she sees a familiar car pulling up to the curb. Two of Billy's associates, Zack and Mr. Smith get out of the car. Lila has a brief moment of fear. Apparently Billy isn't going to trust her to do the job of bringing Crystal to her alone. She has sent unwelcomed reinforcements. Now what to do? She has no choice, she must take Crystal to Billy. If she doesn't, Zack and Mr. Smith will, whether she wants to go or not.

"Look," she says to Crystal. "I used to work for a pimp like Jeff. He beat and abused his girls and worked them until they couldn't work anymore. Then he disposed of them, threw them out like trash. That is what Jeff will do. If he can't get you to work willingly he'll force heroin on you until you are addicted and need to hook for the money to buy the drug. He'll take most of your money and keep you in drugs, but nothing else. Is that what you want? He brought me here to try to convince you to do it without forcing you, but he is ready to force you if you don't cooperate. He will do anything he needs to do to make you do what he wants. Not what You want, what he wants. The only thing standing between you and that kind of life, right now, is me." Lila makes up her mind that she will tell Crystal about Billy and what Billy does. She will offer the protection of Billy until she gets Crystal away from here and can find a plan that will work for both of them.

"Now I work for an escort service run by Billy Sheldon," she continues. "Billy does thing a whole lot different than the street pimps. She trains you to be the best escort you can be, gives you access to music, literature and classes on dressing to impress, she calls them. Her clientele consists of Business men from around the world, some of them just want the company. You will have the opportunity to be out among the high and mighty in society. Some of them want the sex, but Billy has different girls for different occasions. I work the sex angle but she does have the basic escort service that doesn't include the extra. You wouldn't make as much money, but you would be working and wouldn't need Jeff or any one else. It's up to you, all we have to do is walk outside and get into a car." Lila stops speaking and waits for what seems like a lifetime for Crystal to answer.

"Lila, how do I know that this Billy Sheldon isn't any different from Jeff? How do I know that he won't be trying to force me into having sex with the guys he expects me to date? Crystal looks at Lila carefully while she is speaking, she doesn't know what she expects to see, she wasn't all that smart about Jeff, but still she believes that she will be able to tell if Lila is playing false with her. Lila returns Crystals steady gaze and tells her "She's tough, she's cold, she loves the almighty dollar; but she has learned that to make the most money, you have to have girls that are happy to work for you. You have to have girls that love what they are doing for whatever reason they love it. Whether it be for the fine clothes they can afford. The fancy cars they can buy, or the penthouse apartment that is their dream. She pays well, she's learned that quality commands the best price. She is in the business to provide quality escorts for fine rich gentlemen. She doesn't force, but if she knows what your dream is and can use it to her advantage, she will, believe me, she will"

Crystal gets up from the bed she's been sitting on and moves to the window. Looks at Lila for a second and moves past her to lean her forehead on the cool glass of the windowpane. While studying the street below she sees the limo and the two well dressed men leaning against it. So out of place in this neighborhood, that she immediately knows that they are there to take Lila and her to wherever Billy is. She has lived the past four weeks in hell, and she knows that she can't continue. She loved Jeff, and she thought he loved her. She kept thinking that there was a way that he would see things her way, but after Lila's words, she knows now that her fate is worse than she could ever imagine if she stays with Jeff. "Will you stay with me?" she askes Lila. "Yes." Lila answers, "I will tell Billy that you can stay with me during the training. If you decide that this is what you want to do." Crystal walks to the bed, picks up her few belongings, turns to Lila and nods her head. "I'll go."

Out on the street, Mr. Smith and his driver Zack are getting impatient. Maybe they should see if they can find out what room this Jeff is staying in and go up to let Lila know that they are there if they are needed. While they are making up their mind, Lila and her companion walk out the door of the Kings Rest Hotel and head straight in their direction. They notice the companion is carrying a small suitcase, "Good" Mr. Smith thinks to himself. "Lila did what she needed to do" On the other hand Zack is thinking about Jeff. He needs to get the girls and Mr. Smith into the car and out of here before Jeff comes out of the diner. He walks up to the two, relieves Crystal of her suitcase. Giving her a smile he directs them to the car. "Zack, Mr. Smith, this is Lila, she's the newest employee of Sheldon's Champagne and Limosine Escort Service" Lila introduces them to Crystal, they stow her belongings, enter the car and settle into the back seat with Mr. Smith. As they are pulling away from the curb, Jeff can be seen in the front window of the diner, paying for their meals. Lila lets out a sigh of relief and thinks,"Not a moment too soon".

As Jeff comes out of the diner he sees the limo, but doesn't pay that much attention to it. He's thinking he better get back up to the room to see how Lila is doing with Crystal. He has their food, and he is thinking that he may be a fool to leave Lila alone with Crystal. Lila has gotten above herself working for Billy. Maybe this wasn't a good Idea. He hurries across the street and into the hotel. Rather than wait for the elevator he starts up the stairs. The desk clerk calls out to him, "Jeff, your lady friends just left. The expensive looking one left you a message. She said to tell you that Crystal was going to Billy, that you knew what that meant. As a matter of fact, you just passed each other, didn't you see them?" Jeff drops the food on the floor and runs out of the hotel, looks up and down the street. No sign of either of them. "I'll get her back," he vows, "I'll teach her a lesson she won't ever forget." I'll find her and I will kill anyone who stands in my way."....

As the door opens, Crystal starts up out of her chair, frantically looking for something to cover her nakedness. She runs to the bed and grabs the dirty blanket, wrapping it around her, but not before Lila sees how perfectly built she is. How exquisitely lovely her unmarked bottom is. How her ivory skin glows with a luminescense all its own, even in this dingy place. Shoulder length Chestnut brown hair swirls around her head as she moves, her eyes are a true cerulean blue, deep and alive as the ocean. They shine with unshed tears. Lila is so moved by the sight that for a moment she is dizzy and grabs the partially open door for support. "What the Hell's wrong with you?" Jeff asks, "Nothing, just lacking sleep, remember?" she answers. She takes a few seconds to compose herself and moves into the room. "Hi, I'm Lila, Jeff thought you could use a friend being as you're here all alone.". She extends her hand in greeting to the frightened young girl, but Crystal can only stare at it. In the seconds before Jeff decides to hit her, she moves forward and takes Lila's hand into her own. "I'm Crystal Lynn, nice to meet you." Jeff brings Crystals things in from the hallway and sets them on the bed. "Get dressed" he orders. Crystal; looks from Lila to Jeff and asks, "Right here, in front of both of you?" Lila thinks...Oh yes, that would be just what I want to see..but to Jeff she says, "Why don't we step out into the hall and give her some privacy?" Jeff wants to object, but thinks Lila may have figured something out so he agrees Outside the door, Lila tells Jeff that Crystal is too frightened right now to make any sense of what they will be trying to tell her and suggests that he leave them alone to see if she can't calm Crystal down and win her trust. "What are you trying to pull?" he asks. "Tell me Mr. just what can I pull? This hotel has one entrance, you can sit outside in your car and watch it, if you think somethings up, but I need time alone with her to make her see things your way. If you aren't going to trust me to do what Billy asked me to do, then you take me back right now." She starts walking towards the elevator, hoping that Jeff will stop her, and he does. She comes back and knocks on the door asking Crystal if she can come back in now. The door opens and a fully dressed Crystal invites them back in. It's going to be a hot muggy day, and Crystal has put on shorts and a halter top that leave very little to the imagination. Lila wonders to herself if this girl knows how beautiful she really is, and more importantly how is she going to get her away from Jeff? Turning to Jeff, she asks"Didn't you tell me you were hungry? Why don't you go across to the diner and grab some breakfast, I'll stay with Crystal for a little girl talk and when you are ready, why don't you bring something back for us? How does that sound Crystal?" Jeff does not like it one bit, but can't see any way to object to it without losing Lila's cooperation. Crystal isn't sure what this woman wants, but she needs someone to listen to her and if Jeff isn't there maybe she can get Lila to help her, so she agrees. Jeff leaves and Lila moves towards Crystal taking her hand, "Let's go sit on the bed and talk." Jeff stands outside with his ear pressed to the door, listening to the quiet drone of Lila's voice and the childish lilt of Crystals responses. He hears the sound of Crystal crying. He decides that he will go and have breakfast, but something about Lila isn't setting right with him. He doesn't really want to leave, he has a feeling that something isn't on the up and up, but he's tired and hungry, can't think. So he walks towards the elevator, leaving. Inside the room, Lila and Crystal have been sitting comfortably on the bed, just making conversation. They've been talking about the weather because Lila was pretty sure that Jeff would try to listen and she didn't want him to hear any of her plans. She had no idea how much he would be able to hear and didn't want to take any chances. She's not sure how reluctant Crystal really is and how willing to leave Jeff she is at this point. She's pretty sure that Crystal is afraid of Jeff, but in these cases you never know. The kind of pimp that Jeff is usually makes his victim so dependent, that most of the girls won't leave of their own free will. They have nothing and nobody, just him, and he uses this to his own advantage. She needs to find out where Crystal is in that process and do so without overplaying her hand. She's tired, not thinking as clearly as she needs to be or she would see Crystals gaze darting towards the door as if she's ready to run. "How old are you" asks Lila, "and how did you and Jeff meet?" At first Crystal is afraid to answer. She believes that Lila is some kind of spy for Jeff, maybe one of his "other" women. She studies Lila's face and she sees something in Lila's eyes. Something...Compassion?...Sympathy?..Something that wasn't there when Jeff was in the room. Something that gives hope to Crystal. Something that may mean there is a way out of this mess. Something that will help her not be what Jeff is trying to make of her. Something human. Not heartless and cold, something that she thinks she needs to trust. She starts to cry. In between sobs she pours out the story of her meeting with Jeff and everything that came after. Lila moves over towards Crystal, reaching out and enfolding the heartbroken young girl in her arms. She listens to the tale of a gullible 17 year old, and remembers what it was like for her. She is lost in the feeling of pain and anguish coming from this beautiful, delicate child. She realizes that she wants this child for her own. She wants to have the love of this child-woman and experience everything that relationship will bring. She wants to teach Crystal what love really means, love between two women. She wants Crystal in a way she has never wanted any man. In that split second her loyalty to Billy shatters. She devises a plan, she can do this, she has to do this. Finally Lila realizes Jeff is gone, she hears the elevator going down, moves to the window and waits. Jeff comes out the front entrance of the hotel and walks across the street. Stops to light a cigarette, stands there smoking for a bit, throws it down on the sidewalk and with one last look at the hotel, grinds it out, and enters the diner. Lila turns from the window and says, "I will take you someplace safe, if you want to go"