Maybe you should check out through the back.

Feeling that this was a waste of time, and still wondering why you came into a hardware shop looking for some sexual fun, you begin to turn and leave when you hear a dull, muffled, but distinct thud. You pause and slowly turn back to face the proprietor, presumably Chico. "What was that?"

"Ain't nothin', just the noises these ol places make 'sall. You buyin or leavin?" he said with hostility.

You look at him as seriously as a skinny kid in not much more than women's underwear could. Fuck. You had to say it right. Questions or woolly open wording wont do. It had to be a clear command. "Tell me what that noise was!" you insist.

"That was the Sawyer kid", he said, looking shifty and defensive.

You advance toward him. "Tell me who the Sawyer kid is".

He starts to fidget and looks terrifed, "Fern Sawyer", he said then claps his hand to his mouth.

Your mind races. You knew that name. Fern..., Fern, Fern, what was it? You could see him grasping the shaft of a pin hammer, twist it around then put it back down. You know he won't be able to strike you with it, so you don't bother about it. You had it - A missing person from a week or so ago. It had been on the news briefly, but not something you had consciously listened to, just something from the background on tv. "So why is Fern Sawyer making a bumping sound from your basement?" you ask quietly.

Chico's fist clenches around the handle of a long chisel and made strange jerking motions. You ignore that too.

Chico breathes heavily but doesn't answer your question. Suddenly, he drops the chisel, spins on his heel and darts for the door to the back of the shop.

"Stop!" you shout.

You're pretty sure you could have caught him if you had to. Even though you're no Jock, Chico is an overweight middle aged guy in a leather apron. However, you don't have to catch him. Chico has frozen to the spot as if his feet were glued to the floor.

You walk up behind him and give him a shove and he stumbles forward. "Take me to her!"

Chico walks forward jerkily though the back shop till he comes to a small closet where he opens the door, then pulls up a trap door under a rug on the floor inside. Fascinated, you follow him down into a dimly lit basement, past some crates and round a corner to a sight you really had not expected when you entered his shop just minutes ago.

Fern, a high school senior was lying blindfolded and hogtied on the floor having fallen off a small single bed, presumably causing the muffled thump you heard. She was unable to speak, a large rubber ring gag forcing her mouth open and allowing anything to be placed within.

I marvelled at her. Her long flowing blonde hair hung past the metal collar around her neck. Bindings pinning her arms together at the wrists and elbows behind her. Her wrists were attached to her ankles which although in overknee boots were also fastened securely together. You could see under her short skater skirt that she wasn't wearing panties. Her ass looked perfect. Wow!

She was well and truly hogtied!

You step towards her in amazement having almost forgotten about Chico when you hear steps racing back up towards the upstairs closet, presumably to lock you in down here too. Fuck, you were going to have to be quick.

"Stop!" he froze again like last time, halfway up the steps. "Get back here!"

Chico turns and slouches back towards you unable to even look you in the eye.

You look once more at the helpless beauty, trussed up almost naked on the floor and wonder what to do next