As if she could read my mind, Charlotte said, "I have a little surprisefor you two. You booked one of our standard huts, but we have ourhoneymoon hut ...available and I'm going to upgrade you at no extra charge.I think you'll love it."We both looked at each other. Mark mouthed the word 'WOW' and I justshrugged. "Oh, are you sure you can do that?" I asked her. Although theword 'hut' had me wondering."Of course I'm sure. I'm the owner!" she laughed."You're very generous," Mark told her. "Thank you.". Zero.Like ice.?Sore ??She shookher head very slightly. ?No, Miss.?The womanshook her head with a smirk. ?Tough little bitch aren?t you??Gemma paused, uncertain how torespond. ?N? no, Miss.?The womanremoved her fingernail, sniffed it and placed it in Gemma?smouth. Gemma licked. She knew better to resist. Thewoman was probably late twenties, maybe 5 or 6 years older than her. And yetshe had total power over her. Already she had singled her out for attention ontwo prior visits.?Tell me,?the woman. Earl knew he and Gabe and Auggie had really gotten to know each other, and become true friends, while serving in the Marine Corps.The three young men had been together during basic training and then, some how, during their combat training; serving in the same platoon of a Combat Team in the Marine Corps' First Battalion.That was where they had gotten to know their other Marine buddy from the platoon, George C. T. Child.The 'Indian' had been what the other recruits had called him. George was. But they survived. Anne was becoming more and more irritated and frustrated with her husband. He took money that should be spent on family needs and bought his daily liquor supply. He was always drunk by the time Anne got home and was dead asleep when Anne had finished the necessary household chores.They hadn't had sex in months. He receded into a tiny world built around his bottle. They hardly talked, never showed any affection for each other, and seemed to argue more and more when they did.