Chapter 4: Saving the Lost

Within the law, I had a better way.

I scrawled, "Roy Barker will go have an affair with Jolene Haskins!" in the notebook, wishing it on him with every ounce of spite I had.

I quickly wrote this line in the notebook, especially emphasizing the name "Jolene Haskins."

Roy immediately stopped searching for the belt and walked straight out the door.

Before my racing heartbeat could calm down, Marlene, alerted by the noise, came out of the house looking suspicious.

"You deadbeat, what are you screaming for?"

I was startled and hurriedly hid the notebook.

Luckily it was dark and Marlene was still half-asleep, so she didn’t notice anything.

"I… there was a rat just now…" I lied casually.

"Useless thing! Is a rat gonna eat you or something?"

"If you scream again and wake your brother, I’ll skin you!"

Marlene yawned and glanced toward the outhouse, puzzled. "Where’s your dad? Didn’t he come out to use the toilet?"

"I didn’t see him, I was just looking at the rat."

I muttered to myself, guessing that Roy hadn’t reached Jolene Haskins’ house yet. The timing wasn’t right; I couldn’t let Marlene ruin his "good deed."

But Marlene’s eyes were already on the lock. If she chased out now, she might actually catch Roy halfway.

That wouldn’t be any fun.

Just as I was racking my brain for a way to stall Marlene, my "brother" started crying in the house.

Hearing her precious child cry, Marlene forgot everything else and rushed back inside.

June, oh June, truly my good sister.

Now, let’s watch the show together.

Jolene Haskins was a woman under forty, with decent looks.

Her pale skin and dark hair made her the focus of male attention in this backwoods town.

Unfortunately, though her features were regular, her values were twisted.

In our previous life, June and I were kidnapped by her and sold to Roy and Marlene Barker.

In fact, not just us.

Most of the boys and girls stolen into this town were handled by her and her husband, Dale Haskins.

Thanks to this "business," their family lived pretty well.

Usually, Jolene stayed at home, and Dale spent more than half the month in the city.

He claimed to have a cushy job, but in reality was always looking for chances to steal kids.

Stolen boys were in high demand in the town. Even girls—some families would buy them, make them work, and when grown, exchange them for a dowry, or, like June and me, exploit them for money.

Later, when June and I grew up, we vaguely heard that Dale had some savings, but was impotent.

Jolene’s parents, greedy for dowry money, forced her to marry him.

Later, to keep the family line going, Dale kidnapped a six-month-old boy.

From then on, the couple started trafficking kids.

At that time, June and I were still young and knew nothing.

But I’ll never forget, back then, Jolene leaned seductively against Roy and said, "Look at their faces. When they grow up, won’t they be for your enjoyment?"

"Just afraid by then you won’t want this old woman anymore."

Roy, without a care, reached into Jolene’s shirt right in the truck.

"What old woman? Even after ten more years, you’ll still be better looking than that pig Marlene."

"If only Dale were dead—always sneaking around, it’s really annoying…"

Judging by the time, Roy had been gone over twenty minutes.

By now, he was probably tangled up in an affair, sweating bullets.

This good show, of course, had to be shown to Marlene.

I took out the notebook again.

I wrote, "Marlene Barker will go visit Jolene Haskins," willing her feet to move that way.

Soon, Marlene, buttoning her coat, hurried off to Jolene’s house.

As soon as Marlene left, I called June to quietly follow, ready to watch the drama.

Roy was Marlene’s second husband.

Her first husband died in an accident, and Roy was her childhood friend.

Unfortunately, there was no childhood sweetheart affection between them—at most, Marlene was one-sided.

If Roy hadn’t been so broke he couldn’t find a wife, he probably wouldn’t have married a widow with a kid.

After marriage, Marlene put up with him, but if she found out about Roy and Jolene’s affair…

I wanted to see how this mean woman would react.

Just as I expected, when Marlene arrived at Jolene’s house, they were in the middle of it, oblivious to the world.

Dale wasn’t home, so Jolene and Roy were unrestrained—not even bothering to close the door.

As soon as Marlene reached the porch, she heard her own husband’s voice.

June and I hid behind a tree not too close or too far, and saw Marlene’s body stiffen. Then she kicked the door open and rushed in.

Marlene’s fighting power was stronger than I imagined.

I thought she would just curse up a storm, but she actually grabbed Jolene’s hair and dragged her out naked.

Well, not completely naked—Jolene still had a bedsheet wrapped around her.