(lxxxvi.)

"What'd you do that for?" The District Coordinator demanded. He rubbed his shin. "It's not polite to kick people y'know."

"Mmrrrrrrfff!" Muffy screamed, trying to chew her way through the gag.

"What's that? You want to tell us where your fiance is?"
"Mrff! Mrrrrrrrfffrrrff," she mumbled, shaking her head.

The District Coordinator pulled the gag down out of her mouth. "Let's try that agai--"
"I don't know where he is!" she cried out.
"You don't."
"No."
"No idea whatsoever?"

She shook her head, and sniffled, meekly.

"He said he had something to take care of, and that he'd be back as soon as he could."
"But he didn't say where he was taking care of what it was he was taking care of?"

She sobbed.

"No."

There was an awkward silence.

From the front seat of the van, Louis called out, "So now what happens?"
"Just keep driving," the District Coordinator insisted, "I'll, uh, think of something."

The silence continued.

Suddenly, the District Coordinator blurted out, "He didn't say anything about someone named 'Lorelei', did he?"

"I thought we killed her!" Louis cried.
"No. She, um, didn't die that time."
"'Cause I know she got out of the truck. But didn't you say that Chet shot her?"
"Yeah."
"Well?"
"Well... she kinda wandered away. She might still be alive. I mean, he shot her pretty good, but we couldn't find her. So she might still be hiding somewhere."

He turned back toward Muffy. "So... Anything to do with Lorelei?"

She nodded, meekly.