Part 9 (1/2)
”Good. But first...I have a question for you.”
He stood erect, and looked directly into her eyes.
”Have you ever...killed anyone? I know you were in the military, and-”
”-yeah, I've killed a few men.”
”Was it hard?”
”You don't think about it. You're in survival mode.”
”I see.”
”The problem is...you think about it afterwards.”
”Could you ever do it again?”
”I guess. If I had to. Why? You got somebody you want me to knock off?” He smiled.
She giggled. ”Of course not. I'm being hypothetical, Silly.”
”How about I hypothetically pull your panties off and throw you down on the couch?”
”Better yet, do it for real.”
”Yes, Ma'am.”
CHAPTER 10 - Tuesday, 1:40 a.m.
Gabby waited for the traffic light to turn green. ”So, where are we going?”
”The Grande Pimpton Hotel,” said Rebecca.
”I know where it is. But it's two o'clock in the morning. What is she-a night clerk?”
”No. She's a hooker.”
”You're working for a hooker?”
”Yeah. But what I've been working on has nothing to do with her...job. It's about her daughter. Big Bill raped her.”
”That b.a.s.t.a.r.d.”
”He didn't force her. But legally, because she's underage, it's still rape.”
”How do you know she did it willingly?”
”Well...”
”You watched, didn't you? You videoed the whole thing.”
”I know-it's not pretty, but it's part of my job.”
”What in the world would make a young girl want to have s.e.x with that old fart?”
”To get a job at Cafe Nue.”
”Of course. So she could be discovered by a Hollywood agent.”
”Those young women will do anything to get a job there. I'd like to knock some sense into all of them.”
”Maybe Carly isn't answering her phone because she's busy, if you know what I mean.”
”Serving a customer?”
”Is that what she calls it?”
”Yeah. But no, it's not that. Not after midnight.”
”Maybe she already went home and went to bed. Turned her phone off.”
”She stays at the hotel for a while, to shower and recuperate.”
Gabby shook his head in disgust.
”Then she goes home to her husband.”
”Does he have any idea what she's doing?”
”Oh yeah, he knows. He doesn't seem to care as long as she brings home the bacon.”
”Is he a drunk? Or a lazy b.u.m?”
”Neither. He's weird. He works on cars all day long. It's all he cares about. And he's very good at it. Meticulous, but very slow. So he doesn't make much money.”
As they walked up to the hotel lobby, they saw their reflection in the gla.s.s doors. Their faces and clothing were s.m.u.tty. Rebecca's half-curly hairdo was leaning to one side.
Gabby said, ”We're a mess.”
”We look like we just had s.e.x in a dumpster.”
Gabby grinned at her. ”The s.e.x part sounds good.”
”Gabby.” She pushed his shoulder and he lost his balance, and nearly fell down. ”Oh. Sorry.”