Part 18 (1/2)
”Sounds serious.”
”It is.” She led him to the couch and they sat down. ”You know how I feel about you, Manny. And I think you feel the same way. We're hoping to have a future together, right?”
”Yes, of course.”
”Well, the thing is...I have a problem.”
”How can I help? Tell me what I can do.”
”Okay. You know about how I'm supposed to make a lot of money from the project I'm working on?”
”Yeah.”
”Well, there's a man who wants to take that away from me. And that would destroy our future. We need that money.”
”So, you want me to go talk some sense into the b.a.s.t.a.r.d?”
”No. I'm afraid talking won't work.”
”How about I rough him up? That'll change his mind.”
”No. What I need...is for him to die.”
Mandibul hesitated. ”You want me to...kill him?”
”It's the only way.”
CHAPTER 29 - Tuesday, 9:14 p.m.
Cam was taller than your typical supermodel. At 6-foot-4, she was every man's larger-than-life dream Barbie. Some guys were bothered by her angular features. Others were oblivious to the fact that they were being turned on by a transvest.i.te. She would never do anything to burst their bubble. She lived for the fantasy.
But her dreams of a modeling career were history. Cam had become a realist. She was serious about her new work. After her brother, Tony, had failed, Poppa had told him to hand the job over to Cam. She was finally getting chance to prove herself.
And it was going to be so easy.
She had no trouble recognizing Megan. The seat across from the seventeen year-old was available, so she took it. When Cam crossed her legs, Megan noticed her bright red high heels.
”I love your shoes.”
”Thanks.”
”You must be a model. Or an actress.”
Cam smiled. ”Both, actually. I'm flying to Dallas for a local commercial shoot.”
”So, you live here in New York?”
”Yes. Most of my work is here. But I was free for this thing, so I figured, why not? It might lead to an acting career.”
Megan's face lit up. ”Wow. That's so cool.”
”Now, judging by your accent, I'd say you're a Texan.”
”Is it that obvious? d.a.m.n, I've got lose this accent somehow.”
”You dang sure better, Missy,” said Cam, in her best Texas tw.a.n.g.
Megan's jaw dropped. ”That's amazing.”
Cam laughed.
”How did you learn to sound like a Texan?”
”You pick it up. It's not that hard. But you've got to be careful where you use it.”
”What do you mean?”
”Well, a lot of people up here think you're dumb or gullible if you sound southern.”
”Really? Thanks for the tip.” Megan hesitated. ”But I guess it doesn't matter now. I'm going home. And I don't know if I'll ever get to come back.”
”Oh, don't say that, Honey. I'm sure things will work out for you.”
Megan began to cry, and wipe her eyes. She got up and walked to the restroom.
Cam waited a few seconds, and followed Megan into the restroom. Bending down to look under the stalls, she saw only one pair of shoes. And she could hear Megan sobbing.
Cam slipped back out to the entrance and looked around. n.o.body was approaching. She would knock on Megan's stall door, and the foolish little teen would open it to her new friend. Cam would step inside to console her, place her hands on the sides of Megan's sweet, young head, and give it a violent twist. After balancing the girl's corpse on the toilet, she would walk away, and mark the first notch on her kill belt.
The adrenaline rush was amazing. Cam's body tingled with antic.i.p.ation as she walked to the stall of death. She was about to knock when five college girls ran into the restroom.
Cam turned around and walked over to a sink. She opened her purse and took out her powder. The co-eds would get their business done quickly and clear out. Megan would be unlikely to exit her stall while the cheery babes were in the bathroom.
Cam counted the girls out of the corner of her eye as each one came out of a stall, washed her hands, and left. She was careful to avoid eye contact, not wanting to be remembered as the strange woman lurking in the restroom.
She bent down to look under the stalls. Yes. Only one pair of shoes. Cam hurried to the stall door and knocked.