something that only
Debra would have handled.”
“Look, lady, I don’t got time for this shit. Every minute
I’m with you, I’m losing money.” The girl turned to leave.
Eris watched as Rob shifted his tall, broad-shouldered frame
and blocked the doorway. “You either give the lady what she asked for or I’ll
make a phone call to a friend, and then it’ll be a long time before you earn
anything but extended time in the exercise yard. Get my drift?”
The girl stepped back and Eris didn’t blame her. She would
have moved too if Rob was glaring down at her with his ice-blue eyes, which
looked cold enough to cut steel at the moment.
“Okay, man. Don’t get so worked up. I’ll be right back.”
The girl disappeared into an alcove that was divided from
the rest of the room by a large yellow curtain. Eris turned to Rob. “I
appreciate the help because I’m really not in the mood to have to body slam a
person to get what I want.”
He shrugged. “I didn’t do it for you. I want out of here as
quickly as possible and getting you what you want is the fastest way to achieve
my goal.”
“This place bothers you?”
“It reminds me too much of where I grew up.”
That tidbit of information caught Eris’ interest, but before
she could ask questions, Sky returned. “This should work. She only wore it on
special occasions, said it belonged to her grandmother.”
Eris took the delicate sterling silver heart pendant and
closed her hand around it. The piece grew warm then gradually the heat spread
up her arm and expanded until she could see its colors—Debra’s aura. Now she
had something to work with.
“I’ll need to keep this until Debra is found, so please let
the police know if she shows up.”
“Fine. Can I go now?” Sky asked in an impatient tone as she
popped her gum.
“Yes, I’m done.” Eris started for the door.
“No, I’ve got a few questions,” Rob stated.
Their words were said in unison and the girl looked at them
and rolled her eyes. Rob didn’t move from his position in front of the door.
“I’m finished here,” Eris stated between gritted teeth.
“Well, I’m not.” Rob’s words left no room for argument as he
turned toward Sky.
“I don’t give nothing away for free, mister.” The girl moved
close enough to Rob that she could run a hand down his arm. “If you’re willing
to pay for it, I’ll give you anything you want.”
Rob flashed a smile of pure devilment at Sky, making the
girl blush as he reached into his pocket. Eris rolled her eyes.
“It’s really hard to turn down such an offer, but I’m
working at the moment.” He pulled a twenty-dollar bill out of his wallet and
handed it to the girl. “Does Debra have a pimp?”
“She freelances like me. We don’t see no reason to give no
guy half our earnings.”
“What about an unsatisfied customer?”
“Debra always left her clients happy. The best advertisement
is a satisfied customer.”
“Did she owe money to her dealer?”
“She don’t do that kind of stuff.”
“When was the last time you saw Debra?”
“A week ago.”
“And what was she doing?”
“Leaving for work.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, ’cause that was the night I brought Tom-Tom up here.”
“Tom-Tom?” Eris couldn’t help but ask, even though she was
sure she didn’t want any additional information.
“He’s a client that lives out of town. He makes it in a
couple of times a month and pays well to stay here. I figure I might as well
take his money instead of some hotel. That’s how I know when it was. Tom-Tom
always brings some new toy that he leaves. That night he brought this whip and
he wanted me to—”
“Enough. I’m sure you’ve got the night right,” Eris said as
she turned and caught Rob grinning at her from ear to ear. Apparently he enjoyed
her discomfort. Well, she’d be sure that he didn’t see it again. “Can we go
now?”
“After you, princess.” Rob moved and opened the door.
She kept
Debra would have handled.”
“Look, lady, I don’t got time for this shit. Every minute
I’m with you, I’m losing money.” The girl turned to leave.
Eris watched as Rob shifted his tall, broad-shouldered frame
and blocked the doorway. “You either give the lady what she asked for or I’ll
make a phone call to a friend, and then it’ll be a long time before you earn
anything but extended time in the exercise yard. Get my drift?”
The girl stepped back and Eris didn’t blame her. She would
have moved too if Rob was glaring down at her with his ice-blue eyes, which
looked cold enough to cut steel at the moment.
“Okay, man. Don’t get so worked up. I’ll be right back.”
The girl disappeared into an alcove that was divided from
the rest of the room by a large yellow curtain. Eris turned to Rob. “I
appreciate the help because I’m really not in the mood to have to body slam a
person to get what I want.”
He shrugged. “I didn’t do it for you. I want out of here as
quickly as possible and getting you what you want is the fastest way to achieve
my goal.”
“This place bothers you?”
“It reminds me too much of where I grew up.”
That tidbit of information caught Eris’ interest, but before
she could ask questions, Sky returned. “This should work. She only wore it on
special occasions, said it belonged to her grandmother.”
Eris took the delicate sterling silver heart pendant and
closed her hand around it. The piece grew warm then gradually the heat spread
up her arm and expanded until she could see its colors—Debra’s aura. Now she
had something to work with.
“I’ll need to keep this until Debra is found, so please let
the police know if she shows up.”
“Fine. Can I go now?” Sky asked in an impatient tone as she
popped her gum.
“Yes, I’m done.” Eris started for the door.
“No, I’ve got a few questions,” Rob stated.
Their words were said in unison and the girl looked at them
and rolled her eyes. Rob didn’t move from his position in front of the door.
“I’m finished here,” Eris stated between gritted teeth.
“Well, I’m not.” Rob’s words left no room for argument as he
turned toward Sky.
“I don’t give nothing away for free, mister.” The girl moved
close enough to Rob that she could run a hand down his arm. “If you’re willing
to pay for it, I’ll give you anything you want.”
Rob flashed a smile of pure devilment at Sky, making the
girl blush as he reached into his pocket. Eris rolled her eyes.
“It’s really hard to turn down such an offer, but I’m
working at the moment.” He pulled a twenty-dollar bill out of his wallet and
handed it to the girl. “Does Debra have a pimp?”
“She freelances like me. We don’t see no reason to give no
guy half our earnings.”
“What about an unsatisfied customer?”
“Debra always left her clients happy. The best advertisement
is a satisfied customer.”
“Did she owe money to her dealer?”
“She don’t do that kind of stuff.”
“When was the last time you saw Debra?”
“A week ago.”
“And what was she doing?”
“Leaving for work.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, ’cause that was the night I brought Tom-Tom up here.”
“Tom-Tom?” Eris couldn’t help but ask, even though she was
sure she didn’t want any additional information.
“He’s a client that lives out of town. He makes it in a
couple of times a month and pays well to stay here. I figure I might as well
take his money instead of some hotel. That’s how I know when it was. Tom-Tom
always brings some new toy that he leaves. That night he brought this whip and
he wanted me to—”
“Enough. I’m sure you’ve got the night right,” Eris said as
she turned and caught Rob grinning at her from ear to ear. Apparently he enjoyed
her discomfort. Well, she’d be sure that he didn’t see it again. “Can we go
now?”
“After you, princess.” Rob moved and opened the door.
She kept