Temptation Town

Temptation Town Read Online Free PDF Page B

Book: Temptation Town Read Online Free PDF
Author: Mike Dennis
Tags: Literature & Fiction, Crime, Mystery, Noir, Thriller & Suspense, Maraya21
wouldn't turn.
    I backed
up to check the windows in the house's rear. All four had Venetian blinds. All
were shut. I knocked again without taking my eyes off the blinds. One of the
slats in the window closest to me moved just a little. I went over and rapped
on the window.
    "Emily,"
I said without raising my voice. "Emily. I'm a friend. Cassandra told me
you were here. Please let me in. I'm here to help."
    No
answer. I tapped the window again.
    "Emily,
come on. I know you're there. Let me in." Still no response. No movement
of the blinds, either. "Okay, if you're afraid, call Cassandra and she'll
vouch for me. My name is Jack." I waited.
    About two
minutes later, I heard the door unlatch. It opened a few inches. Frightened
eyes moved back, slipping away from the opening, as I stepped into the dark
room.
    She was a
mess, a far cry from the sex-bomb photo in the magazine. Her hair, while still
sort of blonde, showed plenty of brown roots, and lay matted and tangled all
around her head. I guessed it was several days since she did anything with it.
She wore no makeup, while small dark circles attacked the undersides of her
eyes. Her small, thin mouth quivered as she looked me over. Natural beauty was
still somewhat visible, but I struggled to find it. She wore a gray hooded
sweatshirt that said UNLV in big red letters. Her jeans were torn in several
places. The holes were not a fashion statement.
    Hardly
any light could make its way into this room, but what little there was crept in
around the edges of the blinds. The room was tiny and sparsely furnished, with
a single bed, a small wooden table, and chair. What looked to be one of those
flashy new iPods and connected earphones rested on the table. A bathroom sat
off to one side. In the darkness, I couldn't make out the color of the walls,
but they looked white. Body odor hung over everything.
    "Honey,
are you okay?"
    She
nodded. Fear remained in the front of her eyes.
    All of a
sudden, it was 1992 again, and Lyla stood in front of me, her soul sliding into
the abyss, sucked down by her inner demons. All my money and all my love
couldn't bring her back to me.
    Lyla, please! Please don't!
    I said,
"Emily, I'm on your side. I know about this mess you're in. And I want to
help you get out of it."
    "Cassandra
…" she began. She stopped, then began again. "Cassandra was supposed
to come. She said she would bring me money."
    "Her
real name's Patty," I said.
    "Patty?"
    "That's right. Now I have money right here. I
brought it for you." I dug into my pocket for the rest of Lansdorf's
money. I gave it all to her. "Now, we've got to get you out of here."
    "No!"
she cried, as she stepped quickly away from me, cramming the money into her
jeans at the same time. "No!" She moved back even farther, her hands
now in front of her in a defensive posture.
    "Emily,
listen. It's not safe here. You've got to come with me. Beck's looking for
you."
    I stood
still. I didn't want to do anything that looked like an aggressive move.
    "No!"
There was no doubt that she meant it.
    I thought
about calling the police. But Beck was mob-connected, and North Las Vegas, a
relatively little burg, undoubtedly had their own way of doing things. Once it
got out the cops up here had her, there was no telling what could happen. I
felt she would be vulnerable. Plus, I was carrying my piece, so naturally, I
didn't want to open myself up to that kind of trouble.
    I thought
about taking her away myself, but in her hyped-up state, she would probably
resist. I didn't want to be seen dragging a screaming girl out of a house and
into a car in broad daylight. That could lead straight back to the local cops.
My options were narrowing fast.
    I spoke
softly. "All right. What's your plan. You've got the money. Now what are
you going to do?"
    "There's
a bus leaving tonight. I'm going to be on it. And you can't stop me."
    "Where's
it going?"
    "None
of your business!"
    "Emily,
I — I have to tell you, I'm a private investigator and your
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