ANOTHER KIND OF DIAMOND (31 page)

Yesterday afternoon.

This outside job stuff is the most dangerous part of this business and I hate it so much but do we have choice? Rita said.

No we don’t, added Cindy. Anyways we all know this is a high risk job before we picked it up. Things happen a lot to girls on this job. Is either one girl is raped or the other beaten or another killed. Is not just a job for fools even though that’s what everyone think. You’ve got to be real smart to do this. You got to be bad, you got to be hard and you got to be smart, understand? That’s the game in our kind of profession.

Ok! She went on this outside job thing and what happened? Calais managed to say something again.

She went on the special delivery stuff and it got messy, that was what Danny told me. I heard three of them, Tasha, Ezekiel and Gomez were hired by some drug dealer to go deliver some fifty thousand dollars’ worth in cocaine and they accepted ‘cause each of them was gonna get two thousand grand. They delivered, got there money and was about to step out of the house but someone came out from who knows where and started shooting at everybody. Ezekiel managed to survive because he feigned dead until the Police arrived and saved him but Gomez and Tasha didn’t make it. It’s really bad out there these days. I don’t understand what is going on anymore, Cindy said.

What is going on is that we are in the wrong kind of trade, okay? Carissa said. And I’ll sue this club for letting Tasha go out there and die like this.

You think they don’t know how to take care of their shit? There is no record anybody sent her anywhere, okay? No contract, understand? Besides all they do is link you up with some guys but you don’t have to go anywhere you don’t wanna go, okay? So you see why you can’t work the parlor under-aged. Adults make their own decision and you can’t turn around and blame someone for what you choose to do simply because something went wrong, Cindy continued.

You are right! Rita said.

Every one of us has had some kind of bad experience working the Brothel Carissa so it’s not been fun always, okay? But for God’s little mercies, even I would have been dead by now, Cindy continued. I myself had another nasty experience last night and was just waiting to tell you guys about it before this bullshit came up.

Really! What happened? Rita asked.

You know, I went for outside job stuff last night too! Cindy began. I received a call from that duty manager dud at about 1am, he said some guy needed some home service and he asked if I wanted to take it, I said yes. Later I left with Jevons who was gonna shadow me, you know.

Ehen! Please continue! Rita who was really anxious to hear more said..

Anyways, as we got near the place this customer was supposed to be living, we could sense from afar that this is no residential area so Jevons suggested the guy might be living in a room housed in one of the office buildings but that is none of our concern, understand? All we needed was go where ever he calls home, deliver what he ordered for, pick up our pay and scram and I agreed with him. Eventually we got to that place he called home only to discover it was a bank building. We even took some time to look around real good until we were convinced this is the address the guy gave to us and Jevons dropped me off. Then I started walking towards the building and noticed this security guard. You know, I didn’t think that was out of place so I walked up to him and introduced myself. My name is Dee, you know, using my stage name and I’m supposed to be meeting some guy here. He seemed to think over something for a while. He wasn’t even looking at me but acting like he wasn’t bothered or something. Surprised, yet I didn’t show it but waited patiently to hear what he had to say. “I’m so sorry,” he started saying, but then I heard him say; “I’m the person that called you” and I jumped for it. That was all I wanted him to say and he gave it to me right away.

You don’t have to be sorry, okay? ‘Cause I’m here now and everything is cool babe! You want us to go somewhere special or something? I said still trying to be nice to him and stuff, you know?

What? The guy screamed and moved away from me when I moved closer to him, you don’t understand, he continued. I don’t really want anything from you, so I’m very sorry about this ‘cause is my mistake and I apologize. The thing is that I saw some Ads , some girls pictures and phone numbers in this Daily News Paper that I’ve in my hand and dialed ‘cause I wanted to know what will happen. I wasn’t thinking you’ll be here for real, believe me! I’m like that! I always want to prove things by myself. If you want to know, I’m from some country he said the name of the county but I don’t even remember that. And I came into the US only six months ago. There in my country, this kind of thing is impossible so, you see why I wasn’t thinking you’ll be here for real? I like everything I’m seeing though, but I’m sorry I can’t do anything with you because I’m married.

Are you serious? Rita cut in. When you think you’ve seen it all something pups out of the damned deep blue sea! Rita uttered.

Wait! You ain’t heard anything yet, Cindy went on. Shut your mouth fucker, I shouted at him. Enough of your nonsense, okay? I’m here for business and you wanna tell me fucking ass stories about some bullshit. Ok, all I get from all this stuff you are making up right now is you don’t wanna get down with me, ha? That’s fine! Just let me have the money. Your bill is a hundred bucks and as soon as I get that, I’ll be ready to get out of your face.

Now listen to this, I don’t have that kind of money, the idiot started ranting again. I’m on duty here or can’t you see? The only money I’ve with me is this 20 dollar bill and he had the boldness to put the fucking money in my face and that got me really upset. I just thought I couldn’t handle it anymore so I picked up the phone and called Jove. Hi Johnny! Some guy here is making some trouble, I said. And I was speaking so loud ‘cause I wanted that guy to hear me thinking he would get scared and play ball but no. Instead I heard him say, are you calling the cops on me or what?

Are you serious? Rita screamed.

Listen! Please don’t do that ‘cause I don’t want my wife to know about this! Cindy chuckled along with Rita. And he continued with all the bullshit stuff again and was still talking when Jevons came and stood right in his face with his 6 foot 2 height and massive flesh. Hi lover boy! Are you gonna do business or not? Jevons’s voice echoed.

I already told your woman I don’t want to do anything with her, he started again. Anyway let’s get out of here to some corner ‘cause I don’t want my family to hear about this at all. He led the way while we followed until we got to a sport and then he started repeating the same bullshit story he already told me but Jevons caught him short.

I don’t want to listen to any of your crap, okay? You wanna do business or not? Jevons was looking really menacing.

I’m a married man please. Just take your girl and go, the guy repeated.

And where were your fucking senses when you called us to come out here in the cold, eh? Are you crazy or something? Jevons was really angry and was showing it but did it matter to the guy? No! Instead he started talking shit again. I’m surprised this kind of thing could happen. How does a man call a girl he saw her picture on a News Paper without meeting and talking to her beforehand and then from nowhere she shows up and wants to do whatever with him. What if the man is evil, he could kill her in matter of seconds.

All that is taken care of sucker! Jevons told him.

Anyway I’m in shock right now because I never thought women go this far. This has thought me a big lesson!

And how do you like that, ah? Jevons asked.

I don’t know, he responded. May be attitude about them is going to change and they can’t blame me ‘cause they brought it on themselves. The guy was by now really working my nerves but I still kept my cool.

You better quit running your mouth, okay? You think I care a bit about what you say or how you feel? This is business, it is legit Mr. and business you gonna do, Jevons was almost shouting by now.

What kind of business is it? The guy asked without showing any sign he was ready to play ball. By now I couldn’t hold back anymore so I told Jevons we are wasting precious time arguing with this fellow ‘cause he is never gonna learn. That was when Jevons got rough with him.

Now your bill is 100 dollars, pay or you die. I will strangle you, put your body in the trunk of my car and go dump you some place where nobody will ever find you and I assure you nobody will even know I did it. I’ve done it before. Jevons threatened him.

Please don’t kill me, he pleaded like the coward he is. I’ve a wife and six children and I’m the only one providing for my family.

I don’t think you know who you’re messing with, understand? Do you think I give a fuck about your family history, ah? No! I mean, do you think I really care? Jevons tried talking real mean thinking this will brake him but not this guy. I know you don’t care but please don’t kill me, he said instead.

Pay up then and let’s get out of here! Jevons now raised his voice even higher.

I don’t have the money. Besides it’s too much. I understand you are probably doing your job Mr. but I won’t pay 100 dollars just for an hour with any girl.

Now listen up and listen good fella! We are here for business and business you gonna do, Jevons said and was gonna grab him by the throat again but he said; Ok! Ok! Wait please. I don’t have any money here but I’ve some in my bank.

Where the hell is your bank, damn it?

On Vermont Avenue!

That’s not too far from here, so why the fuss?

I know, but I can’t leave my job. What if my supervisor shows up?

Wait a minute! I don’t think you understand what you got yourself into Fella! Are you saying you’ll rather die than loss your job, ah? What kind of a guy are you?

I’m really afraid right now! I don’t want my family to know about this please, the guy continued.

You’ll then die, still afraid and I’ll like to see what that will look like on your cold miserable face, Jevons said and tried to grab his throat again.

Ok! Ok! Let’s negotiate please, the guy started again. Jevons looked at me and I myself was staring back at him. I didn’t even know what I was thinking anymore until I heard Jevons shouting, negotiate? Negotiate what? We ain’t talking about deals here, moron. All we want is the 100 bucks you owe us, that’s it! That’s for an hour though ‘cause once an hour is over we begin charging you extra 100 bucks for every 30 minutes so I advise you save you and your family some money? We’ve been here 30 minutes already and time is going. It’s probably gonna take another 30 to get to the bank and back and that’s if you are lucky with the traffic. So I advise you wizen up, fool!

Ok! “Take me to the bank and I will give you 50 bucks,” the guy had the boldness to utter again and I remember thinking that he is truly crazy and is like Jevons was thinking the same way ‘cause the next thing I heard was, “come-on men, there is a crazy fella out here tonight!” Jevons was shouting real meanly this time. “You give me 50 dollars?” “Are you kidding with me or something?” He moved really close again and now grabbed the guy’s throat for real.

Ok! Ok! Let’s go to the bank. I’ll take the risk and I will give you the 100 dollars.

That was how we got to his bank, he cashed and gave us $100 and then we took him back to his bank job just for being nice sake ‘cause we could have let him walk. He didn’t even have the courtesy to say thank you when he got off the car. He just worked away without looking back and I remember thinking that this is one of those bad guys out there. I wondered what the outcome could have been if I had gone alone, understand? He probably would have killed me to avoid paying the money or to keep the whole thing from his family.

See! This is the kind of thing I’ve been talking about, Carissa started. Now Tasha is gone and that’s really serious! Yeah! It is gonna be harder ‘cause I don’t know what I’ gonna do without her. Actually my mind is beginning to work in other directions right now.

Don’t go crying again Carissa. We gonna be there for you no matter what. We’ll always have each other, you know that! Rita stressed.

I know! But nothing will ever be the same without Tasha! No way! Carissa continued with bursts of tears.

I know something horrible has happened but there is nothing none of us could have done to stop it, Cindy continued trying to talk Carissa out of grief. Tasha liked doing that kind of job they went for yesterday ‘cause it brings in lots of bucks. If you pull it through, sometimes you make as much as five thousand grand or more and Tasha does it a lot and really experienced with it, so I wonder what went wrong this time. I don’t even understand why people kill with things like this, Cindy continued. You get your stuff and I get my cut so why some guys go crazy and start shooting and all that, I don’t know.

‘Cause they are greedy, Carissa started sulking. Some people just want to take the money and the drugs, go sell it to someone else probably kill the person too and the same thing continues. Some wanna simply kill everyone else and keep everything to themselves.

And they got our own Tasha this time! We shall miss her a lot! Rita began again. But it could have been any one of us you know. I think the rest of us need to be really careful. A lot of weird things happen at the club you know. Some you get to hear others no one talks about. There are lots of rumors making the rounds these days about things happening to girls like us that sometimes I get scared but because I don’t know what to do, I try to remain calm.