The Girls Club (6 page)

It was a nag.  Maybe there was a loyalty here she had never encountered before anywhere else.  It did seem doubtful though.

There was only one way to find out who was at the top.

That was to get there.

Chapter 4

It had been three weeks.  So far she had dodged the ‘Carolyn’ bullet with an art and flair worthy of a ‘Matrix’ character.  Minnie had asked her to spend the night with her again, Karen had politely declined, she had told her that she wanted to keep her mind free to progress.  Minnie looked wounded by this, but there was no mistaking the smile on Skylar’s face later that day.  Karen was pleased.  Minnie had someone who loved her, even if the silly bag couldn’t see it.  Skylar was pleasant enough.  She remained in the Chain though.  Karen guessed maybe she wanted to see for herself what all the fuss was  about.

Guess she’d get her wish if things followed their natural progression.

It had been a fun job to learn.  She had gained an unhealthy fear of the roads though.  It wasn’t so bad when Rochelle was taking her across town, she had no compunction at all about stepping in front of traffic.

Back at her little cubicle she was integrating nicely.  Couple of pictures of mum and dad were on her desk.  Her mouse mat of Sonic the Hedgehog had pride of place and her tub of playdoh was often ‘woman handled’ by people stopping by her desk to chat.

Which they did, with their sporadic interest into the life and love of the Brit girl.  It was nice.  Everything was very open.  No one hiding any dark secrets, the occasion instance of ‘occupied back room’.  She heard tell from Rochelle that it was taken for granted that if you were overcome and a crime of passion had to be committed then the back filing office could be used for just such a purpose.  As long as you were on a scheduled break that was.  When it came to keeping morale high, you just couldn’t ask for more from your boss.  A tryst in between fragrant files was something she hoped one day to explore.  But first there was the issue of the receptionist with the glowing teeth.

“Just think of it like going to the dentist. A prick, pull and a cry. Then you can get on with the next girl”

Rochelle, dearest gopher, was a fountain of knowledge on the matter and Karen used the resource often.  Even at her moderate status within the office she had risen to dizzy heights on the Chain at one point.  You could go down the Chain as well as up she had found out.  When people were added, if they surpassed you, down you went.

Amidst the piles of paper she was wading through her mind was running along its own tracks.  Filing wasn’t brain surgery and she always saved it for the end of the day when she wasn’t at her sharpest.  It was pleasant enough. 

Around the corner from her cubicle she heard a commotion.  Something going on in the canteen area. 

Huh?

Never had she heard a voice raised in anger since getting here but there was no mistaking the raw passion she was hearing now.  Someone sounded very angry.  She went round to see what was going on, no need to sneak, open as everything was.

Skylar was stood with Rochelle, a few other women were present.  Rochelle had a split lip and what looked like a bruise rising on her left cheek.  Karen felt absurdly offended by this, “What the bloody hell happened?” Skylar was opening a first aid kit.

“Go get me some cold water in a dish please” Sky put the kit down and went round the corner into the canteen.  Karen looked over at a small timid looking girl whose face was all eyes, “Get her a coffee, put plenty of sugar in it, cheers” she asked another gawper.

And just like that she was in charge of the situation.

“What happened? Looks like you pissed someone off” she took the dish of cold water from Sky and dumped some cotton wool from the first aid kit into it.  Rochelle was ashen, on the verge of tears.  The quiet watcher came back with the coffee and put it in front of Rochelle.  “Thanks, ok guys, give her some room” Sky shooed them away.

“Shouldn’t we call the police?” Karen asked Sky, Rochelle had yet to speak, she took a sip from the coffee and grimaced as it stung her swelling lips.

“It’ll depend on what happened, come on Rosh. What was it?”

“Demi.”

“That bitch!” Sky spat.

“Who’s Demi and why would she do this?” Karen dabbed at the blood on Rochelle’s face with the damp cotton wool.

Sky stomped down the other corridor, the one that led past the execs to Miss Steiger’s office.  She guessed it was time to let the boss know what had happened.

“Who is Demi?” she asked again.

“She’s the PA to Miss Smythe. Over at Prestons”

She looked at Karen with an expression on her face that said that should explain everything.

“Elaborate. I’m British” she got a smile out of her for that one.

“Preston’s, they have a few girls on the Chain, Demi, well, she’s such a fucking hard ass, she hasn’t ever much liked me.”

“Why?”

“Because my report kept from going any further. I mean, that was months
ago! And the rules of the Chain are love your friends! If you don’t progress you can always try again, there are always other people to meet. Other ways to get by. She doesn’t play by the rules. Swore she’d get me” A tear rolled down her face.

“Oh Rochelle! I knew I shouldn’t have sent you” Miss Steiger was stood there in her bare feet, hands on hips, shaking her head.  Her eyes were alive with fury, her neck was red.

“She got me in the car park” Rochelle spoke quietly, as if she was ashamed that she’d had such a thing happen to her.

“Demi?” Sarah didn’t speak the word, she growled it.

Sky clapped her hands to her mouth.  This was faux pas.  You DID NOT touch someone on the Chain without going through the proper channels.  Things like this were settled officially.  You wanted to beat a broads brains out - you did it fair and square.  This was something Karen had never suspected.  But she was learning fast.

Sarah Steiger bent down in front of Rochelle and maternally rubbed her chin, Rochelle’s eyes shone down at her and told her all that she needed to know.

“Sky?” she asked softly, “Yes Ma’am” Sky stood to attention.

“Get me Smythe on the phone. Now” And off Sky went like a shot.

Karen’s head was spinning by this point.  She kept staring at the split on Rochelle’s lip, it was going to be very sore when the whelk finally stopped growing.

“Karen.”

Yes Ma’am!

“Yes Miss Steiger?”

“Take Rochelle down to the bar. Put six drinks in her and take her home”

“What about the police, she knows who did it” Karen felt that this was being ignored, that the police should be sent round there to ‘apprehend’ this Demi and her swinging fists.

Sarah Steiger looked back at her over her shoulder.

“We take care of our own business. Don’t we Rochelle?”

And Rochelle nodded in the affirmative.

“Ok then.”  This went against the way things were supposed to, but rules and the people who made them did as they saw best she presumed.

Just before she stepped round the corner to walk her ‘corridor of power’ she turned back to the pair, “Karen, I want you to stay with Rochelle tonight. I don’t think she’s concussed but you never can be too careful”

“Yes Miss Steiger”

“It’s Sarah when you’re doing me a favour”

Was that an electric shock down your spine just then?

“OK, we’ll see you tomorrow, Sarah”  Their eyes locked.

She smiled and went off down to get the call Sky had placed for her.  Miss Steiger looked ready to kick ass and chew bubble gum.

“You heard the boss” she hauled Rochelle to her feet.  The tidying up had gone well, with the dried blood gone you could see she was going to be badly bruised tomorrow but other than that the girl didn’t seem in too bad shape.

A few of the women watched them leave, she grabbed Rochelle’s coat, Minnie hopped round the corner and looked at them both.  Her face fell. 

“You alright Rosh?”

“Yeah. Demi”

“Fucking hag.”

“Night Minnie”

“Night Karen. Love your friends.”  She hugged them both and straightened her face.  Karen hoped Minnie wasn’t getting too hung up about their one night together because she quite frankly wasn’t arsed in the slightest if they did it again, beer might make magic happen, but it took sobriety to remove the curse.

It was a little easier after they’d each had a beer.  Karen wouldn’t drink any more.  She’d be driving them home and she hoped to God above that the other drivers would sense her alien attitude to their driving here.  It would be a first for her.  She wasn’t looking forward to it at all.

The chap behind the bar motioned to her and she went over. 

“Call for you”

Taking the cordless handset from him she hoped against hope this wasn’t dire news.  But then again, she was getting a call in a bar.

“Hiya”

“Hiya Karen, just checking you guys are still downstairs”

“Yes Sarah. We are”

Have you got anything on your feet missy?

She wanted to make small talk and curl the telephone cord round her finger.

“Good. Stay there. We have a bit if situation now. I’m sure you’ve heard the name ‘Demi’ mentioned?”

A pit in her stomach was rolling now.

“Yeah. Some bad blood was mentioned”

Turning to look at Rochelle her heart went out to the lass, she looked all forlorn in the dim light with her half empty bottle of beer and bruising cheek.

“Well. I will schedule a meeting to explain the greater intricacies of how we deal with things but for now I have to mention this. When someone beats on someone in the Chain it’s a very serious matter. Smythe, her superior, is obligated to send Demi here to apologise, escort her if necessary”

This is the wrong thing you’ve been looking for.

Nah.  There was Chain ’etiquette’, that was all.  There was certainly no need for people to go round smacking each other.  It riled her badly.

“The penalty is loss of standing on the Chain. I don’t need to tell you how mad this Demi is going to be. After all, this all started with the Chain. Now she’ll be off it”

Oh happy horse shit.

She was potentially babysitting a homing device for an angry lesbian who had now had her sex supply cut off.

Fucking fantastic.

“I get it.”

There was quiet on the line for a moment.

“I hope so. Because they can’t find Demi.”

Thump!

Her heart rose to her throat.  Oh Good Lord!  Karen wondered how much of the karate she did at 13 would be usable now and felt that off-balance sense of vertigo.  With a brisk mental fore hand and back hand she set her jaw straight and turned to smile at Rochelle.  She looked very sleepy now.

“Ok Miss Steiger. I’m going to take her home now”

A sigh on the line.  “Ok. Get a pen and paper.” She motioned to the bar tender and he slid a place mat in front of her and a ball point.

“This is my number” Karen jotted it down as Sarah gave it.

“Straight home. Any trouble you ring me.
Immediately.”

“Sure thing”

“Are you up to this?”

In her heart she found no fear, only disquiet.

“You bet.”

“Good fucking job girlie! Ok. I’ve got your cell number. I’ll let you know when we have Demi under wraps”

Under wraps?

Must just be an expression.

“
Stay with her!
And if she’s up to it I’ll see you both in the morning.”

“No problem”

She heard a smile in Sarah’s voice as she wished her good night.  Karen gave the phone back to the bar tender and looked over at her first LA friend. 

“Come on tinker. Lets get you home”

“You talk funny” Rochelle grinned around her swollen lips.

“That makes us equal.”  They strolled to the under ground car park and Karen instantly went to get in the wrong side.

Other side pillock.

They might just end the night in an emergency room.  Opposite side of the car.  Opposite side of the road.  Opposite side of the world.  She couldn’t fault the excitement levels of her life since coming here.