Chapter 8
Amy rushed into the diner, anxious because she was late, half-expecting Nicole to be gone. But Nicole was still there, sitting alone at a table in the middle of the diner.
Amy sat down, sliding along the bench seat, and nervously smiled at Nicole. But Nicole didn't make eye contact, just stared down into her coffee cup.
"I'm sorry, April," Nicole said, quietly, not looking up.
"Nicole?" Amy frowned.
It happened so quickly, Amy couldn't react. Nicole jumped up and rushed out. Immediately two men slid into the booth, one blocking Amy. The other sat opposite. Her heart thumped inside her chest at an exploding rate, fear escalating as she glanced from one man to the other.
Max and Terence. How had she not noticed them enter?
Amy glanced around. The place was empty. It wouldn't do her any good to scream. Pointless. Why hadn't she noticed the lack of patrons? Or the lack of staff? Too busy worrying she was late to meet Nicole. She wanted to kick herself for being so stupid.
"Hello, April," Max said, leering at her. "If that's your name."
Amy looked across the table, where Nicole once sat, as another man slid into the booth next to Max. Larry Harper made himself comfortable, his expression cold as stone.
"Amy," he said, coolly, pushing Nicole's coffee cup to one side. Cupping his hands together and placing them on the table, he leaned forward. "That is your name, right?"
Amy stared at him, speechless. How did she get out of this without ending up like Massey? She needed to calm herself, think on her feet. She tried getting over the terror that was silencing her.
"Amy Allen," Harper continued, pulling out some papers from inside his jacket. He placed them in front of her. "Says so right here."
She glanced down. Copies of articles she'd written; one even had an old picture of her. It was going to be hard to talk her way out of this one.
"Uh... I can explain... I... I was doing a story, looking at the girls that work in strip clubs and why they do it," Amy said, nervously.
"And you came all the way down to San Diego? Don't they have strip clubs in LA?"
"I'm recognised in LA... Thought San Diego would be a better place to get a more realistic approach for the article. I thought working undercover would get me more open answers from the girls." Harper folded his arms, leaned back in the chair as if listening intently. He remained silent, which unnerved her. "Look, I made a mistake. If you don't want me to continue then I won't...." She tried to stand up, but Terence instantly grabbed her arm and forced her down.
"Sit down, Miss Allen," Harper hissed. "You're not going anywhere."
Amy sat, trying to pull her arm out of Terence's painfully tight grip.
"Do you know a guy named Massey?" Harper asked, raising an eyebrow.
Amy felt lost for words, fearing what to confess. How much did he know? Probably everything if he had her full name.
"I believe he was a colleague of yours, wasn't he?" Harper continued his cool demeanour, showing no sign of impatience. "That was a nasty accident he had. If it was an accident... Maybe he'd been meddling in business he shouldn't have. What do you think?" Harper leaned forward and stroked Amy's cheek. She tried pulling away, out of Harper's reach but Terence held her tight. Harper's touch made her shudder. "Such a pretty face – be a shame to get it all messed up."
"Look, I'm sorry. But there has been a misunderstanding. Let me go, and I'll just go back to LA. I won't even print my story. Like I said, I was just trying to cover the girls who work in a strip club."
Harper chuckled loudly. "I don't think so, Miss Allen." Harper gestured to Max and Terence. "Get her in the limo."
"No, wait," Amy shrieked, struggling as she was dragged out of the diner. Her mind raced, thinking of Face. The note about the diner. Had she said enough for him to find her? "Somebody, please, help me." She looked around in desperation, but there was no one in the diner. No one to help her, answer her pleas. "I swear I don't know anything! Let me go!"
Amy struggled and fought with Max and Terence all the way to a black limo parked up on the kerb. Too strong for her, they shoved her inside, bumping her head, leaving her momentarily dazed. Max was right behind her, with Harper following. Terence got in the other side before Amy could even think about making a bolt for it. She sat wedged between Max and Terence, Harper sitting opposite on the back seat.
Max held her tightly. Every time she caught his eye, he leered at her, sending cold shivers down her spine. As she felt the limo pull away, Amy looked up, staring at Harper's arrogant expression.
"So, Miss Allen, how much do you really know about me?"
"I know you have at least three girls you're using as prostitutes," Amy said, determined. She might as well not beat about the bush. He obviously knew she was on to him. Maybe she could bluff that Massey had much more information than Harper thought. "Child prostitutes that you keep at a house. And that you move the location of the girls frequently, so they can't be found."
Harper sardonically clapped his hands.
"And I've sent a file to my office," Amy continued, ignoring Harper's mocking, trying to sound confident herself. "So if I don't show up in a couple of days, it will get opened, and it has enough evidence in there to -"
"You're lying," Harper said, calmly. "You're sweating, and your cheeks are such a pretty pink." He leaned forward and touched her cheek. Her heart pounded as she tried to lean back out of his reach, with little success. "Damn shame, you're a little... old."
"You'll never get away with this," Amy blurted. "I'm not the only person who knows about your -"
"Yes, your boyfriend. Don't worry; we'll make sure he disappears, too. Won't we, Max?" Harper sneered and Max nodded. Amy hated Harper's arrogance, his sickly calm manner. "I tell you what - let me show you this house. Unfortunately, it'll be the last house you'll see."
Amy closed her eyes and made a silent prayer.
XXXXXXX
"Hey, Face, can I be the good cop for a change?" Murdock said as he pushed open the door to the diner. "You know, you play the crazy one -"
"What?" Face frowned at Murdock as he entered. Murdock followed and they both glanced around – the place was empty.
"Sorry, I don't open for another half an hour," said a man standing behind the counter, tying his white apron behind his back.
"Really? Because a friend of ours was meeting someone here," Face said, scowling as he approached the counter.
"Uh... No. No one has been in," he replied, glancing at Face, then Murdock.
"Are you sure? We're looking for two women, Nicole and April," Face asked. "Do you know them? They work at Harper's, which is a couple of blocks away."
"No, haven't seen any of his girls tonight." The man shook his head, still not meeting Face's eye. "Like I said, we're not open yet."
"Are you the owner, Bill?" Murdock asked, glancing at the name badge on the man's shirt.
"Yeah, yeah." Bill nodded.
"So, when did you get here?"
"Uh..." Bill glanced up at a clock on the wall opposite, then back at Murdock. Yeah, definitely nervous. "Uh... nearly an hour, I think. I have to start up the ovens, get the kitchen prepared."
"So two girls didn't meet here about an hour ago?" Murdock frowned, watching the guy intently. He was sweating.
"I don't believe you," Face said coldly, his jaw clenched, as Bill shook his head. Face swiftly leaned over the counter, yanked Bill's collar and pulled him closer, jamming his gun into Bill's chest. "Stop wasting our time. Where did the girls go?"
Bill's eyes widened with fear, staring back at Face, then Murdock, who just smiled. It was obvious from the look in his eyes that Bill expected Murdock to make Face let go. So, Murdock was going to get to play good cop, after all.
Murdock placed a hand on Face's shoulder. "Hey, hey, Face, calm down."
"The man's lying!" Face shrugged Murdock off.
"Hey, hey, get him off me," Bill pleaded with Murdock. "Look, guys, do you want to take the cash?" He tried reaching for the cash drawer, but Face held his grip firm.
"I don't want your damn money!" Face spat at him.
"Okay, you better tell my crazy friend here the truth, bucko," Murdock said. He licked his lips, glancing at Face nervously. "He's uncontrollable when he gets like this. Last time, I didn't get there quick enough, and boy, it wasn't pretty." Murdock pulled a face, shaking his head. "Mess all over the place."
"Tell me!" Face jabbed the gun into the guy's ribs.
"Okay, okay!" Bill shouted, his words filled with panic. "I was just told to open up early to let Nicole in and not to ask any questions." Face yanked on Bill's collar. "I think Nicole went back to work."
"What about the other woman?"
"Other woman? There was no other-"
"You know..." Murdock pointed his gun at the man, clicking off the safety for effect, tired of playing games now - he wanted answers. "He's not really crazy. I am." Face kept a firm grip of Bill, pulling him over the counter. "Start spilling the truth, before I spill you, mister."
"Okay..." Bill was sweating, trying to hold his hands up in defeat. "She went with Harper and his men. In a limo. I don't know anything else! I swear!" He shrieked his last words. Face let go of him, pushing him back so that he lost his balance, stumbling behind the counter.
Usually this would be the part where Face would produce his cocky smile, but Murdock could see concern etched in Face's expression.
Face and Murdock simultaneously hid their guns as they rushed out of the diner and up the street to Face's car.
"Shit!" Face slammed the steering wheel as he started the car.
"Where do you think he's taken her?"
"I want to say the club, but he's probably taken her to the house."
"So go there."
"That's just it, Murdock. Amy and I don't know where the house is - we never found out that much. I had this great plan all worked out... Damn it. We'll go to the club - maybe someone in there will talk. I especially want to talk to Nicole."
