Ch 4

I spent all day chasing down leads looking for Karofsky. I found practically nothing. No social media, no credit cards, no bank accounts, no money… nothing. It's like this guy just up and left. His last known family member died five years ago, his sister Lisa. No one has heard from him since.

Karofsky , Karofsky …. What did I know?

He used to be a high end baseball player back in the day, I was around 16 at the time. I fairly remember his name. He was going to the big leagues last time I checked. I'm not exactly sure what happened in between that time. Rumor has it he was on some major steroids. Another was that his coke habit got the better of him. Regardless of what truly happened Karofsky lost his contract with his team. He practically lost everything over night. Then he disappeared into a dead end job.

I huffed out a large breath of smoke, dabbing the edge of my cig in a broken glass. I was huddled over my desk with only the soft glow emanating from my desk light. I reached over for my glass of scotch and sipped at it slowly, savoring every drop. The night was damp and cool. You could feel the tiniest of breezes through the cracks of my window. I sat back in my seat and grunted out loud, eyes glued to the computer screen.

How am I supposed to find this guy? I'm not a fucking dick! That fucking kid… My eyes traveled to the small piece of paper on my desk. It was the address the kid had given me. I plucked the cig from my lips and dabbed the rest of the bud out, reaching for the address in the process. I clicked my lips and typed in the address. It was an abandoned building off of 6th street. I scratched at my jaw, clearly intrigued. How would the girl know about a place like this place?

I heard a movement from the back of my room. I froze for a split second. The sound of light footfalls echoed behind me. I easily recognized the steps belonging to someone petite and thin. A second later I felt a pair of arms wrap around my shoulders. Soft brown hair that smelled like fucking flowers fell onto my shoulder.

"Hey, are you coming back to bed?" she whispered in my ear.

"I'm working right now." I huffed out.

The girl bit my lower earlobe and ran a hand down my chest aiming towards my lower stomach. I let out a long sigh just as she slid her hand into my shorts and started stroking my dick. She continued her menstruations on me while placing open wet kisses on my neck. I rolled my eyes and grabbed her hand from my crotch.

"I said I was working." I pointed out, withdrawing myself from her, standing up. "Either go back to bed or get out of my apartment. I don't care what you do. Just leave me to my work."

The girl stood there a bit stunned. A second later she nodded and quickly disappeared into my room. A few moments later she exited my room and left the apartment, slamming the door loudly. I sighed with relief and locked the door behind her. I trudged back to my desk and sat back down, pouring myself another glass in the process.

I 'Google'd' Streisand and read that Barbara Streisand was a singer song writer and an actress. I briefly glanced through the movies she made and grunted. Never heard or seen any of them. I shook my head and exited the page. I refocused back on my work. I tapped against the keys, looking for Karofsky 's last known address. I knew he wouldn't be there but it was worth a try.

The next morning I went to Karofsky's old apartment. It was under new management. The guy at the desk had no idea who I was talking about. Regardless he let me take a look at his old room. I took the stairs and made my way to the third floor, room thirty two. The door was unlocked. I let myself in. The apartment was small, the walls thinner than a cardboard box. The place was empty except for the gutted green sofa in the living room. No one has lived here in quite a while. I checked the small closet sized bathroom. The paint in the tub was cracking. The mirror over the sink was dirty and dusty. I quickly lit up a cig and walked out of the bathroom.

This is fucking pointless. I'm not going to find shit here!

I walked out of the apartment and huffed out a smoky breath. The door across the hallway quickly closed. I eyed it sternly. That was fucking weird right? Curiosity got the best of me. I knocked on the door. Nothing. I listened quietly. Faint breathing…

"I can hear you breathing." I stated through the door.

"W-what you want?" the voice asked hesitantly.

"I just want to ask you some questions about the tenant who used to live across from you. That's all."

More silence. I could probably kick this door down rather easily if I wanted too. I heard soft movements through the door. There was a loud click and the door creaked open. A guy with dark hair and a moustache greeted me. He looked like he was in his late 20's. He smelled like weed. The guy's brown hazy eyes looked at me, checking me out with amazement.

"What do you want to know?" he asked.

"You know David Karofsky?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I used to fucks with that nigga."

I raised a brow, clearly a bit disgusted by his use of language and profanity. "What happened to him?"

"His sista got real sick a couple of years ago. When she past that fool couldn't handle it. He fucking lost his shit. And then he just fucking split man."

"Did he say where he was going?"

"You a cop?" he asked.

"I'm not a cop."

"Then why you fucking with him? He do something wrong?"

"I just need to find him."

"Prove you ain't wearing the blue."

I really didn't want it to come down to this. I quickly pulled out my gun. The kid freaked out and slammed the door shut. I kicked my foot into the door twice before it busted open. I entered the small apartment and checked the living room. Empty. Found the bathroom door closed.

"Yo man I don't want any trouble! T-take whatever you want. I ain't got much!" the man screeched.

"I want answers." I demanded loudly.

"Okay okay!"

"Get out of that fucking restroom now!"

"Fuck no, you gonna shoot my ass."

"You have until the count of three. If by that time you are not out here I will fucking blast through that door and put a bullet in you."

Immediately the door flew open. The kid had his hands in front of him.

"How long ago did he leave?" I asked.

"He left about five years ago."

I placed my gun back into my holster. "What do you remember about the day he left?"

"I don't know man! I just remember coming back home one day and his place was empty."

"He didn't tell you where he was going?"

"Fuck na man! We just chilled a bit sometimes. His sister's death really fucked him over!"

"He didn't leave anything behind?" I asked, feeling my head about to explode.

"Just a fucking box."

I quickly perked up. A box! "Where is it?"

"The b-basement." He quickly tossed over a key to me.

I nodded and placed the key in my pocket. "Sorry about the door."

The kid rolled his eyes as I swiftly turned and walked out of the small room and to the basement.

I trudged upstairs to my apartment with the large box of Karofsky's stuff. I grabbed my keys, attempting to open the door, when I spotted something on my doorstep. A yellow envelope. I glanced around the floor and saw no one. I continued staring at it, a bit unsure of myself. I carefully reached down and grabbed it. I lifted it to my ear. No ticking… that's a good sign. I placed it in the box and opened the door. I threw down the box on my desk and locked my door. I pulled out the envelope and opened it. It was a burner phone. That's weird. Who would- As if to answer my question the phone started ringing.

"Hello?"

"I see you finally got my present."

A sly smile flew to my lips. It's her. "Are you still following me kid? If you keep going at this rate, I'm going to assume you like me."

"How are you doing with Karofsky? Have you located him yet?"

"There's really not much to go on here kid. No one has seen him in five years. My bet is that he's already dead."

"He's not dead. I can assure you of that."

"And how far does your assurance go? If there's something you know-"

"I don't. I just…. Know."

I rolled my eyes and sighed. "That helps." I replied sarcastically. "Look kid, you're driving a hard bargain here. I'm not a P.I. and-"

"And I'm NOT a fucking kid." She repeated. "So what?"

"I think we should start negotiating my payment. We didn't get much of a chance to talk about it at the café and I think now is as good as any."

"You will have your money when the job is-"

"I don't want money." I countered.

There was a small silence. I could hear her breathing through the phone. "What do you want then?" she asked, clearly confused.

I grinned darkly. "I want your body for five nights."

"Excuse me!"

"You heard me."

"No! Absolutely no way! I'm not a whore."

I sighed. "Fine, only three nights."

"I'm NOT sleeping with you. I have a boyfriend!"

"I certainly don't want to sleep with you kid. I want to fuck your brains out for three nights. And that's my final offer."

"No."

"NO?" I scoffed. "I told you when we met. I don't want your money. And I refuse to take any at all."

"I will get you the most exotic and expensive girls. Any type you want. But I am not fucking you."

"I don't want any other girls. I want you."

"Then you are not getting paid."

"If I'm not getting paid then I'm going to hang up, throw this phone out, and trash everything that I've worked on."

"Great, then I will give Mr. Hudson all the evidence I have on you. Your life will be fucked and torn to pieces by the time I'm through with you."

She was giving me a hard on. I dug my hand into my pants. I started rubbing myself, getting hard as a rock.

"You wouldn't do it." I countered back.

"If you want to play this game-"

I quickly hung up the phone and threw it on my desk. I licked my lips and pumped myself even harder, a large smile on my face. I closed my eyes and started groaning loudly. The phone started ringing. I opened my eyes and stared at it. I pumped myself faster, laughing lightly as it continued ringing and buzzing. After about a minute it went dead. I bit my lower lip and stopped my movements. The room was quiet.

The phone buzzed again. I continued jerking myself, reaching over with my free hand, I answered it. Her breathing was hard and heavy over the phone. She was very mad and angry. The thought made me even harder.

"One night." She argued.

I shook my head, fighting the groan on my lips. "No." I heaved into the phone. "Three nights."

"Two."

"Three."

"One and a half."

I stopped. "One and a Half? What the hell is a half?"

"Dinner."

I stopped and pulled my hand from my pants. "Dinner…. As in a date?"

"It's not a date. It's dinner."

It's basically a date….

"Two nights and a dinner." I argued.

"Two dinners and one night." She countered.

I sighed. Damn… I should've taken the two nights.

"How about, 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner, and 1 night? Does that sound reasonable?"

"Fine, but they are not dates. And before we- Just- get yourself checked."

"Get myself checked? I'm clean."

"GET YOURSELF CHECKED AGAIN!" -The phone went dead.

I smiled and started chuckling to myself. I quickly loosened up my belt before digging my hand back into my pants again. That kid…. My hand continued pumping myself. It ain't over… The truth is, she needs me more.

I started rummaging through Karofsky's box and groaned. There wasn't much in there. There were about five old photographs, one toy car, old receipts, bills, two old used books, a porn magazine, and leftover food menus. Absolutely nothing. I sighed and stared at the old photos. There was one picture of Karofsky as a kid standing next to a girl and another kid. I looked at the picture. The girl must be his sister Lisa. I threw the photo down and shook my head.

"Fuck this…" I quickly grabbed my coat from the closet and threw it on. The night is just starting…

I pulled the wires tighter. Gurgling noises chuckled out from her throat, her hands clawing at the wire around her neck. After a few more seconds her hands fell to her sides, head tilting to the side. I released the wire and watched as her body fell to the wooden floor. I threw the wire on the floor and looked around at the tidy living room. Pictures were everywhere. Happy faces were being thrown at my face like some fucking movie marathon. I rolled my eyes and tried not to gag.

I walked into the hallway and was about to enter her room when something out of the corner caught my eye. It was a door with animal pictures on it. I froze. I slowly walked down the hall and entered into the room. A large frown pulled on my face as I looked into the dark room. Pictures of fishes and dinosaurs lined the walls. I quietly stepped into the room. There was a small little boy tucked away into the bed. There was a small night light right by his bed. He looked like he was about five or six. I sighed heavily and shook my head. I was extremely angry.

What the fuck is this kid doing here? No one told me about this… I pulled out my gun and aimed it directly to the kid's head. My finger pressed against the trigger but nothing happened. My hand started trembling out of nowhere. I stared down at the kid and tried once more to press the trigger.

I blinked and quickly shoved the gun back into my holster. I turned around and quickly headed for the door.

"FUCK!" I shouted out as soon as I jumped into my car.

My fists slammed into the steering wheel harshly. Anger coursed through me. I quickly grabbed my phone and started scrolling through numbers. My hands continued shaking harshly to the point to where I threw my phone down and continued slamming my fists into the wheel again.

"WHAT THE FUCK!" I yelled out and my eyes felt like they were about to pop.

I breathed heavily as my head fell back against my seat. I turned on the car and drove off. My mind was racing. As soon as I got to the first stop sign I quickly turned around and headed back to the house. I entered the kid's room and gently picked him up. The kid barely budged. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a stuffed green dinosaur and picked it up too. I carried the kid out to my car and carefully put him in the backseat.

Mercedes Jones….
Time of Death: 3:12am
Cause of death: Asphyxiation.

I drove to the fire station and parked the car. I placed the kid on the bench outside and covered him up with an extra jacket I had. I looked down at him sleeping soundly. This kid could sleep through anything. I slowly reached down and rubbed the top of his head. I bit down on my lip and quickly turned away. Without another thought and doubt I hopped into my car and left.

Miss me?