Fitting in

Chapter Two

Hearing no sound from the hallway, Frankie ran for the bathroom, retrieved the phone and to her relief saw Carlos phone number. Her frantic Hello was answered by Carlos calm "What's up?" Frankie forced herself to be calm and explain the situation. When he asked where she was she told him she was not certain but was almost positive she was still somewhere around the City. Frankie gave the bar name then asked, "Can you trace the phone if I turn off the ringer and hide it?" Carlos calmly told her, "It should not take too long to trace. Stay hidden with the phone." Frankie argued, "No they be looking for me but they won't look here for a missing phone if I am not up here. I have to go back down to the bar. I'll try to stall but I might have to go to a bedroom out the backdoor of the bar. The phone will be upstairs but I will most likely be downstairs. Unless it is a while and I have to go shower up the steps in the back hallway. Please just tear the place up if I am not in the bar."

Without waiting for an answer Frankie hung up the phone, muted it, and hid it back behind the wall. She heard nothing in hallway, wrenched open the door and ran down the stairs. As soon as she entered the Bar she saw her Pimp, Cole talk into his phone while gesturing for her to approach him. She swiftly went over to him and gave him the money. He suspiciously demanded to know where she was because he had had her bedroom checked. Frankie was a good liar. The only time she ever showed any emotion was when she was lying. She vaguely pointed upstairs and told him emotionally that she had just needed a minute to herself. She was fine now and ready to get back to work. Cole shook his head and told her she had made enough money for her first day.  Instead she was going to go out with a potential buyer named Phillip. She was to be really nice to him because her life would be much easier if he bought her. He pointed out a well dressed man sitting at a table and engrossed in a conversation with two other nicely dressed men in suits.

Frankie panicked. She should have kept the phone with her. If this Phillip took her away from the bar, she would not be here when Carlos showed up. Then they would instantly spirit her away after he showed up searching for her. Perhaps Phillip would be awhile talking to the men but it did not look like serious talk. She quickly lied, "That sounds great but I promised that guy over there that he could be next. I really should take care of him before I leave with Phillip." Cole shook his head and said the guy would just take one of the other girls. Frankie looked distressed and looked uncertainty between a guy she had noticed earlier and Cole. The guy noticed and looked at her questioningly. She gave him a wave and headed over to him before Cole could say anything. As soon as she reached the man she tried to convince him to take her to the back. The man reluctantly said, "Uh sorry but I do not have any money left. I'm just waiting for my friends." Frankie grabbed his hand and said, "It is a freebie. The club is trying a new promotion and you have been selected." The man hesitated asking about her age. Frantically Frankie said, "I am 18." The man hesitated and asked, "Are you lying Delilah? You look young and are new here. I know young is what most guys like but I'm just not into it honey." Frankie pulled him along and said, "I just look young but actually I am 20. I just lie about it because guys want me to be young."

The guy shrugged and followed her to the back. Frankie was torn between relief and dread. If Carlos was not here by the time she came out Cole would think she stole the money. Who knows what he would do to her. Plus she felt guilty. This guy did not want to have sex with a kid and she was tricking him into it. He went to touch her chest and she admitted, "Actually I am only 14. I just needed to get away from Cole until my rescue got here." The man sat down on the bed rubbing his eyes and groaned, "Shit kid. Why me? I ain't looking for no trouble." Frankie waited for him to go back to the bar and tell Cole but instead he just stared at the floor. She just stood there and waited. She was thinking how she should have listened to Carlos and just stayed hidden in the bathroom.

Finally the man said, "Exactly how long before this rescue happens?" Frankie hesitated and then admitted, "Well he has to trace this phone I got first in order to find me. Cole was going to send me off with this guy Phillip and then I wouldn't have been found." The man signed and said, "Yeah OK. 14 is too damn young. We'll just wait here for someone to show up. Cole ain't gonna go for the freebie thing and neither of us got money for him." Feeling guilty Frankie plopped down beside him. Neither spoke as time seemed to stand still.

After a while they heard Cole yelling, "Delilah". The man sighed, put his finger to his lips and with his other hand pulled her to the wall that the door opened up on. The door lock was picked and Cole looked confusedly at the empty bed. As he took a step into the room the man pushed the door closed and hit Cole in the face as hard as he could. Cole staggered back and reached for his gun. Frankie got there first, grabbing the gun and backing away trying to figure out how it worked. She got the safety off as Cole tried to grab his gun back. With the gun inches from Cole she pointed it at his head and pulled the trigger. The noise was deafening and she turned and pointed the gun at the closed door. She could see Cole crumpled on the ground and the man backing away looking shocked.

The door handle turned and she waited without emotion. A huge man pushed the door open pointing a gun at her. She recognized him as Manuel and lowered the gun. Manuel pointed his gun at the man and asked, "Did this guy touch you Frankie?" Frankie answered, "No he was hiding me Manuel but he was worried about getting in trouble." Manuel took out his phone and said, "Found her boss. She has a guy with her that she says is helping her and she already shot the other guy in the room. He looks dead." Frankie followed Manuel to the bar and the man ran out the front door. It suddenly occurred to Frankie she did not even know his name.

Carlos was suddenly there holding the phone she had hidden. Carlos gave her  a rare complement with, "Nice hiding job Frankie". Frankie felt proud as he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the bar. She saw dazed looking girls wondering out the open door of a close by shed and heard one of Carlos men telling them 911 would work on the cell phones of the dead guys. Then she was in the passenger side of Carlos black shiny car and driving away. She looked back and saw several cars pull up to the bar and get out guns drawn. Then they were out of sight and Carlos was entering onto a freeway.

Still driving Carlos asked, "Are you set on killing Marvin, Frankie. Frankie angrily demanded, "Why? You don't think he deserves to die? I can manage this Carlos. Just drop me off on 1st. Carlos replied, still calm, "He will die Frankie. I just want you to have an alibi and we need to get rid of that gun." Frankie looked at her hands and realized she was still hanging onto the gun. She had forgotten all about it. She put the safety on and looked at Carlos questioningly. He said softly, "I know you try to stay invisible Frankie but when I tell you to you have to be noticed for the time of his death. An hour at the most and I will let you know when. Too many people know Marvin was living with a street kid. I will try to make it look like an accident but just in case Cops get suspicious." Frankie nodded and Carlos then asked, "Were you ever in love with Marvin?" Frankie shook her head no.

Carlos nodded and said, "OK then Frankie. You know you owe me right? Her heart pounding Frankie nodded again. They pulled up in front of a grocery store with apartments above it. Frankie followed Carlos in and he went to the old female owner and said, "I need her to have one of your apartments Marie. She will pay the rent and if she does not have the money call me." He handed Marie a card and Frankie argued, "I do not need your favors Carlos. I can find my own place to stay." Carlos looked her in the eye and said, "You owe me Frankie and this is what I want. No more living with assholes. You pay the rent here and call me if you have a problem. Do you understand me?" Frankie trusted Carlos more than anyone she knew but right now she felt terrified of his blank stare. She compliantly  nodded as he paid the woman and took the gun from her. He handed her a cheap prepay phone and told her he would let her know when to create the alibi. As he was leaving he suddenly stopped and grinned back at her saying, "Bye Delilah". Frankie's heart sank. She had really been hoping he had not known about that name but Carlos always knew everything.