JL Short Fiction

Just across the hall 1

Description: An unexpected event brings the two of them together. This is where the romance between a police officer and a prostitute begins.

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She curled her hands around the key ring, debating the merit of swinging her elbow backward into the face of the man standing behind her. It probably wouldn't be the smartest move, but her instincts were telling her not to go inside with this guy. Of course, she noted wryly, her instincts picked a wonderful time to show up. Perhaps they should have tipped her off not to pick him up in the first place. Her hands shook a bit as she lifted them to unlock the myriad deadbolts. She needed the money. Really needed the money. From the cut of the guy's clothes, she knew he could pay ... and from the vaguely ill feeling he gave her in the pit of her stomach, she was almost certain she would be able to charge him extra for some of his special requests. That thought alone was enough to give her pause.

She was a whore, but she wasn't a stupid whore. She still had trouble with her left wrist from where one of her customers got upset with her almost a year earlier. This guy was giving her that same nasty vibe. Oh hell, she could pawn her television if it came to that. Anything was better than being at the mercy of some sick fuck she couldn't hope to take in a fair fight. Not that she intended to fight fair. She kept weapons hidden all over her apartment and wasn't afraid to use them, but still, if you could avoid a situation, it was always best to do so. She'd find some way to make rent this month. She took a deep breath and lowered the keys. Slowly, she turned around to face him. "Maybe a date isn't such a good idea," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

He stared at her blankly for a moment. "What?" he snapped acridly.

She straightened up, staring him in the eyes. "I changed my mind," she said firmly. "You're going to have to leave."

He snarled, slamming her back against the door. She didn't yelp. She had been expecting this. She managed to stare up at him without betraying the fear screaming through her veins. "Mark said you were good," he growled, "he said you did kinky shit and didn't ask too many questions. He didn't mention that you liked to back out of business arrangements."

"I don't," she countered, "but tonight feels off. I think we should both just go our separate ways."

He grabbed her chin and she could already feel bruises forming. "Listen you stupid fucking whore, I'm not leaving here until I get what I came for - "

"And what exactly would that be?"

Jennie didn't need to look down the hall to see whose voice it was, but she did anyway, as did her potential John. His grip on her chin loosened as he stared at the interloper. "Fuck off," the John spat. "This isn't your business."

Jennie groaned, closing her eyes. She could hear her heavy footfalls as she approached. She looked up in time to see Lisa pull open her leather duster and tuck it behind the pistol holstered at her right hip. The John tensed at the sight of the weapon and let his hand fall from Jennie's face slowly. Lisa flipped open her badge and smiled malevolently. The John backed up several steps, moving away from Jennie. "Officer, I don't want any trouble - "

"Detective," Lisa corrected curtly. "And I'd like to see some identification."

"I just - we were just talking - I, uh ... " the John sputtered. He backed up another step and fought the urge to snarl at the hooker leaning against her door, flaunting those sweet tits in her low cut top.

"We can do this here, or I can take you down to the station," Lisa bit out with a snarl. The John's beady eyes widened as she fumbled to get his wallet out of his pocket.

Jennie sighed and looked at her shoes. As far as next door neighbors went, Lisa was wonderful. She was quiet, she minded her own business and she was occasionally handy. One time two years ago, she helped her change a light bulb she couldn't reach. But for the most part, she avoided her. She was a cop and a rather anti-social one at that. She had never seen her with anybody else. As far as she knew, she didn't have any friends or family, but that really wasn't her problem. She gave her distance and she gave her hers. Jennie knew from the looks the other tenants gave her that most of them either knew or heavily suspected what she did to pay rent. Lisa could have made her life very unpleasant, but she seemed rather content to look the other way - until now. Maybe if she sold her television, her stereo and her car she'd be able to afford all the court costs for this little visit.