The Escort

10 - Save her

It's been a week since Naomi's.

Michael tried to reach Laura, but his calls were being ignored and his messages undelivered. Apparently, she had blocked him.

She'd need to do a whole lot more if she planned to get rid of him.

After three business meetings, Michael was still in his office. He was sitting in his executive chair, twirling the scotch glass in his right hand, thinking.
He knew she didn't mean what she said, she was just afraid. But afraid of what? Why couldn't she just quit her job and be with him?
He was tired of wondering, he was going to find out. He reached for the intercom's button.

"Sally, please send Mr. Bray to my office. And you can go home afterward, thank you."

"Sure thing, Mr. Jackson."

He brought the glass to his lips, took a sip and licked them. He was in abstinence from Laura's taste. He tapped his foot on the floor, his gaze lost in the city's skyline, struggling to understand why he was so obsessed with that girl. Was it her beauty?
She was indeed breathtaking, but Michael was never a man to fall solely for looks. It was her soul, the way it oozed from her eyes. Her pain.

He felt compelled to take that pain away. He could see loneliness in her eyes, a loneliness that could be compared to his.

A loud knock made him shift his eyes to the door and he straightened up in his chair as he told Bill to come in.

"Hi Bill, please take a seat. I needa ask you something. Needless to say, this' only between u and me."

"Everything you ask is between you and me, Mike. My lips are sealed. Shoot."

"Thanks. I need u to run a background check on someone, but all I have is her first name. Will you be able to do it?"

"Any other data? Address? Phone number?"

"Yeah, uh, it's the girl that lives in the colonial house in Florence. And I've got her cellphone number. That any good?"

Bill sucked his teeth and grabbed the small piece of paper that Michael was handing him. He looked at it and slowly nodded. "Laura... Okay, I'll see what I can do, talk to some acquaintances and old fellow officers, run this number through their database, I'm sure we'll find something."

Michael nodded, his eyes were sad, his expression somber and Bill felt concerned for his old friend. When he stood up, Michael stood up too. Bill walked around the desk and placed a hand on the young man's shoulder. "Mike, please get some rest. And eat something, I can feel your shoulder bones."

Jackson looked down, pressing his lips together. Then he met Bill's eyes again and raised a hand to pat his friend's. "A'ight, Bill. I'll do that. Thank you."

***
The makeup removing wipe was cold and smelled of coconut. She carefully slid it across her eyelid. The cut was starting to heal, and the swelling was almost entirely gone.
Laura splashed her face with water and reached for the towel to slowly pat her face dry.

She grabbed her phone and called Jensen, in desperate need to talk to someone from outside her workplace.

"Hello?" His upbeat voice brought a smile to her face.

"Hey, Jens. How are you? Are you free to talk?"

"Oh baby, hey. I'm sorry but I'm in a fashion show right now, Joshua's about to come out. Can I call you later?"

She rubbed her forehead, struggling to contain the tears "Mm it's okay babe, e-enjoy the show. We can talk tomorrow. Have a nice time! Tell Joshua I said hi."