The Escort

42 - Repatriation

Michael's eyes were wide with shock as they shifted nervously between Bill's, and even though he wished it was all a very bad, distasteful joke, he knew in his heart it was all true.

He bit his lip with despair and grasped the old man's shirt, shaking him harshly. "And what the fuck am I posed to do now, huh?? FUCK!" He let go of Bray and kicked the coffee table, struggling not to cry.

His friend rubbed his forehead, tears dwelling in his own eyes, as he desperately tried to come up with something.

Michael paced back and forth, his chest heaving, hands on his hips. His mind was running at a thousand miles per second, the knot in his throat threatening to inhibit his breathing. "I must find her before it's too late..."

*** The day before ***

Juliette was feeling restless as she sat in the empty visitation room. The time she had spent in confinement had proven to be extremely difficult for her to get accustomed to, and even though her connections had granted her comforts and luxuries no other intern's ever had, she was desperate to get out.

The guard left the room under the visitor's strict orders, he was a very powerful man and everybody knew he was not to be defied. Le Bon's face lit up as soon as her eyes met his and she excitedly stood up to greet him.

"Thanks so much for everything you've done. The lawyer you sent did an incredible job and the district attorney looked defeated when she left the room"

The man smiled and gestured for her to sit back down as he took off his expensive trench coat and placed it on the other chair's backrest. "I'm very glad, Julie. You know there are many prominent people feeling quite uneasy and eager to shut this whole investigation down, asap."

"I'm aware, and I swear I haven't said anything. I just tried to divert them from the worst charge they indicted me of, my husband's passing..."

He raised a hand to make her stop talking. "I just came to ask if that girl is the only loose end."

Juliette frowned quizically before correcting him. "Well, actually it's two girls. I told Mesereau about Adriana's involvement in my husband's death, but I took it back thanks to the attorney and..."

"Adriana is no longer an issue. Now tell me, is that girl the only..."

The Madama's heart started beating hard and fast against her chest "Is Adri in jail? Did they get her? Oh my God..."

The man reached for her hands across the table to get her to focus and asked again. "Is Laura Carangi the only person we need to take care of in order to solve this predicament?"

Le Bon's teary eyes shifted between his cold ones and she shook her head. "N-no. There's a man. His name is Michael Jackson."

The visitor released her instantly, frowning. "Well, he's not to be touched." He quickly stood up, grabbing his coat and the woman hurried up as well. "B-but he knows too much, you need to get rid of him too!"

"Juliette, I'm handling this, so you keep your mouth shut or I'll consider you a liability, understood?"

She stood still, pale and nervous, but she knew how much power he had, how high up in the food chain his friends were, so she hushed and nodded.

***

Saul's phone rang insistently in his Milan Suite. He struggled to remove his numb arm from underneath the model that was tangled between his sheets as he tried not to wake the one that was passed out at the bottom of the bed. After hopping over the third girl on the floor, he picked up, rubbing his eyes. "Yeah?"