Look but Don't Choke

Chapter 23

     

     "Do you know who he is?" I practically whispered it into the phone.

      The rest of the day had gone as smoothly as I'd hoped. Delgatto never came back, but the rest of the family had sat for another forty-five minutes before Johnny proclaimed that he could finish the rest with the pictures he'd taken and we'd packed it up.

     Two days, he'd said to me. That's all it would take for him to finish the portrait and mail it to the family--but that's not what bothered me. That had been all he'd said to me since. But I didn't have time to worry about him, I was the one suddenly indebted to some random gangster.

     I'd called up Tia about it, hoping she could help me identify him. "A lot of people go through that house," she said. "He could be anyone. What did he say again?"

     "Just that he wanted a favor for silence. What kind of favor do you think it'll be?"

     I could almost hear her wincing through the phone. "Honestly? He probably tryin' to get in your draws."

     "That doesn't sound appealing."

     "Depending on how dangerous he is you might not have a choice." Her shrug was audible. "If he finds you somehow just say a prayer and let him hit. It'll probably be over quick."

     That definitely didn't sound appealing. "Could he want anything else?"

     "Uhh--he might ask you to hold something in the future. Or lie for him if the cops start asking questions. Be careful though. He might try to pull you deeper in. Like--you do something dirty for him, and he got you. You can't go to the cops after that, you're an accomplice. That's how they pull a lot of working girls."

     "I am not whoring myself in that club."

     "Mm hm. Look I got to go. I need to pick up my son from school and then I have to get to my shift at the club. I'll ask around tonight to see if anyone knows who was at the house last Saturday but I'm not in the inner circle like that."

     "Thanks."

     "I'll talk to you later."

     I hung up with her and leaned back in my chair, eyes closed and willing my problems to go away. Unfortunately, there was no amount of therapy in the world to get me out of this one. Wasn't much to do about the stress knot forming on the side of my neck either.

     I was about to go make myself a cup of oolong when the phone rang. I whimpered when I looked down at the caller I.D. and saw that it was Mrs. Cho.

     Should I just let it rang or...no Evie, you're a grown-up.

     I answered with all the bravery of a newborn chicken. "Evie?" Her voice was about as steady as steel, all things considered.

     "Hi, Mrs. Cho," I said as timid as a teenager.

     "You have news?"

     "Yeah, I'm almost positive that I know what happened."

      "Almost? It's been two weeks." Her voice didn't lose it's sternness. I'd be impressed if it wasn't so often directed at me.

     "I know but I've been busy. I have other things to do--"

     "Other things? Like what?"

     "Like life," I could feel myself getting heated but willed dark thoughts away. I just needed to get through this conversation and then I'd take a much needed break. "I have a business to run. I can't spend every waking moment of my day on this. There's only so much I can do at one time."