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Decadence
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Sara Lou
Sara Lou

Feb-24-2009 15:17

"Sweetheart, come back here! You're too close to the street," I called.

My three-year-old smiled her father's smile at me. " 'kay, Momma."

I felt my heart swell as I smiled and ruffled her long, dark blond hair. She inherited that from her daddy, too. "Decadence, baby, I've got to go to work now. You be good for Ms. Martinez, okay?"

"Yes, Momma." Deca turned and smiled at our neighbor, Ms. Martinez, before turning back to me. "Is it a bad case, Momma?"

I laughed. It's amazing how fast kids pick up on their surroundings. "No, hon, just paperwork." I gave her one last hug and kiss, then slid into my car. I watched her wave good-bye in my review until I could see her no more.

"Geez, they grow up so fast," I muttered as my cell phone trilled. "Yeah?" I answered.

"There's not much time left," a woman shrieked.

My assistant, Nancy. "Nancy, what are you talking about?"

"Someone slipped a letter under the door. It had your name on it but I opened it anyway; if it was a secret they would've mailed it, right? 'There's not much time left; soon you won't see her,' it says. Oh, Sara, they're going to kill me!" Nancy cried.

"Oh, cut it, Nancy. Why would they kill you? They'd get more of a response if they were threatening..."

"Decadence," we said together.

Replies

Joey
Joey "Bulldog" Bane
Washed Up Punter

Feb-26-2009 14:44

I stayed in the truck and lit up a cigarette to make time pass faster. The whole situation didn’t smell right. “Dumb bastards”…I grumbled. “I’ll teach you a lesson for trying to cheat me out of my dough, if that’s what this is!” I reached with my hand for my ankle in order to pull out my stubnose and keep it at hand just in case. “To hell!” I exclaimed out loud. “It’s not here!” I started to search in the cabin to see if I dropped it somehow. A flashback then came in my eyes…”Last night…she was playing with it…I left it Ava’s!”

Things were not looking good. My instincts were telling me I was close to a dangerous situation and I didn’t have anything to defend myself with. I opened the door and then let it shut back, but just enough for the hook not to catch. This way I could make a quick exit if needed. I stayed in the truck and decided to wait.

Lolita Marinez
Lolita Marinez
Sleuth About Town

Feb-26-2009 15:15

OOFF! I moaned as I hit the ground. The car had pulled into a parking lot behind the Cat's Eye club and the goon on top of me had opened the door and shoved me out. In the blink of an eye he was out over the top of me and dragging me up. Decadence was still giving the guys in the car a hard time. She had her mothers spirit that one. She wasn't going down without a fight.

"Lolly" she screamed as she watched me being dragged in a back door of the club. That was the shortened version of my name she had started using when she first learned to talk and couldn't manage Lolita.

The goon threw me roughly in the corner and I hit my head. "Oh no" please don't let me pass out now I thought. My vision was going fuzzy.....the blackness was caving in....I fought against it. A picture of Sara screaming at the front door in my mind. I managed to stay conscious....."I need to be strong for Deca" was all I could think.

The goon who had dragged me in grabbed my hands and tied me up. With my hands behind my back and my ankles tied I felt like a pig about to be roasted on a spit. I lay there helpless as the other 2 goons dragged Decadence inside still kicking and screaming. The third goon got more rope and between the three of them they managed to tie and gag Decadence.

Across the room a door opened and the frame was filled with the body of a large man......this must be the boss man I thought.
"What is going on here!" he demanded "I told you to get the little girl, not pick up dames as well. I just needed to send a message to that nosy broad Sara to back off. She won't EVER find out who was holding the gun the night her husband was shot. RIGHT" He looked pointedly at his goons.

Lolita Marinez
Lolita Marinez
Sleuth About Town

Feb-26-2009 15:19

The Boss Man walked over and surveyed me lying on the floor hogtied. His face was mean and he looked at me with disgust as he turned back and said "Take this one to the old rail yard and LOSE HER.........FOR GOOD!"

2 of the goons picked me up and threw me in the backseat of the car. After driving only about 2 blocks we turned into another yard. I was manhandled out of the car and thrown headfirst into the back of a truck. I hit my head and as I was blacking out I heard "Bane will be here soon. This is just an added delivery he never needs to know about......the guys at the yard will take care of the rest............" The blackness came and I lost consciousness................

Sara Lou
Sara Lou

Feb-26-2009 17:01

"Ugh. Gotta pee," I thought. After about half an hour of trying to pump me for information, the woman (who'd introduced herself as Scarlet Master) gave up and left.

"I see you're a bit too upset to talk right now. I'll come see you tomorrow, okay?" she'd asked.

"That's standard procedure, doll. I don't have a choice. I'd actually prefer to have never met you," I answered, unable to keep the ice from my voice.

She flinched at my harsh words, but quickly donned her work face. I smiled to myself. "Detective in training," I thought, even as I spoke. "It's nothing personal. If my daughter was here, you wouldn't be."

She nodded, but still seemed unsure. "See you tomorrow, then."

I nodded and she left.

Although hours had passed, I still sat on the stoop. What could I do? The cops could take days, or weeks, maybe even months, to find Decadence. That just might be too long. I sighed.

"God knows I don't need another case right now; I'm behind as it is. But it's my fault she's gone. I owe my life to my daughter and Lolita. I'll find her. Forget the cops. I can do this on my own. And I've got something the cops don't; maternal instincts."

I smiled, then stood. I still needed to pee; some lackies had practically forced about three gallons of coffee down my throat. I also needed to shower and change. Flannel robes are not proper sneak-around-in-the-middle-of-the-night attire.

"Well, time to get crackin'. "

Sara Lou
Sara Lou

Feb-26-2009 17:16

Thirty minutes later, I emerged from my bedroom, dressed in the ever-cliche'd head-to-toe black; black boots, black jeans, an old black tee of Riley's, Riley's old black duster, and my favorite black cowboy hat. Over the top? Yes. But I was comfortable, and Riley's things provided a false-yet-cozy sense of security.

I slowly exhaled smoke from my cigarette. I'd never smoked before in my life; the pack must've belonged to one of the detectives that had dropped by. After two puffs, I could tell I was a terrible smoker, and this would be my first-and last- cigarette. So much for seeming professional.

I took the hat from my head and ran my fingers through my hair; ah, a habit I could stick with. "Where to start?" I asked myself aloud. I blew out more smoke, then gagged. I grimaced and put the damn cigarette out. "Eww. Nasty habit. Now, where was I? Yes, starting..."

I quickly realized I was indulging in another unhealthy habit; "You're talking to yourself, Sara." I whacked my forehead. "Stop that!"

I rolled my shoulders, then turned to survey my house. "Farewell house. Be back soon."

Suddenly, I felt as if I was being watched. A voice spoke up from the front door. "No need to come back if'n ya don't leave in the first place."

Then everything went black.

Lolita Marinez
Lolita Marinez
Sleuth About Town

Feb-27-2009 06:06

((These boys are never gonna forgive us girls for passing out all the time. LOL))

I awoke to a massive pain the head. "Urrrggghhhh" I moaned. "Owwww" as I was jostled and bumped. The truck I was in was moving. "Oh you dumb broad" I berated myself. I had got myself into a real pickle this time. Nothing I could do but brace myself for now.

Suddenly the truck stopped and I was banged against the front of the truck. "Eeeekk" I yelped as I hit that tender spot on the top of my head. I needed a minute to adjust. My head hurt so bad. I didn't know where I had been taken to. I knew I was in a pile of trouble. The truck had stopped and cut the engine.What to do? I needed to think.

Suddenly the truck started up again and "Beep Beep Beep Beep" shattered through my brain. I wanted to curl in a ball. I was wishing I was deaf! I heard a gate being opened and the truck was moving again. After only a short time it stopped and turned off the engine. I could hear muffled voices but I couldn't make out what they were saying. Men's voices.......I needed my brain to work. Talking about greens? Owww my head hurt.

I heard the cab door close again. What to do? Do I make some noise and try to get the drivers attention or wait and see what happens............I lay there in pain........I have to move, I can't just wait for fate to take me. Thump Thump Thump. I kicked the wall of the truck..............

Joey
Joey "Bulldog" Bane
Washed Up Punter

Feb-27-2009 14:05

The minutes were passing. These guys didn’t seem to be in a hurry. The more I waited, the more tensed I became. I looked again through the cabin hoping I was wrong about losing my gun. My eyes fell on the head of a wrench coming out from under my seat. I picked it up and placed it beside me. If anything was to happen, I felt I’d have better chances if I stayed in the truck. Looking around made me realize that I was practically trapped. The gate I came in through had closed behind me. It was made out of thick metal plates reinforced with a couple of strong iron beams. ‘No way I could run the truck through that…’ I said to myself. The warehouse’s door was open, but inside I could see large piles of crates. It was hard to believe I could fit a truck between them and also I couldn’t see till the end of the room. It was most likely a dead end. The yard’s fence was all made of brick. I felt like a rat in a cage.

My attention was suddenly drawn by a noise, again coming from the back of the truck. It sounded somehow like…tapping!?! ‘Damn it…’ I thought. ‘Could someone actually be back there? But that means…’ I didn’t have time to finish that sentence nor take a decision of what to do, as the man who initially opened the gate for me had appeared. He was accompanied now by another one. As they approached I noticed a shadow moving inside the building and a weak noise as if someone was opening a metal door slowly. The noise came from a side of the warehouse that I could not see from my current position. Under the circumstances I had to make the logical assumption that a third person was on my back.

It felt now perfectly clear they were about to lynch me. I turned on the engine, switched the lights off and then I made sure that the door on my side was still open.

“You’ going somewhere, Bane? What’s the rush? Get down here, I brought you the cash.” By saying that, the first man came near my door. The other one stopped in front of the truck. I didn’t know what to do.

Joey
Joey "Bulldog" Bane
Washed Up Punter

Feb-27-2009 14:06

At that point my ‘salvation’ has made its entrance. The front gate started to move as if somebody was opening it from the outside. For a moment I thought someone ‘up there’ MUST love me. I watched as a man was pushing the gate, slowly letting in the lights of a car waiting in front of it. That light was projecting shadows on the wall on my back. As I was watching them in the rear view mirror, I suddenly realized that I was actually looking at the shadow of a man holding what seemed to be a long hunting shotgun. My senses turned active. The gate was wide open. ‘It’s time for the showdown!’ I said to myself.

I quickly leaned on a side and applied a strong kick in the door on my left. It hit the man standing besides it straight in the face, knocking him down on his back. The one standing in front pulled out his gun. I switched the lights on, temporarily blinding him. He covered his eyes for a moment. I shifted the gear lever to put the truck in reverse and I pressed the pedal with power. It felt as I hit something strong with the back. While slamming the door back into position, the rear view mirror showed me that man with the shotgun was now under a pile of crates, struggling to get free. The goon in the front had recovered his sight and started to shoot. I ducked and then turned the wheel to head for the exit. Again I pressed the pedal as hard as I could, to speed up. The man who had opened the gate jumped on a side to avoid being hit. While managing to get out of the court yard I felt that his car has somehow clung to my truck. It let go the moment I turned to the right to get myself straight on the road. I looked in the rearview mirror and noticed its front wheels were totally busted. ‘That’s good…he won’t follow me now.’ A couple of shots came then from the back, but none of them was on target. I sped out of there as fast as I could.

Joey
Joey "Bulldog" Bane
Washed Up Punter

Feb-27-2009 14:06

I kept checking the rearview mirror from time to time, but no one was following. I headed towards ‘The Golden Coal Pits’, an old and now abandoned amusement park. Its name came from an old story. It seems there was once a coal pit where someone claimed to have found pieces of gold. Next thing they knew, the pits became flooded with people in search for its shine, most of them having no clue about what actually meant to be in a mine. The tragedy happened: the coal pits went down, burying hundreds of souls. This story was used for promoting one of those horror tunnels amusement parks have. It was successful, so the owners decided to equip it with everything else: a big wheel, a train, shooting range…and basically anything one could think of. It worked very well until some old lady decided to have a heart attack in the pit. The city officials then closed the place down. By now it was nothing more than an obsolete pile of shacks and rusted metal.

I pulled over somewhere behind some barracks. The thought of someone being stashed in the back of the truck did not give me peace. I picked up the wrench, some old lamp I found inside the cabin and went to the back. I lifted the truck cover slowly and hopped up inside. Indeed something was moving behind the crates. As I was approaching I saw that a crate had bust open, probably from my reckless driving. Some boxes had fallen down on the floor. I picked one up. “Cubans!” I said in delight. I opened it up and stuffed my chest pocket with them. Another moan in the back has made me remember why I was there. I slowly approached the place where it came and lowered the lamp to see better.

Joey
Joey "Bulldog" Bane
Washed Up Punter

Feb-27-2009 14:08

Not to my surprise, I could say, I found a woman. “So this is my back seat moaning cat…” Her hands were tied up to her back and also her legs. She was gagged. I shook her off for a bit to see if she was still conscious. She opened her eyes and gave me a frown look. She seemed though to somehow dizzy. An open cut over one of her eyebrows was dropping a few stains of blood.

“Ok, little lady…now who the hell are you supposed to be and what the hell are you doing inside my package?” I asked. She tried to say something and I realized she was still gagged. Her eyes now got even more frown. I lowered the rag that was used to cover her mouth.

“Damn it, Bane! Where the hell did you learn to drive?!? You almost had me killed back here! Now what are you waiting for? Untie me!”

“Listen here, lady…I ain’t got no clue who you are, but you see…in my line of business women tend to be kinda’…dangerous. I feel more comfortable with you tied up over here, so I sugg…”

“BANE! Untie me now, or I swear I will m…” I pulled up the gag back over her mouth, cutting the rest of her words.

“What the hell is wrong with you women? The moment that someone lets your mouth go free you all start shouting and cursing at me!?! Now shut up and listen. I’ll give you my standing in this. See…I assume those guys back at the station were not exactly planning to take you to a picnic. Now…I don’t know how important you actually are to them, but I tend to believe that by delivering you back or just leaving you here along with the merchandize, I might just be able to find a middle ground with these fellows and live on my life as if nothing has happened. Ok…I’m going to take off your gag now, but if you start shouting again I might just do what I said, you hear me?”

She struggled a bit more, but then she nodded at me in submission. She was still giving me an angry eye though.

“Ok…” I said taking again her gag off. “Now you’d better tell me an interesting story. I’m listening, gal.”

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