this? You missed your chance, buddy. I make one offer. You do not take me up on it, you lose, buddy.”
“I suppose I'll eventually get over my heartbreak,” he said. “Out.”
“What is this?”
“The Langan family doesn't like sideline businesses being run out of their house,” he said. “Or their limo. You're leaving your job. Don't come back to the house. If you do, I'll blow your deal.”
Ivanka said, “They know of this business. It is their business!”
“What?”
“It is their business! I am here for them! I only manage. You think I do this on my own? What kind of stupid are you?”
That took him back. He'd been foolish to think the Langans didn't know. Of course they knew. Of course it was their action. Why the hell wouldn't it be? It was probably one of the reasons why the Russians were muscling in on them so much. They wanted to keep a lid on the slave trade of their own people.
Shooting in the dark, he said, “Yeah, but you skim a lot. I tell them how much and you're buried behind Kennedy Airport. Now get out.”
“I skim nothing!”
“Bullshit! You skim, baby!”
“You crazy! You crazy man!”
“That's right, I'm crazy man!”
“But the money! I paid!”
“Oh that,” he said. “Yeah, I'm keeping it.”
“That is two thousand dollars! It is your cut for helping. You do your job. If you do not do your job … the Langans … Mr. Bishop … he will…”
“Fuck him.”
She tried to scratch at his face, but he caught her wrists and shoved her away. “You rob them? You really are crazy man.”
“I rob them. Get out.”
“You want to screw me? You want me to go down on you, yes?”
“No.”
“You want more money.”
“No.”
“I give you five hundred more.”
“I knew you were skimming, baby!”
“I give you.”
“Let me see it.”
She dug around and came up with another five bills. He held his hand out and she forked it over.
He pocketed the cash. “I just told you I was a thief, lady. Get out.”
Stunned, Ivanka's eyes widened as she realized what had happened. An animal noise started low in her chest and made her lips flap. She turned to the girl, who hadn't reacted at all yet, but her eyes seemed to be filling up again, returning to life. The kid cooed.
“You want Mara, yes? I see the way you watch her, buddy. She make you a good wife, for as long as you like. When you tire of her, there will be another.”
“Get out.”
“Ah, the child. You want the baby.”
“Lady, shut up and get the fuck out now.”
When Ivanka made a brusk gesture to the girl, Chase said, “She's staying.”
“Ah, you do like her, yes? So we can do business. I will give her to you, no charge.”
“We can't do business. If I see you again, I'll blow the whistle. I'll tell them ten women and three babies came in.”
“It is lie!”
“Yeah, it is lie, but they've got a lot on their minds and I bet they're not checking up on you the way they should. If they did, they'd find you were taking off the top. Get out. Go work for the Romanians.”
She gave him the death glare. She was pretty good at it, but not nearly as good as some guys on the strings he'd worked.
Chase looked at her and she finally climbed out. “You are dead. You are dead man. I have brothers, cousins. I have many boyfriends. I do not forget this.”
“You shouldn't. It will make you a better citizen.”
“You are not long for life,” she told him and started to grin.
“Who is?”
C hase had no idea what to do with Mara or the baby. He asked her if she spoke English but she only stared at him blankly. She must've thought he was the next broker in line, ready to steal her kid and sell her to a fatcat. Or take her home and make her do his laundry and clean his bathroom before raping her.
He called the Deuce. “Did you know the Langans traded in Eastern European women and babies?”
“They're a syndicate. What, you think they're building children's hospitals and going into AIDS research? There's
“I suppose I'll eventually get over my heartbreak,” he said. “Out.”
“What is this?”
“The Langan family doesn't like sideline businesses being run out of their house,” he said. “Or their limo. You're leaving your job. Don't come back to the house. If you do, I'll blow your deal.”
Ivanka said, “They know of this business. It is their business!”
“What?”
“It is their business! I am here for them! I only manage. You think I do this on my own? What kind of stupid are you?”
That took him back. He'd been foolish to think the Langans didn't know. Of course they knew. Of course it was their action. Why the hell wouldn't it be? It was probably one of the reasons why the Russians were muscling in on them so much. They wanted to keep a lid on the slave trade of their own people.
Shooting in the dark, he said, “Yeah, but you skim a lot. I tell them how much and you're buried behind Kennedy Airport. Now get out.”
“I skim nothing!”
“Bullshit! You skim, baby!”
“You crazy! You crazy man!”
“That's right, I'm crazy man!”
“But the money! I paid!”
“Oh that,” he said. “Yeah, I'm keeping it.”
“That is two thousand dollars! It is your cut for helping. You do your job. If you do not do your job … the Langans … Mr. Bishop … he will…”
“Fuck him.”
She tried to scratch at his face, but he caught her wrists and shoved her away. “You rob them? You really are crazy man.”
“I rob them. Get out.”
“You want to screw me? You want me to go down on you, yes?”
“No.”
“You want more money.”
“No.”
“I give you five hundred more.”
“I knew you were skimming, baby!”
“I give you.”
“Let me see it.”
She dug around and came up with another five bills. He held his hand out and she forked it over.
He pocketed the cash. “I just told you I was a thief, lady. Get out.”
Stunned, Ivanka's eyes widened as she realized what had happened. An animal noise started low in her chest and made her lips flap. She turned to the girl, who hadn't reacted at all yet, but her eyes seemed to be filling up again, returning to life. The kid cooed.
“You want Mara, yes? I see the way you watch her, buddy. She make you a good wife, for as long as you like. When you tire of her, there will be another.”
“Get out.”
“Ah, the child. You want the baby.”
“Lady, shut up and get the fuck out now.”
When Ivanka made a brusk gesture to the girl, Chase said, “She's staying.”
“Ah, you do like her, yes? So we can do business. I will give her to you, no charge.”
“We can't do business. If I see you again, I'll blow the whistle. I'll tell them ten women and three babies came in.”
“It is lie!”
“Yeah, it is lie, but they've got a lot on their minds and I bet they're not checking up on you the way they should. If they did, they'd find you were taking off the top. Get out. Go work for the Romanians.”
She gave him the death glare. She was pretty good at it, but not nearly as good as some guys on the strings he'd worked.
Chase looked at her and she finally climbed out. “You are dead. You are dead man. I have brothers, cousins. I have many boyfriends. I do not forget this.”
“You shouldn't. It will make you a better citizen.”
“You are not long for life,” she told him and started to grin.
“Who is?”
C hase had no idea what to do with Mara or the baby. He asked her if she spoke English but she only stared at him blankly. She must've thought he was the next broker in line, ready to steal her kid and sell her to a fatcat. Or take her home and make her do his laundry and clean his bathroom before raping her.
He called the Deuce. “Did you know the Langans traded in Eastern European women and babies?”
“They're a syndicate. What, you think they're building children's hospitals and going into AIDS research? There's
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