Chapter 4

When Matilda awoke she was once again alone in the big bed. After washing up and dressing, she drifted around the apartment. She was bored. And then she remembered the yo-yo. Sadness overwhelmed her when she held it. She pressed it to her chest with both hands, wiping her watery eyes with first one shoulder and then the other. She missed Bobby so much. Thoughts of Skip Grafton filled her with hatred.

The front door opened with a click. Matilda looked up.

"We have a job," Leon said.

Matilda's eyebrows furrowed. Did he say we?

Leon went to the kitchen and got a pad and pencil. He sat at the table and turned to Matilda. She just stood there, staring.

"Come here. You have to know what to do," he said.

"What do you mean?"

He frowned. "My wounds are still bothering me. But this cannot wait. You will do it with me."

Matilda's stomach tightened up in a knot. She felt faint. Her body trembled. She wiped her sweaty palms on her butt. Leon slapped his hand on the tabletop. She flinched and rushed to his side. She looked at the scribbling on the pad.

Leon tapped different parts of the page with the tip of the pencil while he spoke. "I will be here. I need to get the mark to me. You will..." He looked up at Matilda. "Are you listening?"

"What?"

He smacked the back of her head hard enough for Matilda to stumble.

"Now listen to me. This is for real."

Rubbing her head, Matilda finally came out of her daze. "Do you mean we're gonna kill someone?"

Leon stared at her. The corners of his mouth almost curled into a smile. "This is what I trained you for."

"I thought we were gonna kill the cop who--"

"You will do that when you are ready. But now we have to do this. This is business."

"Who is he?"

"Does it matter?"

Matilda thought for a bit. "No, I guess not."

"Do I have to--?"

"Does he have a family?" Matilda interrupted.

She took a step back when Leon raised his hand.

"I don't know if he has a family. Well, yeah, he has a wife."

"Any kids?"

"Matilda!" The girl jumped back. "Do you want to be an assassin? Tell me now. I am losing patience."

"Yes," she said. And then after a pause, with her head bowed, she said softly, "I think so."

"It has to be yes or no. Not 'I think so.' You must be sure. You cannot hesitate. Hesitating is for amateurs. Hesitating is dangerous."

Matilda's eyes darted between Leon's face and her shoes.

"Well?" he asked.

Matilda looked up. She still held the yo-yo. Her fingers tightened around it as she remembered the outline of her little brother's dead body. Images of Skip Grafton filled her mind. Her fingers tightened around the yo-yo so hard it popped from her sweaty fist. The plastic toy clattered on the linoleum floor and rolled. Matilda's eyes followed it until it crashed into the wall and toppled onto its side. Then she looked back at Leon. Her expression was serious and determined.

"Yes! I want to do this." She walked to the yo-yo and picked it up.

Leon tapped his chin with the eraser end of the pencil as he stared at her.

"Good. I do not have time to change my plans. Now listen carefully."

Matilda stepped up to Leon's side and looked at the pad while he explained every detail.

A sudden breeze whipped a discarded newspaper page into the air. It landed on the side of Matilda's head and wrapped around her face. She tore at it, crumbling it into a ball and throwing it to the floor.

"Mine! Mine!" The shouting voice was high pitched.

Matilda spun around to see an old, wrinkly woman pushing a shopping cart filled with old clothes, a tattered blanket, and all kinds of junk. Matilda stepped back when the woman approached, but the old lady dropped to a knee and snatched the crumpled newspaper. Her dirty, arthritic fingers grabbed the side of the shopping cart as she pulled herself up with a groan. Then she smoothed the newspaper against her body and folded it neatly. Glaring at Matilda, she placed the newspaper into the shopping cart with all her other possessions.

"I'm sorry," Matilda said. "I didn't know it was yours."

"Humph!" the old woman grunted as she limped away, favoring her left hip.

Matilda looked around. It was not safe being on the street alone, especially dressed in her short skirt and striped socks. And then she saw the long, sleek limo pull up to the curb. She whirled around and cupped her hands on both sides of her face as she pressed her forehead and nose against the window. She trembled.

A car door slammed shut and then she felt someone standing next to her. But she forced herself not to turn. Her eyes were shut tight.

"See anything you like?" The voice was close. His breath tickled her hand.

Matilda clamped her eyes shut even tighter. Her body trembled so much she thought the man would notice.

"Honey, I'm talking to you," the man said, tapping Matilda on the shoulder. She flinched. "Did you hear me?"

Matilda opened her eyes and backed away from the window. She looked up at the man wearing an expensive navy suit, starched white shirt, and red tie. A shiny, gold American flag was pinned to his lapel. She glanced at a much larger man standing next to him. He was not looking at Matilda, though. His eyes were fixed on the street, looking around. He seemed uncomfortable. She did not think he liked being in that neighborhood.

"What--?" Matilda's throat constricted. She swallowed and said, "What do you mean?"

"I saw you looking in the window. Is there a toy you want?"

"I was just looking. I ain't got no money."

"If you had money, is there a toy you would want?"

"Yeah, but I don't got any."

"What if I bought it for you?"

Matilda stared up at him. "Why would you buy me a toy?"

"I like doing nice things for little girls. And I like them to do nice things for me."

Matilda studied him and then said, "You'll buy me a toy?"

"Yes."

"For nothing?"

"Well, only if you're nice to me."

"What do you mean?"

"I like pretty little girls like you. I like to look at them and touch them. And I like them to touch me."

Matilda glanced at the bodyguard but he was not paying them any mind. His eyes roamed the almost empty street.

"If I let you do that then you'll buy me a toy?" Matilda said.

"That's right."

"Any toy?"

"Which toy do you want?"

Matilda pointed in the window. Her hand trembled so she dropped it to her side.

"The doll?" Matilda nodded. "Yes, I'll buy you that doll. But first you have to be nice to me."

Matilda hesitated and then said, "Okay. But that's the one I want."

The man held his hand out and said, "Let's go into the store. I know the owner and he has a place for us."

Matilda stared at the offered hand and placed her little one into it. His fingers tightened around hers and he tugged. Matilda saw the bodyguard look at her. She thought she saw pity in his eyes, but they darted back to the street. She followed the man into the store. They walked to the rear, stopping at a door with an "Employees Only" sign. The man looked over his shoulder and then opened the door, pulling Matilda inside. He turned on the light and closed the door.

Stacks of boxes filled the room, some almost reaching the ceiling. A lone chair stood in the only open space in the storage room. The man sat in the chair and looked at Matilda.

"Come here," he said.

Matilda walked up to him. She could not help but look around the room while doing so.

"You're going to let me look at you and touch you. Right?" the man said.

"Only if you buy me the doll."

"Don't worry about that. You will get your doll. But first you will have to be nice to me."

The man reached for Matilda. She instinctively pulled back. He looked angry so she stepped up to him again. His fingertips brushed her cheek and trailed down her neck. His hand traveled to her small, pointy tit. Matilda gasped when he cupped it but she did not pull away. The man smiled. He grabbed the bottom of her shirt and yanked it over her head. After shaking her hair, Matilda stood in front of the stranger naked from the waist up.

"You're just starting to become a woman," the man said mostly to himself in a husky voice. "I love that stage. Such cute little titties."

Matilda flinched when he pinched one. But she held her ground. She gritted her teeth and could not help but scan the boxes that filled the room. Her eyes darted back to the man, though, when he pushed her tight skirt up to her waist. He stared at her crotch, licking his lips. Then he grabbed her panties by the leg holes and dragged them to her knees.

"Let me see if you're a virgin," the man said breathlessly. He pushed a finger into her. "So you're not. Too bad. But no matter."

He did not withdraw his finger. Instead, he wiggled it and moved it in and out.

"You're a little slut, aren't you?" he said pulling his finger out and holding it up. "You get wet easily. I like that in a little girl."

With his eyes locked on Matilda's, he stuck his wet finger into his mouth and sucked it.

"Get those panties off."

Matilda bent at the waist and pushed them down to her feet. She stood up and kicked them off, leaving them on the dirty floor.

The man grabbed her leg and lifted it, placing her foot on his knee. Matilda's arms flayed as she almost toppled backwards. Catching her balance, she looked at the man. He was bent over looking up between her thin legs.

Matilda had been nervous, but now fright overwhelmed her. Her eyes darted around the room, scanning the columns of boxes. It was not until the man touched her that she looked back at him.