Chapter 12: Creative Solutions

Things had relaxed at Marta's house. Her parents accepted her exotic dancing and understood her reluctance being an escort and shared everyone's anger and blame of Georgy. Being about the same age, Leo and Marianne hit it off immediately, sharing thoughts of high school so recently ended and dreams of the future, mostly Leo's. The ambitiousness and excitement Leo revealed infected Marianne. The confidence thrilled her. And she could tell he was nice.

"I have a plan," L declared during desert, another delicious strudel. Simultaneously Marta's phone rang. She darted to it.

"I have a plan," said George Jr. sotto voce. He had to identify himself.

"Hold on a second L," said Marta. "Go ahead."

"We had a meeting with Steve and Joe's brother Roger and a rave organizer. Roger tracked the guy via Facebook and he agreed to meet. We sampled Roger's ... uh ... product and the organizer liked it. He liked Roger's ideas about expanding the potential customers and defending against busts. I told them I could prevent busts altogether and get more front money. The organizer got frightened when I admitted my father's name. Roger used this to basically take over the business. The next evening I met with Dad, showing him a business plan created by Roger suggesting profits and costs, promoting an encouraging enterprise. Like I hoped he called Lefty.

"Let me try to explain Lefty. A rat comes to mind. He's skinny and small and evil. And he likes boys. Steve's got gadar if you know what I mean and when Lefty met him after a school play in the company of my dad, Steve sensed the lust. Not that he'd need an extra sense the way the rat stared. I figured my father knew and would assign Lefty because he'd enjoy the company he'd keep. I told father I figured the guy for a fag and wondered why he kept him. 'He gets the job done, ' said Father. He said nothing else but I knew the slimeball killed people. I almost vomited the glee he showed. I never witnessed his sadism and almost doubted your view of it until that moment.

"Anyway we met with Lefty last night. He couldn't keep his eyes off Steve. Lefty turned out to be as clever as he was creepy and cruel. He had helped Dad dispatch an associate and had acquired a large warehouse because of it. 'Owed a lot, paid in full, ' explained Lefty. We figured it out.

"Lefty wanted information on Roger's supplier. Roger admitted not being on the best of terms with the person and Lefty assured us he could fix that. Roger asked if Lefty knew of other suppliers and Lefty shook his head. My father never involved himself in those supplies, too petty I guess. Roger and the organizer left to examine the warehouse space with the rat."

"So what's the plan?" asked Marta.

"Lefty propositioned Steve. I thought we could bust him with an under aged boy committing sodomy and surrounded by supplies. We could get him to talk."

"What does Steve think?"

"He's ... kind of intrigued by the intrigue. He put the sleazebag off despite a generous offer. Though discouraged, Lefty let Steve wait. The creep looked humbled and weak in Steve's presence. I think he might be a submissive."

"Interesting. Scary but interesting."

"Yeah."

"Tell me how this makes you feel."

"The minute I saw the gleam in my father's sadistic eye and imagined him abusing you like you weren't human, I knew I wanted this."

"What about reprisals. Who is going to take the fall?"

"Lefty if he turns and maybe even if he doesn't. And the supplier?"

"We might have another plan in the works. I'll get back to you. And thanks."

"For what?"

"Taking my side."

"I like you Marta."

"I like you too. I hope somehow we can stay friends."

"Me too."

Marta smiled and sniffled looking down at the silenced phone. She placed it back in her purse and returned to the table.

"What was that about?" asked L.

"Unexpected new friends. Another plan." She took Joe's hand and kissed him on the cheek. "Let's hear yours."

Just as convoluted as George Jr.'s plan, L's involved the three escorts at the table ("I would have had to hire out and paid the girl a lot of Marta's money," said L to Marianne. "If you're willing, I'd trust you a lot more than some stranger." "Definitely," Marianne agreed.). Bringing in the Milwaukee mobsters as a counterpunch to Georgy's threat unsettled everyone.

Marta drove Mary and Joe back to Chicago that night. Joe curled up in the back seat and slept through much of the trip.

L remained behind, renting a cheap hotel room for the week on Marta's dime to further her investigation of the target boss in Milwaukee.

Marianne shared Leo's bed in the basement, giving him a memorable night of sucking and fucking into exhaustion. The next day she called Joe. "I'm on the train to Chicago," she explained.

"Why?"

"I'm willing to be girlfriend number three."

"What about Leo?"

"I don't love him. He's nice, but I could see in his eyes he considered me a one night whore."

"You got along."

"That's what I do, Joe. Please?"

He gave her Marta's number. Marta gave her directions to her and Mary's apartment.

"I'm sorry," Marianne muttered on the edge of crying.

"I'm not jealous. We'll figure it out. Have you done any exotic dancing?"

"No."

"We'll go shopping. I'll give you pointers. I think you'll be a natural. Then I'll bring you to the club to audition."

"Thanks Marta. You're an angel."

"My roommates the angel. She's Angelique."

"I thought..."

"It's her nom de guerre, her AKA."

"Of course. Yours?"

"Sexy Sadie."

"That's a..."

"The Beatles. You are young."

"Don't let anybody know," said Marianne. They laughed and felt comfortable with each other. "Is she there?"

"She and Joe's brother are fucking up a storm."

"I thought she liked women?"

"Apparently things have changed. But it's more what Roger wants still. Unfortunately he wants it a lot."

"I don't blame him. She's fucking sexy as shit."

"I know. He's a good cunt licker and a better masseur so she gets some back."

"Good for her."

A busy day, as soon as Marianne arrived at the apartment, Marta and Mary took her shopping. They would have introduced Roger but he slept, overly sated, having spent most of the night negotiating with Lefty and when he got home at 4 am making love to a very horny Mary, napping a couple hours and making love again.

They got a new phone for her escort work and a couple outfits for dancing. The Miata proved a tight fit for the three of them, but Marianne thought it cute.

"It's yours," said Marta.

"Really?"

"Joe said you did call girl work to buy a car."

"I wanted an escape. Nate would have caught me if I took off on a train or bus. I needed a car and some nest cash."

"Are you worried about him now?"

"I think he got the message."

"Are you sure? What about Joe's cell?"

"He never got a chance to collect the number."

"What do you mean?"

"He's got a list of johns. He would have added Joe's later. I never gave him the phone."

"What about the other phone?"

"What other phone?"

"The one that hides its number."

"Oh."

"Shit."

Marianne laughed. "I erased it."

"You bitch," said Marta.

"Hey I'm..." began Mary.

"You have competition Miss Contrary. So why did you..."

"I ... didn't want him to have it," shrugged Marianne. "I've known Nate all my life. I don't think I ever trusted him. I didn't trust him with Joe's number."

"Has that ever happened before?"

"No. I..."

" ... love Joe."

"Yeah."

"But how could you know it might be a danger?"

"He wanted to talk. Joe wanted to meet with you and Mary. I had a date set, a date I knew I wanted no part of. I knew Nate would never allow me to meet with Joe. It seemed time to escape."

"When?"

"As soon as Nate gave me his phone to assure the date for the assholes had been set, I found Joe's number and erased it. It kind of scared me. I thought Nate might catch me. I smiled my smile and he didn't notice. Anyway, about the car..."

"I'll transfer it to you. You pay the rest of the payments and ... two thousand? That's how much I put down."

Marianne pulled out a fist full of hundreds and peeled off twenty.

"Uhm ... Let's get you to a bank," said Marta.

"What about the loan? I have no credit history. How much is left?"

"Probably a little over ten thousand."

"Oh."

"I'll call and see if I can vouch for you. If not, I'll keep the loan and you can pay it."

"Cool."

"What would you rather be doing?" asked Mary.

"I don't know. I thought something I could use my schmoozing. I put people at ease real easily."

"Joe's a lawyer," suggested Marta.

"I don't even have a high school diploma."

"I don't either," admitted Mary.

"No way. You're smart."

"The street and books, honey. L wants to help me get my GED. You can join us."

"I thought you wanted to be private with her."

"While we're busy making love, you can work ahead of me."

"Sounds like fun," Marianne smiled.

"Studying?"

"I liked school."

"A girl after my own heart," Mary commented wryly.