Free Persuasive Lips by Sherry Silver

white towel around her hair. She s hoved her arms into an old terryc l oth bath r obe, wincing as t h e r ough fabric abraded her sensitive skin. She pulled the frayed belt tight.
    Chloe jerked the chain on the tub stopper, r eleasing the dirty water. She sta r ed at the hundr e d dollar bill. Slither away and leave me alone. It didn’t heed h e r will. She yanked the money o u t and wadded it up with all h e r might, then shoved it into the bottom of the wastebasket, underneath the b athroom d i scards.
    “ Chloe? Can ya hear me darlin’? Did he pop the questio n ? ” the landlady asked.
    Chloe kne l t on the w et tiles, d u nking her hands i n to the dw in dling water and flattening them on the bottom of the tub. W ater pour e d from her cuffs when she pulled them back out. The cast iron drainpipe burped as the bathtub emptied.
    Twisting the crystal knob, Chloe opened t h e door and gagged at the stench of burnt eggnog. After switching the l i ght off, she cr o ssed the hall to her room.
    Mrs. Grogan gasped at the sight o f Chloe’s legs and face. She followed Chloe in and shut the door. “Oh my God child! You were attacked! Or did…did he do t h is to ya? I ’ ll go and fetch Doc Morton. Or do ya need to go to the hospital?”
    “ No! Don’t call any o ne. You mustn’t tell! Promise, Mrs. G?” Chloe pleaded, nearly hysterical.
    “ S hh … Ca l m dow n , n ow just calm down d arli n ’. Y a k n ow I’ll do ya r ig h t.” T h e landlady pulled Chl o e to her b o som and str o ked the towel on her hair. “ T here there now. Ever y thing w i ll be all right.”
    “ Ouch! You’re hurting me.”
    Mrs. Grogan let go. “I ’ m so sorry, sweetness. Forgive—” “No, I’m sorry, Mrs. G. I mean…”
    “Shh-shh-shh. Hush c h ild. “ She tenderly ran a finger along Ch lo e’s cheek. “I’ll be back in a moment.” The landlady waddled off with purpose.
    Chloe located her big suitcase, w edged in t h e tiny cl o set. Determined to e x tract the luggage, she inhaled and heav e d to the le f t. The suitcase dislodged, propelling a wire hanger wi t h a pink cotton blouse. The hanger stung h e r chest. T h e blouse c o vered her face. She sneezed and dropped the suitcase as she grabbed her ribs. Dear God and Jesus in heaven. Please let me feel bett e r. Please let me wake up in North Carolina. Forgive me of m y sins. Amen.
    She heard panting as Mrs. Grogan swept aside the makeup and curlers on the dresser and deposited an aluminum tray. A waffle-sized powder puff fell to the floor. Chloe held in another sneeze a n d picked up the suitcase. Mrs. Gr o gan be n t down with a groan and plucked up the puff, tossing it onto the dresser. She t u gged on the suitcase but was u n able to release it from Chloe’s grip.
    “ Where do ya think you’re going on such a treacherous night? Young lady, ya just put that th i ng away a nd get un d er the cov e rs. Here’s some warm eggnog and a couple of chloral hydrate capsules to help ya sleep.”
    “ No! I have to get out of here, now l e ave me alone! I’ve messed everything up. What d o n’t you unde r stand? I c a n’t stay i n Washingt o n. I have to disappear before it’s too late!”
    “ Why? Just call the M e tropolit a n Police on the beast!”
    “ No, you don’t understand an d …I…I can’t explain it. I have to leave! Believe me and don’t ask anything! Please?” How much time do I have bef o re they find o u t? What wi l l they do to me?
    With a look of uneasy puzzlement, Mrs. G r ogan questioned, “But where will ya go? Back home to your Mam in Carolina? Do ya want me to call her for ya?”
    Chloe dropped the suitcase onto the tap e stry area rug, grabbed Mrs. Grogan’s chubby arms and stared dead into her chocolate eyes. “I can never go back to North Carolina now. Not in this—oh, I’ve said t o o much! All right… You have to help me. Please, Mrs. G?”
    Mrs. Grogan embraced her favorite tenant and affi rm ed, “I will help ya darlin ’