Free Fire Baptized by Kenya Wright Page A

to my arm last time she was in here.” Star returned to torturing my thighs. “Took me two weeks to heal and it still hasn’t completely gone away. It was all over my arm. You want answers about Larry, it’ll cost you an extra hundred. That’ll show that bitch.”
    I peeked at Ray, and he nodded.
    “Okay. You’ll get an extra hundred.” I shrugged my shoulders.
    “Larry left with Iron Dove last night. I don’t know the time.”
    “So Iron Dove and Larry were dating?”
    “Dating?” She peeled the gum off the edge of the table and put it back into her mouth. Ick. What a lady.
    “They don’t date. Iron Dove charges two hundred for an out-of-club session. That way, Goldie doesn’t get his fifty percent out of the cut, but knowing Dove, she probably traded sex for drugs. She’s a Hemo Drop addict, and Larry’s a dealer.” She scratched under her arm and then blew a kiss at Ray with her other hand. “I charge half of what Iron Dove charges if you’re interested.”
    “Sadly, I’ll have to pass.” Ray slid a hundred dollar bill with a few twenties under it. “I added a little extra for your help. So tell me about Candy. Did she do out-of-club sessions with Larry? Another hundred is in it for you.”
    “And buy me a drink,” Star demanded. “Then Pike won’t come over here bothering me for a while.”
    He motioned for Roxy.
    Star jumped off me, relieving my body of further torture. As we waited for Roxy to come over, the DJ played a song I hated called “Shift It” by this misogynist Shifter rapper named Primal.
    “You’re taking that animal shift, like a good girl should,” Primal rapped. “You like it when I shift it in you, make it hard as wood.”
    “Yes?” Roxy asked, when she arrived at our table. “What can I get for you?”
    “I want a cigarette.” Star gestured to Ray. “And this Fairy is going to buy me a Cowrie Shell with extra cream.”
    “Cowrie Shell? Interesting. Bring over three of them.” He handed over some money.
    Roxy pulled a cigarette out of her shirt pocket, placed it in Star’s waiting hand, and then lit it with a lighter she took out of another pocket. Cigarette smoke rose from the tip and floated toward me as Roxy left.
    I waved smoke away. “So tell us about Candy and Larry. What’s their arrangement?”
    “Candy’s hustle is blackmail. She hooks up with losers and then runs a scheme on them. She’s a little thing, looks like she’s twelve. I think she lied to Goldie about her age.” Star blew more smoke in my direction. “Anyway, Candy tapes the sex and then makes them pay for the video.”
    “Did she blackmail Larry?” Ray asked.
    “I don’t know.” Star shrugged. “I would have to ask her brother.”
    “Should I assume that will cost me more money?” Ray raised his eyebrows.
    “Yep. Although I like to see him squirm.” Star leaned her head in the direction of the back door and then gestured for somebody to come over. Ash from her cigarette dropped on my shirt. I brushed it away, more than ready for her to leave.
    Ray added more money to her stack on the table.
    A tiny guy with hair the color of roasted almonds appeared in front of us, frowned at Star, and squeaked, “What do you want?”
    “These two wanted to know if you and your sister blackmailed Larry.” Star placed the cigarette between her lips. “Come on, Gabe. Did ya?”
    Ray and I remained silent.
    Gabe narrowed his black eyes. He had to be shorter than me. Silver wings were branded in his forehead, but I didn’t know what type of Fairy he was. A cloud of brown dust puffed out from his hair and fell around his shoulders. He clenched his tiny hands into fists as his chest rose and fell. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Star.”
    More dust rose from his head and scattered around him.
    “Isn’t the dust so cute?” Star blew smoke in his direction. “It happens when he’s pissed off.”
    “You’re Gabe, right?” Ray leaned forward. “Have you been missing your