Free Live Girls by Ray Garton Page B

you walk with me?” He stepped closer, held out a hand.

    Sondra squinted slightly as she looked him over. Very tall, thin reddish brown hair that fell almost to his shoulders, pale skin.

    “Where to?” she asked.

    “Just a few blocks."

    “You haven't answered my question yet."

    “Well, actually, it's for a friend."

    “A friend, huh? Sorry. He'll have to come see me himself."

    “She doesn't get out."

    “Oh, she? Well, that's interesting. So what is she, a crippled dyke? I don't do amputees, none of that shit."

    “She's in perfect physical condition, I promise you."

    “Yeah?"

    Roger smiled with strangely dark lips. His hand was still held out before him, waiting for her to take it.

    “Well,” Sondra said, looking around, “I gotta friend, too, see. She'll be back pretty quick and she's gonna wonder where I am."

    Roger lowered his hand and slipped it into a pocket. “I can pay very well.” He held up a handful of bills.

    “Well, Christ , buddy, why don't you just throw the money up in the air and see how much attention we can attract?"

    He put the money back in his pocket. “Sorry,” he said quietly.

    Sondra put a hand on her hip, brushed her hair back with the other, and said, “You sure this ain't for you? You're, um...” She smiled. “You're pretty interesting, you know? I like you."

    He shook his head slightly. “For my friend."

    She sighed and looked around for Hildy again. “Well, shit.” She narrowed her eyes. “Okay, money in advance, right?"

    “Of course.” He reached over and pressed some money into her hand. “Two hundred dollars?"

    She blinked. “Jesus, you gotta horny friend.” She stuffed the money in her purse at her side. “Okay, where to?"

    “This way."

    She walked with him across the street, along the sidewalk, their feet splatting softly against the wet cement.

    “So what's your friend into?” she asked. “I don't do just anything, you know."

    “Sucking."

    “Into sucking, huh? Two hundred bucks just for me to come suck her?"

    He turned his head to her only slightly, one cheek raising with a gentle smile. “No. She does it."

    After a few blocks of silent walking, Roger slowed in front of a small black storefront with a flashing sign that read LIVE GIRLS.

    “Hey, hey, wait a sec,” Sondra snapped. “This is a peep joint."

    “This is where my friend is,” he replied, leading her to the curtained doorway.

    “Nope.” She stopped. “Uh-uh. I'll have a world of shit, I go into a place like that to turn a trick. What, she wants me to go into one of them dirty little booths with her, or somethin'? The management'll shit a brick sideways, I go in there."

    He smiled again. “She is the management."

    Sondra stood outside the black building and thought of the two hundred dollars in her purse. “First sign of trouble,” she said, “I'm haulin’ my ass outta there."

    “Fair enough,” Roger said. He took her arm and led her through the curtain.

    “Jesus,” Sondra breathed, “it's pitch black in here."

    “Just come with me."

    She reached out a hand and felt cold, rusty bars, then a wall. Just beyond that, Roger opened a door and led her through. She heard it close, then heard a lock click. Sondra detected the presence of a third person in the dark with them. She sniffed; something smelled sweet. She heard Roger speak to someone in a whisper, but she could not understand what he said. There was an unintelligible reply. Sondra closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them. The darkness was thinning slowly. She looked through the barred window at the curtained doorway through which she had come; light from outside shone through the narrow part in the curtains.

    “Come this way,” Roger said, never letting go of her arm. He led her through another door; its hinges sounded like the laugh of an old woman. It shut behind them. There was definitely someone with them now, someone standing just behind Sondra to her right.

    Roger let go of