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            ‘Cunt!!’

            ‘Prick!!’ she countered

            ‘Cunt-lapping ass !! you take all the money I made and disappear…….

            ‘Now let’s git something straight lady, I brought and introduced you to the right guys when you was a nothing and now, you git a taste of the real dough you wanna turn around and scram?!! That ain’t no way to treat me ‘cos I own you, ye gat dat I own you BITCH!!!’

            ‘You can haave the fucking dough but I ain’t selling ass anymore. Fuck off you sonovabitch’ she stormed out of the apartment releasing a bang that shook the building awakening an old man living next to Harry.

            ‘Damn you, Harry’ the old man whined sitting up on his bed, ‘Why cin’t you carry that pimpin’ elsewhere ‘ND quit disturbing the quiet of this peaceful neighbourhood’

            PEACEFUL??

            Whelp street was anything but peaceful with walls decorated with graffiti by local gangs, alleys that stank of urine and sweat, call booths that remained disused as the years passed by and a thriving population of whores, pimps ans druggies.

            Whelp was a perfect example of an estate developer’s worst nightmare.

            Here was where Harry Boyd made his living as a busboy in a cheap restaurant during the day [Minor] and a high- class pimp at night. He had been sent out of home into the streets at the age of 8 by Rhea, his mother; a well-known prostitute in Whelp to become a terror of the streets. To his pals, he was ‘Screw’ for his relentless ability to screw seduce and screw broads without second thoughts.

            He had witnessed another daily occurrence of late, the girls seemed to be wizening up of late, they demanded a 60% cut on each john they took on and became smart-mouthed. He’d better take care of Carrie before she landed him in stinking shit. That would have to wait until later; Right now; he had a hot piece of tail waiting to be laid.

            As if on cue, his cell buzzed, ‘Hey doll’ he answered picking the call

The bitch would be treated later.

*****************************************************

            Ira could nearly feel her feet wearing and peeling off as she did the usual routine of taking and serving orders; don’t forget avoiding the groping hands and leering eyes of the gentlemen seated at the tables.

            Gentlemen? if these men were anything, they were certainly not gentlemen. Ira felt soiled as she could feel them stripping her with their eyes. ‘Come ‘ere, baby I got what you need’ one had the nerve to say. He was a short, squat, pock-marked face drunk fellow in his mid-fifties apparently. ‘Harold, ‘his wife reprimanded ‘what do you think you are doing.           

            Ira hated serving single men, she preferred the couples where the men had to keep their eyes and hands to themselves, afraid of the hawk-like eyes of the other. One had actually had the nerve to slip her his complimentary card with cell phone number scribbled behind. What did he think she was? a hooker? they abounded all corners of Whelp and he could go have his pick there. She had thrown the card with scarcely a glance at it. Men could be such animals.

            The time was 1:00 hours and traffic seemed to be slowing at Raven. Matt walked in, acutely aware of the fact that Nancy would have his hide if she found out he was visiting a common club cum restaurant nearby. He had changed his mind and gone back to his office to be relieved at 24:54 hours.  ‘Mathias Drew!’ she would start, her hair tousled from nervous hair picking and her eyes threatening to burst out of their sockets, ‘You have been most degrading today, what were you doing out drinking at 1:00 hours at that druggy’s den. The mighty Drew heir at that seedy joint!! What on earth were you…………

            His train of thought was interrupted by the startling sound of crashing glass. Had a fight erupted?; if so he was in for a round of tongue-lashing from Nancy Drew. His eyes strayed to the originator of the sound to see a figure bending over and picking them. As he walked on, he couldn’t help but be dismayed at the state of things here. The tables were old and cracked, the seats had springs sooting out  the air was mucky with the stench of sweat and alcohol and the beats rendered by the DJ . He suddenly felt out of place in his suit pants and shirt after getting rid of the coat. He found himself a seat in a secluded area of the place and ordered a drink.

            He downed the drink and ordered for two more shots of whisky and thought of Raina. Her issue still presented a mystery to him. The best and most discreet private investigators in Cosmia had been employed but they had struck a dead end. The mystery surrounding her death had left him shaken. The white, cold parlor of her face,stiff hands and a peaceful expression. Her features showed no sign of pain showing that she had died a swift and surprise death.

            Funny way things turn out in life;A few months back had him planning a party to celebrate their latest success and now Raina, his chief decorator was preparing to rest in earth.

            ‘Hey there, Matt’

He snapped out of his reverie to shake hands with Bob, a one-time classmate of his in high school who to his surprise had turned out of the blue to Raven. Matt stood to shake hands with him beaming .

            ‘Man, ‘tis bin a long time, how ya doin’

            ‘I’m good ,you ?’ Matt answered

            ‘You know the usual , don’t make me reiterate it again’

            ‘Oh ! ‘ND how’s Maria’ Matt gave him a sly smile, ‘Don’t ask me , you know she didn’t last for long’

Bob burst into a fitful of raucous laughter ‘You are one mean bastard!!’

Sitting down at the table, he ordered a bottle of vodka. Matt couldn’t refuse this time. He’d better take it easy before the press would have a field day printing how he got drunk at a club and got in a crash. He could see it clearly in his mind’s eye:

‘BILLIONAIRE HEIR, MATHIAS DREW INVOLVED IN ANAUTOMOBILE CRASH AFTER SOME  BOOZE’

            Man! would Nancy have a coronary?; and Patrick would only lock himself in the study and grieve.

            Bob reclined on his seat and said giving him a conspiratory wink, ‘Nancy know you `ere’ , Matt gave him a stony stare and said nothing. He got the message, he didn’t wanna talk about his mother.The bottle and glasses arrived and they set down to drinking and talking business as well as checking out to see if they could pin the next lady on Matt’s hit list.

            ‘That’s some hot piece’ Bob remarked, nodding in the direction of a waitress approaching their table.Matt turned to be confronted with afigure dressed in the usual waiter style; black plain hip-hugging skirt with a white shirt [Rather too simple] but they failed to conceal the sensual being residing within. The mouth was small and heart- shaped, nose sat proudly like a queen on a throne but the eyes were what stopped him short; they were sea-green and exuded a business-like warmness. She was a strawberry blonde with hair flowing down to her shoulder in waves. He wondered what her hair looking so smooth and sleek would feel like if he…….

‘So, do you need anything else gentlemen’ she asked looking from one to the other obviously amused at Matt’s fixed stare.’I think an apple pie will do, two actually’ he blurted out after regaining his senses courtesy of a nudge by Bob. As she left in her three-inch heels, Bob said, ‘You were sure smitten, so tell me, whaddya think of that piece’Matt could only mutter ‘She looks like someone I’ve met before’’

            He went back to his thoughts and tried fixing her face to any ones he had met recently but turned up a blank.’Why was he interested in her?’’ Girls like herprobably gave you the eye and requested to be catered for afterwards. But something about her really tasked his brain. That would have to be left for another time,he had no time for women now, he was a love’em and leave’em type so he wondered what the fuss was all about.

             The sandwiches arrived and he left them untouched, paid the check and left at about 02:12 hours.