Naked Frame Part 14

"That's right. How could you tell?"

"I used to work at a shoe store."

"Why-"

"-did I quit? Lousy pay. And I was their best salesperson."

"Well, if you don't mind me asking...how much do you make here?"

"They didn't tell you?"

"Well, I know I get $2.13 an hour in wages. But that's only enough to pay the taxes. I understand the real money is in the tips. They told me it could be several hundred dollars if I give the men what they want. Whatever that means."

"Yeah, it's true. When I first started I was pretty shy. But I still made $600."

"Your first week?"

"My first night. And that was just food and drink tips."

"What other kind of tips are there?"

"We call them...s.e.x tips."

"Whoa."

"Don't get me wrong. We don't have s.e.x with the customers. But we make them want to have s.e.x. You know-you accidentally rub up against them while refilling their drinks. You lean over the table to serve their food, letting your b.o.o.bs hang down two inches from their faces. Stuff like that."

"So, how much did you make after you learned to do all that?"

"Anywhere from $1,200 to $1,800 a night."

"That's amazing. So, those s.e.x tips are in cash, I a.s.sume."

"Yeah. That's why you have that little pouch that snaps onto your strap." Darcy pointed to the small black leather bag on Rebecca's dresser. "Some girls slide theirs around to the back. I keep mine at my side because I'm afraid somebody might try to rob me if it's in back."

"So, guys put bills in that pouch?"

"No. That's where you put them for safekeeping. They stuff the bills under your strap. But you've got to watch them. Some men will try to reach down too low. And one time a guy put a hundred dollar bill in my b.u.t.t crack."

"What did you do? Slap him? Did you call security and get him kicked out?"

"No. I just kept my distance from him the rest of the night. And I kept the bill."

Rebecca winced.

"I washed it, though. I wash all my tip money. I throw it in the was.h.i.+ng machine. It doesn't hurt it, you know. Then I dry it and iron it."

"That's great advice, Darcy. Thanks." Rebecca slipped into her heels and stood up.

"How do they feel?"

"Okay, I guess. I don't usually wear heels." She took a few awkward steps. "Why do they have to be five-inch?"

"Because it's kinda dark in the restaurant, so people can barely see our black shoes. It almost looks like we're barefoot-tiptoeing."

"Which is suppose to make your calves look s.e.xier."

"Yeah. And they can't see the mini-thongs very well either."

"So, they think you're completely naked?"

"They know you're not. But it lets them imagine you are."

"I just don't want anybody grabbing me."

"Well...that kinda comes with the job."

"Y'all let guys touch you?"

"You don't let them. But once or twice a night some guy will grab your b.u.t.t. Or lean his head into a b.o.o.b while you're refilling his gla.s.s. You get used to it."

Rebecca cringed.

CHAPTER 21 - Tuesday, 4:27 p.m.

Megan Cinaway turned on her cell phone. Pa.s.sengers were beginning to stand up and get their carry-on bags out of the overhead compartment. The non-stop flight from DFW to JFK had been boring and long for most pa.s.sengers. But not for Megan. Her mind had been t.i.tillated with visions of money and airbrushed, magazine-cover fame. She couldn't wait to start her modeling career.

She had one voice mail: Megan, this is Rebecca Ranghorn. Please call me when you get this message. It's extremely important. Your life is in danger.

Megan deleted the message. That detective would do anything to stop her from living her dream. She was sure her mother had put the woman up to it. But it would not work. Megan was old enough to make her own decisions.

She saw a young man retrieving his bags from the compartment over her seat. He was hot. Maybe he was a model too, she thought. "Would you mind getting mine down?" She offered a s.e.xy smile.

He stopped what he was doing and turned around. When he saw her, he returned her smile. Perfect teeth.

"Would you mind? It's a pink bag." Blonde hair, perfect body, beautiful smile, and pink bag in the big city. She was Elle Woods, from the movie, Legally Blonde.

"No problem." He took hold of her virginal bag and gently lowered it to the floor. "There you go."

"Thank you so much," said Megan, with all the grat.i.tude of someone who had just been given a new car.

His girlfriend stood up, and shot Megan a look that said: Keep your s.l.u.tty little paws off my man, b.i.t.c.h.

Whatever. Nothing was going to spoil Megan's day. She extended the handle of her bag and rolled it along behind her as she made her way off the plane.

But as she walked through the terminal, she began to have second thoughts about Rebecca Ranghorn's message. What if her life really was in danger? She began to see evil in every pa.s.sing face, imagining herself a little stuffed teddy bear among giant grizzlies. At any moment, one of them could rip her head off. She was helpless to defend herself. Megan took out her phone and located Rebecca's number from her earlier call.

Gabby answered. "Megan, this is Rebecca Ranghorn's phone, but she's not here right now. I'm her friend, Gabby."

"Are you the guy who was with her at the airport?"

"Yeah, that was me. I'm afraid I have bad news for you."

"What?"

"It's your mother."

Megan stopped walking. "What happened?"

"She's been murdered."

"No!" She hurried over to a bench by the wall. "Are you sure it was my mother? Carly Cinaway?" She sat down.

"Yes, I'm sure. Rebecca and I found her."

"Where? At the hotel?"

"Yes."

Megan began to cry.

"I'm sorry, Megan." He waited a few moments until her sobbing began to subside. "And there's something else. We believe somebody's going to try to kill you too."

"Here in New York? Why?"

"It all has to do with Big Bill Smotherburn. Did you know he's dead? He was murdered too."

"When did all this happen?"

"Last night. We think that whoever killed him might have also killed your mother."

"And now he's coming after me?"

"Yeah. Or maybe he's hired somebody up there to do it. It seems like he's trying to eliminate everybody who was involved in-"

"-the so-called rape. If Mother would have just left it alone, everything would have been fine."

"Is somebody supposed to pick you up?"

"Yeah. He'll be holding up a sign with my name on it."

"He may be the killer. Don't go with him."

"Well, what am I supposed to do? I don't know anybody up here."

"I called my uncle. He should be there in thirty minutes. You can stay at his apartment for a few days, until this thing blows over. His name is Melvin. He'll be wearing a Dallas Mavericks cap. I gave it to him, and he's never worn it before. So it will look brand new."

"How old is he?"

"Seventy-something. He's retired. And don't worry-he's a very nice man."

"Okay. Thanks. I'll be watching for him."

"Just be careful. Don't trust anybody but Melvin."

Megan ended the call and put her phone away. Some people were glancing at her as they walked by. She knew she must looked hideous. Red eyes. Runny mascara. But right now she didn't care how she looked. She leaned over and buried her face in her hands.

A hand touched her arm. "Are you okay, Miss?"

When she saw him, she recoiled. An old man was sitting next to her on the bench. His suit looked like it had been pulled out of somebody's garbage can. Smelled like it too.

"I know how you feel, Young Lady. It's a tough world out there. But this will help." He held out a Gideon New Testament. The cover was dirty and worn. But it looked as though it had never been opened.

"Thanks, but I'm okay."

He put the little book in his coat pocket. "You could starve out there."

She ignored him.

"But a five dollar bill would keep a man from going hungry."

"I don't have any money."

"Well, then...you're in as bad a shape as me."

Megan stood up and began to walk away.

The old man followed her. "It's dangerous for a young woman to be walking around by herself."

"I'll be fine."

"Well, I'll tag along to make sure."

Megan saw a security guard across the way, and considered flagging him down to get the old man off her a.s.s. But that would draw attention. And right now, she needed to blend in. She reached into her purse and took out her cash, holding it close to her side, away from the man. She had about $300 left from the cash Joey had given her. She quickly found a five-dollar bill and put the rest back in her pocket.

She handed him the bill. "Good luck and goodbye."

"Oh, thank you, Miss. G.o.d bless you." He walked away smiling.

After Megan stopped by the restroom, she walked over to a coffee shop and bought a large cup of coffee. She sat down at a table and began to sip. What was she going to do now, if this supermodel thing had just been a trick to get her there?