Page 16

HANNAH

"G ood morning."

"Morning."

"Well, who pissed in your Cheerios?"

"I'm sorry, baby. Long night at the office," Hannah apologized.

"Oh, trust me, I know. I tried to get freaky last night, and you were half asleep, cursing my ass out.

"Oh, noooo. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. Maybe tonight. I'm off. Thank God. Yesterday I had to save a four-year and seven-year-old from a burning car. Mother was ejected and died. Kids trapped in the car."

"Oh my god. I'm so sorry."

"No need sweety. Comes with the territory."

"Tell me about it. I have a missing girl, last seen at the Kingly Dynasty." Hannah shook her head but refused to look in his direction. She was glad he was busy making coffee ’cause this was her chance to get away.

"That place is still open?"

"Yep, and I just don't understand how could so many missing women, last seen at the Dynasty, just get swept under the rug."

"Shit, we both know why?"

"Somebody gets paid." Both Hannah and Angelo said the same thing at the same time.

"Well, maybe, just maybe, I can cash in my rain check tonight. Let's pray I don't have to work over." Hannah sighed then grabbed her brief case.

She walked over to kiss Angelo on the lips then headed out of the door. The guilt of what transpired back at the Kingly Dynasty toyed with her emotions; she couldn't stand to look him in the eyes. In fact, she was actually praying she had to work late to buy her some time to regroup.

The way Rahim had eaten her pussy out then sent her on about her way was enough to drive a girl crazy.

There were even thoughts of her arresting him for giving her a drug, but was she mad at the drug or the way he devoured her body?

She only imagined the consequences of getting the law involved on a Kingly, so she thought against it.

Climbing into her car, Hannah stopped and looked out into the air.

She began thinking about Rahim, causing her own skin to crawl.

The Kinglys were very powerful, which was why most situations she knew would be a legitimate case were ignored.

Hannah wasn't a fool. Someone on the higher upper must have worked for The Kinglys, and they did a great job protecting them. But who?

Ring . . . Ring . . . Ring . . .

Norah nearly jumped from her skin, startled. She quickly answered, assuming it was Angelo, and she may have forgotten something.

"Hey."

"Hiii, uhhh, Hannah?"

"Speaking. Who’s this?"

"It's Norah. I'm sorry for calling so early."

"Norah, no, no, it's okay. How can I help you, sweety?"

"Well, I couldn't sleep last night thinking about my friend. I just wanted to know if you heard something? Anything."

Hannah slightly closed her eyes, and again, the guilt began to affect her.

"Hannah, you there?"

"Yes. Yes. I'm sorry. No, I haven't heard anything."

"Okay."

She could hear the sadness in Norah's voice, and it made things worse.

"Norah, I'm going to stay on the top of it, I promise. I'm actually on my way to the office. I'll see if we can conduct some sort of investigation at the Dynasty. Go look around, ya know?"

"Yes! Please. Well, you call me if you need me. I'll be around."

"Sure thing." Hannah faintly smiled.

She disconnected the phone and laid her back on the chair.

She found herself sitting in the same spot for nearly thirty minutes and realized she had to be at the office by 7 a.m. Hanna pulled off from her home and dreaded going to work but she had to.

She knew today would be a rough day, but she was gonna get through it in hopes she had something for Norah. Just something.