Eve Quest Part 3

The attendant was behind a bulletproof glass partition. He wouldn't call a cab, didn't have a phone book and wouldn't give me any change unless I bought something. I hadn't smoked in six years, but I bought a pack of cigarettes, a lighter and a cup of coffee. I walked outside, lit a cigarette and called information. I didn't have anything to write with, but the operator dialed the number for me. They said there would be a cab in twenty minutes. I leaned against the wall, smoked my cig and drank my coffee. It ran through my mind that a lit cigarette was a weapon of sorts.

A car with three young men pulled up and asked me what I was doing. I said I was waiting on a ride. The driver got out, walked over and stood within inches of me. He hooked a finger in one of the D-rings on my collar held a hand on his crouch and said, "I'll give you a ride."

I took a drag on my cigarette and it came to me. I whispered. "I'm a vice cop you dip shit. Slip me twenty bucks, get in you car and get."

He stepped back, looked around and reached for his wallet. He handed me a twenty-dollar bill, I kissed him and he hauled ass. I'm amazed my heart didn't burst, but I'd pulled it off. The cab arrived a few minutes later and took me home. The meter read eighteen dollars and seventy-five cents. I gave the driver my friends twenty and the rest of the cigarettes.

Mistress Sheila answered the door with a scowl, "What the hell happened to you?"

I couldn't believe my ears, but I decided I better play along. "I got lost, Mistress. I'm sorry."

"How'd you get home?"

"I took a cab."

She took the bag out of my hand and looked inside. "If you spent any of my money because of your stupidity, I'll take it out of your ass."

"Just some cigarettes, Ma'am. I bought him some cigarettes."

"More likely you sucked his dick you little nympho. You every heard of AIDS? If you introduce AIDS into this family you're dead."