One Among Us - One Among Us Part 34
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One Among Us Part 34

Then Joey turned to her left. "Thanks, Juju, for getting the bandage."

Juju beamed at her. "Hey, whatever I can do to help. You two better get your asses into school before you're late."

As Maggie and Juju walked past the drug addicts, hookers, and homeless people on their way back to their rundown apartment, Maggie relayed the things that Rock had told her. The information made Juju squeamish. She didn't want any of them to be back on Rock's bad side. There was no telling what would happen if Rock felt threatened.

"So these two guys at Doubles...what do you know about them?" Juju asked.

"I know they're really nice guys. I know they live in South Philly, and they come to the bar a couple of nights a week. They know Emma really well...the dancer that I partner with. I never found out how Emma knows them. Do you think I should ask her?" Maggie wondered aloud.

"Nah, it doesn't really matter who they are, anyway. You just need to tell them not to make any more comments in front of Armando. Make sure they know you're serious," Juju said.

A few nights later, when Maggie saw Tony and Vincent sitting at the bar, it made her nervous. She liked the two men-they were nice to her-and she didn't want to tell them to stay away from Armando. Maggie was afraid she'd scare them off if she became high maintenance. But she knew it was important for them to know the truth.

Maggie finished her first set and collected her tips around the bar. She made her way over to a barstool between Tony and Vincent. She slid onto the seat. "Hi guys. How are you?"

"We're good, little Maggie. How are you?" Tony asked. He'd been in good spirits all day.

"Well, I actually wanted to talk to you two. You remember the last time you saw Armando in the parking lot? You know, the guy who picks me up every night?" Maggie reminded them.

"Sure, we know him. That flamin' fuckin' loser who wears that stupid smirk on his face. I'd like to rip his lips off every time I see him," Vincent said.

Maggie smiled at the sheer negative energy the men held for Armando.

"Yes, him, the one with the smirk. Well, he was really mad after you left." Maggie paused, and Tony filled the empty space.

"Oh, he was? What'd he do to ya?" Tony asked.

"He didn't do anything. But listen, you guys...I know you are trying to help, but I'd rather you didn't," Maggie said politely.

"We ain't tryin' to cause ya any problems," Vincent explained.

"I know, but it just makes things...it makes things...harder for me. So please don't say anything else to him, OK?" Maggie asked in a cracked voice.

"Yeah, sure, Maggie. We'll keep our traps shut as long as ya promise to tell us if ya find yourself in trouble. Deal?" Tony countered.

"Deal," Maggie said and flashed her brilliant smile.

When Maggie left them to get ready for her next set, Tony looked over at Vincent. "Somethin' ain't smellin' right, Vincent. The girl looked like she was gonna shit a brick. We need to be more careful around that asshole that picks her up."

"Yeah, I hear ya, Tony. I saw it too. Anyway, we can't be startin' no shit wit' out talking to the family first. We can let it drop for now, but somethin' is wrong. We'll see if Emma can get it outta her. What if this is da guy who takes little kids?" Vincent took a long swig of his beer. "All I know is we better not find out dat bastard is hurtin' her."

That night when Armando waited for Maggie's shift to end, he saw Tony and Vincent walking to their car. Neither of the men threw a glance in his direction, even though they both were acutely aware that he was there in the parking lot.

"That's right, motherfuckers. Just keep walking before you find yourselves dead," Armando said under his breath.

Chapter One Hundred Three.

"What are you so happy about?" Juju asked Maggie.

"I think I have a date with Colby today. I was starting to think he wasn't coming back to see me. But Armando calls him the Kensington Kook, and he said he was coming to see me today," Maggie explained.

"Why does Armando call him the Kensington Kook?" Juju asked, distracted by the label.

"I don't know. Some crap about how no one ever sees him around, and then all of a sudden, he shows up outta nowhere and wants to buy a date with me," Maggie explained.

"Maybe Armando is setting you up...trying to make you think he doesn't know the guy," Juju said.

"I never thought of that. You might be right. But this time, I have my plan in place. I'll be testing Colby instead of the other way around," Maggie bragged.

"Good. Stick to your plan, and even if he knows this Harker guy, don't tell him too much yet," Juju warned.

In the late afternoon, Maggie sat on the edge of the sofa waiting for Colby to arrive. At exactly four o'clock, there was a light knock at the door. Maggie opened the door slowly. The dull-yellow light from the fluorescent bulbs in the hallway ceiling cast an eerie glow on Colby's skin. A chill ran up Maggie's spine as she realized that this man might either help her or get her killed.

"You look like you just saw a ghost. Why so worried?" Colby asked.

"It's my nature to worry. It's not like I'm working in a convent. In this business, you can't trust anyone. Come on in," Maggie said as she opened the door wider so Colby could enter.

"How have you been?" Colby asked, making small talk.

"Why do you care?" Maggie shot back.

"Whoa! Easy does it. I'm just trying to be nice," he soothed.

"I don't need nice. I need honest," Maggie fired back.

"Right. All right, well I haven't been around in a couple of weeks because I was in New York. I was helping with a rescue," he said nonchalantly.

"A rescue? What kind of rescue?" Maggie asked.

"The same kind I'm hoping to do here in Kensington. If you'd help me, that is," Colby said. He smiled warmly.

"We keep having this discussion, Colby. I keep telling you, I have no way to know who you are. And even if I was sure you were here to help, I'm not saying I would help you," Maggie added, covering her ass if he really was working for Rock.

"Well, how do you want me to prove it to you, Maggie? What do you need from me so you'll trust me?" Colby asked patiently.

"Tell me about Rae Harker," Maggie said. She held her breath, waiting for his answer.

"Ha! OK. You want to know about Detective Harker. He's a good, honest man. I've worked with him on a couple of cases over the last two years. After his own daughter was kidnapped and found dead, Harker dedicated his career to finding missing children. I worked with him about year ago. We busted a house in North Philly that was running an underage prostitution ring. Found eight girls. They had been taken from their families years earlier." Colby sat back and waited.

Bingo! Maggie thought. That was the same information she'd read about Harker. It also matched the information that Emma had provided to her about the detective. Colby watched the visible transformation as Maggie started to recognize the truth. Suddenly, she leaned into him a little closer. She let her arms, which were always folded over her chest, relax by her sides.

"Maggie, I'm the real deal. I know you have to trust me; but the truth is, I have to be able to trust you, too. The way I see it, we're both in the same boat. Agreed?" Colby asked leaning closer to her.

"Yeah, I guess so. But it's still going to take me some time," she cautioned him.

"I have time. I don't have a whole lot of patience, but I have time. So when can we get started?" Colby pressed.

"Started on what?" Maggie shrieked.

"Get started on getting you and the others out of this place," he said in an attempt to give her hope.

The vein on Maggie's neck began to rapidly pulsate. Of course, she wanted to get out of her situation. But she wondered where they would all go. She couldn't go home, not after all that had happened. She would love to see her parents again, but too much time and abuse had put that dream to rest. She didn't want to disrupt Rob and Lorraine Clarke's life any more than it had been already. She wondered for a moment what her younger brother, Keith, was like. Seth had long since replaced the brother she once knew and loved. She believed that Keith's life had been great, full of love and happiness, just the way her parents had treated her.

"I think we need to take this one step at a time, Colby. I mean, you're expecting a lot of things to happen. You're making it sound so simple," Maggie cautioned.

"Nothing about this process is going to be simple, Maggie. We have a lot of work ahead of us. It will be like sailing through shark-infested waters on a blow-up raft. For now, all I need you to do is answer my questions honestly. As we move further into this process, the questions will become harder and more personal," Colby warned, pausing to give Maggie time to process what he was saying.

"I see. Well, if I decide to help, how will I know that I'll be safe?" Maggie asked.

Colby took her hand in his. An electric wave fired from Maggie's fingertips, energizing her whole body. She wanted to pull her hand away from him, but she couldn't let go of the feelings that his touch released; it felt magical. Maggie flushed with embarrassment, and she hoped that Colby wouldn't notice.

As it was, he didn't notice at all; he was too caught up in the realization that his heart was jack hammering and his lungs felt as though they were constricted. The two sat together, waiting for the other to pull away. They might have sat on the sofa for all eternity if it hadn't been for a loud banging on the apartment door.

"Open the fuckin' door!" Rock hollered.

Chapter One Hundred Four.

"OK, I'll be right there," Maggie yelled back.

She ripped off her shirt and looked at Colby with wide eyes. "Take your shirt off," she whispered, "Hurry up!"

Maggie stood and stared at Colby, who was naked from the waist up. For a moment, she was distracted, taking in every inch of him. He had a broad chest and rock-solid biceps. His stomach looked as though someone had carved the muscles that ran from the top of his rib cage all the way down to his pelvis. Colby's pants hung just below the hipbones and revealed the sculpted V where the muscles converged between his hips.

Rock pounded on the door again, snapping Maggie out of her stupor. "Bitch, ya better open this door now, or I'll break it the hell in!"

Maggie grabbed the knob and pulled the door wide open. Rock stalked through, grabbed Maggie under the chin, and pushed her up against the wall. Colby rose from his spot on the sofa, and Rock looked him over.

"Sit the hell down," Rock ordered.

Colby sat on the edge of the sofa. "What's going on here? I paid up front for a full hour."

"You'll get your full hour, but right now I need to talk to this stupid whore," Rock said, tightening his grip on Maggie.

"Wh-h...what, Rock?" Maggie managed.

"What? That asshole kid of yours talked Joey into running away. I wanna know where she is. Now!" he demanded.

"I-I don't know. You have to believe me, Rock," she gasped through the stranglehold he had on her.

Rock loosened his grip just a smidgen. "Talk!"

Maggie pulled air into her lungs in short, curt breaths. "I don't know what you're talking about. You need to let me talk to Seth. He would never do anything to deceive you. This is probably just a misunderstanding. Please, just let me talk to Seth, and I'll come find you. I swear."

Rock looked her over. "You have an hour to find me, and you better have the information I need. You hear me?" he grunted.

"Yes, yes, I hear you. I'll find you in an hour," Maggie promised.

Rock took one more glance at Colby before he left. Once the door closed behind him, Maggie slid down the wall and sat on the floor in a heap.

Colby moved to her quickly. "Are you OK? Did he hurt you?"

Maggie looked up at Colby, her mascara racing down her cheeks with her tears. "I'm fine. I need to leave and find Seth," she stated.

"I'll help," Colby offered.

"No, you can't come with me. You should know a john would never help a hooker. I'll see you another time, but right now I need to take care of my kid," Maggie told him.

Maggie quickly put her shirt back on, grabbed her purse from the floor, and flung it over her shoulder. Taking one final look at Colby, she left the apartment to find Seth.

She ran the four blocks back to their studio apartment and pushed the door open with a bang. Juju and Seth jumped from where they were sitting on the floor.

"What the hell's wrong?" Juju asked, alarmed.

Maggie looked straight at Seth. "Where's Joey?"

Seth, in a state of shock, drew in a breath. "I don't know, Aggie. I swear, I don't know," he said.

Maggie knew he wasn't lying. "When is the last time you saw her?"

"Friday at school. Why?" Seth began to walk back and forth in the small room. "What happened to her?" he screeched, desperation dripping from his voice.

"I don't know what happened to her," Maggie said.

"But today's Sunday, Aggie! Has she been missing all weekend?" Seth bellowed.

"I don't know. Rock thinks she ran away from home and that you know where she is," Maggie told him.

"All right. Here's what we're gonna do. Let's go find Rock and tell him Seth hasn't seen Joey since school on Friday," Juju suggested.

Seth ran to the door and then turned to the two girls. "What if Rock doesn't believe us?" he asked with apprehension.

"He's gotta believe us. We don't know shit. He'll see that. Let's just go," Juju said, following Seth and Maggie and pulling the door shut behind her.