"Jochem Vandersteen - Hard Upbringing (A Noah Milano Story)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vandersteen Jochem)

HARD UPBRINGING
(a Noah Milano short story)
By
J. Vandersteen

"Mr. Milano, I need you to kidnap my son," Wanda Merrick said. You had to hand it to her, she really knew how to grab your attention.

"Excuse me?" I said. Maybe I hadn't heard her right and all that heavy metal and grunge had finally taken it's toll and damaged my ears.

"I asked you to kidnap my son." All right, maybe it hadn't.

"And you want me to do that because?" I asked.

She leaned a bit closer to me, almost toppling out of the office chair in front of my desk. I got a good look at her cleavage. She wore a white powersuit without a blouse underneath. I couldn't even make out a bra. I tried not to blush. "My son is in danger," she said.

I leaned a bit closer myself. And not just to determine if she wore a bra. "Go on," I urged her.

She leaned back in her chair again, brushing her auburn hair back behind her ears. "He lives with Stewart, my ex-husband. He... beats him. A lot."

I felt the muscles in my neck tighten. I hated child abusers. Even more than I hated rap music.

"I want you to get my son away from my ex before he beats him one time too many. I just can't let anything happen to my little Kevin." Her voice was shaking, her eyes getting wet. I hate it when they cry. Gets me all weak in the knees. Promising stuff I really don't want to do. My best friend Minnie calls it the White Knight syndrome. I call it being a pussy.

"How old is Kevin?" I hoped the simple question would give her a breather, make the tears go away.

"Nine," she answered. "He's so young and already has had to endure so much." And there went the waterworks.

I offered her a tissue.

"Why go to me and not the police or a social worker or something."

She took the tissue gratefully. "Stewart thinks he's invincible. You see, he's a decorated cop. Robbery Homicide, considered a hero on the force. No one believes me, an ex-hooker he saved from the mean streets of L.A. Everybody says I'm lying, just to get custody of my child, but you have to believe me... It's not true, I just want what's best for Kevin."

Robbery Homicide. Those guys are the best in the business. Tough, seasoned veterans. Even my Dad feared them a little bit. I really didn't feel like messing with them. My relationship with LA's finest was strained enough as it was.

"I really think you should try the official route. The legal one." The tears kept on coming.

"Please, I'll do anything for you if you help me," she pleaded.

"Never say stuff like that," I said, swallowing hard. "You never know when someone asks you to hand in your first born." I regretted my words as soon as I spoke them. Sometimes I go a bit too far with the wiseass routine. "Sorry, I didn't mean to..."

She nodded. "I know. Listen, Mr. Milano, I know of your past. I know about what you used to do for your father. I know you've broken the law before." They always have to bring that up, don't they? Once a gangster always a gangster right? Don't they take the time to read the words on my door? Under Noah Milano it clearly says 'security specialist'. Maybe I should go for capitals?

"Where did you learn that? From your ex?" I asked. "I've never been convicted of anything, Ms. Merrick and I really want to keep it that way."

She stood, straightening her skirt as she did so. Her legs were long and her skirt was short. Nice combo. "All right. You win. But if you change your mind, call me. Night or day. I'm in the book." I watched her walk through the door. She still had the hooker stride, the wiggle of the hips that seemed to invite you. God, I felt like a sexist pig.

***
I was at my spineless best again. If I was a paperback I'd been thrown in the trash years ago. I just couldn't forget Wanda Merrick. I just couldn't ignore a plea for help like that. If something really did happen to that kid when I could've prevented it I'd never be able to forgive myself. I was carrying enough guilt with me as it was already.