CHAPTER 8


 

 

 

TWO DAYS LATER, Dakota watched nervously as the plane glided toward the landing strip. Crosswinds were gusting at 20 knots creating hazardous conditions for the small charter jet. The journalist knew Yemaya’s pilot was extremely capable but could still imagine the petite woman fighting the controls to keep its descent as smooth as possible. Finally, as if in a last desperate effort to force the plane onto the strip, she saw it drop, rise slightly and then drop again, the rear wheels making contact with the tarmac. The nose finally settled causing the plane to fishtail a few times before slowing and coasting to a halt near the terminal. A small door on the side of the plane opened inward and steps were lowered to the ground. When the pilot stuck her head out, she saw Dakota standing next to her Jeep and waved. Then she backed inside and Yemaya stepped out, ducking her head to avoid bumping it against the airframe.

Seeing Dakota, she smiled and gave her a thumbs up. Laughing, the journalist hurried across the tarmac and pulled her head down for a quick kiss.

"That was scary," she said, her voice quivering slightly.

"If Sharon had not been the pilot, I would agree," Yemaya said, calmly. "So, how is your grandmother?"

"Better than ever. I’m amazed at how well she’s doing. I think Mari and Grandma Dakota have something to do with it."

"Could be... or maybe she is just not ready to leave yet?"

"Well, I don’t care what it is. I’m not ready for her to leave either. By the way, she’s looking forward to meeting you. Seems Mom’s been telling her a few things about us. I told her we’d probably be back in a few weeks. I hope that’s okay."

"I see no problem at the moment visiting them. Pick out a date and I can have Sharon reserve the plane. Seeing Tee again will be fun. Besides, I am looking forward to hearing some of her stories about you," Yemaya teased.

Rolling her eyes, Dakota slapped her lover’s arm. During the ride back to the apartment, she described her visit to the nightclub and her encounter with Cammie.

"I really can’t believe how easy it was to talk to her. You’d have thought we were long lost friends."

"It happens like that sometimes. You meet someone and feel the connection."

"Could be. But this is different. If you’re up to it later tonight or tomorrow, maybe we can drop in for a few drinks. I think you’ll find it a pretty interesting place."

"Sounds like a plan."

*  *  *

Agrat-bat-mahlaht was livid and the air crackled with uncontrolled electricity from the anger she was unsuccessfully attempting to control.

"What do you mean she has disappeared?" she demanded, turning to glare at her business partner and long time friend seated in the recliner near the fireplace.

"Like I said, she’s gone, vanished, pfffft. You know!" replied the dark haired woman, unimpressed by Agra's fiery theatrics. She had known her too long to be disturbed by the colorful fireworks popping noisily in the background. "None of the girls have seen her for several days."

"No one just disappears like that, at least not from the Sisterhood. First it was Jennie, then Sasha and now her. Who saw her last?"

"Kiera."

"Get her in here!"

Taking out her cell phone, Kali quickly dialed a number.

"Shandra, tell Kiera the boss wants to see her... no, it won’t wait. If she’s not here in fifteen minutes, she can kiss her next pay check goodbye... Good."

Snapping the lid shut, she grinned wickedly, her lavender eyes Twinkling.

"They do love their money."

"It’s the only security they have. Too bad they can't take it with them," replied Agra, sarcastically.

"Don't be so overly dramatic," Kali chastised. "You know that's not true, at least the first part."

Picking up her glass of wine, Agra sat on the sofa across from her companion, crossed her legs, leaned against the backrest and closed her eyes. "We’ve been doing this too long, Kali. No matter how hard we try, we can’t protect all of them all of the time."

"I know. Sometimes, I feel like we've wasted our lives trying to win a battle we're destined to lose."

"Yeah. Me too. Then I think about those we saved and it makes all of this worth it, doesn’t it?"

"I suppose," Kali agreed, somewhat reluctantly.

A knock on the door interrupted their musings. Getting up, Kali walked over and opened it, motioning for the plump, black woman to enter.

"Thanks for coming," Kali said.

"Like I hads a choice. I can’t be affordin’ to lose my pay," Kiera grumbled, glancing toward Agra, hesitantly.

"If you started saving some of that money, you could," Agra replied, coolly. "We pay you plenty."

"Oh, I ain't complainin’, Miss Agra," the woman quickly explained, not wanting to anger her boss. "I’m just a mouthing off a little. You know I be that way."

"Yes, I do. It's a habit I'd work on correcting," advised Agra. "Tell me, when was the last time you saw Belinda? No one’s seen her in several days."

"Thursday afternoon. She said she was gonna see if she could make a few extra bucks on the side... not that you don’t be payin’ her plenty, but she saw this real cute dress she was wantin’ for her wardrobe and was afraid someone would get it before she gots enough money saved."

"So, why didn’t she just call me?" Agra asked, frustrated at hearing one of her whores had ignored a basic rule of the Sisterhood. "She could have borrowed the money from me if it meant that much."

"I guess she thought you’d be lecturin’ her about wastin her money... kinda like you does me sometimes."

"Are you or the others unhappy with our arrangements?"

"Oh no, Miss Agra. You pays us well... and no one else ever cared enough to gives us medical coverage or the protection you does. Shit, you even gives us a savins account soes we can get off the streets if we want to. I might be able to retires in a few years now. Miss Kali and you be like family. We ain’t never had no women pimps before, you know."

"Then why do you still take unnecessary chances? The rules we made are for your protection."

Kiera shrugged. It was true what Ms. Agra was saying. Still, old habits were hard to break.

"It’s just the way we is. Before you come along, we never had noone who cared much for us... not like you. We was out for our selves ’cause that’s all we had... the pimps... they took most everything we made. The last few months are like a dream, you know? I guess we just feels it ain’t gonna last and then we has to start all over again. Some of the pimps on the street... they been hasslin’ us and sayin they was gonna get you two sooner or later. Talk is it's gonna be sooner and then the Sisterhood ain't gonna be no more."

When Agra lunged to her feet, Kiera jumped back, startled at how quickly her boss moved.

"Who’s making these threats?"

"Just some small time pimps... we knows it was all talk so we didn’t say nothing."

"I don’t care how small the talk is. No one threatens my whores. I want to know who they are. One of them might have grabbed Belinda... and even if they didn't, I won't tolerate intimidation of my girls by anyone."

Kiera looked hesitantly at Kali and then back at Agra.

"Chicklet, mostly. He’s the main mouth."

"Chicklet?"

"Yeah. He’s a mixed-breed that hangs out on the strip near the bars. Thinks he’s a real tough guy but he’s all talk. Always chewing gum... poppin’ chicklets."

"How many whores work for him?"

"A dozen... maybe more."

"You ever hear any complaints from them?"

"Nah. Likes I said, he’s all mouth but he gots game. He takes half their money but he make sure they gots good protection. If anyone roughs up his hoes, he hunts 'em down and they pays double. Then he splits it fifty fifty with the hen house. Most of his hoes chose him up cuz he takes good care of 'em... better than the pimps on the east side."

"A pimp with some ethics, eh?" Kali asked, interrupting the conversation. "Well, if you ever hear anything different, let us know... and we’ll talk about the assholes on the other side of town in a few days. Agra and I plan on paying them a little visit. Right now our girls are our main concern. Now, have you heard any street talk about Sasha or any other whores that have disappeared?"

"No... Everyone’s been lookin for Jennie and Sasha. Those two, they just up and disappeared. Jennie, she was a pro... been doin’ it for years. I don't think she'd break none of your rules, Ms. Agra. And Sasha... I tried to tell her not to go out by herself until someone learned her the ropes... but you know how kids is nowadays. There’s talk about some that went missin’ a few months back before you all come. We just figured they took off cuz they wanted out. Their pimp was real unhappy but seein as no one knowed where they went, he couldn’t do much."

"Alright. Call us if you hear something... and put the word out on Belinda. Someone may have seen or heard something."

"I’ll tell them. Maybe one of the Joes knowed somethin’ at the Mission. Me and the girls will check around."

"Good. You can go... and be careful. Until we find out what happened to her and the others, I don’t want anyone working by themselves. Tell the sisters to pair up and keep an eye on each other. No leaving the strip in anyone's car unless they really know the person or until we find out what's happening. If a driver wants your services, he or she can get it in one of the back seat, an alley or nearby motel. I'll make arrangements with a few of the owners to have rooms available... and make sure they have at least two other girls take a good look at the guy. I want whoever picks up one of my whores to know he has been seen... Got it?"

"Yes, Miss Agra. I’ll pass the word but it's gonna put a crimp in our business."

"I don't care what it does as long as no one else disappears... and Kiera, if anyone breaks this rule, they're out of the Sisterhood. Got it?"

"Yes ma'am!"

Once Kiera was gone, Kali waited patiently for her friend to calm down. The high level of energy that had been bouncing around her earlier had finally settled to an occasional flicker. The demoness was always amazed that humans never felt the tremendous power flowing from Agra whenever she was upset or angry. Then again, perhaps it was a good that they couldn’t. Energy that powerful would probably prove fatal to most mortals.

"I don’t like this! Three of our girls in less than a month."

"I agree. You’d think after all these years, we’d be able to keep better track of them."

"Yeah! It makes me wonder what's happening to us. What good are we if our powers continue to weaken as they have? There was a time..." Not wanting to dwell on the past, Agra let the thought die.

"Well, one thing I can promise you," said Kali, her tone bordering on anger. "If I do find out what happened to them... and if they’ve been harmed, whoever is responsible will wish they had never been born! Hell will be paradise compared to what I will do to them," she promised.

Agra had no doubt that Kali would fulfill her threat. Her ability to instill pain far exceeded her compassion for their prostitutes... and her compassion for them was infinite.

"What do you think of our newest customer?" asked Agra, deciding it was time to change the topic.

"Which one?"

"You know who I’m talking about!" replied Agra, giving her that ‘don’t be coy with me’ look. "The one Cammie was talking to last night."

"Oh her! She seems okay."

Agra laughed at the demoness's sulky tone.

"You can’t really be jealous of her?"

"That's ridiculous!" Kali snapped. "What’s there to be jealous of? She’s human."

"You tell me!"

"You’re just imagining it. Like I said, she seems nice enough. Besides, how would I know? You and Lilith talked with her. I was busy with the other customers."

"That's true, but I noticed you watching her and Cammie a lot. If I didn't know better I'd say you were interested in one of them."

"Don't be stupid! I don't have time for relationships!"

"If you say so," Agra said, realizing it would be better to drop the subject. Obviously something was bothering Kali but she wasn’t ready to talk about it. "I suppose we should head on out to the bar. Lilith wants us in early tonight. Apparently, she's decided to have a few words with her ex about the whores. She thinks he may know something."

"I doubt that! There’s no way he wants to piss her off. The last time nearly cost him his kingdom," Kali laughed. "And to think she gave up Adam for him."

"Did you ever meet that guy?"

When Kali shook her head no, Agra put her arm around her friend's shoulders and started for the door.

"Well, let me tell you about him. He may have been good looking but when it came to charisma..."