Chapter 83 – Solstice – Part 16
KLEMPNER
Renberger lights a fresh cigarette from the stub of the old one, taps out the stub in the saucer, inhales.
“D’you get much out of Schauder?”
“Sweet fuck all.”
He nods and huffs. “He’s not good for much these days. Slow-cooked his own brain years ago with
whatever he could snort, smoke, or shoot himself up with. His son runs the show now. Just keeps the
old man on show for the look of the thing, I think.” He sniffs. “Don’t waste your time with Schauder
anymore. He won’t help you because he can’t.”
“And you will?”
Ash glows red as he draws long, staring into space. “I''d be happy to help if I could. This maniac running
loose is bad for business. The women are letting their imaginations run wild. Don''t want to go out and
work. Had to p a couple of them around a bit before they behaved themselves. The others got the
message after that, but it puts off the punters when the women look nervous.”
“Can I talk to your women?”
He shrugs. “Sure. I’ll take you up to the dorm.”
*****
The ‘dorm’ isn’t too bad, on the scale of things. I’ve slept in worse myself. Renberger and I enter a kind
of lounge area,id out with threadbare settees and a table. Beyond that, a dozen or so narrow beds
line either side of the room, two of them upied by a nketed figure. A locker stands beside each
bed. Clothes-rails lined along the centre of the room, apparentlymunal, are hung with outfits in
Lycra, leather and ck vinyl.
A couple of doors, one standing ajar, lead off the side. At the end of the dorm a bulky steel door is
padlocked, a window slot at eye level drawn closed.
A group of half a dozen nk-eyed women of mixed appearance and ethnicities lounge, slouch or
slump on the couches. As we enter, all stiffen up, eyeing Renberger. One, perhaps eighteen, is bruised
across the cheek. Another has a ck eye. It’s not obvious, since she’s heavily made-up, but no
amount of cosmetics can hide the swelling.
Renberger ps hands together, voice and face jovial, like some inner-city Santa us. “Now then,
streets. I’ve brought in Larry here to investigate it for us and see what we can do about keeping you
happy. He wants to ask you some questions first, so he’s clear on the facts. You help him all you can,
then he’ll be in a position to help you.” He casts around the group. “Where’s Janina? She’s supposed to
be here.”
A woman of East European appearance enters from the door standing ajar, carrying a steaming mug.
“A? ?ia, pone.”
Renberger’s joviality withers. “In English,” he snaps. “You know the rules by now.”
She cringes. “Sorry...” Her voice is heavily ented. “…Now me here.” Circling wide around
Renberger, she takes a seat by the table. Another of the women, of simr appearance, moves to sit by
her, babbling away quietly, briefly pointing toward me. Janina brightens, offering me a tentative smile.
Renberger gives a small nod. “I’ll leave you to it then. Larry, I’ll be back in my office when you’re done.”
He saunters out, leaving me with the group of warily waiting women.
Diplomacy’s not my strong point…
Are they here voluntarily?
Maybe…
Maybe not…
Renberger did business with me over several years, albeit via Bech. Just because I’m not supplying
anymore doesn’t mean he’s not found another source of cheapbour.
Still, I don’t see any faces I recognise. “How many of you speak English?”
“Most of us,” says a crease-faced brte. “We just don’t have much urge to talk to Renberger.” She
might be thirty. It’s hard to tell. She’s got that used-up look that whores often get after too many years in
the trade.
“Sorry, what’s your name?”
She shrugs. “Shawna. What is it you wanted to know?”
I pull a seat from under the table, swing it around and sit, straddled across it, elbows resting across the
back. “I’m helping in the hunt for the killer they’re calling ‘The Surgeon’. As I’m sure you know, he’s
targeting sex workers. I want to hear anything you can tell me about any man you’ve encountered in
thest year who rang rm bells with you…”
Then, remembering some of Mitch’s tales of life as a pro… She has a prettyrge grab-bag of you-
want-me-to-what? stories. “I’m not asking about johns with weird requests. We all know that if someone
can dream it up, there’s someone else out there who gets off on it…” Several of the women giggle and
nod… “… I’m talking about any man who gave you that gut feeling there was something wrong. The
Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.
kind where you knew in your gut that you wanted to get away from him…”
“… He could have been a client. He could have been cruising or kerb-crawling. Perhaps you saw some
guy just hanging around where he shouldn’t have been. Or perhaps he was there for too long,
watching. Is there anything any of you can…?”
It’s an outburst of noise, a cacophony, as all the women start speaking at once, each with a story of
some crank, ke, freak or sicko.
“There man on street two nights ago. He say me he like y with knife…”
“He tell me make him cum in spoon then feed it to him…”
“Last week I had one. Said he wanted a fifteen-year-old. I said I’d be fifteen for him if he wanted. He
didn’t like that. Took a swing at me…”
“He want me to call him Momma all the time we fuck…”
“He wanted me to crush bugs while he got himself off. Brought a box of cockroaches and a set of
stiletto heels for me…”
Ach…
Maybe it’s not too bad… Mitch thinking I’m vani…
“He wanted me to hump a beach ball while he filmed me…”
Beyond the babble, one of the sleeping figures rouses. “Will you lot keep the friggin’ noise down. I
didn’t get in ‘til nearly six. I’m trying to sleep.”
Shawna yells back over her shoulder. “You can sleepter. Get your ass over here. You want to hear
this.”
The figure groans, sits up and swings out of the bed. Tugging on a housecoat, she tramps across. Hair
askew, mascara spread over half her face, she lights up en route. “This’d better be fucking good. If I
don’t…” Mid-stride, she halts, staring at me. “You!”
She looks familiar. Not familiar enough that I could say who she is. But familiar enough that I know how
I know her…
The other women fall silent, turning as one. Shawna gives me a piercing look. “What’s that mean, Mia?
You know him?”
“Fucking right.” ring, she burns half her smoke in a single draw. “He told you who he is?”
“Renberger says he’s called Larry?”
“Yeah, that’s right. Larry…” She sneers, tossing her head at me. “Larry Klempner.”
“Klempner? The bastard that…”
“Yeah. Him. She saunters close. Too close. Inches away, she blows smoke in my face. “Remember
me? I don’t suppose you do, do you, bastard.”
“Actually, I do. You answered an ad. You were looking for work as… A nurse was it? Au pair?”
She sniffs. Nods. “Close. Nanny.” She swings around the gathered women. “Seventeen I was. This shit
interviewed me. Offered me a job. Told me I’d be teaching a couple of six-year-olds. Living in, eating
with the family. Instead, when I got off the bus, I was met by that other shite that worked for him… What
was he called?”
“Bech.”
“That’s right. Bech.” She spits the word. “He took my passport, my visa and delivered me to Renberger.
Bought and paid for. I’d never even had a boyfriend. Renberger was really pleased when he realised
that. Tell me, how much did he pay you for me? Did you get extra ‘cos it was my first time when he took
me to his party?”
“I''ve no idea. Probably. Bech handled that side of things.”
Shawna folds arms, eyes slitted, glowering. “That’s what you are? A fucking trafficker?”
My gut roils. “I was. I’m out of it now.”
The women mutter and snarl, shifting in their seats, then standing, backing away to leave me at the
centre of an ever-expanding circle.
Mia blows more smoke at me. “Don’t you believe a word this cunt tells you. I did. And see where it got
me.”
“Listen, I’m out of that now. I…” My words trail away. nk-eyed stares and turned backs are the only
response.
Behind me, the door opens and Renberger breezes back in, radiating bon ami. “How are we doing,
girls? Got everything you need, Larry?”
“Everything I’m likely to get, I think.”
“Good. Let’s get you on your way. Time to get back to work,dies.” His tone sharpens. “Mia, get that
crap off your face and clean yourself up. Who’s going to pay decent money when you turn out looking
like a cheap slut?” Turning on his heel, “Come on, Larry.”
As I follow him out, somewhere behind me, someone hawks, but I don’t move fast enough to avoid the
gob of spittle which sts onto my shoe.
I don’t say anything to Renberger.
*****
GEORGIE
I wake to pale silver sunlight nting over the bed. And beside me, my pale silver lover lies, eyes
closed, his breathing soft and regr, his hair a scatter of frost over his tanned skin. A single stray lock
rises and falls as my breathing bathes his face.
Morning breath…
We made lovest night, an act as physically intimate as it gets. Realistically, we’ve shared everything
it’s possible to share. But some things shouldn’t be shared. Quickly I withdraw, slip backwards from
between the sheets and, still naked, make for the bathroom.
I didn’t even bring a toothbrush. The new brush Borje gave me stands in a ss propped by a tube of
paste. A quick search produces mouthwash and dental floss too. Five minutester, running my tongue
over teeth now feeling squeaky-clean, I venture back.
Borje is awake, his lips curving as his eyes follow me. “Good morning.” He pulls the sheets back,
inviting me in. “It’s still early. Come back into the warm.” I slip down beside him and Borje tugs the
duvet over, then rolls to lie almost atop me, his face close to mine. “How are you this morning?”