Page 23 of One Eye Open (The BlackWater)

Maddie sat watching as the girl down the street approached the car and leant over into the passenger side window. She was barely covered, wearing little more than a lacy see-through red bralette, with a faux fur jacket to provide some protection from the elements and her plasticky skirt was so short anyone walking past would have gotten a hell of a lot more than they’d bargained for if they’d looked but then no one just walked down this part of town.

No one just wandered off the main roads.

Beside Maddie, Connor discreetly took a couple of pictures.

“Good angle from here.” He muttered and Maddie raised an eyebrow at the pun.

“I didn’t mean…” He said quickly.

“I know.” Maddie replied. They needed to get as much evidence as they could on this girl, as much leverage as they could if they stood any chance of making her talk.

“He’s not biting.” Connor stated and Maddie narrowed her eyes as the car drove off into the dusky evening and the girl frowned and clenched her fists.

“I’m sure someone else will be along in a minute.” Maddie stated as a beaten up van pulled up barely seconds after the words left her mouth.

“Jesus would you really wanna get into that?” Connor asked as the girl half skipped up to it.

“I think you’re a bit misguided there. It’s not like she has many choices.” Maddie stated as they saw the door open and the girl climbed in. The van pulled away only to park up a few spaces down where the street lighting was out.

“She could get a job, just like the rest of us.” Connor said, flicking through the screen on the Nixon camera to check the quality.

“She could, but I doubt anyone would employ her. Besides you’re forgetting our friend, Marcus.” Maddie said looking away from the van and back down the road because it had started to rock in a way that told her exactly what was occurring.

“You actually feel sorry for her don’t you?” Connor asked.

“Yeah I do. I feel sorry for anyone who has to do that. It’s easy for people who’ve never been in that situation to judge but you don’t know her circumstances, her history, it’s not as black and white as everyone thinks it is.” She replied.

Connor snorted like he didn’t quite believe it but refrained from answering.

“How many photos have we got?” Maddie asked deciding to refocus their conversation.

“Got some good ones of this guy and the two before. Wanna see?” He asked and she nodded taking the camera off him to check them.

“Yeah, I think this’ll be enough. We only want to get her to talk, we’re not building a case against her.” Maddie stated.

They waited till the girl got out and van man disappeared off and then they got out of the car.

Maddie approached first, not wanting to intimidate her or worse, look like they were cops but the girl spotted her from halfway up the street and began running.

“Shit.” Maddie muttered speeding after her and feeling the now familiar throb in her god damn thigh.

“I’ll get her.” Connor said sprinting ahead and disappearing around the corner before Maddie could respond.

Maddie huffed, running fast and stopped as she caught up with them and saw Connor had the poor girl pinned against a brick wall.

“Seriously?” Maddie said and Connor shrugged.

“We just want to talk.” She said to the girl who scowled at her before kneeing Connor in the balls.

Maddie moved fast, grabbing her arm and yanking her back.

“I said we just want to talk.” She stated and the girl laughed.

“Fuck off.” She said. “Think I’ll talk to you.”

“We know who you work for. We can help.” Maddie said and the girl laughed at her words.

“Why the fuck would you do that for?” She retorted. “People like you don’t give a shit about people like me.”

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