by Bill Ward
“He keeps you and me because we make him good money. He can’t keep all the girls. There isn’t room so he sells them on… Now tell me about your threesum.”
“Just one more question. Where is Dimitry?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen him for ages.”
“Do you know I saw him murder a policewoman. She was no older than me.”
Mara looked shocked. “Afina, you mustn’t say anything. They would kill you.”
“Stefan knows I saw everything.”
“Then I don’t understand why you are still alive?”
“I have some insurance. I have written down what I saw and left a letter with a friend who will give it to the police if she doesn’t hear from me. I also promised to continue to work for him in return for them not hurting my family.”
“So you have a Mexican standoff. You know too much but they have threatened your family.”
“Yes.”
“You are not safe, Afina. Stefan is more reasonable but Dimitry might just kill you and your family because he is pissed with you. Then he will come back to the house to fuck some girls and not give a damn about what he has done. He is not human, Afina. You need to think seriously about your future. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
Afina felt her new found confidence crumbling. “But Dimitry has surely gone back to Romania. He is in hiding.”
“Maybe or maybe he will change his looks and return with a different name and passport. He won’t just walk away from this business or forget about you. He and Stefan make too much money. I think he has told Stefan to keep you close so he knows where to find you when he wants you.”
Afina realised she had not thought of every possible scenario when she came back to work for Stefan. What Mara said made sense. They were at Starbucks so ceased talking and ordered their coffees.
“You’ve never told me how you came to work for Stefan?” Afina asked, as they started back towards the apartment.
“It was my choice,” Mara answered. “I didn’t come here like the other girls and you. I wanted to make money and Stefan is my cousin.”
“Your cousin!”
“Don’t worry. He’s my cousin but you are my friend. I won’t tell him anything you tell me. Now enough questions and enough about Stefan. It is your turn to answer my question. Tell me about your threesum. Did you lick this Lia’s pussy?”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Danny called and arranged to see Mara for a threesum. He said he would leave her to choose a suitable second girl for their afternoon adventure but he liked girls with long hair and long legs, if she knew such a girl. He had mixed feelings about the meeting when he rang the doorbell. The presence of a second very attractive girl was on the one hand hugely exciting but he was also nervous. His hopes were raised high and that could always lead to a crashing disappointment.
Mara answered the door and led him to the same bedroom. She took his two hundred pounds for the hour and promised to return shortly. When the door opened and the two girls entered he was ecstatic to see Afina. She was exactly what he had hoped for and he was almost lost for words.
“Hello, I am Afina.”
“Did I choose well?” asked Mara.
“Perfect,” Danny replied. “You both look stunning.”
The girls started running their hands over his chest and down his legs. Mara kissed him and then Afina took a turn. Mara knelt and pulled down Danny’s boxers.
“I bet Danny would love to have both of us suck his cock at the same time,” Mara suggested.
Afina knelt beside Mara and together they both licked and sucked him. Danny tried to prolong the pleasure but lasted only about five minutes. This time Mara directed Danny’s cum all over Afina’s breasts.
“Lie back Danny and enjoy the show,” said Mara, handing him a couple of wipes.
“Can I have some wipes, please,” Afina asked Mara.
“You don’t need them,” Mara replied. “I’m going to clean you up.”
She took Afina in her arms and started to lick and clean Danny’s cum from her breasts.
Afina was uncertain at first but as Mara found her nipples and began teasing them with her tongue, she knew she wanted more. Afina glanced at Danny and saw his eyes were about to pop out of his head. Mara spent several minutes ensuring there was no remaining cum on Afina. She then kissed her fully on the lips. Afina had kissed a couple of girlfriends for a laugh in the past but not with the passion Mara was showing.
“Why don’t you lie next to Danny,” Mara suggested.
Afina lay next to Danny and he immediately started kissing her. She then felt Mara’s soft lips on her thighs and her legs parted, an invitation Mara was quick to accept.
For Afina, the next half an hour was a blur of entangled legs, kisses and pleasure with her not always sure whether it was Mara or Danny she was feeling. She made both of them smile more than once when she assumed a couple of flexible positions only a gymnast would achieve.
When Danny cried enough, Mara offered him a soft drink and he requested water, which she went to fetch.
“I really like you, Afina,” Danny said. “Could I come and see just you the next time?”
“Of course but didn’t you like our threesum?”
“I loved it but I’m not super rich and a threesum is just for special occasions. I like Mara as well but it would be nice to just spend some time with you.”
Afina was flattered by Danny’s request because she considered Mara far prettier. “Just call the same number you called before and ask to see me, Afina. I’m nearly always available.”
Mara returned with the water for Danny. “I thought you might be having a quickie without me,” she laughed.
“You’ve worn me out,” Danny answered. “I’ve never experienced anything like that before.”
“I hope you enjoyed it?” Mara asked.
“Hated every minute of it!”
“So you won’t be coming again?”
“I think I’ve cum enough for one day, that’s for sure,” Danny joked.”
Danny dressed and kissed both girls on each cheek before leaving. He knew he would be back again very soon.
After a shower, Afina went back to her room and lay on her bed thinking about Mara. She was fairly certain that Mara was bisexual. It had not just been an act for the customer. Mara had enthusiastically gone down on her and almost begged her to do the same in return. Over the last few days, Afina had also spotted Mara looking at her from time to time in a slightly strange manner. Afina had just dismissed it as being curiosity but now she wondered if it meant something more. Perhaps Mara was smitten by how she looked and had developed something of a crush. Afina hoped she could use that to her advantage, that and the fact she was Stefan’s cousin. She wouldn’t do anything to hurt Mara but she recognised Mara was happy with her lifestyle. Mara would not go out of her way to help the girls being sold as sex slaves. Afina on the other hand was going to have to do something. She just didn’t know what.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Powell had been informed Bella’s body was available for a funeral as the autopsy was finished. A senior police officer had telephoned him and asked if it would be all right to have a ceremonial funeral service in memory of Bella, as she had been killed in the line of duty. The officer had also mentioned that she was being nominated posthumously for an award for outstanding bravery.
Powell was happy to have a special service and indeed felt it was the least Bella deserved. The service was to take place at St Andrew’s Church in Hove, which was the same place where Bella had been Christened. He wasn’t very religious by nature but it had always been Vanessa’s wish to have Bella christened and out of respect to her memory, it had been one of the first things he did after moving to Hove. Now here he was, just a few years later, facing her memorial service. What he had experienced during his lifetime made it difficult to believe in a benevolent God. The ceremonial service was to take place in the morning and then in the afternoon the
re was to be a much smaller service at the Woodvale Crematorium in Brighton, which was just for close family and friends.
Powell was shocked and pleased by the turnout at the church. There were hundreds of mourners on the road around the church and inside was packed. There were even television cameras at the entrance to the church and many photographers, which Powell did his best to avoid. A Lifetime spent avoiding cameras wasn’t going to change now. Everywhere senior officers could be seen in very smart attire. Various local dignitaries introduced themselves and offered their condolences prior to the service starting.
Bella’s coffin was carried into the church by six of her colleagues. The Chief Constable of Sussex spoke eloquently about Bella and the sacrifice she had made. Powell was deeply affected by the whole service and tears flowed down his cheeks. It was almost too much to bear and the only thought that sustained him was the need to find the man responsible.
After the cremation, family and friends had been invited back to the bar. Powell took Brian aside and asked him if there was any update in the search for Dimitry.
“The police have found him on the CCTV at Gatwick so we now know for sure he has left the country.” Brian reported. “But there’s nothing positive coming back from Romania.”
“Shit!” It was the worst possible news.
“Powell, please promise me you won’t go chasing after him. Leave it to the police to find him.”
“I will give the police every opportunity to find him first. But if I think they are getting nowhere then you can’t expect me to do nothing. Bella meant everything to me.”
“I understand. Please just be careful… On a more positive note I hear Constable Myers is going to live. Seems the knife just missed his vital organs and despite losing a lot of blood he should make a full recovery. He was very lucky.”
Powell knew he should be happy for the policeman and his family but he could only think that he wished it was Bella alive and Myers who had been the unlucky one.
Powell noticed both Bella’s grandmothers were circulating with trays of food and drinks, as if keeping busy somehow made the whole occasion more bearable. In a similar vein, he spotted Chief Inspector Brown chatting to some other officers and decided to check if he had any further news.
“Thanks for coming, Chief Inspector,” he said. “Might I have a word?”
“Of course.” The Chief Inspector excused himself from his companions and followed Powell to a quieter corner of the lounge.
“Any update, Chief Inspector? Are you making progress with finding my daughter’s killer?”
“We are doing everything possible,” the Chief Inspector said encouragingly. “We are pursuing a number of lines of enquiry.”
“I’m sure you are but are you any nearer finding Bella’s killer?”
“I’m sorry but as I’ve told you before, I really can’t discuss the details of the case with you Mister Powell.”
“It’s just Powell,” he snapped. Then in a more pleasant tone he asked, “Do you expect an arrest anytime soon?”
“This is a murder enquiry, Powell. You can’t expect miracles.”
“I gave up believing in miracles many years ago. I just want to hear you are making progress.”
“Well we have definitely made progress.”
“Can I help further in any way? For example, would it help if I was to offer a reward for information?”
“To be honest I’m not sure it would at the moment. It might actually bog the enquiry down pursuing a load of false leads. But let me think on it further and if circumstances change we can discuss it again.”
Powell walked away feeling a mixture of anger and helplessness. He went behind the bar and found a bottle of his favourite malt whisky. He poured an extra-large measure, picked up the bottle and headed upstairs to Bella’s apartment.
He sunk in the soft armchair and downed his drink in one before refilling the glass. The warmth from the whisky quickly spread throughout his body and he relaxed. He was glad to be away from the people downstairs, who were full of sympathy but he didn’t want to hear anyone else tell him how sorry they were for his loss. What did they know? They hadn’t dedicated their lives to bringing up Bella. They hadn’t seen her through the ups and downs of life.
He took another sip of whisky and then went to one of the cupboards and took out a photo album. He sat back in his chair and turned the pages, which transported him back in time to her first day at school, her birthday parties and the memories of happy holidays. Tears were streaming down his cheeks. There would be no new memories, no new photos to put in the album.
He had learned a long time ago life was unfair to many people but surely he had experienced more than his share of misfortune. He had lived for Bella and now she was gone. There was no meaning to his life without Bella. He didn’t want to live any longer, he wanted to be with Bella and Vanessa. He finished his drink and poured another large measure.
“Thought you might be up here,” Brian said.
Powell turned in surprise. “Brian, I came up here to be alone.”
“Great minds think alike,” Brian said, holding up another bottle of whisky and two glasses. He didn’t wait to be invited but sat himself in the chair opposite Powell. He poured himself a drink. “To Bella,” he toasted.
“Bella,” Powell responded, raising his glass.
“You need to get back downstairs in the minute,” Brian said. “People are missing you. They want to know you are all right.”
“Of course I’m fucking not all right,” Powell was beginning to slur his words. “I’ll never be all right again.”
“I can’t imagine what it’s like to lose one person you love let alone two like you have but you still have a lot of life ahead of you and you can’t spend it getting drunk. I didn’t really know Bella but I knew Vanessa and if her daughter was anything like her, then she’d be begging you to get up from this chair, go speak with her friends and then find a new purpose in your life until you can be with them both again.”
“That’s the problem. I don’t believe I will ever see them again. I gave up on religion a long time ago.”
“I know Vanessa and Bella believed in you and I remember a time when many others put their faith in you and you didn’t let them down. So we are going to have one more drink, then we’re going downstairs and after everyone has gone we’ll get very drunk and remember the past but starting tomorrow, you are going to keep doing whatever it takes to bring Bella’s killer to justice.”
“You told me to do nothing, to leave it to the police.”
“Yes but I didn’t believe for one minute you would listen to me.”
Afina had arranged to meet Emma and Becky for another evening of drinks. It was the second such occasion and she hoped it might become a regular event. Afina looked forward to their company and seeing some of their gay girlfriends, who had been so friendly the last time. For a few hours her life would seem more normal.
She had arranged with Stefan that on Mondays she would finish working at seven and at eight she would meet the girls. Mara was working and would cover her customers, which made Afina happy because it meant Mara could not ask to join her, something she could never allow. Afina would enjoy going out with Mara but she could not permit her to meet Emma and Becky. When asked where she went, she would say that she liked to walk by the sea and explore the town.
“Afina, we had a visit from the police,” Emma said, while Becky was getting drinks. “Did you call them when you were at our place?”
“The police! What did they want?”
“Did you call them?”
“Yes but you told me I could withhold my number so they wouldn’t know who was calling.”
“That’s true for calling normal numbers but not the emergency services.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know that. What did you tell them?”
“That you had almost been raped, we offered you a drink and a shoulder to cry on, before you left without leaving us any contact det
ails.”
“Thank you Emma, you have helped me again.”
“Are you okay, Afina? We really are worried about you.”
“I am fine, honestly. Everything is good now. Actually, I have another letter for you. If you don’t hear from me for a week please pass both letters to the police.” Afina had added the information she gained from Mara about Stefan selling girls and mentioned Lia’s plight.
“Afina, this isn’t right. Are you sure you’re not in trouble? It isn’t normal what you’re doing, leaving letters with us to hand to the cops, as if you might be killed at any time.”
“Don’t worry, Emma. I am perfectly safe but your streets are far busier than I am used to and if I have an accident, I want the police to know about the man who tried to rape me.” Afina didn’t want to worry Emma and Becky or put them in danger but she really had no choice.
Emma didn’t look convinced but put the letter in her bag without further argument. “Afina, just know that if you ever need us we’re here for you.”
“You two look serious,” Becky said, returning with their drinks.
“I was just telling Afina about our visit from the police,” Emma explained.
“Is everything okay?” Becky asked.
“Fine,” Emma answered.
“Good because I had a crap day at work and need to get pissed!”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Afina was pleasantly surprised when she opened her bedroom door and discovered Danny was her next customer.
“Hello, Afina. How are you?” Danny asked, with a broad smile on his face.
“I’m good. How are you?” Afina recognised the face but couldn’t remember his damn name.
“Very happy to see you. I’ve been really looking forward to seeing you again since our last meeting.”
Afina led him back to her room. “How long do you want to stay?”
“Two hours please.”
Afina was surprised and happy to think she would get to spend the next two hours with a customer she actually quite liked. Her previous customers had always booked a maximum of one hour. She wasn’t sure how they would fill two hours though as she remembered him completely shagged out after just one hour the last time they met.
