Chapter 7
“DO you have insomnia?” Dr. Connor asked Maria when he visited Sara for a home check-up. “You’ve got dry eyes and—”
Maria looked away from him. “Doc, I’m not the patient here,” she said and stood. “What do you want? Coffee or… coffee? We don’t have teas here.”
“Coffee, but please, keep it black, and no sugar,” he said and winked at her.
Maria quickly turned her back. Every time the doctor does that, her heart flutters, and she hated it. If she could just request for another Pediatric Cardiologist, but she can’t do that, Dr. Connor can calm Sara’s tantrums, and she can see that Sara is fond of the doctor. Maybe because he always has something for Sara whenever he visits for a home check-up.
“Did you like my gift for you, Sara?” she heard Dr. Connor ask his daughter. His calmed voice was like a lullaby in her ears. “I’m going to give you the complete collection of those dolls if you promised me that you would not cry again at night.”
Maria placed the coffee mug on the small table behind the wooden chair that Dr. Connor occupied. She looked at her daughter, who was now busy with her new doll. Sara looked at Dr. Connor, then pouted her lips.
“Then, you should tell my mom not to leave at night,” she said and lowered her head. “I don’t want her to go to work at night.”
Dr. Connor looked at her. “Is there a way that you could change your shift at the convenience store you’re currently working on?”
Maria avoided the doctor’s eyes. She sat on the stool in front of him. “I have filed my resignation,” she answered and looked at her daughter. “Next week, Mommy’s gonna find a new job.”
Sara’s smile widened. “You’re not going to leave me at night?”
Maria nodded. “I won’t, sweetie.”
“Where are you going to apply for a new job?” Dr. Connor asked. “My sister has a restaurant if you want, I can recommend you to her—”
“Thank you, Doc. But, I have received calls from new employers,” Maria said, but it’s just a lie.
Sara’s doctor doesn’t know about her job as a pole dancer in the club. Even their neighbors and friends to where they’re staying don’t know anything about her. About what she does at night was only between her and Wendy. She doesn’t want her child to know that her mother was a prostitute. It’s also true that secrets are meant to be revealed no matter how good you hide it.
“Maria, you should take care of yourself,” Dr. Connor told her. His handsome face was showing concern to her. “You’re all she has.”
Maria pressed her lips together and lowered her head. She didn’t know that she was shaking until Dr. Connor held her hand. Maria’s heart almost leaped from her chest when she felt his palm touch her skin.
“Maria, if you could just let me take care of you—”
“No,” Maria said in a stern voice. She pulled her hand back from him. “I don’t need anybody. What I want is just…” she glanced at her daughter, who was busy with her new toys. She lowered her voice when she continued. “What I want is Sara’s safety.”
Dr. Connor looked straight in her eyes. Maria felt as if he was relaying something to her discreetly. When she can’t take it anymore, she looked away.
“Do you think I don’t I don’t know, Maria?” he asked in a low voice, almost a whisper. “I saw you that night, Maria.”
Maria froze in her seat. But, she can’t just reveal herself. She looked up and stared into his eyes, blankly. “Is it another mistaken identity story?”
*
“FOUR o’clock, the man with greying hair,” Euclid spoke over his lapel. “Keep an eye on him—”
“Why? He looked like just a dirty old man waiting to see naked women dancing,” Fred complained from the other line. He arrived at the club at the past eleven, just before the show started.
“I saw him last night talking with the club owner,” he said. Then, he did some clicks to the laptop to zoom in the lens from Fred’s body-worn hidden camera. “On your left, the short-haired woman, she’s known by her alias Demi. She’s a runner. Keep an eye on her.”
He heard Fred groaned. “I’m not an insect to have many eyes. I only have two eyes, and these were meant for a beautiful girl on the stage.”
“That’s not Magdalene,” Euclid commented when a slender woman appeared on the laptop screen. Fred wasn’t doing a good job covering the whole club. “Switch tables, I saw familiar faces from your right side.”
Fred turned to his side, and a couple of men appeared. “Sounds like the tramp’s features were marked in your mind,” he said and laughed. “I am hoping to see her tonight.”
“Too bad for you, she’s not gonna show up tonight,” he said, then zoomed in the lens. “On your right, black bonnet, Euclid hoodie, he’s the barker.”
“How did you know?” Fred asked. “The barker’s talking to the man that talked to Demi a while ago.”
“That barker told me that Magdalene is available only on weekends,” Euclid answered. “I can see lots of big guys on the corner. Focused on the owner, zoomed-in…” Euclid waited for the blur to clear. “F/2.8 aperture and gotcha!”
“Is it on HD?” Fred asked, his voice sounding far from the microphone.
“Did you just swallow your microphone?” he asked as he converted the camera into a large depth field. “Don’t chew on the cables—”
“It’s wireless,” Fred said with a groan. “Stop leaving under the rock. Are you Patrick Starfish?”
“Stop baffling and do your job, Fred.” Euclid printed all the shots in an A4 coupon bond and pinned them on their wall. That looks old school, but it’s effective on him. “The barker looks busy talking with the owner.”
“They’re glancing at my direction,” he said. “Should I shoot them?”
“Play dumb,” he said and refocused the lens. “You dressed like a wealthy businessman, what do you expect?”
Fred chuckled. “Oh, right. I’m the man with multiple credit cards tonight.”
Euclid’s brows furrowed when the woman alias Demi went to the corner of the stage and disappeared behind the red curtains. “Be alert, Fred.”
“I’m born to be alert,” he whispered back.
The lights in the club went out. A moment later, flashes of red and blue lights flooded the stage, followed by a piece of loud sensual music. A roar of whistles from the audience filled the background. Some were screaming for Magdalene to come out from the stage.
“Fred, get the first girl that will interact with the owner,” Euclid said. “But, don’t fuck. We gotta do some catfishing.”
“Hey, Euclid. It looks like you’re misinformed,” Fred whispered from the other line. Seconds later, a woman in red sexy lingerie stepped out from the curtains. She sauntered towards the center stage, and the audiences get crazy. “Wow, she’s so popular. And hot! Tell me to capture the angel, Euclid.”
Euclid leaned closer to the laptop screen and studied the woman on the stage. “Hold on, Fred. I’ll be there in a minute.”
***
