Vice Cop Ch. 04

When he walked inside the room, there was a massage table waiting for him. The masseuse was nowhere to be found and Hudson's quick eyes took notice of an adjacent room where she was most likely preparing herself.

"There's a towel on the right," the Japanese woman said, "you can take off your clothes and put the towel on and lie on your back on the table while she gets ready for you."

Hudson complied, feeling awkward about the whole thing. He had never enjoyed a massage and the whole affair was new and foreign to him. He knew it was a pleasure fast becoming popular, and that it was a terrific and therapeutic form of relaxation and built good health.

He removed the clothes he had on – a red dressy shirt with long sleeves, and dark slacks. He wasn't wearing any underwear. Sighing, he lay on the table on his stomach, crossing his arms and putting his face down. He heard a door opening and footsteps approaching. He didn't want to look back, as he figured staring would be impolite and he was already so comfortable on the table.

"Alright, here we go," said a strangely familiar voice, "my name's Sonya. Sonya Romandini, I'll be your masseuse this evening."

What was it about her voice? He stirred a bit on the table and let out a moan.

The woman put her hands on his legs.

"I think I'll start here and work my way up," she said, "oh and by the way, I'm also available for you, if you wish....for another kind of pleasure.... in your hotel room."

When she said this, he turned to face her and they both locked eyes in a moment of silence. The girl was the same girl in the Playboy ad! He had hoped to run into her here but it seemed so contrived that she would actually be his assigned masseuse. In addition, what she had just said proved that she was also a sex worker. Still, who was this girl? Hudson stared at her and realized that she was staring back, with a look that told him she knew him.

"Hudson? Hudson Banach? Is that you?" she said, in a tone of surprise," oh my God! It really is you! It's me. We went to high school together. We were a couple all through high school."

Hudson felt like an idiot. How could he forget? How could he not have known it was her. But as he eyed her from head to toe, he realized she had changed a lot. In high school, she had much shorter hair and had always kept it short; she had been very thin, in fact too skinny, and aspired to be a super model. She had always worn glasses and she didn't dress fashionably like she did right now. After graduation, she went to LA to pursue a career in modeling and acting, along with another group of girls, and Hudson assumed she had remained in California.

"Oh, Sonya, I'm sorry I hardly recognized you," Hudson said to her, "look at you. You look gorgeous. You've developed a body."

"You like what you see?" she said very flirtatiously, "so what are you doing in Atlantic City? And how have you been doing all these years?"

"I'm a police officer with the NYPD now. I came here for relaxation and fun. I thought I could use a vacation. But what I'd really like to know is why are you here and not modeling in LA like you wanted to?"

She took her hands off his legs. She turned and looked into nothingness in quiet thought. She sighed and turned to face Hudson.

"I was unable to break into the industry," she responded, flatly, "and it was very tough for a while. I couldn't find any work; I was waiting tables and starving. Not even my new body was enough to get the attention I wanted. So I came to New Jersey and –"

"And you became a masseuse who does tricks on the side?" Hudson finished her sentence.

"Look, it's not what you think," she said, defensively," I'm not a prostitute. I don't walk the streets and look for johns."

"No? So how exactly does it work for you?"

"I learned about massage therapy and this is really my job. But it doesn't pay as much as I'd like and I met many people here in Atlantic City with a similar problem. One of my girlfriends who had come to model in LA with me told me about an escort service here. I'm drug and disease-free, so there's never been a risk involved. It's not always about sex. I offer companionship to bachelors here in town and we go out for fancy dinners, nightclubs, concerts and so forth."

"But if the guy wants sex, you give it to him?"

"For extra cash, yes. Look, Hudson, I know you must think badly of me but I couldn't find any other type of work. It's hard out here."

"Sonya, you're telling me that you're a high-class hooker in a town like this one where anything might happen to you."

"Nothing's happened. I'm alright, really."

"You can't be truly happy. I don't know what to say to you. I wish you could just come back to New York City with me. I could find you a decent job."

"I don't want to talk about it. It may be too late for me. Now, what about the massage? I haven't even started.

"Go right ahead," Hudson said, putting his head down on the table again.

She returned her attention on his calves and legs, slowly, firmly. Her hands felt good on Hudson's flesh and she was clearly an expert. She was quiet again and Hudson closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of her soft hands.

"And what about my other proposal?" she said to him, as her hands moved up the back of his thighs toward his butt.

He was beginning to fall under the sensual spell of the massage. When he felt her hands on his ass, he stirred and moaned, feeling a budding stimulation he knew could become stronger and stronger. And she was so beautiful, and they had been high school sweethearts. Memories of the good old days, before he ever went into the Police Academy, flooded his mind. He remembered how beautiful she was even then, despite her thinness, and how she had been a classy, sweet and intelligent girl. She had been a cheerleader and she had been Prom Queen to his Prom King. He had lost his virginity to her and they owned their first cars together. Her hands were like magic and he recalled how they had once enjoyed terrific sexual chemistry.

"Uh, you know, Sonya, technically I'm not supposed to take up an offer like that," he said to her, "I mean, I am a cop."

"You're not a cop right now, you're in Atlantic City, getting a massage, and from a girl you know. Don't you care for me any more? Don't you remember how much fun we used to have?"

Her hands kneaded his ass cheeks like she was kneading dough and he felt his cock beginning to stiffen, his blood beginning to race and a heated passion slowly building within him. Her skilled hands knew just how deeply to touch and stroke him, and when she worked on his back, he felt all his tensions and frustrations slip away. He had his eyes closed and he remembered how they had made love in the past. It had only been three times, but he had been certain Sonya was the woman he'd marry. Even his mother had thought so. Outwardly, she was perfect and fit the profile of a New York Italian cop's wife. Sonya Romandini was herself of an Italian family and her dark, exotic Italian looks always stirred his lust. And she was even more beautiful now. He mentally debated whether to indulge in vice like had with Candy Spears in Miami or to follow his moral cop mentality.

"Sonya, I'm flattered, really," he said to her, "but you don't have to do this. I'm a friend. I'm not going to pay for sex with you. Why don't I take you out to a nice restaurant here or we can watch a show? I'm all alone here. I have no girlfriend and I would like some company. We can go to the casinos. Come on, when do you get off work?"

She kneaded his powerful shoulders and finished her massage with a gentle rub with the palm of her hands flat on his shoulder blade. He turned and they looked at one another.

"I'm all done, actually. You were my last session. And yes, I'd love to go out with you while we're here. Just let me get ready. I have an apartment not far from here. Where are you staying?"

"The Atlantis. I'll meet you in the lobby in ...half hour?"

"Sure," she said, smiling.

SIX

Lexa arrived at the boardwalk, the cool ocean breeze in her face. She realized she looked ridiculous, and she was sure that the real hookers she would encounter would either think she was a newbie or a cop in disguise.

Her high hairdo, excessive make-up and look of sophistication and hauteur made her look like she was out of place with these girls, like she was straight out of the 70's. In fact, she felt she resembled the black opera singer/diva Leontyne Price, who at one time was her mother's competition back in the days when she was singing opera and a "sistah" Lexa admired for having not only beauty but intellect and making it as an opera singer which had previously been a very "white" world not welcome to blacks. She walked slowly to a corner where she saw a group of hookers crowding an alcove between buildings. It was particularly dark in that corner and she realized that the girls were making themselves into targets for the serial killer. A few neon lights, coming from the hotels, showrooms, restaurants and nightclubs could be seen in the distance but the girls were on a far part of the boardwalk and not many people were seen passing by.

Lexa took a deep breath and approached the girls. Only a few people were walking by, and from the looks of it, work was slow for the girls that night. None of the men were paying attention to them. As she drew closer, she took a good look at the prostitutes. They were a varied bunch. Some were ash blonde but their hair looked like wigs, some had dyed red hair, some had a punk look and purple hair. Because the night air was somewhat chilly, they were wearing leather jackets and denim jackets. Some were in tight-fitting jeans and some in short, tight-fitting skirts. They were all in high heels and some in boots.

Here goes, Lexa thought and she stood next to the girls who had begun to form a line against the wall of the alcove. Lexa took out a small pocket mirror and began to apply more make-up. One girl, a black girl, stared at her up and down with an odd smile.

"You new here, girl?" she said to her

"Evening," Lexa said, and she wished she hadn't said that, because she sounded too polite and not like a hooker at all, "yeah. I'm...I'm from New York."

"Yeah, I can tell you're not from around here," the girl went on, "and where did you get that wig? You look like that actress Tamara Dobson in "Cleopatra Jones"."

A few of the other girls began to chuckle. The black girl began to smoke. After a few minutes, Lexa turned to the girl.

"Mind if I smoke? "

"Sure, Cleopatra," she said to her, jokingly and handed her a cigar.

Lexa's weakness was nicotine and when no one was looking, she would light up a cigarette and smoke, though always when she was off-duty and away from prying eyes. She was relieved to be able to smoke in public without anyone knowing she was a cop. So far, the girls thought she was a fancy New York girl who had just starting hooking. She was quiet for a while and she realized she didn't have much time to waste. It was time to do what she came to do.

"So, I just arrived in Atlantic City and I've been told there's a killer who's been butchering girls like us," she said, never breaking character.

A look of fear fell on the girls and they were deadly quiet. One white girl, with ash blonde hair who was also smoking turned to Lexa.

"Yeah, we're not all that scared though," she said, "Tina there carries a gun. I have a handgun too. My pimp gave it to me. Dee over there carries pepper spray. We're all protecting ourselves one way or another."

"Have any of you seen the guy up close?" Lexa continued.

"None of us have seen him," the white girl said, "he's always wearing a hood, a trench coat, a large hat, sunglasses. He looks like he's an FBI agent or something. Kelly over there saw him once, but not up close. She says he had a hook for a hand."

"Like Captain Hook?" Lexa said.

"Yeah, like that dude. They say he's been killing the girls with that hook and with butcher knives. He's been raping the girls too in bizarre ways.. He's really nasty and crazy."

"So why are you here? What are you girls thinking?"

"Atlantic City is our life, man," she said, as if to shut her up.

"I see," Lexa replied and became quiet again.

"Man, this sucks," the girl that looked like a punk rock singer said, "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm going to hit the casinos and see if I'll have better luck in there."

All the girls grabbed their purses and began to walk out of the corner and out onto the main boardwalk, heading toward the casinos and hotels. The black girl who had been conversing with Lexa turned to see that she was still standing there, as if she didn't know what to do.

"Aren't you coming, Cleopatra?" she said to her, "look, I don't know you and you're obviously new to this shit but us girls, at least this group, likes to look out for one another. I would'nt want you to get hurt out here. So come on. Don't be afraid. Better we go indoors in a casino then stay out in the cold here where that crazy killer could get us."

Lexa followed her onto the boardwalk.

SEVEN

The casino in the Atlantis Hotel was alive with music, gambling, smoking, drinking and people enjoying themselves. This particular casino was by far the most popular and where the biggest numbers of folks were seen, especially because there were rumors that the Atlantis was soon to be demolished. Sexy jazz, Duran-Duran, Boy George and The Cure was playing in the Muzak. The Atlantis was an impressively designed casino, with kitschy pillars, seaweeds, mermaids and treasure chests, filled with pearls, diamonds and gold, were all over the walls in life-like paintings and statuary. There seemed to be a sort of dress code here and while most people were in elegant evening wear, there were some who preferred to wear casual clothes.

Hudson and Sonya were coming off an elevator, with drinks in their hands and with their hands on each other's backs, laughing. They walked into the crowded casino. Hudson was wearing a tux, his hair slicked back and he looked a lot like James Bond. Sonya was so beautiful and in her elegant, backless blue sequin gown, she, too, looked like a Bond girl in the movies. They were both evidently in high spirits and they were already on their second drink of scotch. They came to a gaming table, surrounded in tropical potted plants and fake palm trees. A group of about four men were smoking and enjoying a game of poker.

"You know what, babe," Hudson said, "I'm going to try my luck and play poker."

"Sounds fun. I'll enjoy watching you. Win for me, baby," Sonya said playfully.

Hudson made his way to the table and let everyone know he was about to play. He came at the right moment as the game had not yet begun. He took a seat.

"We need one more player," said the host," and it wouldn't be so bad if it was a woman. You, there, would you like to join in?"

He had addressed Sonya but Sonya nodded her head and smiled softly in a "no thanks" response

At that moment, Lexa, still in her hooker outfit, walked in. She had lost sight of the other girls who had wandered off somewhere. Perhaps they had already found johns. She realized she had accomplished nothing yet, aside from the fact she received information about how the serial killer had a hook for a hand. She had immediately called Detective Mason to let him know this bit of information and told him that she was in the casino at the Atlantis Hotel in hopes of attracting a john so that she could make the arrest.

When she arrived, she came through a door that was adjacent to the poker table where Hudson was seated. The host saw her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"How about you, miss?" he said to her, "would you like to play a game of poker?"

All eyes were on her. She felt like a spotlight was on her. She noticed that Hudson was seated there and he regarded her with a look of total surprise. He recognized her immediately.

Lexa's face had been tattooed in Hudson's mind and memory, and not even her hooker clothes, wig and make-up was enough to fool him. They locked eyes for a moment. An instant and silent electricity flowed between them. Lexa noticed that Hudson was with a girl at that moment and he had a smug look in his face. She had a brief recollection of their last argument. God, I hate his attitude, she thought to herself, why did I have to run into him here?

Coincidentally, Hudson was thinking the same thing. The spirit of competition, which had been there since day one on the squad, was now manifesting itself between them. The time was right.

"It would be my pleasure," she said to the host and sat down on the table........

After some time, only three players remained, Hudson, Lexa and a man who was clearly older than both of them with distinguished salt and pepper hair. By now, Hudson had figured that Lexa was working undercover and pretending to be a hooker in some mission here in Atlantic City. She was doing these kinds of jobs because she was no longer just a run-of-the-mill cop. He felt insecure and frustrated. She was doing these kinds of missions he had always wanted to do himself. The built-up frustrations escalated, even while he was playing the game and he had the strongest desire to beat Lexa in this game. How he would laugh and enjoy that. And Sonya, who was standing around with an audience, watching, would also enjoy seeing him win.

"Mr. Banach," Lexa said, and her voice had an odd quality because she was keeping in character as the hooker "it is Mr. Banach, is it not? Isn't that what you said your name was?"

Hudson squinted his eyes. Lexa obviously wanted to play games. She was evidently confident that she would win the game and defeat him, once again beating him at something, once again crushing his ego. Well, two could play at that game, he thought. He had played card games and poker many times before, with his Uncle Vitto and had won many times. He put down his cards and looked at her.

"Yeah, that's me," he said to her.

"I think you and I both know that it's going to come down to just you and me," Lexa continued, "so be prepared for the showdown which I intend to win."

"Lady, you got yourself a showdown. And I use the word lady to be respectful, despite the fact you're only a lady of the night."

"Oh, come now, there's no need for that. And that girl with you right there –"

She pointed at Sonya who was standing next to a tall, burly man in a coat and fedora, a man who looked older and whose breath was bad. He had both his hands in his coat pockets and was enjoying the game with the audience around the table.

"What about her?" Hudson said his voice deep and somewhat defensive.

"I've seen her in the - ahem, massage parlor. I know for a fact that she really is a –"

"I don't care what you think, lady. She's an old girlfriend of mine from high school. She is with me now and I'm going to take care of her."

"Is that so? Does she know that? It's hard to leave a city like this, you know. The lure of money is too great. Why even you are playing for money –"

Hudson was quiet for a bit, digesting her words. If he didn't know any better, he could have sworn that Lexa was jealous. But perhaps he was getting the wrong idea. How on earth was it even possible for Lexa to be in this place, in this same table, playing poker with him? How was it she was able to squeeze into his life in one way or another? More determined to beat her he began to look at his cards.

"I'm not playing just for money, my dear," he said, "I'm playing for fun. I'd like to beat someone at something."

Lexa quickly picked up his meaning.

Sometime later, the older man had quit the game, having lost and it was now down to Lexa and Hudson, as they had predicted. The showdown was on. Sonya leaned against Hudson who had his hand around her waist, holding her tightly against him. The man in the coat and hat, whose face was barely visible, made it clear that he was rooting for Lexa to win and stood right next to her. The audience was excited and watched with anticipation as the showdown went on. A tense atmosphere was palpable and Hudson and Lexa looked at each other with a look of intensity, a real sense of rivalry surrounding them. Lexa did not like the strange man next to her. His breath was foul and she was picking up a weird vibe from him. He looked dirty and like he had just walked into the casino from the streets, much like she had done. She realized she had played the part of the hooker for too long now but no one, not the Chief, not Detective Mason or police headquarters had checked in on her for a while.