Sam Spade 05: Case of the Lost Girls

I felt tears well up, "To be frankly honest with you Lenny, I not doing well at all. My car's roasting some kid down the street, and I have no idea where my girls are and even, considering this morning, if they are alive."

"Ok listen to me," He said, "Get to the corner of fifth and oak within thirty minutes. Someone will be there to pick you up and take you to a safe house. They will wait there for you as long as it takes for you to get there but try and be on time."

I started to reply, "You don't need to..." When I realized I was talking to a dead phone. I hurried as best I could to get to the appointed corner. I had no idea how hard it was to get a cab until I had to find one. When you didn't want them they were as thick as flies, but the one time I did need one I could not find one to save my life. It took a good twenty-five minutes to get to the appointed corner. When I did, I was out of breath, my hair was hanging limp and finally the moldy mildew smell on the duster had come back vigorously.

There, at the corner, blocking traffic like a tank, sat a big black limo. It screamed "Underworld boss or rich millionaire" on it. I was tempted to walk by, but I did not want Don Bruce to become annoyed with me. Calmly I walked up to it, opened the back door before the man standing beside it could move, and got in. "Geese what's that smell? Did you just crawl out of a dumpster?" the person in the backseat said. I had expected to find Sue or possibly Lenny in the back seat but instead to my surprise it was Fred Pulaski. "Fred?" I asked surprised. "What is going on?"

"I came to pick you up sweets," He replied with a relaxed grin.

"Yes but," I said looking around overwhelmed. When I looked back at Fred, I realized he had a silenced pistol pointed at me. "What is going on Fred?" I asked. His reply was to shoot me in the leg. Looking down I saw it was a dart instead of a bullet. The world faded to black to the sounds of his laughter.

Chapter 11

When I awoke, I was locked in a closet or small room. The coolness of the air chilled my bare skin as I realized I was nude. My wrists and elbows had been tied behind me, attached to my ankles, and my legs were tied at the knees. Someone had spent a bit of time undressing and then tying me up in this fashion. When I tried to lean over, I realized that there was a rope running from my elbows up to some point above my head keeping me from lying down.

In the semi darkness, my only source of light being the crack under the door, I took assessment of my predicament. My mind was still a bit fuzzy though I was able to realize there was something I had that they or rather Fred needed. That was my advantage to get the girls free. If I lived or died did not really matter, their lives mattered more. An old quote came floating up in my mind, "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of one."

While I was musing on where I had heard that before, I saw a pair of shadows move up in front of the door. Quickly I closed my eyes so I would not be blinded when the door opened. I thought quickly about playing possum and dismissed it just as quickly, I was not that type. The door opened with a loud creaking sound. Squinting up at the figure I said, "Could you close the door please? I'm trying to rest here. Oh yea, by the way, get some damn oil for the hinge."

"You still have a way with words, sweets," I heard Fred's voice say with laughter. He crouched down before me and did not speak.

"I don't know about you honey, but being tied up like this, with you watching me, gets me all wet." I said in a seductive voice. "When are you going to tie me to the bed and ravish me?"

He frowned and stood up looking down at me, "Perhaps another hour or two will make you change your mind." Before I could get a reply in he slammed the door.

I struggled a bit to see if I could work my way loose, no deal, whoever tied them did a first rate job. I needed to make sure I was really at the edge of orgasm when he got back. The scent of my musk coupled with my orgasm when he opens the door will really throw Fred off. While my knees were sore, I embraced it and all the other pains from the ropes. I imagined Angela and I were playing a game and she tied me up.

She would not open the door until I was ready for her ravishment. With my eyes closed, I could feel my pets' hands caressing my helpless body. Their mouths teasing and tormenting my puffy nipples and neck as the passion of the moment grew within me. I could smell their musky scent and my own mixing in the air as my legs became slick with my honey. My body and mind screamed for release to orgasm fully but the closed door would not allow it. More and more they tormented me taking pleasure at my mews of pleasure and need. Through my closed eyes, I saw a light as the door opened. My body crazed from the need orgasmed as I screamed in pleasure without thinking.

"Damn Samantha!" I heard a shocked voice say.

Opening my eyes, I looked up at Fred and licked my lips, "Fuck me, take me hard baby," I said huskily as my musky heat rolled over him like waves on a beach. As he kneeled before me as before, I leaned towards him trying to kiss him.

When he moved away, I pouted. "Business before pleasure sweets," he said. "I need Frankie; I know she belongs to you now. So don't try that I don't know where she is on me."

I sighed and shook my head, "Don Bruce had her killed after she tried to kill him yesterday." His look of surprise made me smile, "You mean you didn't hear? The shooting at Fat Johnny's? Don Bruce grabbed her at my place and killed Angela in the process. Frankie came unwound and emptied a clip at him. You really need to keep up with the times Fred dear."

"Shit, he waxed his own kid," he said not looking at me.

"What about my other girls Fred? Are they still alive?" I asked finally serious.

He did not reply, letting the door open the rest of the way, he went and sat on the edge of a bed. Holding his head in his hands, I could hear him muttering to himself, "He waxed his own kid." After a minute, he looked up at me, "Well that sure throws a monkey wrench in the works."

"Let me guess, you planned to grab and return turn her to him for a reward." I said fishing for answers. I was surprised when he nodded. "Damn Fred, why would want to kidnap Frankie? For money? I don't believe it."

Fred looked at me as if seeing me for the first time, "Shit Samantha, what am I going to do now?" He walked over and crouched before me, "If I untie you, will you promise not to do anything. Please?"

"One question, are my pets alive?" I asked looking at him.

"Yes Samantha, they are." He replied, "Do I have your word?"

I closed my eyes and had to think. I have never broken my word to anyone. Fred knew that as well as anyone. "Sam Spade never went back on her word," I said softly. Opening them I said, "Yes Fred, assuming you let me see my girls and we talk about their freedom after my visit with them."

He nodded, "Deal." Opening a pocketknife, he cut the ropes. As I tried to move, he picked me up, carried me over to the bed, and massaged my arms and legs. Looking up from my legs, he said with a smile, "I never you were into being trussed up."

Looking at him, I smiled slightly, "Lots of things you don't know Fred." I was still mad at him for all this mess and if he harmed a hair on the girl's heads, I would kill him slowly. But, between now and then, I would keep my word. "Any chance for some clothes," I asked not really expecting any.

Fred stood and went over to a chair, gestured at my things. "Here you go Sam." Picking up my 45, he pulled the clip and ejected the round in the chamber before handing it to me. "I trust you but...," he said as he opened the dresser and dropped them into the top drawer.

Standing slowly, I moved over and got dressed. While the pistol felt wrong without its clip, I was thankful he let me hold it. The whole time he kept his distance from me as if I were going to do something rash. Finally, I turned to him and said, "Fred, I have never broken my word and you know it. Will you let me see the girls now?"

He nodded and led me out of the room and down some stairs. At the base of them was a door with a padlock on it. He handed me the key and backed up, "Please don't try anything Samantha." He said almost begging.

Wordlessly I turned and unlocked the lock and tossed him the key. Removing the lock, I hung it open on the hoop and opened the door. I walked into a windowless basement with concrete walls and floor. Before me I could see several sleeping forms all cuddled together under what looked like beach towels. A single bare light bulb hung over the middle of the room giving it light. To one side looked like a camp potty. I also noticed a water cooler about half full near it.

As I walked forward, one of the figures stirred and sat up. "Mistress?" Tonjala's voice said questioning. At her words, other figures popped up and looked at me. "Mistress!" she repeated as she stood. It was as if a wave of living bodies hit me. All of the girls were hugging me and speaking at once.

It took a while for me to get them settled down. In talking with them I came to find that they had received a call that I was in trouble and needed help, then when they got here masked men had surprised them, taken away their weapons, and locked them down here. Shaking my head, I said, "I will get you out of here. I want you to do as I say when I say it."

Billie asked, "Are we going to jump them mistress?"

"No, I gave my word. Just hang tight loves and I will take care of everything." I replied. Giving each a hug and kiss I said, "I have to go now. I want you all to step back away from the door and be good girls." When they had moved back I knocked and opened the door a bit, "I'm coming out alone," I said. I was worried that Fred might shoot me by accident. Once I was out of the room and had locked the padlock, I leaned against the doorframe looking up at Fred. "What will it take for you to release them?"

Fred looked at me and said, "One point two mil."

"One point two million?" I asked not believing my ears.

Walking forward I sat on the bottom step stunned. I did not think we had that much cash in the bank. I did not keep track of things like that so I did not know for sure though. I turned my head and looked up at him, "What do you need that kind of green for?"

"Want a drink?" he said not answering. I followed him up the stairs and sat down on a couch in the living room. He walked into the kitchen and came back a minute later holding two glasses of water. Handing one to me he sat down on an easy chair to my left. He looked out in the distance and said softly, "I really stepped in it this time."

Chapter 12

I thought about running, I thought about jumping him, instead I sat there not moving and sipped my glass of water. He kept staring off into the distance so I asked once more, "What do you need that kind of cash for Fred?"

Finally, he said, "Gambling." When I didn't speak he added, "I had a sure thing, the fix was in. I went to Lucky Louie and got a loan, one hundred for two hundred pay back in twenty-four hours." He sighed, "The fix was in alright, but not on my horse." He wiped his face, "Don Bruce hired me to bring you and Frankie back. He said if I did, he would wipe my debts and pay the boys and I one hundred g's." He looked down and said, "But now with Frankie dead, I don't know what to do."

"How did you know where to meet me?" I finally asked when he didn't seem like he was going to continue.

Not looking at me Fred replied, "I got a call from Don Bruce telling me where you would be." He raised his eyes and looked at me, "It seemed so simple. Now that Frankie is dead that deal it out the window." He wiped his face with his hand, "I have Louie wanting his money, the boys I hired wanting their fifty thousand, and you wanting my ass."

I had to think fast, "How about this? I can come up with two fifty and give to you. We will call it a loan and you let the girls go. First, though, why did you try to have me killed?" I asked.

He looked at me, "I didn't have anything to do with that Sam. I thought that was Don Bruce after you for messing with his daughter."

Fred was many things but he was not a good liar. "Shit," I said softly. "Well? What about it, the girls for a long term loan." I looked away, and then looked back, "You know how much I am against paying bribe money Fred. In this case, I will for two reasons. First, those are my daughters and I have to ether pay or kill you for them. Second, you are someone I considered a friend." Looking away once more I added, "I wish you had come to me with your problem first."

When he did not answer right away, I looked at him. Looking at me with a pitiful expression he said, "So do I Samantha, so do I." He nodded and said, "It's a deal." Looked down and then added, "How would you like to do this?"

I thought for a second, "Take me to the bank, I get you two cashier checks, one for two hundred thousand, and the other for fifty thousand. I think my credit line is good that far. When I hand them to you, you give me phone so someone can come here and pick them up. Finally, you leave town and I never hunt you down." It burned me up that I had to pay to get the girls back.

He nodded, "Ok, let's do it with a slight change." He handed me a phone and said, "Call now and then we will go."

As I called the house, he wrote an address down and handed it to me. Calling the house, I said, "Heather? The girls can be found at this address. Bring bolt cutters. Love you, bye." I spoke quickly and did not let her get a word in edgewise. Once we were done, I slipped the phone in my pocket as if it was the natural thing to do. Arriving at the bank I went in with Fred at my shoulder. I drew two checks one for two hundred thousand dollars and the other for fifty thousand I handed both over to Fred once we were outside the bank.

A car came screaming to a stop before us and before I could react, Fred yelled, "Get down!" and pushed me to the ground. From the ground, I watched him pull out his service automatic and scream, "Put down the weapon or I'll shoot." I guess that was the signal, I heard the buzzing sound of an automatic weapon firing as the bullets stitched across his body making him dance like a marionette and shatter the bank windows. In the brief pause that it took the shooter to reload, Fred fell to the ground next to me. Again, they were firing, this time into the car that shielded me. Hugging the ground, I could see and feel some of the bullets punch through to my side of the car and into the remaining shards of glass.

Just as suddenly as they came, the car speeded off once more. I crawled over to Fred, "Fred... Fred..." I said franticly. However, he was cold and lifeless, his eyes staring past me. Opening his jacket, I removed the two checks from it and put them in my pants pocket. I became aware of the other screams of pain from people who had been caught in the crossfire.

Standing I looked around, shards of safety glass lay like snowflakes on the ground. Of the people outside it seemed that Fred had taken the brunt of the shots. Inside the bank was another matter, the stray rounds had mowed them down from behind with no warning. While I had been a detective for many years and was no stranger to blood, the sight I beheld before me was sickening. The bank floor ran red with blood; it seemed as if a slow moving red amoeba was crawling towards me. Across the way, I saw the teller, who was kind and did not lift an eyebrow at my withdrawing two hundred and fifty thousand. The top half of her skull was missing and it seemed as if she were grinning horribly at me.

I became aware of a high keening sound and with a shock realized it was my voice. As I backed away, my eyes locked on her grinning corpse, I felt myself being jostled. Snapping back from her face, I saw that rescue personal had arrived and were rushing around. I hurried away not wanting to see anymore, or be detained by the police. Opening the phone, I called home, I needed pickup and needed it now.

This time Alvin who answered, "Samantha what is going on? Angela took off out of here like a dog with her tail on fire."

I smiled; he could always turn a phrase. I said calmly, "She is going to pick up some people for me. I got to go, talk to you in a bit hon." Quickly I dialed Angela's number and got her on the line, "Please pick me up as soon as you can. I will be at," I looked around, "Hell I don't know, just come a block north of the main branch of the First United Bank."

She took one look at me and said, "Be there in 10 minutes' love, hang on."

I went to wipe the sweat from my eyes and realized with surprise my right arm would not work. Looking down at it I noticed my hand was dripping blood. I looked at my arm and saw the hole and dark stain on the duster. "Well damn," I said as I wiped my face with my other hand. Looking at it, I realized it too was covered with blood. Feeling gingerly, I realized one of the many bullets they fired, had creased my scalp while another had passed through my arm. Making it to the corner, I weaved as if I was drunk and leaned against a building.

I saw Angela pull up in Ashley's minivan and jump out. In the time it took me to get upright she was by my side and guiding me into the passenger seat. Not looking at me, she put the van into drive and headed towards the address where the girls were, "Who did this to you?"

"Ambush. Got a spare clip?" I asked. She gestured towards the glove compartment. Reaching out with my left hand, I opened the compartment and pulled a clip out. Closing it with my left hand, I set the clip on my lap and fumbled to pull the pistol out.

Angela put the van on auto and reached over, pulled my pistol out, put the clip in, jacked a round in the chamber and placed it in my lap. Taking back control of the van she asked, "How bad you hurt this time?"

I looked at her, "Crease along my head, and I think my right arm is broken from a bullet to the bone." I looked out and saw we were coming up on the house. "Ok I think the house is empty with the exception of the girls. They are locked in a basement behind a padlocked door. You go after them while I toss the house," I said calmly.

Angela looked at me but did not speak as she pulled into the driveway and stopped. As she got out I grabbed her arm, "Love, free the girls first. That is your job. If you can't do that then stay here, give me the cutters and I go alone."

Angela looked at me and smiled, "That I would love to watch, you trying to work a pair of bolt cutters one handed." She sobered up, "I will free them mistress."

Frankly, I was not interested in spending any more time then needed in the house. I just wanted to find out who Frank's helpers were and see if they left the girl's pistols somewhere. I followed her up to the house and I went in fast behind her when she busted the door down. Scanning left and right we made it to the stairs and she headed down. I went from room to room searching for any sign of life. In the bedroom, I set the 45 down and pulled the drawer open. Inside on a pile of men's underwear were all the pistols and my clip and bullet. Pocketing my stuff, I went to the top of the stairs and called down to Angela, "Found something!"

For a moment, I worried that something had gone wrong. Soon she came up the stairs followed by all the girls. As they moved to hug me, Angela stopped them. I smiled at them and said, "Your pistols are in the bedroom dresser." I looked at Angela, "I need to sit a moment, please have everyone look for anything with names or numbers on it."

Angela looked at me and then at them, "You heard our mistress. You have 5 minutes to check and arm yourselves." She half carried me out to the van, set me in a seat, buckled the seatbelt, and took my pistol from my unresisting fingers. She got in on her side and watched the front door and me alternately. In well under five minutes, they all came hurrying out, a couple carrying papers and one a briefcase.