shook his head. ‘Not today, love.’
‘Please, mister. I need the money. Badly.’ Rosie began scratching madly at her arms and head, as if covered in invisible insects. ‘I’ll do anything. Look, see her, over at the wee shop?’
Karl glanced over his shoulder. Another young girl stood in the shuttered doorway of a rundown shop, yawning and sneezing. Despite wearing a navy-blue Linkin Park hoodie, she was shaking , and held her stomach tightly, as if being attacked by cramps.
‘That’s my wee sister, Tina. Only fourteen,’ continued Rosie. ‘Smooth as Vaseline. No condoms, if you want bare back. She’s a dream. You can have both of us for fifteen quid. How’s that sweet taboo sound to you?’
‘Look, Rosie, I’m just visiting a friend over at–’
‘Friend, my fucking arse! You’re taking photos of Blake’s girls, aren’t you? I’ve been watching you for the last ten minutes. Think we’re not good enough, me and my wee sister?’ Rosie suddenly became extremely agitated. ‘What are you? A peeping Tom perv? Can’t handle the real thing?’
Karl thought about driving away. Come back in an hour’s time, hoping the young girls had moved on – or had
been
moved on. He doubted both.
‘Okay…call your sister over, and get in.’
Rosie smiled and started waving frantically to her young sister.
‘Tina! Come on! Move your arse!’
Tina began staggering across the street, holding her stomach tightly. A few seconds later, she accompanied Rosie into the backof the warm car.
Prettier than her older sister, Karl doubted very much that Tina had reached teen years. A crop of pale ginger hair sprouted from beneath the Linkin Park.
‘You look like you need medical treatment,’ said Karl, concerned at the pain etched on Tina’s young face.
‘It’s nothing,’ cut in Rosie. ‘Just stomach cramps. She needs to be smacked.’
‘What?’ said Karl, immediately shocked and angry. ‘No-one’s smacking anyone. Do you hear me?’
‘Don’t be a fucking scally, mister. Not smacking.
Smacked
. A
hit
. Some smack. Heroin. She’ll be okay after that. Won’t you, Tina, wee love?’
Tina nodded robotically, all the while sniffing snot back up her nose.
‘What if we go to McDonald’s, get something to eat? A Happy Meal, or something?’ suggested Karl, regretting it the minute he opened his mouth.
‘You really a fucking perv?’ asked Rosie.
‘Let’s forget the last suggestion,’ said Karl. ‘Just trying to be helpful.’
‘With an unhappy meal at
Mickey Dick’s
’? I don’t think so. Time is money, mister. Let’s get down to business. Who do you want? Me first, or Tina? Or can you handle both of us?’
‘I’m cold and hungry, Rosie,’
whispered Tina
. ‘Can’t we get something to eat first?’
‘Stop being such a fucking ginger whinger, Tina. We’ll eat when I say so. Just shut up.’
Karl sighed. ‘Look, what if I told you I’m willing to give youtwenty quid to do nothing, other than go and get yourselves something to eat? What would you say?’
Rosie’s eyes tightened. They looked hardened and a little frightened.
‘What’s the catch?’
From his wallet, Karl removed the twenty.
‘No catch. I see you back in this area any time soon, I’ll have an old friend of mine take you to jail, let you stew there for a few days. Understand? He’ll make you go cold turkey.’
‘You’re a cop? I knew it.’ Rosie looked slightly worried. ‘Why give us money instead of nicking us?’
‘I’ve bigger fish to fry,
at the moment
. You’re a distraction I can do without. But don’t push it. I’ve been known to eat sardines, when hungry. I’m going to be driving over towards Hope Street shortly. I don’t see you both there, in that little cafe at the corner, stuffing your faces with grub, I’ll hunt you down. Trust me. You’ll not enjoy where you end up. Now scram.’
‘Come on, Tina! Didn’t you hear the man? Move it!’ said Rosie, grabbing the money, while moving for
‘Please, mister. I need the money. Badly.’ Rosie began scratching madly at her arms and head, as if covered in invisible insects. ‘I’ll do anything. Look, see her, over at the wee shop?’
Karl glanced over his shoulder. Another young girl stood in the shuttered doorway of a rundown shop, yawning and sneezing. Despite wearing a navy-blue Linkin Park hoodie, she was shaking , and held her stomach tightly, as if being attacked by cramps.
‘That’s my wee sister, Tina. Only fourteen,’ continued Rosie. ‘Smooth as Vaseline. No condoms, if you want bare back. She’s a dream. You can have both of us for fifteen quid. How’s that sweet taboo sound to you?’
‘Look, Rosie, I’m just visiting a friend over at–’
‘Friend, my fucking arse! You’re taking photos of Blake’s girls, aren’t you? I’ve been watching you for the last ten minutes. Think we’re not good enough, me and my wee sister?’ Rosie suddenly became extremely agitated. ‘What are you? A peeping Tom perv? Can’t handle the real thing?’
Karl thought about driving away. Come back in an hour’s time, hoping the young girls had moved on – or had
been
moved on. He doubted both.
‘Okay…call your sister over, and get in.’
Rosie smiled and started waving frantically to her young sister.
‘Tina! Come on! Move your arse!’
Tina began staggering across the street, holding her stomach tightly. A few seconds later, she accompanied Rosie into the backof the warm car.
Prettier than her older sister, Karl doubted very much that Tina had reached teen years. A crop of pale ginger hair sprouted from beneath the Linkin Park.
‘You look like you need medical treatment,’ said Karl, concerned at the pain etched on Tina’s young face.
‘It’s nothing,’ cut in Rosie. ‘Just stomach cramps. She needs to be smacked.’
‘What?’ said Karl, immediately shocked and angry. ‘No-one’s smacking anyone. Do you hear me?’
‘Don’t be a fucking scally, mister. Not smacking.
Smacked
. A
hit
. Some smack. Heroin. She’ll be okay after that. Won’t you, Tina, wee love?’
Tina nodded robotically, all the while sniffing snot back up her nose.
‘What if we go to McDonald’s, get something to eat? A Happy Meal, or something?’ suggested Karl, regretting it the minute he opened his mouth.
‘You really a fucking perv?’ asked Rosie.
‘Let’s forget the last suggestion,’ said Karl. ‘Just trying to be helpful.’
‘With an unhappy meal at
Mickey Dick’s
’? I don’t think so. Time is money, mister. Let’s get down to business. Who do you want? Me first, or Tina? Or can you handle both of us?’
‘I’m cold and hungry, Rosie,’
whispered Tina
. ‘Can’t we get something to eat first?’
‘Stop being such a fucking ginger whinger, Tina. We’ll eat when I say so. Just shut up.’
Karl sighed. ‘Look, what if I told you I’m willing to give youtwenty quid to do nothing, other than go and get yourselves something to eat? What would you say?’
Rosie’s eyes tightened. They looked hardened and a little frightened.
‘What’s the catch?’
From his wallet, Karl removed the twenty.
‘No catch. I see you back in this area any time soon, I’ll have an old friend of mine take you to jail, let you stew there for a few days. Understand? He’ll make you go cold turkey.’
‘You’re a cop? I knew it.’ Rosie looked slightly worried. ‘Why give us money instead of nicking us?’
‘I’ve bigger fish to fry,
at the moment
. You’re a distraction I can do without. But don’t push it. I’ve been known to eat sardines, when hungry. I’m going to be driving over towards Hope Street shortly. I don’t see you both there, in that little cafe at the corner, stuffing your faces with grub, I’ll hunt you down. Trust me. You’ll not enjoy where you end up. Now scram.’
‘Come on, Tina! Didn’t you hear the man? Move it!’ said Rosie, grabbing the money, while moving for
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