2019-12-05 - Ulterior Motives

“I did what you asked, now let go of me!”

The man had grabbed Bennie almost the instant she was out of the door from Easton’s bar, his hand like a vice around her bicep as he drags her towards the parking lot. She has to shuffle her feet to catch up in those heels that she’s not accustomed to wearing any more.

“Yeah, and you took your sweet time about it, didn’t you Blondie? What, were you two reminiscing about old times? Aw, that’s sweet.” The man sneers as he steers her around, flinging her the last foot or so until her back hits the side of his gray panel van so they're out of sight from any surveillance cameras that may be pointed at the parking lot. Bennie's face pinches in a wince at the abuse to her spine, bruises she'll have to find an excuse for.

“So let’s have it.” His big paw of a hand makes a gesture to punctuate the greedy words, waiting as Bennie pulls out the check made out to Cash she got from Easton. First and last month’s rent plus pet deposit and the deposits required to set up utilities. At least supposedly. Now she’s handing it over to someone who most certainly is not a landlord. “And your paycheck and brother’s benefit check?” That leaves little to nothing for Bennie for the month, but she’s used to it by now. She does some more fishing in her purse before she passes over the endorsed slips of paper, made out to an account she’ll never see, as well as the money she made from aiding Alexander at the Addington House.

“Where am I supposed to live? If I stay with friends, he’ll know I grifted him and won’t pay for anything el…” Bennie’s protest is clipped off shortly when his knuckles connect with her cheek in a vicious back hand.

“You’re a smart cookie.” His eyes drag down her form, his tongue passing over the front of his teeth with a lascivious grin. “I’m sure you’ll think of something.”