Maggie was turning an extra trick every day and, as a result, the girls were able to save a little money. They were even able to buy Seth some secondhand clothes dirt cheap. It was on Maggie’s birthday, when she went back to the house of whores wearing jeans and boots that Juju had bought with some of their savings, that Armando became suspicious. The men who ran the house never gave the girls enough money to buy things on their own. Clothes were bought at rock-bottom prices when the men decided that a few new items were necessary to keep the customers attracted.
Armando may not have noticed had it not been for the younger girls ogling and commenting on the new items Maggie was wearing. But the real giveaway was that Maggie tried to downplay the gifts. Armando pretended not to notice Maggie secretly hushing the others. He knew something wasn’t right, and it all added up to another deception by Maggie. The next evening, Armando secretly followed Maggie. He watched her take johns back into the tall grass of the open field, and he counted them. When she came home that night and handed him her earnings, she was one trick short of his count.
Armando spent the next week watching and counting until he was sure about what Maggie was doing. Only then, did Armando have a private sit-down with Rock. He told him everything he’d found out.
“We can’t have this shit goin’ on. The others will catch on, and before we know it, they’ll all be scammin’ too,” Armando said. “I think it’s time we talk to some of your associates. She’s young enough that we can still sell her or maybe even get a good swap for her.”
“Yeah, that’s not a bad idea,” Rock agreed. “We can’t be havin’ this bitch stealin’ from us. Besides, she’s marketable. I just need some time to get everything hooked up. In the meantime, keep your eye on her.”
As Rock drove back to his house, his thoughts were racing, and he was furious that Maggie had deceived them once again. He’d already given her too many chances. The time for her to go had arrived. Before Rock went into the house where Thelma and Joey were waiting for him, he thought, after I eat dinner, I’m going to make a call to New York; see what that bitch, Maggie, is worth.
Rock dialed the number and then sat back in his chair, waiting for the phone to be answered. On the third ring, the man picked up. “Myles,” the voice announced.
“Myles, it’s Rock. How you doin’, man?”
“Rock, it’s been a while. How’ve you been?”
“Good, man, good. Hey, ya remember our last transaction? That girl, Maggie, I bought from ya a few years back?” Rock asked, knowing damn well that Myles would remember her. Maggie had the type of beauty that no man could forget.
“Yeah, sure. I remember her.” Myles thought about little Maggie. She’d been his favorite for quite some time. So sweet and innocent. Of course he remembered her. There’d been many others since Maggie, but she would always stand out in his mind.
“Well, I got a little problem. Bitch gave us some shit in the beginning. Lying and doing things she shouldn’t. We took care of all that. Things have been good for some time. Now we just found out she’s scammin’ us. She’s turning extra tricks and keeping the dough. Ya know what happens when one of the bitches does this and gets away with it,” Rock remarked.
Myles smiled on the other end of the phone, thinking of clever little Maggie. She always was a smart one. “Yeah, I understand. Once one gets away with it, they all think they can do it. So why are you calling me? What are you looking for?”
“I’m looking for a buyer,” Rock stated. “I’m gonna need a good price for her. Remember, I paid ten grand for her just three years ago. I’m looking to double my money, at least. I’ve trained her, and she’s even hotter now than she was then,” he said, trying to talk up the sale.
Myles thought about it for moment. “OK, I’ll see what I can do. No promises. You’re asking for a lot of money. Remind me how old she is,” he said.
“Seventeen. But I’ll tell ya, she’s one fine-looking bitch,” he said enthusiastically.
“Seventeen? Rock, you must be smoking crack. Twenty grand is a lot to expect for a seventeen-year-old. I don’t care how hot she is,” Myles told him.
Rock could feel the muscles in his calves tensing into tight knots. He knew Myles was right, but he couldn’t just let Maggie go, and he couldn’t keep her in the house with the other girls; not anymore. She’d killed the little trust he had in her.
“She’d make a good porn star,” Rock said without thinking, desperate to get a good price for her.
“Hmmm. That’s not a bad idea. Let me make some calls and see if there’s any interest. I want you to take some pictures of her and send them to me right away.”
“Pictures. Yeah, OK. I’ll take some pictures and get them out to ya tomorrow. I’ll be talkin’ to ya.”
Rock hung up the phone and called Armando. “I need you to get me pictures of Maggie. I want hot, sexy pictures. Get her a couple of those ‘fuck me’ outfits. I’ll be over later tomorrow. Make sure it’s done before I get there,” he ordered and hung up the phone.
The next morning, Armando woke Maggie up early. “Come on, let’s go,” he told her.
She followed him up to a bedroom on the second floor. Ugh, she thought with deep disgust, the scumbag wants sex. She was surprised when she entered the bedroom. There were red satin sheets on the bed, and across the room, several sexy outfits were spread out on an oversized chair. Oh great! Now he wants sex and for me to dress up. Yuk!
“We need to get some pictures of ya. Sexy pictures,” Armando stated.
“For what?” Maggie asked, surprised.
“Bitch, who the fuck are ya questionin’? Get your smelly ass over there and put on one of those outfits I bought ya. Then go comb your hair and put on some makeup I left for ya in the bathroom. Hurry up!” Armando yelled.
When Maggie emerged from the bathroom ten minutes later, she looked like a Victoria Secret model.
“Get yourself over here on the bed and do some poses,” Armando stated coldly.
Maggie did as she was told. Armando told her how to pose—raise your arms, spread your legs wider, push your hair out of your face, take your bra off, pull your thong over…the instructions went on and on. The photographer must have taken a hundred pictures of her.
When they were finished, Maggie put her clothes on and went back downstairs. She nervously noticed that none of the other girls were being taken upstairs for pictures. Why only her?
She thought about it for a few minutes and then let the worry slip away, convincing herself that everything was fine.