Morgan had a firm grip on Kelly’s hips as he pounded into her from behind in the backseat. He was holding her so hard that the thorny rose ‘tramp stamp’ tattoo on her lower back wrinkled up. Kelly’s hands were pushed against the side window of the sedan while she groaned. One look at her dangling bunny earrings bouncing up and down made him finish.  

“Geez, Morg, that was a bit rougher than usual,” Kelly complained as they got dressed and fixed themselves up.  

“Sorry, babe.”

“Don’t be. I came when you did.” She grinned and, firing up a joint, took a long hit while she closed her eyes. Then she offered it to Morgan. 

“I shouldn’t.” At least I still know the right things to say.  

“We’ re both doing a lot of things we shouldn’t.” She held it to his lips and he took a long toke. 

“Guess I’m just bad.” Morgan exhaled a stream of smoke. 

“No. You’re a good man, Morg. You’re just doing bad things.”

“Yeah, well I didn’t mean to be so rough. I’m going through some shit at work.” He stared at the spunky young redhead.

“What are you looking at?” She stuck her tongue out at him. 

“You’re cute.” He sighed. “Why don’t you get out of this line of work. It’s dangerous.”

“You thinking about the murdered girl, Jennifer? She was at the end of her run and got sloppy. Some of her regulars had dropped her and she’d been taking any John that had money.”

Kelly finished dressing with the joint hanging from her lips  

“Doing tricks in alleyways and parks, well that’s asking for trouble. You have to be careful in this line of work. You have to be selective. If something doesn’t feel right, I just walk away. Besides, like I told you, we girls talk. I know who the beaters and freaks are out there and I steer clear of them.”

“I just want you to be careful, hon.”

Kelly laughed. “Aw, Morg, are you starting to get a little sweet on me?”  

He scratched his head and smiled. “I like you, Kelly. I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“So, what are you gonna do, Detective? Put me up at your place and get me cleaned up all proper and straight? Be my man? Hell, you’re at least fifteen years older than me.” She laughed again and caressed his bearded chin. “We both know that’s not the real world, Morg. Not my real world anyway.”

“I guess not, Kelly. “ He frowned. “How old are you , anyhow?” 

“Nineteen. I turn twenty next month. The 23rd. Been working the streets for about a year now."

“A year?” He was surprised. He thought she was much newer at the game than that. 

“Yeah, but it ain’t all bad. I room up with a couple other working girls in an apartment over on 7th Street. We have a pretty good thing going, sharing expenses and such.” She gave him an odd look, almost tender. “We all talk you know. Us working girls. I know that I’m the only one you hire for sex.”

“So?”

“So, don’t go getting all sweet on me. I’m a hooker, Morg. And, I can take care of myself.” The young lady gave him a stern look that made her look even cuter. 

They sat quiet for a few minutes and finished the joint. Morgan hadn’t had weed since high school and the buzz hit him hard. 

He studied the young lady. “Didn’t you have any dreams when you were growing up back in Anaheim?”

“No, Morg. Ten-year-old me used to just sit in class and dream about being a prostitute one day. Couldn’t wait to grow up and try out all them strange peckers.”  

“Sarcastic a little?” He laughed. “So what did you want to be?” 

“Honestly, I always dreamed of being a nurse.  Use to play with the other kids and act like I was fixing up their boo boos. Guess I should have been ‘playing doctor’ more.” Kelly gave him a mischievous grin.

“What happened with the nurse thing?” He really was curious. 

“I was a good student, but not good enough for scholarships. My asshole foster parents took out credit cards in my name and screwed my credit up real bad. That killed my chance for a loan. Nursing school isn’t for poor girls. I just needed that one break, but it never came.” For a rare moment, her face got serious. “Besides, I had to get out. I couldn’t take my foster dad climbing on me even one more time. I swear I was going to kill that pig.” 

“That’s a shitty story.” Morgan frowned. 

“Aw, don’t go getting all soft on me, Detective.” Her jovial bouncy demeanor had returned. “Don’t try to fix me. That isn’t your job. I like being with you and you pay me for it. That’s as good a win as I expect.” 

“Okay. But I’m still going to get you a birthday present.” He laughed. “Twenty by the way.”

“Twenty what?” She raised her eyebrows in confusion.

“Twenty years older.” Morgan chuckled at her expression. “I’m thirty-nine.”

“Geez, you’re old enough to be my dad.”

“Well that’s an ego buster.” He shook his head. 

“Relax, old timer. You're one of the few Johns I actually like having sex with. And you’re about the only one that makes me climax. So consider yourself special.” She held out her hand, palm up. 

He dropped a fifty onto it, which she shoved in her bra, while he wondered how much of what she said was bullshit. Probably most of it.  

Kelly got out of the car and then leaned over into the backseat and kissed him full on the mouth, where her lips lingered for a moment. She had never done that before.  

“Watch yourself out there,” he called after the redhead as he watched her perfectly swaying hips.

“You watch yourself.” She looked back over her shoulder and winked at him. “Your job is way more dangerous than mine.”

“Hardly,” he yelled as Kelly disappear around the corner of a building.  

Morgan lit up a cigar and rested his head against the back seat of his police sedan while he smoked it to a nub. Internal Affairs knee deep in my ass. A dead prostitute case that I have no idea how to solve. And I’m starting to have feelings for a teenage hooker I’m banging. I’m such a mess.

CHARACTER/SUSPECT LIST

Homicide Detective Morgan Harper - The heavily faulted main character who never recovered from the suicide of his wife.  

Kelly Pierson - a young, new to the game, prostitute who is frequented by Detective Morgan. 

Debra Harper - Morgan’s deceased wife who committed suicide.  

Tamra Burns- a crime scene technician.

Internal Affairs Officer Brian Anderson - Investigating Morgan Harper  

Homicide Detective Hutch Kelly - Morgan’s partner. 

Doctor Millison Parker - Morgan’s psychiatrist.

Paco Sanchez - A local pimp and street thug.

Mac Yung- Aggressive reporter. 

Jennifer Collins - The first victim prostitute. 

Amy Henderson - The second victim prostitute.