Later That Night

Another great day as a new teacher! Dan hummed as he warmed up leftovers in his apartment and graded student quizzes from his first tutoring class. Awesome time today. Now, between regular classes and tutoring, I can see which areas my students are weakes-

*Baaaaaaaan!* His apartment buzzer rang, “Who the hell could that be, it’s ten at night?” he approached the intercom and- *Baaaaaaan!* “Alright already!” he pressed the talk button. “Yes, who is this?”

“Mr. Capra?” A female voice asked.

Dan paused before answering, “Um, can I help you?”

“Mr. Capra, it’s me Rica!”

“Rica? Rica Reyes?”

“Yeah, it’s me! Could you buzz me in?”

What? No I won’t buzz you in! “Uhh, hi Rica, I am not going to ask how you got my address, but I think whatever problem you have can wait until school tomor-”

*Baaaaaan!* Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!*

“Oh dammit! Rica, please stop doing that!”

“Then buzz me in or come downstairs. It’s an emergency, I wouldn’t be at your place if it wasn’t, Mr. Capra!” she yelled in the intercom.

Seriously? What emergency could you possibly have that you have to come here? “Hi Rica, I don’t think this is a good idea-”

*Baaaaaan!* Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!*

“Ok-ok, I’m coming down now!”

*Baaaaaan!* Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!*

Good lord!

Bait

Wearing jeans and a sweatshirt, Dan raced down three flights to the building front. Rica stood outside with her back to the entrance. When Dan opened the door she twirled to greet him.

“Hi Mr. Capra!”

“Rica?” he replied in a hushed tone.

His mouth dropped as he barely recognized his fourteen-year-old student. Rica stunned him wearing a violet club dress with matching glass purple stilettos. She stood two inches taller than she did in school, with her hair styled down her slim developed figure.

“Heh! I take from your staring that you like my dress?” she asked, posing her legs for him.

“Um, it’s form-fitting. But I’m sorry, why are you here?”

She smiled, “I told you, it’s an emergency and I need your help.”

“Right, you said that. And what kind of help do you need?” He glanced behind her and spotted the black SUV from earlier today parked in the street. Those two guys.

“Hey Rica, are you with those guys in that truck?” he looked in her eyes, “Are you in trouble with them?”

“What?” Rica chuckled, “Heh heh, no Mr. Capra. Bling and Ian are my ride tonight. But I’ll be in trouble with my client if I don’t bring you to meet him.”

Dan’s eyes widened, “Client? Rica, what do you mean client? You’re fourteen years old, and-”

As he droned on, Rica reached in her purse, retrieved an envelope, and tossed it at him. Dan caught it and checked the contents.

“What is this?” It’s, oh my god. “There’s ten thousand dollars in this envelope.”  

“That’s right,” she smirked, “And if you want it, ride with me and take a look at some numbers for my client. Ten minutes of your time. I promise.”

Dan lapsed, staring and touching the money in the envelope. This all sounds really shady. There’s no way a fourteen-year-old girl has this money…

“Go with you? Now? Where?” he asked.

“Club Zero, but you’ll have to dress nicer than that, heh heh!”

Dan fidgeted with the envelope, stalling. Rica took his cue.

“Mr. Capra. I’m not asking you to do anything illegal. My client has a file with encrypted books on them. And he needs a smart man to look at the file and offer him advice on how he can resolve his problem.”

Rica whipped her hair back and shifted her pose on her lean legs. At that second the doors opened on the SUV, and Bling and Ian stepped out the truck and strolled toward Rica. The two men wore slick evening suits, complementing Rica’s dress. As they approached her they stared daggers at Dan.

Dan stared back at the menacing brutes, but this time he understood. When she flipped her hair she signaled those thugs out the truck like two vicious dogs. I see now, they’re her bodyguards.

Dan stood strong, and calmly asked, “Are you giving me a choice in this matter?”

Rica, smirked, “Choice? Mr. Capra, if you can fix my client’s file, he’ll give you another fifteen thousand in cash, in a bigger envelope than that one,” she added.

“Fifteen?” Dan lowered his eyes. That’s twenty-five grand just to fix a spreadsheet, damn.

“So to answer your question, of course you have a choice, Mr. Capra,” she locked eyes with him, “And I’m sure you’ll make the right one.”

As she spoke Bling and Ian cracked their knuckles and spit on the ground, glaring at Dan.

"Yeah, Dan, make the right choice," grunted Bling, the one with the gold teeth.

Dan smirked in defiance. This little girl and her two asshole dogs, fine, why not...

“Ok,” he nodded, “Just give me ten minutes, let me shave.”

Clean

Ten minutes later, Dan re-emerged from his building wearing a slim-cut dark suit that hugged his military physique, and a patterned shirt. When he stepped out the door Rica lit up.

“Oh! Mr. Capra, hee hee!” She covered her embarrassed smile.

Even Bling and Ian nodded in approval at his appearance, “Check him out, he’s Dapper Dan!” joked Ian.

“We all clean up when we try, gentlemen!” replied Dan as he joined the trio.

As they walked to the parked SUV, Dan pointed at it and chuckled at Rica.

“Hey Cinderella, this truck isn’t going to turn into a pumpkin at midnight is it?” he asked.

“No! Haha!” laughed Rica clutching his arm, “And if it does you’ll be catching a cab for us, prince charming!”

Dan smirked, “A cab? From all the way downtown? Forget that, we’ll just take the subway!”

Rica scowled at him, “Now why would we take the subway when you have ten thousand dollars in your pocket, you damn cheapskate! Hmph!” she pouted super cute.

“Heh heh, I guess you’re right!” They both laughed as Dan helped her into the truck.

Their next destination, downtown.

The Club

Dan and the trio drove to a spot called Zero in the meatpacking district. A mid-sized bar/club with loyal patronage that partied seven days a week. After parking, Bling and Ian walked ahead with Rica and Dan following behind.

Rica wore a giddy smile as she strolled down the sidewalk *clop-clopping* in her stilettos while holding Dan’s arm. Dan didn’t resist, and begrudgingly accepted his role in her mantourage.

At least Rica sort of resembles an adult at night, he figured. Then again, Who am I kidding? What I’m doing is wrong, and probably illegal!

When they reached the club, Bling and Ian sailed past the outside line and straight to the entrance. The bald bouncers at the front immediately opened the velvet ropes and yelled to the other bouncers, “Make a hole for Frank’s guests!” as they entered the loud venue.

Damn, talk about VIP.

As Dan stepped inside, Rica moved ahead of him and diva walked past the crowd of high fashion girls and well-dressed boys grinding away on the dance floor. Wow, all of these ‘beautiful’ people out on a Tuesday night? And Rica’s one of them.

“Mr. Capra, keep your eyes on me!” shouted Rica as she twirled and struck a model pose in Dan’s path. Her legs and slender frame outlined in the flashing club lights, “Now do you like my dress?”

“It’s fashionable,” a safe answer.

“Yes it is! And, oh yeah, I wanna dance after we meet Frank,” she said.

“Uhh, isn’t it a school night?” He asked, implying he didn’t want to stay late.

Rica shook her head and grabbed his arm, “Come on!” She pulled him toward an office door at the back of the club.

Dan prepared himself, “So, this client of yours, his name is Frank?”

“Yes,” Rica replied.

“And, umm, what does Frank do?”

Rica stopped, “Mr. Capra. What Frank does is pay people very well to not ask him that question,” she faced him. “Are we clear?”

Right, as I expected. “Yes, Rica, we’re clear.”

“Good,” she smiled, “Now, let’s go meet Frank!”

…..