Criminal

ain’t did nothin’.”
    “We don’t want to arrest you,” Evelyn tried again. “We were told by our sergeant that you’d been raped.”
    “S’what I get pay for, ain’it?” She blew out another plume of smoke, this one straight into their faces.
    Evelyn’s sunny disposition faltered. “Kitty, we need to speak with you and take a statement.”
    “Ain’t ma problem.”
    “All right. We’ll just leave then.” Evelyn snatched the bag of heroin off the coffee table and turned on her heel.
    If Amanda hadn’t been so surprised to see Evelyn take the drugs, she would’ve been heading toward the door herself. As it was, she saw everything—the shock on the girl’s face, the way she sprang from the couch, fingers out like the claws on a cat.
    Seemingly of its own volition, Amanda’s foot rose up. She didn’t trip the girl. She kicked her in the ribs, sending her straight into the stove. The blow was hard. Kitty slammed into the television, breaking off the stove door. The TV cracked against the floor. Tubes popped. Glass shattered.
    Evelyn stared at Amanda in visible shock. “What was that?”
    “She was about to jump you.”
    “You certainly stopped her.” Evelyn knelt down on the floor. She took a handkerchief out of her purse and handed it to the girl.
    “Bitches,” Kitty slurred. Her fingers went to her mouth. She pulled out one of her last remaining teeth. “Got damn bitches.”
    Evelyn stood back up, probably thinking it wasn’t wise to kneel in front of an angry prostitute. Still, she said, “You need to tell us what’s going on. We’re here to help you.”
    “ ’uck you,” the girl mumbled, fingers feeling around inside her mouth. Amanda saw old scars across her wrist where Kitty had tried to slice open the veins. “ ’et the ’uck outta ’ere.”
    Evelyn’s voice turned hard. “Don’t make us drag you to the station, Kitty. I don’t care who your uncle is.”
    Amanda thought of her car, the time it would take to wash away the grime from the back seat. She told Evelyn, “You can’t seriously be considering—”
    “Like hell I’m not.”
    “There’s no way I’m letting this—”
    “Shut up!” the girl yelled. “I ain’t even Kitty. I’s Jane. Jane Delray.”
    “Oh for the love of—” Amanda threw her hands into the air. All the terror she’d experienced on the stairwell turned into anger. “We don’t even have the right girl.”
    “Hodge didn’t give a name. Just an address.”
    Amanda shook her head. “I don’t know why we even listened to him. He’s been here less than a day. The same as you, I might add.”
    “I was in uniform for three years before—”
    “Why are you back?” Amanda demanded. “Are you here to do the job or is it something else?”
    “You’re the one who wants to hightail it out of here.”
    “Because this whore can’t tell us anything.”
    “Hey!” Jane screamed. “Who you callin’ a whore?”
    Evelyn looked down at the girl. Sarcasm dripped from her voice. “Really, darling? You want to make that argument now?”
    Jane wiped the blood from her mouth. “Y’all ain’t from the gubmint.”
    “Brilliant deduction,” Evelyn said. “Exactly who from the government is looking for you?”
    Her shoulders gave a slight shrug. “I might’a been down to the Five on account’a needin’ s’money.”
    Evelyn put her hand to her head. “The Five” referred to the Five Points Station bus line that serviced the welfare office. “You were trying to cash Kitty’s government assistance voucher.”
    Amanda asked, “Isn’t it mailed?”
    They both stared openly at Amanda. Evelyn explained, “The post office boxes here aren’t exactly secure.”
    Jane said, “Kitty don’t need it. She ain’t never need it. She rich. Gotta family that’s connected. Thass why you bitches here, ain’t it?”
    Evelyn asked, “Where is she now?”
    “She be gone six months.”
    “Where did she go?”
    “Dis’peared. Same wid Lucy. Same wid Mary. All dem jes up and dis’peared.”
    “These are working girls?” Evelyn asked. “Lucy and Mary?” The girl nodded. “Is Kitty on the game, too?” Again, the girl nodded.
    Amanda had had quite enough of this. “Should I write this down for the newspaper? Three prostitutes are missing. Stop the presses.”
    “Ain’t missin’,” the girl insisted. “They gone. Real gone. Dis’peared.” She wiped blood from her lips. “They’s all livin’ here. They stuff’s here.