The story so far: Nina thought she had put away a notorious gangster, Fitz O’Patrick, but he blackmailed the Mayor and was set free. A pimp named Mick-the-Tick offered Nina some incriminating photos of the Mayor in exchange for help getting out of jail. A teenage prostitute named Penny was beaten up and hospitalized; Penny has asked to talk to Nina.
Nina is rolling down Ogden Avenue toward the hospital. Her cell phone rings and she sees that Captain Newton is calling. “Hello, Captain. It’s Nina,” she says.
“Hey, Nina,” the captain says. “More bad news. We just found Mitch’s body in a dumpster. He was shot three times.” Mitch was the star witness in the case against Fitz O’Patrick. The captain continues. “I got a call from Tom at the FBI. Their information is that O’Patrick has left the country and gone to Ireland.”
“Who’s cleaning up his loose ends?” Nina asks.
“Well, what I know is this,” replies the captain. “An Italian lawyer showed up at the D.A.’s office with O’Patrick’s gun permit.”
All Nina can think of is that O’Patrick is getting the support of the Irish mob and the Italian mob. She thanks the captain for the news, hangs up and keeps driving.
At the hospital, Nina walks into Penny Miles’ room and finds Penny asleep. She stands quietly beside the bed, looking at Penny’s face, seeing the results of a horrendous beating and thinking how Penny is too young to be in this predicament. Nina softly touches Penny’s hand and says,
“Hey, Penny. It’s Nina.” Penny’s eyes open and she forces a small smile. “Did Mick do this to you, Penny?” Nina asks.
Penny shakes her head, no.
“Did Mayor Richard do this to you?”
Penny nods, yes, and Nina’s blue eyes turn as red as hot lava pits.
“At first, I didn’t know he was the Mayor,” Penny explains. “After sex he would sometimes become angry and beat me.”
“Where are your parents?”
“They’re both dead. I was living with my older sister until I ran away.”
“And how long have you been turning tricks for Mick?” Nina asks.
“Since I was 15,” Penny replies, looking away from Nina.
Nina takes a deep breath and explains, “I’m going to need you to testify in a court of law, Penny. That’s the only way we can stop the Mayor. In the meantime, I’ve got to keep you safe and alive. Things aren’t going to be easy for you once this hits the papers and the Mayor turns to his mob friends. I’ll also try to keep Mick alive so I can keep another snitch on the streets.” Nina pauses and looks at Penny. “Is that OK with you? Do you like to travel?”
Penny smiles again and says, “Yes, that’s fine with me, and I love to travel.”
“Good,” Nina says. “I have a girlfriend, Pir Brown, who lives in Detroit. She’ll protect you with her life, if need be.” Nina gets on her cell phone and calls Pir. When Pir answers, Nina says, “Hey, girl. I need some help. Remember when we would sit around and talk about when we would be detectives and would have a secret to keep safe?”
“Sure do,” Pir answers. “What time do I pick it up?”
Nina smiles and says, “Her name is Penny, and I’m leaving for the airport now. I’ll call with the details when I have them.”
“OK, girl. I’m happy to help,” says Pir.
On the way to the airport, Nina calls captain Newton. “Let me fill you in, captain. I’ve got a young girl named Penny Miles with me. She’s been having sex with our honorable Mayor and he’s been beating the living stuff out of her. I’m on my way to the airport to send her away for a while and keep her safe. Then I’ll be back in your office so we can figure out what to do.”
When he hangs up, captain Newton takes a moment to mull over this latest news. He picks up the phone and dials D.A. Winston’s office. “Things are really picking up and my detective and I need to meet with you and Judge Andrew as soon as possible about some things that just happened.”
“I’m happy to meet,” says the D.A, “but if you and that firecracker detective of yours have some scheme to get O’Patrick and his gang, don’t forget that Mitch is dead. Why don’t you guys start with me? Then we can see about including the judge.” They hang up after agreeing to meet in the D.A.’s office in an hour.”
Meanwhile, Nina and Penny get to O’Hare Airport and get Penny ticketed for a flight to Detroit that leaves in 45 minutes. Nina calls Pir with the time of arrival and heads back to her car. It is time to start pushing back. Too many people are being hurt, she thinks, and not enough of the bad guys are paying a price.
