Safe Harbor - 15

Bobby was halfway through his meal, to which Nance had added fries for free much to his surprise, when he felt someone tap his shoulder. He spun around to find one of the girls he’d spoken to that morning standing there.

She was shaking like a leaf as she said tremulously, "We saw them."

"Shit, where?"

"A couple of blocks from here.

"How did you find me?" He gulped down the last of his milk, folded the remains of his burger in a couple of napkins and got up, tossing money on the counter. "Show me where it happened."

"Bets spotted you heading this way. We was thinking of joining you when this car pulled up." She pushed the diner door open and stepped onto the sidewalk, Bobby right behind her. "That way." She started in the direction she’d pointed.

Up ahead he saw her two friends huddled together in the shadow of a doorway. He waited until they got to them before saying, "You’re sure it was the right men?"

All three nodded.

"It was a dark car like you said. It pulled up next to us and one man got out. He looked like a cop with the uniform and all." The girl shivered. "He said we were all under arrest for soliciting."

"Then his partner got out and came around so we ran like hell."

"Did they try to come after you? And by the way, I’m Prizm."

"Bets," the girl who’d just spoken replied. The dark-haired girl beside her introduced herself as Cry and the one who’d come to find him was Jo-Jo.

"Yeah," Cry glanced around as if the men might still be looking for them, "they started to chase us but we know how to hide."

"You got a good look at them though."

"Yeah but we ain’t going to the cops," Bets said defiantly.

"Not asking you to. But if you’re willing to come with me, I’ll take you somewhere safe where there’s a man you can talk to and tell him what they looked like."

Bets shook her head. "Told you I won’t go to no shelter."

"So don’t. Be stupid and stay out here while the rest of us go." The look Jo-Jo gave her said even more than her words.

"At least go back to the squat," Cry added before she turned to Bobby. "So which shelter?"

"The Harbor, and I think we need to get moving just in case." The area was empty now, just a few cars passing them on the street. Not the best place to be if the men came back looking for the girls.

After fifteen minutes, with Bets reluctantly trailing along behind the others, they reached the shelter. It was late and all the kids who were there were bunked down for the night. One of the counselors who knew Bobby was at the front desk and buzzed the door to let them in.

"Is Father Kurt around?"

"I think he finally headed to bed but I’ll track him down if it’s important."

"They," Bobby nodded at the girls, "may have seen the two bastards who killed Minnie."

Without replying the man made a call. "He’ll be down in a couple of minutes," he informed Bobby as he hung up.

"We’ll wait in the community room."