Midnight Rider

Murphy took one look at the girl and scoffed.

“Ya do meh no good!” he said. Throwing his hands into the air – slightly admitting defeat. “Fuckin’ Connor.” He added.

Blondie looked at him for a moment, “if you… give me a map maybe I can point out possible places they could’ve taken him.” She found herself saying. Blondie was smart – she stayed away from mad men with guns. Or at least she thought she did, this night was proof of that. “Connor? Right?” she asked trying to help, “he saved my life…”

“Of course he’ did.” Murphy said. He pinched the bridge of his nose and asked: “Why’d they try?”

“No one would come looking for me.” She answered.

“Well let’s hope you stay that way,” he threw his long trench coat over her shivering figure. “Let’s go.”

Murphy took the girl back to McGinty’s Bar. The place he was temporarily calling home. She was reluctant at first because of the gun in his hand – but she knew if she wanted to help Connor she would have to cooperate. And then she knew she shouldn’t refuse him, Connor had saved her life and she owed him that.

She felt strangely uncomfortable walking in the silent night with a man she didn’t know. Her heels had made blisters on her feet by the time they reached the run down neighborhood. She followed Murphy into a bar – she thought it was hardly the hour to be drinking. But she found that he had his own key to the place, and it was in fact closed for the night.

She felt strange again, uncomfortable, awkward. She didn’t really want to be here. But she forced herself to stay. She itched her head. Her brain felt overheated and she hadn’t eaten all night. She was supposed to eat after she met with Mauricio, but that didn’t go as planned.

He flipped on the lights revealing an old pub. Who knew how long it had been there. It was in an old Irish neighborhood – good liquor on the back shelf, cheap beer on tap. Murphy told her to “wait here,” he motioned towards the bar. She picked a stool and sat down – while he disappeared down an unlit hallway.

She played with her fingernails, most of them were broken, and she tightened the straps to her shirt so they’d stop falling down her shoulders. And while she waited she tried not to think of the ordeal she went through – too easily would it make her cry.

Murphy came back minutes later with a very old man who seemed concerned, and left again behind to revolving doors. Although this time he came back with a familiar face. She recognized Detective Duffy easily, she hoped the oversized coat would conceal her prominent jaw line she knew he wouldn’t recognize the hair – but Duffy was smart – she knew that first hand.

The first words spoken were: “That’s not Connor.” Coming from Duffy. She saw a flicker of recognition flick through his eyes as he looked at her.

“Okay she’s all I got,” Murphy said. “Isn’t much. But she knows several of the new hideouts due to her… lavish profession and… well… she’s the only card I got.”

“Damnit Paige. What’d I say!?” Duffy asked her.

Paige was taken aback. He obviously recognized her. He was only her Parole Officer.

“What am I supposed to do?” she asked him angrily. The two were immediately at each others throats. Duffy had worked hard to get her off the streets. “Starve? No one will hire me!”

“That’s not true! You know that!” he said back.

“Waitress tips do not make the rent Duffy!”

“K-K-Keep It-tt-t-tt Down Fucks!” she heard Doc say. “Romeo is t-t-t-ryin t-t-to sleep.”

Everyone looked at each other.

“Well you two obviously have met.” Murphy said. “I’m Murph, this is Doc. How do you know Duffy?”

Duffy looked at her, raising both his eyebrows waiting for her to answer his question. She sighed and took off her short blonde wig, revealing her pinned dark locks. She let them down revealing her rather natural beauty. “He’s my P.O.”

“Great a criminal and a whore.” Murphy said rubbing his face.

“Only because standing on the street is illegal.” She said.

“Only because you were for sale.” Duffy added.

“Look, here’s a map.” Murphy told her, “Circle where ya’ think he could be.”

She unfolded the large map of Boston. And began to label the places she’d been with Mauricio, places she heard of, and places she knew they kept prisoners. She starred several places where he should look first, and then handed it back to him.

“This gives me a lot of work to do.” he said.

“Stars first.” She told him. “More likely places.”

Duffy looked at the map too. “How could you possibly know all this…” he asked her. “Unless you were fucking the entire Yakavetta family?”

She was instantly hurt by his comment. And she was even more surprised when Murphy put his had against Duffy’s chest, “leave ‘er alone.” He said.

“If you need me,” she said, “he can find me.” Referring to Duffy. Paige walked out of the bar after that, and headed to the nearest 24-hour diner. She was please to find one at the end of the block her shoes still made loud noises, and her feet felt even worse. But she took a seat inside, near the window and ordered a hot cup of coffee and a plate of breakfast.

She only had a small chance to eat her eggs before Murphy sat down in front of her. He took the small plate her toast had been on and grabbed at a piece of bacon and stole two of her three pancakes. As he drizzled them in syrup she watched waiting for whatever explanation he had to be sitting before her.

“So.” He said after taking a drink from her coffee. “have a proposition for yeh.”

“What’s that?” she asked, only curious.

“Now I’ll admit – if yeh swear you won’t tell meh brother – I’m shit at planning anythin’. But I had this idea: If you’ve been inside these places maybe you can help me make one up – like a/c systems here, stairs here, cameras there. Get wha’ I’m sayin’?”

“Sort of.” She said.

“Just give me an idea – then you’ll be free tomorrow night, o’course I ain’t forcen’ yeh.” He said.

“Tomorrow night?” she asked.

“Well it is mornin’.” he added.

“Can I sleep first?” she asked. “It’s been a long night.”

“I think…” he said, smiling. “I can arrange that if you don’ mind sleepin’ in a cot in an old speakeasy.”

“As long as I have a pillow.” She said.

“It’s a deal.” He stated outstretching his hand, she shook it cautiously, she felt like she had just signed on for more than she bargained for.