Conlan - Nameless

ISBN: 9780989038027

Acknowledgments

First and foremost, I would like to thank the love of my life who put up with all my pouting every time I was offered a bit of constructive criticism. I truly do appreciate all of your wise advice. The reader may find this different, but I owe special thanks to my ex-wife who must have read five different versions of Nameless and cheered me on the whole way. Thanks to my ex-father-in-law who without his push, this project might never have been started. Finally, I would like to thank my editor Benee Knauer, whose counsel made Nameless a viable and veritable thriller definitely worth reading.

For Trey and Jill

Chapter 1

This is bullshit, Nikki shouted out loud to no one in particular after her vain attempt to wave down a gray Chevy Silverado pickup. The middle-aged male driver slowed to a near stop then accelerated past her, almost running over her feet when she stepped off the curb. It wasnt an hour earlier; she decided this would be her last night on the streets. She was sick of it all; the repulsive, dirty, old men, the perverted degenerates of the world not to mention the constant danger to her health and life. She planned to make enough money tonight to get a bus ticket home and start over. There was a slim chance she could move back into her parents house. Her stepdad was irrelevant. He would have no real say in the matter. She had burned bridges with her mother. Burned actually was an understatement. They were blown to smithereens. Nikki was hoping that time had healed some major wounds. Whatever happened, she was going to find a way to make an honest living and turn her life around.

The man parked in a Sports Utility Vehicle across the street on Biscayne Boulevard had been watching her for the last ten minutes. It was the first time he had seen her. Until only recently he was very familiar with all the whores working this strip. According to his calculations, this one was a runaway minor, new to the area, no older than seventeen. There was little doubt she was unfamiliar with local practice or was just plain stupid. There was normally a high police presence at this hour to protect and monitor patrons leaving the dollar movie theatre across the street. Most of the whores didnt show up until just after midnight. They knew it was when the theatre closed and the parade of johns driving up and down Biscayne kicked off. It was after 10:30pm and the infrequent passersby had no interest in what the girl was selling.

Just the way she shamelessly flaunted her body parts to draw in customers was enough to royally piss him off. Her willingness to screw any pathetic asshole prepared to pay put her on a level with the lowest form of blood sucking or shit-eating parasite. When she practically threw herself in front of the Chevy pickup, he knew it was time to act before she ruined everything and got herself arrested.

He started the SUV, pulled out of the parking space and made his way around the block. In the short distance he drove, he had to dodge a homeless man hoping to spit-wash his windshield for change and two derelicts selling crack. As he approached the prostitute, she stepped onto the street and flashed him a full breast. At that moment, he had the overwhelming urge to coax her into his truck, slit her throat, and be done with it. Instead, he took a deep breath and cleared his mind. The instant he stopped, she was at his passenger window.

Can I get in? she asked.

Its not locked.

She hopped into the passenger seat without hesitation. Seemingly as an afterthought, she inquired, Youre not a cop or serial killer, are you?

No. Im gonna pull outta here before we get arrested.

Satisfied with his answer, and more focused on making the money for her bus ticket, she replied, Thats fine. What are you into?

How much for the night?

One thousand. She thought that should be enough for the bus, plus a few extra dollars to live on while she looked for a job after she got back home to Macon. What luck to have a big pay-off with her first john of the evening.

Thats kinda steep isnt it?

I could make that in three or four hours. Take it or leave it.

He pulled out onto Biscayne Boulevard and said, I like doing it outdoors.

As long as you drop me off back where you found me, Im ok with that. But I mean it. A thousand bucks.

Thats fine. Ill pay.

I dont take credit cards.

He pulled a wad of cash from his pocket and waved it in the air between them.

Satisfied?

No problem. Where we going?

Do you know Haulover Beach?

No, but it sounds fun. How far is it?

Her answer confirmed she was a visitor to South Florida. That was a good thing. Any resident would be familiar with the clothing-optional beach. There was a great chance she had no real connections to the area. He replied, Its a nude beach in North Miami. Itll only take about fifteen minutes to get there.

Haulover Beach was one of many park sites he had researched, visited and studied for a night like this one. In the midst of the big city, it afforded privacy from both the normally busy A1A and the beach itself. The five blocks it covered were lined by a dense forest of Florida sea grape trees. From personal observation and its reputation, he knew it was the site of daily sexual escapades along its self-guided nature trail. The beach closed at sunset. Having been there at all times of the day and night, he was confident they would have no company.

He parked in the large Haulover Beach lot in the space closest to the underground pedestrian walkway. There were no other vehicles. The only lighting was provided by street lamps and the barely visible crescent moon. A slight, land breeze made the cool winter temperature shoot a shiver up Nikkis spine as they passed through the tunnel toward the beach. Goose flesh popped up on her skin. The tunnel reminded her of the many nights shed slept in places just like this. Shed left her parents home when she was fifteen. Drinking, drugs, and a bad attitude were her M.O. since the age of twelve, when her father passed away and her mother married a deadbeat, gold digger who was after the insurance money. Luring her stepfather into her bedroom for sex was the last straw. Nikkis plan to remove the piece of shit from their lives had backfired. Her mom forgave her new husband and kicked her troubled daughter out of the house. For a year, Nikki lived with her twenty-three year old drug dealing boyfriend. When he had no more use for her, she hit the streets.

They emerged from the tunnel and turned north toward the forest and nature trail. Her client hadnt spoken a word since theyd arrived. She was starting to get the creeps and decided to strike up a conversation to ease her anxiety. It didnt give her much relief.

You dont plan on spending the night out here, do you? Its kinda cold.

Dont worry about it. I have blankets and sleeping bags in the backpack. Youll be fine.

Going silent once again, he led her down a path into the forest of sea grape trees. The trail was extremely narrow, barely wide enough for two small children walking side by side. The underbrush scraped at Nikkis bare ankles, shins, and calves. With the moon and streetlights almost completely obstructed by the tree tops, she could barely see more than a few feet ahead of her. Following directly behind him, she couldnt fathom how he was able to make his way through the pitch-dark without a flashlight. By the time they advanced 50 yards along the tapered path, the chill up her spine had evolved into a full-scale, uncontrollable shiver. Having grown up in Minnesota, 50 degree weather normally didnt affect her this way. The blackness of the night and the dead silence werent helping. Mostly, it was the vibe she was getting from her john. There was definitely something very bizarre, if not sinister about him. She was starting to regret following him into the deserted park. She seriously considered spraying his face with the can of mace she had in her purse, taking his roll of cash and running. If he wasnt about 220 lbs of ripped muscle, she just might have tried.