Page 35 of Small Town Beast

“I can get you the rest of the money by— by the weekend,” she promised. “It’s just a little hard up for me right now. I’m doing all this by myself but I can assure you I will have the money no matter what it takes.”

Mr. Faisal looked at her again. It was a different kind of look and it made Tanya go hot all over her body.

“How old are you?” he asked.

“Twenty,” she said stiffly.

His lips curled in the corners. “If you don’t have the money…maybe we can work something out, Tonya.”

I don’t believe this shit.

Tanya got out of the chair. “I’ll get you the money. Please just find my son.”

“I will do my best, Miss Weaver, but know that the chances your son is still alive are very small.”

“I believe he’s still alive,” said Tanya furiously. “Maybe you should, too, if I’m paying you all this money to find him.”

“You haven’t paid me yet,” he reminded her, smiling.

Tanya had the sinking realization she may have made a big mistake. She opened her mouth to demand her money back, but her eyes fell on a picture of Amari she had laid on the desk. Amari holding up a baby chick at the local petting zoo, smiling so hard. She had taken that picture a week before he went missing.

Her mouth snapped shut and it was only lifelong practice that kept the tears from flowing.He’s my only hope. I don’t have a choice.

“Next week, then,” she said through cold lips.

“Wonderful,” said Faisal, sweeping the files and pictures into a drawer. He glanced at the clock.“I have another client coming in. Be sure to take some candy on your way out, Tonya.”

She gathered her things and turned to leave. She stopped at the door and turned back.

“My name isTanya,” she said before slamming out of the airless little room.

Tanya climbedthe stairs to her apartment in the late sunset many hours later. She felt extremely tired in body and soul. Every part of her wanted to flop down in bed and lie motionless until sleep overwhelmed her. She hoped she dreamed of Amari because the day had been one of the hardest of her life.

She was grateful to have hitched a ride up the mountain with a nice older lady. Even on the worst days you could still turn a lucky hand. But as she got to the top of the stairs, a gust of loneliness blew out the small flame of gratitude. She reached numbly for her keys.

He’s gone. Amari is gone. He’s never coming back. And I might be pregnant…Oh God.

The STD test would tell her if she had contracted a nasty disease. But the doctor at the clinic told her expressly not to do a pregnancy test with them.

We have to report it, the lady had explained.And then you would be monitored in case the fetus terminates, or…you have an abortion. Which is illegal.

So what are my options?

Deal with it privately, said the lady in some insinuating tone that left Tanya even more frustrated.

Tomorrow is another day, she reminded herself, reaching for the positive mantra that had always kept her going.Another day. Another chance to find Amari. Every moment is a blessing from God…

There was some mail sticking out her mailbox and she collected it before unlocking her door. The lock needed some jimmying, even after she’d fixed it just yesterday.

She stepped into her small apartment and shut the door.Home at last.

Tanya’s apartment took up two rooms in a rickety wooden building that used to double as a brothel back before the war– the civil war. Half the windows wouldn’t close right and she was positive her downstairs neighbor was breeding frogs in his bathroom. But apart from that it was a nice little place, safer than Rowanville, with a beautiful forest behind it she meant to explore with Amari when he was a little older.

She opened the door and fumbled for the light, but when she flicked the switch nothing happened.The streetlights were off when I climbed the hill…paying all this money to live here and they can’t even keep the lights on…Or had she missed a bill? She froze. Then she remembered last week she’d posted the check — that was the day the bathroom almost flooded…

I’m gonna lose it.With the power out she couldn’t heat up any food. Not like she was hungry. These days every bite tasted like ashes.

She set down her purse and worked off her shoes, her light jacket. There was a strange smell in the house. Did she leave something on? No…It smelled like…

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