60 Minutes (2 page)

“Alright. See you in an hour.”

Being that she didn’t have much work to do, Jani’rah sat back and thought about life before she had started her business. Who would have ever thought that a simple case of heartbreak would be the beginning of a multimillion-dollar business? Her mind flashed back to what seemed like a different time and place.

“Ma, I’ll be back in a minute. Daniel just called and said he had something important to tell me,” seventeen-year-old Jani’rah said with the biggest smile on her face. She hoped that he was going to finally ask her to the senior prom. Yes, they were an item and going to the prom together was a given for them, but Jani’rah made it known to him that she wanted an official invite and she wanted it to be special.

“Alright, but make sure you’re back before dinner. You know how your father is when his princess is out late.” Jani’rah’s mother knew that her daughter would be coming back home nearly broken after talking to Daniel, because she knew exactly what he had to talk to Jani’rah about. She just prayed that Jani’rah would one day understand.

As Jani’rah got closer she could see two big storage units outside of Daniel’s house. “What the hell is going on out here?” she said out loud to no one in general. Walking to the door, she saw two large men walking out of the house with big boxes. Confused, Jani’rah walked in the house and called out to Daniel. “Daniel, Daniel, where are you?”

Hearing her, Daniel came running down the stairs. He looked into her eyes with the saddest face she had ever seen. He walked over to her.

“Baby, please don’t be too upset with me because I just found out myself.” Daniel said as he guided her to the kitchen. Taking a seat at the table, Jani’rah had already put two and two together and figured out Daniel was moving; but she was okay with it because she didn’t think he would be going anywhere too far away. “It’s like this…my dad was just hired for a new electrician’s job. They paying for our move, it’s just that…” there was a long pause, “it’s in Atlanta.”

Jani’rah’s heart dropped when she heard this. “What you mean, ‘Atlanta?’ What does that mean about us?” She was crying uncontrollably.

Daniel knew this was coming and just as hard as it was for her to accept, it was just as hard for him. “It just means that we’ll have to love each other at a distance.” Daniel said as he cradled her in his arms.

She knew he meant well, but she also knew that it would never work out with that much distance between them. That day, Jani’rah promised herself that the only man that she’d ever love would be her father. Jani’rah’s tears of pain stopped and were replaced with tears of anger.

“Daniel how could you do this to me? We had dreams and plans with one another.” Jani’rah yelled while breaking out of the embrace that Daniel held her in.

Knowing that she knew that the move was out of his hands he tried reassuring her that they were going to work. “Baby you know that this is out of my hands. My father worked hard for this promotion and he deserves this. We’re going to make it work. We only have two months of school until we graduate. I’ll come down here as much as possible to be with you. I just need you to understand.”

His pleas fell on deaf ears because Jani’rah had stopped listening to anything that he had to say after he told her about the move. She picked up her coat from off of the chair and headed to the door. She looked back at Daniel, “I hate you for this.” she said and continued out of the door.

“Jani’rah wait!” Daniel yelled out to no avail because Jani’rah was already out of the door.

As Daniel went to follow her, his mother softly grabbed him by the arm and stopped him in his tracks. “Son, the last person that she wants to see is you. Give her a couple of hours to come to terms with this. She’s hurt and I know you’re hurt too, but if it’s in God’s plans you two will be back together.” His mother’s words lightened up Daniel’s mood a little and he proceeded to his room to continue packing with thoughts of his first true love on his mind.

*****

The tears flowed down Jani’rah’s face as she walked towards the playground behind Curiale School. It was the place where she and Daniel would go to talk about their plans for their future, where they shared their first kiss when they were ten, and where they had first made love. Tonight she was alone and she was fine with that. She knew that her mother was probably wondering where she was because more than likely Daniel was blowing up the house phone looking for her.

“How could they do this to us. His father is so fucking selfish, his job here pays more than enough money, why do he have to be so damn money hungry?” Jani’rah was venting out loud as she sat on the swing; she didn’t notice the two men that walked up behind her. The crunching of the leaves behind her bought her out of her pity party.

“Hey there little lady. Why someone as beautiful as you out here by yourself?” asked the shortest of the two men. Jani’rah looked in his eyes and could tell by the way they were half open and half closed that he was high off of something. Hopping off the swing, Jani’rah zipped up her jacket and tried to leave the playground. As she brushed passed Shorty with her head down, his friend quickly grabbed her jacket and pulled her back.

“Where you goin’? The party jus’ gettin’ started.” Shorty’s friend commented with a sly grin.

Her heart begun to beat at what seemed like a hundred beats per second. Her palms became sweaty at the thought of the two men taking advantage of her. “Why the hell are you touching me?” Jani’rah yelled. She turned up her nose as she smelled stale cigarette smoke and liquor on his breath.

“Don’t act like you don’t know what this is. Now take ya fuckin’ pants off before I slap the shit out of you!” Yelled Shorty as he walked closer to Jani’rah and his friend.

Jani’rah couldn’t believe her luck. She would have given anything for Daniel or her father to show up right now but she knew there was a very slim chance of that happening. “Please just let me go home!” Jani’rah protested avoiding his directions to take her pants off. She knew that if she didn’t get away soon, the men would take full advantage of her.

High and horny, Shorty pushed her to the ground and directed his friend to pin her arms down so he can undress her himself.

“Help, somebody please!” Jani’rah yelled, but no one was around and she was left hopeless.

“Stop fighting it and just lay back. Big daddy gonna show you what a big, juicy dick feel like.” Shorty said while pulling down his pants and placing the condom on his already erect penis. Jani’rah secretly thanked God that he was using protection. As he forcefully entered her, Jani’rah’s mind escaped to thoughts of Daniel.
How could he allow this to happen to me? Why didn’t he walk with me?
Jani’rah felt as if Daniel was to blame for what was happening to her.

“Don’t let her hands go, I’m about to cum.” Shorty instructed his friend. With each thrust, Jani’rah’s face became wet from the tears escaping from her eyes. Feeling his body jerking, Jani’rah knew that he was done. Shorty stood up, zipped up his pants and thanked Jani’rah for her services.

“Fuck you.” Jani’rah whispered, but loud enough for Shorty and his friend to hear her.

“No bitch, I just fucked you.” Shorty replied and chuckled. He and his friend turned and walked away as if nothing happened.

Jani’rah lay on the ground until she willed herself to get up so she can go home and bathe.

*****

“Jani’rah where have you been? Daniel’s been calling here like crazy saying that you left over two hours ago. Are you okay? Oh my God what happened to your hair?” Jani’rah’s mother threw question after question at her without letting her reply. Finally she took a breath and let Jani’rah talk.

“I’m fine mommy. I just need to go upstairs and take a hot bath, call me when dinner is done.”

Her mother brushed it off thinking that her daughter was only hurt about the news that she received from Daniel. Little did she know that her daughter had been hurt physically by a man she didn’t know. Jani’rah walked past her mother and headed upstairs to wash off the filth of Shorty. While in the tub, she made a promise to herself that she’d never love a man like she had loved Daniel. She also swore to never let another man touch or hurt her the way Shorty had. Sex was something that was sacred to her and on that horrid day, Shorty had taken that away from her.

*****

Camille came through the door snapping Jani’rah back to reality. “How may I help you boss lady?” Camille said as she sat down in the chair opposite Jani’rah. Jani’rah turned her chair around and was amazed at how beautiful Camille looked in her evening gown. Standing at five eleven, with a body that resembled video vixen, Buffie the body, Camille wore a
Remy
weave which hung down her back with loose flowing curls. Her makeup was perfect, not too much and not too little.

“I am so sorry. It completely slipped my mind that you were going to the Mayor’s Ball tonight.”

“No problem. I have to meet him in half an hour at the hotel which is only five minutes away, so I’ve got time. What’s up?.” Camille was a money chaser and Jani’rah knew that the client that she had lined up for her would be an easy task, although he was a part of a dangerous crime family and a part of the company’s past.

“I have an old client that may come with a few extra perks. Have a seat and let me give you the run down.” Jani’rah said while gesturing Camille to sit down. “I’m pretty sure you know who Romero Artez is.”

At the sound of his name, Camille saw nothing but dollar signs. The smile on her face let Jani’rah know that Camille was already down to take on the job.

“Well, he has a very important gathering and he wants to have one of my finest on his arm. You know I thought of you first. The only tricky part is while you’re there with him, he will be conducting business.”

The “business” part was off limits for Jani’rah, but when she heard about the $5,000 dollars Romero would pay for an escort, she couldn’t refuse. She would’ve done the job herself, but that would’ve been against her business code.

“Girl, I ain’t scared. I know what happened to Sylvia was purely a coincidence. When and where you need me to meet him? It’s not bad that I heard he has a big dick too!” Camille joked, but was very serious at the same time.

“I’ll email everything to you later. I just wanted to know if you would do the job first and now that I know you will, I’ll let him know tonight. Now go ahead and get on your job and make that congressman have a night he’ll never forget.” Jani’rah said as she stood up to see Camille out.

The sound of Sylvia’s name boiled Jani’rah’s blood. Sylvia was a beautiful, full Puerto Rican escort that Jani’rah showed a lot of interest in until money started to come up short; which was a no no for Jani’rah. Being the ruthless woman that she was, Jani’rah purposely set Sylvia up on a job with Romero and told him to tip her an extra $1,000 and she’d pay him back. It was a test to see if Sylvia was actually holding money out on Jani’rah because although it was a tip, Jani’rah was still owed a piece of all money received. When Sylvia came back to give Jani’rah her cut, she came up short. Jani’rah didn’t let Sylvia know that she knew she was holding out. She had other plans to end the foolery once and for all.

The next day the six o’clock news reported that Sylvia was found in Washington Park with her tongue removed and her fingers cut off. All eyes led to Romero because she was last seen with him, but with no other evidence, he was released free and clear. That’s when Sylvia’s family started to question whether Jani’rah might have had something to do with her murder. Sylvia’s family didn’t know what type of work she was in to, but they knew Jani’rah was her boss. Jani’rah was taken in for questioning, but nothing was done because the cops had no leads.

That’s old news
, Jani’rah thought to herself as she shook off any further thoughts of Sylvia. After another hour in the office, Jani’rah was ready to go home and relax. Melanie handled the rest of the profiling for the other client that called about an escort for the weekend; so business was done for the day. Jani’rah walked out of her office building, which was located in the middle of downtown’s shopping area and headed toward the street for her ride. One would think with the type of business that she ran, that Jani’rah wouldn’t be in such a busy part of town, but she had it all covered. Her office was located upstairs from her storefront that specialized in sex toys and gadgets. She also had a business next door to the store; a pole dancing class. For Jani’rah to have her hands all over the sex industry, she didn’t have a big sexual appetite. She’d only been with one man sexually in her entire thirty-three years on earth.

When Jani’rah reached the Maybach, Hanz, her driver, quickly got out of the car and opened the door for her.

“Where to Ms. J?” he asked as he got back in the driver’s seat.

“Let’s stop by Gotham. I need to check on something.”

“Sure thing Madame!” Hanz replied in a thick Haitian accent. They drove through downtown then up John Street. Hanz made a smooth right up Park Avenue and the car was quiet until they reached their destination—a small club on Wood Avenue named Allure. Hanz hurriedly stepped out of the car and made his way to Jani’rah’s door and opened it for her.

“You’re too good to me Hanz,” she said and touched his cheek. Her
Jimmy Choo
pumps met the snow-filled concrete as she smoothed over her pin-striped skirt and black mink coat. A black Cadillac pulled in behind her Maybach. Two beefy bodyguards stepped out and walked alongside Jani’rah as they made their way into the club. Everyone greeted her as she entered and scanned the place. Although it was the middle of the day, it was packed with people. The large two-hundred-square-feet dance floor was filled with people that were already buzzed from the assorted liquor the club offered. Jani’rah’s eyes fell on the owner in the corner with a few of the patrons who were too busy black jacking to notice her presence. Her heels click clacked as she made her way over to the game. She instantly became aggravated.