Strip
‘Remind me again who’re we here to see at this time?’ Garcia asked as Hunter parked his car on Hilldale Avenue, just around the corner from the Strip.
‘A scumbag called JJ,’ Hunter replied getting out of the car and grabbing his jacket from the back seat.
Juan Jimenez, better known as JJ, was a low-life, small-time pimp who liked to conduct his business around Sunset Boulevard. He exploited his girls, all five of them. His trick was to keep them hooked on some sort of ‘class A’ drug. JJ was a violent man, and every now and then one of his girls would turn up in hospital with cuts and bruises, sometimes even broken bones. ‘I tripped and fell
JJ had been arrested several times, but none of his girls had ever had the guts to press charges. His most powerful weapon – fear.
‘And he can help us?’ Garcia asked.
‘He knows these streets and the girls that work them better than anyone. If our victim was a pro, he should be able to tell us. We might need to use a little “persuasion” though.’
They walked up Sunset Strip through the never-ending bustle of people trying to get into the already packed bars and clubs.
‘So where’re we going?’ Garcia asked, looking around like a kid in a playground.
‘There it is,’ Hunter pointed to the colorful sign that hung above number 9015 West Sunset Boulevard.
The Rainbow Bar and Grill has been a hangout for rock musicians since the seventies and not much has changed. Gold records, guitars, photos and autographs from a variety of bands and solo artists adorned the walls. Rock music blasted through its speakers while a mixture of long-haired guys and peroxide blonds wearing next to nothing surrounded the bar and occupied the tables inside and outside.
‘Is this JJ character into Rock?’ Garcia asked.
‘You better believe it.’
‘I thought he was from Cuba or something like that.’
‘Puerto Rico.’
‘Aren’t they all into salsa or meringue or something?’
‘Not JJ.’
Garcia looked around the place and although they stood out from the crowd no one had taken any notice of them. ‘Can you see him?’
Hunter quickly scanned the bar and tables. ‘Not yet, but this is his favorite hangout, he’ll be here. Let’s grab a drink and wait.’ Hunter ordered an orange juice and Garcia a Diet Coke.
‘They actually cook a great steak in here if you’re ever hungry,’ Hunter said, lifting his glass as if proposing a toast.
‘Been here much?’ Garcia asked with a contemptuous expression.
‘A few times.’
‘Wow, the Hideout Bar in Santa Monica, the Rainbow in Sunset Strip. You’re a bit of a party animal, aren’t you?’
Hunter didn’t reply and concentrated his attention on the bar entrance. He hadn’t seen JJ for the best part of five years, but the tall, very slim, dark-skinned Puerto Rican was an easily recognizable figure, with black pearl eyes, appallingly large ears and crooked teeth.
A tall, blond woman wearing overly tight leather trousers and a cropped top with the words ‘Rock Bitch’ across the front approached the bar and positioned herself to Hunter’s right. She ordered a ‘Slow Comfortable Screw up Against the Wall’ and gave Hunter a sensual smile. Hunter smiled back and for a split second his eyes fell on her cleavage.
‘Do you like them?’ she asked with a sweet voice.
‘Uh . . . like what?’ Hunter tried to play dumb.
She looked down at her breasts which seemed about to explode out of her top. ‘My tits silly . . . I saw you looking at them.’
‘Busted,’ Garcia said with an animated laugh.
No point being embarrassed now, Hunter thought. ‘They look . . . very nice.’
‘They’re brand new,’ she said proudly.
The barman came back with her cocktail and without breaking eye contact with Hunter she wrapped her red lips around the double straw and slowly sipped her drink.
‘Is that nice?’ Hunter asked.
‘A slow screw is always nice,’ she said having a second sip before moving closer. ‘Maybe I could show you sometime,’ she whispered into his ear while she ran her hand over his right bicep.
It all happened too fast. JJ had barely stepped into the Rainbow when his eyes met Hunter’s and all of a sudden he was back outside; his legs moving like a quarterback’s going for the touchdown that could win them the Super Bowl. Hunter sprung into action. He had no time to alert his partner whose undivided attention was on the tall blond’s new pair of breasts. In a split second he was outside chasing JJ down Sunset Strip.
Hunter was fast despite his heavier, muscular frame, but JJ was skinnier, lighter and moved with the agility of a rat. Hunter decided to try the friendly approach first.
‘JJ, I just wanna talk to you, slow down goddammit.’
JJ paid no attention to Hunter’s call and in a semi-suicidal move crossed the Boulevard, disregarding traffic and heading towards Frankie and Johnnie’s NY Pizza place.
Hunter followed him, but his run was slowed down by the street crowd and the constant people swerving. Twice he had to perform a quick and awkward left-right-left dance to avoid bumping into street punters.
Two blocks past the Rainbow and moving even faster, JJ swung left in front of the famous Whisky A Go Go bright-red building. Hunter was breathing down his neck, but again he had to zigzag around clubgoers and an uneven piece of sidewalk caused him to take a false step. He felt his left foot twist at the ankle. A sharp pain shot from it quickly consuming his entire leg. His run faded into an awkward hop.
‘Shit!’ he yelled as he watched JJ disappear in the distance.
Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Hunter saw a figure come past him with incredible speed. Garcia was moving like an Olympic champion. With just a few steps he had left Hunter behind and was fast gaining ground on JJ who had turned right into a small alleyway next to a large warehouse. Hunter limped his way after them.
Up ahead, it didn’t take long for Garcia to be within an arm’s length of the tall Puerto Rican. He reached out and grabbed him by his jacket’s collar.
‘OK, OK I give up,’ JJ said slowing down and putting both of his hands up but it was all too late. Garcia spun him around and threw him against the wall, twisting his right arm behind his back. JJ screamed in pain.
‘Running away from armed police officers, have you always been this stupid or is it a new affliction?’ Garcia asked, catching his breath.
‘Let me go ese, I haven’t done nothing.’
It took Hunter thirty seconds to reach them.
‘Are you OK?’ Garcia asked still holding JJ’s arm.
‘I’m fine. Twisted my ankle back there.’
‘Let go of my arm.’
‘Shut the hell up.’ Garcia slammed JJ’s body against the wall once again.
Hunter turned to face JJ. ‘What the hell were you doing? What’s with all this running crap?’
‘Force of habit, homie. What’s this all about? Let me go man!’ He twisted his body trying to escape Garcia’s tight grip.
Hunter gave Garcia a nod who let go of JJ’s arm.
‘You can’t do that man, I’m a legal citizen now,’ JJ said, massaging his right wrist with his left hand and stepping away from the wall.
