Marilyn had never been so relieved to see a hotel lobby as she scurried inside and tripped over the entrance mat. Gino's thug was close at her heels and took her by the shoulders to steady her.
The lobby was empty, except for Eddy who sat at the front desk. He smiled at first in greeting, then stopped.
"Hey Marilyn, your back - is everything all right?"
Marilyn's eyes widened as she realized she must be a complete mess after being tied to a chair all night. She peered down at herself and gasped - a dark yellow stain snaked all the way down the leg of her white diamond studded pants. Marilyn fought back the urge to burst into tears.
"Oh you know how it is Eddy honey, I had a rough night out partying..."
"Well, by the looks of it, you really know how to party lady," said Eddy and looked at her strangely for a moment.
"Eddy I preferred you better when you had your nose stuck in that computer."
A look of hurt crossed Eddy's face, and he looked down at his keyboard and back up at her.
"I'm sorry Eddy I'm real tired, do you reckon you could be a doll and do me a little favour, you think you might get my green box I put in your safe," she said with a flick of her eyes in the thug's direction.
"Yes ma'am, paperwork will take a while, would you like to go up to your room and get freshened up, I can call you when it's ready?"
Marilyn turned to face Gino's man pleadingly.
He furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head.
"That's real thoughtful of you honey, but see I'm in a big hurry. I can get cleaned up later I will wait for you here doll," said Marilyn as she turned back to Eddy.
Eddy backed away, looking surprised.
"Sure I will get it done as quickly as I can, no problems."
After Eddy disappeared into a back room where they kept the safe Gino's thug signalled for her to sit down. As he sat down next to her he pointed his gun at her from inside his jacket.
"Don't move, you hear!"
"Is Gino going to kill me?" begged Marilyn as she turned to face him.
"I will kill you if you don't shut up!"
"Please, if I give you the money, couldn't you just let me go, tell Gino I got away or even better you can tell him you shot me somewhere down a dark alley because I made a run for it. I will disappear I would never say a word for as long as I live."
"Enough, if I have to pop one in you for making a scene that idiot at the front desk is gonna get it too, do you want that?"
Frantically Marilyn shook her head.
"No, I will be good, please don't hurt Eddy, he's harmless."
Marilyn looked down at her hands in her lap as tears stung the corners of her eyes, they blurred her vision. She really, really wanted a shower, if she had to die, the least she deserved was to die in a clean pair of undies.
Eddy come back in the room and put the little green box on the counter, he waved a pen in the air.
"Here we go, all done, well except for your signature to say you collected the box. It's company policy, so come on up here and sign and then we are all done ma'am."
"Thanks Eddy, you are a real peach," said Marilyn getting up from her chair leaving the thug behind and taking the pen from Eddy's hand.
Scribbling on the sheet of paper for a few moments she looked up at him.
"All done, thanks for your help sugar, maybe I will see you later on."
"I will be here," he said and smiled as he took the piece of paper off of the counter and waved at her.
Marilyn sighed and reluctantly left. She wanted to cry and beg to stay, she wanted to climb into Eddy's arms and be safe, but most of all she didn't want to die...