"In some ways, she seems ... I don't know ... child-like," Paul said.
"Child-like?"
"I was going to say innocent, but occasionally she gets this look in her eyes ... " Paul said.
"I thought you said earlier that she didn't have the mark of having been on the street."
"I didn't phrase that quite right," Paul said. "She doesn't have that kind of wariness; the seen-it-all look that hookers have. It's more like a thousand-yard stare."
"Thousand-yard stare?"
"Like combat veterans, kind of a post-traumatic-stress look. Abused children get it, too. That's probably why I said she was almost child-like."
"What did you make of those bruises?" Connie asked.
"Pretty ugly, aren't they? She offer any explanation?"
"Yes. I didn't ask, but I'm sure my face gave away my reaction when we were spreading out the mat on the foredeck. She said she fell down the stairs a few days ago."
"Uh-huh," Paul said, shaking his head. "I can't count the number of times I've heard that one."
"You think somebody beat her up?"
"There's no 'think' about it. The bruises are one thing; there's no way to know for sure about them, but did you see the welts on her lower back and her, um ... " his face flushed. "Not that I ... "
Connie laughed. "I'm sure your interest was purely professional, Lt. Russo. It was kind of hard to miss when she bent over in that thong, wasn't it?"
"Yes, it was. But you're right; she looks like a preteen when she's not wearing ... um ... " he swallowed hard.
"Shut up, Paul. You're just digging yourself in deeper. Relax. I know she's not your type. But what made those marks?"
"Wire, most likely. Could have been a coat hanger, or an extension cord, or just a few feet of insulated 12-gauge electrical wire. Hard to tell which unless they're fresh."
"Wire? I've never heard of such a thing. You mean burns?"
"No. Wire used like a whip. It's a common thing in certain circles. Pimps will use it for punishment; it's incredibly painful and it leaves a long-lasting reminder, but it doesn't put the victim out of commission like a beating would do. No real damage, other than those welts, and if it's not overdone, they fade out after a while."
"You think she's a hooker, then?" Connie raised her eyebrows.
"No. Like I said, she doesn't have any of the characteristic traits. I think she got mixed up with somebody that runs in those circles, though. That could be why she's on the run, if she is on the run."
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Storm Sail - A Connie Barrera Thriller: The 4th Novel in the Caribbean Mystery and Adventure Series (Connie Barrera Thrillers) Page 23