Chapter 4
Penn Station is a wondrous and scary place for new comers to NYC. Over the years improvements have been made to all aspects of the station but your time of arrival dictates what you will see upon de-boarding your train. At 3am the world inside and outside the station was like 'The Circus of the Damned'. Pan handlers, homeless men and women, teen runaways, ladies of the evening and all those parasites that feed on their misery.
I had phoned Keane as my train was approaching the city. He was waiting for me at the 7th entrance. He was doubled parked and having a yelling match with a cabby wearing a turban. My brother was no fan of immigration.
"Keane, making friends again?"
"You know me brother."
"Yes sir. There was never a more tolerant man made", I laughed.
My brother hugs like a bear. I missed that more than I was willing to admit. "Is that all the luggage you have?"
"Travel light and escape quickly. My motto remember."
He shrugged his shoulders, "Yeah, I wish we could change that."
"Not likely Brother." He nodded and conceded defeat on any subject that had to do with me changing in any way.
Once in the car conversation went right to Franny. "Have you heard anything new?"
He told me about finding Franny's boyfriend, in the East Village, and persuading him to give up some answers. "Persuading?" My face must have had a question mark stenciled on it because he started to explain right away.
"Quality time! We spent some quality time together and he filled me in on what I wanted to know. The boyfriends name is John Pellegrino. Kid lived in our neighborhood. Franny has know him since they were kids."
"This quality time put him in the hospital or is he still able to get around?, I asked.
"He gets around pretty good. Might limp a little." My brothers laugh told me the kid is probably limping a lot.
"Whats his story?"
"He says Franny broke up with him over a month ago. Said she was working at a place called Sweat, as a dancer." I could see that he was struggling with knowing that Franny was dancing. "Her mother can never know!", he said.
"The place is a higher class dive. They have good security to protect the dancers. John told me she was making big bucks and was one of the more popular dancers. He also said that she did not take part in any after hours parties. Apparently. a lot of the girls do."
"When did he see her last?"
"Three weeks ago outside the club at closing. Seems he was having a hard time letting go so he would sit in his car and wait for her to come out. At least that's what he tells me."
"You believe him?"
"Yeah, I think so."
"What time does this place close?" He said 5am but he has been there several times and no one is talking.
"That gives us over an hour to ask some questions. Lets go."
"Don't you want to take some time to get settled?", he asked.
"I have wasted enough time already!"
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