Dirty Works (current working title...)
an excerpt

Chapter 70
Merri awoke on her side on a cold dark concrete floor, arms and legs bound with tape over her mouth. “Mmfphrmfp!” she tried shouting, to no avail. She got her bearings using the tiny bit of light which was leaking under the door. She was freezing, clad only in her dance costume, was hungry, had to pee, and cursed the sharp points of the cell phone where it pressed into her breasts. Awright, Vito, you scurvy dog. Yer gonna pay fer this! She rolled to her back so she could see the room behind her. She spied a stainless-steel work table, like she has seen in many a restaurant kitchen, and scooched herself across the floor until she could feel the legs and low shelf against her back. Under the lip of the shelf, she could feel the sharp edge of the sheet metal, and carefully worked the tape against it. She could feel her taped wrists gradually separating, and in a manner of minutes her hands were free. Applying the same process to her ankles, before long she was grimacing as she ripped the tape off her legs and arms, and with it, dozens of tiny hairs. Ooohhh, Vito, yer payin’ fer this, too! She rearranged her cell to be more comfortable and yet have both hands free, and tested the door. It was unlocked. Julius, if you ‘ad ‘af a brain ye’d be dangerous! Adjusting her costume, she took a deep breath and cracked open the door.