Brenda woke the next morning, her eyes still red from the previous night’s tears. She went to work looking and feeling like hell.

“Good morning Brenda, how did last night go?” asked Melissa, as she entered the office.

“You’re early this morning,” Brenda answered, with a touch of venom in her voice.

Melissa could tell Brenda wasn’t a happy camper, but none of her girls were after their first date as an escort. Melissa wanted to push Brenda a little farther into the sex game, but knew she would have to handle her with fur gloves. She needed to know if she would be joining her regular girls as an escort.

“Did you have a nice time last night? How was Preston, was he satisfied when you left?”

“Yes, I’m sure he was, but I really don’t think I’m cut out for that sort of thing Melissa.”

“Brenda I explained to you that you would have to do some favors for me in exchange for the little treats I give you, so don’t get indignant about your duties. The first time is always the hardest, but after that it’s easy,” Melissa said.

Why does everyone say that, the first time is the hardest, that’s nonsense, it might become easier, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it, Brenda thought.

“Please don’t ask me to do that again Melissa. I’m not sure if I can,” Brenda said.

“Alright dear, I don’t want to push you into something you don’t want to do. I’ll be in my office,” Melissa said as she left the room.

Mario came in next and greeted Brenda.

“Hi sweetheart, are you okay?” he asked.

“I’m just tired; I had to work late for Melissa last night. I’ll be alright with a little rest,” she answered.

Brenda had trouble looking Mario in the eye. She felt guilty for what she had done, even though it was just work. What she had done was more than writing down few pages of notes. She had prostituted herself and was having difficulty coming to terms with what she had done. Like it or not, this was going way beyond being a casual investigation. It was becoming a degrading way of life for her.

“I’ll drop by later, maybe we can get something to eat after work.”

“That would be nice,” she said.

Mario left and Brenda was coming to realize that undercover work wasn’t nice, nor was it the fictional experience of a movie drama. The investigation was long and one tended to become like the people being investigated, the only difference was that she had a badge. Brenda knew she wasn’t a whore, and pretending to be one was just a way to gain Melissa’s trust, but God how she hated having to degrade herself like that. Maybe this last bit of coke would put the nail in the coffin and the ruse would be over.

Bill called a little after noon with the results of the drug.

“Universal.”

“Brenda, it’s Bill.”

“Hi Bill, what’s up?”

“Not much, and the tests aren’t encouraging, this batch didn’t match anything we had results on so we don’t know where it came from,” he said.

“Shit, how much longer is this going to take Bill?” Brenda asked, the exasperation showing in her voice.

“I wish I had an answer for you, but I don’t. I’ve seen these things go on for years and never be solved, we just have to keep trying,” Bill said.

“That’s easy for you to say, Bill, but getting the cocaine isn’t the easiest thing in the world to do. Melissa’s asking that I do favors for her, in exchange for the drug, and I don’t want to do that,” Brenda said.

“We might solve this soon. Buy another sample from Susan and maybe it will match what you just got from Melissa, it had to come from somewhere.”

“Okay, I will, but I won’t get anymore from Melissa for at least a month, there’s just too much stress involved,” Brenda said.

“If we need more maybe you can have Tiffany get it, she needs to be more involved in this investigation.”

“It would be nice if she was, but it’s not her fault that she became so popular. We thought she would just be another model, but I guess that’s the way things work out sometimes. I don’t think Melissa would give Tiffany a sample because of that popularity. She’s worth too much money right now.”

“See what you can do. Call me when you have that sample,” Bill said.

“Okay, bye.”

“Goodbye, Brenda.”

Melissa called Brenda into her office later that afternoon.

“Brenda, I just got off the phone with Preston and he couldn’t compliment you enough for your performance last night. He said you were the best girl I’ve ever sent to him and wants to see you again next month when he comes to town. I set it up for December nineteenth, so leave that date open,” Melissa ordered.

“I’m not sure if I want to do that again Melissa,” Brenda said.

“Brenda, you owe me and I won’t take no for an answer. I’m sure you would hate to lose your job.”

“I love my job, Melissa. It’s just that I’m not comfortable being an escort.”

“It’s easier the second time. Do it once more, please?”

Brenda thought about what Melissa was asking. She could just walk out on the assignment and say the hell with it, but she already had months of time invested, and she was gaining Melissa’s trust. She had no choice but to do as asked.

“Alright, just one more time.”

“Thank you Brenda, you’re a true friend. It’s not everyone that would do this for me.”

Brenda wanted to puke when Melissa said that, she knew she was just another girl Melissa wanted to whore for her. God, what a piece of work she is, Brenda thought to herself.

Brenda went to dinner with Mario and he seemed to cheer her up. Life was always wonderful when Mario was involved.

“Are we doing Sunday dinner this week?” she asked.

“Of course, my nephews and nieces would be devastated if their Aunt Brenda wasn’t there,” he chuckled.

“I miss those guys,” she said.

“They love you dearly, almost as much as I do,” he said.

Brenda leaned over and kissed her sweetheart, she really did love him. Life seemed to be normal when Mario was near. Brenda wished the investigation would end so she could have a normal relationship with her love. It would be so much easier if he knew she was an undercover agent and the secrets could end between them.

Mario escorted Brenda home and they were soon sitting on the sofa in her apartment. With all that had happened the last few days, Brenda needed reassurance from Mario.

“Mario, would you hold me please?” she asked.

“Of course I will. Are you alright?” he asked, as his concern for her showed as he spoke.

“I’m fine, I just have a lot of things on my mind and I really need you right now,” she answered.

Mario put his arms around Brenda and pulled her tight. She felt tense when he did. She seemed to relax after a while, but then he felt her body jerk as she started to cry.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” he asked.

“I’m, sorry,” Brenda sobbed. “I have so much on my mind right now and if I was to lose you, I’d just die,”

“You’re not going to lose me, heck you’ll probably have to run me off with a stick when you get tired of me,” Mario kidded, trying to make Brenda feel better.

“I’m so worried that you will leave me,” she cried, as the guilt of her encounter the previous evening invaded her mind.

“Honey, I’m not going to leave you,” he said as he tilted her head back and gave her a kiss.

Brenda threw her arms around Mario’s neck and pulled him into a lover’s embrace.

“I love you so much,” she said when there lips parted.

“I love you too,” he said.

Mario kissed Brenda goodnight when he knew she would be okay to be by herself.

Brenda went to bed and wondered why God had been so kind to her, to have given her a man like Mario. After all she had done, she felt as though she didn’t deserve someone so special. The tears fell once more before she found sleep.

Brenda called Susan the next day and arranged to see her for dinner.

Susan walked into the restaurant and the two women exchanged air kisses.

“How have you been Brenda? Is life treating you okay?” Susan asked.

“Everything’s fine, but I need to buy some more stuff from you. I hope you don’t mind?”

“I kind of thought that was why you asked me to dinner, so I brought the same amount as last time. I hope you aren’t using too much of it?”

“I’m fine, I share with some friends.”

“That’s good. It’s not good to abuse this stuff. It can ruin your life.”

“I’m careful with it Susan, there’s no need to worry.”

“That’s good.”

Susan gave Brenda her drug and Brenda gave Susan her cash. The deal was done. They ate dinner and went their own separate ways. The next day Brenda got the drug to Bill to be tested.

Bill called Brenda back the following day and informed her that the drug from Susan was from the same as the batch she gave her the first time she had asked for it. Susan wasn’t the drug source for Melissa.

“Brenda we should meet next week to discuss where this might be going and we have to put our heads together to think,” Bill said.

“Okay, where? The usual place, Tuesday at seven?”

“That works, I’ll see you then, and see if Tiffany can make it too.”

“I will, but with her crazy schedule it might be a problem getting her there.”

“Try your best.”

“I will, goodbye Bill.”

Tiffany made one of her rare appearances at the office. She had been so busy with her schedule that she was reporting to two and three jobs a day and hadn’t spoken to Brenda for a week.

“Hey there, Miss Rising Star, it’s nice to see you again,” Brenda said, as Tiffany came through the door.

“Hi. God, I’m so tired. Is Melissa in yet?” Tiffany asked.

“No not yet, she called and said that she wouldn’t be in until noon, why?” Brenda asked.

“I want her to cut back on some of my jobs. This whole thing is getting out of control. I barely have time to sleep,” Tiffany said.

“You poor thing and to make matters worse Bill wants a meeting with us next Tuesday at seven. We need to discuss where this is going and it’s important that you be there.”

“That would be like going out to dinner with friends and having a nice time, you bet I’ll be there. I don’t have anything scheduled for that time, so count me in,” Tiffany said.

“It will be nice to spend some time with my best friend again,” Brenda said.

“I’ve missed that too. We used to hang out together everyday at the academy, and then we thought we would do the same thing here. We couldn’t have been more wrong.”

“I really miss seeing you, how come you came in this morning?”

“I thought Melissa would be here and I had a few free minutes this morning to see her, but I have to run off again. If I don’t see you until Tuesday have a nice weekend,” Tiffany said.

“I will, Sunday dinner you know, with Mario,” Brenda said.

“I can’t believe you two are still together,” Tiffany said.

“I’m surprised too, have you seen that guy who took you to dinner, again?”

“Do you mean Paul Bennington?”

“Yes.”

“We’ve seen each other briefly. Why do you ask?”

“I was just wondering if my girl friend had finally found someone that’s all.”

“Brenda, you know I’m not looking for someone, especially not a guy. We just seem to enjoy each other’s company.”

“Be careful, that’s the way Mario and I started out.”

“Are you kidding me? You used to fall apart every time Mario came through the door before you started seeing him and Paul definitely doesn’t do that to me.”

“It didn’t sound that way after Thanksgiving. Why the big change?” Brenda asked.

“I don’t know, maybe it’s because we really don’t see much of each other. To be honest Brenda, it scared the heck out of me that I was finding Paul so attractive. When I gave into my feelings toward him I was also embracing myself, you know, being Tiffany. I had tried for so long to put Dirk aside and when I finally did, something happened to me. I felt as though I had become Tiffany, a woman and even as hard as I was trying I couldn’t find Dirk, and I don’t think I wanted too.”

“Then why change now?” Brenda asked.

“Because with my work schedule I’ve been able to think about all this, without the distraction Paul brings when he’s around. Dirk’s reared his ugly little head and made me think about whether this is what I really want. I’m very confused right now, Brenda,” Tiffany said.

“Have you talked to Paul about any of this?” Brenda asked.

“Of course not! What am I going to say to him? I’m an FBI agent and a man to boot? Use your head Brenda,” Tiffany said.

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking. So Paul doesn’t rock your boat anymore?”

“Yes he does and that’s one of the reasons I’m staying away from him,” Tiffany responded.

“I bet he thinks about you all the time,” Brenda giggled.

“That’s beside the point. Paul and I are just friends.”

“If you say so, girl friend,” Brenda giggled.

“I’ll see you Tuesday,” Tiffany said as she closed the door behind her.