Frustrated and frightened, she slammed down the receiver.

She wiped away tears and rubbed her eyes.

Dammit! This was the fifth time she had dialed her sister's number. Leen should have been home from work by now. Charlotte dialed again, making sure she hit the right numbers. The phone rang four times. Then someone picked it up.

Thank God! "Leen! I've been calling for an hour. I've got to talk to you!" Charlotte spoke intently. "Look, I've got some trouble, big trouble." She fought back tears. "Leen, I need help!"

"Hey, take it easy. I'm here. We've always helped each other. Now tell me what this is all about."

Charlotte exhaled into the mouthpiece. "Leen, I need some money. Quite a bit."

"Is that it? How about a hundred and fifty as a loan."

"That's not enough. I need twelve hundred and fifty by six o'clock tomorrow evening."

The line was silent. "Lot, you into coke again?"

"No, no. I just had some short money days, and I borrowed from a finance company..."

"A loan shark, right? Dammit, you know how those bastards operate." There was a pause. "Charlotte, I'm sorry. We just don't have that kind of cash laying around." She paused. "What happens if you can't pay?"

"I have a choice, get gang-banged or my arm broken."

"Charlotte!"

"Okay, it isn't that bad. But tomorrow night, the new interest is added. That's $250 more. I'm getting in deeper and deeper."

"They won't hurt you."

"Younger sister, you don't know how they play.

"But if they hurt you, you either never be able to pay them."

"They call it "making an example.""

"Who is it, Lot?"

"Jody Warren."

"That slime!"

"You want me to swish my ass into your bank and apply for a signature loan?"

"Baby, I'm sorry. If I'd known, we would have thought of something. Warren hurts people."

"Thanks for the support," Charlotte sobbed. "Look, I shouldn't have called. Jody said if I couldn't raise the cash, to come there tonight and we'd talk, work out something."