Jennifer Carrington ran a nervous hand through her blond hair, trying not to ruin the simple ponytail in which she had it pulled back. She looked up again at the building in front of her. She could feel a small trickle of sweat running down her back. Even in her simple cotton dress her body reacted to the heat of the summer sun. Terrific she thought, just what I need, to look completely frazzled. She still wasn’t sure that being here was a good idea. But if she was going to do it she wanted to look decent. It wasn’t going to be easy and she didn’t want to give Danton any clues about her nervous she felt.
To say that she was surprised when the invitation to a meeting came was putting it mildly. As the convenor of WFP—Women Fighting Prostitution—she hardly expected the owner of the largest number of brothels in the state to be asking her to a meeting. The only time she’d ever seen Eugene Danton was over a protest line at some of his more legitimate businesses. WFP protested outside the brothels as well, but she’d never seen Danton there. “As if he’d sully himself like that,” Jennifer muttered to herself.
But here she was, for a one-on-one meeting with the enemy himself. It was supposed to be just her and him. Jennifer had wanted to bring someone, maybe a lawyer, but Danton insisted that the meeting be on his terms. She’d thought about turning him down. Betty and Sally, her deputies, had both told her they thought she shouldn’t go. Betty, 25 years older than Jennifer’s 22, had been especially insistent. But Jennifer had over-ruled her. Jennifer might be younger, but she was the leader. Betty had held the position, but happily stood aside for the younger woman’s drive and enthusiasm, her ability to inspire others. Danton’s invitation had said he wanted to negotiate. Jennifer wasn’t going to give an inch, but she hoped that she might be able to find some useful information from whatever Danton had to say. And if there was a possibility that he actually intended giving in, then she had to take it. Even if all that came out of this meeting was some opening, some opportunity, to advance their cause, now was the time to seize that chance. Jennifer had just graduated from, university. Her marks were good, good enough that she could afford to wait a while and still get a great job. But she couldn’t wait for ever. She needed to start getting the work experience that entry to an MBA required. She was already in contact with good business schools. Sure, she wasn’t going to abandon the WFP cause. Jennifer genuinely believed in it. But in a little while she wouldn’t have as much time on her hands as she did now. So if today presented a chance to make some real gains, well, she wasn’t about to pass that up.
Shaking her head Jennifer decided that she had better enter the building before she ended up a stinking, sweaty, mess. Inside the cool air was almost freezing. Her one-inch heels made an echoing, tapping, sound as she crossed the foyer of the office tower heading for the elevators. The muzak in the lift was typical generic rubbish. It might have been meant to soothe the passengers, but all it did was irritate Jennifer. It didn’t matter what Danton had to say. Jennifer wasn’t going to be letting up on her, or her group’s, opposition to what see saw as a blight on the community.
The lift deposited in her a sleek, soulless, corporate corridor. The walls were faintly reflective, their grey sheen seeming to eat up the light. Together with the carpet that deadened her footfalls Jennifer felt that she had entered a shadow of the world outside. She hurried in the direction that the signs said led to Danton’s office. She knocked, then cautiously opened the door when there was no answer. The room inside held a desk, empty. One that should hold a receptionist, or an administrative assistant. It looked like Danton was keeping his word about the meeting being just for the two of them. Jennifer looked through the interior door and could see Danton sitting at a desk. She couldn’t see anyone else.
“Good afternoon Miss Carrington,” he called to her, his voice a dark rumbling bass. “I’m glad that you could make it.” As she entered his office he added, “Shut the door if you please, we both want to keep this private don’t we?” Jennifer hesitated a moment. Did she want to be alone in a room with this man? Angrily she gave her head a slight shake. She had nothing to be afraid of. Her friends and colleagues knew where she was. And what could he do anyway?
As she turned from shutting the door Jennifer saw that Danton had risen from his seat. He was walking towards her, hand outstretched. She had to admit he was well dressed, his suit designer-made, maybe Hugo Boss. But then she reminded herself where his money came from. She kept her hands to herself, one by her side, the other holding the purse strap where it was slung over her shoulder.
Danton hesitated for a moment then shrugged. “Please, take a seat.” He indicated the low, comfortable chairs in the middle of the office. The upholstery was white, possibly leather, probably fake, but expensive nevertheless.
Jennifer chose the seat furthest from where Danton stood, hoping that he wouldn’t sit too close to her. Instead of sitting he asked her “Would you like something to drink?”
“No thank you.” Danton probably wasn’t stupid enough to try anything, but Jennifer didn’t want to give him the chance. The man owned brothels, so slipping something into her drink to get her to agree to something she shouldn’t was probably well within his capabilities. She needed to keep her wits about her, not fuddle them with alcohol. And for all she knew he was recording their meeting.
“Suit yourself,” Danton replied as he poured himself a drink. Jennifer could tell that it was alcoholic. Was it expensive? She suspected that it was. To her relief he took a seat opposite her, across a low table. Above him, sharing the wall with the door through which she had entered his inner office, was a large mirror. In the chair Danton sat low enough that Jennifer had a clear view of the mirror, although she had to raise her head a little, look up, to see it clearly. Jennifer could see herself and the back of Danton’s head in the reflection. But the man himself was below her view line if she looked at the mirror. Maybe that was the point. Danton probably usually sat in the chair she was in and didn’t want to be distracted by the mirror when he spoke to someone. But why have it at all then?
“You’re probably wondering why I brought you all here tonight,” he smiled. “Sorry, couldn’t resist the joke. But you’re not laughing. Pity.” He tilted his head and looked at her, eyes dark under greying hair.
“So, serious then.” Danton sighed, and sat back in his chair, nursing his glass, “First of all I want to say I admire your dedication.”
“W-what?” Jennifer let slip before getting herself back under control. She hadn’t expected that.
“Oh yes. You put a lot of effort into your cause. All in your own time, no recompense. Admirable dedication, if misguided.” A slight smile curved his lips, like a parent with an over-eager child.
Jennifer made herself take a long breath before replying. She could so easily have snapped back but instead she forced herself to stay calm. She didn’t need the condescension of this poor excuse for a human being. “I don’t think it’s misguided. Your, …, establishments are a blight on the community. It’s well worth it for us to be rid of them.”
“Ah, but that’s just it isn’t it?” His right hand still held his glass, but the ring finger pointed in Jennifer’s direction. “You haven’t made me close down a single one. As I said, admirable dedication, but not terribly productive.” He took another sip from his glass then smiled at her over the top of it.
Jennifer shot Danton a glare. “We knew this wasn’t going to be easy. We knew it would take time. We’ll get you in the end.”
She could see the light of humour twinkling in Danton’s eyes “Really? Will you? And if you do, what then? I’m not the only one in this business you know. You’re entitled to your opinions but…”
Jennifer took the chance offered by the slight pause. “Oh, how gracious of you,” she said, not bothering to hide her sarcasm. Danton’s patronising manner was beginning to infuriate her. Firmly she reminded herself to stay calm. She smoothed her dress over her thighs. She didn’t want to hand him any advantage.
Danton blinked, seemingly genuinely surprised by her rancour. “As you wish. But if you are going to be successful in opposing my business I think you need to understand it a little better.”
Jennifer allowed more of her anger to seep into her voice. “Oh, I understand it well enough. You degrade women, cater to men’s basest instincts. I know all I need to know about your business.”
Danton leant back, a frown creasing his features. He gave his head a slight shake. “But do you really understand what it means that it is a business?”
Jennifer frowned in return. She couldn’t understand what the man was on about “I’m sorry, what?”
Danton gave a half smile and placed his glass on the table that separated them. “No, I should apologise. I’ve let this conversation grow too heated.” Jennifer tried to interrupt but Danton held up a hand. “No, please, let me explain. I do admire your dedication and tenacity. And it is a free country. So if you are going to follow the course that you think is right then I should at least help you do it without any misconceptions. You see, prostitution,” Jennifer shivered at the word, “is, whatever else you may think of it, a business.”
Jennifer felt her frown deepening. She couldn’t work out what Danton was trying to get out of all this. Why would he be offering to help her? Something told her that she needed to be careful. “So?” she asked, caution tinging her voice.
“So,” Danton echoed, his hands spread towards her, palms up, “like any business it works on the rules of supply and demand. What you’re trying to do is cut the supply. But every time someone tries that, be it alcohol with prohibition, or the more recent war on drugs, it doesn’t work. Shut down one avenue of supply and another will take up the slack. As long as the demand persists, that is.”
Jennifer narrowed her eyes. She wasn’t about to let some business for eight year olds speech fool her. “So? Even if it doesn’t work it puts the prices up. And we have a moral obligation to oppose your dirty trade,” she sniffed.
Danton shook his head, “You have to be very careful when you mix morals and business.”
“I’ll leave that to you and your tax accountant,” Jennifer shot back.
“Now you’re talking ethics.” The hint of condescension in Danton’s voice grated across Jennifer’s nerves. “But we’re not here to argue semantics. Or at least I hope we’re not.”
“Well, you’ll have to tell me.” Jennifer glared at him, her voice tight, “you asked for this meeting.”
“All right then,” Danton smiled, “As I said, you shut down one avenue of supply another will spring up. You’d be better looking at the demand.”
That didn’t make any sense to Jennifer. Yes, she knew about the basics of an economy. She was educated. But even if she accepted what Danton was saying, how did that help? Sure, she knew that there was demand for prostitutes. But that was never going away.
“Some men will always want that,” she said out loud.
Danton appeared to have followed her reasoning. “Yes, but is the demand for prostitutes or just for sex?”
Jennifer shivered at his coarseness, then stopped herself. She wasn’t going to let herself be defeated by Danton’s language, even if she would never be so vulgar. “Well,” she started, then paused. She wanted to get this right, “Most men are too sensible to go anywhere near your dirty trade.”
Danton leant back in his chair. He stared into his glass, a thoughtful look on his face. “And the ones that do? Why do they need my services?”
Jennifer was disappointed that he hadn’t reacted to her description of his business. She’d been hoping to unbalance him. Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that this was all too easy. She knew the sort of men that used Danton’s ‘services’. “Single, I suppose. Not able to manage a relationship. Or cheating on their wives or girlfriends. Not valuing what they’ve got.”
Danton made an amused sound. “Let’s leave aside the gratuitous insults of my clients. And just say they come to my establishments for what they can’t get elsewhere.”
“Well, I suppose.” Jennifer begrudged having to agree with Danton, but she had to admit he was correct. She looked up at her image in the mirror behind him. Was there a faint sparkle there? She hadn’t noticed it before, where was it coming from?
“Really? Come on Miss Carrington, I thought you were an intelligent woman.” Jennifer squirmed. She should say something. She shouldn’t let Danton insult her like that. Why didn’t she say something?
“If someone can get something for free then why would they pay for it? Do you agree?”
Danton hadn’t moved from his seat across from her, but Jennifer could feel his physical presence. It made her feel small. She looked up into the mirror again, hoping to relieve the pressure that she felt. Her image seemed to flicker, the sparkle still present.
She swallowed, “Yes.” She had to agree. Why pay for something if you can get it for free?
“So,” Danton continued, not letting her add anything else, “if the men who come to my, ‘establishments’,” his smile was predatory now. Jennifer didn’t know when she had stopped looking at her image and her eyes had returned to Danton, “could get sex for free, then they wouldn’t need my girls and I’d be out of business.”
Jennifer relaxed. She liked that thought. Danton out of business. That was her aim, the aim of WFP. Well, Danton and all the others like him. But Danton would be a good start.
“I can see you agree with me.” Why was she letting him do all the talking? Jennifer couldn’t understand that. Still, she agreed with what he was saying, so why bother adding anything?
“I fill a need. It makes sense that it could be filled in other ways.” Jennifer simply nodded. She stole a glance at her image in the mirror. It was nodding as well.
“But how do you find the people with that need? What, do you think, Jennifer?” Danton paused, leant back.
Jennifer swallowed. Obviously he wanted her to say something. He wanted an answer from her. But what answer could she give? How do you find the men who wanted the services of a brothel, of prostitutes?
“I, well, …” She trailed off, hopelessly. She didn’t have any answer. She felt small again. She knew that there must be an answer. She looked at her reflection, her eyes not leaving it this time. The sparkle was still there, she couldn’t work out exactly where, it what was causing it, but it was there. Her image gave her no help finding the answer she wanted to give Danton.
“Really, Jennifer? I’d have thought the answer obvious.” Feelings of insignificance were creeping through Jennifer. If the answer was obvious then she should have known it. “They might be anyone. Sons, brothers, husbands, workers, businessmen, anyone. The only place you will know who they are is in a brothel, or cruising past the streetwalkers.”
Jennifer nodded. That made sense. It wasn’t like the men wore a badge. There wasn’t anything distinctive about them. But if a man came to a brothel, then it was clear what he wanted.
“At the point of sale you might say.” Danton chuckled. The sound cut through her and she dragged her gaze away from the image in the mirror.
“But,” Jennifer struggled. It felt like surfacing from dark, cold, water as her thoughts broke free of whatever sluggishness had gripped them. “What about men who get prostitutes to visit them? Or women who work from home? Or if they meet up in a hotel?” Jennifer might have hated the business, but she’d made sure she knew enough.
Danton smiled. Jennifer felt pleased with herself. Then wondered why his opinion mattered. The thought blew away with his words. “That’s true, very good. But let’s not get too ambitious. Brothels will account for a large percentage, don’t you agree?”
Jennifer was nodding again. It felt good to agree. To agree with Danton. And why not?, when he was only telling the truth. She snuck another glance at her reflection. It seemed to agree too.
“Right. So we know where those men can be found. Hmm? You can say yes Jennifer.”
“Yes.” Saying yes was easy.
“And,” Danton paused before continuing, leaning back in his chair. Jennifer wasn’t watching him. She was watching her reflection. It seemed almost as large as her, suspended in the mirror. How big was that sheet of glass? Where were the lights dancing around her image coming from? How hard had it been to hoist the sheet of glass up there, fix it in place? How many workers had it taken? Jennifer’s thoughts trailed off into inconsequentialities. She looked into the eyes of her reflection. Its eyes were wide. Were her eyes that wide? They must be, she supposed, it was only her reflection, after all.
“And we know what would stop them using a prostitute, don’t we Jennifer?” Had Danton waited for here while her thoughts meandered? Had her daydreaming about the mirror taken so little time? Jennifer wasn’t sure. It didn’t matter, because he wanted an answer.
“Yes.” She knew that was right answer. It was so easy to agree with Danton. Her image looked pleased with her. Or was it just reflecting her own happiness at being able to give the answer?
“And what would it take to stop them, Jennifer?,” Danton coaxed.
“If, if they could g-get, umm have s-sex with, with someone else.” Jennifer was embarrassed. She didn’t like talking that bluntly. It made her sound crude and she didn’t like it. But she knew that she had to answer. She could see the movements of her image’s mouth as she spoke.
“That’s right, Jennifer, you are very clever.” Danton sounded pleased with her. That made her feel good. Then she wondered why she should care what Danton thought. She saw creases form on the brow of her image. She didn’t like that. With an effort Jennifer relaxed and was rewarded with the creases disappearing. If anything, the sparkle around her reflection seemed brighter. That was good too.
“If a woman was there who would have sex with them without them having to pay, they wouldn’t need the prostitutes, would they?”
Jennifer shook her head. She could see the ponytail of her image whipping from side to side. She liked that. Her answer made sense. Of course if a man found a woman who would have sex with him without paying, then why would he need a prostitute?
“Of course,” and there was a tinge of regret in Danton’s voice, whether real or faked Jennifer couldn’t tell, “it’s not that simple.”
That wasn’t fair. It should be simple. “Isn’t it?,” she asked, not able to hide her distress.
“I’m afraid not. Most prostitutes are at least reasonably attractive, and they’re definitely willing. So what would the other woman need to be?”
Danton waited. Jennifer thought for a moment. Her image seemed to be willing her to answer, “Umm, pretty and willing as well?” Her image smiled. Of course, Jennifer was happy, so she was smiling. She’d been able to answer.
“Very good, Jennifer, very good. It makes sense, if you think about it. If prostitution is supplying a demand, then any alternate supply will need to provide as good a product, don’t you agree?”
Jennifer nodded.
“Now,” Jennifer could hear Danton draw breath, “a woman who was willing to be in a brothel, to offer sex to the men there, without getting paid by them. All, I hasten to add, in the interests of removing the demand for the prostitutes. Well, she’d have to be a very brave and determined woman, wouldn’t she?”
“Yes,” Jennifer was nodding. She knew that it was the right answer. Her image told her so.
“Do you know anyone like that, Jennifer? Pretty, determined, brave, willing?” Danton’s voice was calm, but Jennifer could hear the emphasis on the last word.
“Um, well.” Jennifer wasn’t sure. Her image gave her no help, simply looking at her, wide-eyed.
“Oh come now. Don’t be so shy,” Danton chided. Jennifer could see the back of his head in the mirror, even though her attention was fixed on her reflection. She saw him tilt his head to one side. “Doesn’t that describe you? Pretty, determined, brave, willing to do anything for your cause?”
“I,” Jennifer hesitated, panicked. But her image just sat there. She couldn’t see any sign of panic on its face. She relaxed, felt a wave of calm wash over her as lights sparkled around her image. She was brave and determined, she had to admit. And, well, yes, she had been called pretty. And she was devoted to her cause. But this? Was Danton right? Was this the way to succeed? To cut-off the whole horrible business by drying up its demand?
“You could be an alternate source of supply. Are you willing to do that? To win in business you have to be willing to do whatever it takes. Are you ready for that?”
“But,” Jennifer’s thoughts whirled, she felt lost, small, “I’d, I’d have to, to, with, with.’ Her voice fluttered away.
“Have sex with men. With men you don’t know? Offer yourself when they came looking for prostitutes? Yes Jennifer, yes you would. It would take someone very special and very brave to do that. Can you do that?”
Jennifer swallowed. She saw the slight movement of her throat echoed in her image. Could she do that? Give her body over to those men? Just have, have, sex, with them. Casual, meaningless sex. She’d never done that before. She was no virgin, but sex for her had always been something special. This would degrade it, degrade her. She looked at her reflection. Jennifer could tell her reflection wanted her to say yes, was urging her to say yes. The lights danced and flickered around the girl in the mirror.
“Yes,” she said, determinedly, “I can do that.”
Her eyes slipped down from her reflection. How long had she been looking at it? She could see Danton smile.
“I’m impressed Jennifer. I didn’t think you had it in you. Not many women would. You realise, of course, that one woman won’t make that much difference. But I realise it has to start somewhere.”
“I know,” Jennifer said, “but it has to start somewhere, and if this is what it takes.” She’d do whatever it took to support her cause. She was determined. Danton had said so.
“I admire you, I really do. And just to prove what a good sport I am, here’s what I’ll do. I’ll pay you a retainer. That way you’ll be able to spend as much time on-site as possible. You don’t want to let any chance go by, do you?” Jennifer shook her head. Danton was right. She’d need to be there as much as possible, as available as possible, to cut the demand for the prostitutes.
“And if, after three months, you are making a dent in my business, I’ll shut the place down.”
Jennifer only just managed to stop herself crying out in delight. This was it. This was the way to beat Danton. And the fool was going to pay for it himself. She knew it wouldn’t be an easy three months. She’d have to delay starting her career. But it would be worth it. She knew that she was taking a risk and that the other women in WFP wouldn’t understand. The idea of having sex with all those men made her shiver. And if word got out, about her having casual sex with anyone man she could divert from the prostitutes, well, she knew it wouldn’t do her reputation any good. But she could do this. It was in a good cause. They’d win.
“Ok,” she said, “ok, three months. I’ll give it three months.” She could do it, she told herself.
“You’ll be there with the prostitutes, but you won’t be one of them. No need to get them offside though is there?” Jennifer nodded. Her argument wasn’t with the women. She felt sorry for them. It was Danton she hated. Getting the prostitutes offside would make it harder for Jennifer to divert the men, as the prostitutes would try to stop her. “I’ll tell them to leave you alone. And no need to mention money to the men. It would just upset the other girls. I’ll make sure the men know what the deal is.” Jennifer was nodding again. It all made sense to her. All she had to do was attract them men, make her choose them over the prostitutes. They’d know she wasn’t charging.
“Well,” Danton leant back in his chair, “when do you want to start? How about this afternoon?”
Jennifer froze. It was one thing to consider Danton’s proposition. Even agree to it. But that was talk, intellectual. But his last statement made it real. She could be having sex, with men she didn’t know, this afternoon, in a couple of hours. Could she really do this?
She looked up at her reflection. It was silent, solemn. But Jennifer could sense that it was urging her on. This was the right thing to do. I can do this she told herself, as she watched the lights dance and flicker around her image.
“Ok, yes, why not.” There, it was said. She was committed. No going back now.
Danton rose from his chair, headed to his desk. “I’ll call someone to take you there.”
Jennifer looked up at her reflection. She was happy. She was going to achieve what she’d set out to do. She could see that her reflection was happy, too.
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