Light of Day Read Online Free Page B

shoved the note into my pocket and glanced at the glass doors, which had clicked shut behind me. Thank goodness we had solid security here. You needed to swipe your pass to enter the building; random people off the street couldn’t just walk in.
    I headed for Caballero’s office, more convinced than ever that I should change the topic of tonight’s show. But I also hated to disappoint him. He’d texted me last Sunday night: You killed it. More on this next week!
    I hovered in the doorway of the studio until he went to commercial. Then he swung his chair around. He looked super cozy in a red velvet smoking jacket. “Gabby! What a show last week. Bet you’re more famous than ever at school.”
    I managed a smile. Not exactly. Caballero assumed that the radio show had made me into a school celebrity, and I’d been too embarrassed to correct him. Even when JC and I were still together, my radio show had been little more than a joke—it was just Gabby trying to be big-time . I’d learned that when you do something cool, something different, it doesn’t make people like you. And since the breakup, my radio show was the number-one thing used against me. The consensus was that having a radio show had turned me into a diva.
    â€œDid Sapphire tell you we’ve had a lot of feedback? Your story connected. That’s what we want.”
    â€œI know. But for tonight I was thinking—”
    His phone must’ve vibrated, because he looked down at it. “Aw, shit. Little Cabbie’s got a fever.” He pressed a button on his phone. “Can’t wait for your show tonight, Gabby.” Then he started talking to his wife.
    I sighed. There was nothing to do but leave. I headed to the lounge to wait until it was my time.
    A few minutes later, I went live. I took a deep breath, trying to channel the magic.
    â€œHey, everybody. It’s Sunday night and you’re listening to Light Up the Night with Gabby Perez, coming to you in style, the miracle child from Miracle Mile in Miami. How are you doing? Are you alone or curled up with a special someone? Thanks for all your feedback on last week’s show. I’m glad the word’s getting out about the dangers of roofies and the pervs who use them. One listener named Amber tweeted, ‘Gabby, it’s about time someone’s talking about this. You effing rock.’ Thanks, Amber. You effing rock too.”
    The phone lines had already lit up. On the other side of the glass, Sapphire and Caballero were holding up their index fingers, indicating that I should answer line one first.
    â€œHey, what’s your name?”
    â€œCall me Shanae. I’ve got something to say about your last show. You see, I know this Raul you was talking about.”
    My heart pounded. “So that’s his real name?”
    â€œUh-huh. Raul’s a daddy who got a dozen girls working the streets for him.”
    I swallowed my shock. “You’re saying that Raul isn’t your average sleazeball. You’re saying he’s a . . . pimp?”
    â€œMmm-hmm. That’s Raul’s MO. He drugs the girls up, then when it wears off, they’ve already turned a few tricks and they can’t even remember what the hell happened.”
    Her words hit me like a fist in the gut. That could’ve been me and Maria. I glanced through the glass at Caballero. Iwasn’t sure I could handle this. But he was nodding and winding his hand, which meant to keep going.
    â€œHow do you know all this?” I asked.
    â€œMy little cousin. She was one of his girls until he traded her off a few months ago. She so messed up that even when we bring her home, she always go back to the streets.”
    â€œI’m sorry.” I tried to think of what to say next, but I was reeling from what she’d told me.
    My pause allowed Shanae to keep going. “Yeah, I’m sorry too. These girls so dumb, they think the blinged-up