by Anne Hagan
When she stopped hearing the clink of bottles hitting each other as the other woman fed them into the rack, she looked back over her shoulder and said, “Hey Billie, got a minute?”
“Sure doll, what’s up?” She came up to the bar directly behind Janet.
“See that woman over there in front of the stage, sitting by herself?” Janet tipped her chin in the general direction.
“The sandy blonde hair?”
“That’s the one. You know her?”
“Can’t make her out too well from here but I’d have to say no. Oh, she’s been in a few times, but not often.”
“Always alone?”
Billie shrugged. “I hadn’t really noticed.” She leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially, “Not that it’s any of my business, but I thought you and the boss were…” She let the sentence tail off, her implication coming through loud and clear.
Janet twisted around to be face to face with her. “We’re dating, yes,” she whispered back. My interest in the young lady over there is purely professional.”
Billie quirked an eyebrow. “Aren’t you a cop?”
“Detective,” Janet said, nodding. “Let me ask you, how long have you worked in the bar business?”
“As in, would I recognize someone dealing when I saw them?”
“Dealing or maybe selling…other things.”
Billie shook her head. “Not as long as you might think. Believe it or not, I used to sell insurance. Actually, I worked the front office for an insurance agent and her enrolled agents. I did a little over the phone quoting and stuff but I was hourly. I didn’t make but a quarter of what the least paid commissioned agent made there. A couple years ago, I started a six-week bartending course at night then did jobs for my sister who’s a caterer until I got this job a few months back. I just look like I’ve been around the block a time or two or sixty.”
Janet laughed. “I never would have pegged you for the receptionist/secretary type.”
“It paid the bills, barely. This pays better. Just hope I can keep it up for six or seven more years!”
“I’ll let you get back to work. I know your boss is a real task master.”
Billie chuckled and walked away saying, “Let me go see what’s keeping her, now that you mention her.”
Once she disappeared behind the swinging door, Janet turned back around and looked over at the woman. There was an empty table, just to her right. Seeing her chance, she set straight out for it.
She took a chair opposite the bar, along the dance floor with her back to the stage, where she could face the young lady then promptly busied herself first with her beer and then watching the pool games that were now off to her left. ‘One of those guys is probably the pimp,’ she thought, ‘but which?’
When a server stopped by and asked what she was drinking she held up her still half full bottle.
“Did you want another or do you want me to check back?”
“Just give me a few minutes on this one.”
“Sure thing.”
When the server continued on her way, Janet smiled over at the young woman who was toying with what appeared to be a weak mixed drink. “These places are all the same. They never let you finish one before they want to bring you another.”
The woman smiled slightly and nodded but didn’t speak.
Janet tried again. “I guess they got a sub DJ tonight instead of the guy that was supposed to be here. Have you ever heard of this new guy?”
The other woman shrugged a slim shoulder.
Janet noted that she was again dressed less than appropriately for the cool spring weather, especially with the rain. ‘She’s selling goods but not drugs,’ she thought to herself. She half spun in her chair toward the pool tables again, feigning a loss of interest in trying to make small talk with the sullen young working girl.
Her effort to snag the seat before someone else did wasn’t wasted. Only a couple of minutes passed when a guy in Dockers and a button down, who should have known better, slunk past. She could feel his furtive glance her way and she decided to have a little fun with him.
Looking up and smiling, she hit him with, “Hello; how are you?”
He looked away and then quickly back and smiled, realizing ignoring her would add to the guilt he was already feeling.
‘Probably married,’ Janet thought.
Thy guy took a seat at the hooker’s table and managed to choke out a ‘thanks for waiting’ that any beat cop would have known was pure bull.
Within a couple of minutes of little conversation between them, the two were up and on the way. She called out, “Have a nice night,” after them, counted to ten once they passed through the door and then got up and walked out at as leisurely a pace as she could muster herself, Barb all but forgotten but a possible pimp left behind in the bar, very much top of mind.
The two spent less than half an hour at the Super Eight down the highway a few miles away. He drove them there and then dropped her off, back at the bar. She didn’t go straight in but, instead, climbed in the passenger side door of an unmarked cargo van parked in the lot and disappeared into the back of it.
Janet went inside.
Barb was waiting for her at the bar and she was livid. “Just where in the hell did you go?” she hissed through clenched teeth.
“Outside.”
“I’m not stupid. I saw that girl here earlier and I caught the back of you as you were walking out of here and she was already gone. You followed her, didn’t you?”
“It’s my job, Barb.”
“It could get you killed! You’re off duty, with no backup. Who knows who’s waiting out there to tag any guy she manages to drag out of here.”
“So you knew she was hooking?”
“No, not right away…okay, not until you pointed her out but, like I said, I’m not stupid. I’ve seen it all before. She hasn’t been working my traffic long.”
Barb leaned across the bar a bit further. “We both know, where there’s prostitution, there’s a pimp. He’s around and he’s probably made you.” She smiled and laughed then, making it look like they were having a friendly conversation. “You need to get the hell out of here and stay away. You tell Mel…no scratch that, I’ll tell Mel what’s going on and she can handle it.”
With that, Barb turned on her heel and slid several feet down the counter greeting another customer warmly as she went.
Chapter 8
May 7th
“I thought you could use a break from fast food and takeout,” Dana said.
“It’s an extended stay. I have a little kitchenette.”
“Do you use it?”
“No. Well, I do make coffee in the mornings,” Janet admitted.
“Umm hmm.”
“This is really good. Thank you for inviting me.” Janet looked pointedly at Mel’s empty chair. “I kind of figured the boss…um, Mel would be here so I was a little surprised when you called.”
“Cole, her nephew, had an FFA banquet at the school. She went to that. Hannah’s in class and we thought I’d have to keep the baby tonight so I begged off going but my mama’s got him after all, leaving me all to my own devices.” Dana grinned at her friend.
“Why do I feel like I’ve just been set up?”
“Would I do that?” Her smile this time was devious.
“Yes. Yes, you would.” The both laughed.
Dana took a bite of her chicken Parmigiana and chewed then she put her fork down and leaned back, obviously more interested in whatever was on her mind than on the food in front of her.
“Will you be honest with me?”
Janet shot her a look before focusing back on her plate but she said, “Of course. I don’t have anything to hide.”
“Good. That will make this so much easier.”
‘For who?’ Janet thought. To Dana, she asked, “What is it you just have to know?”
“How do you really feel about Barb, sweetie?”
Janet sighed. “Unfortun
ately, I’m head over heels, again, for like the third time in my life.”
“You sound unsure. You don’t like that idea?”
“No; it’s not that. I’m hopelessly in love and want to spend every minute with her. I just don’t think she feels the same.”
“Did she tell you she loves you?”
“Yes…”
“But? Has something changed?”
She flipped her fork in her hand absently as she talked. “Everything and nothing has changed, Dana. I mean, look, we try to be together but now, with her parents living there and her father not following his doctor’s orders, things aren’t getting any better with him and it’s starting to look like them living with her is a long term thing. I don’t know; it just makes it really hard to make any plans at all with her because she’s so focused on him.”
Janet caught the look on Dana’s face and hurried to add, “Don’t think I’m complaining or wishing ill for him, far from it. There’s just no time for us and, I think, because we didn’t get that time before all this happened with her dad, she’s losing interest and sort of…sort of drifting away.”
“How about we try and reel her back in, huh?”
Janet shook her head. “No more games and set ups by you and Chloe and whoever else. Maybe it’s just not meant to be.”
“Mel and Barb graduated from high school together. They were born 3 days apart. Barb’s older; her birthday is this coming Tuesday the 12th, and Mel’s is Friday, the 15th.”
“They’ll both be 37?”
Dana nodded.
“I think we should plan a nice dinner out, just the four of us, as friends. It will be good for Barb to get away, to enjoy time out with all of us and it will take a little of the pressure off you. You won’t be on the spot the whole evening.”
“I’m not so sure that’s a good idea. Mel’s my boss; you know that. She can’t be shown to be playing favorites or anything.”
“We’ll go Dutch on a double date. You pay for the two of you and you just let me handle Ms. Mel Crane. She may be the Sheriff to you, but I’m in charge of the social calendar around here.”
###
Wednesday Evening, May 13th
The Refectory French Bistro, Columbus, Ohio
“Now I see why I had to put on my fancy eating clothes,” Mel was saying as she pulled Dana’s car up to the valet station.
Dana grinned at her wife but then, steeling her expression, she deadpanned, “And don’t forget your best manners too.”
“Of course my darling.”
The valet opened Dana’s door and assisted her out while Mel made her way around the front of the car. After handing him the keys, they were off to what Dana hoped would not be an unpleasant surprise.
When they got inside and Dana gave the maître de their names, he gave the game away saying, “Ah yes, party of four. Your companions are waiting in the lounge but your table is now available. Shall I seat you and fetch them?”
Mel arched an eyebrow at Dana but to him she replied, “That will be fine.”
“Right this way.”
“Who’s joining us dear,” Mel asked as she bent to Dana’s ear.
“You’ll see, soon enough.”
If Mel was surprised to see Barb and Janet, she hid it well and greeted them warmly even wishing Barb a slightly belated happy birthday.
Barb looked around the dining room appreciatively. “You know,” she confessed, “I’ve heard great things about this place and the food but I’ve never been here. There was lots of talk growing up among the ‘rich kids’ but this wasn’t the sort of place my parents would have come. Certainly not with me.”
“I hope it’s okay,” Janet put in shyly.
Barb touched her girlfriend’s shoulder. “It’s amazing already and I haven’t tasted a bite. Thank you.”
That got a smile out of Janet and a small sigh of relief out of Dana. Mel, ever the stoic professional cop, just pretended to study the menu.
As the waiter discreetly whisked the entrée course dishes away, Barb started to say something in reply to a witticism by a thoroughly relaxed Mel but stopped mid-sentence and slid her cell from the pocket of her suit jacket. She glanced down at it and announced, “It’s my mom. I better take it.” With that she answered it softly as she got up and stepped away from the table.
The other three women fell silent, a sudden dark cloud seemingly descending over their evening. The waited all of two minutes before Barb returned to the table in a panic.
She looked at Janet. “I need to go, now! Dad’s having chest pains and a squad is on the way to pick him and Mom up…Oh, I just knew I shouldn’t have come tonight!”
Mel sprang into action. “Genesis?” she asked.
Barb nodded.
You two rode together?”
Janet nodded then. “I invited her so I drove.”
“Okay. I’ll go and get our car, rustle a police escort and run Barb back to Zanesville as fast as I can get her there. Would you two settle up here and then Janet, would you take Dana home?”
“That’s silly and out of her way Mel,” Dana said. Let Janet take Barb or we can all go.”
“You’ve done enough,” Barb said to Janet in a tone no one could mistake for kindness. Let’s go Mel. We’re wasting time.”
Janet slumped in her chair while Dana signaled for the server. When he appeared tableside, she explained, “There’s been an emergency and my friends had to leave. We’d like to go ahead and settle up now.”
“It’s not your fault,” Dana said for the third time.
“Stupid, stupid, stupid!” Janet beat the steering wheel in frustration.
“Maybe we should pull over and you and I switch. You should probably let me drive.”
The other woman was instantly contrite. “Sorry. I’ll try to focus. I just hope we’re not too late.”
“Don’t think like that. Think positive thoughts. He’s going to pull through this.”
“I sure hope so.” Her voice was small.
“You sound so defeated.”
“I am, Dana. It’s over. She blames me for being gone when this happened and I can’t really blame her for that. I poked and prodded her to come out tonight until she said yes. She didn’t really want to and look what happened. I just feel horrible and, if the worst happens, I may as well die too.”
“No, baby, no! Don’t go there. He’s going to be fine and the two of you will come out of the other end of this. I know you will.”
Janet didn’t say anything. She just stared straight ahead at the road lines stretching before them.
They found Mel in the ER waiting room.
“What’s going on? Have you heard anything?” Dana questioned her.
“Not yet. Barb went straight back there but they’re only allowing two people. She said she’d come out and let me know something as soon as she could.”
Dana took a seat next to her wife but Janet stood rocking on the balls of her feet.
“Mason, sit,” Mel commanded. “This could take a while.”
“I probably shouldn’t even be here. When she comes out of there, she’s not going to want to see me here.”
“She was hard on you at the restaurant but she was distraught. She admitted as much in the car on the way over here. She knows you had good intentions tonight.”
Dana smiled at Janet. “See. It’s just like I said. He’s going to make it out of this and the two of you are going to be just fine.”
The doors opened from the ER into the waiting room and both Barb and her mother walked out. Barb did a double take on seeing them all there and stopped her mother from heading toward the intake desk.
“Mom,” she said, “you remember Dana and Mel, don’t you?”
“Yes,” Amy Wysocki said. “So good of you to be here, and you too Janet.”
Barb didn’t even look Janet’s way. “Well, good news,” she said instead. “He ate tomato soup and a BLT and it gave him some intense acid reflux but that’s all it is.”
“I told him not to eat that stuff but what do I know?” Amy said sarcastically. “He’s supposed to be on a strict, very bland diet right now but you can’t tell him anything. He knows it all.”
“They’ll be releasing him in a few minutes,” Barb finished. “Mom’s got to take care of some paperwork that didn’t get done in the rush to get him back there to be treated and I’m in need of a ladies’ room.” With that, she walked off for the second time that evening.
Dana waved a hand at Janet trying to signal her to follow Barb but Janet ignored her. Next she turned to Amy and asked, “How will the three of you be getting home?”
“We can take you,” Mel jumped in immediately and offered.
“There’d be five of us, Mel. Wouldn’t it make more sense for us to split up, that is, if Janet doesn’t mind driving down to Morelville, after all?” She watched Janet and waited for her response.
The lovesick detective finally came to life. “My car sits very low. I think it’d be hard for Mr. Wysocki to get into.”
It sounded like a flimsy excuse to Dana but before she could say anything Mel ventured into the fray again. “It’s okay, we have plenty of room. Tom can ride in the front if that’s easier for him and the three of you ladies will fit easily in the back. All settled.”
Janet left then, before Barb even returned from the restroom, and went back to the extended stay to lick her wounds.
Chapter 9
2:04 AM, Friday, May 15th
A God awful buzzing sound disturbed her slumber. It had taken her ages to get to sleep and now something irritating had her awake and annoyed. She pulled the extra pillow over her right ear and tried to smash her head in between the two.
No luck. The infernal buzzing sound kept going off.