Gramps was right! he admitted to himself. Jack Walker needed to make a better attempt at recognizing what was out of the ordinary. There was irrefutable evidence that abnormal things happened to him. By ignoring the possibility of a reason for all the crazy shit, he negated the one possible way of dealing with it. Stopping in his tracks, Jack wondered, What if I do have a gift, or I’m a shaman, as Gramps describes himself? What if I’d accepted those truths when I came down to visit Gramps?
He would not have left Josh on his own. He would have accepted the idea that Josh was there to protect him. Why didn’t I allow my cousin to do his job? Jack could have given Josh a fighting chance.
What about Lolita? She begged me to listen to her. What’s in it for her? Jack had put up roadblocks at every opportunity. As a kid, he never fought off the visions. Often, his ability seemed like having an unfair advantage. He knew where to find all the big snook and redfish, like shooting fish in a barrel. He never balked at his natural advantage then. Why am I making it so difficult for myself now?
Anger boiled on top of his high fever. He smacked his forehead. The flying eagle had always told him where the fish lay. He felt sorry for that bird. Over the years, she made an effort to tell him what she saw while flying in the sky. It should have seemed important to him. Is Gramps the fish now?
Trying to clear his aching head, he realized that, twice this week, he had refused to listen. Lolita was telling him shit, Gramps was telling him shit . . . Why did I put up road blocks? Simple; it did not seem logical. It seemed like believing in Harry Potter: Macho football star believes in witches and warlocks.
He knew it ran deeper, and he had rationalized it. Did I want to embrace being Seminole and taking up all that goes with being a Native? The truth as he faced it now was . . . no. While he had always taken his grandfather seriously, respecting the American Indian background, Jack envisioned his adult lifestyle as being grandiose. He could not admit to his grandfather that communing with nature, as was the way of the Seminole, did not seem good enough for Jack. Therefore, when told he shared a similar calling to use his natural abilities—the same as his grandfather and his mother—high and mighty Jack rebelled.
The truth was out and, deep down, he could not deny it any longer. Tears filled his eyes and ran down his cheeks. He felt like a little boy. His apathy allowed Josh to be murdered, and Gramps to be taken, and perhaps killed as well. Jack Walker felt like a fool.
Wiping his face, he saw his past life from a grown-up perspective. “Okay, Jack, from this day forward, you’re gonna believe in mumbo jumbo.” He had to laugh at the new sound of his voice making the promise.
Nearing the front door to the strip club, he saw a short line waiting to file into Aversions, giving him a few minutes to catch his breath. After his grand epiphany, he questioned why once again he was doing something totally off-the-wall crazy. Had he listened to Lolita and Gramps, he would most likely not be standing here, suffering with a god-awful flu, waiting to get his brains bashed in by a bunch of mad Russians.
The line moved steadily and, within ten minutes, he was next. Pulling out his phone, he texted Janie, Give me five!
CHAPTER FIFTY-Six
“PARK HERE!” JANIE POINTED to the tight spot—close enough to the garage, yet mingled with the vehicles of other patrons so as not to give away any ill intentions should they be caught on a security camera. Janie felt like she might throw up; the anticipation of what they were embarking upon suddenly became reality. “Sure you don’t want to wait in the car, Perry?”
“Look, five years ago if you said Jack Walker was going to take down a satanic cult, I would’ve laughed. I’m the one getting into trouble most of the time: bar fights, couple of B and Es.” He squeezed into the narrow space.
“Really?”
“Yep. I went through a bad patch. Had my wallet stolen by a hooker once. I called the police and told them she robbed me at gunpoint. Next thing I knew, the cops were everywhere and I end up on WINK News. It was a mess. And no, they don’t find a gun on her. Get the point.”
Satisfied with his parking, Perry turned off the engine. When he smiled at Janie, he looked handsome. “No fucking way you’re holding me back, Janie. I’m going with you. You need me.”
Her tummy stopped flipping, and Janie was surprised at how much she’d hoped he would say as much. “Okay, Perry, glad to have you. Keep your eyes and ears open and follow my lead.”
“Yeppers. Say, don’t you think you should let someone know why we’re heading in there? What if we’re captured and no one on the planet knows we went inside the club?” Perry winked, making him look even better.
Janie smiled while she thought for a moment. “You have a point there. I’m going to send Pete, our boss, an email. He doesn’t want us to be here, but he doesn’t check his email regularly, so by the time Pete reads this we’ll probably be in his office talking about it.”
She typed: Pete. I know you will not want to know about this, am sending note as a failsafe should we not succeed. Jack believes the Russians killed his cousin, Josh, and have taken his grandfather prisoner. We’re attempting to rescue Gramps. About to enter Aversions. 9:55 . . . Janie.
She hit SEND. “Done.”
Perry nodded. “Can’t hurt.”
Jack’s text came in and Janie’s heart jumped to her throat. “Time’s up, Perry.”
He nodded, ready to jump out of the car and start their end of the plan.
She grabbed his hand and held him back to ask, “Are you a good kisser?”
Perry eyed Janie and softly asked, “Whad’ya mean?”
“I wanna be careful here. Let’s set up our charade. They’ll know we haven’t walked through the entrance yet, so we are arriving patrons who are already hot for each other. We act excited back here in the lot as if we wanna make out. We kiss and keep looking around to locate the camera. Should only be one out here scanning the lot. You act aggressive to cover our searching for that camera; push me around the lot and keep trying to feel me up with your hand inside my dress. Be an animal—we can’t fake it! Give it a minute or so, and the guy inside the club who’s monitoring the lot will no doubt continue to change views.”
“You’re giving me wood, Janie.” A sly smile crossed his face.
“Don’t get any ideas. This is strictly business. Two minutes of you and me dancing with bodies entwined while we whisper and embrace our way to the garage. When you spot the camera turning away, that’s where we change tactics. I want you to pull me over to the garage and turn me around. Make it look as if you’re all over my backside, taking me from behind. Don’t push too hard though. I’ll be picking the lock on the door.”
“Wood!”
She reached into her purse again and pulled out a tiny box of white breath mints. Shaking out two, she pushed one into Perry’s mouth before popping the other between her lips. They both burst out laughing until she said, “Okay, let’s go. Showtime!”
****
As they strolled arm in arm away from the car, Janie pulled him back and slid her left arm to his right shoulder. Perry smiled. Grabbing her hand, he led her in a tango-walk as they both searched the poles for cameras. He stopped and pulled her close, and together they swayed in place. Laughing, she teased, “Didn’t think you could dance.”
“I’ll show you who can dance.”
He swirled her into a waltz, turning Janie in circles until she spun so fast she laughed and stepped on her own toes. She pulled him close to whisper, “I’m dizzy!”
Perry kissed her face, moving his lips down her throat, deep into the low-cut dress until she nodded—they could move again—and he led her into a slower dance. Moving in a tight embrace, she hummed an old Sinatra tune to keep time.
Perry smiled and sang the next line of lyrics, “No one knows better than I that love keeps passing me by.”
Smiling, Janie sang along with him, “That’s fate!”
She covered his mouth to stop him from singing. Pulling him into a wild embr
ace, Janie nibbled on his ear and whispered, “Camera!”
His eyes followed hers to the closest post to the left. They both eyed the red-glassed security camera aimed at them but laughed and smooched as if they could not keep their hands off each other. Perry danced her over, pushing her back against the cement post. Smiling like a ghoul, he spoke up for the microphone. “You’re gonna get it!”
“Oh really? What am I gonna get, smart guy?”
He stared down, and for a second she forgot they were only acting.
Perry brushed away her hair as he bent over her. Acting half drunk, he squinted and yelled about all the fun he planned to have with her. She squealed as he covered her face with baby kisses. Playing her part, she moaned as loudly as he groaned, both declaring their enchantment with each other.
Within seconds, they heard the whine of the camera motor turning to zero in on the front end of the lot. When they looked at the entrance, a pickup was turning in. She gained her composure and ran to the garage with Perry in hot pursuit. His body-slammed her against the garage wall. When she turned to kiss him on the mouth, she placed her hand behind his head. At first his muscles tightened in surprise, until her arms encircled his neck and she pulled him closer. He relaxed into her sensual embrace and extended their play kiss into a lover’s kiss. Pushing past her closed lips, he probed her mouth open with his tongue.
Janie bit down on entry as if he had entered a no-go zone. He chuckled. Still holding her tight, Perry kissed her softly until his male instinct took over again. While she might have wanted to push him off, she knew better. To do so would jeopardize their plan.
Janie stared up at Perry’s sweet smile when he asked, “You ready?” Knowing what he was going to do to her, she smiled back. He lifted her up by the buttocks. They were no longer concerned about the surveillance camera as she sighed, his body slamming hers and knocking out some of her wind. When he pulled her legs up around his thighs, Janie felt his erection through his jeans. Leaning back, she kissed him even harder. His left hand reached up her skirt aggressively, while his right hand held her up to him by the cheeks of her ass.
Suddenly, she slid off to pull Perry around the corner of the building, toward the side door. Standing in front of it, he knew what to do. He pulled her shoulders back and spun her around, pushing her toward the door, face-first. Pushing her hips against him as planned, Janie relaxed and fell back on him. Perry caressed her all over as she tried to pick the lock.
Janie swooned as he softly touched between her thighs. “Perry!” she protested.
“Open the fucking door!” he growled.
“It’s already open.”
He burst out laughing, still pulling at her silk panties.
“No! Perry!”
“Then hurry up and open the door.”
He released his hold on her to unzip the fly on his jeans.
She retrieved her lockpicks and inserted the largest prong into the keyhole. While bent over with her back to him, Janie felt his extended manhood. Click! She had the door open.
They slid inside the narrow opening, quickly closing it behind them. Turning around to face Perry, they both still felt their unexpected passion but knew it was the wrong time and place. Instead, she reached down and stroked him tenderly, but only once.
“Now, put that away, my sexy man, and save the thought for another time. We must hurry. I will say, though, you are one hell of a kisser and I hope the person watching had the good sense to go to another camera.” Still not ready to separate, she leaned against him for another embrace and short peck. Straightening her summer dress, Perry fastened her top button.
Before they explored, Janie pulled out the flashlight from her purse and handed it to him. The garage appeared empty besides a workbench backed up to the wall facing Aversions.
Perry pointed to the bench. “That’s never been used.” Walking to its right side, he looked curious. “Aha!” Perry pointed to the three sets of hinges on that side. Moving to the other side, he found a padlock and proudly looked up at Janie.
“I’m on it!” Within thirty seconds, she had her picks out and the lock open.
He pulled the corner and the workbench swung out, revealing a staircase leading down.
“Pay dirt!” Janie smiled and took the first stair.
CHAPTER FIFTY-Seven
JACK FELT AS IF he had stepped through a wall of charged energy as he passed the guards eyeballing him at the door. The inside was lit up, the opposite of its regular shadowy effects where customers could hide. He heard and felt the live band rocking in the giant room. What caught him off guard were the couples standing around him in line. When he got to the lady in the glass booth, she spoke to him through an intercom. “Sir, do you have a Unicorn Pass?
“Sorry?”
“Single men are not allowed on Friday nights without a pass.”
“I don’t get it.”
“Friday night is ‘lifestyle’ night.”
He still could not figure out what she was trying to tell him and could only shrug.
“It’s Swing Night.”
“Oh. Why does that mean I can’t get in?”
The lady laughed. “You do look cute enough. Can I see your ID?”
He smiled, knowing his fate was in jeopardy. “Here.” He produced his driver’s license.
She pulled it through the tiny slit in the bulletproof glass and slid it through a scanner. Soon enough a frown froze on her face. “Would you mind waiting to the side, Mr. Walker?”
He nodded, retrieved his license and stepped aside. Here we GO!
Jack swiftly found himself surrounded by four bouncers. All were as tall, or taller, than his 6’2” frame. Their jackets fit tight around muscled shoulders and arms, making him look small by comparison. The shortest of the four addressed him with a heavy Russian accent.
“Mr. Walker, what an unpleasant surprise! You were told not to come here again. Is there something about these instructions you do not understand?” Before Jack could answer, the inquisitor snapped his fingers and the other three moved around Jack for a fast pat-down. Their trained hands and fingers felt inside his clothes and swiped every part of his body before they pronounced, “He’s clean.”
The guy in charge rubbed the end of his clenched fist as if getting ready to punch him. Jack recognized him as the man who nearly broke his jaw the week before.
“I came to speak to Eli. It seems we’ve had a bit of a misunderstanding.”
“Misunderstanding?” The bold voice from afar carried over the other conversations in the swanky foyer. Eli meandered through the crowd until he stepped toe to toe to Jack. “What misunderstanding do you speak of?” His mouth smiled but his eyes remained cold. “Please, come this way so we can talk about misunderstanding. We do not want to make the guests uneasy hearing about our mutual distrust. Come, I buy you drink.”
Jack expected to get his head knocked off and tossed out the door. Eli offering him a friendly drink made him even more uneasy. Being friendly with Eli was not part of the plan. While he did not know what to expect, he could only hope Janie and Perry were having luck.
Eli put his hand on Jack’s back and ushered him past the security check and into the nightclub. “This is special night, swinging night. It is brilliant. See all these couples.” He pointed around the room and Jack’s eyes followed, picking up how sexually charged the place was. He felt it in the air. “They pay me to come here and fuck.”
At this point in the night, strippers were on the tables dancing with only their G-strings for cover. The guests were coupling up in a variety of configurations; women were topless, being fondled by their male or female counterparts, and the same for the males, who were often seen in threes. Having only heard about these kinds of places, Jack’s eyes were wild as he shook his fevered head.
“You see, Walker, we have special rooms out back. You want fuck some guy’s wife? You pay and you take her there. Brilliant. You want threesome, foursome, whatever you want. I set you up.” He
waited to see Jack’s innocent reaction. “Now, you and I have things to talk about. Come.” He ushered Jack to a corner booth where the music was not quite as loud. Sitting, Eli waved off the brutes following him. “What drink you like?”
Jack needed a little liquid courage and did not turn it down. “Stella.”
Eli looked at him. “How about shot of tequila as well? I share with you.” He ordered the drinks before Jack could refuse, and turned to him. “Why do you come back here, Jack Walker? I’ll tell you no lies. If I were not so curious, you would be downstairs right now getting shot. By morning, you would be at the bottom of the gulf wearing cement shoes. Talk to me.”
Jack drew a heavy breath, happy the drinks had already arrived to give him a few moments to put something together. He thanked the scantily-dressed server and took a quick sip of his beer before picking up one shot glass of tequila and passing the other to Eli. “Go Gators.” He tipped the shot glass with Eli and downed the fiery liquor. Eli followed right behind him.
“You no come here to talk about football. Cut to the point, or you will be taken downstairs.” He smiled, but Jack sensed that something simmered behind Eli’s exterior.
It would have been easier if the Russian accused him of doing shit. But the man was smart. Eli would not offer any help, letting Jack squirm as he drew a blank as to what to tell him. Taking another sip of his beer, Walker finally began, “Your computers came up clean. But I know you’re selling illegal porn from this establishment.”
Eli laughed. “If I had drink in my mouth, I would spit it across the table. What kind of establishment do you think we run here? Of course you find no porn on the computers we gave you. You think I am fucking stupid? You are in over your head, Walker.”
“What about Lopez?”
“What about him? He is low level. He fucked up. Let me tell you, Walker, this is boring. What can I tell you? He got caught with some bad shit on his computer. I will not admit in court of law—it did filter through here but never took hold. It was just a pass-through. You never find that shit on our CPUs. Not safe!”
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