by Don Bruns
Archer took the call as he walked down the street to Woody’s.
‘Detective, we’ve concluded the residue in the bus is a product known as bone white. It’s a very pure form of cocaine. The traces were faint, but if it was in the hold and packaged well, there wouldn’t be much evidence. We’ve got just enough to be sure that’s what it is. And’ – the lady paused as if to spring the surprise – ‘it’s the same product that was in the slit envelope. That powder was bone white as well.’
There was no doubt, the killing had been over a drug transaction. And the assumption was that it was Nasta Mafia who won this round. Two Warhead Solja members gunned down. Archer was pretty sure there would be retaliation.
The crowd in the club was thin this early in the evening but around nine or ten there would be an ocean of people, half of them watching, half of them putting on the show. The show he was going to see tonight was somewhat more secluded than those on the streets during Mardi Gras, but the shouts would be the same. ‘Show us your tits!’
With the carnival in full swing there should be a big crowd at the club and he just prayed that the souls who worked there and played there would be safe. If there even was any danger. But then, Solange Cordray said there would be, and he had found doubting her was a big mistake in most instances.
The outside greasy-haired bouncer weighed about 350 and was wearing a sport coat about one size too small. Archer figured he was probably packing. One of those guys who could handle himself size-wise but the idea of having a concealed permit made him even more of a badass.
‘Guaranteed good time,’ he said, pointing his thumb to the exterior door as Archer approached. ‘Best looking girls in the business.’
Nodding, Archer made the turn and walked into the club. Smiling at the bored hostess, he laid down his ten dollars. He was almost becoming a regular. There was no sign of Alexia or Levy. Archer briefly entertained the thought that she might be in a back room with the detective and actually laughed out loud. Taking this business seriously was tough to do until you realized that some of the workers were here against their will. Some of them were hopeless drug addicts, and their pimps and boyfriends sat on the periphery, watching every move. The amount of dollars changing hands every minute during the evening hours was amazing. It was nothing for a visitor from out of town to stop in and blow a thousand plus dollars on drinks and lap dances. A bachelor party, thousands of dollars. This was a big business, a cutthroat business, a sadistic business where guys like Dushane White and Delroy Houston ran stables of girls up and down Bourbon Street, and up north into the massage parlors.
He sat in view of the door, wanting to catch Levy’s attention when he entered. Ordering a diet cola from a young girl in fishnets and a bustier, she surprised him by whispering in his ear.
‘Mixed drinks, beer same price as a Coke,’ she said. ‘Why not have a little fun? Order some alcohol.’
From habit he said, ‘I’m working.’
‘This is work? What are you, a cop?’
He quickly ordered a beer with the Coke and smiled at the girl. ‘Wouldn’t want to be a cop in this city.’
‘No,’ she responded, ‘I would think not.’
A girl on the pole glittered with sparkles, her legs wrapped around the brass rod as she slid down fireman style. Her brief costume wedged between her legs, giving the appearance of total nudity. Archer didn’t find it that sexy, but again thought about Alexia, the blonde-haired Sexy Lexy. He might find her interesting up on that stage, and tonight he might be presented with that image.
The music throbbed, a song called ‘Rack City’ by Tyga. He was pretty sure that was the name of the song since the rapper repeated the phrase about one hundred times in four minutes. The lyrics he could pick out were certainly ones that never played on the radio. The tamer chorus simply repeated Rack city, bitch, rack rack city, bitch, over and over. Archer didn’t think he’d be humming it after he left Woody’s.
‘Come here often?’
She was behind him and he turned, smiling and nodding.
‘Buy a girl a drink?’
‘You, young lady, are going to bankrupt me. Every time I come in here you want a drink.’
‘It’s my job.’ She laughed and pulled out a chair.
Archer tried to keep his gaze off the sheer top and thong bottoms. Her golden hair was longer, fuller and her eyelashes almost an inch long. Not the sweatsuit-wearing minimalist girl he’d seen the last time.
‘Something tells me with the two of you tonight,’ she said, ‘I’m not going to make much money.’
‘I would guess, between Levy and me, you could make as much as twenty bucks before the night is over.’
‘I stand corrected,’ she said. ‘I’ll notify my financial advisor.’
‘You have one?’
‘Of course. Remember, if I can stay alive, I’m not too far from retirement. And I make a lot more than you do.’
Fishnets brought his Coke and beer and he ordered Alexia the champagne cocktail. Ten cents worth of Sprite.
‘So it’s early, but I don’t want to miss this guy. We’ve got two undercover cars outside and if they see the white van, they’re going to call us. We make a decision then. Take him outside, inside or when he finally leaves.’
‘Quentin, if you pull that in here, it could be a disaster. You must know that.’
‘I do. And out on the street, it’s going to be as crowded as it will be in here. The streets will be packed.’
‘You can’t arrest him somewhere else?’
‘Alexia, we can’t find him somewhere else. Believe me, we’ve looked. And as you pointed out, he may not show up here tonight. This might be a delivery from Nasta Mafia.’
‘Or, and understand I’m working off of sketchy information, these girls may not show up at all. No promises, Detective.’
‘I get it.’
‘Well, now I feel a whole lot safer,’ she said.
‘Hey, we’re going to arrest this guy but there is no way we’re putting any bystanders in harm’s way.’
‘Bullshit,’ she said as the girl in fishnet hose brought her cheap lemon-lime drink. Archer dropped fifteen on the table.
‘We’re simply trying to take a homicidal maniac off the street.’
‘Please, Detective, do it quietly and safely. While this may not be the most seemly group of people, these customers and employees are my people. I can bitch and moan about conditions and personalities, about devils and angels, but they are all a part of my life. Be very careful tonight where you tread.’
Archer took a sip of his Coke and looked the girl in her eyes.
‘Can I be brutally honest?’
‘Of course.’
‘You are well above your station.’
She smiled. ‘A sincere compliment. But you already know my medical background, so …’
‘Oh, I think you’ve figured it out beyond your education. You’re bright, witty, very insightful, and yet you’ve got a plan few people have. I don’t intend to screw that up. But …’
‘But what, Detective?’
‘I’ve got a murder suspect I have to arrest. It’s part of my job, Alexia, as much as this’ – he threw his arms out as if encompassing the room – ‘as much as this is a part of your job.’
‘I will help you as much as I can. But right now prepare yourself, because it’s my turn on stage,’ she said.
‘I bought you a drink,’ Archer said. ‘I’m hoping you don’t expect one dollar bills in the G-string in addition.’
‘No.’ She stood up, her near-perfect body on display for the entire club. ‘I expect you to do your job with no casualties. That’s what I expect.’
FORTY-ONE
It was almost seven when Levy walked in.
‘Got caught up in a case, Q. Sorry. It was a drive-by shooting, what a mess.’
There were few murders that weren’t a mess. Archer shook his head.
‘What did I miss?’
‘You missed Alexia
topless,’ Archer said. ‘I seriously felt like a peeping Tom. It was like spying on your sister.’
‘More information than I need to know. And I don’t have a sister.’ Levy glanced around the room. Men sat at tables and congregated at seats around the stage. Girls served drinks, talking to groups, and everyone was pretty much behaving themselves. ‘This is not what I expected.’
‘What did you expect?’
‘Something more sordid. This place seems pretty sterile.’
‘Lots of rooms, corners, lounges where the other stuff happens,’ Archer said. He’d been in this place before. One time. Now, he was an expert.
‘What’s the plan?’
‘It’s up in the air,’ Archer said. ‘The girl is afraid we’re going to instigate a free-for-all. I think, if it’s just Dushane White, we put a gun in his ribs, walk him out and that’s it. If he puts up a struggle of any kind—’
‘Shoot him?’
‘I didn’t say that.’
‘Then what?’
‘That’s the problem, Detective Levy. If it weren’t for the whats and the whys we’d have this thing solved.’
‘In the meantime,’ Levy glanced at a half empty cup of Coke and a full bottle of beer, ‘we sit here and pretend we’re on a stakeout.’
‘Good point, Detective. We are on a stakeout.’
‘Gentlemen, would either of you like a lap dance? Satisfaction guaranteed.’ She was high-school age, her almost naked body skinny and underdeveloped. Archer was embarrassed at her approach, but he wasn’t here to bust underage prostitutes. Not tonight. Tall, somewhat gawky, a short bob, a sprinkling of acne on her cheeks and an adolescent smile. They both shook their heads. She moved on. Time was money.
‘Like Disneyland for adults,’ Levy watched her little ass swing, most of it on display as she walked away. ‘I mean, this is a playground, right?’
‘Except’ – Archer motioned to the bar where a strange assortment of characters congregated – ‘those are the guardians. The caretakers. It’s hard to make a case that the kids are in good hands.’
‘Point made, Detective.’
Levy ordered a beer and Coke, learning from the wisdom of the older soldier.
‘So, we could be here …?’
‘For ten, twelve hours,’ Archer answered the question.
‘We can spell each other,’ Levy said. ‘I mean, I’ll go play a video game in the car and …’ He turned his attention to the stage and watched a voluptuous blonde reveal her 38D breasts. ‘Never mind.’ He stared at the girl. ‘There’s probably enough to keep us entertained right here.’
Archer’s phone buzzed as Alexia approached their table. He had an idea that the messages were going to be the same.
‘The van just pulled in and he’s apparently got six girls with him.’ She glanced back to the rear of the club.
The call was from a patrol car. ‘Archer, there are two of them. And they’ve got six girls. Do you want us to try and make the arrest?’
‘No. Let’s get them separated from the girls. Stay in place because we may need you.’
‘It could be an hour or two before he brings them out,’ Alexia said.
‘An hour or two?’ Levy’s eyes stayed focused on the girl’s face. Archer knew that was difficult. He remembered the first time he’d seen her in her work clothes. Quite a shock.
‘Orientation,’ she explained. ‘Some of these girls have never been naked in front of a man. We’ve got virgins coming in tonight, Detective Levy, and they are expected to produce immediately. Believe me, it’s a shock. And they are doing this under duress, threats against their family and themselves, and a quick fix of heroin. So the guys need time to get these girls prepared. They never are. Prepared, that is. But whoever is with them will lay down the law for the next couple of hours.’
‘I can’t believe this really goes on.’
‘You’re about to witness it.’
‘This is human trafficking, Q.’
‘No. We’re not touching that right now. It’s off limits, Levy. This is about bringing in a suspect in a murder case. That’s all it’s about. We need to get this guy off the street. That’s our priority.’
‘But if it happens we slow down the trafficking problem …’
‘So be it,’ Archer said.
It actually became boring. One girl followed by another, one offer after another at their table. The faces were different, bodies were different, but the overall style was the same. If you didn’t have money, they moved on. And there were the men at the bar, acting nonchalant, as if they couldn’t care less what was happening on the stage, on the floor, but Archer caught them watching, intently at times, making sure their girls were performing, making money. And there were several boyfriends who apparently got a kick out of watching their girlfriends teasing other men.
‘We could go down to this dressing room,’ Levy said. ‘Walk in and surprise them. It might work.’
‘He’s got six hostages.’
‘I’m just nervous about calling him out here.’
‘We can only play it by ear, Josh.’
The tables were full, the bar almost full and seats around two stages were all taken, the men thrusting dollar bills into the strippers’ G-strings, trying to touch a little more than was legal.
‘Did you bring one dollar bills?’
‘No, I didn’t plan on tipping the dancers,’ Archer said. ‘But the waitress brought back eight ones with my change.’
‘We can always play liar’s poker.’
Archer nodded, pulled out a bill and studied the serial numbers.
‘Two nines,’ he said.
Levy pulled a dollar from his wallet and said, ‘Two tens.’
She was restless and closed the shop early. Dealing with drunken tourists and selling cheap gris-gris bags and voodoo dolls was a way to make quick money. It was not at the top end of her profession and she felt her serious calling was more important at the moment. She needed a clear head, an open mind. There was something coming down and she needed some control.
Putting on a lightweight jacket and wrapping a shawl around her shoulders she locked up the building and walked out, embracing the brisk evening. Seven men carrying a large Gay Pride banner marched in lock step down the middle of the street, and a group of screaming girls wearing matching T-shirts ran by her on the narrow sidewalk. A bachelorette party in serious need of sobering up.
Woody’s Gentleman’s Club with the extended balcony above was dead ahead, across the street. She’d seen it since she was a young girl but tonight the building tugged at her. A heavy-set man in an ill-fitting sport coat paced outside, motioning men to come inside. Solange walked another block, working off nervous energy, then crossed the street and headed back the other way. When she got to the club she stopped, confronting the big man with the slicked back hair.
‘Inside, women are taking off their clothes for the amusement of men, right?’
The big man dodged her and kept on walking.
‘Wait.’ She followed him. ‘There are hundreds of girls out here on Bourbon who bare their breasts for free every night. And the alcohol at any of these bars is probably a whole lot cheaper than inside your club. So what do you have to offer that guys can’t get out here?’ She needed to know. There was some reason this club, this nefarious establishment was suddenly important to her.
He stopped and spun around. ‘Lady, I will give you a free pass if you want to look inside. I would wager that, just lookin’ at you, you could be a top earner in there. Girls like you are the reason men come in. If you watched the girls out here on the street who as you said “bare their breasts”, then you’d understand. Some of these mamas shakin’ their titties, often times it’s not a pretty sight. You want a look inside? Be my guest. No charge.’
She wanted to. Felt compelled to. Something was going on in that club that she was intimately involved in. And it suddenly hit her. Archer, Bavely, Levy … this was where it was all going down. A strip club. It mad
e no sense, and made all the sense in the world. And there was nothing she could do about it. Even if she entered, even if she mustered whatever power, control, she had, she couldn’t stop what was about to happen.
It was inevitable. Taking a deep breath and saying a short prayer, she walked away, asking any spirit to intervene and stop any death and destruction. The man shouted after her.
‘Hey, girl, I’m not messin’ wich you. I get paid if I turn someone like you. I’m askin’ real nice, come on in and take a look. Girl like you could make some serious jack.’
FORTY-TWO
‘I just came out of our dressing room, and there’s some commotion out back.’ Alexia smiled, apparently flirting with the two men. ‘I think they’re making their grand entrance.’ Patting Archer on his head, she said, ‘Sorry, but I can’t do much more for you guys.’
‘Hey, you’ve done a lot all ready. If you can take off …’
‘I should. I really should. But I want to see how this plays out. And by the way, Delroy Houston, the guy who threatened me, he’s here too. Any chance you can take him with you?’
Archer shook his head. ‘I wish we could.’
‘Maybe he’ll stay his distance tonight,’ she said.
Over the loudspeaker system the gravel voiced announcer shouted out, ‘Hey-ohhhh! Gentleman, we have a real treat for you tonight. Six beautiful young ladies from South America are debuting for the first time in the United States. Ladies, if you would take the center stage so everyone can get a look.’
Slowly the girls walked into the room and one by one they stepped on stage, wearing tiny bras and thong bikinis. They appeared to be somewhat uncomfortable and glances to the right, to the left and over their shoulders said they might bolt at any minute, but expressionless faces and a slow cadence made Archer believe they’d been drugged. Probably with heroin.
Turning his attention to the bar he saw the two black men sit down, one of them speaking to a patron who immediately gave up his seat.
‘By the seat of our pants, partner,’ Levy said. ‘How do you want to play this?’