It didn’t take long to notice the transaction and exchange of money every fifteen to twenty minutes. A man would show up, maybe have a drink or two, then pass a fifty dollar bill to the bartender with his palm covering it. He would then cross a hand over his chest from left to right and nod two times. It was some sort of signal or code. From there the bartender placed a small piece of paper or ticket onto the bar. The guy took it, finished his drink and then got up and headed toward the back room.
“That’s about ten guys in the last hour,” Tazer whispered to Lynch.
Lynch threw back a shot of whiskey. His second one.
“Shall we check it out? May be worth the hundred bucks for both of us?”
“Let’s give it another few minutes. Rodney is looking like he’s about to move,” Tazer said to Lynch.
Just then Rodney took the redhead’s hand and led her down the hall. She was rubbing her hand along his waist and to his crotch.
“Let’s do this. Be ready,” Tazer whispered.
“Always,” Lynch said.
Lynch took out a fifty dollar bill and folded it up. Before he even had his hand palm down on the bar the bartender approached. He looked at both him and Tazer.
“You’re big guys. It’s a hundred,” he said to them.
“It wasn’t the last time,” Lynch said to him.
He glanced at both of them then nodded.
Tazer took out his fifty and placed it down.
The bartender took the two fifty dollar bills and then looked down at some kind of book.
He handed them each a ticket. “Wait five minutes. It’s full back there.”
Tazer felt sick. If this was a prostitution ring and this was how men came in to get serviced, it was sick. A fucking bar as a front. He glanced around the place. There were a lot of people in Clover’s. Men and women, college kids included, and it gave the appearance of a normal place. No one seemed to even realize what was happening right in front of them and right down the side hallway. It was ingenious.
Lynch stood up and threw down a few dollars as a tip. All they needed to do now was check this out, hope no one frisked them before they went back there and then observe the process. If anyone became suspicious then they needed to decide for backup to come in, or to grab Rodney as everyone else escaped.
They headed down the hallway and he could tell by Lynch’s shoulders that he was pissed. They got to the first guy, a big guy, but no threat to them. He and Lynch had a few inches on him and a lot more muscle and capabilities. He was carrying too.
“Ticket,” he said and Lynch handed him his ticket after Tazer.
The door opened and there was another small hallway and a man by an open door. They could see into the back room. Music was playing. A whole lot of activity was going on. It was crazy to see.
“Been here before?” he asked. Lynch shook his head.
“Go in, make your choice. The one you choose will tell you the prices for the services. Enjoy yourselves,” he said and Tazer clenched his teeth. As they entered the room they saw how the women outnumbered the men. Negotiations were going on, it wasn’t over crowded, but the lights were very dim, almost dark, putting Tazer on edge. Before they could even take in their surroundings they both saw Rodney, sitting in a chair, his pants undone and the redhead servicing him. He leaned back like a fucking king looking at everyone around them. Other men were getting serviced in various ways, and there were even a few people having sex. It was crazy. But what struck Tazer was the fact that none of these women seemed like they were being forced to do this.
Tazer eyed over the brunette that approached. She was barely wearing any clothing and was a little thing. Another woman, a blonde with a similar build, approached Lynch. Why Tazer thought of Eliza Grace he didn’t know. These women were young like her, but they had no glow in their eyes, and some bruises along their arms. They looked used and trashy.
As the women started touching them and explaining what they could do for what price Tazer grew impatient. Lynch gave him a nod toward where Rodney was and he looked that way and saw Rodney zipping up his pants and then heading toward a door by the back corner. Two men followed him.
“We’ll be back,” Lynch said to the blonde and she held onto his arm.
“Please, let me service you.”
“Please. We need to,” the brunette added to Tazer.
“We have business to take care of,” Tazer said to them.
“They’ll beat us if we don’t make them money. Please,” the brunette said and began to rub herself against Tazer. His anger grew stronger.
He had to grip her shoulders, but then Lynch gave him a nudge and Tazer saw two other men looking at them. They drew attention toward them and that wasn’t good. They needed to get to Rodney.
“Come on over here with us. Both of you,” Lynch said and the women smiled, looking so relieved as they clung to them.
Tazer looked at Lynch and as they got to the table nearest to the door where Rodney disappeared to he saw Tazer pull out his phone and do something. He was calling in for backup. They would need to grab Rodney.
As the blonde ran her hands along Tazer’s waist she explained about prices. It was hard to listen to and Tazer didn’t want to be here. He wanted to be home and feeling Eliza Grace in his arms. Suddenly the blonde stopped what she was doing and looked at Lynch. Tazer pushed the brunette’s hands off of him.
“Gun. Gun!” she yelled out.
“Fuck,” Lynch said and shoved her away. Tazer did the same and followed as Lynch headed toward the door. Simultaneously women screamed and the men who ran toward them stopped. The side door burst open. “Cops,” the guy at the door yelled and people started scrambling.
Tazer and Lynch drew their weapons and got into the hallway behind the door. It was short and when another door opened and two men came out guns drawn, Lynch lowered and Tazer took the high spot and fired. Both men fired their guns but their bullets missed Tazer and Lynch. The two men went down.
Tazer and Lynch hurried to the door and there was Rodney, pulling money from a safe as a small fire erupted in a garbage pail.
“Stop right there, asshole,” Lynch said to him and Tazer turned over the garbage pail and put out the fire. It hadn’t done what Rodney apparently wanted the fire to do. The books, probably logs of some sort, were barely burned.
Tazer’s phone buzzed and he pulled it out of his pocket. He saw it was one of the troopers in charge of the backup.
“We got our guy in the back office past the private back room. Were you able to grab some people to arrest?”
“We got a shitload plus two bartenders who drew guns on us. It’s a fucking mess of chaos,” Trooper Lawrence told him.
“Hopefully one that can give us answers. Thanks for the quick response.”
“No problem.”
Tazer disconnected the call and started looking through the logs as Lynch began to interrogate Rodney.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. This is my own business. There aren’t others,” Rodney said to him.
“So you’re willing to take the fall for this entire operation?” Tazer asked him. Then Trooper Lawrence arrived by the door with another trooper.
Lynch and Tazer looked at him.
“What did you find out?” Tazer asked him.
“Two of the women were abducted from Austin six months ago. They were with another two women and they said they’re dead. They were killed by friends of this guy right here, Rodney.”
Tazer looked at Rodney.
“Double counts of murder too? We’re just getting started.”
“I didn’t kill those women. I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Rodney said to them.
“Start talking or you’re going to take the fall for whoever did kill them and anyone else who turns up missing or dead. This is all on you, asshole. Unless you’re willing to start giving names,” Tazer told him.
“I can’t. They’ll kill me.”
“Your life is over
anyway. Your choice,” Tazer told him.
Rodney ran his fingers through his hair. He was sweating profusely and looked at Lynch.
“A lot of what you need will be in there, and in the other books in the safe too. But it won’t matter. The ones in charge, the guys operating this business are smart and they have people all over the place watching. They’ll know you’re here right now and they’ll make any evidence disappear,” Rodney said to them.
“Well, that can’t happen or you will be as good as dead. Give us something. A name, anything else we can use,” Tazer said to him.
“Stolley. Look for Stolley. He’s the one who connected me to these guys and this business. He knows them. He knows all the locations and exactly who the guys are who run all the operations.”
Tazer looked at Lynch. That same fucking guy. The one no one could find. He needed to call Flours and get them on this. He and Lynch did what they needed to. They were heading back home after they rapped this shit up.
* * * *
Eliza Grace was shaking. She just finished performing a second act on stage with the band and she was exhausted, yet filled with energy. The crowds were so big tonight and there were a lot of college kids there and a bunch of bouncers had to break up fights. The energy in the place was outrageous. In fact, she was starting to think that maybe this wasn’t her thing. Especially now as she tried getting through the crowd and a bunch of rowdy guys tried pulling her into their group to buy her a drink.
“Not interested. Let go of my arm,” she demanded.
“Come on, honey. One drink and I guarantee you’ll want to stick around,” the one guy said and his friends chuckled. One of them held a drink and her gut clenched. She didn’t trust them. Hell, she heard stories of guys putting things in women’s drinks.
“Not interested,” she repeated and attempted to move past them but they were big. When a hand landed on her waist and tried pulling her back she reacted. Out of fear, out of anger but she wasn’t fast enough to make contact with his face. He ducked and snagged her around the waist.
“Damn, she is a spitfire,” he said and his friends roared with laughter. She screamed for them to let go when suddenly the guy released her. She pushed away, turned around and saw two out of the three men she saw last week and on Wednesday night. One look at them and the young guys raised their hands up and stepped back. She couldn’t tell what the one big guy was doing to the guy who grabbed her, but he looked scared. She turned to hurry away, feeling the tears about to break out. She didn’t belong here. She never should have accepted doing this. It was a mistake.
As she hurried away from the scene she bumped into someone. He held onto her waist and she looked way up, locking gazes with the guy from the boutique. The one who was with the two guys that just helped her escape.
He reached up and cupped her cheek. “Are you okay? Did they hurt you?” he asked, then caressed the hand against her cheek to her shoulder.
“I’m fine,” she said and tried to move past him. He wouldn’t let her.
“You’re not fine. They scared you. Come with me.” He took her hand and then slid his arm around her waist. He moved through the crowd and to the end of the bar and the table she had seen him sitting at last week and then again Wednesday night. He had been watching her.
She was shaking from what just happened and then Luther approached them.
“Are you all right? I had those men thrown out. I saw what they were doing and when I called for the bouncers, Daville and Vic got over there in a flash,” Luther said and he caressed her arm and looked at her.
“I’m sorry. It’s a rowdy crowd here tonight.” Luther told her.
She didn’t dare wipe her eyes to try and push away the tears that were about to fall. She didn’t want to show weakness here. Luther was the only person other than the band that she really knew. She glanced at the other guy. Luther didn’t say his name, but then the other two came back. She wondered who was Vic and who was Daville.
“I can’t do this, Luther. This isn’t for me. I don’t belong here. I appreciate the opportunity, but I’m done. You don’t even have to pay me,” she said.
“Oh, sweetie, don’t quit because of some drunk assholes,” Luther said and then the other guy uncrossed his arms.
“He’s right. You’re very talented and have a lovely voice.” She shook her head at him.
“It’s not what I want to do. It was just a goal, a thing on my bucket list.”
“Bucket list?” he asked and he widened his eyes and looked her over as if she were sick or dying.
“Oh, it’s just an idea my friend had.”
“You’re not sick?” he asked. She suddenly felt sort of stupid for blurting that out about the bucket list.
She shook her head.
“She looks perfectly fine to me,” one of the other men said to her and she was surprised as he ate her up with his eyes. She really needed to leave. Right now.
“Come sit down for a little bit and calm your nerves. Maybe Luther can grab us a few drinks,” he said to Luther and Luther nodded his head and then disappeared.
“I don’t want a drink. Thank you anyway,” she said to him and he smiled then helped her sit down next to him and near the other guy.
“My name is Si. This is Daville, and Vic,” he introduced them and she nodded toward the other men. They kept their eyes on her and Si licked his lower lip as she crossed her legs and folded her hands on her lap. She looked toward the bar where Luther was grabbing the drinks. But then she felt the fingers under her chin. She locked gazes with Si.
“Don’t be scared. We got to you in time.”
Her eyes widened at his words and the nerve to say such a thing and then he calmly added, “I wouldn’t let anything happen to Clarissa’s number one model. She thinks very highly of you,” he told her and that fearful untrusting feeling slowly began to ease up. Just slightly.
“Is that really what you prefer doing? Modeling, not singing?” he asked as Luther returned with the drinks and set them down.
“We’ll take care of her. You take care of that thing we discussed,” Si said to Luther and Luther nodded.
“Luther, I’m serious about being finished,” she told him.
“I wish you wouldn’t. Maybe give it another try next Wednesday?” he pushed.
She went to speak and then Si took her hand and placed the glass of wine into it.
“She’ll think about it,” he said for her and Luther nodded and then walked away.
She looked at Si.
“I will?” she asked, challenging him.
“I’d hate to see you waste such a talent. It would make me sad.”
“Us too,” Vic added, looking at her as he drank what looked like whiskey.
She didn’t know how to react. Once again her inexperience made her speechless. She took a small sip of wine and then placed the glass down.
She had to show some backbone here. She was out of her comfort zone. She forced herself into this adventure of reaching for things she was scared of and challenging the fears she had. But now that she was caught in all of this chaos all she kept thinking about was not feeling safe and then came thoughts of the Hayes brothers. It didn’t totally shock her.
She looked at Si and then toward the busy crowd. She could see all the people having a good time. The college guys dancing sexy with college girls, and it made her feel uneasy and out of place.
The crowd grew bigger near them and she leaned back a little, instantly feeling Vic’s hand on the back of her chair and now against her back. His fingers stroked her skin and she leaned forward again and looked at him. His expression told her he wanted her. These men shared their women. Not that the idea shocked her for obvious reasons, but it was the fact that she found wanting to share her or thinking they had a chance to, to be creepy. She stood up.
Immediately Si reached out and stopped her. He held her by her hips and pulled her between his legs.
She gripped his hands and wrists. He was a big
guy. Not quite as big as Lynch and Tazer or even Parker and Burker, but he was large. His hands held firm.
“Where are you running off to?”
“I said I was going to leave. I appreciate your help back there with those guys. But as I said, this place, the whole atmosphere isn’t me.”
He licked his lower lip and stared at her body. The snug fitting strapless dress with beading along the top accentuated her breasts and showed off her toned arms.
“I wish you would stay so we can talk. To get to know one another.”
She wasn’t sure how to respond. She glanced at Vic and Daville and then wondered how the hell she went from one scary incident to another. It made her think she belonged back in Chance and with her guardians who could protect her. Her eyes widened and she realized what time it was and that she never texted Parker or Burker as she promised.
“I need to go.”
“Will we see you again?” he asked and caressed his thumbs along her hip bones.
“I don’t think so. I really need to go, Si. It was nice meeting you. The three of you,” she said and glanced toward Vic and Daville.
“We should walk her out,” Vic said, eying her with that expression of desire. She wouldn’t trust him to walk her out and not try something.
“I’m fine and besides, one of the bouncers does. It’s his job.”
Si wasn’t releasing her and then he stood up, slid his hands along her waist and stared down into her eyes.
“You sure are petite, but real sexy and shy. Don’t let some moron college guys scare you into not coming back here. You’re meant to be on that stage. To be in the spotlight. You’re special, Eliza. We’ll be keeping eyes on you,” He said and then she swallowed hard.
He leaned forward and kissed her cheek, letting his lips press to her skin and remain there a moment. When he slowly pulled back she felt the hands on her hips from behind. She turned and Vic was there. “Have a good night. We’ll see you soon.” He stroked her cheek and then slid his hand down her arm. When he stepped away Daville stood there staring at her. “I’ll walk you to one of the bouncers to make sure he gets you to your car safely.”
Town of Chance: Believing in Love [The Dare Series 7] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 7