Handbags & Hooligans

by Laina Turner

  “Get in the car,” Jesse said. “We’re going to find out who at The Pink Pony knows Ashley and why they are calling her.”

  I wanted to argue because I wasn’t at all sure the answer Jesse got would be one he wanted. But there really wasn’t any other choice. I looked at Jared and could tell he was thinking the same thing. What could I do? Jesse was right on one front. We needed answers, and this would be one way to get them.

  There were a fair number of cars in the parking lot of the strip club considering it was the middle of the day. Although, I hadn’t ever been to a strip club, much less in the middle of the day, so maybe this was normal. “I didn’t expect it to be so busy at this hour,” I whispered to Jared.

  “People come here for lunch.”

  “They serve food here?”

  “Of course they do.” Jared laughed.

  I couldn’t fathom sitting down to eat a burger and fries while watching naked girls dance and then going back to work. But then, these guys probably wouldn’t understand me drinking coffee for lunch so I could walk around and shop.

  “Jesse, are you sure you want to do this?”

  “I don’t think I have much of a choice, Presley. I need to find out why someone from here is calling my girlfriend. This doesn’t make sense.”

  “I know. I just meant that maybe you could wait here, and Jared and I could go scope it out.”

  “No, I need to do this,” he said, his tone grim and determined.

  “Well, come on, then. Let’s go find out.” I had to admit I was interested in seeing the inside of the club. It was a novelty, and once all this unpleasantness was over, surely would be a fun story to tell. The three of us walked up to the club, which, like everything else on the strip, was a glaring shrine to all that was neon. The gravel parking lot littered with cigarette butts crunched under our feet. Once we got up to the door, I could see how seedy the place was and how dingy it looked. If this was an upscale joint, I would be afraid to see what the cheap ones looked like. Jared opened the door for me—what a gentleman—and the guys followed me in.

  As our eyes adjusted to the darkness, I could see women of all types in various stages of undress and guys of all types sitting down enjoying the view. “Now what do we do?” I whispered, nervous and out of my element. Does Jesse just go up to the nearest person and ask them if they know Ashley? Does he really want the answer?

  Jesse was also at a loss, and Jared obviously found it amusing that we both seemed so freaked out. Since he was no stranger to gentlemen’s clubs, though usually of a different gender, he told us he might as well be the one to take charge. “You two stay here,” he said. “Let me go ask around.”

  I was fine with that and could see Jesse wasn’t going to argue.

  Jared walked up to the bar, seeming right at home, and approached the burly bartender. He looked like someone set a basketball on his shoulders. No neck at all to speak of, and tattoos up and down his arms. “Excuse me,” Jared said politely. The guy turned to him and just stared, not saying anything. “I was hoping I could ask you a question.” The guy just continued to stare. “I was wondering if you know someone named Ashley Griffith? She works here.” The guy continued to stare.

  Just when Jared was about to ask again, the bartender opened his mouth. “Who wants to know?” the guy said in a gravelly voice.

  “I’m a friend of hers, and that guy over there is her boyfriend.” Jared nodded to Jesse. “We haven’t talked to her today and were worried. Someone said she might be here.” A little white lie, but one that wouldn’t hurt in the grand scheme of things.

  “I haven’t seen her, but you might want to ask Michelle.”

  “Would you mind pointing her out?”

  “Over there,” he grunted. “The blonde with the big tits”

  Right, as if that was a help in a place like this. The guy must have noticed the look on Jared’s face and sighed.

  “With the red and blue outfit on. White, thigh–high patent leather boots.”

  I could see who he was talking about now. The girl was currently on stage doing her thing. And very nicely I thought. Jared walked back over to us.

  “So, what do we do while we are waiting for her to finish?” I asked.

  “Let’s sit down,” Jesse said.

  Jared and I just looked at him.

  “Well, what else can we do?” Jesse said. “Stand here like idiots? Come on. Let’s get a table by the side door over there. That’s where she’ll come off stage, and we can get her attention.”

  I looked at him.

  “What? I’m a guy. I’ve been to places like this before. Way before Ashley,” he quickly added.

  We sat down, and a waitress quickly came over, dressed in a skimpy outfit obviously to capitalize on tips. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the lady. Definitely past her prime but still hustling, based on the amount of skin she was showing. What would happen to her once she really got past her prime? I could hear my mother’s voice in my head talking about the value of an education. This was one situation where I would have to agree with my mother.

  “What’ll it be folks?” the waitress said, loudly chewing on her gum.

  “Nothing for us, thank you,” I replied.

  “Two drink minimum,” the tired–looking waitress said.

  “What?” I said loudly. “But, we’re just waiting for someone.”

  “That’s what they all say, sweetie. Two drink minimum.”

  “Do I look like I’m here to just take advantage?”

  “Darlin, you would be surprised at who comes in here and why. It’s not up to me to pass judgment.”

  “Bring me a rum and Coke,” Jared said “Her, too.”

  “It’s not even five o’clock yet,” I protested.

  “Make that three,” Jesse said, ignoring me.

  “Coming right up.” The waitress put her order pad in her pocket and walked away.

  “That’s robbery,” I said to the guys after she was gone.

  “Hey, it’s how places like this rake in the cash,” Jared said. “Just go with it. It’s not like we have a choice, so why worry?”

  I took in the surroundings as the waitress came back with their watered–down drinks. Even if I had the body for it, I would never have the guts to dance like this. I would be way too self–conscious. “How many songs do they usually dance to?”

  “Maybe four or five, and then they switch,” Jared said.

  “I was asking Jesse. How do you know?”

  “They are a lot of things you don’t know about me,” Jared replied smugly.

  “Apparently.”

  “Everyone give a big hand to our beautiful Michelle and sexy Stacy,” the DJ said over the loudspeaker.

  The girls waved at the audience and shimmied as they walked toward the stairs to get off stage.

  When the girl the bartender had pointed out made her way down the steps that ended right by our table, Jesse stood up.

  “Michelle?” he asked.

  “Who wants to know?” she replied warily.

  Up close I could see Michelle was older than she had looked on stage, not old and tired like the waitress, but not eighteen either.

  “My name is Jesse Thurman, and I’m Ashley Griffith’s boyfriend. I haven’t seen or heard from her today, and I’m worried. The bartender said you might know where she was. Please?”

  Michelle looked at him for a second and must have decided something in him looked like he was telling the truth. “I’ll be out in a minute.”

  “Thanks,” Jesse said and let out a tension–filled sigh. He turned back to the table and sat down. “She said she would be out in a minute.”

  “We heard. At least she didn’t refuse to talk to you.”

  “She hasn’t said anything yet, but you’re right. At least she didn’t run away.”

  We sat there listening to the music. It wasn’t a bad mix of R & B and rap. But after a few songs went by and Michelle still hadn’t come out, I began to wonder if she was
going to or was hiding in the back.

  “Jesse, don’t you think she should have been back out here by now? I mean, how long does it really take to change out of those skimpy clothes?”

  “You’re right, Pres,” Jared said, standing. “I’m going to go back there and see what’s taking so long.”

  “You can’t do that,” I said.

  “Sure I can. Those girls can spot that I’m gay a mile away. They won’t care in the slightest. Just watch.”

  I loved that about Jared. He would do just about anything. He calmly walked into the backroom, which was clearly marked Staff Only, like he belonged there. I didn’t hear any screams coming from the girls, so I assumed he must have been right. A few seconds later, he walked back out with a concerned look on his face.

  “Slight problem,” he said, sliding back into his chair.

  I just looked at him expectantly. “Well?”

  “She’s not back there.”

  “What do you mean she’s not back there?” Jesse said, raising his voice.

  “Quiet,” Jared said to him. “We don’t need to make a scene. Obviously there is something going on or she wouldn’t have snuck out the back, which is what the other girls told me she did.”

  Chapter 6

  After being naïve enough to think Michelle would be willing to talk to us, we realized we would have to use a little more stealth next time. Michelle’s actions also gave me the idea that something strange was definitely going on. Jared talked to some of the other girls and none of them had really known Ashley well, and all agreed that we really needed to talk to Michelle. But it was confirmed that Ashley had worked there quite a while. After finding out she was scheduled to work the next night, we drove back to Jesse’s apartment to regroup.

  “How could I not know that Ashley was dancing?” Jesse kept saying over and over. Not that Jared and I didn’t sympathize, but it was getting tiring. I had no idea what to say to him, and it was frustrating, though probably much worse for him.

  “Jesse, do you really think she would tell you something like that?” I said. “No matter how good your relationship is? I mean, be honest. You would have freaked out and probably given her an ultimatum if she had told you.”

  “I would have understood if there was a good reason for it.”

  “Right. You really want me to believe that you would be fine with your girlfriend stripping for a bunch of slime balls, as long as she had a good reason?”

  “Okay, maybe you’re right, and I wouldn’t have understood. But how could she hide it from me? Relationships are built on trust. I could have helped her if it was money she needed. Or her parents. They wouldn’t want her doing this.”

  “Relationships are built on trust? Really? Coming from the guy who, until Ashley, hasn’t had a girlfriend for more than two months, and monogamy has never been a word in your dictionary?”

  “Make fun all you want, Presley. I know I have a bad relationship track record, although criticism coming from you isn’t what I want to hear. But Ashley was different. I think she might be the one. In fact, I don’t think it, I know it.”

  “Jesse’s right,” Jared said. “You really shouldn’t be giving him a hard time about his relationships. I mean, look at this whole deal with you and Cooper—”

  I interrupted Jared. “Stop. You agreed to not mention his name to me.”

  “Just to shut you up in your wine–addled rant. I didn’t actually mean it. Cooper is a great guy.”

  “Wait a minute,” Jesse said, lifting his head. “I thought things were going good between you and Cooper, Sis.”

  “Well, your sister likes to be difficult,” Jared said. “She—”

  “I said, stop! We didn’t fly all the way to Vegas to give me a hard time about my love life or lack thereof. And right now we need to find Ashley, so can we just focus on that?”

  “Sure, Pres, for now,” Jesse said.

  “Can you think of anything Ashley would have needed money for? Any big bills?”

  “Not that I know of, Presley. I told you, her parents sent her money, or at least that’s what she told me. But then, it seems as there is a lot I don’t know about her that I thought I did.”

  “Have you ever met her parents?”

  “No. They live in Nebraska. We talked about going to see them at Christmas.”

  My eyebrows rose. Maybe baby brother was finally serious. His MO was to dump girls before holidays to avoid all the family stuff, not make plans to meet their folks and to have them meet his.

  “Maybe they didn’t send her money. I mean, maybe that was her excuse for her nice things.”

  “I hate to make you feel worse, but you’ve got to admit, Jesse, that the clothes and furniture in her apartment are worth much more than a teacher could pay for. Is she the kind of person who just wants nice things enough to work an extra job to pay for it?”

  “Not the Ashley I thought I knew. But I am so confused, I don’t know what to think right now about who she was or what I know about her.” Jesse looked at his watch. “Crap. I have to go back to work in less than an hour.”

  “You just got off work, what do you mean you have to go back in again?” I asked.

  “I volunteered for extra shifts last week before Ashley went missing. I needed the money, and Ashley has a lot of things at night with her girlfriends. She belongs to a book club and is taking a knitting class. I figured I might as well work instead of sitting home bored.” Jesse paused, a realization apparently coming over him. “She probably didn’t actually have all those clubs and classes, did she? God, I’m an idiot. How could I not have noticed?”

  “Jesse, don’t be hard on yourself. She did a good job of hiding it, that’s all. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

  “Women are devious,” Jared said. “And they are the masters at manipulation. Why do you think I prefer men? We’re simple creatures. Straightforward. No playing games.” I snorted, giving him a funny look and he turned to me. “What? You know it’s true.”

  “Riiight, like I haven’t seen you play a game or two in your dating life.”

  “Whatever, a few times doesn’t count. Just admit it. Women are difficult. They are high maintenance.”

  “Nope. Not our fault. Guys just are oblivious and don’t understand us.”

  “Would you guys stop your bickering and focus on the issue?” Jesse said. “I have to go to work in a few, and you two need to keep looking for Ashley.”

  “I hate to say this, but I have no idea where to go from here,” I said. “And we have a wedding tomorrow. This is a job for the detectives.”

  “I have an idea, but you’re going to hate it, Pres,” Jared said.

  “Who cares?” Jesse said at the same time I asked, “What is it?”

  “I think we should call Cooper and ask him to do a background check on Ashley. If anyone can dig up some dirt, he can. He owns a security company so he has the resources and is the real deal when it comes to this.”

  “Oh, yeah, that’s a brilliant idea,” I said sarcastically. “Just what I need, for him to think I’m getting involved again in something I shouldn’t be. No, thanks.”

  “Presley, don’t be selfish,” Jesse said. “If he can help us, then let’s ask.”

  I sat there and thought. I knew it was ridiculous to make things harder to find Ashley and refuse help that Cooper could give just because I didn’t want to have to talk to him. The last time we chatted hadn’t gone so well, and I had hung up on him. He’d been upset that I was involved in trying to solve the murder of my boss. I had told him she was my boss, and I was the one who’d found her, so of course I had to be involved. We kept arguing, and I just got fed up. Calling him now would require an apology and all that, and I wasn’t ready for that. Then again, what a bad sister I was to put my own interests in front of Jesse finding his girlfriend.

  I sighed. “Okay, fine. I’ll call him.”

  “Thanks, Sis.” Jesse jumped off the couch and gave me a kiss on the cheek, which I tried to p
ush away playfully. “I’m going to jump in the shower and get ready for work. Call him now, please.”

  “I can’t believe I agreed to this,” I said to Jared after Jesse walked to his room to get ready for work.

  “Don’t be such a baby. You know this is the right thing to do. Besides, it gives you a great excuse to call him without totally groveling for hanging up on him last time. You know he won’t refuse to help you and Jesse.

  “I know, and it’s the right thing to do, but still.”

  “Just call and get it over with. If you think about it too much it will get harder and harder.”

  I pulled out my phone and stared at it. Why was I so reluctant to call him? Yes, there was the little fact that I had hung up on him last time we talked, and that was after I called him a few names and said I didn’t want to talk to him again. But I had been mad. And the reason I was mad had been his fault. He was the one who argued with me, tried to tell me what to do. He was the one who traveled all the time. Hell, he didn’t even live in Chicago or Illinois for that matter. Not that it mattered, since he was always on the road. I didn’t want to be just one of his many ladies in each city, an accusation that had really pissed him off. He said I was being unfair, as he had never given me any reason to not trust him, and I shouldn’t hold him liable for the actions of my past boyfriends. But I knew better—or did I?

  How could someone as fabulous as Cooper want to be faithful to me when he had the opportunity to meet all sorts of wonderful women? I had to protect myself, didn’t I?

  “Oh for god sakes, give me that phone,” Jared said, snatching it out of my hand. “Just dial and get it over with. Like a Band–Aid, it needs to happen quick.”

  “Jared, don’t you dare,” I warned.

  “Here you go. It’s ringing.”

  I grabbed the phone back from him. My heart felt like it might explode it was beating so fast.

  Cooper picked up on the fourth ring. “Let me call you back in five,” he said and hung up.