Handbags & Hooligans

by Laina Turner

  We left the room, and I wanted a Diet Coke, so we headed downstairs to the general store located in the lobby.

  “What now?” Jared asked.

  “Well, Jesse is sleeping, and he needs a few hours at least, same with Anna. I don’t have my suit, but let’s go to the pool and soak up some sun while we are waiting on them. And maybe something will come to us.”

  “Something, what?”

  “I don’t know … something about Ashley, or how to make Jeff’s life miserable. Either would be good for me.”

  We got to lie out for a couple hours before my phone rang. It was Jesse looking for us. We told him to meet us out by the pool, and in a few minutes he came down.

  He sat next to me and leaned back into the chair. “What have you guys been doing?”

  “Soaking up some sun,” Jared replied.

  “I called Sweetie from The Pink Pony and asked him to meet me tonight, since the wedding is off,” I said.

  “What did he say?” Jesse asked.

  “That he would meet me at seven, so I have still a few hours.”

  “Do you really think he knows something?”

  “I don’t know, Jesse, but it’s worth a try.”

  “Why don’t we all head over to my apartment? You know, just in case Ashley calls there, and you can get ready from there. I called the detectives to tell them some of what we found out, and when they asked if she had tried to contact me, it made me think that maybe she called my apartment instead of my cell.”

  “Okay, but I hate to wake Anna. She needs her sleep.”

  “Anna’s up,” Jesse said.

  “How do you know?”

  “She woke me up by calling your room. I guess she assumed you would be there. She said to tell you to call her.”

  “Okay.” I dug my phone out of my bag and dialed. “Hey, how you feeling?”

  “Like crap, but I’m not going to let him ruin me.”

  “Good attitude. Listen, how do you feel about heading over to Jesse’s? He wants to hang out there in case Ashley calls.”

  “Sure. Meet you in the lobby in fifteen.”

  Chapter 10

  Hey, Presley, you’re not going to believe who just got here,” Jared said, opening the door to the bathroom at Jesse’s where I was trying to get ready for my date with Sweetie.

  “I can’t imagine who would be here that I would possibly care about. Now quit bugging me. The fact that I’m trying to get ready for a non–date solidifies the fact I am prostituting myself just to see if by any chance we can get information on Ashley. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very committed to finding her, but I can’t believe I’m doing this.” I was trying to look my best because that was how I always wanted to look, well, most of the time. But I had spent way longer than necessary finding just the right outfit, one that was sexy and flattering but wouldn’t give Sweetie the wrong impression about this dinner. My life was complicated enough without leading him on. Plus, I didn’t like to do that to guys.

  “You are going to want to hear this,” Jared replied. “I can promise you.”

  “Jared, please. Leave me alone so I can get ready. This is all your fault, anyways.” I knew it wasn’t really, that this might be our best chance to get information, but it just felt icky.

  “Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Jared backed out of the room. “And I’m going to enjoy saying I told you so after you realize you should have listened to me.”

  I wasn’t exactly sure what he meant by that, but I wasn’t in the mood to over analyze. I wanted to get to the Golden Corral for my pseudo date and get out of there as soon as possible. Jared wanted to go to an all–male review at the Riviera later, and I wanted to go with him and get Anna’s mind off things, not be stuck eating ribs. Not that I didn’t like ribs. I did, and that was the problem. I knew what ribs and the phrase all–you–can–eat would do to my waistline.

  I looked at my reflection. My makeup was darker than usual, but then again I was in Vegas. It felt appropriate. I had on my new True Religion jeans with the double row of white stitching that gave the company the ability to charge two hundred bucks a pair. There wasn’t much difference between those and cheaper jeans looks–wise, but there was a lot of difference in the fit. They looked much better on me than inexpensive ones. So not fair. A sleeveless black low cut top made of clingy fabric that clung in all the right places. And of course what I liked to call my trademark: four–inch red stiletto heels with my French pedicured toes peeking out. The touch of sass to an otherwise casual outfit. Shoes make such a difference. To complete the outfit, I donned oversized silver dangly earrings and a large silver cocktail ring that was shaped like a flower (which Jared always teased my about, asking if it was a satellite dish on my finger that helped me get better reception). Everyone knows that accessories make the outfit.

  I felt I looked as good as I was going to, so with a final spray of Dolce and Gabbana perfume I was ready to go. Jesse was at work again, but Jared and Anna were hanging out in the living room. I walked out to get a final approval from them and was shocked to see Cooper sitting on the couch with a Corona in his hand. I felt my breath catch. I looked over at Jared and gave him a What the hell is he doing here? look. Jared shrugged as if to say I tried to warn you, but you wouldn’t listen. Then he smiled; he was going to enjoy this.

  “Surprised to see me, Pres?” Cooper said, looking at me, knowing he was the last person I expected. He probably relished the thought that he’d shocked me—and that I hadn’t done a very good job of hiding it.

  “What are you doing here?” I finally asked. Don’t tell me he came all this way just to lecture me more about being involved in finding Ashley.

  “I was in Boston when you called and asked about the background check. I needed to fly to L.A. to check on some other stuff, so I thought I would make a detour on my way and see if you needed any help.”

  “If I needed your help, I would have called,” I said.

  “I believe you did call.” Cooper sat there smiling at me, which for some reason just infuriated me to no end. I looked at Jared and Anna, who both just shrugged. They liked Cooper and thought I was being an idiot pushing him away. This no doubt was giving him great satisfaction.

  “Well, I, we, don’t need your help, and I’m on my way out. I’m sorry you wasted your time stopping here.”

  “No problem. Is Jesse around?” Cooper asked, ignoring the fact I told him he could leave. I guessed he found my annoyance at seeing him here amusing. I didn’t want to refuse his help, but his being here confused my feelings.

  “He’s at work, but he texted me a bit ago and said he should be home around midnight,” Jared said, assuming I wasn’t in the mood to give Cooper any information. I was just still in shock at finding him here.

  “You guys can sit and chat, but I’ve got to get going if I don’t want to be late. You sure you don’t mind me taking the car, Jared?” Jesse had hitched a ride to work with a friend so we could use his car, and I was going to take it to meet Sweetie.

  “Go ahead, I’m fine. If you’re not back by the time I leave for the show, I’ll take a cab, and you can meet me and bring me home. Or maybe I’ll just take Cooper.” Jared smiled at me.

  “I’m sure Cooper needs to be getting to L.A.,” I said.

  Cooper’s brows knit. “You never told me where you were going, Pres.”

  “Ask Jared. I’ve got to leave now.” I grabbed my purse, swiped the car keys off the side table, and closed the door behind me. There was no way I was about to tell Cooper that I had a date, even if it wasn’t really a date. Besides, I was sure Cooper would be more upset that I was going out with a stranger from a strip club than he probably would be about the date part. In fact, I knew he would be furious thinking I was putting myself in danger, which I could understand. But Jesse and Jared knew where I was, and Sweetie was in some way a friend of Ashley’s, I supposed. Plus, he really seemed harmless. The girls at the club seemed comfortable around him.

 
I was driving and looking at Google maps on my phone, trying to figure out the next street I had to turn on. I needed to look for East Thompson. Jesse said the restaurant was only a few miles away. I leaned forward squinting against the sunlight to read street signs. There it was. I saw East Thompson, but it was almost a second too late. Slamming on my brakes and making a sharp right turn, I waved sheepishly at the car behind me that honked and swerved around me. I hated being that driver, but sometimes it happened.

  Once on East Thompson, I glimpsed the sign for the Golden Corral a few hundred yards down. Pulling in to the parking lot, I could see why Sweetie wanted to get there late. It was a few minutes before seven, and the parking lot was full. All–you–can–eat rib night must be a popular night. I wasn’t a big fan of buffets; I always ate too much. Unfortunately, I loved ribs, and I was starving. Not the best way to be going in to an all–you–can–eat place.

  I walked up to the building and saw Sweetie standing there waiting for me. He was dressed up. Well, dressed up compared to the other night, and since we were at a casual family dining establishment, it wasn’t as if he needed to be in a suit and tie. He didn’t look half bad in his khaki pants and light blue button down. The sleeves were rolled up so you could see his tattoos, but it didn’t really detract from his respectability, although you still wouldn’t want to mess with him, as his forearms were the size of logs.

  “Hi, Sweetie,” I said to him as I stepped up beside him from the curb.

  “Hi.” He still seemed to be a man of few words, but he did seem to have a little smile on his face and his eyes looked happy. It had been so dark in the bar I really couldn’t even see his eyes. They were a nice blue. He still didn’t have a neck, but he wasn’t bad to look at. Not gorgeous, hot, and sexy like Cooper, but then very few men were. That was my problem. I had been barely able to control my excitement and lust when Cooper appeared so unexpectedly. And that made me angry. What was it about him that made my heart rate go into high gear?

  “Shall we go in?” Sweetie said, bringing my train of thought back to the present and holding his arm out in a gesture to have me lead the way. Good manners. That was always nice.

  “Sure. You were right. It gets busy here early. Must mean it’s good.” We walked in, and the place was packed. We finally found a seat, set our stuff down, and then promptly got up and got in line. I was a little nervous. These senior citizens looked hungry and weren’t shy about getting in line. I was pushed more than once, but I didn’t mind. It was interesting to watch.

  “Sorry,” Sweetie said, as I got bumped for the second time. “They’re really good ribs. I think folks just get excited.”

  “No worries.” I was starting to get a little more excited than I should have been about the food. The ribs looked delicious and there was also corn on the cob glistening with what I assumed was a ton of butter and salt, mashed potatoes with lumps, green beans complete with bacon pieces, sweet potatoes, corn muffins, and biscuits. To my right was another food table full of desserts. Cobblers as far as the eye could see. I was drooling. I started piling my plate high. Good thing I wasn’t interested in Sweetie. I would have been embarrassed to eat like this in front of a real date, even Cooper, for as long as I had known him. “This looks amazing.”

  “It is,” Sweetie replied, piling his plate even higher than mine. But he had to be at least two hundred and fifty pounds, so it made a little more sense that he would eat more.

  Sweetie looked over at my plate, and I grinned sheepishly. “I like food. What can I say?”

  “That doesn’t bother me at all. I hate being with people who don’t have a big appetite. Makes me look like a pig,” he said with a smile.

  “You’re a big guy. It makes sense you would eat all that,” I said, sliding into my seat while a waitress came over to take my drink order.

  We sat in silence for a long time just eating. I hadn’t tasted such good food since last Fourth of July at my parents’ house. The ribs were almost as good as the ones my dad made that he marinated in Wickers for at least twenty–four hours, and then cooked slowly on the grill. Those ribs just fell of the bone, and these were about the same. My hands were full of sauce, having given up on trying to use a fork, and I was sure my face was saucy, too. I didn’t care. I was too busy enjoying my meal. My plate started to look empty, and Sweetie had just sat back down from his second trip to the buffet. I thought now might be a good time to start making conversation about something other than food. I needed to take my mind off getting another plateful.

  “How long have you worked at The Pink Pony?”

  Sweetie held up one finger as he chewed the bite of food he had just taken.

  “One year?”

  Sweetie swallowed, “Yep. Well, actually about fourteen months, but who’s counting?”

  “What made you go into this line of work? Is it the girls? I mean, I can understand if it’s the girls. They’re beautiful, and if I was a guy I would love to be surrounded by beautiful girls all day, too.”

  “No.” Sweetie laughed. “It’s not the girls. I enjoy them. Hell, like you said what guy wouldn’t? Even your friend Jared likes to be around the ladies. But that wasn’t my main motivation. I’m a career bartender, and this is a good paying job. Plus, I like making sure the girls are cared for. Many of these joints don’t protect the girls like they should.”

  “That makes sense, I guess. How well did you know Ashley?”

  Sweetie looked up from his plate and gave me that stare, the one he gave at the club that gave me the impression he didn’t really want to talk. However, I felt much more comfortable with him now. After all, nothing says friends like a face full of rib sauce and the fact I matched him almost bite for bite. That had to count for something. I thought under the tough exterior Sweetie was a big ole softie.

  “C’mon, don’t play dumb,” I said. “You knew perfectly well that I was going to ask you questions about Ashley if I went out with you.”

  Sweetie just continued to stare. I started to second guess myself. Maybe we weren’t getting to be as friendly as I thought. Just when I was about to really freak out that I said the wrong thing, he smiled. “Yeah, you’re right. I knew you were a nosy broad.”

  “Broad? You better watch it,” I said playfully. I knew he was joking with me.

  “I’ve known Ashley the whole time I’ve worked there. She was there before I started. She seems like a real nice girl. Works hard, never pulls crap like not showing up or being under the influence, like some of the other girls. She was always open about the fact she was a teacher and was only doing this to pay off some student loans. She always said this paid a lot better than other part–time jobs, and she hated being in debt.”

  I was, in a way, glad to hear that. Maybe Ashley really was just dancing to get ahead financially. But then again, if she had been that concerned about paying off debt, would she have all those expensive things in her apartment? Buying that stuff would have slowed the debt pay down, wouldn’t it? But maybe with the money I’d heard these girls could make, what was spending a few bucks for outfits?

  “She always talked about your brother, too. She said they were planning a future together. She seemed really happy.”

  My eyes teared a little at the mention of that. I was glad for Jesse’s sake that Ashley seemed to love him in spite of keeping such a big secret. It made it all that more important for us to find her. Sweetie noticed my watery eyes, and he reached over and patted my hand. He did work with women all day, so it wasn’t that surprising.

  “It’s going to be okay,” he said. “I’m sure Ashley is fine. She’s a smart girl.”

  “How can you know when we don’t have any idea where she is, or why she’s gone?”

  “I don’t for sure, but I’ve got good instincts. Have you gone to the police?”

  “Yeah, but they won’t tell us much. I’m just at a loss as to what to do, or how to help.”

  “You could come work at The Pink Pony and get to really know those of us that
worked with Ashley.”

  I looked at him. Was he joking? He said it with such a straight face, but he had to be joking. “Ha! You don’t want to see me in a skimpy outfit—or naked for that matter.”

  “Oh, I’m sure it wouldn’t be a hardship for me or any guy to look at you, but I didn’t mean as a dancer.”

  I didn’t know whether or not I should be offended at that. It was one thing for me to say it, completely another for a guy, and Sweetie must have noticed my puzzled look.

  “Not that you don’t have the looks to dance, you do. It just seems a little outside your comfort zone. What I meant rather was as a waitress. The outfits aren’t as skimpy, the tips aren’t bad, and you get to meet a whole lot of people. You have more time to talk and listen, more time to listen than if you were a dancer.”

  “Still, I don’t think it’s my bag. Besides, I can’t get a job for just a few days.”

  “Sure you can. I do all the hiring, and I’ve got a girl who asked for this week off at the last minute because her mom is ill. You would be doing me a favor by helping me out.” Sweetie tried giving me a puppy dog look, but the effort made me laugh rather than feel bad for him.

  “Can I just get all my information from you? Or Michelle? I still think she’s hiding something, by the way.”

  “She just wants to make sure you can be trusted. She’s a very cynical gal.”

  “What makes you say that?”

  “Let’s just say I know her pretty well.”

  “Girlfriend?” I asked.

  “Sister.”

  I didn’t know what to say. “And you don’t mind? The dancing, I mean.”

  “I mind it less knowing I’m there in case some creep tries to overstep his bounds. She’s young and sees this as a great way to rebel against our parents. They were pretty controlling of her growing up. Much more than me; her being a girl, I suppose, made them more protective.”

  “So what did your parents say? Did it have the desired effect on them?”