Paid Justice (Croft Family Mob Series Book 3)

by Morgan Kelley

  “I think you should let us handle the ‘The Pink Kitty’,” Chris said. “It’s more in the open, and we don’t know anything yet.”

  “And what should we do?” Dimitri asked. “Twiddle our thumbs?”

  Yeah, someone was cranky.

  Then again, he’d just been told his ‘brother’ was running amuck in the city, and possibly the person buying and killing underage women.

  That had to sting.

  “You should head to ‘Aquarius’ to see if anyone saw that man coming or going,” Chris offered. “Maybe your security cameras caught something.”

  Dimitri relaxed.

  Chris had a point.

  If he wasn’t so rattled, he might have thought about that himself. This was proof that he was NOT on his game.

  “If we can get a license plate, or anything more, we can track him.”

  Emma agreed.

  That wasn’t enough for Greyson.

  “Will you both be okay?” he asked.

  Emma tapped her chest. “I’m wearing body armor, and I know Chris is, too, after being Tasered by Elizabeth.”

  Well, that made Greyson feel better. At least she was trying to be proactive.

  He tapped his chest.

  Dimitri followed suit.

  “Okay, but take pictures of him,” Greyson said, holding up the picture of the man. “If you see him, Chris,” he began.

  “I can handle him.”

  He read his rap sheet to his overeager friend. It was the one that was in the file.

  “Murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, rape, theft, grand theft auto, vehicular manslaughter, treason…”

  “I get it. I’ll let Emma handle him.”

  She laughed.

  Greyson and Dimitri, not so much.

  “Come on! He was kidding. Just stay safe,” she said, kissing Greyson, and then Dimitri on the cheek.

  They walked out of the house and got into their perspective rides.

  “If I ever say that I’m picking a case again,” Greyson began.

  Oh, Dimitri got it.

  “I’ll shoot you myself.”

  “Thank you.”

  Then, one by one, they headed out of the gates to really dig into this case.

  And hopefully, at the end of the night, they would all be coming back.

  * * * G r e y s o n C r o f t * * *

  LVPD

  When Riley got to work, he didn’t see his partner. That was odd, but maybe the man was taking some time off.

  The sergeant at the desk called him over and handed him a paper before he could even get into the precinct.

  On it, was his next case.

  Great.

  “Has Lester shown up yet?” he asked the man.

  “Nah, not yet. Want me to send him to the scene when he shows?” the desk sergeant asked.

  “Yeah, I’ll head out.”

  This was the last thing Riley wanted. He had wanted to start working on those victims tied to Greyson’s case, and instead, he was going to check out a victim, who was likely a vagrant, on a park bench.

  Turning around, he headed out of the building, and to be sure, he sent his partner a text.

  No reply.

  Maybe the man was taking some down time. He’d done it, so why not him? It wasn’t like they were getting anywhere on the cases on their desk.

  Outside, he hopped into his truck since his partner had their work ride. He put the address into the navigational screen and headed out of the parking lot.

  The whole time, Riley wasn’t thinking about work, the case he’d just been handed, or his partner.

  He was thinking about Delilah, and worrying.

  All he wanted was for her to be all right.

  * * * G r e y s o n C r o f t * * *

  The Pink Kitty

  Across Town

  Emma laughed, despite the entire situation. What else could she do? Yes, they were heading into one more strip club. For a rich lady, she was certainly hanging out in a lot of dives.

  Oh, and this one was just that.

  The place was nasty, and she could tell by the neon on the sign. The Y kept falling over, and a yellow glowing cat was licking the vee of the Y.

  She got it.

  Yeah, this place was going to be raunchy with a capital R. She definitely would be careful where she touched.

  “Are we going to mess with the media?” Chris asked, as they pulled in and he parked their ride.

  She hesitated.

  “What?” he asked.

  “I can’t.”

  He looked over. “Greyson? Did he get angry about what the news showed?”

  How to put this delicately?

  “No, he didn’t get angry, but I can tell it bothered him.” Emma wasn’t going to mention they had a whole conversation. That was private.

  “You can?”

  “Yeah, and I think we should knock it off. It’s more about Natasha. She was looking at me like I was trying to steal her man. I’ve seen that look before.”

  He laughed.

  Then Chris noticed she wasn’t.

  “Wait! You’re being serious?”

  “Yeah, maybe you should spend some time with her tonight, reassuring her, and we should stop with the busting ass. It’s making her uncomfortable.”

  He hadn’t realized. “You and I haven’t done…”

  She glanced over and lifted a brow.

  Her mouth had been on his. She’d been in his arms, and they went into a strip club together.

  THAT said it all.

  “Yeah, I can’t even refute this one. You’re right. It could give someone the wrong idea. I’m just not accustomed to being a couple. I used to tease your husband all the time.”

  She got it, and their teasing was being misconstrued by his current love interest. While Greyson might tolerate it, Natasha had been hurt enough in her life, and Emma didn’t want to do that to her.

  She loved Natasha.

  “Plus, think how you’d feel if she was flirting with a man, and not worried about your heart.”

  Emma went to get out.

  “Wait.”

  “What?” she asked.

  “I have to ask you something.”

  “What?”

  “You said last night that you’d run into Denise. Did you really or were you trying to screw with me?”

  She’d forgotten she’d even brought it up.

  “Yeah, she’s in town. She saw you on the media, and she was looking for you.”

  “Jesus. I’d rather have coffee with Satan, naked, and on fire.”

  Emma figured.

  “Well, I told her pound sand. She actually approached me for your new number.”

  “Please tell me you didn’t give it to her.”

  She laughed. “Shit! I wasn’t supposed to?” she asked. “Really?”

  “Har har. I get it.”

  “She mentioned swinging by your place and asking if you moved.”

  “Wait, where was I?” he asked. “You and I are together non-freaking stop.”

  “I was trying on dresses for the wedding. I was in the dressing room, and she approached me.”

  He swallowed.

  Thank GOD she’d missed him. Chris didn’t want to deal with that harpy. He was free.

  “She asked, and I told her beat it.”

  He began laughing. “I know her. That couldn’t have gone over too well.”

  “She wasn’t thrilled, but she’s going to have to suck it up. She cheated on you, she broke your heart, and she got fat.”

  “Did she?” he asked hopefully.

  Emma started laughing. “No, but I figured you’d want me to say that.”

  He snorted. “You know me so well.”

  “I figured it was a bad sign when she started with ‘I’m in town and divorcing man number three’,” Emma stated.

  “God bless him. I don’t have to pay alimony. I feel bad for sucker number three. She’s going to drink him dry until man four comes along.�
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  “Lucky you to have escaped.”

  “How did you scare her away?” he asked.

  “I told her you were my side dick, and if she came near you, I’d make sure she was neck deep in the desert.”

  He stared at her. “You could have said I was in a …”

  She stopped him. “You weren’t at the time. It’s what I could go with, so don’t judge. I was trying anything to keep the harpy at bay.”

  He didn’t mind.

  It kept the shrew away.

  “I’m good now.”

  He leaned in to give her a kiss, and she pulled away. “I think a handshake will suffice.”

  Chris stared at her.

  She burst out laughing.

  “Really? You’re going to be mean? I was Tasered this morning.”

  Emma accepted his kiss.

  Then she screwed with him.

  “Can you tie my husband up again?” she asked.

  He got out and flanked her. “You rocked his world, huh?” he asked. “Are you gonna share?”

  “How’s the sex with Miss Bendy McBenderson?”

  Chris liked their relationship. With Emma, he could be himself, and she was like one of the guys. Except he occasionally checked out her ass.

  He couldn’t help himself.

  “Let’s just say I’m a very happy man. I may propose to her.”

  She stopped. “What? What happened to ‘I’m happy as a boyfriend for now’?”

  He was aware.

  “I think I’m going to do the ring, and propose. I know I said I needed time, but after our talk last night, it’s time I move on from…well, you know.”

  She smiled at him.

  Emma understood what he was saying. She always would. They shared that bond.

  “Plus, with Denise in town, I better put a ring on my girl. That will be better than Denise getting fat. I’m dating a younger, sexier woman.”

  Emma laughed. “Score, Captain.”

  He gave her a high five, and then went right back into guard mode. He scanned the area, making sure any media kept their distance.

  “We may have some time after this interview. Want to maybe sneak over to the jewelry shop? I can help you pick out a pretty ring for your girl.”

  He stared at her in horror.

  “What?” she asked. “I’ll let you pay!”

  “Uh, I said I may propose, but I need a month to think that out.”

  She laughed.

  Emma wasn’t surprised. “I’ll clear next Christmas for ring shopping,” she said, as they headed into the club.

  Chris found that amusing.

  Once at the door, Emma pointed at him. “Babe, I paid for the last club. You’re up,” she teased.

  He stared at her.

  “Okay, I’ll pay for the lap dance.”

  She said she was going to be more cognizant of Natasha’s feelings. Emma didn’t say she was backing off and not tormenting him at all.

  Chris paid, and they headed inside. At the bar, there was a blonde woman who looked like she was shy of being ridden hard and put away wet.

  If she was stripping…

  Yikes.

  “Can I help you?” she asked, as they both stopped at the bar.

  “Yeah, I need to ask some questions,” she said, pulling out her phone.

  “Okay, ask.”

  “What’s your name, and please don’t give me some stripper name?” she asked.

  The woman looked at her like she was insane. “I don’t strip. I’ve been tending bar here for almost twenty years.”

  Well, thank God.

  Chris was trying hard not to snicker beside her.

  “Name?”

  “Why do you need to know that?” she asked, crossing her arms.

  “We have some questions…”

  The woman cut her off.

  “I know who you are, and you’re not a cop, so maybe you should head on out.”

  Emma shrugged. “Okay. Since you know who I am, you know that a pack of media mongrels follow me everywhere. So. I’ll go outside and begin talking about strippers going missing, you serving people under age, and some health violations.”

  She stared at her. “What are you talking about?”

  Emma and Chris pointed to the three young men at the table with strippers in their laps. “They aren’t going to be twenty-one. I guess I have to call some friends.”

  “Wait.”

  Emma figured as much.

  “We got off on the wrong foot. My name is Rosemary Harrington. Now, what do you need to know?”

  They figured Julie was going to be the best lead, so they showed the woman her picture. Marissa, while getting lost in all this, was still their client. They’d promised to find Julie, and they were going to try their best.

  “Do you know her?”

  She took the phone and stared at it.

  “Well, when I saw her, she looked a little less wholesome, and she was blowing a bunch of men, including some of our bouncers.”

  They looked over at the man.

  “When did you see her?”

  “A month ago? Maybe a little less. She was in here with her pimp. She did a little stripping, and that’s it.”

  “Are you sure she didn’t do anything else but strip?” Emma asked. “You just said she was blowing men left and right.”

  “Yeah, on that day, but before that, she was on the stage dancing.”

  Emma wasn’t sure what to buy anymore.

  “And she worked here and the ‘Titty Corral’?”

  The woman shrugged. “Honey, I can’t answer to what goes on over there. We have some dancers here that work there, and you can ask them if you like.”

  “Where are these bouncers and strippers?”

  She looked around.

  “It looks like they aren’t in yet. I guess they won’t be in until later. You’ll have to come back to talk to them.”

  Yeah, Emma didn’t doubt that Rosemary was protecting her people.

  As for coming back, she didn’t really want to do that.

  “Was anyone bugging her?” Chris asked.

  “No, she was a favorite. I think she was into drugs though. She seemed a little wacked out last time I saw her.”

  That explained what Dimitri found in her apartment. They really weren’t shocked.

  “Thank you, Rosemary.”

  “Hey, no problem. You’re that woman married to that big mob guy, right?” she asked.

  “Yeah. Why?”

  “If you come in with him, I’ll give you free drinks. We could use some big shots to boost business. It’s been slow lately, and I work on tips too.”

  Emma smiled and walked away without saying a word. THAT was NEVER happening.

  As in over her dead body.

  “Yeah, you should get Greyson in here. What could possibly go wrong?” he asked.

  Oh, the list was endless.

  “Yeah, and this place will give us both herpes. I think we’ll pass.”

  Chris laughed, as they headed toward the bouncer.

  “Hey! Can I ask you a question?” she inquired, smiling at the man. Hopefully, that would get them somewhere.

  “Sure, sugar. You’re a hot one. Need a job shaking that money maker?” he asked, physically turning her around to look at her ass.

  Chris didn’t tolerate it. He slammed the man against the wall and pressed his forearm against his trachea.

  “Now, tell me why I shouldn’t stop you from breathing for touching her?”

  “I was just checking out her goods.”

  Chris wanted to take his face off and then put it back on upside down.

  Emma knew how to shut the man up, and keep Chris from going to jail for manhandling a bouncer. The woman behind the bar looked seconds away from calling the cops.

  They didn’t need that.

  “I’m Emma CROFT.”

  He closed his mouth.

  “Oh, I stand corrected. The queen of Vegas can’t be shaking her ass withou
t a crown.”

  Chris pressed.

  The man stopped smirking.

  “Yeah, newsflash. I wouldn’t shake my ass in this shithole if I was starving, dying, destitute, and it was the only way to survive.”

  He looked offended.

  “It’s not that bad.”

  “There’s a roach beside your head,” Emma stated.

  The man practically crawled over Chris to get away from it. That said it all.

  “Let’s focus,” Emma stated.

  She held up a picture.

  “Did you get your dick fondled by her? Now think long and hard. I’m sure it’s been a while since a woman wanted to touch you.”

  He stared at her. “You’re actually a bitch. How did you get a man?” he asked.

  Chris stared at him.

  “I mean, no, I didn’t even though her pimp was sharing her. She gave about twenty blowjobs that day but none to me. He said he was training her. She seemed okay with it.”

  “Let me go on the record…” She waited for his name.

  “It’s Roscoe McKinney.”

  “Okay, Roscoe. Here’s the truth in the matter. No woman wants to give twenty blowjobs in a day. One, yeah, we like it. Three, to the same man, and hey, we’ll play the game. By number five, we want to cut the dick off and smack you with it. There was no freaking way she was enjoying a twenty-blowjob day!”

  Chris stared at her, and Emma could tell he was trying not to laugh or pee his pants.

  “Is that for real?” he asked her.

  Emma rolled his eyes.

  “Never mind that part, Roscoe. You have other issues.”

  “Like?” he asked.

  “You let a minor give you head. You know that’s illegal, right?”

  His eyes went wide.

  “Really?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, getting a lecture from you was on my bucket list. I can cross it off,” he said, sarcastically. Then he began laughing.

  Emma glared at him.

  “Listen, lady, I stare at titties all day long. Black ones, white ones, jiggly ones, and saggy ones. If a girl is going to take my dick out of my pants, and I don’t have to pay her, so be it. Let’s call it a job perk.”

  Chris took over.

  Emma looked like she was ready to blow—not him.

  “You basically just confessed to getting one,” he stated. “You may say you didn’t, but I’m willing to bet you jerk off a lot here.”