Death on the Strip (Death Card Series Book 1)

by J. S. Peck

  “I agree,” Brian said, nodding his head.

  After a pause, he said, “Rosie, I’ve been thinking about a plan that I think could get us the information we want. Want to hear it?” he asked, hesitantly.

  “Okay,” I responded, not sure I was going to like it. In all the times of my working with the police on various cases, I’d never worked one in such an unorthodox way. It almost seemed like child’s play. But, I reminded myself to just stay open and listen to what Brian had to offer.

  “I think you should apply to be one of the girls at the Purple Passion Lounge. You’re pretty enough and you have a great figure. You’d be a shoo-in.”

  “What are you thinking I’d be doing there?” I asked in a frosty tone, strangely annoyed with his ‘pretty enough’ comment.

  “Gathering information, of course,” he returned with a slight grin.

  “Well, I have a better idea, mister. YOU go to the club! As a client, I’m sure you won’t have any trouble getting the girls to talk. I think you may even be ‘pretty enough’ in the looks department, too.” I added, sweetly. “And what had you in mind for what you’d be doing while I was at the Purple Passion Lounge?”

  “I thought I could become a part-time driver for PUP, he responded. At my disbelief, he asked, “Why? Would you rather do that?”

  “Of course I’d rather be a driver than a stripper!” I responded with dignity, realizing too late that I had fallen into his trap.

  After soaking in what had just happened and annoyed with my stupidity, I snapped, “For God’s sake, Sweet Pea, stop mauling him with all your kisses and get down off the couch.”

  As Brian started to open his mouth in protest, I barked at him, “Don’t even think about it, Cowboy.”

  He promptly closed his mouth. He recognized he had pushed his luck far enough by getting me to commit to PUP as a driver. He hurriedly got up from the couch and headed for the front door. I followed along. When he reached it, he turned to me, kissed my forehead and said, “I’ll be back tomorrow in time for a morning cup of coffee, okay? We can begin to put our plans into action then.”

  As Sweet Pea looked forlornly at the front door, I said, “And, you! Don’t even think about giving me a dirty look, Missy! C’mon, we’re going to bed.”

  It was then I remembered I had forgotten to have Brian listen to Sally’s message. I’d had every intention of doing so before we fussed over who was going to do what between PUP and the Purple Passion Lounge. I was so surprised yet annoyed with my reactions to Brian that I was happy to put myself to bed and forget my foolish behavior. He certainly knew how to get under my skin, all right.

  CHAPTER 12

  It was no revelation that I tossed and turned during the night. I woke up in a grumpy mood. I smelled the perfume my grandmother always wore and wasn’t at all surprised to hear her whispering words, “Remember, Sunshine, if you don’t get up on the right side of the bed that is how your whole day will be. Why don’t you take a few minutes and start over?” She sent me a vision of a red rose for love and puff! She was gone.

  I had to smile at Gram coming to me. Even all these years later, she still treated me as her little girl who needed her guidance every once in a while. I laid in bed trying to regroup into a better frame of mind. I knew how important it is not to give your power away just to please someone else. I needed to be sure that driving part-time for PUP was a good thing for me to do. I also needed to re-think my relationship with Brian. What did I know of him, really?

  I got up, showered and dressed before I headed downstairs for a cup of morning coffee. I let Sweet Pea out. Then I sat before my computer. PUP’s website had a place to download an application, which I filled out and returned to them via email. I printed one out for me as well. I planned on hand delivering it to them today. I would use mapquest to find their address later.

  I had finished when I heard Sweet Pea barking excitingly. I knew Brian was here. When I opened the door and saw him, I couldn’t help exclaiming, “Whoa, Cowboy, what happened to you? You look awful!”

  He answered grumpily, “After I left you last night, I thought there was no reason to delay going to the Purple Passion Lounge. Let me tell you, that place is hoppin’! I didn’t get home until 4 o’clock this morning!”

  “Good lord! What did you do there all that time?”

  He gave his crooked grin, “What do you think?”

  I hate it when anyone does that, leaving me with nothing smart to say. “Well?” I asked, ignoring his question.

  He laughed. “Well, I got to know two of the girls pretty well,” he said with a wink.

  I couldn’t help being annoyed at his inferences. “I don’t care about that. Come on, what did they say?”

  All business now, he replied, “Actually, they told me quite a lot. Melissa’s supervisor is David Masterly. He was very broken up with Melissa’s death. In fact, he hasn’t been back in the office since she died. The girls said his wife made arrangements for them to take some time off for these past days in Hawaii. They say the wife is a tough cookie and unpleasant, and that he’d be better off working than spending time with her no matter how beautiful a place is.

  “There are two partners who own the business. One of them is a silent partner and no one knows who it is. The partner who runs the business is Tony Angelo. He can be a prick, according to the girls. David is in charge of all the girls. Anyone I spoke to says David is a really nice guy who makes sure everything goes as smoothly as possible. He was a bit sweet on Melissa, but they think it probably was more like a fatherly type of love. He’s quite a bit older than she was.”

  “Hmmm. Maybe that’s why he helped Melissa get her car for a new start in life,” I interjected. “What about Sally Smith?”

  “There is some connection between Tony and Sally but no one knows exactly what it is. Whatever she wanted, she got. The girls say Sally was nice enough, but acted more like a puppet for Tony. Melissa and Sally got along okay, but weren’t really close.

  “I haven’t been able to talk to Tony, but I will go there later today to see what I can find out. Meanwhile, I’ll check with the station to see if they have anything on him that isn’t public information.

  “How about you, Sunshine?” Brian asked.

  Brian’s question startled me for Sunshine was the name my grandmother had used this morning. I found it odd, too, that both of them sometimes call me “Rosie girl.” Strange.

  I couldn’t let go of my curiosity about the diamond ring Mary and I had discovered in Melissa’s things. Especially with the signature of B.B. Although it didn’t seem likely it was Brian, I had to know for sure it wasn’t. “I told you about the diamond ring Mary and I found among Melissa’s things, didn’t I?” I asked.

  “No, what ring?” Brian asked with raised eyebrows.

  “When we were going through Melissa’s things, we came upon a fancy jewelry box with a large diamond ring. There was also a note. It read, ‘You are the one. Love, B.B.’ Do you know anything about that?”

  As I stared intently at Brian, his face became flushed and he looked flustered. I felt a flutter of worry in my stomach. I continued staring at him until he opened his eyes wide and held his hands up in defense. “You don’t think it’s me, do you? Well, it’s not me!” he implored.

  “Then why are you looking like a cat that has swallowed a canary?” I demanded.

  “No reason.” He replied uncomfortably before adding, “It’s not me!”

  I hurried to change the subject so that he wouldn’t ask where the ring was now. “Well, then. Here’s what else is happening. This morning, I got up and filled out an application for PUP and emailed it back to them. I also printed one out for me. I’ll hand deliver it there today. Perhaps, I can even get them to interview me then,” I said, hopefully.

  “Good,” acknowledged Brian, happy to change the subject away from the initials B
. B. I wondered what that was all about. He asked, “By the way, do you happen to have a white board? I thought with all your writing, you might have one.”

  “Well, you’re in luck because I do have one right here in my office. Follow me.”

  “Wow, you’re office is really neat! How do you do it? I never can. I have things strewn all over the place. However, I know pretty much where everything is, though,” he added. “Maybe I wouldn’t if everything were this neat!”

  I ignored his teasing. “Let me find the erasable pens, and we can get started,” I said with excitement. I remembered some of the scenes from the various television crime shows and how they worked their white boards. Unlike how Gram and I had done our police work through meditation.

  “I’ll put Melissa’s name on the top left and Sally’s name on the top right.”

  As I began writing, I heard him say, “I believe there is a unique connection between the two that may not be obvious at first. But once we find out how they are connected, maybe we can get to the bottom of who the killer is.”

  “I agree,” I said.

  “Let’s write under each name the things we know about them so far,” suggested Brian.

  I kept silent about what I was hiding from him. I was hoping Brian would discover some new information without my revealing what I was keeping to myself. Why was I not sharing what I knew about Melissa’s money and code book with him? What was keeping me silent? All I could do was shake my head at myself and go along with my intuition to keep still.

  With heart pounding, I realized that it was time to have Brian listen to Sally’s message. I dreaded his reaction. “Brian, I was going to share something with you last night, but lost track of it with all the talk about PUP and the Purple Passion Lounge. Don’t be upset with me. Just listen to this message, okay?”

  “I knew you were hiding something,” he scowled.

  “Remember I told you about meeting Sally Smith?”

  “Yeah,” he nodded, reluctantly.

  “Yesterday morning, I discovered the message light blinking on the desk telephone. Apparently I’d hidden it underneath a newspaper I’d tossed in the corner. I need you to listen to it now.”

  My eyes watered and goosebumps traveled across my body. As I listened to Sally’s words again, I watched Brian’s startled expression. For once, he was silent with no quick comeback. After a few long seconds, he turned to me. “Holy Shit, Rosie!”

  “Do we have to report it to the police?” I asked with a silent, desperate plea for him to say, no.

  “Normally, I would say we have to. But for obvious reasons, I think if we do that, it’s only going to make things worse for both of us. Especially since we are doing our own investigating into her murder. Obviously, the police already know someone was after her…”

  He seemed shaken with Sally’s message. “Dammit! You aren’t hiding anything else from me, are you?”

  I turned away from him so I wouldn’t have to look him in the eye and simply shook my head no. I reached for one of the pens for the white board and suggested, “Let’s list motives for both killings and see where that gets us.”

  “Alright.” Brian said, more enthused now that I was serious about helping him. But I could see he was still upset with me. It seemed that the tables were turned. It was now he who had doubts about why we were working together. I was trouble for him.

  As I began writing: money/greed, revenge, jealousy, sex, recognition/ fame, self-protection of personal status or loved one, rage, mental illness, I felt a whisper of goosebumps cover my body. I again remembered the vision I had when we had gone to Sally’s murder scene. “Did I forget anything?”

  “The most important thing of all in my book is “love,” he said, looking at me with such innocence that my heart skipped a beat.

  “I agree,” I said with a nod. “Let’s work it from that angle then.”

  Once again, Brian became all business. He took over the board. “Alright, we know there is a connection between Melissa and Sally simply because they both worked at the Purple Passion Lounge. But what else?”

  “I don’t think that means that much. I think you’re right. It has much more to do with their love lives and the men in them.”

  I thought of the time I’d met Brian and asked, “By the way, did you know Melissa before she drove us to the airport that day when we first met?”

  Brian looked surprised. “What do you mean?”

  “That day I booked PUP for my airport pickup. According to the PUP rules I read this morning, the driver is allowed only one pickup. You were already in the car when she came to get me. Afterwards, she said not to mention it to anyone that she had two different pickups at the same time.”

  “Oh, that.” He answered, avoiding my question. “Nothing to worry about, Rosie.”

  “Just what kind of answer is that?” I pushed.

  The look on Brian’s face was one of embarrassment. He gave a crooked smile. “I was at the same coffee shop when Melissa was there picking up her latte. I overheard her on her cell phone saying she’d be able to make the PUP trip to the airport. So in my charming way, I told her I had an emergency and had to get to the airport fast. I convinced her that I would make it worth her while if she ditched you and took me instead.”

  “You dirty dog!” I exclaimed, appalled.

  “Well, as you obviously know, she refused to dump you so she got both my money and yours.”

  “And well deserved, if you ask me. Shame on you! Now I understand why you didn’t want to say anything.”

  “I know. Later, I felt bad that I had pushed her into taking me to the airport. I never got the chance to tell her how sorry I was,” he lamented.

  I felt a bit sorry for him because it’s so easy to let an apology lapse. We always think we have enough time to do so. When the phone rang, it startled me. Uncertain who would be calling, I hesitated to pick it up. I looked at Brian who lifted his shoulders signaling he had no idea who the caller might be. So I gingerly picked up the phone. “Hello?”

  “Is this Rosalie Bennett?” asked the voice on the phone.

  “Yes, how may I help you?”

  “Perhaps it’s me who is going to help you! This is Sophia from PUP calling. We received your application this morning and we would like to speak with you. Are you available this afternoon?”

  CHAPTER 13

  I closed the front door after pushing Brian out and raced to change my clothes to get to the PUP office. I was a bit alarmed when I discovered its office was located in a rather seedy part of Las Vegas’ early business center that had since gone to ruin.

  I arrived there right on time. When I went to open the door to the office, I found it unlocked. When I stepped inside, there was no one in the reception area. Before I could call out, I heard rumbling coming from the back sounding like furniture being moved. What froze me to my spot was the loud, demanding voice that was being hurled at some unfortunate person. “What do you mean, you don’t know?” It was the same voice I had heard when I had called PUP the first time. It was also the same voice I had heard in my vision at Sally’s death site.

  I yelled as loudly as I could, “Anybody here?” I heard more shuffling and a door slam shut as a rather pretty older woman came rushing from the back. She looked under duress and more than a little disheveled.

  “Hi there,” she called out in a resigned voice. “Can I help you?”

  “I’m Rosalie Bennett. I have an interview with Sophia. Are you Sophia?”

  “Yes,” she said with forced cheerfulness. “However, there are days when I wish I weren’t. And this is one of them,” she added mumbling low.

  She moved to the sitting area. She expanded her arm and said, “I’m sorry. Please come this way and take this chair here so we can talk.”

  “Who was doing all that yelling?”

  “Oh, no worr
y. His bark is much bigger than his bite. You won’t have to deal with him, anyway.”

  I like to be in charge of an interview. The only way I know how is by asking as many questions of the interviewer as he or she asks of me. So I began. “How long have you been working for PUP?”

  Sophia, a little startled by the question, smoothly answered. “Since its inception, really. Before that I worked in their other office.”

  Now it was her turn. “What made you decide to apply to PUP?”

  “I wanted to find a part-time position with some flexibility, leaving me some free time,” I answered with a practiced smile. “This seems perfect!”

  I had the feeling that I was being watched. It was making me very uncomfortable. I pretended I had to get a Kleenex from my purse, giving me time to gaze surreptitiously around as I scrambled for a tissue. I saw a painting on the wall which didn’t look natural. Without a second’s hesitation I knew someone was watching me. I believed that Sophia knew it as well for she didn’t even jump when the same voice as before bellowed at her from the back, “I think she’d be perfect, Sophia. Ask her to consider the other position.”

  Sophia’s face flushed for she sensed that I had caught on that indeed someone had been watching us. “Rosalie, there is another position that has opened up. I think you might be interested in it. It pays more money as well. It has negotiable hours, too. Are you interested in learning more about it?”

  I had already seen a vision of me at the Purple Passion Lounge directing people from the welcome desk. Oh, Gram, what am I getting myself into? I grumbled. But she never appeared. I was on my own. “Sure, I’m always interested in seeing what my choices are, especially if it concerns more money.”

  Pleased, Sophia smiled. “I think you’ll like this offer. The person who was the main greeter at the Purple Passion Lounge had an untimely accident and that position is now available.”

  At the look of distress on my face, Sophia explained, “Don’t worry. You don’t have to dance or do anything like that. All you have to do is look pretty. You’ve got that covered, my dear.”