Thirty-Three and a Half Shenanigans

by Denise Grover Swank

  “You said you’d tell me.”

  “Okay.” She reached across the table and took my hand. “I was up by Mason’s office one day a week ago—I thought you were there with him for lunch, so I dropped in to say hi. His secretary wasn’t at her desk, so I was outside his door when I heard him . . .” Her voice trailed off, and she sounded unsure.

  “Heard him doing what?”

  She released a heavy breath. “I wasn’t sure what I heard, Rose. I think he was on the phone because he was talking and no one was talking back. Something about money and meeting on a Friday night.”

  I shook my head. “That doesn’t make any sense, Neely Kate.”

  “I agree, it didn’t make any sense, but then on Monday I heard Joe talking to the DA. He mentioned Mason’s name, and I heard something about bribes.”

  My heart skipped a beat. “You can’t seriously suggest Mason is taking bribes.”

  “I didn’t think that’s what it meant at the time, but now . . . I don’t know, Rose. I have no idea what’s going on. But consider this: Mason said he wanted to leave tomorrow because he had something he needed to do tonight. And the owner of Gems is supposed to be showing up at the club tonight. Dolly Parton had Mason’s cell phone number, and now she’s missing.”

  I couldn’t believe that Mason would knowingly do something bad.

  “Has he done anything else to suggest he’s in trouble?”

  Tears burned my eyes. “Mason had a meeting with his boss on Wednesday, and that never happens. Skeeter even knew about it and said it was rare. Then Mason told me he thought he might lose his job.”

  “Rose, it doesn’t look good.”

  “Neely Kate,” I begged. “This is Mason we’re talking about. Mason. He’s one of the good guys.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t know. I agree. It doesn’t make any sense.”

  “What about Billy Jack? Where does he fit into this? He lied to us the last time we spoke to him.”

  “Yeah. You’re right.”

  The waitress brought our food out, and we were silent for several minutes.

  “Gems is the common denominator. It connects them all,” I said. “Skeeter—even if he swears against it—Billy Jack, Dolly Parton . . . Mason. What’s going on there?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “I’m going there tonight.”

  “Rose! Are you crazy? We need to tell Joe and let him handle it.”

  “If I tell Joe, he might arrest Mason and throw him in jail.” I shook my head. “No. If Mason is really going to be at Gems, I have to be there to stop him.”

  “This is the craziest stunt we’ve ever pulled. How are we going to explain being there?”

  “Not we. Me. You can’t go back in there after your audition fiasco.”

  She held up her hands. “No way. You’re not going in there alone, especially on a Friday night. You could barely handle it last time. Tonight it will be packed with men.”

  “I have to, Neely Kate, and I have the perfect in. My job offer.”

  “You’re going to dance?”

  “Shoot, no! Crystal said something about bartending.”

  “Do you even know how to make drinks?”

  “No, but I’m sure I can download an app on my phone telling me how to make them.”

  “Do you have to be topless?”

  “No, she said I could wear something low-cut.”

  She shook her head. “You never wear low-cut shirts.”

  I shot her a glare. “I wore a low-cut dress last night, thank you very much.”

  “When you were with Skeeter dressed as the Lady in Black. You can’t hide your face under a veil if you work a shift at Gems. You’ll be lucky if you make it through the night hiding your boobs.”

  “I’ll do whatever I have to do for one night if it helps me save Mason. I have to talk sense into him, and I won’t be able to get ahold of him beforehand because Joe put him into protective custody.”

  Neely Kate’s mouth twisted to the side. “So Mason’s caught up in two messes—the Gems thing and someone’s trying to kill him. You can’t ignore that Skeeter’s probably tied to it too. He keeps insisting that you stay away from there.”

  Could I be fooled by Skeeter? He had promised to help protect Mason, but I knew he’d do whatever he had to do to advance his business. And he’d made no secret of the fact that he considered me a valuable asset. He might hide things from me on purpose for fear of how I’d react. Plus, Neely Kate was right. I couldn’t ignore how adamant he’d been about getting me to stay away from Gems. As I stared into my best friend’s worried face, there was one thing I was certain of: I couldn’t trust anyone except Neely Kate.

  She released a heavy sigh. “So you think you’re just gonna show up and get a job? Then what? What’s your plan?”

  I frowned. “I don’t know.”

  She shook her head. “I can’t believe I’m helping you.” Her mouth pursed. “After we finish lunch, we’ll run by there, and you can tell them you want the job. Now we just need to figure out how I’m gonna get in.”

  I shook my head. “There’s no way you can go back in there after what happened at your audition. They’ll toss you out on your hiney.”

  She scowled but didn’t answer. She knew I was right.

  My phone rang, and I looked at the number on the screen and groaned. “It’s Joe.”

  “You might as well answer it and get it over with,” she muttered, dipping a fry in ketchup.

  I cringed as I answered, prepared for yelling. Instead Joe asked in a low voice, “Where the hell are you?”

  “Around.”

  “But not around the property of a murdered man, where I specifically asked you to stay.” He paused. “It wasn’t a bossy request, Rose. It was an official one. You were at a murder scene. I need your statement.”

  “And I’ll give it to you . . . over the phone. I’m not letting that redheaded witch anywhere near me.”

  “What’s Hilary got to do with this?” he asked in confusion.

  “Not Hilary. Deputy Hoffstetter.”

  I could swear I heard him snort. “It’s for your own protection, Rose.”

  I took a breath, hoping I didn’t give myself away. “Did you move Mason? I tried to call the temporary number he gave me, and he’s not answering.”

  He hesitated. “Yeah, we moved him.”

  “Have you figured out who tried to kill him?” I still hadn’t figured out a way to tell Joe what I knew about the murder attempt, and now there was even more to tell. But now I considered holding off. If Joe kept Mason in protective custody, maybe Mason wouldn’t be able to go to Gems tonight.

  “I’m working on it, Rose.” He sounded exhausted.

  “I wasn’t accusing you of anything, Joe. I know you’re doing the best you can, and I appreciate it more than you know. I’m just really worried about him. I need to know that he’s okay.”

  “I understand. And he is. I promise.”

  “Can I see him?” I asked. “Or at least talk to him?”

  “It’s safer if he doesn’t contact anyone.”

  “Joe, I’m not anyone. Please. I really need to talk to him about something important.”

  “Then tell me what it is, and I’ll pass it on to him.”

  I considered telling Joe about Dolly Parton having Mason’s number, but I couldn’t. While he wouldn’t allow anyone to harm Mason, there was nothing to keep him from tossing Mason in jail if he found any evidence indicating wrongdoing on his part. “I can’t.”

  “If you change your mind, tell Deputy Hoffstetter, and she’ll pass it along.”

  “I’m sure she will,” I said dryly.

  “I’ve gotta go, Rose, but Deputy Hoffstetter’s gonna call, and you’re going to give her a statement. If you don’t, I’ll toss you into jail for obstruction of justice. And Mason’s not going to be around to get you out.”

  “When you put it that way, fine.” I had bigger things to worry about. Like applying for a job.


  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  There were only a few cars in the Gems lot when I parked the truck. Neely Kate had been coaching me the whole way there. “Okay, remember everything I told you and just go in and act confident. If you look nervous, they’ll chew you up and spit you out. Tell them you’ve decided you want to try the bartending job and then wing it from there.”

  “Okay.”

  I got out of the truck and wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans. When I walked through the door, there wasn’t a bouncer at the entrance like there had been last time. In fact, there weren’t any customers either, just two girls on the stage dressed in booty shorts and tank tops.

  “We’re not open yet,” one of the girls said. “We open at three on Fridays.”

  “Actually,” I said, twisting my hands together in front of me until I realized what I was doing and stopped. “I was here about a job. When I was here the other day, Crystal mentioned the possibility that I could work as a bartender.”

  The first girl shook her head, her long dark brown ponytail shaking with it. “Mud doesn’t hire girls to bartend.”

  “Wait,” the other said, hopping down from the stage. “You were with the girl who barfed on that guy.”

  “Maybe . . .”

  “Daisy!” she said, pulling me into a hug. “We wanted to call you, but we didn’t get your number or anything. Mud said he definitely wanted to hire you.”

  “He did?” the girl on stage and I said at the same time.

  She gave me a grin. “I bet you don’t remember me. I’m Sparkle.”

  “Oh,” I said in surprise. “You look different.”

  “With my shirt on?” she laughed.

  A blush rose to my cheeks. “Well . . . yeah. But mostly your face. You’re not wearing any makeup now.” She’d been slathered in it before.

  “Now I see why Mud wants her,” the other woman said.

  Why, did Mud have thing for women who blushed? Did he like to embarrass them? “So the job’s still available?”

  “Yeah, if you want it. Mud’s in the back.”

  I took a deep breath, wondering if I should have worn something with a lower neckline. But I hadn’t worn one last time, and he was apparently still interested.

  I knocked on his partially open office door. “Mr. Mud?”

  “Come in,” he barked.

  I pushed the door open and walked in, once again feeling that strange sensation of déjà vu, but I couldn’t figure it out now any more than I’d been able to on my last visit. I stopped in the center of the room, and Mud looked up from his paperwork, a smile spreading across his face. “Ah, it’s my mystery girl.”

  I didn’t say anything, but he stood and started to walk around me. “Crystal said you were interested in dancing, but you’re too shy. She suggested that I hire you as our bartender. I don’t usually waste the girls by sticking them behind the bar, but I’m willing to give it a shot.”

  This was turning out better than I’d hoped, but I didn’t want to come across as too eager. “What does it pay?”

  “Tips, but I want to keep this one off the books. You’ll get cash at the end of the night. You good with that?”

  I nodded. “Yeah.”

  “Good. You’ll start tonight.”

  That was a relief. “Okay.”

  “Since you’re not dancing, you should wear a short, low-cut dress or short-shorts with a tight, low-cut T-shirt.”

  I was sensing a theme. As much skin as possible. “Okay. What time should I be here?”

  “Around seven. That will give you enough time to learn the ropes before we get really busy.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Mud.”

  He sat down in his chair. “Just Mud,” he reminded me. “And you need a name. The girls were calling you Daisy, but it doesn’t fit in with the gem theme.” He studied me for a moment. “How about Ruby?”

  I was prepared for something stupid—after all, Skeeter had named me Lady—so I didn’t have to fake my smile. “I like it.”

  “Wear something red to go with your name.”

  “Okay.”

  I headed back into the big room, where Sparkle was back on the stage with the other girl, who was hanging on the pole and spinning. I watched her for a moment from the back of the room, amazed that she was able to hold herself up by hooking the back of her knee around the pole even though she was spinning.

  “Hey, Daisy!” Sparkle called out. “What’d he say?”

  I moved closer to the stage, still watching the girl. “I got the job,” I said with a grin. “Only now I’m Ruby.”

  “Well, welcome to Gems, Ruby,” Sparkle said.

  The other girl didn’t look so pleased.

  “When do you start?”

  “Tonight. I’m supposed to be here at seven.”

  “You’ll make good tips because it’s Friday night,” Sparkle said.

  “I’m surprised he’s having her start tonight with everything else goin’ on,” the other girl said in a low voice.

  “Diamond,” she hissed.

  Was she talking about the owner showing up? I wanted to ask why tonight was so significant, but decided to play ignorant. For now. “Mud told me to wear shorts or a short dress. Which is better?”

  “That’s tricky,” Sparkle said as the other girl climbed down from the pole. “Because you’re not planning on taking anything off.”

  “Just go with shorts,” Diamond said, sounding bored. She squatted on the stage in front of me, spreading her legs wide. “How good are you at keeping your mouth shut?”

  My breath caught in my throat, and I tried to look away from her crotch as I forced out, “I’m not a gossip, and I’m loyal. I may be naïve, but I know things go on in places like this that shouldn’t be repeated outside these walls.”

  She grinned, but it didn’t make her look any friendlier. “Then you’ll fit in just fine. Welcome to Gems.” Then she stood and walked backstage, her booty swinging as she walked.

  “Oh,” Sparkle said, sounding excited. “You’ve already made points with Diamond. You’re one step ahead of the game.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Diamond’s sleeping with the owner.”

  “Oh.”

  “Yeah, she’s nervous because he’s coming tonight for some special meeting. He likes things to run just so, and the thought of a new person working tonight has her on edge.”

  “But isn’t Mud in charge?”

  “Yeah, but Diamond always pays for it if things don’t go well.”

  I went out the front door, worried that Diamond was going to have to get a loan to pay for all the things that would probably go wrong tonight.

  I expected Neely Kate to be happier about my new job, but she sulked instead. “You can’t do this without me. Maybe I can wear a wig and go in disguise.”

  “You think you’re going in there alone?” I shook my head. “I’ll be working.”

  “Then I’ll sit in the parking lot in case you need me.”

  I agreed to her plan. It would be comforting to know she was close by.

  “I know what you need,” I said. “Let’s get you some ice cream. I think it’s safe for me to go back to the Burger Shack again since Eric . . .”

  “Took a long nap in his car?”

  “That seems strange, don’t you think?” I asked. “For him to show up dead just when the sheriff deputies go to question him?”

  She shrugged. “Not so strange. He probably knew he was in a heap of trouble for what he did before that auction, and he was too chicken to face it. It happens all the time.”

  “Maybe . . . but the bottom line is that we can get ice cream at your favorite place.”

  “What about Deputy Hoffstetter? Aren’t you hiding out from her?”

  “She hasn’t called yet, but how about I call her so we can deliver our statements? Then I can tell her to come pick me up in Tahoe Junction.”

  “Tahoe Junction is over twenty miles north.”

  I grin
ned. “I know.”

  “You’re more wicked than I thought, Rose Gardner,” she teased.

  “Since I’m working at Gems tonight, maybe that’s a good thing.”

  Abbie Lee Hoffstetter was fit to be tied when I called her, and my ears burned from the heap of insults she flung at me. “When I find you, I’m going to make you pay for making me look bad in front of the chief deputy.”

  “That’s not exactly making me want to cooperate, Deputy Hoffstetter.”

  “I’m a law enforcement official. Trust me. I’ll find you. You don’t need to tell me where you are.”

  Not if I could help it. “I called to give you my statement. Do you want it or not?”

  “You’re damn straight I do. Then when we’re done, I’m coming for you.”

  It didn’t take long for me to give my statement, and then Neely Kate took the phone and gave hers. When she was finishing, I said loud enough for the deputy to hear, “You’re sure the Chick-a-Dilly in Tahoe Junction is just around the corner?”

  Neely Kate gave me an evil grin. “Rose! Shhhh!!!” Then she told the deputy goodbye. “That should keep her busy for a while.”

  “Let’s just hope it’s long enough.”

  We got Neely Kate’s ice cream and headed to her house. I needed clothes for my shift at Gems, and Neely Kate insisted she had something for me to wear. I certainly didn’t have the wardrobe to supply my uniform, and I couldn’t risk a shopping trip. When we got to her house, I parked the truck in her garage so Deputy Hoffstetter wouldn’t see it from the road in case she drove by.

  “What are you going to say to Ronnie about being gone tonight?”

  “It’s poker night. He’s not even coming home after work. He’ll never know I’m gone.”

  Neely Kate offered to make us one of her gourmet dinners before we left for Gems, but I knew my nervous stomach couldn’t handle it. Instead, I suggested I make some buttered noodles.

  After we ate, I got ready. Neely Kate curled my hair, but I drew the line when it came to my makeup. It was bad enough I was wearing short-shorts and a show-every-curve red tank top, in December no less. I wasn’t about to put on enough eye makeup to help me look like a hooker.

  “You have to play the part, Rose.”

  “No,” I insisted. “I only have to play the part of a bartender, and only until I find Mason and figure out what he’s doin’ and stop him.”