Big Easy Escapade

by Joan Rylen

  Trikki Vikki strutted across the stage, hair in pigtails, hot-rod-red lipstick, cheerleading pom-poms in each hand and the little cotton ball kind on top of her high heels. Vivian squeezed Clint’s knee. Trikki shot daggers of death at Vivian and threw a pom-pom in front of Clint. He smiled at her and she kept working her act, which included crotch-flaunting back bends and the splits. The song transitioned to Toni Basil’s “Oh Mickey, You’re So Fine” and the cheerleader act turned into full-blown stripper. The royal blue and red top came off, revealing pasties that shot out confetti.

  Vivian laughed and clapped, then rubbed her hand on Clint’s thigh. Vikki saw that and ripped her red bloomers off. She had a wardrobe malfunction in the process and ended up yanking her G-string off, too. She picked up the pom-pom from in front of Clint and strategically placed it. She had to drop the prop a few times to swing around the pole, and the tips came flying in. She picked up the cash from the stage floor, waved to the crowd with her free hand, blew some kisses and stomped backstage, her shoe pom-poms flopping.

  “Wow!” Vivian said to Clint. “That was even better than last night.”

  He grinned. “I don’t think everything went as planned, but she pulled it off.”

  Vivian laughed. “That she did!”

  The next act came on and Vivian was determined to get some info out of Clint about Daisy. “Did you hear about what happened to that other dancer last night?”

  “Yeah, I heard about it.” He shrugged.

  Vivian shifted in her chair, looking back for Antonio but didn’t see him. “I heard it was two guys from the club who took her.”

  Clint sat back in his chair and took a long drink from his beer. “She probably just took off. Her boyfriend is a dick.”

  “I don’t know, the police are taking it pretty seriously. Aren’t you worried about Vikki since they’re up for the same award? Maybe there’s some crazy guy out there kidnapping dancers.”

  “I’m not worried at all. Nothing’s going to happen to Vik.”

  The dancer on stage tripped over her giant high heels and did a dive toward their table. Lucy’s quick reaction earned her a handful of boob while Al got a crotch full of ice from the champagne bucket. He did manage to save the bottle, though. The poor girl’s fall was broken by not only Lucy but their table full of drinks as she ended up across both tables, spread-eagle.

  Kate peeled her purse from the sticky floor and looked at Vivian. “That’s our cue.”

  ***

  Night fell and Daisy’s stomach grumbled. She hadn’t touched the fruit on the desk or taken another sip from the bottled water, just in case. She had rinsed a glass from the desk in scalding hot water and drunk only tap water all day.

  She lay on the bed, scared, mad, bored. Nothing on TV helped to take her mind off the situation. She had the volume cranked up, hoping to draw some attention to the room. Get a noise complaint. She watched the local news that reported about her disappearance, but this only made her more upset. Hearing about the two other girls who were missing freaked her out.

  She kept thinking of Jason and how upset he must be, wondering where she was and if she was all right. Her stomach ached from hunger and she eventually cried herself to sleep.

  The sound of the TV clicking off woke her.

  Sonu set the remote on the nightstand. “I have brought dinner but you are not dressed. Get a shower and change.” He indicated one of the dresses on the floor in the closet.

  Daisy crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the blank screen. “I’ll never put that head-to-toe crap on. Let me go.”

  He didn’t respond to that but said, “It will be easier for you if you do as I wish.”

  “Why me?”

  He ran a finger down her arm.

  She jerked away from him. “Don’t ever touch me.”

  He grabbed her chin and turned her head to face him. “I will do what I please.” He let go of her and took a few steps toward the door. “I will be back in 15 minutes. If you are dressed, you may eat. If not, you will go hungry.”

  “Where are the other two girls?”

  He didn’t answer and left the room.

  Daisy didn’t move from the bed. She was not going to do what he wanted. She clicked the TV back on and turned up the volume on “Pretty Woman.”

  Fifteen minutes passed and Sonu returned, a frown on his face. “I hate that you are upset and will not be allowed food.” He paused. “I think you will find life with me can be very pleasing. You will be well cared for, expansive houses, the best jewels, beautiful clothes. In time, you will love me.”

  She tore her eyes from Julia Roberts wearing the brown and white polka-dot dress and finally looked at him. “Are you insane? I have plans for my life, and you’ll never be part of them. I love Jason.”

  He shook his head. “It is best if you forget about him.”

  She got out of bed and looked him in the eyes. “I don’t know who you think you are, but I will not spend my life with you. I’ll die first.”

  He put his hands on his hips and blew out a breath, then turned away from her. He bowed his head and said, “Get a shower, brush your teeth and put on one of your new dresses. I will be back in the morning.”

  He started walking to the door, and she ran to beat him to it. He had a head start and reached it first, slipped through it, then slammed it behind him.

  Daisy reached for the knob and heard the lock click.

  “I hate you, you crazy bastard!”

  Chapter 22

  The girls and Adrienne waited outside as Al paid the bill. He emerged a few minutes later and Vivian tried to hand him $40.

  He waved her off. “Forget it.”

  Adrienne squeezed his full frame. “You’re such a sweetheart.”

  He winked at her. “You ready to call it a night and thank your sweetheart in a more appropriate way?” She snuggled close, then pointed him in the direction of their hotel.

  “Where to next?” Wendy asked.

  “I am NOT going into any more places like that,” Lucy said.

  “I second that,” Kate said. “I need some serious sanitizer for my purse.”

  Lucy handed Kate two wipes, and she went to town wiping down.

  “We need to follow Trikki Vikki and her boyfriend,” Vivian said, glancing into the club. “He was too confident that nothing would happen to Vikki.”

  Kate chunked her two wipes into a sidewalk trash can. “Trikki was eyeing you during her confetti-popping show. I’m not so sure you want to get close to her.”

  “Yeah, she’ll stuff her skanky stripper shoe up your sphincter,” Lucy said.

  Vivian bent over, cracking up. Kate was mortified. “Oh my gosh, Lucy! That was so crude! I can’t believe you said that.”

  “She seems like a crude kinduva gal,” Lucy said, then hiccupped.

  “Woohoo! Here we go!” Vivian said. “What all did you drink in there?”

  “While you were flirty with Trikki Coochie Clint, Al and I had ourselves a little shot of tequila.” Lucy giggled for a moment. “Actually, it was pretty big.”

  “I think we could follow Trikki and Coochie without them seeing us,” Wendy said, looking around. “There’s so many people out here, we can probably get away with it. Let’s see where they go.”

  They rounded the corner to hide themselves from the club entrance. Wendy and Kate went to get Vivian a Big Ass Beer, and they shared a Big Ass peach daiquiri. They bought Lucy a bottle of water, but she occasionally sipped off the BAB.

  It took about 20 minutes before Clint and Vikki walked out of the club and up Bourbon. The girls fell in about 15 feet and lots of people back. The couple walked a few blocks and stopped at a bar called the Bump and Hump. “I Got a Feeling” by the Black Eyed Peas blasted from inside.

  Lucy went to the bar to keep an eye on Clint while the other three girls grabbed a table just inside the door so they could see the dance floor and Vikki, who let loose gyrating, pulsating and insinuating. Vivian thought she was a
bout to be dislocating — a hip. One guy tried to make his own moves on her, but she shoved him off.

  Lucy walked back to their table with four green shots and passed them out.

  “What’s this?” Kate asked, giving it a sniff.

  “Dunno, Bump and Hump special.”

  Everyone shot a shot, except for Kate. “I’m not drinking this. Smells like sour apples.”

  Clint finished up at the bar and brought two plastic cups filled with clear beverages to the dance floor. Vikki sucked one down, then tossed the cup of ice toward Mr. Moves, hitting him in the chest.

  Moves threw his hands in the air and lunged in her direction, but Clint stepped in the way, forcing him back.

  The bouncer brushed past Vivian, got to the dance floor and grabbed Mr. Moves by the back of his shirt, dragging him toward the front door.

  Vivian watched as he was thrown out and saw Antonio standing just outside the doorway. She grabbed Kate’s un-drunk shot and threw it back. “I gotta go get frisked.”

  She ran her hand down Antonio’s muscular arm. “You look like a pervert out here, by yourself watching everyone. Come on.” She grabbed his hand and drug him to the dance floor.

  Clint and Vikki were on the far side of the floor, so Vivian and Antonio stayed on the other.

  Antonio leaned in close. “What are you doing?”

  His breath on her neck gave Vivian chills. “You can be under cover right here. It actually looks more convincing than you being a stalker outside. Trust me, I’ve had one.”

  He laughed and went along with the charade. He had some good moves. Excellent hip action.

  Vivian stepped in a little closer and worked some hip action of her own. She noticed Vikki and Clint moving closer on the dance floor.

  “I better go outside,” Antonio said, close to her ear and tingling all the right places.

  She reached up, wrapped her hands around his neck and drew him in for a kiss. Their bodies moved together for a few beats. He pulled back and looked at her with passionate green eyes. She’d hit the nerve she was going for.

  A grin spread across his face. “This is my kind of undercover work.” He glanced up, looking for Vikki and Clint, who were walking out of the bar. “But I better get back to it.”

  Antonio walked Vivian to the table and squeezed her hand before walking out the door.

  “What was that?” Lucy exclaimed.

  Vivian grabbed her purse from Kate. “Hooker Vikki left. We gotta go!”

  The girls walked out of the club just in time to see Vikki and Clint turn on Toulouse. A few doors down they walked into The Dungeon.

  “Oh my gosh, I’ve been here,” Wendy said. “It’s super dark inside. We can definitely follow them.”

  They waited a few minutes, then went through a door and into a courtyard, passing a tall, bearded, nose-ringed guy who didn’t ask for any IDs but grunted at them as they entered the bar.

  Because of the darkness, Vivian stopped after a few steps. Lucy ran into the back of her, then bounced into Kate, who helped steady her.

  “Dammit, it’s like a dungeon in here! I can’t see anything!” Lucy grabbed onto Vivian’s shirt. “Lead me, seeing-eye bitch!”

  Vivian’s eyes adjusted to the reddish glow that barely shone on the bar. No Clint or Vikki. “Where could they have gone?”

  Wendy took the lead. “Follow me.” She weaved through the crowd to the back of the bar and led them up a narrow, wooden staircase to a dance floor. A D.J. played alternative rock in one corner, and a bar was in another.

  Vivian still didn’t see them.

  Wendy pulled them onto the dance floor and nodded toward one of two jail cells at the far end of the small room. “There they are, making out.”

  Sure enough, Clint and Vikki were goin’ at it like an inmate and a visitor at a conjugal.

  The girls danced for a few songs while Clint and Vikki did their own jailhouse rhumba.

  “Isn’t that the bellman from Harry’s hotel?” Wendy nodded toward a guy standing by the bar, alone.

  “I knew he was a cop!” Kate said.

  They kept dancing until the song transitioned to a new one. Vivian stopped. “My legs are tired, they’ve had enough, and I’ve had enough of the jail cell rock over there.”

  “Only way out is down the stairs,” Wendy yelled over the music. “We can hit Tropical Isle and still see the entrance here if y’all want to go there.”

  Everyone agreed and they made their way out of the bar and across the street.

  Weird Al and his band were on stage again, singing Van Morrison’s “Moon Dance.” The Blue Ball special had been replaced by the Pink Pussycat, which made the girls giggle.

  “I want one of those!” Lucy yelled.

  Kate insisted, no, she would not be having one.

  Instead, Wendy ordered a round of beers and two bags of hot nuts for snackage. They staked out a spot at the bar where they had a clear shot of The Dungeon door.

  “These hot nuts rock,” Vivian said, peeling and popping two peanuts into her mouth.

  Everyone agreed, digging in.

  After about 45 minutes, another round of beer and hot nuts, Vikki walked out looking disheveled. Her pigtails were no more and her miniskirt was sideways. Clint was right behind her, shirt unbuttoned and wearing a smile.

  Lucy pointed to the street. “There they are!”

  Vivian shoved her hand down. “Shhhhh! We’re being spies here!”

  “Oh yeah, I forgot, we’re secret agents.”

  The girls followed behind, being loud with the crowd, stopping to grab the occasionally tossed beads from up above. Eventually the couple turned off Bourbon, walking toward Rampart.

  “I don’t like the feel of this area,” Kate said. “It’s spooky.”

  “I can’t believe you, of all people, think this is spooky,” Vivian said. “Ooooooooooo…”

  Kate nudged her. “It is. I’ve got goose bumps.”

  “It’s just not the touristy part of the Quarter,” Wendy said. “We’ll be fine.”

  Chapter 23

  Vivian, Lucy, Wendy and Kate stood in the shadow of a giant oak tree in front of Louis Armstrong Park. Clint and Vikki went into a room of a small motel across the street. Some of the windows of the motel were covered in foil, and clothes hung off the second-floor balcony that ran the length of the timeworn building. Cash was probably king.

  The light in their room clicked on and shadows passed back and forth in front of the window. Vivian heard them yelling. So much for the lovey-dovey act from moments ago.

  “We need to see if Daisy’s in the room,” Wendy said. “Let’s go try to peek in the window.”

  “No way, José,” Kate said. “I’m not going.”

  “You have to,” Vivian said. “Clint is more likely to recognize me than you. Please?”

  “I’ll go!” Lucy yelled, then stepped off the curb.

  “Hold it there, Lushy Lucy,” Wendy grabbed her arm and pulled her back. “We’ve got to be discreet, and right now, you’re not. I’ll go with Kate. You stay here with Viv.”

  Wendy and Kate ran across the street and hid behind a hedge of boxwood bushes that stood between a sidewalk and the concrete stoop.

  Wendy heard loud voices on the other side of the sliding glass door. “Unless Vikki’s voice now resembles that of Barry White, I swear that sounds like two guys in there.” She concentrated for a moment, then asked Kate, “Can you make out what they’re saying?”

  Kate tilted her head. “Somebody’s definitely mad. I think I hear Vikki yelling.”

  “I’m getting closer,” Wendy said, then she started to get up. Just as her head popped over the bush, the door opened. Her heart pounded ninety to nothing as she ducked back down.

  “You’re such a screw-up, Kevin,” Vikki yelled into the room, holding the door open. “Get the hell out of here. We’ll clean up the fucking mess you’ve made.”

  Wendy craned her neck, looking through the bush, but couldn’t see anything
inside.

  A voice came from inside the room. “Sorry. I fucked up. I’ll fix this.”

  “No, don’t do anything, just leave.” Vikki slammed the door, then muttered to herself, “Stupid idiot. I can’t believe we’re related.”

  A lighter clicked several times, and the scent of a freshly lit cigarette wafted through the air.

  Panic started to set in about the same time Wendy’s thighs started to burn and quiver from the awkward position she was crouched in. She reached over to Kate to steady herself.

  Kate mouthed the words, “Oh my god!” She was in a less precarious pose, sitting on her knees.

  A bottle crashed across the street and Vikki looked in that direction, squinting, then went back to her cigarette.

  What are those girls doing over there? They’re going to blow this! Wendy thought.

  Two or three long minutes passed and the fire in Wendy’s legs was too much. She fell back onto her butt, her shoulder brushing against the bush. Rustling started, and a moment later a bird flew out of the bush, right over their heads, startling them.

  It took everything in Wendy not to scream, and Kate looked like she was about to lose it. Vikki did scream, loudly, and a second later Clint poked his head out.

  “What’s going on?”

  Vikki flicked her cigarette over the bush, landing it in Wendy’s lap. “Dumb-ass bird scared me.”

  “Come on, we’ve gotta take care of this shit.”

  Wendy heard the door close, so she jumped up, swatting at her pants. “Let’s get the hell out of here!”

  Kate was already on her feet.

  Vivian heard footsteps and hoped it was Wendy and Kate. She and Lucy were hunkered down behind the oak tree and too scared to look.

  “What are y’all doin’ back here?” Wendy asked.

  They stood up and Vivian butt-bumped Lucy. “When Grace here knocked over the beer bottle we decided to move around back here.”

  “Who leaves a beer bottle on the sidewalk!” Lucy defended. “I mean, come on!”

  Kate looked petrified. “Wendy almost caught on fire and a bird almost gave us away. I thought we were goners.”