Be My Valencrime

by Amy M. Reade

  She was surveying herself in the mirror when Laurel knocked on her bedroom door.

  “I just came to see what you were going to wear to your date at the strip club,” Laurel said with a laugh.

  “Funny girl,” Lilly replied.

  Laurel looked Lilly up and down. “You look pretty scary.” She walked around behind her mother and surveyed her from the back. “Those jeans are a little tight, aren’t they?”

  “A little tight?” Lilly scoffed. “It’s going to take three people to get them off me.”

  “Count me out,” Laurel said.

  “Thanks.”

  “How long are you going to be?”

  “I don’t know. I have to pick up Noley. Then it’ll take at least a half hour to drive to the other side of Lupine. We’ll just have to see how things go when we get there. We may be able to talk to a few people, we may not.”

  “Be careful,” Laurel said.

  “We will. I promise,” Lilly assured her.

  When she pulled up in front of Noley’s house, she had to laugh. Noley was waiting outside for her, dressed in a parka that made her look four times her usual size. She looked like she was ready for an ice-fishing-and-disco overnight. Her jeans were ripped at the knee and she was wearing high-heeled boots. She slid into the passenger seat and turned to look at Lilly.

  “I feel ridiculous,” she said. “Look at the circus makeup I’m wearing.”

  She took her hood off and Lilly turned on the inside car lights. She laughed again. Noley’s eyelids were caked with bright blue makeup and accented by blue eyelashes. She wore dark rouge and dark red lipstick.

  “Is that glitter on your cheeks?” Lilly asked.

  Noley nodded with a grimace.

  “I wish Bill could see you now,” Lilly said, shaking her head and laughing again.

  “I would rather die.”

  “Well, thank you for coming with me.” Lilly turned off the lights and started the car. “It would warm Harry’s heart if he knew what we were up to.”

  “Does anyone know what we’re up to? I mean, someone should know where we’re going, right? Just in case,” Noley said.

  “Laurel knows where we’re going, though I can’t remember if I told her the name of the bar.”

  “Oh, great.”

  “Think positively. Nothing’s going to go wrong. We’ll be home and taking off all this makeup before you know it.”

  They drove in silence for a while. Lilly was thinking about what she wanted to ask Alice’s co-workers. She was pretty sure Noley was thinking about what she would order for lunch at the bistro with Lilly footing the bill.

  They had passed through the charming town of Lupine and were headed down the rural road that would take them to Guy’s Place when Noley spoke.

  “Are you going to tell me why your trip to this place with Hassan was so bad?”

  “Yes, but let’s wait until we’re on the way home. I don’t want his experience to taint your impressions.”

  “That sounds bad.” Noley paused. “So what’s the plan? Are we supposed to be looking for people who know Alice?”

  Lilly was happy to change the subject. “Yes. I’d like to find other dancers who know Alice, and if I can talk to her boss, even better. I think you and I should stick together.”

  “Definitely.”

  “We just want to know more about Alice—her habits before and after work, if they’re friends with her, if she was worried about anything, if she mentioned going away somewhere. Anything that would help us find her.”

  “You say it like the police aren’t looking for her. I’m sure they’ve been around, asking all the same questions.”

  “Probably, but maybe the other dancers will be more willing to open up to people who aren’t in uniform,” Lilly said.

  “All right.” Noley pointed out the window to the bar looming in the distance, its red neon lights flashing. “Is that the place? I’m afraid to ask.”

  “Yup.”

  Noley sighed. “Let’s get this over with. You’re lucky I’m so nice.”

  Lilly swung into the parking lot. It was again filled with pickups and old SUVs. Did the same people come here every night? She shuddered at the thought.

  Noley left her parka in the car at Lilly’s suggestion. Lilly had worn an old denim jacket over her tee shirt, so she didn’t bother removing that. Noley looked down at Lilly’s legs.

  “Pants a little tight?” she asked with a grin.

  “They’re like compression socks, only much worse.”

  “Let’s go in before I freeze,” Noley said, shivering.

  Lilly led the way to the heavy front door and opened it. She stood aside to let Noley go in first. Noley walked a few steps and turned around to give Lilly a glare that clearly asked Where have you brought me??

  Lilly smiled and gave Noley a little nudge as she pushed her way into the crowded bar.

  Chapter 22

  Lilly needed a couple moments for her eyes to adjust, but when she became accustomed to the gloom, the first person she saw was Burly Man.

  “Doesn’t that guy ever leave?” she muttered under her breath.

  “What?” Noley asked, her voice raised over the din of the bar.

  “Nothing. I’ll tell you later.”

  “There’s a lot you’ll have to tell me later.”

  Lilly turned toward the bar. She locked eyes for just a second with Burly Man and held her breath. But he looked away almost immediately and showed no sign of recognizing her. She was glad she had worn a baseball cap. Burly Man was talking—rather, shouting—to Blue Eyeshadow, and Lilly noticed that Blue Eyeshadow gave her the once-over, too. Her eyes lingered on Lilly’s face for just a moment too long. Lilly looked away, then dared to look back. Blue Eyeshadow had turned away. Perhaps she thought she had recognized Lilly, but decided she didn’t. Lilly hoped so.

  Lilly and Noley sidled up to the bar as best they could in the crowd. Lilly could feel the music thumping in her lungs. She ordered a beer and Noley did the same. The bartender slid their drinks to them, the beer sloshing over the tops of the glasses. Lilly took a sip and suppressed a grimace. Noley looked closely at the glass, probably making sure it was clean. Lilly couldn’t help smiling a little. Noley set the glass down and wrinkled her nose.

  They looked toward the back of the giant room, where it was dark, save for the strobe lights that were ripping the dark and revealing several women dancing around floor-to-ceiling poles.

  “I guess we need to head over there,” Noley said, nodding toward the dancers.

  Lilly set her beer down next to Noley’s untouched one, took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and made her way through the crowd. Noley followed closely on her heels.

  “Hey, girls, I haven’t seen you around. You come here together?” one man asked them as they jostled their way toward the stage. His speech was only slightly slurred. Lilly shot him a withering look and didn’t have to turn around to know that Noley was doing the same thing.

  Another man tried to grab Lilly’s arm, but she shook it off and shuddered for the man’s benefit. She could feel Noley close behind her as the man tried the same thing with her. She had an unmistakable sense of danger, so she turned around just in time to see Noley pull her arm back to slug the guy.

  “Noley, don’t!” she cried. She grabbed her friend’s arm and hung on just in time to save the man’s face from Noley’s wrath.

  “Come on, we don’t want to get into trouble while we’re here,” she said in Noley’s ear.

  “The men here are disgusting.” Noley’s eyes were hard and narrowed. She was on high alert, that much Lilly could plainly see.

  “I know, but hopefully we won’t be here long. Let’s get the information we need and get the heck out of here.”

  Noley exhaled loudly and nodded toward the stage. “Keep moving.”

  When they finally arrived at the stage, having endured a minimum of groping along the way, they found to their surprise that there were sever
al empty tables. Mostly small groups of men sat at the other tables, alternately leering at the dancers and drinking shots.

  A waitress, one who had clearly been surgically enhanced, came up to the table where Lilly and Noley sat. She wore a bright pink tank top with “Guy’s Place” emblazoned in sparkly rhinestones across her ample front. Her name tag announced her as “Minx.” Noley turned to Lilly so the waitress couldn’t see her roll her eyes.

  “What can I get ya?” Minx asked.

  “I’ll take a Cosmo.” Lilly looked at Noley. “What do you want?”

  “A Cosmo’s good,” she said.

  “Two Cosmos,” Minx said. “Any food?”

  “No,” both women said simultaneously. Noley grimaced.

  After Minx had left, Noley leaned toward Lilly. “The glasses better be clean this time. And you’re buying,” she almost growled.

  Lilly couldn’t help laughing. Noley was really hating this little adventure.

  They tried watching everything but the dancers as they waited for their drinks. By the time Minx had brought them to the table, Lilly had decided on a plan of action.

  “Excuse me,” she began.

  Minx leaned down closer to hear better and Lilly was treated to a view she would rather have skipped. “Yeah?”

  “We’re here to visit a friend of ours, but I don’t see her. Do you know Cotton Candy?” It pained her to call Alice by her stage name.

  Minx tilted her head and gave Lilly a suspicious look. “You’re friends of hers?” she asked.

  Lilly and Noley nodded.

  “If you’re such good friends, why don’t you tell me where she is?” she asked with an icy glare.

  Lilly feigned ignorance. “What do you mean?” she asked, furrowing her brow.

  “What I mean is, she hasn’t shown up for her shift in a week.” Minx stood up taller with her hands on her hips. She looked across the bar and raised her hand in the air to signal someone.

  Lilly followed her gaze and groaned when she saw Burly Man making his way to their table. She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them to find Noley staring at her.

  “What’s wrong?” she mouthed.

  Lilly shook her head and pressed her lips together in a thin line.

  Burly Man stood next to Minx. “What?” he asked tersely.

  She jerked her head toward Lilly and Noley.

  “These girls are looking for Candy,” she said.

  Burly Man gave the waitress a suspicious look. “Why?”

  “Ask ’em yourself,” Minx said, and sauntered off. Burly Man grabbed a chair from the closest table, not bothering to ask the men seated there if they would miss it, and turned it around so its back faced Lilly and Noley. He straddled the chair and leaned into the back.

  “Why are you looking for Candy?” he asked. His eyes were hard as he glared at both of them.

  “We’re friends of hers and we just stopped in to say hi,” Lilly said. She hoped Burly Man couldn’t sense her sweating.

  “We ain’t seen her around here lately. You’re such good friends with her, how come you didn’t know that?”

  “I didn’t say we’re good friends of hers, I said we’re friends. I don’t know where she is. Obviously, I thought she was here.” Lilly stared back at Burly Man in what she hoped was a convincing manner.

  He glanced up as the music changed and new dancers came onto the stage, but he didn’t pay attention to them for long. The men at the tables around them hooted and made noisy catcalls. Out of the corner of her eye Lilly could see Noley scowling at the men, her lips curled in disgust.

  Burly Man turned his attention back to Lilly and Noley.

  “You don’t say much,” he said, looking at Noley.

  “I’m just here for the drink,” she said, holding up her Cosmo.

  “So are you a friend of Candy, too?” he asked her.

  “Yeah, but she knows her better.” Noley gestured with her drink toward Lilly.

  “You been to Candy’s apartment?” he asked Lilly.

  “No.”

  “Maybe she’s there. She ain’t answering her phone. If you see her, tell her Guy wants to talk to her.”

  “Can I speak to him?” Lilly asked.

  “You’re talkin’ to him now.” Burly Man puffed out his chest ever so slightly.

  “You’re Mister Guy?” Lilly asked.

  “No. I’m just Guy.”

  “When was the last time you saw Candy?” Lilly asked. If she had Alice’s boss right in front of her, she was going to take advantage of the opportunity to ask questions, regardless of how odious he might be.

  “Monday afternoon a week ago. She came in here to get her schedule. I remember because it was Valentine’s Day and she had asked for the night off. She’s a good worker, so that’s why I gave her the night off. Probably cost me a bundle not to have her here.”

  “I’ll bet.” Lilly assumed Guy wouldn’t notice her droll tone.

  He didn’t.

  “Did she have plans for Valentine’s Day?”

  He shrugged. “It’s none of my business. I don’t care or want to know what my girls do in their spare time.”

  Lilly and Noley exchanged enraged glances. His girls? Between Guy’s treatment of Hassan and his crystal-clear opinion of women, Lilly wanted nothing more than to give him a good, swift kick in the shins. But, with a little effort, she refrained. Instead, she swallowed her anger with a swig of her Cosmo.

  “Does she have any friends here?” she asked.

  “I s’pose. Hey, you’re a friend of hers. Don’t you know?”

  “We haven’t talked to her in a while. That’s why we thought we’d surprise her by coming in tonight.”

  Guy was momentarily distracted by a shout from Minx, who slapped a patron across the face just as Guy, Lilly, and Noley looked up. Then he returned his attention to the topic of Alice.

  “Don’t you want to go over there and see what the problem is?” Noley asked him, nodding toward Minx.

  “Nah. Minx is a tough cookie. She’ll take care of the guy. He probably touched the merchandise.”

  “Merchandise?” Noley asked. “These women are for sale?”

  Chapter 23

  “Don’t be stupid. Don’t you know a figure of speech when you hear one? You know what? I don’t need two strange broads asking me a lot of nosy questions. Either shut up and order another drink or get out.” He pushed himself away from the table and stalked away, leaving a few patrons staring after him. He caught Minx’s eye and gestured toward the table where Lilly and Noley sat.

  Lilly was the first one to speak.

  “I can’t believe what a jerk he is. Can you imagine working for him?”

  Noley shook her head. “I feel so sorry for Alice.”

  Minx was at their table just a moment later.

  “What did you say to piss Guy off?” she asked.

  I see subtlety is not her bailiwick, Lilly thought to herself.

  “He mentioned something about his ‘girls’ being for sale,” Noley said with a disapproving frown.

  “We’re not, trust me,” she said.

  “Are you a dancer, too?” Lilly asked.

  “Of course I am,” Minx said with an unattractive scowl. “God knows my boyfriend spent enough on this body.” Lilly swallowed to tamp down her gag reflex.

  “Are you a friend of Alice?” Noley asked. Then she realized her mistake. She gritted her teeth. “I mean, Candy?”

  Minx fixed the women with a shrewd stare. “So you really do know her,” she said.

  “I told you we did,” Lilly said.

  “Listen. I’m going on break in about twenty minutes, then afterward I have to change and get on the stage. Come meet me at the dressing room door in fifteen.” She pointed to a dark area toward the rear of the stage.

  Lilly nodded and glanced at Noley, who gave her a look that said, We have to stay longer?

  A few minutes later Minx brought over two more Cosmos, though Lilly and Noley hadn’t or
dered any. They accepted the drinks and thanked Minx.

  The women said little for the next fifteen minutes, looking around the bar and observing the other guests. Lilly didn’t worry that anyone would be offended by their staring, as they were all otherwise occupied with the show on the stage.

  Fifteen minutes passed slowly, and when the time came, Lilly and Noley threw money down on the table and went in search of the dressing room door.

  They found it in a dark recess behind and to the left of the stage.

  Lilly wrinkled her nose. “It smells rank back here.”

  Noley pointed down a dimly lit hallway. “The restrooms are probably down there.”

  They waited for several minutes before Minx showed up. She nodded toward a door that was marked “Private” and they followed her inside.

  They found themselves in a dressing room of sorts. The concrete floor was cold, even through the bottoms of their boots, and several women in various stages of undress were walking around. They must have been freezing. There was a bathroom off to one side and several mirrors lined the concrete block walls. Privacy was at a premium.

  Minx flopped down on the closest chair and took off her sensible black shoes. She rubbed her feet as Lilly and Noley looked on. Lilly wondered if she did that before her waitress shift, too. She said a silent prayer that Minx hadn’t made the Cosmos.

  “So, Minx,” Noley began.

  “I hate that name. My name is Suzanne, so call me that.”

  “Thanks, Suzanne,” Lilly said.

  “So, Suzanne, are you friends with Alice?” Noley asked.

  “I guess you could say that. I mean, we work together.”

  “Did she say what her plans were for Valentine’s Day?” Lilly asked.

  “She just said she was going out to dinner with her boyfriend,” Suzanne said. “I don’t know him.”

  “Was that last Monday?” Lilly asked.

  Suzanne thought for a moment. “Yeah. She just came in to get her check, then she left again.”