Page 31 of Strip Search

“It's my business to know what happens in my territory.

It's a business that would be very lucrative to you. I could keep tabs on all your staff. I knew all of this before you even had a clue. You had a line cook who decided to become a prostitute.” Leonidas counted off on his fingers.

“Then there's your dishwasher who couldn't pay his loan shark on time, so he tried to run, but got caught and punished with a very generous warning.” He leaned in toward me.

“I'd start looking for another dishwasher soon. If he misses another payment . . .” Leonidas drew a finger across his throat.

“Let's see, what else? Oh, yes, your dancers.

You fired one who was supplementing her income, but then you asked her to come back.

Does your girlfriend know about that? Speaking of the lovely La Vie Bohème, did you know she went straight from your bed this morning and got on a plane to Carson City?

She's looking for a burlesque job. You should have let her keep dancing in the club.”

I forced my fists to unclench when he mentioned Jackie.

He was wrong about the second part so that meant all he knew was where she was and that she had auditioned somewhere.

But he didn't know it had been at the Odyssey casino.

I was glad for his overconfidence, but I hated that Jackie was on this douchebag's radar.

I decided to play him a bit and see what else I could find out from.

“That would be a valuable service, but aren't Konner and Dieter your clients? Are you going to roll over on me to an interested party one day?”

“That depends on you. Konner and Dieter are chafing at the money I charge because you're not paying me.

They threatened to get some of their mob boys to muscle me and mine around like you did a few years ago.

You're bad for business, Miles. I'm hoping by this show of faith, I can convince you that it's safer all around to pay me ten grand a month.”

“I told you, I can't be profitable and pay you.”

“We could work something out,” he said. “Ginny is very eager to be a major part of your business and mine.”

“Ginny is a fine dancer.”

“And a good salesgirl too.”

“What are you saying?” I needed him to spell it out.

“I'm saying either you let Ginny sell my drugs out of your club or I'm going to kidnap your girl and send her down to a group of friends of mine in Egypt, who'd pay nicely for a blond stripper slave girl. You'll never see La Vie Bohème again. Do we have an understanding?”

I slammed his face into my desk as soon as he finished speaking, putting all my weight into making sure that smarmy smile hit solid oak with extreme prejudice. “Red alert,” I said into my Bluetooth as I banged his head a few more times, making sure that his nose was spaghetti.

The goons tried to come at me, but I was behind the desk and their boss's body was stretched across it. I was pretty sure Leonidas was unconscious and missing a few teeth. “Put those knives down or you're going to be using them as suppositories,” I snarled.

My security team rushed in with nine millimeters. Highway was going to be pissed he’d missed all the action. “Call the cops,” I said. “These pieces of shit attacked me.”

“That's bullshit,” one of the goons said.

“Tell it to the judge.”

JACKIE MITCHELL

This had to be the world's most awkward chicken salad sandwich.

Half of it nearly landed in my lap after my sister informed me she was now vegan.

Parker was easily twice her age. He was a good-looking man with silver hair.

Lisa had gushed to me in the bathroom that he was her silver fox.

He seemed like a decent enough guy, though.

The age difference gave me pause, but I was trying to keep an open mind.

“Have you ever thought of being a private detective?” Parker joked. Lisa linked her fingers through his and laughed.

She looked happier than I'd ever seen her.

“No, I don't have the patience. Look, Parker, I'm sure Lisa has told you about our mother.”

“In detail.”

“It's all true,” I said. “Just in case you think she was exaggerating. But that being said, she is a mother and she’s very worried about her youngest daughter. Do you have children?”

“I have fraternal twins. They just started UCLA this year. My ex lives out in California, so they were able to get in-state tuition. It helped a great deal, but college is very expensive.”

“Is that why you asked Lisa to help you get funding for the show?”

“You don't have to answer that,” Lisa said, squeezing his hand tighter. “I told her it was none of her business.”

“She's your sister and she's worried I'm taking advantage of you. Would you rather explain it to her or to your mother?”

Lisa grimaced.

“I'm not accusing you of anything,” I said. “I just want to understand. Lisa was in a bad way after her surgery. When she left for Las Vegas, I was glad she was getting a change of scene. But then she stopped answering phone calls and we got increasingly worried.”

“And your mother sent you down here to save her from herself.”

“Yeah,” I admitted.

“Like you've done so many times before.”

“Not that many,” Lisa said mulishly.

“What would ease your mind?” Parker asked.

I was trying to figure out how to phrase my questions. They all sounded like I was prying into Lisa's personal affairs and none of what I wanted to know was any of my business.

“Just spit it out.” Lisa rolled her eyes.

“How much is Lisa's salary?”

“She doesn't get one. She gets a percentage of the house,” Parker said calmly.

I winced. “What percentage?”

“Fifty-fifty because she is also the coproducer.”

“Is that in writing?” I asked Lisa.

“Yes,” she groaned at me.

“May I see the contract?”

“No.”

“Darling, what harm could that do?” Parker said, kissing the back of her hand.

“I don't know where my copy is,” she admitted.

Before I could go nuclear, Parker said, “I can e-mail it to you later today. My attorneys drew it up so that it was a fair contract.”

I was leaning toward believing him. “If everything is on the up-and-up, all you need to do is call Mom and tell her you’re producing your own show in Carson City. She'll be thrilled. After that, just answer her calls once in a while and everything will be back to normal.”

Lisa snorted. “I don't want to call her until the show is successful. I don't want her to build it up in her mind just to have me fail again.”

Now it was my turn to snort. “When have you ever failed? You're the golden child.”

“Yeah, I'm so golden that if I don't talk to my mother once a week, she thinks I've hurt myself or been led astray by con artists. Unlike you. She trusts you with everything.”

I blinked at her in shock before staring back down at my chicken salad. There were walnuts and cut up red grapes in it. I couldn't decide if it was delicious or weird. Why not both? That was easier to think about than the fact that Lisa seemed to be resentful of my relationship with our mother.

“Why didn't you want me to come to opening night?” That had been bothering me all last night—well the noncheesecake and Miles portion of the night.

“I was afraid I was going to bomb. I was a terrible exotic dancer.

I watched the prostitutes at the brothel for tips about being sexy and I couldn't figure that out either.

My leg can't support me like it used to.

I created a routine where I didn't have to put stress on my knee.

I didn't know if it would work or if I'd make a fool out of myself.”

“I told her it was brilliant, but she didn't believe me,” Parker said.

“You wouldn't like it, Jackie,” Lisa said. “It's sexy, flirty and a little dirty.” She blushed.

“Darcy liked it,” I said. He had texted me this morning. The bachelor party was already back in Vegas. We were going to meet at Dalton's later.

“How did you meet Darcy Ross?” Lisa leaned in eagerly.

“He paid me a hundred dollars to give him a lap dance.” I went back to my chicken salad and enjoyed Lisa's expression. “But that was just one night. I'm dating Miles Carvello.”

“Miles?” Lisa said with a numb expression.

“He's the owner of Dalton's,” I explained to Parker, who was looking between us in confusion.

“When did you two meet?” Lisa's confusion was the perfect payback.

“Monday.” Had it only been one week?

“You started dating him this week?” she screeched.

“And I auditioned for a stage show at the Odyssey casino. I went on my second callback yesterday. That's why I wasn't here on opening night, not that you invited me. Darcy was doing me a favor by taking my place and coming to talk to you.”

“Who are you?” Lisa gawked at me.

“I'm Las Vegas Jackie.” I reached across the table. “Nice to meet you.”