Page 34 of Strip Search

M iles Carvello

The worst part of all of this was the memories.

The smell of burned wires and broken dreams. I walked through the wreckage.

It had been arson all right. Mav had smelled the gasoline when he was doing his final rounds at four a.m. He had tried to put it out with a fire extinguisher, but it had spread too fast. At least he had enough time to clear the building and no one got hurt.

“Miles?”

I had to do a double take. I almost didn’t recognize Ginny in street clothes and sneakers. “Not now,” I said. I didn’t have the energy to fight. I was still sporting a hangover from drinking myself to sleep on Highway’s couch last night.

She walked up to me anyway, steadying herself as she climbed over the rubble. “This is for you.” She pressed a compact disk in my hands.

“What’s this?”

“This is the security footage from the bail bondsman office. You didn’t get it from me.”

Both Konner and Dieter’s pawn shop and the bail bondsman had claimed their security cameras had been off last night. Our tapes burned up in the fire. There had been no evidence except for circumstantial, just like when my uncle’s club was torched.

“How did you get it?”

“I took it from Leonidas, who took it from the bondsman.”

“He’s going to kill you. We have to get you protection.”

“Look, I’m not stupid,” Ginny said. “No matter what you think. He’s not going to realize it’s missing. I swapped it with one of Dee’s CDs. He destroyed the evidence this morning.” She put finger quotes around the word “evidence.”

“Dee?”

“Yeah, she told me keep away from Dalton’s Saturday night, so I stayed at her apartment in Pahrump.

Leonidas came by with a few friends after he got bailed out.

” She gave a chuckle. “You did a number on his face. He was already bragging that Dalton’s was going to burn to the ground. He got Zeke to do it.”

“Zeke?”

“Yeah, Zeke’s been trying to patch into the Rivs forever.

He thought having Dee be an escort for them would get him in.

But then she decided she liked working at a brothel instead.

Don’t get me wrong, she still freelances—which is why Leonidas came by last night.

Zeke would have done anything Leonidas said to become a full member of the Rivs.

I watched the footage. You can see Zeke coming in with the gas cans in the confusion when the cops took you away.

And it shows him torching your car as he left the building after closing time.

“That son of a bitch,” I said.

Movement caught my eye and I saw Grier shambling down the sidewalk toward us. He was in his homeless person disguise. No one even blinked at him.

“Why are you telling me this? I thought you and Leonidas had a deal.”

“We did. I sold his drugs and he’d leave my baby sister alone.”

“Did you tell him about Jackie?”

Ginny looked away. “Yeah. I didn’t think he’d go psycho.”

“Are you willing to tell the police what you know? It’s the only way to keep him away from your sister for good.”

She shook her head. “He’ll come after her if I take the witness stand. You don’t need me. You’ve got the evidence. Zeke will turn over on Leonidas.”

“Not if he wants to be a loyal gang member,” I said. “He’ll go to jail first.”

“Oh, Miles.” Ginny reached up and rubbed my cheek affectionately.

“Not everyone is like you. There’s a reason Zeke has been only a pledge of the Rivs for most of his life.

He’s a weasel.” She stood up on her tiptoes and tried to kiss me on the lips.

I turned my head just in time and she got my cheek.

“We could have been good together. You would have protected my sister.”

“You should have come to me.”

“You should have come to me , but you were never interested. I hope Jackie appreciates what she’s got.” With a sigh, Ginny walked away.

Jackie was safe in New York and that was all that mattered.

That’s what her sister Lisa had said when I hauled ass to Carson City yesterday.

I was caught between being relieved and being gutted.

She was the one person I needed to speak to.

If I couldn’t hold her in my arms, I just wanted to hear her voice.

I would have called her, but my phone was dead, and the cord was ash under my feet. It was on my list to get another one, but I had to figure out where the hell I was going to live in the meantime.

Grier came up to me next. “I’m sorry about the club and for the bullshit arrest Saturday night.

We’re looking into why you couldn’t get bonded out right away.

I’m not the type of guy that says, ‘Heads will roll,’ but it’s someone’s ass, that’s for damn sure.

All I can say is Leonidas didn’t torch your place. He was in Pahrump.”

I was pissed, but I knew there was only so much Grier could have done. Shielding my actions from the security cameras that were still operational on this street, I passed him the CD. “Dalton’s missing security tape. My waiter Zeke did it on Leonidas’s orders.”

I told him what Ginny had told me and he sped away to act on the new information. Hopefully, he’d get a warrant out on both Leonidas and Zeke. With my wire conversation and this new evidence, I had a feeling that the Rivs were going to lose a lot of power.

“You’ve got nothing to worry about. The assault charges against you will be dropped and Leonidas and his boys won’t be around to bother you once the district attorney gets ahold of them.”

I hadn’t been concerned about the assault charges. I had a good lawyer. As for Leonidas and the Rivs, well I guess that depended on how good their lawyer was.

“Go get ‘em,” I said and turned away to look at the ruins of my bar again. When Grier had left the area, I closed my eyes. “I did it,” I said, wondering if Uncle Johnny was listening.

Sitting down on a pile of rubble, I poked through the twisted metal hoping to find something that had survived.

I wasn’t sure how long I sat there, but it was getting dark.

I needed to get my head out of my ass and get a hotel room for the night.

My back popped as I stretched. A car skidded to a stop and I immediately tensed for a fight.

If they had a gun, I was toast, but if they only had knives, I was looking forward to getting out some aggression.

“Miles,” Jackie said, coming around the car and running over to me.

I met her halfway and hauled her up and out of the wreckage. “Are you out of your mind? I told you it wasn’t safe here. Get in the car.”

Once we were driving away from Dalton’s, I didn’t know whether to yell at her or kiss her.

“Don’t you yell at me about safe,” she said. “You didn’t tell me that you were a target too.”

“Arrogance,” I said. Grabbing her hand, I put it up to my mouth. “I’m glad you didn’t go home.”

“Actually, I did. And then Darcy told me what happened, and I came back.”

“Your jet lag must have jet lag,” I said.

“I’m running on energy drinks and sugar. We’re going to have our week together, even if we have to leave the state to do it.”

“I think I can find the time.” I leaned my head back on the headrest, content to let her drive us wherever she wanted to go. I didn’t care as long as I was with her.

“Oh, Miles, your poor club.”

Yeah, I was sorry to see it go too. “If it brings Uncle Johnny’s murderers to justice, it will all have been worth it. I have no idea what the hell I’m going to do now. I’m a little old to be jetting all over Europe to beat people up.”

“You don’t have to think about that now,” she said. “We’re together and that’s all that matters.”

It was a small bright spot that she and I seemed to be on the same page about that. “Jackie, I know we’ve only known each other a week and my life is a complete shitstorm right now, but I’m falling for you.”

She gave a watery chuckle. “That’s good because I’m head over heels for you too.”

“I don’t suppose you still have your reservation at the Wynn?”

“As a matter of fact, I do. I wanted to make sure I’d be able to pay someone to go to my room and pack my things I left behind and mail them to New York for me.”

“I could use a shower and to spend the rest of the night making love to you.”

“That’s the best offer I’ve had all day.” At the next stoplight, she leaned over and kissed me. “However, we have to make a stop first. Have you eaten yet?”

Now that she mentioned it, I was starving and not just for her delicious body. “I could eat.”

“Do you like drag queens?

JACKIE MITCHELL

Darcy was serenading Marilyn Monroe with his rendition of “Don’t Be Cruel” when we walked in. He saw us and did a final Elvis hip pivot for the crowd and waved us over to a booth.

“Miles, how are you holding up?” They did the dude bro hug and we sat down.

“I’m not sure.” Miles slung his arm over me, and I cuddled into him. “But I’m better because she’s here.”

“I can see that.”

The waitress came and we ordered a mountain of food. I made sure to order a pot of coffee. “And keep it coming.” There was no way in hell I was falling asleep before I got the full Miles Carvello treatment in my nice big bed in the Wynn.

“Where’s the rest of the blokes?” Miles asked.

“They’ve gone back home to ‘Straya,” he said. “I’m heading back to California. My sister Amie and my Mom need me.”

“Is there anything I can do?” I asked.

“Nah, it’s a family thing. You know how it is.”

I did. “If you ever need anything, call me.”

“I’ve got your number. I’m not going to lose it. Besides, I think me and your man here might be doing some business.”

Miles looked up from his coffee. “Are you looking to hire a bouncer? I’ve got impeccable references.”

“I’m looking to invest in some Las Vegas property.”

Miles put his cup down.

“I really liked Lisa’s show. Don’t get me wrong. I love strippers.”

Strip-pahs .

I loved his accent.

“But the burlesque seemed so classy. It was sexy, sensual, and alluring. I think a club like that would make a killing where Dalton’s used to be.”

“You want me to rebuild. Again.”

“And this time, you’re not going to do it all by yourself,” I butted in. “You’re going to have Highway and the rest of the Dalton’s crew to help out. And me.”

“You’re going to help all the way from New York?” Miles asked.

“No. I’m moving to Las Vegas. I figure even if I don’t get a job being a showgirl, I can always try my hand at being an agent down here.

And it’s not like I’m going to stop auditioning.

” I’d get a part eventually and I would do it while helping Miles.

I bit my lip. “That is, if you don’t think I’d get in the way. ”

“I have nothing to offer you. I’m homeless.”

“We’ll figure it out,” I said.

“I’m loaded,” Darcy said. “Or at least well off enough to front you some money. We can do a fifty-fifty split. And if the place is successful, we can open one up in California. Or if you don’t want to be partners, you can buy me out.”

“This feels like charity,” Miles said, scowling into his coffee.

“It’s capitalism, you lunkhead.”

Miles smirked. “Are you going to get up on stage and do a routine?”

“I might. I might even make that a term of our agreement.”

“I need a picture of this auspicious occasion.” Sliding out of my seat, I stepped back to get a shot of them.

“Now you two,” Darcy said, grabbing my phone.

I wrapped my arms around Miles’s chest and let all my happiness show. New York Jackie was no more. Make way for Las Vegas Jackie.

“You got a voice mail message, luv.” Darcy handed me back my phone.

“I hope it’s not your mother,” Miles groaned.

“Oh, it’s that call from this morning.” I had completely forgotten about it. “Excuse me while I check it.”

Miles and Darcy lowered their voices and started to hammer out the details as I dialed into my voice mail.

“Hi, this message is for Jackie Mitchell. This is Simi Pierce from the Odyssey casino. We were very impressed with your audition and we’d like to offer you a position in our show Travesty . Please call me at your earliest convenience.”

I clamped my hand on Miles’s arm and squeezed tight. He broke off what he was saying. “Jackie, what’s wrong?”

“I got the job. I’m going to dance in Travesty at the Odyssey.”