Page 39 of Strip Search

“Dalton’s is a really nice place,” Jackie said.

I gawked at her in surprise. I hadn’t expected her to defend my club.

Eleanor listened intently to what her daughter was saying and then she gave a huge sigh. “You need to leave.”

“Ask her about Lisa,” Jackie hissed.

“Right.” Eleanor closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. “Have you seen any of your coworkers while you’ve been there? Zeke or Lisa?”

“She might know her as Broadway,” Jackie reminded her.

“Lisa or a Broadway. You have?” Eleanor nodded at Jackie.

Jackie clutched my arm. “Is she okay?”

“Is she all right?” Eleanor repeated into the phone. She listened for a minute and then nodded at Jackie.

Jackie bit back a sob and then threw herself into my arms. I had to stand up, otherwise the chair would have dumped us on the floor. “She’s all right,” Jackie repeated and squeezed me tight. “I’m going to kill her.” Jackie thrust herself away from me. “Can I speak to her?” she said to Eleanor with a mock sweetness.

I’m not sure what Eleanor saw on her face, but she recoiled back from it. “Is she with you?” she asked her daughter.

Eleanor shook her head. “She’s not there.”

“Can I speak toDee?” Jackie emphasized.

Eleanor cleared her throat. “Darling, Lisa’s sister is here and she’s very worried about her. Would you like to talk with her?” After a moment, Eleanor handed the phone to Jackie.

“Hi, my name is—” Jackie didn’t get to finish her sentence. She tensed and then her knees wobbled. I quickly came up behind her and wrapped my arms around her. She was shaking. “Okay. Okay. I will. Thank you.”

She handed the phone back to Eleanor. Turning in my arms, she looked at me and shook her head. “We’ve got to go.”

“You got it.” I was more than ready to get out of here.

“When can you come home?” Eleanor asked her daughter.

“Let’s go.” Jackie tugged on my arm and made for the door.

“Eleanor, it’s been real,” I said. “Dee is not going to be rehired. She can work at Denny’s for all I care.”

“I think that’s for the best,” Eleanor said, looking up from her conversation to sneer at me.

When we were back in the car, Jackie let out a small scream of rage.

“What’s going on?”

“Lisa was bartending at the Moondust Cherry Ranch two weeks ago.”

“They give room and board?”

“I doubt it. Not unless she was doing things other than bartending. Anyway, she’s no longer there. We’re still two weeks behind her. Dee wants to talk with me tomorrow, though.”

“Why not tonight? We’re only a couple of hours away.” I gripped the steering wheel. I was up for a drive.

“She’s got a full plate tonight. She’s not quitting her job and coming home. She didn’t want to tell her mother that.”

“She’s an adult.”

“So’s Lisa, but at least Dee answers the phone when her mother calls. I’m not telling my mother that Lisa decided to become a hooker.”