That was fair. “If you lose interest in me and want to be with another woman, I need you to tell me. Don’t cheat on me. I’m a big girl. I can take it.”
“I swear to you, I will never cheat on you,” he said in a low growl. “Is that promise enough for you?”
“Hello, sexy,” a woman said from the doorway.
I dropped my hold on his face, and James turned to face her, partially blocking her view of me. “Pleased to make your acquaintance, Ruby.”
A lacy robe hung from her shoulders, barely covering a sparkly bra and G-string. “Such a gentleman,” she cooed, stepping into the room and letting the curtain fall behind her.
I moved out from behind James and stood at his side. “Hello, Dani.”
Her face froze, and she glanced from me to James, then back again. “You’re into threesomes?”
“Why don’t we all have a seat?” James said, motioning to the bench.
Fear filled her eyes. “Am I in trouble?” she asked me, remaining rooted in place.
“Absolutely not,” I said firmly.
“So you really want to have a threesome?” she asked, confusion covering her face.
“We just want to ask you a few questions,” James said, then held out several hundred-dollar bills. “But why don’t we sit first?”
She looked at me again, fear still in her eyes.
It occurred to me that she wasn’t going to volunteer information without something to compel her.
“You’re not in trouble, Dani,” I said. “In fact, I’m not even with the police anymore. I’m a private investigator, and I’m looking for a missing girl. We were hoping you could tell us if you’ve seen her.” I glanced at James.
He picked up on my cue and pulled out his phone. “Her name is Penny,” he said, showing her the photo after he pulled it up.
She studied the photo for a moment. “She looks young.” She shook her head. “I haven’t seen her, but the owner’s pretty careful about makin’ sure the girls are legal. Last thing he wants is gettin’ busted for havin’ underaged girls.”
“We think she’s been trafficked,” I said. “Do you know anything about a trafficking ring?”
She bit her bottom lip, hesitating. “Nope. I don’t know anything about any of that.”
“Are you sure?” James asked in a honeyed tone, taking a seat on the bench. “Maybe you’ve heard some whispers or rumors.”
“We all hear rumors,” she said, softly, the tension in her shoulders easing. “But they’re just rumors.”
James patted the seat next to him, and Dani walked over and sat beside him.
“What rumors have you heard?”
“There was a dancer here,” she said. “Wilhemina, but her stage name was Nova Lux. One night she didn’t show up for work, but that’s not all that uncommon. But the night before, a super creepy guy was interested in her. He refused to pay for anything extra—no lap dance, no private room, nothin’—but he kept staring. He only ordered one drink and stayed for about an hour and a half. We all talked about him after he left. How he was a cheap weirdo who couldn’t afford us. But then Willy didn’t show the next night, or the next. Her roommate said she just disappeared. Left her stuff and everything.”
“You don’t know who the guy was?” James asked.
She shook her head. “But one of the girls heard him talkin’ on the phone while Willy was dancing. He said somethin’ like, ‘She’s perfect. Just what the client ordered.’”
I shot a glance at James. His expression was grim.
“Do you know if anyone reported her missing?” I asked.
Dani rolled her eyes. “Why bother? It’s not like the police are gonna do anything about it. Willy’s no one. Just an exotic dancer with no family and no money.”
As much I hated to admit it, she had a point. Even if it was undeniably wrong.
