“You can start by being nice to me.”
Chris attempted to identify the voice. Who else was in the room?
“Of course, Mr. Barone. You know you’re my favorite customer. Let me just get out of these sloppy clothes.”
Barone. Shit. He gritted his teeth, his jaw tight, his fists clenching. That was another one whose face he wanted to break. Meg was stalling for time by cozying up. The man was more than a sleaze. He probably wouldn’t waste any time in trying to get her into an intimate position.
“What the hell,” Sonny yelled. “This says she’s got some sort of transmitter on her.”
The sound of flesh hitting flesh echoed through the headset. Meg’s cry of pain lanced through him, his heart sinking, his gut on fire.
“You bitch! You lied to me. After all I’ve done for you, you go behind my back and give me up to the cops.”
“This thing in her hair,” Sonny said, “It’s transmitting something.”
Meg’s cries echoed through his head. He stood up, had to get her out of there. Philip shook his head and mouthed, “Wait for back up. I’m calling it in now. Sounds like they’ve got at least three guys in there, probably all armed. You’re not going to help her if you’re dead.” Philip was right but his fear for Meg was overriding all his training.
“I didn’t know, I swear I didn’t know,” Meg sobbed. “One of my customers gave it to me a few days ago. She said it would look pretty in my hair. She even gave me a card and said to tell all my friends that she makes these.”
“What did this lady look like? She look like a cop or a Fed? She must have been.”
He breathed a small sigh of relief that Moreno seemed to buy her quick explanation. He couldn’t believe after all this she could actually come up with a story that fast and convincing.
“I don’t know,” Meg answered, fear still lingering in her tone. “She was just some chick. She had short blond hair and was lots taller than me, even in my heels. I think I have her card somewhere. I could go look for it.”
“Sonny, go get Katie’s bag from her locker,”Moreno ordered. Moreno, Barone, and Sonny. Three guys to one cocktail waitress. The odds seemed a little unfair.
“And you, bitch,” Moreno’s voice roared and there was the sound of something, or someone falling. Meg? “How could you just take something from someone who was probably a cop?”
“I didn’t know, Mr. Moreno. I didn’t know. She was in here all the time. She was starting to become a regular.”
“How long?”Moreno’s voice demanded and Meg grunted again. What was that bastard doing to her? The thought of the bruises on her arms from a month ago made his temperature rise and he started seeing red.
“Like three weeks, maybe a month. Not much longer I don’t think.”
The door opened and closed again. “Here’s her bag, Mr. Moreno.”
“Find it. I want that number. And if this bitch shows up tonight we take her down and make her disappear, got it? Now where is this card?”
“I’m looking. I might have taken it out and left it at the hotel. I can get it after work. Or I can run over there now and get it.”
Chris held his breath wondering if a slight miracle would happen and Moreno would allow her to leave. Did her story of the woman customer ring true to him? Did he believe her enough?
“I don’t think so,” his chilling tone made Chris break out in goose bumps. “You just sit there. Sonny, if she moves, shoot her.”
“Do you mind, Salazar,” Barone piped in. He’d almost forgotten the slime bucket was there. “I could keep her occupied for a while if that’s okay. I’ve been wanting to get my hands on her for a long time. I’ve waited over a year for this delicious one.”
Moreno sighed but agreed. “Fine, do whatever you want. I need to think and figure out what to do?And destroy that bug!”
Tons of static filled the receiver and it went dead but not before they heard Meg whimper again. He threw the headphones down, grabbed another small listening device, pocketed it, and headed for the door. Philip looked up startled but seemed to understand where he was going and why.
“I’ve got a call in for backup but it could be a little while. Try and hold on until we can get there. I’ll keep my ears open on your channel.”
Chris didn’t wait for anything else. He ran around the block to the club and slowed just enough not to appear suspicious when he entered. No sense in one of the other muscle-bound thugs trying to throw him out before he got close to Meg. If Barone did anything to her, he’d kill him. He’d rather die than see anyone hurt her.
His eyes adjusted to the darkness and loud music as he walked quickly through the somewhat empty room. It was still early and only a few diehards had found their way in. He glanced at the bar to see if he could give a nod to Dave but he wasn’t there. The man had to be around somewhere, but Chris didn’t want to waste any time in getting to Meg. It had already been a few minutes. God only knew what Barone had done to her in that time.
Maneuvering through a few waitresses, he headed down the hall to the back room, not sure exactly what he was going to do in there. His gun would have been nice but the check at the door prevented it. He’d blow a hole in Moreno’s head and everyone would be happy. Okay, maybe not the most legal way to do things, but it worked for him.
