Shaking off the disturbing thoughts, Reese thrust the brochure back at Brantley and turned and left the room. He didn’t stop until he was back in the truck.
Chapter Six
Half an hour later, Brantley pulled thetruck into the empty parking lot of the Red Room Revue. He hadn’t bothered sharing the name of the cabaret club with Reese, figuring he would let it be a surprise. Not that the guy needed any more surprises today, but he hoped this one might lighten the mood.
“Oh, Jesus,” Reese grumbled. “Are you fuckin’ serious?”
Brantley chuckled. “I thought it was kinda catchy.”
He put the truck in park and got out, scanning the area, noting what was around them. It wasn’t Sixth Street or anything, but it wasn’t as rundown as he’d thought it would be. Across the pot-hole-riddled road, there was a taqueria, and next to it, a donut shop. Beyond that, more little retail shops, many of them specializing in adult pleasure.
“It fits right in,” he noted when he joined Reese as they walked toward the door.
Reese’s eyebrows shot into his hairline. “You ever been to a strip club before?”
Brantley held the door open so Reese could enter, smiling at the question. “Many times.”
He wasn’t surprised to see Reese’s forehead creased in confusion.
“I was a SEAL, remember? One of my guys had a life goal of visiting every strip club in the world.”
“Seriously?”
“Oh, yeah. And I wasn’t into makin’ things awkward for my teammates.” He huffed a laugh when Reese’s confusion still didn’t clear. “It didn’t do anything for me if that’s what you’re wonderin’.”
“What about a male strip club?”
Brantley chuckled. “Can’t say I’ve been to one of those. You?”
Reese rolled his eyes, then turned his attention to the woman strolling toward them. “We need to speak to the manager.”
“My name’s Janeese. I’m the manager.” She was a soft-spoken black woman with glossy straight hair that cascaded down her back and somehow accentuated her hourglass figure. He wasn’t sure whether she’d been an entertainer at some point, but he could imagine how she would strike someone’s fancy. “How can I help you?”
Brantley peered around the space while Reese pulled out his phone and flashed a picture of Toby.
When Reese asked, “Have you seen this man lately?” Brantley watched the woman’s expression, looking for the truth.
“Not in a while, no.”
“But you know who he is,” Brantley said, not bothering to phrase it as a question because he’d seen the recognition in her eyes.
“I do. Toby Land. He’s one of our frequent flyers. He used to date one of our girls. He hasn’t been coming around lately.”
“Is she here?” Reese inquired. “The girl he dated?”
“Serendipity? No.”
Well, if they had any hopes of singling out a woman for more info, Brantley figured Serendipity would be an easy name to track down. Of course, he wasn’t sure it was herrealname, but still.
“Does she work tonight?”
Janeese’s gaze slid toward the back, but she thought she was being discreet. “She does. Should be here around eight.”
Brantley caught movement at the back, saw a man coming through a door marked EMPLOYEES ONLY. He was a burly guy with a bald head, a wrinkled forehead, and no discernible neck, the kind who pretended those extra layers of fat were actually muscle. With his chest inflated and his chin tipped back, he moved toward them, his hand shifting his cheap suit jacket back to reveal the weapon holstered at his hip.
Feeling ornery, Brantley put his hand on the butt of his gun, smiled. “Your hired muscle gonna have a problem?”
Janeese glanced back over her shoulder. She forced a smile, but her tone held a hint of discomfiture when she said, “That’s Ronny. He’s a big teddy bear.”
