Answering the Call

by Ali Vali

  “You’re a professional who charges a fortune—I’d hope it lasts more than a minute.” The comment was totally inappropriate, but she couldn’t resist. Brandi laughed, and Nathan blushed so scarlet his dark eyebrows really stood out.

  “Get out of here, pervert. I want to talk to him, since I’m starting to like him more than you.”

  The woman Liza was sitting in one of the seats in front of Brandi’s desk, sipping from a cup of coffee and not appearing too perturbed to be summoned again. She was older, Sept guessed late sixties, and had been in the business in her earlier years. Brandi valued her because she knew how to talk to clients, collect from them, and find out what they wanted so she could prepare the girls for their dates.

  “Thanks, Liza,” she said, sitting next to her. “I know I’m being a redundant pest, but we need to go over that call again. We’ve hit a wall, and I need something to get going again.”

  “Whatever you need, Detective. Brandi told me what was done to that poor baby I sent to that animal.” Liza’s hand shook as she placed her cup down, as if the memory upset her that much.

  “Could it have been a woman who called?” The notes from the first meeting contained the entire conversation as Liza remembered it.

  “It could’ve been, I said, but I can’t be sure. The caller simply said what they wanted and promised to leave the money. I didn’t think about it, since it was a deep voice asking for someone young who knew how to follow directions.”

  “Did you hear any type of accent? Anything in the background that would’ve clued you in as to where they were calling from?”

  “They didn’t sound Southern, but nothing like any other accent that would’ve stuck out. The background was quiet.” Liza gripped the arms of her chair and took a few deep breaths. “Believe me, if I could help you, I would.”

  “I know, and I appreciate your time. Sometimes it takes a few days or weeks for something to click.” The lack of anything to follow up was disheartening, but if it took doing it fifty times, that’s what she’d do.

  “You’ll be my first call. The real shame was Lee’s inexperience. She wasn’t ready for this yet.”

  The statement made her nod. “Then why did you send Lee?” Maybe she’d been asking the wrong questions.

  “You get a feel for people when they’re talking about what they want,” Liza said, sounding more relaxed with a subject she was familiar with. “They want it so bad they’re willing to pay big money to get it.”

  “Why do you think that is?” Their talk made her think about the guy trying to pick up Erica the night Lee was killed. Some people allowed the side of their personality they kept hidden in their normal lives out when they were away from their families. Others might’ve thought about letting that part out to play but had better control.

  “That’s easy, Detective.” Liza sounded as if the answer should be obvious. “They’re churchgoing community leaders who marry and have children. Mostly they work and provide for their families and are rewarded once a week with the missionary position with a woman as interested in him as he is in her.”

  “Your business is built on a change of scenery, then?”

  “Brandi’s business is built on letting these guys ask for what they’re afraid to at home. They want their cocks sucked, they want to eat pussy, and maybe they’d like to have a beautiful woman shove a big dildo up their ass while they fuck.” The list Liza ticked off was in a way sad that you’d have to pay for it. “The repressed become the sexual gods they’ve always dreamed of being, and it takes only three grand to get there.”

  She smiled and nodded. “Thank God I’m not shy, then.”

  “Someone like you doesn’t pay for sex, so thank God not everyone’s wired the same.”

  “Do you make most of the dates?”

  Liza stared at her for a long minute, and she smiled to ease any fear of reprisal for a wrong answer. “Most of the phone inquiries, but two more girls help me with that.”

  “Was Lee a popular date?”

  “She was a beauty, but Brandi had her on a short leash. Not that she didn’t trust her, but she wanted her to acclimate to the kind of customers we service.”

  “That means she has a short list of clients.” It was probably nothing, but she had to ask.

  “A handful since she’s been here. Brandi picked some and trusted me to do the same.”

  “Anyone interesting? If you want, I can ask Brandi, if you’re not comfortable answering.”

  “She said she trusts you, and that’s good enough for me.” Liza reached for her bag and took out a ledger. “You’d never guess how many John Smiths there are in the world until you do this, but every so often someone surprises us and uses their real name, or at least a real first name and a very real phone number.”

  Liza wrote down ten names and the hotel they’d sent Lee to. “That’s a lot of John Smiths,” Sept said when she looked at it.

  “Some are repeat customers, except for this one.” She tapped on number eight.

  “Nicole,” she read, followed by a phone number. “What’s this area code?”

  “Malibu, California,” Liza said. “She wasn’t into anything memorable, and she wasn’t opposed to someone new. That’s all I know, so if something was off about the date, Brandi might be able to help.”

  “Thank you, Liza.” She folded the list and placed it in her notebook. “Where did Lee meet Nicole?”

  “The Piquant, for most of the night. She’s either got stamina or money to burn.”

  “Good question, but no worries. I won’t ask. Ms. Nicole’s secret is safe with me, but I can work around the information.” She pocketed her notebook and pen, then stood to go. “I’m curious,” she said when Liza took her hand. “What do you think I want?”

  “That’s easy. A woman who loves you and isn’t afraid to give you even the things you’re afraid to voice.”

  “Wow. You’re good.”

  “Years of practice, and the fact you were able to walk away from Brandi in that swimsuit means you’re really in love.”

  She nodded and laughed with Liza. “I’m definitely taken, but far from dead. Not even that suit could get me to cheat, though.”

  “Be happy, then, and call me if you need any more questions answered.”

  “Thank you, and call me if anything else comes to mind.”

  * * *

  Brandi’s man Wilson nodded when she came out and accepted a glass of lemonade from him. “Get what you need?” he asked.

  “Maybe something.” She took a sip, humming because it was so good. “Did Brandi and Nathan come in?”

  “You might want to let them finish. It was a long conversation. She’s trying to be as compassionate with him as he was with her the night Lee was killed.” Wilson went back to cutting up chickens and placing the pieces in a bowl. “He’s a nice young man. Brandi really likes him. Real shame what happened to his girl.”

  “Hopefully whatever Brandi tells him will help ease his guilt.”

  “The boy’s got nothing to be guilty about.” Wilson made quick work of the last chicken and then washed his hands. “He just needs to be reminded that it don’t do no good to crawl into the grave. He’s alive and got plenty living to do.”

  “I hope that’s true for all of us.”

  The back door opened, and Brandi came in wearing a large terry-cloth robe. Nathan’s blush was so deep Sept clamped her jaws shut to keep from laughing.

  “Ready?” Nathan asked.

  “In a minute,” she said and bent down when Brandi walked to her and kissed her cheek. “Thanks for getting Liza here, but I’ve a quick follow-up question.”

  “Shoot,” Brandi said and rubbed Nathan’s chest as if to calm him.

  “The date she sent Lee out with, Nicole, did she mention anything about it?”

  “It was one of her first women, and she said she didn’t realize females could be so aggressive, but nothing made her overly uncomfortable.”

  “Thanks.”

/>   “No problem, and, Nathan, don’t forget about Sunday afternoon,” Brandi said. “We’ll go for that ride and talk some more. I might also include a lesson on how not to blush. The rest you got down pat, darling.”

  Sept was proud of herself for not laughing, and it took ten minutes before his blush faded. “You okay?” she finally asked as she drove to the old Italian family restaurant on Canal Street.

  “Please don’t tell anyone what happened.” Nathan started to get red in the face again.

  “What. You had a conversation with Brandi about our case? That’s what happened, right?”

  “Thanks, and you should know I wasn’t planning to talk to her,” he said slowly. “She’s just really good at making conversation.”

  “No problems, partner. Let’s go accidentally run into the highly intelligent and talented Voles family.” She’d called Joel and found out where they were, since he’d gone from following Larry to Nicole and her father. “It’s probably nothing, but Nicole had a date with Lee Cenac before she died. Might not go anywhere, but excuse yourself after we get a table and call this number.”

  “And say what?”

  “Nothing. Block your number and mute your phone.” She got out and punched him in the arm. “Got that?”

  “Sure.”

  The hostess hugged Sept and showed them to a table close to Nicole and Brian’s. They were eating their starter salads and talking with their heads close together, and hadn’t seemed to notice them come in. She cocked her head to Nathan, and he left as she raised her menu. Whatever Nicole was saying stopped as she reached down for her purse a minute later. She glanced at the screen and hesitated before taking the call. Hopefully Nathan had done as she’d asked. She put the menu down and stared out the window as Nicole’s head came up and glanced around the restaurant.

  The waitress came and took her drink order, but she made sure not to let her eyes stray to Nicole or Brian. She ordered two sweet teas and conveyed surprise when Nicole sat down. “What the hell do you want?” she asked, not having to pretend to be angry.

  “Detective, are you following me because I kissed your girlfriend?” Nicole leaned in, and Sept found her perfume a bit overwhelming.

  “I’m having lunch with my partner so we can review our case files. Why would I be following you?” Nicole was the owner of the phone, but it really only proved the bitch paid for sex. It was interesting, though, that she’d had sex with a call girl who’d been murdered not long afterward. “Paranoid much?”

  “Did you just call me?”

  “Did you need an excuse to come over here and hassle me?” Sept asked, leaning in as well and making Nicole back up. “And what was up with you barging into the kitchen at Blanchard’s? I had to take a call, and you were gone when I was done.”

  “Keegan’s an attractive woman, and I’m interested.” Nicole shrugged and lifted her hands. “I didn’t realize you and she were that close. I came to apologize.”

  “Your attitude didn’t scream apology, Ms. Voles.” She thanked the waitress for the drinks and returned her attention to Nicole. “If that’s what it was, apology accepted, but don’t make the mistake of showing up there again. If that’s all, your father looks lonely.”

  “Shouldn’t you be out solving crime?” Nicole asked as Nathan came back. “Are you ready to admit you need help?”

  “From whom?” Nathan asked. “You or your father?”

  “I’m just here to write a book, but my father’s done nothing for you to treat him with such disrespect. He’s willing to help you and offer his expertise.”

  “We’ll let you know,” Nathan said and pointed to the chair she was in. “Now if you don’t mind, we’re slammed for time and need to follow up on some new developments.”

  “Anything you can share?”

  “It’ll be in the paper soon enough,” Sept said and waved the waitress back. “Two daily lunch specials.” Nicole went back to her table, taking the hint, and the conversation with her father became much more animated.

  “What’s going through your head, aside from fantasies of punching that slimy asshole?” Nathan asked.

  “The relationship she seems to have with her father is weird.”

  “Weird how?”

  “He’s got this fabulous career in California, but it’s like she needs to prop him up. There’s a story there, but I don’t have time to figure it out.” They had lunch, and after dropping Nathan off she went to see Gretchen Harrison again. Gretchen had asked her to come alone, but she figured it was an opportunity to ask her some questions on top of whatever Gretchen wanted.

  Gretchen didn’t stand when she came in and seemed cool. They had a history, but it was ancient and forgettable for its briefness. She was clueless as to why Gretchen wanted to see her if she was pissed about something, since they rarely spoke, much less saw each other.

  “I’m not sure what you want, but you know what I want to talk about,” she said to break the silence.

  “You know we can’t have any conversation about my client, Sept,” Gretchen said, putting up her hand to shut her up. “I was hired to defend him, remember?”

  “Gretchen, how long have we known each other? I’d never ask you to break privilege.”

  “Unless it got you something you wanted.” Gretchen glared at her, and her voice rose a few octaves. “I was young and stupidly naive back then, and I thought we agreed to drop it and never let it happen again. Sort of how you dropped me when the case was done and you won.”

  “We agreed to forget it because you and I both knew your client raped five women, and you didn’t exactly break privilege then, which makes this whole conversation moot,” she said, getting irritated. “I’m only here because you called me, and I want to show you something.”

  “You’ve got nothing to say about the rest of it?” Gretchen didn’t seem to be able to control herself over ancient history all of a sudden, which made Sept question her mental state.

  “Don’t try to rewrite our history together, Gretchen,” she said, not raising her voice too much. “You fucked someone else while you were fucking me, and I didn’t care enough to stay. That’s the gist of it.” The conversation was truly bizarre and not at all what she expected. “Why the hell are we even talking about this?”

  “Maybe I’ve been thinking about it all this time,” Gretchen said, walking to her sofa and dropping onto it. “Or maybe you did it again recently to someone I truly care about.”

  “You do realize I’m engaged and haven’t thought of anyone else in a long time.”

  “Not what I heard,” Gretchen said with her hand over her eyes.

  “I’m not sure what the hell you’re talking about, but let’s start with what I want to show you.” She handed over one of the pictures Jennifer had taken at the cemetery. “This is what I’m up against, and I’m trusting you not to let this go anywhere outside this room. If Perlis knows anything, tell me. I’m begging you to not let this happen to anyone else.”

  “Jesus, Sept, that’s not something I can unsee.” Gretchen pressed the picture against her chest. “I thought the pictures we already have were bad enough.”

  “That’s what I think every time I show up at one of these scenes.” She took the picture back and placed it in the file. “I don’t want to pile on what you’re already facing in court with Perlis, but if he knows who this is, or has said something, think about speaking up.”

  “Did you make a play for Nicole Voles?”

  “What the hell did you just ask me?” She had to have heard wrong.

  “It’s a simple question.”

  Unbelievable, she thought. “I’m with Keegan, but that didn’t stop Nicole from making a play for her. I walked in on her kissing Keegan by ambush.”

  “Is that what Keegan said?” Gretchen asked and grabbed her wrist when she went to move away.

  “You’re on thin ice, Gretchen. I thought we were friends, but if you say anything about Keegan, we’re done.”

  “Please, Sep
t, just answer the question.”

  “Yes, that’s what she said, and I believe her. She’s never lied to me, and if you’ve met the Nicole I’ve become familiar with, you’d believe her too.”

  Gretchen nodded and let her go. “He hasn’t said anything useful. He says he doesn’t remember any of what he did, and nothing I ask will make him say otherwise. That’s the truth, and if you think I’m lying, you can turn me over to the ethics board if you want to get back at me.”

  “Gretchen, I’m not here to mess with you. I’m seriously stuck, and I’m tired of having to walk in on these crimes scenes from hell. Believe me, if I knew some other way, I’d have tried it. My gut tells me Perlis might have some idea who’s doing this, and he’s enjoying every minute of it.”

  “Don’t give up, and I can’t promise anything, but I can always phone in an anonymous tip if he ever slips up.”

  “Thanks, and don’t believe everything you hear about me.” She tapped the file against her leg and sighed. “And I hope we can start over as friends.”

  “I’m sorry. I must be PMSing or something. I really haven’t held anything against you at all over the years. This case is making me crazy.”

  “It’ll be over soon, so hang in there.” Her phone buzzed, and the text from Joel said Nicole was on her way up. She didn’t want to run into her yet and chance something happening with no witnesses. “Thanks, Gretchen. And I’m here for you if you need anything.”

  She waited in the stairwell and hiked her eyebrows when Nicole exited the elevator with roses. “What’s your game?” Why feed Gretchen some bogus story about her making a play for her? What did all that have to do with the book she was writing?

  “You’ve made me curious,” she whispered to herself and stepped back from the glass slot in the door when Nicole came back out and looked around. “I may not have time for you, but I’m going to make time.”

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Hunter opened her eyes two minutes before nine and closed them again briefly to enjoy the silence before the night she had planned began. The stillness was something special she didn’t enjoy very often, but necessary before the world around her changed. The game was almost done, and the conclusion maybe should be something like what would happen tonight. It’d be fun to show the smug Savoie she’d never had a chance to win.