“Sheila, if it wasn’t for you, I would have been found in the dumpster by the garbage collectors in the morning. I cannot thank you enough.” said John.
“You have thanked me enough, John. Now, stop thanking me or I won’t rescue you ever again.” said Sheila.
“Okay, I will stop thanking you. I am still dying to find out what happened last night. One moment, we both had the situation under control and the next thing I know, you have stopped responding on the radio. What exactly happened Sheila?” asked John, curious about the previous night.
“I was following her, like you said. Believe it or not, while you were being followed by her, and I was following her, another car was following me. That was when I realized that we were being outsmarted. I had to change the game plan right away, and I simply did not have the time to inform you. I pretended to have car trouble and let the car slow down. The car behind me was fooled by it, and the car in front of me slowed down. When you took the turn, she stopped and blocked my car. The guy in the other car ran out of his car and jumped on me. I kicked him in the face and one of his teeth was knocked out.”
“Oh! That explains the blood in your car. I thought you were injured or worse.” said John, sighing a huge relief.
“Yeah, that was his blood alright. While I was busy with him, she came from behind and gave me a snap on my head. I don’t know what she did, but I became unconsciousness. I only have a vague memory of being in the back of my car and when I woke up, I was in an unfamiliar office. They did not want anything from me so they simply had me tied to a chair with just one guard. Two hours later, he fell asleep and I slipped out of the ropes, grabbed him by his throat, found out where you were, and ten minutes later you were free.” said Sheila, wrapping her story up.
“I have to say, I am impressed. Now I know I did the right thing by hiring and encouraging you to take those self-defense classes.” said John.
“Don’t forget about making me get that gun license. Came in really handy yesterday, though I wished I got a chance to use it.” said Sheila.
“The way things are going, I am sure, you will get a chance to use it. Did you hear from Drake?” asked John. He remembered that Sheila had got Drake to copy some information from the phones she grabbed from the goons who were guarding him.
“We have been in communication and I don’t want to bore you with the details on that. You need to focus on your full recovery for the time being. Just know that we are working on the information and Drake will send it to your phone as soon as he has finished.
“Okay, thanks Sheila. I am going to take a shower and we can get out of here.”
An hour later, John was all set. He collected the prescription from the doctor and they both drove to the office. On reaching the office, John changed into his regular clothes and Sheila did the same. Just like John, she also kept spare clothes in the office. John and Sheila then went out and picked up new phones and had Drake remotely configure them. Once the phones were set, they both returned to their office and grabbed their weapons. John checked that both his new pair of guns were working and in good shape. He checked that the weapons holster was working fine and handed one to Sheila. He did the same to his own holster. By the time all that was done, they were both ready with the attire and weapons to handle pretty much anything. John had an odd feeling that those goons that caught them would not be happy with what he and Sheila have done so far.
Around five in the evening, John’s phone rang. It was Drake.
“John, I have the information from the two phones all encrypted. Most of it is in old fashioned codes, which are independent of the computing power I can throw at it. It’s more like a puzzle than anything else. If I had a lot of time I could break through it. Now is not the time though.” said Drake.
“Okay. I am still listening.” said John.
“I did find out something. Do you know the Angels and Demons club?” asked Drake.
“That place over at sector fifteen. I know that club.” said John.
“Apparently there is some big meeting that is going to happen tonight, about two hours from now. The club itself is huge and the meeting could be happening anywhere in the club. One of the folks who had you captured might be there. That is all I really can tell you so far, John.” said Drake.
“Okay. Angles and Demons club, eh? Thanks Drake, You have been a lot of help.” said John.
“John, these people are dangerous and now, they even have a bull’s-eye for you. That club is not going to be a nice place for you. Hope you are going there prepared for anything. I will also be available on call all night. Just give me a buzz if you need me.” said Drake.
“Thank you Drake.” said John, hanging up.
“What’s it going to be John?” asked Sheila.
“We are going to the Angels and Demons club. I am guessing that we no longer have an element of surprise. They already know who we are.” said John.
“Are you suggesting that we wear disguises, John?” asked Sheila. She always had a taste for disguises.
“No disguises Sheila. These folks are too smart for that. We will go as ourselves. As a couple who are just out for a nice evening. Hope you have a nice dress for tonight’s occasion. I want you to look beautiful.” said John.
“No problem Boss, I have just the right outfit for such occasions.” said Sheila.
“Good. I want you to drive to your home right away, and get ready. I will pick you up in an hour at your place. Be ready for anything tonight.”
“I will be ready.” said Sheila. Soon after that, she left the office. John changed into a nice suit, locked the office, and reached the basement. He then took his car out of the parking garage and drove straight to Sheila’s apartment. The moment John reached the apartment gate, the video communicator lit up. Sheila was speaking through the video display.
“John, I will right out there. Just keep the car running.”
“I will wait right here, then.” said John.
John only got a quick peek at her on the video display before it turned off. He thought she looked grand. In those few seconds he thought he saw her with a new hairstyle and round earrings; and there was something about her face. She looked extremely different and for that matter, very hot. John was reminded of his mother and also Rod, who kept pushing him toward her. John had a strict policy against getting involved with anybody who was linked to him professionally. As far as he was concerned, Sheila was a good assistant and he was scared. Scared that if he were to get involved in any possible way and something should go wrong, he wouldn’t just lose a friend but also a great assistant. That would not do. He was also aware that Sheila was a very good-looking woman, and John had acknowledged this on a number of occasions.
As John sat there thinking about his beautiful assistant, the gates opened and Sheila stepped out. One look at her, and John’s heart skipped a beat. Sheila was dressed in a dark red dress, which shone in the night. It wasn’t sparkly but just shiny, as if it was reflecting all the light around her. Her hair was decorated in a way that reminded John of those pageant models. She wore large earrings which were so thin that they were only visible from one angle. “Are you just going to sit there speechless or will you open the door for me, Boss?” asked Sheila, with a smirk.
“Of course.” said John, recovering from this visual shock. He still could not believe it was her, even though she was standing right in front of him. He got out of the car, and then walked to the passenger side and opened the door for her. Sheila smiled and stepped into the car. John closed the door for her and took his driver’s seat. As John pushed the start button on the car, he wished he had worn a better suit. As he drove the car, he could not help but grab a sneak peek at her, her attire, and that hint of beautiful cleavage.
“Will you stop looking at me like that, Boss? You are looking at me like you have never looked at me. Is everything alright?” she asked.
“Stop messing with me Sheila. You know why I am looking at you.” said John, keeping his eye on the road.
“Okay. I am messing with you. Sorry about that. Before you ask again, Boss, I do know that I look amazing today. I figured, we are going to a high-end club and we might as well look the part. We can always drive back to my apartment and I can change to something less flattering if you want.” said Sheila.
“That won’t be necessary. You look grand, just like I asked you to. You are armed I hope. Things might get crazier than yesterday. We don’t even have the element of surprise anymore.” said John.
“Everything as per your instructions, Boss. I am good to go for any sort of action. This time, I would not let them harm a hair on your head. That reminds me Boss. I have a confession to make.” said Sheila.
“Confession?” asked John, taking the next turn of the road and continuing to drive.
“I was just thinking about last night. I should have reached you faster. You were hit pretty hard and it could have been pretty bad. I feel like I failed you yesterday. I am sorry you had to suffer so much.” said Sheila, lowering her head and looking slightly upset.
“What makes you say that? You saved my life. Stop thinking any other way, Sheila. When you think about it, it was I who put you in harm’s way. It is I who should be asking for forgiveness.” said John.
“I won’t have it that way Boss. I should have protected you and I failed. Let’s keep it at that. Stop counter arguing and just hear me out. Going forward, I will keep an eye out for you and I won’t fail again.” she said, with a voice that was grave. For a moment there, John was reminded of his mother. He wanted to argue, but decided to resign to what she had to say. John really wanted to argue with her. Tell her that it was no fault of hers. Then again, he knew that she won’t agree with him. That was one of the things he liked about her.
“Alright Sheila. I am glad that you will not let any harm come to me. Thank you for that.” said John.
Sheila only smiled. The rest of the journey was an uneventful one and the talk between them drifted to other topics. The traffic was slightly heavy at the city center, but the moment they crossed it, it was a smooth drive all along. The sky above was a little cloudy, and it looked like there was a possibility of a slight shower later in the night. There were a few stars here and there, but only some of them were twinkling. The rest of them were dull, as if something was wrong with the night. Every now and then, John would look up at the sky and it felt like he was talking to a silent astrologer.
“That looks like the club. What is the plan, John?” asked Sheila, returning to the topic at hand the moment she saw the club at a distance.
“We walk in. You have seen some of the faces and I have seen, well, nothing. I recognize the voices though. If Drake’s information is right, we must be able to find out more about the guys who grabbed us. I am still trying to figure out what the connection is with the case we are investigating and this red Lipstick Woman. Somehow I feel that she has everything to do with this. She might be here. Keep an eye out for her as well.” said John, parking the car and getting out.
Sheila did the same and she was quite pleased with the flattering impression she was making on those who were at the club entrance. Compared to her, John almost looked like a guy who was employed to distribute charity checks. Sheila seemed to realize that and simply smiled at him. They both walked in, like a couple who had been dating for a long time. The club, Angels and Demons, was one of the prime clubs in the city. The rich and famous, which included a long list of celebrities, sportspersons, and money makers, used the place as their hangout of choice. John had heard a lot of rumors about how the place was also used for a lot of underworld activities. Today, John was about to find out if those rumors were true.
As the couple entered the club, John could see that it was nothing like the club they were at yesterday evening. Last night’s club was loud and crowded. This one, resembled more like a lake. Melodious music filled the large hall in front of them. The entire floor was covered with red carpet and there were tables spread out everywhere. Some of them had two chairs, some had three or four chairs and there were some which were set up for larger groups. John noticed that there were four pairs of stairs, all leading up to the first floor. The whole floor was like a dome. Grand curtains and decorative glasses blocked off the view. John noticed that each of the stairs that led to the secluded areas was guarded by armed personnel in suits and dark glasses.
John and Sheila walked onto the carpet, navigating through the gap between tables and seated themselves at the far right table. From that table, they both could see all the movement in the club. John immediately noticed that the club was lit with dim light. The music and the light intensity greatly enhanced the ambience and made the environment very relaxing.
John ordered the night’s special for him and Sheila, who was also keenly observing for any signs of the people she took care of last night. They were both on the lookout for that red Lipstick Woman, who had continued to remain something of a mystery for both of them. The waiter returned with the ordered meals in ten minutes and laid out the table. John and Sheila decided to take a break from their watch and decided to dig into the meal. As the waiter was about to leave the table, John noticed that he had poured a drink in Sheila’s glass, but not in his glass. John called out to the waiter, but he was already gone as if ignoring John’s call.
John thought that it was odd, the waiter behaving that way, especially in a place like this. He picked up the glass to pour the drink himself and noticed something strange. There was a small folded note inside the glass. John turned the glass upside down, and the folded note fell into his free palm. He unwrapped it and there was a message.
Come over to the men’s rest room next to the dancing floor. – The woman who kidnapped your assistant
John read the message and re-read it. Due to his natural habit, he was reading the note in a concealed fashion, hiding it from everybody’s view, even from that of Sheila. He slipped the note into his shirt pocket and thought about what it could mean. Clearly, the person who wrote the note knew what was going on. They also knew that John and Sheila were there for a reason, and that reason was known to them. John thought of all the implications of responding to the request in the note and actually going over to the men’s rest room. Perhaps, this was a trap. Perhaps this Lipstick Woman was really trying to communicate with him. John reminded himself that he was a detective and that he should be willing to take some risks. He felt a little concerned. The club would not allow him to bring weapons inside and that meant, from a defensive perspective, he was completely naked. John decided to just take the risk.
“Sheila, I need to go to the bathroom.” said John, pushing the chair away from the table and getting up.
“Sure, Boss. I will continue to keep an eye out for the Lipstick Woman and her gang.” said Sheila, looking up from her dinner plate.
John nodded and walked toward the dance floor. As he walked he looked around like a casual young man who could not help but stare at all the young women who were dancing on the dance floor. If he wasn’t on a case, and not accompanied by his assistant, John would have considered picking someone up from the crowd, buying them a drink, and enjoying the rest of the evening. However, that would not happen. John was on a job and all he could do was pretend to be interested. As John’s eyes swept the dance floor, a couple of eyes met with his and seemed to like what they saw. John continued to reflect on that and reached the restroom.
Just as John was about to enter the rest room, someone grabbed him by his tie and pulled him into the restroom. John would have panicked, but the ‘gentleness’ of the pull indicated that the person was not trying to hurt him. Before John realized what was happening, he was inside one of the cubicles sitting on the closed toilet seat. Sitting on top of his legs was a woman, whose face was a few inches away from his face. For the first time, John w
as able to get a good view of the woman with the red lipstick.
The Lipstick Woman had blond hair; although John was sure the hair was black in color. A dye job, John assumed. He began to observe the rest of her features. Her eyes were jet black, her nose was sharp with something of an attitude about it. Her lips were covered with dark red lipstick, something which John noticed previously. Her face was not exactly beautiful, although she looked good with the help of makeup. She had tiny earrings which were not matching with each other. While John couldn’t see her whole body well from such close quarters, he could feel that she was light, and her cleavage looked pretty impressive.
Chapter 9
“Hello detective. How are you doing this evening?” she said, in a voice that sounded like it was practiced to make the listener feel good about her. John could not help but admit that it was working.
“Hi.” said John, gritting his teeth in anger. He had sudden flashbacks about the woman kidnapping his assistant, and then him being captured and tortured. John did not know what would happen if he wasn’t rescued by Sheila under very dangerous circumstances.
“I am guessing you are very angry, detective. I thought it was about time I introduced myself to you. You must be pretty excited to meet me.” she whispered in his ears. This was after all the men’s restroom. John did not say anything. He was angry but that did not mean he was going to hit a woman. Not unless she decided to attack first. John happened to be an equal opportunity crime investigator.
“Okay, you are really angry with me, then. Expected. I am guessing, you are wondering why I got your assistant and took her away?” she asked.
John continued to maintain his silence.
“I am also convinced that you are trying to figure out why my men had you captured and beaten.” she stated, continuing her whisper.
John continued to be silent, still not bothering to reply to her. He was still very angry and he did not want to say anything that he might regret later.
UNDERCOVER The Secret of Luck Page 22
