No Escape

by Heather Lowell

  “So you want to interview the woman, then go to where this minor has been taken and free her before Ricky Hedges is tipped off about the investigation,” Rabani said.

  “Yes,” Tessa said. “It’s the only way to guarantee her safety. She also may know a great deal about what is going on inside Club Red, which only makes her more vulnerable.”

  “That’s probably true,” Peebles said. “But I’m afraid we can’t help you.”

  “Why?” Tessa asked baldly.

  “Because as we speak the task force operational unit is preparing to raid Club Red. The whole thing will go down in a few hours.”

  “No.”

  “I’m very sorry.” Rabani seemed sincere, so Luke figured he wouldn’t mess up the guy’s nice suit by giving him a bloody nose.

  Tessa shut her eyes in real despair as she realized that Kelly’s time had finally run out.

  Chapter 42

  Downtown Los Angeles

  Wednesday morning, March 17

  Carmen Ramirez looked around at the roomful of silent people. “It looks like we might have a deal breaker, Gil. Isn’t there some way to compromise?”

  Rabani shook his head regretfully. “We found out two days ago that Ricky Hedges’s private pilot filed flight plans for an upcoming trip to Rio de Janeiro. Our concern is that he may attempt to flee the country and live overseas. The revelation that he has millions in cash only underscores that fear.”

  “He’s going to kill her,” Tessa said.

  “How can you be sure of that?” Peebles asked.

  “Tell them,” Tessa demanded of Jerry Kravitz. “Tell them what you told us about Kelly’s attempts to get a message to me.”

  Jerry looked uncomfortable. “I don’t know what Ricky is going to do. As far as I know, he’s never killed anyone before. But he’s been crazy in the last few days, thinking his whole empire is being threatened. I heard that Kelly was caught trying to get a letter to Ms. Jacobi through one of the girls. Ricky blew a gasket, and next thing I know he tells me he’s leaving Club Red and taking Kelly with him. I didn’t get a good feeling about what was going to happen.”

  “And we know Ricky has already been involved with the recent death of one other person—Ed Flynn,” Luke said. “It sounds like he’s starting to crack under the pressure.”

  “All the more reason to raid his operation now, before anyone else gets hurt,” Peebles insisted.

  “Wait,” Tessa said. “It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. What if you give us a chance to talk to the woman who may know where Kelly is? We could go in just ahead of the raid and see what she has to say. We can even be inside when the raid goes down.”

  “No. It’s too dangerous,” Luke said.

  “No more so than the situation Kelly is facing. I haven’t come this far just to give Kelly a Christian burial. I want to send her home to her parents alive and well.” Tessa looked at Luke and silently pleaded with him to understand.

  “You’ve got until four this afternoon,” Peebles finally said. “After that, we will be giving the signal to serve the papers and search the facility.”

  Rabani cleared his throat. “I’ll give you my cell number and advise the team that you will be inside—as of yesterday, we’ve had a few of our own people in and around the facility, so I’ll give them your information as well. I wish I could do more. But we don’t want to deal with a bunch of patrons, so we have to do the raid before this evening’s rush.”

  “It’s already going to be packed because of March Madness. The college basketball championships,” Luke explained at Peebles’s blank look. “The games are on East Coast time, so there are bound to be fans inside the club already.”

  “Is there any way to keep the bust low-key after it happens?” Tessa asked. “I remember last fall that the Coral Room in Miami was raided a couple of days before news ever got out about it. The Feds were able to set up several wiretaps and taped conversations using individuals who were swept up in the bust. These inside people set up colleagues who hadn’t been arrested yet and were able to provide valuable information to investigators.”

  “You’ve done your homework,” Rabani said. “We were modeling our raid on that operation, and planning on getting additional information in the hours or days before the news leaked out. With current antiterror legislation, we can hold suspects incommunicado for twenty-four hours or even longer, which should help keep things quiet.”

  “Give us twenty-four hours, then,” Luke said. “If you keep the bust quiet for that long, I’m sure we can get Kelly back.”

  “Do you know where Ricky Hedges is?” Peebles asked. “If you do, I think it’s only fair to share that information.”

  “We haven’t got a clue,” Luke said honestly. “But we may have a better idea once we talk to our source inside Club Red.”

  “Just as long as we get first crack at Hedges,” Peebles said. “He is one defendant that we won’t turn over to face state charges first.”

  “What are you talking about?” Tessa asked. “I thought we’d agreed to share the defendants and our information.”

  “We’ll share the people you’ve brought here today. But you haven’t given us any reason to turn Ricky Hedges over to you first. In fact, you said that the D.A. won’t be able to prosecute him for the murder-for-hire incident, and that he fell under the jurisdiction of the AUSA,” Peebles said. “To me, that means we get first crack.”

  “Listen, Tessa. We don’t really care who gets Ricky, as long as the man faces the death penalty, right?” Carmen asked.

  Tessa did care. Deeply. But she wasn’t willing to throw away the entire case just for the chance to stick it to Roderick Hedges of Club Red, Inc.

  “How about another deal?” Luke asked. “Possession being nine-tenths of the law, what’s say we agree that whoever captures Ricky gets first crack at him?”

  “That seems fair,” Rabani agreed, confident that Ricky would be turned up in their sweep at the club. “Done.”

  Peebles wanted to argue, but Luke cut him off. “Come on, where’s your faith in the team you’ve put together, Dieter? If you catch him, you fry him. Pretty simple.”

  Tessa began to gather her things, hiding her expression. Somehow she knew, with absolute faith, that whatever plan she hatched with Luke would end up with the capture and conviction of Ricky Hedges.

  But she would feel a lot better if she had some indication that Kelly would still be alive at that point.

  Chapter 43

  Los Angeles

  Wednesday afternoon, March 17

  “I don’t know how I’m going to sit on the way over to Club Red,” Tessa said as they left Ronnie’s house. “This borrowed dress is so tight across my behind that I’m afraid the seams will split wide open if I put any additional pressure on them.”

  She was wearing one of Ronnie’s old party dresses, left over from the prepregnancy days. Luke was in torment, walking behind Tessa down the driveway and trying—sort of—to pull his eyes away from her shapely ass. “Quit tugging. You’re torturing me, baby.”

  Tessa gave him a surprised look, then a slight smile curved her lips. “Any last-minute advice besides not adjusting my clothing? This is my first undercover operation. I don’t want to mess up.”

  They were dressed like wealthy members of the party set, with plans to get inside Club Red and find out where Kelly had been taken. Luke and Tessa were going to play the role of a swinging couple eager for action, and Jerry Kravitz was going to get them in the door so they could talk to Crystal Bleu without tipping off any employees about what was going to happen to the club later that afternoon.

  “It won’t exactly be a deep-cover operation, so don’t get too excited,” Luke said. “The place is going to be raided within half an hour of our arrival, so all we have to do is hold it together long enough to speak with Crystal.”

  “But what if someone gets suspicious and calls Ricky or something?” Tessa asked. “What if he’s even there? I’m afraid he’ll recogniz
e me somehow.”

  “If he is there, the guy is staying out of all the public areas. Relax—MacBeth said the gossip around the club is that Ricky has gone out of town for a few days. I’m not worried about anyone recognizing us, or I wouldn’t let you go in there.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him. “It’s not like I need your permission to do my job.”

  “No, but you do need my help. Don’t piss off the consultants, baby, or you could end up doing their job as well as yours. Didn’t anyone ever teach you that?”

  Tessa picked up her pace on the way to the car, muttering under her breath about high-handed, arrogant, domineering men.

  Luke watched the irritated jiggle of her butt underneath the skintight silk of her borrowed turquoise dress and grinned.

  He just loved it when she got all prickly with him.

  Ronnie caught up with them as they stood at the door of the rental limo they were using for transportation. Inside waiting for further instructions, Jerry Kravitz sat sweating heavily in his black sports jacket with white T-shirt underneath. Ronnie would be his escort, to ensure his good behavior and discourage any attempts to escape or spread word about the upcoming bust.

  Jerry sat up front, with one of Novak International’s employees serving as driver and bodyguard. Luke pointedly closed the privacy shield so he could speak freely and coordinate their plan on the way to Club Red.

  “Darn it,” Tessa said. “My left boob just slipped down my side.”

  Luke’s head whipped around, and he closely examined Tessa’s strapless bodice. All but licking his lips in anticipation, he reached for her. “Allow me…”

  She smacked his hands away while Ronnie snickered. “It’s not my fault you’re built along more delicate lines up top than I am, Tessa. You’re just lucky that my neighbor had those silicone inserts from Victoria’s Secret to fill out the built-in bra on the dress. Although I have to admit you don’t need anything to fill out the seat area. I certainly never looked that good in it.”

  “Amen,” Luke murmured, watching Tessa as she reached down into the top of her dress and went fishing around for the warm gel insert that she needed to fill out the bodice. With some judicious stuffing and a discreet shimmy, everything settled back into place. She just hoped it would stay there.

  Luke hoped it might slip again, just so he could watch the fishing expedition.

  “Okay, one last time. Jerry gets us in the door, then Ronnie goes with him to the bar to watch the game and keep an eye on our backs,” Tessa said. “Luke and I will request that Crystal join us somewhere private for a threesome, and then once we get her alone we drop the act and ask her about Kelly.”

  “When you have the information, give Rabani the signal via cell phone to start the raid,” Ronnie continued. “Just remember—signal or not, they are going to come through the doors at twelve minutes past four.”

  Luke checked his watch. “It’s going to be tight, but I think we can swing it. The timing really depends on Crystal and how quickly she goes with us.”

  “From what Jerry says, she’s a pro,” Tessa pointed out. “Your job is to look so rich that she won’t even hesitate to get you alone.”

  “Just keep that fur wrap over your cast,” Luke advised Tessa. “Or Crystal is going to think I’m a wife beater.”

  Twenty minutes later, Luke and Tessa were waiting at the bar inside the club. Jerry was next to them, speaking in low tones to the bartender. His job was to set up an opportunity for them to be introduced to Crystal, which would apparently be preceded by a “girl parade.”

  Tessa wasn’t sure what that involved, but took the opportunity to study the infamous club while they waited. Somehow, she’d been expecting something more…forbidden, maybe.

  But Club Red was decorated in a fairly generic fashion. In fact, it could have passed for a hunting club somewhere, with an interior design dominated by wood and dark carpets and muted earth tones on the walls. She could tell the hard-wood flooring and carpet were expensive and made to withstand wear and tear, but she frankly couldn’t imagine paying that kind of money for something that would be exposed to stiletto heels, cigarettes, and the inevitable spillage associated with bars and restaurants.

  Woven through the wooden interior were many different sizes and shapes of mirrors, as well as comfortable-looking chaises and chairs.

  “This place is really nice, honey.” Tessa spoke loudly, adopting a Jersey girl accent for her role as Luke’s bimbo.

  “My man Jerry says we’re on the VIP side of the house,” Luke said heartily. “I’m sure the part for regular customers doesn’t look nearly as nice. Look at all these girls, baby. See anything you like?”

  Mindful of the bartender watching her, Tessa adopted a pouty expression and scanned the room. Though it wasn’t yet four in the afternoon, there were close to a hundred people lounging in the VIP area—more than half of them women. The Club Red girls were dressed provocatively, though their clothing was of relatively high quality. Considering that they were strippers and prostitutes, anyway.

  Tessa let her eyes rest on one beauty, who was seated next to a man old enough to be her grandfather. The girl wore a silk spaghetti strap top and tight black skirt, a fairly simple outfit that she’d spiced up with knee-high black boots and a leather riding crop.

  Turning to Luke, Tessa shook her head. “Dominatrix chic doesn’t do it for me, Booboo. If you want me to make out with a girl, she’s got to be interesting. Exotic.”

  “You heard the lady, Jer. Who do you recommend?” Luke asked.

  Jerry looked at the bartender, who nodded agreement. “I think your lady is going to love Crystal. She’s very experienced and loves women as much as she does men. She’ll be the perfect teacher, and her look is exotic.”

  “I’ll call the girls and let them know it’s time for the parade,” the bartender said. “You just pick anyone who catches your eye and go upstairs with her. You won’t regret taking a walk on the wild side at Club Red.”

  Tessa gave Luke a scrunched-nose smile while a shiver of disgust went through her.

  Within a few minutes, a group of twelve women made their way slowly down the stairs. Just looking at them, it was easy to see that these were the pride of Ricky’s club—Thoroughbreds, as Jerry had called them. They each wore fashionable cocktail dresses that showed a maximum of cleavage and thigh, and their dancers’ legs were showcased by perilously high heels.

  Tessa was beginning to feel like a frump, at least until Luke slid an arm around her waist and discreetly stroked her hip.

  “What do you think, baby? Pick whichever one you want.”

  She swallowed hard, mindful of the description Jerry had given them of Crystal. The former stripper was easy to spot, with her trademark mane of powdery blue hair and silver accessories.

  Though Crystal was only Tessa’s age, there was a hardness about her eyes that told Luke she’d been a pro for a long time. Still, he could see that she took a lot of pride in her appearance, and took her role of mentor to the younger girls seriously.

  The other women stood to one side of the bar, fussing with their clothes, some of them lighting cigarettes in European-style holders. Obviously, the American Lung Association’s message that smoking isn’t sexy hadn’t made its way inside the club. Crystal walked along the line of girls, smoothing one’s hair, encouraging another to stand up straight. Then she turned to the bar with a sultry smile.

  Tessa, in the meantime, was feeling vaguely ill at the presentation of the women like prized livestock at the 4-H tent of the county fair.

  She knew that Ricky Hedges made money on the retailing of women, as if they were devoid of souls or feelings. But the reality of seeing the girl parade brought that fact home with a resounding thud. The thought of Kelly being groomed to serve men like this was devastating.

  As the silence stretched, and people looked expectantly at her, Tessa heard Ronnie knock her drink over with a loud giggle, then an apology. The uncharacteristic act served to bring Tessa
back to the present and reminded her that she had a job to do, however distasteful.

  “I think I need someone experienced, honey. And I need a lot more champagne before I can go through with it,” Tessa said in her breathless Jersey girl voice. “You pick for me, okay?”

  In short order, Crystal had been selected, and the other girls moved away to mingle with the remaining VIP customers. Tessa listened as Luke explained to Crystal what he and his “wife” were looking for, but was distracted by a touch on her bare left shoulder. She turned around quickly, barely remembering to keep the fur wrap over the cast on her wrist.

  Standing in front of her was a black man who was only a few inches taller than she was, dressed in a football jersey, baseball cap, and gold jewelry. A lot of it.

  “Yes?” Tessa asked, looking at the man’s thousand-dollar sunglasses, worn despite the dim lighting of the VIP lounge.

  “I’m Maurice. My man Julio want to party with you.” The man smiled at her, and Tessa’s eyes were drawn to his front teeth. He had what looked to be a diamond glued to one of them, and it winked merrily at her as he waited for her answer.

  She looked over at Julio and found an Afro-Hispanic man who couldn’t be more than eighteen. He wore more gold, a sleeveless basketball jersey, and a cap turned backward on his braided hair.

  “Sure thing,” Tessa said with a forced smile. She didn’t want to cause trouble, and the place was going to be busted soon. Might as well keep the natives happy in the meantime. “First I have to go do something with my man, here, but I’ll be back later.”

  “How long you gonna be gone?”

  Long enough to get a restraining order. Tessa smiled vaguely and shrugged. “As long as it takes for my man to get busy.”

  “Ready to go upstairs?” Luke asked, unaware of the discussion Tessa had been having with Maurice.