by anna snow
"What did you find out?"
"Roy said basically the same thing Cindy did. Tammy had a crappy abusive boyfriend, and Kiki was so on-again, off-again with Fernando that you never knew what was going on between the two. From what I gather and the way he talked about Tammy's boyfriend, that's who Roy thinks killed both girls. He said the boyfriend didn't like how close Tammy and Kiki were. Roy said the guy was the extremely jealous type. Then he asked me if I'd be interested in a job and rubbed his belly like he was Santa Claus or something." She shuddered. "I'd gotten everything out of him I could, and there was no way I could handle that greasy chest hair poking out of his shirt a second longer, so I got out of there."
I couldn't help but laugh. "I'm sorry about that. Roy seems to think he's John Travolta's twin or something."
"The next creep we have to talk to is all yours." She waved a finger at me and smiled. "Did you talk to any of the customers?"
I told Kelly about my exchange first with Chad at the bar and next with the men around the stage. "Then a new dancer came on, and my presence was all but forgotten. That's when I went to find you."
"That'll happen. You probably wouldn't have gotten anything else out of them anyway. When a man is in a room with half-naked ladies, there's no way his brain is functioning properly. So, what now?"
The clock on the radio display said it was well after one o'clock. "Let's grab some lunch and head back to the office. I'm sure Mandy has something for us by now. The quicker I can get in touch with the victims' families and friends the better."
"Knowing Mandy, she probably had all the information you asked for before we even pulled out of the parking lot." She smirked and then turned up the radio before relaxing back in her seat.
I had wished on countless occasions that I could be as calm and collected as she was every day, but that's just not how I was built. I was more of the "overthink the situation" or "not think about it thoroughly and jump in head first" kind of person, but I was okay with it all. I'd had luck with both scenarios.
Afternoon traffic was a nightmare. There were more than a couple of times that I'd wondered if we were going to make it back to the office before the turn of the century.
More than forty-five minutes later, we arrived back at the office. When we walked in, Mandy was on the phone, and papers were littering her desk. I held up the bags of food Kelly and I had grabbed at the nearest Whataburger and motioned for her to come into my office when she was finished.
She nodded and gave me a thumbs-up.
It wasn't but a minute after Kelly and I had laid out the cheeseburgers, fries, and drinks on my desk when Mandy joined us.
"I figured you might be hungry, so we grabbed some burgers. Extra pickles, right?" I asked and took a seat behind my desk then handed Mandy a bag of food and slid her drink across the desk to her.
"Yes, thank you so much," Mandy said and took her seat next to Kelly, who was already elbow deep in her fries. "What did you find out?" she asked as she unwrapped the burger.
"Nothing of much use, really." I shook my head. "We did learn that Kiki and her ex, Fernando, might have gotten back together right before she was killed. Our victims weren't close to any of the other girls at the club but were besties with each other," I said and bit into a fry.
"So, it was a bust," Kelly said for me.
Mandy swallowed then said, "I got the names and addresses of Kiki's parents and Tammy's mom. Both women were only children and from what I gather come from small families. I found two cousins for Tammy, but they both live out of state, so them knowing anything about who could have possibly killed her or why is a longshot unless she was close to either of them."
"It won't be hard to make a couple of phone calls. Hopefully one or both of them might be able to tell us something." I took a drink. "Boo that there isn't more family to talk to, but great that we can at least make some calls and talk to the parents," I said. "Hopefully they'll be able to tell us something that will get this case rolling."
"I agree because not only is there a killer on the loose, but you're out of here in two weeks for some fun in the sun, and you don't need to be worrying about anything while you're away."
"Don't remind me," I grumbled.
It wasn't that I didn't adore the idea of spending a week alone in paradise with Tyler. I mean, I'd have to be a complete idiot not to be excited by the aspect, but I wasn't thrilled with being away from the office for so long. Over the past three years, my job had become my life, which of course was the reason the girls and Tyler were pushing for me to take the vacation. They were afraid I was working myself into the ground. But the idea of leaving the office, even in the hands of my best friends, as capable as they were, rubbed me like industrial-strength sandpaper.
"Come on, Barb. You know you're going to have a great time," Kelly said then finished off her lunch before tossing the wrappings in the trash can.
"And if leaving the office for a while is what you're worried about, just remember I'll be here to keep things running as smooth as a baby's bottom," Mandy said with a smile as she tossed her now empty wrappers into the trash can as well.
I didn't know anything about babies or their bottoms as I'd never really been around one firsthand, but I'd heard about the whole smooth bum thing, so I was going to give Mandy this one.
"I guess you're right. But in the meantime I need to hop to it on questioning each girl's parents if I want to get the ball rolling a little faster."
It was quickly approaching late afternoon, and with fall about to be in full swing, the days were becoming shorter and shorter. If I didn't get a move on, it would be dark before I reached the parents' houses, and I didn't think a visit from a private eye after dark was something they would be appreciative of.
As Mandy headed to her desk, I grabbed my things and followed her.
"Here are the names of Kiki's and Tammy's parents." She handed me a little pink Post-it note. "They don't live very far from here, so you should be able to at least talk to one of them today."
I took the pink slip of paper and read the names aloud. "Lana and Danny Johnson, and Samantha Mills." I scanned the addresses. "These are nice neighborhoods," I said and bit my bottom lip momentarily. "I mean, really nice neighborhoods."
"So?" Kelly came up behind me and asked as she peered over my shoulder.
"So, don't you find it odd that the parents live in incredibly nice neighborhoods while their daughters were shaking their fanny-wannies for dollar bills down at the Double Trouble Gentlemen's Club?"
"Maybe," Mandy said with a curious expression. "And maybe not. I mean, there are dancers who choose and enjoy their jobs. Maybe Kiki and Tammy didn't want to rely on their families' money."
I thought back, remembering how badly I wanted to show Mona that I could make it on my own. I'd worked so hard to keep my head above water financially while training to be an investigator, not wanting to depend on anyone but myself. Kelly was probably right.
"True," I relented. The drive and desire to be independent can be a powerful thing.
"Are you okay on your own?" Kelly asked. "I have some closed case files to put away, some calls to make, and Silas is supposed to pick me up at closing time."
Silas and I had become close friends over the past few months. We'd met back in the summer when he was involved with one of my first big-time cases. Silas was handsome, witty, laid-back, and crazy about Kelly. All in all, he was a great guy.
"Yeah, I'm good to go. I'll call when I find out something. If I'm not back by closing time, just lock up."
"You got it, boss." Mandy tossed me a salute then went back to work.
The sky looked like it would open up and flood the streets at any moment, and thunder had begun to rumble. I left the office and hurried across the street to my car. My hopes were to question at least one of the girl's parents and get back to my house and into a pair of fluffy pajama pants before the rain came down.
CHAPTER FOUR
The thunder overhead grew louder,
and lightning started to streak the sky. Big fat raindrops splashed against my windshield in intermittent spurts. Hopefully the downpour would hold off until after I talked to the parents and was able to make it home to snuggle down in a fluffy blanket with a good movie on the television and a warm cup of coffee in my hand.
The rain eased up to a light sprinkle as I turned into Kiki's parents' neighborhood.
Kiki's parents lived in the Dallas suburb of Frisco. The suburb was north of State Highway 121 and east of Preston Road. Shopping and sightseeing were minimal unless you drove some ways away, but the neighborhood was quiet and perfect for empty nesters, so in my eyes the commute to do a little shopping wasn't all that bad, considering the perks of the neighborhood.
Traffic leaving Dallas had been much worse than I'd anticipated, most likely due to the imminent inclement weather. After a thirty-minute drive that should have only taken about fifteen, I pulled up next to the curb outside a small yet stylish house nestled against a well-manicured wooded backdrop. The house was eye-catching with a Spanish tile roof, rust-colored shutters, an immaculate front yard, and most likely a matching backyard behind the privacy fence. An economy-sized blue car sat in the driveway.
I double-checked the address just to be sure I was at the right house then stuck the Post-it note in the glove compartment and got out of the car. As I approached the door, I heard high-pitched barking coming from what could only be a very small dog. The main entry door opened as I reached up to press the doorbell. An older woman of about fifty-five years smiled out at me.
"Can I help you?" she asked in a small, quiet voice.
I lowered my hand. "My name is Barb Jackson. I'm a private investigator at Jackson Investigations."
"What can I do for you?" she asked curiously. "Shh, Mitsi, everything is alright." She shushed the little dog.
I smiled down at the little brown and black dog then back up at the woman.
"I was approached by Cindy Cramer, a dancer at the Double Trouble Gentlemen's Club. She asked me to look into the passing of your daughter." I tried to choose my words carefully. I couldn't imagine what the mother before me was going through.
"Murder, you mean," she said almost heatedly. "Come on inside." She scooped up the yapping little ball of fur before waving me in.
I followed her into a spacious yet cozy living area.
"Have a seat, and don't mind Mitsi. She's all bark and no bite."
As soon as I sat down on the flowery loveseat the fur ball hopped up beside me and demanded to be petted. I reached over and scratched her head. Her fur was surprisingly silky.
"I'm Lana, by the way, but being a private investigator, I'm sure you already knew that." She smiled coyly at me.
"I did." I nodded and returned her smile.
"So, what can I do for you?" she asked.
"Cindy said she talked to you at Kiki's funeral." I cut right to the chase. Lana didn't appear to be one to tiptoe around, so I figured I'd get more out of her if I just told the truth. "She said you told her the police don't have any leads or suspects that you know of. She asked if I could help find out who murdered your daughter and her friend Tammy."
"She's right," Lana said with a sigh. "I've already talked to the police—lot of good that's done so far. They don't have a clue who killed my Kiki. I tried to tell them to look at that ex-boyfriend of hers, Fernando Something-Or-Other, but they acted like they didn't care what I said."
She obviously hadn't talked to Tyler.
"Cindy told me about Fernando," I said and scratched Mitsi behind the ears. "What can you tell me about him?"
"Nothing much, I'm sad to say." She shook her head. "They were together for about six months, that I know of. I only met him a couple of times, but I wasn't impressed either time. Because of that, Kiki and I were at odds. I tried to stay close to her, but no daughter wants to be around someone who doesn't like her boyfriend, even if that someone is her own mother," she said sadly.
"What was he like?" I asked.
"Slimy," she said with disgust. "Oh, the first time we met he was all smiles and please and thank you, but there was something else there." She narrowed her eyes. "I can't explain what it was exactly, but there was something beneath that friendly smile and charming exterior that just pecked at me."
"You mean you felt like he wasn't what he said he was?"
"Yes." She nodded and snapped her fingers at me. "He didn't do anything outright to warrant my suspicion, but it was still there, gnawing at me every time I even heard his name."
I've experienced that same feeling many times before. I'd learned it was never a feeling to dismiss.
"What did Fernando say he did for a living?"
"He wouldn't talk about his work." She shrugged. "When my husband brought up Fernando's line of work, he quickly changed the subject. I asked Kiki about his job when I finally got a minute alone with her in the kitchen, but all she would tell me was that he was a very successful entrepreneur."
"But she wouldn't say what specifically he dealt in," I guessed.
She nodded. "Exactly."
Sounded shady to me, which went along with what Cindy had already told me about the guy. I made a mental note to call Mandy and see if she could find anything on Fernando Valenzuela that might be of use.
Mitsi hopped off the couch, trotted her furry little body over to Lana, and jumped up onto her lap.
"Did Kiki have any enemies? Secret admirers? Stalkers? Anything of that nature that you might know about? Anything that might help me pin down a suspect?"
"Kiki was a good person," she said sadly, her gaze cast downwards to the little dog she held in her lap. She stroked her fur gently. "I never understood why she wanted to work in that place, taking her clothes off for money. She was so smart." She shook her head.
"Why did she start dancing at the club?" I asked with care.
"She danced there for extra money while she was in college." She pulled gently at her earlobe. "I didn't approve of her choice, but she seemed happy and was able to support herself while still attending classes, so I let it go, thinking she would stop working there once she graduated and got a start on her career."
"But that never happened."
"No." She looked up at me. "She finished college and was a registered nurse. I'll never know why she didn't move past that club and on to something bigger and better. She worked so hard to graduate."
"How did her dad feel about her choice of career?"
"How do you think he felt?" She harrumphed. "Like any other loving father, I suppose. He was livid at first. Then, as wrapped around her little finger as he was, he flat-out ignored it. Never talked about it. She was his little girl, and that was that. He pretended the club didn't exist. He didn't like that Fernando character either, but if she was happy, then so was he. I'm sure he'd tell you the same thing if he were here."
"Where is your husband?" I asked and glanced around.
"He and his buddy Phil are on a fishing trip until next weekend. With everything that's happened these last few weeks, he's been sinking quickly into a deep depression. I suggested he get out of the house for a while in hopes the change of scenery would help him."
"That sounds like a good plan," I agreed and looked up at the large round clock hanging on the wall. "I'm sorry I've taken up so much of your time. I'm going to do my best to find out who took your daughter from you."
I stood, and Lana followed suit. "I hope you do. If you have any other questions, you know where to find me."
I handed her a business card. "And if you need anything or can think of anything else, please just give me a call."
She took the card and laid it on the side table beside the phone. "Absolutely, Ms. Jackson." She smiled.
She led me to the door. I stepped out and heard the sound of the lock clicking into place as she closed the door behind me. I hurried down the paved walkway to the car and hopped inside. It was starting to rain, and with a white top on, I definitely didn't want to get drenched.
Once in the car and back on the road, I called the office. Since Mandy showed me how the Bluetooth system and built-in Wi-Fi in my car worked, life had been so much easier while driving and working on cases.
"Jackson investigations, this is Mandy. How may I help you?"
"Mandy, it's me."
"Hey, boss. How's it going with the parental units?" she asked in her usual cheerful tone.
I told Mandy about the conversation I'd had with Kiki's mom and her suspicions about Fernando.
"I need you to dig up some dirt on him if you can. I probably won't get very far with him, but I want to try to talk to him."
"It's worth a shot," she agreed. "I'll get right on it."
"Great. If you can have it for me by tomorrow, that would be awesome." I changed lanes and steered in the direction of my neighborhood. There was a bottle of wine and a box of leftover Chinese food in my fridge calling my name and the image of snuggling with Tyler stuck firmly in my mind.
"Consider it done," she said, and I could hear her fingernails clacking away on the keyboard more than likely already hard at work on my request.
"I'm calling it a day," I said. "I'll catch up with you in the morning."
"See you then. Take it easy," Mandy said then disconnected the call.
I had just hung up with Mandy when the sound of my phone ringing blared over my speakers.
I hit the answer button on the steering wheel. "Barb Jackson."
"Hey, babe." Tyler's deep, smooth voice reverberated around me. "Are you busy?"
"Not at all," I answered and took the last exit leading to my neighborhood. "What's up?"
"I'm off work in about an hour or so, and I was wondering if you'd like to spend the evening together."
Spending the evening with Tyler was as close to Heaven on Earth as I could imagine. He listened, didn't mind my clumsiness, weird little quirks, or eating takeout straight from the box, and he almost always brought a six-pack or coffee. That combined with his smoking good looks made him as close to perfect as humanly possible in my book.
