draw. The painting was fresh, filled with color and light. It was a good choice for the window, and she absently nodded her approval while casting an eye on the front door of the club. Now that she was here she wasn't certain exactly how to approach her mission. Her nerve faltered; only her desperation forced her forward. The cops had lied to her. No one wanted to bother with finding Kit. Danny was her only option. He was a dangerous man, but he had worked closely with Kit. He might know something. And he might tell her.
As she stood in front of the paintings, the door of the Twinkle opened and a man in a very rumpled business suit came out. He lurched slightly, found his balance, and tottered down the street, his tie in his hand. Cori shivered in distaste, then recalled that Jolene had worked in the Twinkle. Lots of bright young girls thought dancing was an easy way to make money. But it took a woman with a lot of self-confidence not to be eaten alive by that life-style. Jolene was obviously one who had survived.
With Joey's help.
Knowing that if she didn't act soon she'd lose her nerve completely, she pushed open the door and walked in.
The darkness of the room, the layers of smoke, the loud music from the jukebox stopped her in her tracks. She'd been in plenty of dark, smoky bars before, but in the Twinkle the only lights were focused on the stage. A young girl was doing a bump and grind on the runway while two men, almost too drunk to stay in their chairs, waved dollar bills at her.
It took a moment for Cori to notice that the entire runway was strung with tiny blinking white Christmas lights. Something told her that these had been in place a long time and were responsible for the establishment's name.
"You lookin' for someone?"
Cori turned around, trying not to show how badly she'd been startled. "Danny. I'm looking for Danny."
The guy was big, his T-shirt stretched across his chest and arms. "Who shall I say is calling?" he asked, his tone mocking her.
"He wouldn't know my name. I, uh, I used to live near here." Maybe she should just add she was the one who had reported him to the police for roughing up one of his girls out on the sidewalk.
"I'll tell him a mystery lady is calling. Are you looking for work?" His eye appraised her.
"No. Certainly not." She spoke before she thought.
"Right." The man laughed out loud. "You don't look like you've got enough flexibility for our requirements." He turned around and walked off.
Cori felt the fury whip through her. To be put down by a bouncer! Then she realized how ridiculous her reaction was. Who cared what a man who worked in a place like this thought? She looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps and recognized Danny Dupray. The lizard hadn't aged at all.
"Well, well, if it isn't Brently Wells."
Cori was completely taken aback. He did remember her. Right down to her married name.
"Mr. Dupray."
"You're something of a celebrity. I saw your photo in the paper this morning. What a ruckus you created down at the French Market. It appeared you were trying to abduct someone's child."
"Hardly." Cori found her tongue and her wits. "I'm surprised you remember me."
"How could I forget Kit's lovely bride? Bride is correct, isn't it? You were never really his wife."
"That's right." If he thought he could rattle her with a few ugly digs, he was wrong. She looked him squarely in his flat, blue eyes. His nose was sharp as a knife's blade, matching the narrowness of his face.
His entire body was narrow. "In fact, it's Kit I've come to see you about."
"Old Kit. You know, I never believed he was murdered. Kit was far too smart to be caught like that."
At his words, Cori felt her heart racing. She had to be cool, not give away her intentions. "I don't believe Kit is dead, either. That's why I'm here."
"So you think I might know something about your husband?" Danny smiled, and even his teeth were narrow.
"I thought you might."
"Information always has a
As she stood in front of the paintings, the door of the Twinkle opened and a man in a very rumpled business suit came out. He lurched slightly, found his balance, and tottered down the street, his tie in his hand. Cori shivered in distaste, then recalled that Jolene had worked in the Twinkle. Lots of bright young girls thought dancing was an easy way to make money. But it took a woman with a lot of self-confidence not to be eaten alive by that life-style. Jolene was obviously one who had survived.
With Joey's help.
Knowing that if she didn't act soon she'd lose her nerve completely, she pushed open the door and walked in.
The darkness of the room, the layers of smoke, the loud music from the jukebox stopped her in her tracks. She'd been in plenty of dark, smoky bars before, but in the Twinkle the only lights were focused on the stage. A young girl was doing a bump and grind on the runway while two men, almost too drunk to stay in their chairs, waved dollar bills at her.
It took a moment for Cori to notice that the entire runway was strung with tiny blinking white Christmas lights. Something told her that these had been in place a long time and were responsible for the establishment's name.
"You lookin' for someone?"
Cori turned around, trying not to show how badly she'd been startled. "Danny. I'm looking for Danny."
The guy was big, his T-shirt stretched across his chest and arms. "Who shall I say is calling?" he asked, his tone mocking her.
"He wouldn't know my name. I, uh, I used to live near here." Maybe she should just add she was the one who had reported him to the police for roughing up one of his girls out on the sidewalk.
"I'll tell him a mystery lady is calling. Are you looking for work?" His eye appraised her.
"No. Certainly not." She spoke before she thought.
"Right." The man laughed out loud. "You don't look like you've got enough flexibility for our requirements." He turned around and walked off.
Cori felt the fury whip through her. To be put down by a bouncer! Then she realized how ridiculous her reaction was. Who cared what a man who worked in a place like this thought? She looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps and recognized Danny Dupray. The lizard hadn't aged at all.
"Well, well, if it isn't Brently Wells."
Cori was completely taken aback. He did remember her. Right down to her married name.
"Mr. Dupray."
"You're something of a celebrity. I saw your photo in the paper this morning. What a ruckus you created down at the French Market. It appeared you were trying to abduct someone's child."
"Hardly." Cori found her tongue and her wits. "I'm surprised you remember me."
"How could I forget Kit's lovely bride? Bride is correct, isn't it? You were never really his wife."
"That's right." If he thought he could rattle her with a few ugly digs, he was wrong. She looked him squarely in his flat, blue eyes. His nose was sharp as a knife's blade, matching the narrowness of his face.
His entire body was narrow. "In fact, it's Kit I've come to see you about."
"Old Kit. You know, I never believed he was murdered. Kit was far too smart to be caught like that."
At his words, Cori felt her heart racing. She had to be cool, not give away her intentions. "I don't believe Kit is dead, either. That's why I'm here."
"So you think I might know something about your husband?" Danny smiled, and even his teeth were narrow.
"I thought you might."
"Information always has a
Similar Books
