登陆注册
10822600000010

第10章

Mackenzie was reading over the final report on Clive Traylor, wondering where she went wrong, when Porter stepped into her office. He still looked a little disgruntled from the morning. Mackenzie knew he'd been sure Traylor had been their guy and he hated being wrong. But his constant irritable mood was something Mackenzie had gotten used to a long time ago.

"Nancy said you were looking for me," Porter said.

"Yes," she said. "I think we need to pay a visit to the strip club that Hailey Lizbrook worked at."

"Why?"

"To speak with her boss."

"We've already spoken to him on the phone," Porter said.

"No, you spoke to him on the phone," Mackenzie pointed out. "For a grand total of about three minutes, I might add."

Porter nodded slowly. He stepped fully into the office, closing the door behind him. "Look," he said, "I was wrong about Traylor this morning. And you impressed the hell out of me with that takedown. It's clear that I haven't been showing you enough respect. But that still doesn't give you the right to talk down to me."

"I'm not talking down to you," Mackenzie said. "I'm simply pointing out that in a case where our leads are next to zero, we need to exhaust every possible avenue."

"And you think this strip club owner might be the murderer?"

"Probably not," Mackenzie said. "But I think it's worth talking to him to see if he can lead us to anything. Besides that, have you checked the guy's rap sheet?"

"No," Porter said. The grimace on his face made it clear that he hated to admit this.

"He has a history of domestic abuse. Also, six years ago, he was involved with a case where he supposedly had a seventeen-year-old working for him. She came out later on and said she only managed to get the job by performing sexual favors for him. The case was thrown out, though, because the girl was a runaway and no one could prove her age."

Porter sighed. "White, do you know the last time I stepped foot in a strip club?"

"I'd rather not know," Mackenzie said. And by God, did she get an actual smile out of him?

"It's been a long time," he said with a roll of his eyes.

"Well, this is business, not pleasure."

Porter chuckled. "When you get to be my age, the line between the two sometimes blurs. Now come on. Let's go. I imagine strip clubs haven't changed that much in the last thirty years."

*

Mackenzie had only seen strip clubs in movies and although she hadn't dared tell Porter, she hadn't been sure what to expect. When they walked inside, it was just after six o'clock in the evening. The parking lot was starting to fill with stressed out men coming off of their work shifts. A few of these men gave Mackenzie a little too much attention as she and Porter walked through the lobby and toward the bar area.

Mackenzie took the place in as best she could. The lighting was dim, like a permanent twilight, and the music was loud. Currently, two women were on a runway-like stage, dancing with a pole between them. Wearing only a pair of thin panties each, they were trying their best to dance in a sexy manner to a Rob Zombie song.

"So," Mackenzie said as they waited for the bartender, "has it changed?"

"Nothing except the music," Porter said. "This music is terrible."

She had to give it to him; he wasn't watching the stage. Porter was a married man, going on twenty-five years. Seeing how he was focused on the rows of liquor bottles behind the bar rather than the topless women onstage made her respect for him go up a notch. It was hard to peg Porter as a man who respected his wife that much and on such an account, she was happy to be proven wrong.

The bartender finally came over to them and his face went slack right away. While neither Porter nor Mackenzie wore any sort of police uniform, their attire still presented them as people that were there on business-and probably not business of the positive kind.

"Can I help you?" the bartender asked.

Can I help you? Mackenzie thought. He didn't ask us what he could get us to drink. He asked if he could help us. He's seen our kind in here before. Strike one for the owner.

"We'd like to speak to Mr. Avery, please," Porter said. "And I'll have a rum and Coke."

"He's busy at the moment," the bartender said.

"I'm sure he is," Porter said. "But we need to speak with him." He then took his badge out of his interior coat pocket and flashed it, returning it back as if he had just pulled off a magic trick. "But he needs to speak to us or I can make some calls and make it really official. It's his call."

"One second," the bartender said, not wasting another minute. He walked to the other side of the bar and went through double doors that reminded Mackenzie of the kind she'd seen in saloons in those cheesy Western movies.

She looked back to the stage where there was now only one woman, dancing to Van Halen's "Running with the Devil." There was something about the way the woman moved that made Mackenzie wonder if strippers lacked dignity and therefore did not care about exposing their bodies, or if they were just that confident. She knew there was no way in hell she could ever do something like that. While she was confident in many things, her body was not one of them, despite the many lewd glances she received from random men from time to time.

"You look a little out of place," someone beside her said.

She looked to her right and saw a man approaching her. He looked to be about thirty years old and as if he had been sitting at the bar for a while. He had that sort of gleam to his eyes that she'd seen in many a drunken altercation.

"There's a reason for that," Mackenzie said.

"I'm just saying," the man said. "You don't see many women in places like this. And when they are here, they're usually here with a husband or boyfriend. And quite frankly, I don't see the two of you," he said, pointing to Porter, "as being an item."

Mackenzie heard Porter chuckle at this. She wasn't sure what annoyed her more: the fact that this man had gotten brave enough to sit beside her or that Porter was enjoying every minute of it.

"We're not an item," Mackenzie said. "We work together."

"Just here for the after-work drinks, huh?" he asked. He was leaning in closer-close enough for Mackenzie to smell the tequila on his breath. "Why don't you let me buy you one?"

"Look," Mackenzie said, still not looking at him. "I'm not interested. So just move along to the next unwitting victim."

The man leaned in closer and stared at her for a moment. "You don't have to be a bitch about it."

Mackenzie turned to him finally and when they locked eyes, something in the man's gaze shifted. He could tell she meant business, but he'd had a few drinks too many and apparently just couldn't help himself. He placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled at her. "I'm sorry," he said. "What I meant to say is, well, no, I meant what I said. You don't have to be a bitch about-"

"Get your hand off of me," Mackenzie said softly. "Last warning."

"You don't like the feel of a man's hand?" he asked, laughing. His hand slid down her arm, groping now rather than simply touching. "I guess that's why you're here to look at naked women, huh?"

Mackenzie's arm came up with lightning speed. The poor drunk man didn't even realize what had happened until after she'd thrust her forearm into his neck and he was falling off of his barstool, gagging. When he hit, it made enough noise to attract one of the security guards that had been standing by the edge of the lounge area.

Porter was then on his feet, stepping in between the guard and Mackenzie. He flashed his badge and, to Mackenzie's surprise, stood nearly toe-to-toe with the much larger guard. "Slow down, big boy," Porter said, all but rubbing the guy's face with his badge. "In fact, if you want to avoid the spectacle of having someone arrested in this seedy establishment, I suggest you toss this jack-off out of here."

The guard looked from Porter to the drunk man on the floor, still coughing and gasping for air. The guard understood the option he was facing and nodded. "Sure thing," he said, hauling the drunk man to his feet.

Mackenzie and Porter watched as the guard escorted the drunk man to the door. Porter nudged Mackenzie and chuckled. "You're just full of surprises, huh?"

Mackenzie only shrugged. When they turned back around to the bar area, the bartender had returned. Another man stood beside him, staring down Mackenzie and Porter as if they were stray dogs that he didn't trust.

"You want to tell me what that was all about?" the man asked.

"Are you Mr. William Avery?" Porter asked.

"I am."

"Well, Mr. Avery," Mackenzie said, "your patrons need to do a better job of keeping their mouths shut and their hands to themselves."

"What's this about?" Avery asked.

"Is there somewhere more private we can speak?" Porter asked.

"No. Here is fine. This is the busiest time of the day for us. I need to be here to help tend bar."

"You sure do," Porter said. "I ordered a rum and Coke five minutes ago and I still haven't seen it."

The bartender scowled and then turned to the bottles behind him. In his absence, Avery leaned forward and said, "If this is about Hailey Lizbrook, I already told your other cop buddies everything I know about her."

"But you didn't talk to me," Mackenzie said.

"So what?"

"So, I take a different approach than almost everyone else, and this is our case," she said, nodding toward Porter. "So I need you to answer more questions."

"And if I don't?"

"Well, if you don't," Mackenzie said, "I can interview a woman named Colby Barrow. That name sound familiar? I believe she was seventeen when she started working here, right? She got the job by performing oral sex on you, I believe. The case is dead, I know. But I wonder if she'd have anything to tell me about your business practices that might have been swept under the rug six years ago. I wonder if she might be able to tell me why you don't seem to give a damn that one of your dancers was killed three nights ago."

Avery looked at her like he wanted to slap her. She almost wanted him to try it. She had encountered far too many men like him in the last few years-men that cared noting for women until the lights were out and they needed sex or something to punch on. She held his gaze, letting him know that she was much more than a punching bag.

"What do you want to know?" he asked.

Before she answered, the bartender finally delivered Porter's drink. Porter sipped from it, smiling knowingly at Avery and the bartender.

"Did Hailey have men that came in and usually flocked to her?" Mackenzie asked. "Did she have regulars?"

"She had one or two," Avery said.

"Do you know their names?" Porter asked.

"No. I don't pay attention to the men that come in here. They're just like any other men, you know?"

"But if it came down to it," Mackenzie said, "do you think some of your other dancers might know their names?"

"I doubt it," Avery said. "And let's face it: most of the dancers ask for the man's name just to be nice. They don't give a shit what their names are. They're just trying to get paid."

"Was Hailey a good employee?" Mackenzie asked.

"Yes, she was, actually. She was always willing to work extra shifts. She loved her two boys, you know?"

"Yes, we met with them," Mackenzie said.

Avery sighed and looked out to the stage. "Listen, you're welcome to talk to any of the girls if you think it will help figure out who killed Hailey. But I can't let you do it here, not right now. It would upset them and screw with my business. But I can give you a list of their names and phone numbers if you absolutely need it."

Mackenzie thought about this for a minute and then shook her head. "No, I don't think that will be necessary. Thanks for your time, though."

With that, she got up and tapped Porter on the shoulder. "We're done here."

"I'm not," he said. "I still need to finish my drink."

Mackenzie was about to argue her point when Porter's phone rang. He answered it, pressing his free hand to his other ear to block out the godawful noise of the current Skrillex song blaring from the PA. He spoke briefly, nodding in a few places before hanging up. He then downed the remainder of his drink and handed the car keys to Mackenzie.

"What is it?" she asked.

"It seems I am done," he said. Then his face became set. "There's been another murder."

同类推荐
  • Green Deen

    Green Deen

    In this groundbreaking book, Ibrahim Abdul-Matin draws on research, scripture, and interviews with Muslim Americans to trace Islam’s preoccupation with humankind’s collective role as stewards of the Earth. Abdul-Matin points out that the Prophet Muhammad declared that “the Earth is a mosque.”
  • Dog Beach Unleashed (The Seagate Summers #2)

    Dog Beach Unleashed (The Seagate Summers #2)

    Remy can't wait for another summer on Seagate Island. It's time to bring back her successful dog-sitting business on Dog Beach and see her favorite friends. But instead of sunny days and fun in the sand, the summer is off to a rainy start. Remy and the dogs have cabin fever, and, to make matters worse, her friendship with her longtime pal, Bennett, is starting to feel complicated. What can one twelve-year-old do to create summer magic when the summer doesn't seem to be showing up?
  • On the Edge of Gone

    On the Edge of Gone

    A thrilling, thought-provoking novel from one of young-adult literature's boldest new talents. January 29, 2035. That's the day the comet is scheduled to hit —the big one. Denise and her mother and sister, Iris, have been assigned to a temporary shelter outside their hometown of Amsterdam to wait out the blast, but Iris is nowhere to be found, and at the rate Denise's drug-addicted mother is going, they'll never reach the shelter in time. A last-minute meeting leads them to something better than a temporary shelter —a generation ship, scheduled to leave Earth behind to colonize new worlds after the comet hits. But everyone on the ship has been chosen because of their usefulness. Denise is autistic and fears that she'll never be allowed to stay. Can she obtain a spot before the ship takes flight? What about her mother and sister? When the future of the human race is at stake, whose lives matter most?
  • AARP's 5 Secrets to Brain Health

    AARP's 5 Secrets to Brain Health

    Worried about memory loss? You're not alone. But many experts now believe you can prevent or at least delay that decline--even if you have a genetic predisposition to dementia. AARP's 5 Secrets to Brain Health offers the prescription:+ Eating smart+ Being fit+ Working your mind+ Socializing+ Stressing lessIn this book, you'll find quick tips, research findings, resources, and expert advice to help you stay sharp. And the best news? It's not hard to do or time consuming. And it's not too late to begin.
  • Been There, Run That

    Been There, Run That

    "This is what I want for entrepreneurs, especially for women: to believe in themselves, to dream bigger, reach higher, and to achieve success beyond their wildest expectations." —Kay KoplovitzBeen There, Run That is an anthology of blog posts by thought leaders in technology, media, e-commerce and life sciences, curated by Kay Koplovitz, founder of USA Network and chairman of Springboard Enterprises.In 2000, Koplovitz co-founded Springboard as an accelerator for an expert network of women entrepreneurs. In their first six months, Springboard companies raised over $165 million in total funding, and nearly $200 million in their first year.
热门推荐
  • 亲爱的神灯先生【全本】

    亲爱的神灯先生【全本】

    【经典文学】今日风行,明日经典【流光飛舞】编辑旗下出品【千灯万盏,不如心灯一盏】【神灯的愿望,生命的契约,童话的开始,谁能知结局】她一定是在做梦,要不然就是人品太好了,怎么一觉醒来,她的灯台变成了个男人,还说能实现三个愿望!既然这种奇迹都发生了,那就要把一切不可能都变成可能!第一步,变美先,为了初恋她借助神灯的力量进入娱乐圈,准备打响爱情保卫战。啊,虾米!灰姑娘淋雨就恢复原形!娱乐公司老总有神秘身份,跟她还有渊源!无所不能的帅神灯居然意外附身成了金毛狗子!朋友、亲人,当一切的生活都脱离原本的轨道,这究竟是上天的恩赐,还是命运不怀好意的玩笑?经历一切之后,她终于站在了蝴蝶效应的开端,然而却发现,这仿若神赐的愿望,背后竟是一场你死我活的生命契约……神啊,如果你真的存在,可否再多给一些时间?这一切又是否能够重来?然而,命定的相遇,注定的轮回,一切的因果居然是由她开始……***最后的最后我才知道,原来你才是爱的最深的那一个,不说不代表你不在意,不听不代表你不关注,那是不是不爱,才是真正的爱呢?正如很多年之后,我终于发现,原来阳光才是最残忍的。明明那么温暖,以为触手可及,似乎只要我一个回头,永远都可以慰藉那轻颤的心,可是,比起高处明知不可及的寒,这种握不住的温暖,是不是,才是真正的悲凉呢?会有奇迹的吧,这一生的等待,一世的心疼,只是,等到那一日,你是不是能真的明白,如果你连自己都不爱,那到底应该怎么爱我呢?***非传统都市玄幻,关于前世今生,关于轮回与命定,渴望与奇迹的故事,秋扣扣498315380欢迎敲门推荐好友作品:陌影临溪http://m.pgsk.com/a/340402/玄歌小主http://m.pgsk.com/a/245966/龙跃渊http://m.pgsk.com/a/396424/顾羽http://m.pgsk.com/a/380893/回唐http://m.pgsk.com/a/341859/
  • 殿下请松爪

    殿下请松爪

    追逐你是一种习惯,但我不是真真正正的凡人,我是九天之上的清浅神君“景良辰”。所以……五殿下,给脸不要脸要有一个限度。与我,你是我心口的朱砂痣,你想让我放手,别说不要脸了,就是不要命了,本殿下也要把你拐回家。嘿嘿嘿……
  • 佛说罗摩伽经

    佛说罗摩伽经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 暴雨之城

    暴雨之城

    在这座被暴雨覆盖的城市,有什么东西正在悄然觉醒,黑暗像一张巨大而又无形的网,深陷其中的人们只会越陷越深。
  • 追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    青涩蜕变,如今她是能独当一面的女boss,爱了冷泽聿七年,也同样花了七年时间去忘记他。以为是陌路,他突然向他表白,扬言要娶她,她只当他是脑子抽风,他的殷勤她也全都无视。他帮她查她父母的死因,赶走身边情敌,解释当初拒绝她的告别,和故意对她冷漠都是无奈之举。突然爆出她父母的死居然和冷家有丝毫联系,还莫名跳出个公爵未婚夫,扬言要与她履行婚约。峰回路转,破镜还能重圆吗? PS:我又开新文了,每逢假期必书荒,新文《有你的世界遇到爱》,喜欢我的文的朋友可以来看看,这是重生类现言,对这个题材感兴趣的一定要收藏起来。
  • 咸鱼小秀才

    咸鱼小秀才

    文学系大佬因为一场意外穿越古代,竟发现,历史居然被架空了,看他如何在闲鱼人生。
  • 从综漫开始的异界旅行

    从综漫开始的异界旅行

    陈暮阳,一个普普通通的少年,一觉醒来之后发现自己穿越到了二次元世界。在这个二次元的世界中,对于基本不懂二次元的他将是怎样的经历呢?土间埋:“欧尼酱,我饿了,快去做饭!” 椎名真白:“暮阳,我要年轮蛋糕。” 立华奏:“我要麻婆豆腐。” ......就这样,在众多人的陪伴下,陈暮阳开始了新的人生,谱写自己新的传奇。
  • 七里樱

    七里樱

    年少时,我们,似乎成为了世界的主角,遗憾过,苦恼过,伤心心过,但庆幸的是在那个即将逝去的青春里,你世界的男主随着四季辗转在你身旁,陪你笑,陪你哭……终有一天,你发现他只是喜欢你身边的那个人而已…“你知道的,我喜欢她哎。”“没事…”至少我的青春,你来过就好。
  • 弥漫咖啡香的午后

    弥漫咖啡香的午后

    爱情是什么?对他来说,爱情是从未被写在脑海中的故事,他对爱情没出现过任何幻想。而她,也从未想过,她会选择一见钟情来开启自己的爱情,比她画的漫画还要不可思议的,爱情!
  • The Life, Adventures & Piracies of the Famous

    The Life, Adventures & Piracies of the Famous

    The Life, Adventures and Piracies of the Famous Captain Singleton is a novel by Daniel Defoe, who is an English trader, writer, journalist, pamphleteer and spy, primarily published in 1720. It has been republished multiple times. Captain Singleton is considered to have been partly inspired by the exploits of the English pirate Henry Every, who operated in the late 17th century. The narrative describes the life of the Englishman, Singleton, stolen from a well-to-do family as a child and raised by Gypsies, eventually making his way to sea. The former half of the book concerns Singleton's crossing of Africa, the latter half referring to his life as a pirate in the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea. Defoe's description of piracy focuses on the most part on matters of economics and logistics, making it an intriguing if not particularly gripping read.