Danger in the Nevada Desert by Denise N. Wheatley

Author:Denise N. Wheatley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2023-03-06T14:10:08+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Miles let up on the accelerator.

“There it is,” Tommy said, pointing at a run-down shack on the left side of the road.

“There what is?” Charlotte asked.

“Candy’s office.”

“Office?” Miles snorted. “That looks more like an oversize outhouse to me. Where the hell are we, anyway?”

“Right outside of River Valley,” Charlotte told him. “In a town called Gunderson. It’s unincorporated, with a population of less than a thousand. And this is no office, obviously. It’s a strip club called Razzle Dazzle. Patrons love this place thanks to the inconspicuous location and unassuming exterior. Hence no sign outside.”

The parking lot was jam-packed. Miles found a space in the very back and glanced at his watch. “Two fifteen in the afternoon during the middle of the week, and this place is completely full.”

“Hey, what can I say,” Tommy replied, jumping out and skipping giddily toward the entrance. “The music is good, the buffalo wings are even better, and the dancers? Whew! They’re the best.”

“I’m guessing Candy Cain is a dancer here?” Charlotte asked.

“Candy Cain is the top dancer here.”

Miles rolled his eyes, following Tommy inside. He almost choked on the streams of smoke billowing through a long, dark hallway.

Tommy approached an overly tanned shirtless man standing near the bar. His bony chest and frail arms were on full display underneath a dusty black leather vest, likening him to an aging rock star.

The man gave Tommy a high five and pointed toward the stage. A dancer dressed in a red-and-white thong was sliding down a pole, swinging her legs to the beat of a bass drum. An array of rowdy men, from suit and tie types to rugged cowboys, stood around the rickety stage, cheering her on while tossing money in the air.

Tommy blew the woman a kiss, then waved frantically at Miles and Charlotte. “Come on!”

The aging rocker tipped his cowboy hat at the pair when they walked by.

“Looks like Tommy’s trying to turn this interrogation into a social hour,” Charlotte muttered in Miles’s ear.

“Yeah, he needs to reel it in. Don’t worry. I’ll keep him on course.”

Multicolor strobe lights swirled overhead, turning Tommy’s pale complexion into varying shades of yellow, purple and blue. He pivoted at least three times, staring excitedly around the tiny club before pointing at an empty table. “Do you all wanna grab seats near the stage? Or hang out at the bar until Candy’s set is over—”

“We’ll wait over by the bar,” Miles quickly replied, diverting his attention away from the scantily clad women scattered everywhere.

Tommy shoved his hand inside his pocket and pulled out a wad of dollar bills. “All right, I’ll bring Candy over as soon as she’s done.”

Two stools sat empty on the far end of the bar. Miles led Charlotte toward them, keeping his eyes fixated on the dingy burgundy carpeting along the way. He could feel her watching him while she giggled softly into her collar.

“What’s so funny?” he asked.

“You! It’s so cute how stiff and uncomfortable you are. Not much of a strip club guy, huh?”

“Um, no.

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