Due Process (Joe Dillard #9)(25)

“I’ll bet it happens a lot,” Caroline said.

“I’ll get a camera today,” I said. “We’ll catch him.”





FRIDAY, AUGUST 30

The Mouse’s Tail hadn’t changed at all over the past several years. Erlene Barlowe, the owner, put a fresh coat of paint on it every once in a while, but it was still the tacky, unseemly, block building it had always been. There was an awning on the front and an air-brushed painting of a large mouse with a long tail that formed into the shape of an erect penis. I suppose the mouse could have been declared obscene and Erlene could have been forced to remove it, but nobody seemed to care enough to force the issue. The place had been there for a long time, it was in the county, out of sight from the road, and after the initial resistance from the preachers finally died down, people pretty much left Erlene alone to bilk money from horny, lonely, stupid pervs.

I arrived at 1:00 p.m. and spotted Erlene’s red Corvette immediately. I hadn’t seen her in several months and wanted to surprise her, so I didn’t bother to call and tell her I was coming. I walked up to the side door of the building, which is where I knew she entered. It was locked, so I knocked. It opened a minute or so later to reveal a redhead in her early to mid-fifties who looked ten years younger. She was wearing pink spandex pants and a pink, cheetah print blouse that was open at the neck and revealed a large portion of her extremely large breasts. They were natural, by the way. She’d told me so on more than one occasion, and she was extremely proud of them.

“Well, I swan, if it isn’t my favorite lawyer in the whole wide world,” she said as she opened her arms and squeezed my neck. She gave me a peck on the cheek and stepped back.

“Hi, Erlene,” I said. “You’re looking outrageously hot, as usual.”

“Thank you, sugar,” she said. “You look plenty sexy yourself. How’s that wonderful wife of yours?”

“She’s good, thanks for asking. Still fighting the fight. How are you and Leon getting along?”

“We decided to take a little break, which I think will probably turn into a permanent break,” she said.

I was genuinely surprised. She and Leon Bates, the sheriff, seemed well-suited for each other. Any time I’d been around them, they’d acted like teenagers.

“What happened?” I said. “I thought you guys were great for each other.”

“I still care a great deal for Leon,” she said. “He’s a sweetie pie. But the lust started to wear off and then I think we both realized what could happen to his career if people started finding out he was dating me. We just thought it was best to be friends. I take it you haven’t seen him lately.”

“I talked to him not long ago, but we didn’t talk about you. Plus I’ve been so busy with Caroline and everything that’s going on with her. I’ll have to call him back and see how he’s doing.”

“Give him my best when you do,” she said. “Come on in here and have a seat. Can I get you something to drink?”

“I’ll take a bottle of water if you have one,” I said as we walked into the club and I sat down at a table near the bar.

“We don’t sell bottled water, sugar. Be happy to get you a glass of ice water, though.”

“Sure, thanks.”

Erlene brought the water and sat down across from me. As always, I had to force myself to keep from looking at her breasts.

“So what brings you out here?” Erlene said. “Not that you need a reason.”

“Have you heard about what’s going on at ETSU?” I said.

“Of course,” she said. “I don’t live in a cave.”

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to insult you. I just didn’t know how much attention you paid to the news. I’ve been hired to represent a young man who might be charged with raping the dancer that was hired by the football team. He swears he didn’t do it, and I tend to believe him. The players pooled their money and hired her through an escort service called AAA Escort. I was wondering if you know anything about the escort service or if you might have heard anything about who the girl is. I don’t even know her name yet.”

A look of confusion came over her face. It was a look I had never seen. Erlene was an intelligent, even cunning, confident woman. She was not easily confused.

“I seem to remember you telling me that you won’t represent men accused of rape,” she said.

“I’m making an exception.”

“Do you mind if I ask you why?”

“The reason I wouldn’t take rape cases is a long story I’d rather not get into, but with Jack and Charlie joining the law firm, Caroline thought I shouldn’t limit them because of something that happened in my past. I agreed to talk to this kid and his parents and I liked what I heard. He seems to be a good kid. I don’t think he raped anybody.”

“Fair enough,” she said. “Do you think somebody else raped her?”

“He says no, but I have no idea. That isn’t my concern. My concern is to make sure he doesn’t get a rape pinned on him if he’s innocent.”

She nodded her head slowly.

“I have a little surprise for you,” she said.

“What’s that?”

“You came to the right place, sweetie pie. I own AAA Escort Service.”