First Girl Gone(61)

The door burst open as though kicked, and out walked one of the muscle-bound leviathans, his arms pinned behind his back. He scowled, bottom teeth bared, swiveling his head as though expecting a crowd and finding none. A state trooper filed along behind him, looking strangely small and old behind the big brute.

“Finally,” Will said. “I thought they were going to let everyone off with a warning or something dumb like that.”

Charlie puffed something of a laugh from her nostrils.

“Weren’t you the one railing on about how local law enforcement is out of control the other day? Story changes pretty quickly, doesn’t it?”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Now hold on. That was different.” Will aimed a finger at her. “None of the cops punched me in the face or put their hands on you. These juiced-up apes deserve whatever they got coming to ’em.”

The stream of perp walks continued, building up some speed now—a parade of bouncers with black eyes and bloody noses, each of them sporting cuffs. The loudmouth from the front door detail came out looking like he’d had a nose job performed by way of fists, his schnoz all dented and crooked and swollen. Charlie started to slow clap the way he’d done the first time she’d gotten caught snooping around, adding in a thumbs up when he scowled in her direction.

After the bouncers, a pair of polo-shirted guys exited. Charlie figured they must be the managers or owners. While they lacked the musculature of the security guys, they still looked imposing in their own way, a strange and dangerous energy in their eyes.

Charlie watched Zoe file out of the building and load one of the meatheads into a cruiser. With her cargo secured in the backseat, she rounded the rear of the car and headed to where Charlie and Will stood observing the scene.

Zoe held something in her hands awkwardly, and as she got closer, Charlie realized it was her purse.

“Should have known you’d be all mixed up in this,” Zoe said, handing the bag over. “Thought you might want this back.”

“Thanks,” Charlie said, peeking quickly inside to check that everything was there.

Zoe’s gaze fell on Will and his eye, which was now partially swollen shut.

“Yikes. Nice shiner.”

Will grinned.

“Pretty cool, huh?”

Satisfied that the bouncers hadn’t pilfered anything important from her bag, Charlie slung the handle over her arm and focused on Zoe again.

“Did you search the office yet?”

“We did. Found the drugs just where you said they’d be. Port Blanc PD is gonna wanna throw a parade in your honor. They’ve been trying to find dirt on these guys for years, and you just served it up on a silver platter.”

“And what about the girls? At least one of them recognized Kara Dawkins, and said she’d been around up until a few weeks ago.”

“We’ll get official statements from them before they’re released,” Zoe assured her.

“Kara’s only seventeen, you know,” Charlie reminded Zoe. “I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the others are underage.”

“It’ll be handled. Trust me.” Zoe snapped her fingers. “Oh hey, I forgot to tell you. We solved the Jason Spadafore mystery.”

“Mystery?”

“You know… how he bashed that guy over the head for what seemed like no reason?”

“Oh, right. So there was a reason?”

“Yeah. Turns out Jason and his girlfriend split up recently. I guess he was holding out hope for a reconciliation, but she has moved on to greener pastures.”

Charlie could see where this was headed.

“And Jason decided to wallop the ‘greener pastures’ in the skull with a pool cue?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Zoe’s head bobbed up and down. “That’s about the long and short of it.”

Charlie remembered Jason’s angry phone call and the one snippet she’d been able to make out: “a lying bitch.” Well, that certainly fit. She wasn’t sure she’d ever considered Jason a true suspect, certainly not after what she’d found in the club tonight. Still, she hated unanswered questions, and now she had one less on her plate.

Glancing back at the building, Zoe tucked her thumbs in her belt. “I better head back inside. The ladies started getting antsy once they saw their bosses being led out in handcuffs.”

“You’ll let me know what you find out?”

Already trudging toward the front doors of the Red Velvet Lounge, Zoe spun around and walked backward a few paces.

“Yeah. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“You’re the best,” Charlie called out.

Zoe gave a dismissive wave.

“The way I see it, you owe me like a dozen apple fritters at this point.”

Zoe disappeared through the open front doors. At the sound of the police truck’s engine roaring to life, Will turned to Charlie, pushing himself to his feet.

“Well, that was eventful.” Will spun his keys around his index finger. “Should we call it a night?”

“I guess so,” Charlie said. “Only I think I should drive.”

“Why?”

“Because I have two good eyes and didn’t just take a blow to the head.”

“Fair enough,” he said, tossing his keys over to her. “My head is starting to throb a bit. Is it just me or was that guy’s fist the size of a honey-baked ham?”