Personal Protection (21 page)

He went quiet for so long that I thought I’d hit another nerve.

“I think you’re right.”

“Excuse me?”

“I said, I think you’re right.”

While I was trying to digest this he continued. “I wasn’t going to mention it. I just wanted to forget the dinner party fiasco. You know Greg’s wife, Sharon? Well, she’s
become the Scorned Woman from Hell. She’s done all the text book stuff – shredding his clothes, dropping his car keys down the drain, destroying his CD collection… This may be
the first case I’ve heard of where the guy gets the house after a break up! The police have had to be called in several times.”

“Get to the point, Dean.”

“She’s started following him around. Greg filed for a restraining order. Said she was making him paranoid.”

“Tori said he’s been at the Paradise more than usual since they broke up.”

Dean winced. “I know. And two nights ago she assaulted him with his cricket bat. Craig saw him in A and E. He needed five stitches! The most disturbing part is, the same night Greg says
she was screaming about his infidelity with ‘those dancing sluts.’ And I don’t have to tell you what perfume she was wearing at the dinner party, do I?”

I couldn’t believe we’d overlooked such an obvious candidate. Who had a better excuse for power-motivated revenge? Tori’s attack had not taken place until after the dinner
party revelations. And most rapists are familiar with their victims. Who had more reason to attack the other girls than a scorned wife?

Had Sharon known her husband was visiting the Paradise all along? Had she been attacking whoever she could before her husband had been outed?

Perhaps she’d had no one specific to blame before the dinner party. But her husband’s reaction to Tori – and Tori’s stories of how he behaved, in lascivious jest –
had pushed her over the edge. Perhaps then she felt compelled to take the final steps?

Energised by the thought that the mystery might be solved, I collected Tori and drove her and Dean home. Despite the memorial, the show had to go on; it was business as usual at the
Paradise.

I didn’t tell Tori or the other girls our thoughts. They were just possibilities, nothing more. Once I had evidence to support the theory it would be different. But getting it…

Back in my flat, I caught sight of the membership pass Tori had given me. It sat where she’d left it, on the desk beside my pay.

Maybe I could confront this woman? She might be out there waiting to strike again! Could I afford to stay away? And after my run-in with the bouncers, it could get back to the wrong ears,
suggest that I might be a coward, easily scared off. Never mind that I had been legitimately replaced; I knew how it would look. And no matter what happened between myself and Tori, I wasn’t
about to let her down. I cared too much to let that happen, and I’d made a promise to her father. I knew how it would look if I reneged on that, too.

I rummaged through my wardrobe. A silk shirt and an Armani suit. Evening gloves to hide the split knuckles. The bum ribs wouldn’t show. I might be battered but I was not cowed. Collecting
money, pass and keys to the house and car, I set out to prove myself one more time.

I parked the Porsche in the usual spot, set the alarm, and sloshed my way across the sodden parking lot and up the stairs. At least it had stopped raining.

I didn’t recognise either of the apes on the doors, and decided they must be Spink’s replacement and whoever they’d drafted in to cover for the bouncer I’d hospitalised.
They looked as if they were about to give me a hard time, so I flashed the Unlimited Membership pass under their incredulous noses and sauntered by.

Inside was different. My reception was guarded but cordial. Nobody wanted to be unfriendly, knowing what I was capable of. Similarly, nobody wanted to get on the wrong side of the
bouncers’ union. I didn’t blame them. The cashier swiped my card and waved me through.

I walked around the balcony, looking for Brian Junior to pay my respects.

“Sharp suit,” he said, by way of greeting.

“Thanks.”

We walked companionably for a while.

“I didn’t expect to see you back so soon.”

“Can’t keep a good woman down. You’ve had no trouble since my run-in?”

He shook his head. “Thanks to dad’s quick thinking and Villiers keeping his mouth shut. I don’t suppose he liked to admit a woman cleaned his clock. What he did wasn’t
officially sanctioned, if you know what I mean”.

“Yeah.”

“I’m sure you’re glad to be back to working regular hours. Back to bodyguarding?”

Not that I’d ever really stopped, but he didn’t need to know that.

“It pays better. How’s it going at the gym?”

He winced. “Hard, but I’ll live.”

We stood watching a situation that might have turned nasty, each with the same balls-of-the-feet readiness, until it blew over, then continued where we’d left off.

“Thank your dad for the pass. He isn’t in, or I’d have told him myself.”

Brian squinted at the locked door and darkened glass a little way along the balcony. “We’ve been having a bit of bother with the brewery. He was hoping to be back before we opened,
what with the memorial and everything, but looks like he’s still negotiating.”

“So you did the honours? Opening up, I mean.”

He nodded. “Dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it.” Looking around him he added, “Since you’re here as a guest, we should get you a decent table. The Chief Super
isn’t here yet. You’ve got a Platinum Card. You get first dibs on the best seats.”

“I sense a wind-up going on. I take it you’re not a fan of the Scottish git?”

“Let’s just say he’s given me a few uncomfortable moments.”

“OK. I’ve already been beaten up. What’s a little police brutality among friends?”

“Ah, that’s the beauty of it. He can’t touch you in a public place. I saw the grief he gave you at the reception. I thought you’d appreciate getting back at him, in a
small way.”

“Especially since you can’t?”

He just looked at me. I think we understood one another.

“Lead on.”

I know it was childish, and would probably mean our problems with the local law enforcement would escalate, but this was one of those offers you can’t refuse. Besides, if Tori and I were
breaking up, how could I resist the opportunity to watch her set the stage alight a final time from the best seat in the house?

I followed the boss’s son down to the mezzanine and let him install me at the centre table, exchanging the Reserved sign for one that said Private Party. He left me with a scantily-clad
waitress to take my drinks order. Knowing prices were high, I presumed upon my association with the ladies and asked her to get me a bottle of mineral water hidden in an ice bucket. Coupled with a
tinted glass, no one would know what I was drinking.

The girls trickled by to visit me. Some chatted, others flirted. I handed out as much money as I could afford and as they would accept, before I caught sight of Sammi.

She didn’t seem to be having much luck tonight. She noticed me as the rush cleared and stared to see me sitting at the reserved table. I beckoned her over.

“We have come up in the world!”

“Payment for services rendered.” I showed her the pass. “Would you join me?”

“Don’t do me any favours!”

“You’d be doing me one. Tori won’t think I’m trying to sleep with you.”

One of the girls began a number on stage and a few of the audience sitting behind us began heckling, because Sammi was in their way. I stood up and drew a chair from the table for her, giving
the shouters the finger. Smiling, Sammi allowed me seat her before I returned to my own chair. We sat in silence, watching the slow bump and grind to its conclusion, before I snagged a passing
waitress and asked for a fresh glass.

“Last of the big spenders.”

I blushed. “I thought since you were working…”

“What’s your excuse?”

“I don’t drink.”

“Ever?” The spin she put on it let me know she’d guessed the truth. I inclined my head.

“Even big bad bodyguards have deep dark secrets!”

My flaw pleased her. She sipped, drawing rings in the condensation on the table top with a long nail. “I wasn’t sure I’d be welcome.”

“Why? What you are doesn’t mean I can’t be sociable.”

“You know, if you closed your eyes and breathed shallowly, you’d never know the difference…” She slid her hand up my thigh beneath the table.

She did it just right, but… Nothing fired in my brain. I clamped a hand about her wrist, probably with more force than was really necessary, and removed her exploratory fingers.
“Believe me, I’d know.”

“Spoil sport.” She pouted, rubbing the mark on her wrist where I’d grabbed her, and retreated behind her drink. No doubt thinking up a new gambit.

After a while she started stroking the curve of her ample breast through the thin strip of material that almost covered it. I couldn’t take my eyes off her hand. I couldn’t pretend I
didn’t wonder. She smiled, catching my embarrassed eyes.

“You can look but you can’t touch?”

“Something like that.”

“I’ll just have to be content imagining how it would feel to have your fingers inside me. I’m very tight…”

“Please!”

She chuckled.

“I couldn’t resist. If you could only see your face!” One of her large hands covered mine, and the look she slanted at me was all devilment. “You do use your hands,
don’t you?”

I snatched my hand away feeling the blush creep up my collar. A familiar figure in regulation tux sauntered past, giving me the excuse I needed to change the subject.

“Do you have any problems with him?”

“Grey? He’s an odd bird. Asked me out when I was transitioning, before I started at the Paradise. I turned him down. I don’t date men. I can’t say he was happy about it.
When I came to work here he raised the subject again, but he stopped after he caught me with my tongue down Liu’s throat. I suppose he finally got the picture.”

“Was that before or after your rape?”

Sammi blinked then her face paled. “My God. You think..?”

“He was the knife thrower. It occurred to me that I might not have been his intended target. I don’t have any evidence – yet – but I thought you should know.”

“Fuck! You won’t find evidence. He’s tight with the Chief Superintendent.”

My response was drowned out by the music as another act came on.

It was Tori. She caught sight of me at once. She likes to pick out one of the audience, to direct her routine at them. I’ve noticed some dancers stare into the middle distance when
they’re on stage, but Tori is very present. When she looks at you, you know it’s you she’s seeing, not some fantasy partner. That’s reflected in her takings. As thirty per
cent goes back to the club, the Bird of Paradise was going to be worse off for her going as well as me.

A truly blistering routine that had me dripping with anticipation was the result. It wasn’t until the music faded, the applause shuddering the floor, that I came to myself and remembered
we weren’t alone. A lump in my throat prevented me from speaking when Sammi enviously asked me if Tori was that good in bed. All I could do was nod helplessly.

“No wonder you never have eyes for anyone else. Do you really think she’ll go?”

I found my voice. “Yes.”

“I’m sorry.”

I focused properly upon her. She looked sincere. “Thanks.”

“Will you still come here? Afterwards.”

“I don’t know. Listen, about Grey, I…”

“No, I need to think about this. Thank you for finding out. For telling me. You’re the only one who’s ever bothered to try. I promise I won’t go off and do anything daft.
If I can think of a way to get him, would you be up for helping me?”

I nodded.

“Thanks.”

Tori, clothed in the minimal fashion usual here, flushed with the success of her dance and maybe even lust, was making her way across the floor towards me. I stood as she approached. It seemed
like the right thing to do. Sammi rose as well.

“I’ll leave you lovebirds to it. Thanks for the drink.”

“Any time.”

She gave Tori’s arm a sisterly squeeze. My lover spared a moment to smile at her before she was in my arms and wrapping herself around me. Wolf-whistles and complaints rang in my ears when
we finally broke from the passionate clinch and she allowed me to seat her at the table. Just in time to piss off the newly arrived Chief Super. I paused to look at him long enough to drive home my
point, before ignoring him completely, focusing all my attention on Tori. I was peripherally aware of him having a brief altercation with a member of staff about the seating arrangements, before he
retreated sulkily to a less well appointed table to glower at my back. The flames of revenge warmed me. Sad, but true.

“Thank you for coming, Randall. Are you sure you should be doing this?”

“How could I not?”

She looked pointedly at the ice bucket and its hidden contents. I handed her my glass. She accepted it, sniffed, then sipped.

“Perrier?”

“Highland Spring. It seemed appropriate.” I indicated the disgruntled Chief Super.

“Is this wise?”

“Probably not. I’ve learned you have to take risks in life to get what you want.”

“And what is it that you want?”

She leaned across the table, her hands doing just what Sammi had done earlier. Funny the difference pheromones make. I was still trying to think of an excuse to haul her off to the bathroom and
show her exactly what I wanted, when she stopped.

“Later,” she promised. I tried to get my brain back in gear.

“I came to watch you because I may not get another chance. To drive you home so you’ll be safe, tell Sammi I think we know who her rapist is and to show those who need to know that
I’ve not been beaten by my beating.”

“Four birds with one stone?”

“Yes. Do you mind?”

“Of course not. I like having you here. I know how you feel about your reputation, and being driven home means no worries about being followed by a psycho with a grudge.” She paused.
“Wait a minute – you figured out who..?”