Chapter Thirty-Seven

The men picked at their food, waiting for Veronica to finish dancing. Finally her music ended and she exited the stage to the sound of whistles and catcalls. As she came down the steps, the girl waiting to go next threw her a contemptuous look and muttered something, but Veronica brushed past as if she was invisible. Joe and Brent’s waitress hurried up to her and yelled something in her ear in order to be heard over the sound of the next girl's song. Veronica looked toward the men’s table, frowned and said something to the waitress, who shrugged. Then she headed across the room to a table of men near the stage who had been particularly raucous during her act. With limber grace, she sat in the offered chair and contorted herself so the man next to her could massage one of her feet.

Joe turned to Brent. “Doesn’t look like it worked."

“Maybe she’d already promised those guys before she heard we wanted her. Maybe she’ll come over here next.”

“I hope so,” Joe said, “I don’t want to have to spend the entire afternoon here.”

“We'll wait until she’s finished, then I’ll go see what I can do.”

After several minutes, Veronica finished with her customers, but instead of coming over to Joe and Brent’s table, she disappeared through a set of double doors.

Brent waved the waitress over. “Where did Veronica go? Didn't you tell her we wanted to see her?”

“I told her,” the girl said. “She said she needed to see her regulars first. If she gets done with them and you’re still here, she’ll come over.”

“Where is she now?”

The girl shrugged. “She probably just went into the back to change her costume and powder her nose. She’ll be back out in a minute.”

“Powder her nose, huh?” Joe eyed the double doors suspiciously, and sure enough, Veronica came back out rubbing her nose thoughtfully. Joe got up from his seat. “I think Veronica will want to see us.” He wove his way through the tables to where she was talking to a customer. Brent watched as he interrupted her conversation. Appearing to talk to her casually, Joe grabbed Veronica’s hand and held it. The girl's eyes took on a suspicious cast, but when he released her, she darted her hand into a jacket pocket, flipped her hair over her shoulder and went back through the double doors without a word. Joe came back to the table, grinning. “Give her five minutes,” he said. “She’ll be here.”

Brent frowned. “Did you give her what I think you did?”

“Don't worry about it.”

“Dammit,” Brent said, shoving his half-eaten plate of food out of the way. “Do you realize you could get us arrested?”

Joe turned a condescending glance on him. “Are you a part-time narc or something?”

“No, but a few probably work here.”

“You're such a tedious poser sometimes, you know that? I may not go to these kinds of places, but I know they pay off the cops. My cousin is a cop and he told me about the racket these places have.”

“Well, I still think it was a dumb thing to do.”

“Think all you want,” Joe said. “But look, she’s heading over here. That stuff works better than cash sometimes.”

"Yeah, like it worked really great with Perry," Brent mumbled.

Before Joe could answer, Veronica sauntered up to their table in her leather tap pants and bolero jacket. She glanced at Brent and her eyes widened in recognition, but then her features went blank and she turned to Joe. “You want to see me about something, and you obviously want it pretty bad.” She pulled up a chair, her eyes still wary. “That’s pretty good stuff. I wouldn’t mind knowing where you got it.”

“There’s more where it came from if you’re willing to help us out,” Joe said.

Veronica raised her eyebrows, but her cynical expression remained unchanged. “I don’t fuck customers, if that’s what you’re after.”

“Don’t worry,” Joe said, “I’m madly in love with my wife.”

“So is every man in this room,” Veronica said with a shrug. She waved the waitress over. “Married men are worse than dogs.” When the waitress appeared, Veronica ordered a Jack and coke and sent her away. “If you don’t want to fuck, and you don’t want me to dance for you, what do you want?”

“I want to know where Elise Riddisee is,” Joe said.

Veronica darted a glance at Brent, but her face and voice remained neutral. “I haven't seen Elise in years. Why do you think I would know where she is?”

Brent spoke up. “Come on, Lamia. Don't you remember me?"

"I remember you," she said coolly. "I just don't like you. Now what's this about Elise? I said I don't know what you guys are talking about, so maybe you should leave."

"Stop lying. A woman named Cece Kirk dropped her off at your place two nights ago,” Brent said.

Veronica turned on him. “Okay, maybe I did see her recently. But why should I tell either of you anything about it?”

“Because she’s my wife and I need to find her.”

Veronica grinned. “So you’re the artist. You don’t look artistic.”

Joe rubbed his forehead as if he had a sudden headache. “I’m not artistic,” he said wearily. “I just enjoy what I do, okay? And for some reason, other people seem to like it and are willing to pay for it.”

The waitress appeared at Veronica’s elbow with her drink and set it on the table in front of her. “Thanks, sweetie,” Veronica told her. "You look hot tonight." The waitress rolled her eyes and walked away. Veronica turned back to the men. “Bet you didn’t know a lot of us are lesbians, did you?”

“Doesn’t surprise me,” Brent said.

Veronica turned on him. “Why do you say that?”

“Because look at what you deal with every day. If I was hanging around guys like this, I wouldn’t think much of men, either.” He took a sip of his martini. “Besides,” he added, “Where else can a lesbian meet so many attractive half-naked women?”

Veronica turned back to Joe with a smirk. “I forgot he can be pretty smart when he wants to be.” She took a sip of her drink. “Where’d you pick him up?”

“He tagged along.”

“Why would you do that?” she asked, turning back to Brent. "Unless--"

“Unless what?”

Veronica grinned like a cat. “Unless you’re the cause of all this mess.” She looked from one man to another, then laughed. “This is actually pretty funny.”

“Glad we can entertain you,” Joe said. “So where is Elise?”

Veronica’s eyes widened in innocence. “Hey, I already told you I don't know.”

“Oh, come on,” Joe said. “She was at your place as recently as two nights ago. Is she still there?”

“No,” Veronica said, jiggling her ice cubes.

“We figured as much,” Joe said. He turned to Brent. “I could just kill Cece.”

“It’s our own fault in a way,” Brent reminded him. “We should’ve pinned her to the wall and threatened her a lot sooner.”

“You did what?” Veronica's eyes lit up. “Don’t tell me you got violent with that poor woman.”

“It's not like we used a gun or threatened to detonate a bomb,” Brent pointed out. “It was all a lot of bluff.”

Veronica shrieked with laughter, causing the men at one of the other tables to turn around and look. “I can’t believe it, you two threatening that sweet woman with bodily harm. She should’ve called the police if she had any sense at all.”

“Well, apparently she doesn’t have any sense,” Joe said. “And how do you know Cece, by the way? She says she just dropped Elise off in the parking lot and never actually met you.”

“That is such bullshit." Veronica motioned the waitress back to the table and ordered a round for all three of them. “She came in with Elise, they sat on my sofa, we had a couple of drinks – not Elise, of course, because of the baby. You do know about the baby, right?”

“Yes,” Joe and Brent both said simultaneously. Then they looked at each other. Brent turned away first. “I don’t suppose you know any more about that situation than we do?” Joe asked.

“What do you mean?”

“You know.”

“Oh.” Veronica grinned. “I haven’t a clue, and believe me, I asked. I don’t think Elise is sure, herself.”

The waitress appeared with their drinks, and Veronica enthusiastically grabbed hers off the tray before it could be set in front of her. “So you guys really don’t know which one of you is the father of Elise’s baby? And you don’t care?”

The men looked at each other. “We care,” Joe said.

“It's just that there isn't a whole lot we can do about it,” Brent added.

“I guess that’s true,” she said, suddenly engrossed in her drink. “I told her to get an abortion. That would make the most sense. She doesn't want to be a single mother." She waved a hand in the direction of the stage. "A lot of these girls are single mothers, and it's a bitch."

"Is she planning on taking your advice?" Joe asked, his face blank but his hand clenched tightly around his beer.

Veronica shrugged. "Who knows? I hope she does, because she'd be a lousy mother, but you can never tell with her. She was never one to let on what she was planning to do." She sighed in apparent unconcern. "I have to hand it to you both. You seem to be handling this pretty well. I guess I’ve been around guys like these so long that I forget there’s other kinds of men in the world.” She leaned back in her chair. “Not that I have much use for men, but they do pay the bills.”

“Glad you think so highly of us,” Brent said.

“Hey, no offense.”

“None taken,” Joe said. “So where is Elise now?”

Veronica had been leaning back in her chair, but now she leaned forward. “I keep telling you I don't know. And even if I did, why should I tell you?”

“Because I’m her husband and I love her.”

“So?” Veronica examined her drink carefully. “I don’t believe all this crap about the sanctity of marriage, and the importance of having a man in one’s life. No matter what Elise decides to do, she doesn't need either one of you chasing after her, harassing her about it.”

“We’re not trying to harass her,” Joe said. "We just want to make sure she isn’t running away for the wrong reasons. I want her to know that I love her no matter what she’s done, and I want her to come home. If she tells me she still doesn’t want to come home after that, fine. But I want to be sure.”

“How noble of you.” She turned to Brent. “And what’s your story?”

Brent shrugged. “I’m helping him.” He indicated Joe with a jerk of his chin. “I want Elise to be happy, and I think she would be happiest with Joe.”

Veronica choked and set her glass on the table as she alternated between hacking and laughing. Joe patted her on the back, but she waved him away and tried to pull herself together. “This is the most absurd thing I’ve ever encountered in my life,” she said when she finally caught her breath.

“Thanks,” Brent said sullenly, crossing his arms over his chest.

Veronica waved the waitress over again. The girl came over wearily, just dodging Veronica’s attempt to pinch her on the ass. “Another round?” she asked.

“Yes, please,” Veronica told her. “And hurry. These men are talking like fools.”