Terri Austin - Diners, Dives & Dead Ends

The temperature had dropped about ten degrees and as I rubbed my arms against the cold, I wished I had worn something warmer than my black blazer. Steve noticed and took off his fleece jacket, settling it over my shoulders.

I looked up at him. “Thanks.”

He smiled and continued walking.

There was a short line to get in. The girls in the queue dressed in either tight jeans and cowboy boots or tiny skirts and cowboy boots. The guys skipped the skirts. Roxy received her usual warm welcome. The girls eyed her suspiciously, then whispered about her amongst themselves while the guys seemed a little turned on and scared at the same time.

When we finally made our way to the front of the line, we had to pay a cover charge of ten bucks. If we didn’t find Ax soon, I was going to have to get a second job.

I flashed Axton’s picture at the bouncer. “Have you seen this man?” I asked.

He scratched his dark buzz cut and shrugged.

After curling my lip at him, I trudged inside.

Like most clubs, the lighting was low. A long wooden bar took up the left side of the building and two dance floors stretched out before us. On the upper floor, people were line dancing and the lower, larger dance floor held a mass of people moving in a circle.

I grabbed Roxy’s hand and we jostled our way to the bar. I figured the guys would follow.

The wait at the bar was three people deep, but Roxy just shoved her way forward, edging people aside. She got several dirty looks and so did I. I think I was the only one bothered by it.

“Hey,” the bartender, a woman in a Honky Tonk Heaven t-shirt, yelled over the music. “Wait your turn.”

Roxy snapped her fingers in my face. “Picture.”

I handed it over.

“Have you seen this guy?” she asked.

“You have to wait your turn,” the bartender yelled again.

Taking over for Roxy, who was obviously at the end of her patience, I said, “This is my brother. He’s been missing for over a week.” I gave her a very sad, yet worried face that mainly involved furrowing my eyebrows. “He loves line dancing. It’s his passion in life. Please, take a look at the picture. Have you seen him?”

That wiped the scowl off her face. “Oh, honey, you must be worried sick.”

I nodded. At least that part was true.

She took the picture from me and held it closer to her face and squinted. Shaking her head, she frowned. “I’m sorry. I haven’t seen him.”

I nodded and mustered up a brave smile. “Thanks anyway.”

We spent the next three hours winding our way around the place, flashing Axton’s photo to waitresses, bouncers, and people in cowboy hats, but no one recognized him. “I think this place is a bust,” I said. “I just want to go home.”

“Me, too.” She tugged at her skirt. “I’ve had enough of this shit for one night.”

We made our way through the crowd and found the guys exactly where we had left them, standing against a wall by the door. Frankly, they’d been pretty useless.

We all headed out to the parking lot and I handed Steve his jacket, then climbed into my car. I dropped Roxy off at her apartment and even though it was only ten-thirty, I looked forward to crawling into bed. The past few sleepless nights had left me exhausted.

I made sure there were no strange cars in my parking lot, no menacing bad guys lurking in the shadows. When all was safe, I darted out of my car and ran to my building, sprinting up the stairs to my thankfully empty apartment. After washing my face and brushing my teeth, I grabbed my blanket and pillow, left the lamp on, and fell onto the futon.

I had just dozed off when something startled me and I bolted upright. I glanced around the room, my heart pounding. I didn’t know what had awakened me.

Then I heard pounding on the door.

“Open up, Rose.”

It was BJ. I debated what to do. Open the door or ignore him? Open the door, and I’m an idiot. Ignore him, and he’ll just break in. While I’m standing here in my underpants. I didn’t like either option.

“Go away,” I said in my sternest voice.

“Let me in.”

“No.”

“This is me, asking nicely,” he said.

“Why should I? You threatened Axton.”

I swear I heard him laugh. “Are you still holding that against me?”

“Not funny.” I was tired and out of sorts and the last time I saw him I was all pressed up against him. It made me hot and cold and embarrassed at the same time. I threw on some sweats and opened the door. But kept the chain on.

He sighed. “Come on, Rose. I’m not going anywhere until we talk and I don’t want to wake your neighbors.”

Since most of my neighbors were barely functioning alcoholics who passed out before ten o’clock, I wasn’t worried. “I’m listening.”

He reached a finger through the crack of the door and touched the bridge of my nose. “You get a crinkle right here when you frown.”

I jerked out of reach and tried to slam the door on him. He anticipated my move, because he pulled back his finger and wedged his foot between the door and the jamb. His lips flattened into a straight line. “You have quite a temper. Have you thought about anger management?”

I just glared at him.

He sighed. “Open the door, Rose. This is getting tiresome.”

I didn’t want to let him into my apartment. I didn’t trust him. Yet I still wondered if I could get information out of him. Maybe he would slip up and tell me something useful. Besides, his asking to come in was just a formality and we both knew it.

“Just a minute.” I shoved at his foot, shut the door, and grabbed my cell phone. I dialed Roxy’s number.

She picked up on the fourth ring. “This had better be good.”

“BJ’s at my door,” I whispered. “If you hear me scream, call 911.”

“What? No, don’t be stupid.”

“He might know something about Ax.”

“Hang up and call the police right no—”

“Calm down and be quiet.” I tucked my phone in the pouch of my sweatshirt, then unhooked the chain to let him in. “Five minutes or I scream the place down.”

“Okay,” he said. Putting his hands up in a placating gesture, he stepped into the apartment. He was dressed in an expensive suit with a red striped tie.

“I’m not crazy about that tie.”

He looked down and fingered it. “Why not?”

“Did I say that out loud?” God, I was tired.

“Yes, you did.” He walked toward the kitchen. “Got anything to drink?”

I trailed after him. “Not for you.”

He stopped at the sink and turned, wagging his finger in my direction. “I thought you and I had come to an understanding.”

“If that were the case, I think I’d remember it.”

“I remember it quite clearly. You were going to mind your own business.”

“I have.”

“No, you haven’t. You’ve been quite a busy little bee, dashing all over town looking for Axton.”

How the hell was this guy tracking me? I’d checked my rearview mirror frequently all day. I hadn’t seen anyone following me, hadn’t seen Henry lurking about.

He moved toward me and even though I wanted to back up, I held my ground. “You have my property. Or you know where it is.” He stood so close, the front of his chest skimmed my breasts. I stopped breathing for a second.

I craned my neck, looking up at him. “I already told you, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I think you’re lying.”

He was so close I could see his pupils contract. And that spicy, citrusy smell enveloped me.

“Tell me what you’re looking for and maybe I can help you find it.”

His eyes narrowed. “If you’re lying to me, you’ll regret it.”