Chapter Eight
Jagger
We went to The Old Strip and parked in an open-air lot near the Golden Nugget Casino. “Glory Hole Studios is a block over.”
“How do you want to play it?” I’d never been to a pornography film studio, so I had no idea what to expect.
Bailey gave me the up-and-down with a salacious smile. “I say we go inquire whether they need a hot daddy to make movies. They don’t get any hotter than you, Daddy.”
I laughed. “I don’t make enough money to be anyone’s sugar daddy.”
“It’s an attitude, Trooper. Just like when you were a Nevada State Patrol officer. It’s all about the attitude.”
After so many years in law enforcement, I could see how that attitude would come in handy in this situation. I’d watched some BDSM porn on occasion, so I had a general idea what Bailey meant, but I was certain he’d be better at it than I would be.
We went into the Carson Building and found that Glory Hole had the entire top floor. “There must be good money in porn,” Bailey said as we waited for the elevator.
That gave me a thought. I pulled out my phone and shot off a text to Hardy.
Hey, Hardy—can you check out who owns the Carson Building and Glory Hole Studios? Thx, Jagger
When the elevator car arrived on the ground floor, we stepped inside, but as the doors were closing, two young guys stuck their hands over the sensors to stop them.
They pressed the button for the top floor.
The two of them were smirking at each other before the taller one turned to stare at us. “What floor, gentlemen?”
Bailey grinned. “Wherever you boys are going.”
The shorter one—who looked all of fifteen—giggled. “You might not wanna get off where we get off, but I bet I could get ya both off.”
I chuckled. “No doubt you could. Who would I talk to about maybe getting an acting job? It’s a dare from this ass.” I hitched my thumb at Bailey, who laughed.
Bailey was quick on his feet, the bastard. “He’s late to the queer game, and I said there’s no better way to get into the dating scene than to put yourself out there, and nothing gets you out there quicker than making an adult film.”
Glancing at Bailey, I could see he was enjoying my discomfort a little too much. He’d pay for that later.
“Ooh! I’ll sign up for your debut shoot, Daddy.” The shorter one then touched my T-shirt before he stood on his tiptoes and pulled the neck out, looking down at my chest. “You smell good, and look at that hair. Love it.”
Bailey bristled next to me but kept his mouth shut. Thankfully, the elevator stopped, and we all got off on the top floor, right into a waiting room.
“Good morning, Billy, Eric. Here are your shooting schedules for today.”
I turned to the reception area to see a perky young woman with bright-pink hair sitting behind a large desk. She handed two stapled sets of paper to the guys from the elevator and then stared at Bailey and me.
The short one stepped closer to me. “Becks, this is—” He turned to me.
“Uh, I’m Ja—Jack Wright. This is my annoying friend, Brad. I’m interested in perhaps making a movie.” It seemed smart not to use my real name. God, my family would have a collective heart attack.
Shorty giggled again. “Isn’t he yummy? Marcelo is gonna love him, and if he signs him, I want to be his first.” The little guy was eager. I’d give him that.
The woman opened a drawer and pulled out two clipboards with pens attached. “If you’ll fill these out, I’ll alert Marcelo you’re here. He’s the head of the studio, and I think Billy’s right. He’d like to get a look at the two of you.”
“Oh, I’m just here to make sure he doesn’t renege on the dare.” Bailey stepped away from the extended clipboard like it was a rattlesnake ready to strike.
“You sure? Two Daddies like you would be incredible for our subscriptions.” Becks extended the clipboard one more time, so I took it.
“Two are better than one, Brad.” If he was going to make me humiliate myself with this Marcelo person, he damn sure was going along for the ride.
It was a typical job application with one exception—there were questions on the back that nobody would expect Albertsons grocery store to ask.
Are you prepared to work naked?
When was your last STD and HIV+ screening?
What are your personal limits? (Please provide details.)
Are you willing to experiment with new things?
Have you ever been convicted of a sex-related crime?
Part of me wanted to laugh, but the other part of me was a little scared.
I wanted to ask the Becks if the questions were for real.
What were the actors in the movies doing?
When I glanced at Bailey, I saw him writing like a scholar, so I kept my mouth shut so as not to reveal my na?vety when it came to things of a sexual nature.
I answered the questions and signed the bottom of the application with my alias. I was already committing fraud by not using my real information, but I didn’t plan to make a porn movie, regardless of the pay.
My companion handed me his clipboard, and I carried them to Becks before returning to my seat. I turned to whisper, “If I gotta embarrass myself, you’re doing it to, my friend.”
Bailey glanced around, seeing the two women I’d clocked when we came into the office. They were both beautiful with hourglass figures and low-cut dresses. The brunette walked over to the desk. “What time does the transport come? We’ve been waiting an hour.”
Becks stared at her before glancing at the clock on the wall. “I told you the transport comes at eleven and runs every two hours until midnight. You two chose to get here at nine. You’re welcome to leave and come back at eleven.” Becks stood from her desk and walked out of the waiting room.
Bailey turned to the women. “What’s the transport for?”
The blonde woman turned to us and smiled. “Hi. I’m Brandy. Are you guys waiting for the transport?” Her voice was high-pitched enough that I waited for dogs to start howling.
I spoke up. “Transport to where?”
“Out to the house. The studio owns a house in North Las Vegas. A private home is under far less scrutiny than filming here in the city. I’m Candy.” That was the brunette who had recited that spiel like it was written on a brochure.
Bailey chuckled softly. “Brandy and Candy. Do you film together?”
Brandy smiled. “Sometimes. We’d happily film with either of you.”
It was my turn to laugh. “That’s good to know.”
The office door opened, and four young guys came inside, all talking at once. One stood out as he went to the reception desk and opened a notebook on top of it. I elbowed Bailey and tilted my head toward the guy. Bailey’s eyes scanned the room before landing on the kid.
Boyd Newton.
We both stood, and I turned my back to the room to shield Bailey from being seen. “What do you want to do?”
“Well, those other three are the ones I caught him with the other night, and they ran off when I grabbed him, so they’re no threat. The women probably aren’t a threat. I say we nab him and take him somewhere to talk.” Bailey glanced at the floor, so I turned, just in time for Boyd to spot me.
“Shit!” He made a run for the door, but Bailey was faster. He picked the guy up around his waist and hauled him out in what appeared to be a football carry. I hurried out behind them.
Boyd started screaming, so Bailey headed to the stairwell. “Shut the fuck up before I beat your ass. You’re going to talk to me, you little shit.” He swung Boyd over his shoulder and ran like the wind.
We ran down ten flights of stairs and out the back door of the Carson Building into a parking garage. Bailey hurried to a dark part of the garage, where a tent had been set up because repairs were being made to the overhead pipes. Bailey took Newton inside, me right behind them.
There was scaffolding set up with an open toolbox on top. I lifted the carrier off to find a roll of duct tape in the bottom, so I grabbed it, ripping off a piece to put over Newton’s loud fucking mouth so he’d stop screaming.
“Thank you for shutting him the fuck up.” Bailey winked at me before shoving Newton against one of the legs of the scaffold. The two of us wound the tape around him a few times so he couldn’t get away.
I stepped up to him and glared into his frightened eyes.
“You start screaming again, and I’ll knock your fucking teeth out.
We have a few questions, and we know the shuttle leaves at eleven.
You have twenty minutes to answer, or we’ll make you unfit for the camera.
Can I trust you not to scream if I remove this tape? ”
“If you scream after he takes off the tape, I’ll break your fucking neck.” Bailey stood to my left with his fist raised. Newton nodded, so I ripped off the tape.
“You motherfuckers are in so much trouble.” The kid actually thought he had the upper hand? That was fucking priceless. I’d be happy to show him he didn’t.
Before I could say a word, Bailey slapped him across the face, not as hard as I was sure he wanted to. “Shut up. Who did you send to pick up the duffel of money my brother left in Carriage Park after you sent that blackmail text to him?”
“I didn’t send him a blackmail text. Someone stole my phone while I was filming. I promised Thomas when we broke up that I would never blackmail him. I love him.”
Bailey looked skeptical. “Who did I beat the hell out of the other night? It obviously wasn’t you.”
“I believe it was a guy from Glory Hole Studio. He’s my body double for shots they want where it looks like we’re going bareback. It’s in my contract that I won’t do bareback because I never wanted to put my health, or your brother’s, at risk. Like I said, I love Thomas.
“Danny Bolls is the guy you beat the hell out of that night in the park. He was picking up the money for someone, but I don’t know whose behind it. Obviously, Danny’s in on blackmailing the governor. He was working out with me the day my phone disappeared at the gym.”
“Who knew enough about you and my brother to blackmail Thomas?” Bailey was shaking with anger. I almost pulled him away so he could calm down, but I was afraid the kid would start screaming again.
“I don’t know. I haven’t told anyone about us. Someone is obviously following me— Well, someone besides you.” The kid seemed sincere.
“Boyd, do you owe something to someone? Money or something else? Who did you piss off?”
He looked at the dirty floor of the parking garage.
“Marcelo worked with a guy in the Viper Kings when it came to the drug shit. He came to me about dealing to make some extra money because he knew I had family troubles. My mom’s sick— Well, you don’t care about that.
Anyway, the guy with the club offered a seventy-thirty split, and I needed the damn money, so I took it.
“I dealt a special cut of X and Molly at Glory Hole because it ain’t easy to get it up for some of these guys.
It’s cut with ED pills and caffeine. After we started our arrangement, Marcelo suggested I start dealing the same shit on The Old Strip and he’d give me a fifty-fifty split of my thirty percent. I couldn’t turn it down.
“I got picked up a few times on The Old Strip, but some narco detective approached me when I was in jail, Detective Spitzer, and promised to get the charges dropped if I snitched for him. They want the Viper King guy I deal for because they think he gets the drugs from the Víbora Cartel.”
That matched our working theory, but something was missing. If Boyd was telling the truth, we still had one question: who threatened the governor?