Chapter 12 She’s Dancing #2
That’s what big brothers did: they messed with their little sisters.
We need to talk. I’ll call after two o’clock.
He plugged his phone into a charger, stalked to his small ensuite bathroom, and got ready for bed.
His phone woke him at one-thirty that afternoon. He groaned when he realized it was his sister’s ring tone. Then again, he should have expected it since that’s what little sisters did. They annoyed their brothers.
“Alanis, I said after two—”
“Sorry, Ted, that doesn’t work for me since the kids will be up from naps after two. What’s this about? Seeing as you sent the text at o’dark-thirty, I’m guessing it has to do with Savannah.”
“Why would you guess that?”
“She danced last night at Platinum’s.”
He sat up in bed. “Surprised you know her schedule.”
“We’re best friends, those things come up. What do we need to talk about?”
“Is she in trouble? Something about her performance last night seemed, off.”
Alanis gave a rueful chuckle. “You get out there wearing a thong, twirl around a pole, and slink across the stage for strangers to shove money your way. It’s always going to seem ‘off.’ Especially since you’ve known her since we were kids.”
“Maybe.”
“Ask her your question. Anything I can tell you is speculation, Ted.”
Punc rolled into Platinum’s at three-thirty that afternoon. He went straight to the office and found Yak at the huge desk.
“How did we do last night? I never heard the final count before I left,” Punc said.
“Almost as good as two months ago when Ava debuted.”
“Really?”
Yak nodded. “Shy of that by four hundred dollars.”
“Cool,” Punc said. Belatedly, he noticed Yak’s grim expression. “Why aren’t you more jazzed?”
Yak’s eyes were wide and incredulous. “After what Ava shared, why aren’t you more concerned?”
He shook his head. “Ava didn’t share anything last night. She danced and went home.”
With a hard exhale, Yak tossed a pen on the desk. “Turk sent a text. She’s getting threats. Since you weren’t on the text thread, I assumed you were here for that chat.”
Anger boiled in his gut. “I fucking wasn’t. What kind of threats?”
Yak widened his eyes. “Does it matter? All threats are bad, Punc.”
He sighed. “Yeah, but some are empty while others are more serious.”
Turk strode into the office, talking. “These could go either way since they’re online. Ava’s convinced it’s a social media troll, but the messages started a week ago, as her return date got closer.”
“Probably right when she got back on her socials in earnest,” Yak said.
Turk nodded. “Maybe. That’s what Ava believes, but my gut says this might be more.”
“She isn’t dancing again tonight, is she?” Punc asked.
Yak’s dead-eyed stare surprised him, but Turk’s eyes were filled with concern.
“We went over this yesterday, Punc. She’s dancing.”
He slowly exhaled through his nose. “Have the other men been informed about this? We have to be ready for anyone who might be a threat.”
Turk nodded. “Yeah, seeing as I think it might be more serious, I’ve alerted everyone but you, until now.”
“I’m following her home after her shift,” Punc said.
Yak shook his head. “A prospect—”
“She’s my sister’s best friend. I’m following her home.”
Six hours later, Punc parked his Harley sideways in the driveway, behind Savannah’s car.
In the time it took her to gather her things, he’d swung off his bike and popped a piece of gum in his mouth to calm his temper.
“Thanks for following me, Punc. As you can see, everything’s fine.”
He ran his hand through his hair. “Really? It’s fine? Not from what Yak tells me, it isn’t.”
She exhaled and her posture drooped. “I didn’t want you to overreact.”
He lowered his chin. “I’m far from overreacting, Ava.”
Her brows rose and a cynical gleam hit her eyes. “Your anger practically hangs in the air, Punc. Besides, an online troll won’t find me.”
“You won’t know until it’s too late.”
Her silence said it all.
“Let’s go inside,” he said.
Savannah quietly unlocked the door and opened it.
“You don’t have to be quiet. Nome must have heard you two outside, barked, and woke me up,” Catalina said from the living room.
“I’m sorry, Cat. You should go back to sleep. Ted’s just here to make sure I got home safe.”
Catalina pressed her lips together as though trying to hide a frown.
“What’s wrong, Catalina?” Punc asked.
From the rise of her shoulders and chest, she took a deep breath. “Someone was in the backyard tonight.”
“What? How do you know?” Savannah asked.
At the same time, Punc asked, “Did you call the cops?”
Catalina shook her head.
Savannah asked, “Are you sure it wasn’t an animal? I mean, it’s not like someone would traipse around our backyard at night.”
Catalina’s brows arched and her eyes filled with disbelief. “Yes, there is someone who would do that, which is the other reason I couldn’t call the cops.”
Instantly, Punc’s body strung tight. “Are you saying her stalker was out there?”
Confusion washed over Catalina’s features. “Stalker? Frank Darren isn’t a stalker. What the heck are you talking about?”
The rushing sound of blood filled his ears. He couldn’t have heard Catalina right because he knew Frank Darren was one of the worst street thugs in town.
He looked to Ava. “Did she say Frank Darren? On top of a stalker, you also have a low-level street thug after you?”
Savannah crossed her arms. “I don’t have a stalker. They’re online threats and harmless.”
“You’re being threatened?” Catalina asked, her tone loaded with concern and outrage.
Savannah’s face softened as she focused on her sister, and she gentled her tone. “It’s a trolling bot, most likely. Going viral on social media brings out all kinds of crazies.”
Catalina opened her mouth to speak, but Punc moved in front of Ava. “Tell me about Frank Darren. Now.”
“He isn’t a street-thug… he’s more of a private lender.”
Punc ground his molars together. “More like a loan shark, and he fucks people up who don’t pay him back… and that makes him a fucking thug. What does he want with you?”
A strange look stole over her for a moment before she doubled down on her stubborn resolve. “I have it handled.”
He took a breath. “Tell me anyway.”
She used that gentle tone with him. “I don’t understand why you’re mad at me. It isn’t really your business.”
His chin lowered an inch. “I’m making it my business. You work at Platinum’s. He fucks people up who owe him money, and it’ll be a cold day in hell before I see you get beaten again. Explain his involvement with you.”
She crossed her arms under her breasts and heaved an exasperated sigh. “Mom’s death was… unexpected and rough. Over a month later, Frank came by asking for his money.”
“How much?”
Her arms fell to her side. She looked down and to the side for a beat before facing him. “Mom had borrowed thirty-five thousand, but since payments were missed because of her death, he says it’s up to thirty-seven grand.”
“Which is bullshit,” Catalina muttered.
Savannah cut a look at Catalina and glanced back at him. “Though, I paid him two grand before the attack, and another two grand at the end of May, so it should be down to thirty-three grand. He doesn’t exactly offer receipts after I make a payment.”
He closed his eyes for a long moment. “That’s why you’re dancing.”
Savannah scoffed. “Most women don’t want to take their clothes off to make ends meet, Punc. But I really don’t have a choice.”
“You’ve always got a choice, Savannah.”
She narrowed her eyes a touch. “Really? Because I mentioned calling the cops and he told me what he’d do to Catalina in retaliation. Hell, I even drove to a damn substation, and he knew about it that day and followed Cat after school just to fuck with her.”
Anger and frustration soured inside his gut, knowing both of them had been scared. “What am I missing here? Why would he prowl around in the backyard?”
Savannah tossed her arms out to her sides and down. “Hell if I know, Punc. I still think it was an animal, but if it was him, my guess is that it’s to prove he can fuck with us whenever he feels like it. Honestly, I’m just trying to keep my head above water at this point.”
Punc nodded. “Right. This asshole is no longer your problem.”
“It isn’t that simple, Punc,” she said.
“The hell it isn’t. Time for this asshole to get a dose of his own medicine.”
Her mouth dropped open and she widened her eyes. “Didn’t you hear me? He had a client of his in the car when he followed Cat and creeped her out. Hell, it could’ve been that client of his in the back yard. We have to play it safe.”
Punc let a lazy grin cross his face. He didn’t miss Ava’s eyes homing in on it. “Oh, we’re gonna make sure you’re safe, sweetheart. Don’t you worry.”
That late at night, Turk and Yak were the only ones who would still be awake. Straddling his bike in Savannah’s driveway, Punc called Turk.
“Everything good, Punc?” Turk answered.
“Sorry to call so late. She’s home, but it turns out Savannah’s got other problems.”
“What do you mean?”
“Frank Darren, he’s a—”
“I know who Frankie D. is from when I ran sports bets. What’s he got to do with Ava?"
“Her Mom - who died a few months back - owed him thirty-five large.”
“Christ,” Turk muttered.
“Yeah, and even though Ava’s mom paid down two grand, he’s not forgiving the time between her death and him finding Ava. He also doesn’t offer receipts.”
“That tracks with the type of asshole he is.”
“Do you know where I can find him?”
“No.”
Turk said it so fast, Punc’s head reared back. “No, you don’t, or you do but you won’t tell me?”
“Both. She’s an employee, Punc. Her problems aren’t ours.”
“That’s pretty fuckin’ cold, man.”
Turk blew out a long breath. “Lucy has an ex who uses their son against her, and he owes three years of back child support. Desiree has thousands in credit card debt, and she’s been evicted five times in five years.”
Punc swallowed hard. “What’s your point?”
“My point is that they all have money problems. Platinum’s can’t wade into every dancer’s finances.”
With his free hand, Punc clenched his fist then forced himself to release it. “Not what I asked for and those problems don’t come with threats to a teenage girl in high school.”
“You didn’t mention that,” Turk said in a low tone.
Punc quickly ran it down, from Savannah finding out about the debt, to her visit to the substation, her paying before and after getting out of the hospital, and then the person in the backyard that night. After a lengthy silence, Turk let out a sigh but kept quiet.
“So, where can I find Frank?”
“Still can’t tell you. This needs to be put to a vote.”
“It’ll just be me, Turk.”
“That’s another reason not to tell you, because running up against that asshole alone is stupid as fuck. He’s got a man named Beauford who does double duty of being an enforcer and Frank’s bodyguard.”
Punc struggled to stay patient. “I hear what you’re saying, but this can’t wait for a session of church, brother.”
“Then arrange for them to stay somewhere else tonight.”
Punc shook his head. “No, I’m gonna sleep on their couch. Tomorrow they can make arrangements. But Turk, he’s followed Catalina and knew about Ava going to the substation.”
“Did she go to the substation on the West side?”
“Think so.”
“Yeah, he’s known for doing business in that plaza. One of the smoke shops is a front and he has a mid-level person there.”
Punc’s brows drew together. “That person would be on the lookout for her? Really?”
“Not to give into stereotypes, but a woman like Ava stands out in a plaza that has a rent-to-own shop, an urban fashion store, two vape shops, and a police substation. If she went before nine in the morning, only the vape shop might have been open… She’d be noticeable.”
Hell, he was right.
Punc knew Savannah’s style. She’d stand out even if there were a crowd.
Turk continued, “The sister’s in high school, it isn’t hard to watch for her leaving at dismissal.”
“Right. I’m still not leaving them alone.”
“Your call. I’ll text Volt.”
Punc shook his head. “I’ll text him. You let Yak know.”
“Gotcha. Later.”