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  I'd decided to keep quiet about taking on Cindy's case until the morning. There was no sense in ruining a perfectly good girl's night in with my inability to keep my nose out of new cases.

  I wasn't used to the office being so quiet. The phone was almost constantly ringing, or the bell over the door was chiming, but not this morning. Over the last few days I had been wrapping cases up to go on vacation, so there wasn't even any stakeout surveillance to go over. I hadn't intended to get to the office so early, but my eagerness to get the job rolling had me out of bed and on the road earlier than usual. I wasn't sure how long it would be until Cindy showed up, so I fired up my computer and pulled up a search engine. While I was waiting on Cindy's arrival, I could look up the murders and see if there was any worthwhile information on them. I keyed in exotic dancers and murders then waited. A moment later the screen changed.

  I was a bit surprised and more than a bit alarmed at the number of articles that popped up on my screen.

  Apparently the killing of these ladies wasn't uncommon. I grimaced. As much as I'd like to help bring these other ladies' killers to justice, I couldn't take on every mystery I stumbled across.

  I scrolled down the page until an article caught my eye and clicked the link to the website of one of the local newspapers.

  STRIPPER KILLED. MURDERER STILL AT LARGE.

  A second dancer from the popular Double Trouble Gentlemen's Club was found dead this weekend. Authorities have yet to release a cause of death, and no suspects have been detained. The dancer's name and age have not been released at this time. This discovery comes on the heels of another murder at the club nearly two weeks ago. The details about the death are sparse, but from what we have gathered, the woman identified as twenty-two-year-old Kiki Johnson was found backstage with a cord wrapped around her neck. No word yet on if these murders are connected.

  We'll have more on this story as it develops.

  I scrolled through a few more links but found nothing on the killings. Cindy was right about the media not wanting to plaster dead strippers on the news for sensitive eyes to see. I rolled my eyes and shut down the computer. I wasn't going to find any more information on the murders on the internet. Cindy was my best bet for the inside scoop.

  I took a sip of my iced caramel macchiato and looked up at the clock. At the same time, the bell over the door chimed. I got to my feet, pushed my chair out, and walked into the small lobby.

  "Am I too early?" Cindy asked with a small smile from the doorway and motioned toward Mandy's empty desk. "I have some classes this morning, and I wanted to talk to you beforehand."

  "Not at all," I said and shook my head. "We're opening a little later than usual for the next few weeks is all. Come on in, and we'll get started." I waved my hand for her to follow me and strode back into my office, eager to get some details and get the ball rolling. Two weeks really wasn't all that long to crack a case, and I had literally nothing to go on until I got Cindy talking. Time was of the essence.

  "You're in college? What are you majoring in?" I asked curiously.

  "Criminal justice. My goal is to investigate crime scenes. That's why I dance at the club. Gotta pay the bills, you know?"

  "Boy do I." I grinned. "Have a seat," I said and retook my own behind my desk.

  I waited until Cindy situated herself before I began. "So, let's start from the beginning," I said and leaned forward in my chair then picked up an ink pen and scooted a pad of paper in front of me.

  Cindy pushed her platinum blonde hair over her shoulder and pursed her full lips for a moment. Her cotton candy pink lip gloss shimmered in the overhead light, and I momentarily envied her beauty. Cindy looked like a supermodel, whereas I was just your typical girl next door. Sure, I had thick blonde hair of my own, but unlike Cindy, I also had about fifteen extra pounds on my barely five-foot-tall frame, a smattering of pale freckles under my layer of light makeup, and by no means did I have that perfect Angelina Jolie mouth Cindy was sporting.

  "…started a month ago, when the body of one of my fellow dancers, Kiki Johnson was found backstage," Her voice snapped me back from my wayward thoughts.

  She took a deep, calming breath. "One of the other dancers had just finished her set when she went into the dressing room to change clothes. She found Kiki's body partially hidden behind one of the dressing curtain dividers with the cord of a blow-dryer wrapped around her neck." Cindy shook her head sadly.

  "No one else saw her while they were back there getting ready for their sets? How is that even possible when at least one of the other girls had to have gone backstage at some point during the night?" I was fairly certain someone would have noticed a woman being strangled with the cord of a blow-dryer.

  "There were only a handful of us dancers working the night Kiki was killed. It was a slow night for once, and some of the girls were able to take off early. Most of us work as much as we can since our pay really depends on how much we receive in tips, but the night before had been crazy busy with a bunch of businessmen from out of town staying until closing time, so when offered the chance to have the rest of the night off, some of the girls took it," Cindy said. "And we're not always on stage. After our sets we mingle with the patrons and do private dances in one of the VIP areas or just your run of the mill lap dance on the floor. There isn't always someone backstage," she explained. "There's plenty of time throughout the night when the dressing room is empty."

  "I see." I nodded. "Do you know why Kiki would have gone into the dressing room?"

  "She could've gone for any reason." Cindy shrugged. "To use the restroom, change outfits, just to rest for a few minutes…"

  "You said the cops don't have any leads? Are you sure about that?"

  "I'm pretty sure," she answered. "The police came around asking everyone questions after Kiki and Tammy were found. They scoured the dressing room and talked to all of us who were there at the time of the murder but never followed up with any of us or named any of us suspects or persons of interest that I know of. It's not like any of us at the club would've wanted to hurt them. When I talked to Kiki's mom at the funeral service, she said the cops told her they were working a few angles and that they would let her know when there was a development." Her expression was now filled with frustration, and she rolled her eyes. "Not one single clue as to who could have killed Kiki. Not a fingerprint, hair, or even an inkling. Then Tammy Mills…" She bit her bottom lip. "I found Tammy's body," she explained with a quiver in her voice, "and the strange thing is this…" She became animated and waved her hand in the air. "According to the police, from what I overheard, anyway, her body was in almost the same exact spot where Kiki was found. And she had a blow-dryer cord wrapped around her neck, just like Kiki."

  "What did the police say?" I asked.

  "They're looking into it is all they'll tell us. They did tell Tammy's mom that they think the cases are connected with all the similarities, and with the fact that the ladies were roommates, it's hard not to come to that conclusion," she said. "But I can tell you about as much about Tammy's murder as I can Kiki's, which isn't much."

  I tapped my bottom lip. "They were roommates?"

  Cindy nodded. "Like I said, they pretty much kept to themselves, but from what I gathered, they had known each other for a few years."

  I was fairly certain Tyler couldn't tell me much about the murders. As far as I knew, he wasn't working the cases, but I would still ask him. It was possible he could gather some information on the down low. I made a mental note to also make a call to the police station myself and see if the acting detective would be willing to share any of his information. Asking and being told no was much better than not asking at all and missing out on some useful information.

  I knew the police had most likely covered all angles and questioned everyone they could, but I still needed to ask questions of my own. "Did either of the women have any enemies? Over affectuous admirers? Disgruntled exes? Anything like that? Anyone who might have wanted to hurt them?"

/>   Cindy leaned back in her chair then nodded. "Tammy and Kiki both."

  "Who? And what can you tell me about them?"

  "I don't know much because both of the ladies stayed to themselves, but I'll tell you what I can." She sighed. "Kiki used to date a regular at the club, Fernando Valenzuela. They were on and off for about six months, that I know of. After they split up he continued coming to the club."

  "Why?" I asked.

  "To make her jealous, I guess." She shrugged with one palm pointed toward the sky. "Who knows what goes on in the minds of men?"

  Amen, sister.

  "But he's never caused any real trouble. He comes in, throws his money around, and then leaves. Business as usual," she continued. "When they broke up this last time, it was at the club. She was screaming at him about how much of a pig he was, and he was shouting back how he'd deserved more respect and she needed to be taught a lesson."

  "He said that to her? Do the cops know?" I asked.

  "Sure. I made sure I told them." She nodded.

  Fernando was now taking up the number one spot on my suspect list. But I'd learned a long time ago that if something seemed too easy to keep digging. It was because the real answer was still out there somewhere.

  "Now, Tammy's ex, Gary? He's a real winner," she said sarcastically. "After they went splitsville, he would come around and cause a scene every chance he got. He would follow her while she was out shopping, to her mom's house. Just about everywhere she went, there he was, and the only reason I know is because she had to tell Roy, the club's owner, about the restraining order she had against him."

  "When was the last time he came around?" I asked.

  "Couple of months ago. Tammy got a restraining order on him after he showed up at her mom's house and tried to start a fight. A few nights after she filed the order, he showed up at the club and tried to make a scene. I called the police myself when I saw him walk in. He tried to rough Tammy up, but our security guys stopped him, and the police arrested him not long after that. I haven't seen him since."

  I nodded as I jotted down my notes. "It sounds like Tammy's ex is a real piece of work," I said and took a drink of my coffee then set the cup down. "What's his last name?"

  "Hooper. Gary Hooper. As for Kiki's ex, Fernando? I don't really know anything worth mentioning about him other than what I've already told you. He comes into the club, tips well, and apparently he has a lot of money that I don't think he earns legally."

  "What makes you think that?" My curiosity tingled.

  "He's always dressed in the best suits, orders the most expensive drinks, gives money to the dancers like he has bottomless pockets, and he always has no less than three armed guards with him every time he comes in."

  "Armed guards? I thought weapons weren't allowed in the club?" I asked, remembering a No Weapons Allowed on Premises sign I'd seen when I was there following up a lead on a case I'd worked back in the summer.

  "They aren't, but since Fernando dishes out so much money, Roy allows the guards to carry their weapons. He told us ladies not to worry about the guards and weapons and just be happy that Fernando tips so well." She rolled her eyes. "Frankly, I'd rather not see a gun at every turn when I'm trying to work, especially after losing Tammy and Kiki. They aren't waving them around or anything, but we can see them in their holsters when they reach and move. You know what I mean?"

  I would probably feel the same way were I in Cindy's position, but as things were, carrying a gun was part of my job.

  I jotted down the information Cindy supplied on a purple Post-it note and set my pen down.

  Disgruntled exes were the obvious go-tos when dealing with a case like this. After all, the spouse is usually the guilty party in this type of situation, but that didn't mean they were always guilty. I also had to consider the fact that these women were roommates. Why would one ex kill both women at completely different times? And in the off chance one of the exes had in fact killed both girls, the cops surely would've figured it out and closed the case by now. That is assuming the detective working the case followed all the leads Cindy and the other girls had given him and also working on the speculation that there was only one killer. I wanted to believe there was. But then again, there was always the chance I was dealing with a freaky copycat killer.

  "What about your co-workers? You said earlier that none of you would have wanted to hurt them. Are you sure?"

  "I'm fairly certain. I mean, they were polite to everyone but never really got close to the rest of us. They came in, worked their shifts, and left." She ran her fingers through her hair. "There are a couple of girls at the club who couldn't be nice to someone even if it meant saving their own lives, but I don't think any of them would actually dirty their hands, so to speak."

  "How long have you worked at the club?"

  "I've only been working there a little less than a year, and Kiki and Tammy had been there for a year or more before I hired on, as far as I know."

  "Okay." I nodded. "Here's what's going to happen." I leaned back in my chair. "I'm going to do all I can to figure out who killed your friends, but I can't promise you anything. Making promises I can't keep isn't part of the job. If the cops don't have anything to go on and haven't named a suspect by now, it's going to be hard for me to dig anything up."

  "I totally understand. I can't thank you enough," she said and nodded so enthusiastically the tips of her platinum blonde hair slapped her cheeks and chest. "I just want to be able to go to work without the fear that one of us is going to be killed on our bathroom break or something."

  "That would bother me, too." I smiled. "I'm going to get started right away. I'll call you if or when I find anything. I'll also be calling if I have any more questions for you."

  "You have my phone number. I'll help in any way I can." She stood and pulled her purse strap over her shoulder. At the same time, I heard the bells over the front entrance chime.

  "I have to get going. I have a class in half an hour, and I can't be late. Thanks again." She tossed me a wave and hurried out of my office just as Mandy appeared in the doorway.

  The bells over the door jangled again as Cindy left the building.

  Mandy scrunched her brow in my direction. "She looks so familiar. Have we handled one of her cases before?"

  I bit my bottom lip and shook my head. "Not in the past, no."

  Mandy propped a hand on her hip and regarded me curiously. "And what exactly does that mean?"

  I blew out a breath. "It means I'm handling a case for her now."

  She rolled her eyes and groaned. "Baaarrrrb, you're supposed to be getting ready for your vacation, not taking on new cases. At least tell me it's something simple. Cheating boyfriend, the maid stole something?"

  "More like murder."

  Mandy gaped at me, and the bells over the door jingled again.

  I was really starting to despise those bells.

  A moment later Kelly appeared in the doorway beside Mandy, who was still gaping at me.

  Kelly looked from me to Mandy then back to me. "What's going on? Did I miss something?"

  "Only Barb taking on another case," Mandy said sarcastically. "And not just any case," she continued. "A murder case."

  "You have got to be kidding me," Kelly said in a flat tone. "We just finished wrapping up all of our open cases so you can have a worry-free vacation, and you're taking on new ones? What are you thinking?"

  "That she's Wonder Woman?" Mandy quipped.

  "No, I was thinking that the young woman is scared and that she needs my help."

  "Barb, you can't take on every case that comes your way." Kelly shook her head. "We know you want to help people, but you need a break."

  "I know, but she really does need our help. The cops have been on this case for a month now and don't appear to have any leads. The least I can do is take a closer look. If I get started right away, I think I can have this case wrapped up with time to spare."

  They looked at each other then back to me. "Fine.
But Tyler isn't going to be too happy about this." Kelly crossed her arms over her chest.

  "Neither is Mona," Mandy chimed in. "You know how she feels about you taking on these dangerous cases."

  Boy did I. Mona was my aunt in every way that truly counted, and she worried about me the same way a mother would. She despised the fact that I took on murder investigations. She didn't mind me dealing with cheaters or thieves, but she tried to draw the line at murderers.

  Key word? Tried.

  Big cases paid the bills and kept me on my toes. There was no way I would or could pass one up if it presented itself. And the fact that I knew Cindy personally was just the topper. Mona would understand. She wouldn't like it, but she would understand.

  "I'll deal with Aunt Mona," I said. "Now, do you want to know what this case is all about or not?"

  Kelly and Mandy looked at each other and stepped into the room. Kelly took a seat in one of the cushy chairs across from my desk while Mandy prepared herself a cup of coffee with the Keurig then took her seat next to Kelly.

  "This isn't our typical case…"

  CHAPTER THREE

  "So, let me get this straight," Kelly said as she leaned back in her chair and ticked off points on her fingertips. "We have two dead strippers, two blow-dryers as murder weapons, at least one disgruntled ex-boyfriend, one ex who is possibly a criminal or at least involved in criminal activity, and the first body was found one month ago, followed by the second body two weeks ago?" She leaned forward and scratched her head. "If the cops haven't found any evidence pointing in the direction of the killer by now, what makes you think you'll be able to find anything?"

  "Kelly's right," Mandy agreed and set her mug on my desk. "I'm sure the crime scene has been cleared and is back in use by the club by now. If I'm right, that scene has been trampled over countless times, and with all of the people who work in the club, if one of the employees is the killer, they could have easily tampered with the crime scene, that is, if the cops missed something to begin with, which isn't likely."