“Strip club?” Scarlett searched his gaze for an explanation he didn’t have. “Was that something Rose was into before?”
There was no judgement in her question. Only genuine curiosity.
“No,” Olly shook his head. “As far as I know, she was never a dancer.”
“I don’t think she’s a dancer there, either,” Brooke told them both.
“Okay, back up a second,” he instructed. “Where did this information come from?”
Lowering her voice even more, Rose’s other friend was clearly trying to conceal their conversation from others who may be nearby. “A patient,” Brooke whispered. “Long story short, this guy who used to work at La Cocina comes into the E.R. I can’t get into why…HIPPA and all that…but that’s unrelated, so it doesn’t even matter. Anyway, I’m taking care of him, and we get to talking, and he mentions Rose’s name. Said he saw her a couple weeks ago when he was in Durango visiting a friend. This buddy takes him to the Mystique, and that’s where he sees Rose.”
“And he’s sure it was her?” Scarlett chimed in.
“Positive. And the guy must have been living under a rock the last few months because he didn’t even know she was missing.”
“What about Rose?” Olly asked. “Did he say if she looked okay, or…”
“That’s the thing. He said she acted like they’d never met, but this guy…he was our main dishwasher, so he worked most nights we did. He and Rose and I used to take our breaks at the same time, so there’s no way she wouldn’t recognize him.” Brooke paused before adding, “But he also said she went by a different name. Called herself Cinnamon.”
His chest tightened. Using a fake name was common practice for women working in those types of clubs. A way for the girls to protect themselves from creeps who try getting a little too friendly.
“There’s one more thing,” Brooke told them. “When I asked my patient how Rose looked, he said…” The woman’s swallow was audible. “Olly, he said she looked scared. Like really scared.”
Son of a…
“You said the place is called The Mystique?” Scarlett double-checked the club’s name.
“Yes,” Brooke confirmed. “Apparently, it’s out in the middle of nowhere off Lightner Creek Road. Just west of Perins Peak State Wildlife Area. He said there’s nothing out there but land, the creek, and the club. Oh, and he mentioned something about another building next to the club. Like a small, private hotel or something. But he wasn’t sure about that.”
Olly could only guess what that place was used for.
“Shoot, I gotta go,” Brooke hurried to get off the phone. “I’m sorry I don’t have more for you to go on, but hopefully…I mean, this guy wassosure it was her…”
“I’ll check it out, and let you know,” Olly promised. “Thanks, Brooke.”
“Yes, thank you!” Scarlett offered excitedly.
“If it’s her…or even if it isn’t, will you please?—”
“We’ll let you know the second we know,” Scarlett vowed. “I promise.”
“Thank you. I’m sorry to drop this on you and run, but I just got called back into another patient’s room. Good luck!”
Brooke ended the call, and Scarlett immediately began searching for something on her phone.
“What are you doing?”
“Looking up the address to The Mystique.” Her fingers flew as they typed in the strip club’s name. Excitement seemed to light up her entire face as she held up the phone for him to see. “Found it!” She smiled wide. “It’s open until two a.m., and according to this, it’s a six-hour drive.” She checked her watch. “It’s eight-thirty, so if we leave now, we’ll make it there by?—”
“Two-thirty,” Olly finished for her. “After they close.”
That breathtaking smile of hers fell with disappointment. “Damn. Okay, but we could still head that way. We can get a hotel for the night…my treat, of course…and then we can?—”
“There is nowehere.” He made that shit crystal clear. “Iwill go to Durango, andIwill scope out the scene.”
And if it really was Rose there, he’d damn well get her out of whatever trouble she’d gotten herself into.
“I didn’t come all this way just to sit on the sidelines.” Scarlett shot him an angry glare.