I’m one to talk.I took a waitress into the private areas once.But only once.And I wasn’t fucking married.
“Was she acting strangely?”Alissa asks.“Did she seem nervous, anxious?”
Gimble shakes his head.“No.If anything, she seemed very excited.She didn’t speak, of course.They never do at Aces.But she had something of a bounce to her step.”
Alissa shifts her weight between her two feet.
“I had been going to the club for years, though, and it was pretty clear, mathematically at least, that her time at Aces was coming to an end.So I brought her a small gift.It was against the rules, but I sneaked it past Chet and gave it to her.A little token of my admiration, my thanks for years of companionship.”
“As opposed to the thirty-fucking-five years of companionship that your wife has given you,” I add.
He glares at me.“I didn’t say I was proud of what I’ve done.”
“What was the gift?”Alissa asks.
He takes a deep breath in.“A brooch.In the shape of a lotus flower.I picked it up in a little trinket shop downtown.It made me think of her—the beauty, the perfect shape.And it was bright pink.Women love pink.”
I roll my eyes.
“Did she take it?”Alissa asks.
“She did.She took it with a smile.She still didn’t say a word, but she attached it to her bikini top, wore it the rest of the night.I remember her wearing it when I left.Rouge was glaring at her.The servers aren’t supposed to add anything to their uniform.But it was her last night.She gave me a chaste kiss on my cheek when I got my coat to leave, and that was the last I saw of her.”A single tear runs down his cheek.“That’s all I know, I swear to God.But please don’t kill me.And please, for the love of all that is holy, I’ll give you anything to keep this information from my wife.My relationship with the Nine was purely physical.It meant nothing.I have a reputation to maintain among my peers, for God’s sake.”
“We’re not here to punish you for being an adulterous pig, Gimble.And I don’t give a fuck about your societal standing.”I remove the gun from his head.
He sighs in relief.“Thank God.Thank you for your mercy.”
I grab him by his collar.“Forget our faces, all right?If I see a cop car following us, I’ll call up one of my father’s old friends and have you arrested for soliciting prostitution.”
He swallows.“I swear.If you leave, I’ll just be happy to be alive.Happy to have my wife home safely.”
I throw him on the bed and turn to Alissa.“Let’s get out of here, babe.”
We quickly leave the house, thankfully avoiding Kendra in the process.
For the first time, I don’t open the door to the car for Alissa.I unlock it remotely and we both clamber in.I throw the key in the ignition and peel out in case Gimble was lying about calling the cops.
Alissa buries her head in her hands.“Another dead end.”
“Not necessarily.We know about the lotus brooch.There could be a clue there.”
She scratches her chin.“True.It sounds like it was against the rules for Svetlana to be wearing it.”
“You’re right.She broke the rules.Just like May.”
“Maybe that’s why she disappeared.She might have been placed on”—she makes air quotes—“temporary suspension.”
“Except it wouldn’t have made sense for her to be suspended if it was her last night.So Rouge probably just said that she left.Found some dream job far away and took off.Most people would buy that.”
“May didn’t.”
I nod.“No, she didn’t.It sounds like they were planning on hanging out after Svetlana’s time at the club came to an end.”
“We could sniff around the club.”
I frown.“You’re still dead set on returning to Aces?”
“We have to, Maddox.It’s the only place we’re sure to find some clues.”
