When they returned to the apartment, Vida dried the clothes she had washed earlier and started another load. Colton didn’t volunteer to fold the clothes when she dried the second load, but he did rub lotion onto her tattoo. Vida figured it was an even trade.
“Do you think Tessa will show up for work tomorrow?” Vida asked, watching for his reaction.
“Not if she’s smart,” he said grimly.
“It doesn’t matter, Colton. If she wants to come back, let her. I feel sorry for her.”
Colton looked at her as if she was crazy.
“I do. I don’t know that I would act much better if I saw you with another woman,” she confessed.
“You wouldn’t lie. You would get mad and probably throw something, but you wouldn’t lie. Roni would have told her the truth, that I never touched Goldie. Tessa always lies, either to cause trouble or get out of trouble. She never tells the truth.”
Vida couldn’t understand why the woman had destroyed her marriage for drugs. Instead of owning up to it to try to save her marriage, she had lied. Even more, selling herself to keep the lie going.
Tired, Vida showered and dressed in her pajamas. She came out to find Colton waiting for her on the bed with a wicked grin.
“Oh no, you don’t. I’m tired and sore,” Vida said adamantly.
Colton held out his arms for her and Vida sank down into them. “I like this.”
“I do, too,” Colton replied. “Of course, I like the other, too.”
Vida’s eyes closed. “Did you try to call King again?”
“Yes, he’s still not answering and no one has seen him at the club.”
“Could Digger have him?” Vida was worried. Even though King was ruthless, he had tried to help when no one else would.
“I don’t know. We’ll just have to wait for now,” Colton replied.
Wait. That was all she had been doing the last few weeks. She was getting sick of it.
Vida’s mind went back over that day that Callie was almost hit by the car, trying to figure out what she’d missed. It was impossible; it had been too long ago for her to remember the details of that day perfectly enough. The only way to find out was to find Sawyer. She was the only possibility of figuring out how King was involved in this mess. They had to find Sawyer, she was the answer.
Vida volunteered to get coffee across the street while Colton opened the shop.
“Don’t be long.”
“I won’t.” Vida crossed the street.
The coffee shop was busy with the line out the door. She was about to turn away, not wanting to worry Colton, when she heard the sound of a car slamming on their brakes. A car double-parked, not noticing the other cars =blowing horns behind it because of being cut off. The drivers behind the parked car began driving around the double-parked one.
Wondering what the hurry was for a cup of coffee, Vida recognized the woman getting out of the car and waving at her.
“Vida, come here!” Ashley yelled when Vida didn’t move toward her.
“What are you doing? That car almost hit you,” Vida said, noticing the woman wasn’t wearing make-up and looked scared to death.
“Get in. I need to talk to you,” Ashley said, getting back inside her car. Vida hesitated, but got inside the car. The woman looked too frightened for Vida to ignore.
“What’s wrong?” Vida asked as soon as she was in the car.
“King’s disappeared.”
“I know. I’ve been trying to get in touch with him.”
“He disappeared after that stunt we pulled with Briggs.”
“That same night?”
“He was furious when I came downstairs and told him what Briggs told me. He took off, and no one’s seen him since. I heard about Briggs getting arrested and Digger getting away. I may not be the smartest cookie in the pack, but I’m smart enough to get my ass out of town, and you should, too. I don’t plan on ending up like those poor women in that basement. I can’t be a sex slave. I don’t even like sex with men. I like women more than men.” The woman was giving more information than Vida wanted or needed.
“Slow down, Ashley. Tell me what Briggs told you.”
“After you left, he drank some more. I couldn’t understand half of what he was talking about, but then he started talking about a chick named Sawyer. Sherri told me the only reason you were stripping was to help your friend Sawyer. I didn’t figure there were two women named Sawyer, so I knew he was talking about your friend.”
“What did he say?” Vida tried to keep her on track.
“He just said a name over and over. Said King would never find her.”
“What was the name?”
Ashley reached into her pocket and held out a piece of paper. “I don’t know what it means and I don’t want to. I’m moving back in with my parents. If you want my advice, Vida, it’s to get out of town at least until King shows back up at the club. If he does.”
Ashley put the car in gear. Vida took the hint, getting out of the car, and watched as Ashley pulled out, cutting off another furious driver.
Vida opened the piece of paper, reading the name on it. She drew a blank, not knowing what it meant. Mouth2Mouth. However she did know where she could find the answer.
Vida rushed into the tattoo shop, ignoring Colton, Reverend and Carlito who all stared at her empty hands.
“Where’s the coffee? Colton said you were getting it,” Carlito asked.
“I forgot it,” Vida said, powering up her computer.
“What’s happened?” Colton asked, frowning.
“Ashley was outside. She told me Briggs told her something, but she didn’t know what it meant. I’m going to look it up on the internet.” She handed him the piece of paper.
Colton opened the paper with both Carlito and Reverend looking over his shoulder.
“What does it mean?” Carlito asked, just when the computer flashed the answer.
“It’s a band,” Vida answered. Briggs had bragged that Digger provided women to movie and rock stars.
“Why would they be crazy enough to become involved with Briggs?” Colton asked.
“Maybe they don’t know. Briggs said that by the time Digger lets them loose, they don’t even try to get away anymore,” Vida repeated Briggs’s words.
“Motherfucker, I want to meet this bastard,” Reverend swore.
“Do you think that this band has Sawyer? Digger said whoever had her didn’t want to give her back. Musicians have security; that might be why Digger couldn’t get her back.”
“That makes sense. I think you’re right. If Ashley told King, this might be where he’s at, trying to find Sawyer.” Colton speculated.
“She said he left right after she told him.” Vida turned off her computer, packing it back in the bag. Standing up, she saw the men all staring at her.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Colton questioned her.
“They have a concert the day after tomorrow. I plan to be there.”
“Okay. Reverend, take Vida back to the apartment. Vida, pack us enough clothes to last a week. Carlito, you stay here. I’m going to go see my parole officer, that will give me a week until I have to report again. You’ll have to run the shop while I’m gone. I’ll cancel all my appointments until I get back.”
“You’re not going with me.” Vida was determined to put a s
top to his plans.
“Yes, I am. There’s no way you’re going by yourself. Not only is King probably headed there, but also Digger. That concert is one big cluster fuck waiting to happen,” Colton predicted.
“You’re not going. I won’t take a chance on you breaking you’re parole. I won’t be the reason you’re sent back to prison,” Vida argued back.
“You don’t have a choice. I’m going. In fact, I’d like it better if you stayed here. Ice can watch over you until I get back.”
“Stop it, Colton.” Vida sank back down in the chair. “Neither of us will go, I’ll call Seth.”
“After everything you’ve gone through, you’re going to give up? You stripped on stage to keep her safe, why would you give up now?”
“I’m not giving up. I just won’t jeopardize you going back to jail. I love Sawyer, but I love you, too.” A sound in the doorway had everyone turning. Tessa stood, listening to them with the open door in her hand.
“I need to get my machine, and a few other things. Is that all right?” Tessa asked. Vida felt her sympathy stir. Tessa looked like she hadn’t slept since the argument with Colton.
“Go ahead, Tessa,” Colton said, turning his back on her. Tessa didn’t try to talk to the other two men as she went on back to her room. Vida felt Colton’s gaze on her the whole time. The door opened again and clients began coming in.
“Go to work, Colton. I’ll call Seth as soon as I get everyone checked in and let him know what’s going on. The room was bugged that night; they probably are already moving to get Sawyer back, maybe that’s why Seth hasn’t called me.”
“All right, but come to me as soon as you talk to him.”
“I will,” Vida agreed.
The men got to work with their appointments. Tessa came into the lobby, pausing beside the counter. Vida looked back at her, waiting for the nastiness to spill out of her.
“I’m sorry for the other day,” Tessa said.
Shocked was an understatement to what Vida felt when she heard Tessa’s words.
“I understand, Tessa. I don’t think I would take it well if I lost Colton, either.”
“I lost Colton because I couldn’t admit I had a problem. I went to rehab, went through all the steps, yet I never apologized to Colton and he was the one I hurt the most.”