Page 51 of Love In The Shadows

My heart raced, and an uncontrollable smile took hold as I zeroed in on the club. My phone rang when I pulled into the parking garage across the street. I cursed when I saw Pax’s number on the screen.

“What?” I said, snapping up the call. “Did the asshole finally make a move?”

“No such luck,” he answered. “But he made a call on the phone you bugged.”

“Who’d he call?”

“Reed Parkston.”

A nagging suspicion was still clinging to my opinion of Reed. So far, I hadn’t been able to connect him to any of Richie’s dealings, but something was holding me back from clearing him off the persons of interest list.

“What’d they talk about?”

“Don’t know,” Pax replied.

“What do you mean you don’t know?”

“All we know is who the call was to and when it was placed. You got any idea where Parkston is? Maybe they’re setting up a meeting. Any chance Parkston is interested in the weapons?”

I scrubbed a hand over my jaw. I hadn’t considered that angle before. What the hell would Parkston want with a rocket launcher? Or a cargo box full of automatic weapons? It didn’t fit.

“I doubt it. All my digging hasn’t turned anything up to suggest he’s in on Richie’s shit. He appears to be a legit businessman. But I’m at the club. If he’s here, I’ll find him and see if he knows what his little pal is into.”

“All right. Be careful, Bulldog.”

“Always am,” I said, grinning as I clicked off the call. My eyes snagged on the bouquet of flowers. They’d have to wait. I’d give them to Tori when we got back to the truck. Yeah, that would work.

I hopped out and hustled across the street, dodging a speeding sports car hauling ass up the road. I pushed inside the club’s main entrance and hung back half a step as I scanned the main room and bar area.

A trio of pretty women sat at the bar, dressed to the nines, with a drink in front of each of them, but they were all busy looking around and not picking up their glasses. I cocked my head, wondering what they were waiting on. Then again…in Parkston’s On the Hill, maybe I didn’t want to know what—or rather who—they were waiting on.

Reed wasn’t in sight, but that was normal. He was probably in the office. I made my way across the club as soon as I assured myself that Richie and his men weren’t hanging around in the shadows, waiting for my return. I stopped at the bar and a blonde approached me, leaning over to display her tits as she offered up a welcoming smile.

“Evening, sir. What can I do for you?”

“Is Avery here?”

The blonde backed up half a step as her lips twisted into a pout. Obviously, she’d been hoping to keep me company for the night. “Avery’s in the office.”

“Would you please tell her that she has a customer here?” I asked, not leaving room for argument in my tone.

The blonde nodded. “Sure.”

She hurried off to the phone on the opposite end of the bar, and I watched as she picked up the receiver. The three women I’d noticed were a few seats away, still glancing around and not touching their drinks.

“Should we start without her?” one of the women asked her friends.

The blonde shrugged her shoulders. “I guess so…it’s been a while, though.”

The other two murmured their agreement. I watched as they all turned on their stools to glance at the narrow hallway that led to the club’s office space.

“That poor girl must really be having a rough time,” one of the dark-haired women added. “What was her name? Avery? I don’t think Paige’s mentioned her before. Maybe she’s new.”

Avery? Paige?

My pulse slammed back into hyperdrive. The blonde bartender strutted back over and offered an apologetic smile.

“No one’s picking up. Avery might have gone home for the night. I’ll take excellent care of you, though,” she smiled, showcasing a dimple on her left cheek. “I promise.”

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