Page 41 of Deadly Designs

They thanked him as someone called his name. With awave, he left to take another order.

“Have you been here before?” Christian asked AjaBlue.

She shook her head as she took a sip from the straw.“Not yet. It hasn’t been open long. I had planned to see one ofJay’s shows, though.”

The trio on stage ended their number to applause andcatcalls. The music turned down a notch as they sashayed behind acurtain.

“You two were asking to see me?”

Christian turned toward the voice. In drag, he was abeautiful woman with flawless skin and a pouf of auburn hair. Thedress looked like one a flapper from the 1920s would wear, withlots of fringe and sequins and a matching feather headband. Theyslid off the stools. “Yes, we did.”

“I’m Charlotta, the manager. How can I help . . . oh,my goodness, Ms. LaLonde! I’d recognize you anywhere.” She took AjaBlue’s hands. “Look at how gorgeous you are. Those eyes areamazing, and don’t even get me started on your hair.” She airkissed her cheeks. “Jay talks about you all the time.”

Christian might not have noticed the slight wince ifhe hadn’t been so attuned to Aja Blue.

“He’s why we’re here.”

Charlotta blinked. “Is everything okay with him?”

Trying to avoid a public discussion, Christian asked,“Is there someplace we can talk privately?”

“Well, aren’t you a tall drink of delectable water?”One of Charlotta’s perfectly tweezed brows raised while her gazeraked up and down Christian’s body. She mock-whispered to Aja Bluebehind his hand, “Honey, you snagged a good one. Even all bangedup, he’s still divine.”

Christian wasn’t about to correct her assumption thatthey were a couple, and his heart fluttered when she didn’t either.Aja Blue met his gaze, which was enough to make his body react.

“We can talk in my office. It’s this way.”

Charlotta spun around and sashayed away, forcing themto follow. Christian took out some bills and placed them under hiswater glass before catching up with Aja Blue. Charlotta led themthrough a door and down a hallway. The walls muted the sound, andhe could barely hear the music by the time they entered a room.

Charlotta closed the door and sat in a leather chairbehind a glass desk. Her perfect posture would make a chiropractorproud. “How is Jay?”

“That’s why we’re here,” Aja Blue told her. “When wasthe last time you saw him?”

Charlotta tapped her face with a two-inch-longruby-tipped finger. “It’s been a while. He was our headliner forseveral of our opening events but didn’t show up. We’d promoted himfor months in print and on television, and I was so angry when heblew us off. We’d paid him an exorbitant amount for advertisingfees. I vowed never to let him perform again.” Charlotta sighed. “Ihave a quick temper, but it fades just as fast. I had a change ofheart the next day. There had to have been a reason he didn’t showup. Jay’s very dependable. He wasn’t answering his phone, so Icalled your office and was told he took time off.” Charlottashrugged. “I assumed he’d contact me when he came back.”

“I haven’t heard from him either.”

Charlotta clapped a hand over her open mouth. “Youhaven’t?”

“No. I filed a missing person report with the policetoday.”

Charlotta openly fretted. “Oh, dear. Now I feelpositively dreadful for calling him all sorts of nasty names. Ihope he’s okay.”

“Me too,” Aja Blue murmured. “Charlotta, did you knowhe was getting threats?”

Charlotta snorted and waved her hand. “Honey, in ourline of work, it’s a given. I could fill up the Grand Canyon withhateful messages. People are plum nasty.”

“Have you been getting threats specifically regardingJay?” Christian asked.

“Yes, because we used him as the face of CrystalGalaxy for our grand opening. Again, it wasn’t unexpected.”

“They didn’t concern you?” Christian wondered.

Charlotta shook her head. “No. As I said, they’recommonplace. Basically harmless.”

“Do you keep them?”

“Oh, no. I don’t want that vile poison anywherearound. Bad juju, you know?”

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