Page 14 of Strip Search

“How much have you had to drink?”

Tilting her head, she thought about it. “One at the Spearmint Rhino and one and a half here.”

Hmmm, that didn’t sound like she was drunk.

“I’ve been around show people all my life. Everyone is naked backstage, and no one cares. Hell, I’ve known you all of ten minutes and you don’t see me clutching my pearls.” Jackie struck an innocent pose that made me want to see how wicked she could be.

One of us needed a reality check and I wasn’t sure which one. “It doesn’t matter. I can’t contract you to work at Dalton’s without a Las Vegas business license and you need to be registered with the Nevada Department of Taxation.”

“Did Lisa have all that?”

“Yes.”

“That surprises the hell out of me. Lisa had to have her hand held to do her taxes every year and hated filling out forms. Sheusually just had me do it. I’m surprised she didn’t call me up and make me file for her.”

“If I had to guess, I’d say because she didn’t want to answer any questions.”

Jackie murmured something that sounded like she agreed with me. Just when I was about to suggest she get dressed and we could get some dinner, she looked up from nibbling on her damn lip again.

“What happens if I get my license and register with the state?”

“How long are you here for?” Fuck me, but she was serious.

“Two weeks. Less, if I can find her.”

“It will take about half that, if you’re lucky. You’d be better off working as a subcontractor with one of the other dancers’ licenses.”

“Could you hire me outright? Like a bartender who dances too.”

“If I gave you a salary and let you dance for tips, I’d have a riot on my hands.” Wait. Why was I even giving this crazy idea serious thought? Because not only did Jackie Mitchell look mouthwatering in her bra and panties, I also liked talking to her. It had been a hard slog these past two years to get Dalton’s to turn a profit. I had to rebuild. Nothing of Uncle Johnny’s Gentlemen’s Club had survived the fire. I worked night and day. Sure, there had been women, but no one who lasted longer than two weeks. I was due for another two-week fling and Jackie was clicking all my buttons.

“What if I split the tips amongst all of the staff, not just the dancers? I’m not in this for the money,” she said.

I couldn’t believe she was still talking about this. I was distracted by the leg lifts she was doing so it took me a full minute to register what she’d just said. “That’s already the wrong attitude. Weren’t you listening?”

“Yes, but I’m here to find my sister, not hustle for tips. If dancing and sharing tips will get me enough goodwill that people will feel free opening up to me about Lisa, I’m willing to do this.”

Was this chick for real?“Are you crazy? No.”

“Why?”

“Because you work your ass off in this job. If you’re going to do it, you’re going to do it right. Your hustle, your tips.”What kind of exotic dancer gives away money? One who has no idea what it’s like.“You’re going to earn that money. It’s yours. Sure, if you want to tip a few bucks a night to the people who help you like the DJ and the bus staff, that’s fine. But no one has the right to that tip money aside from you.”

“So are you going to put me on the schedule? If I can get one of the dancers to hire me under their business license, that is. And if I can convince you I’m not going to faint dead away?”

“That’s a lot of ifs.”

All my dancers were independent business owners. The fifty percent profit split was basically the rent I charged them to dance at Dalton’s. I had no doubt that one of them would take a flat nightly fee in exchange for hiring Jackie on as an employee. I had a lot of doubts that they would claim her on taxes or do any official paperwork. But Dalton’s was in the clear either way.

“This is a bad fucking idea,” I said.

“Why?”

“Because it’s messy and complicated. You won’t last one night.”

“How long did Lisa last?”

“She was so fucking bad, I don’t even remember.”

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