Page 40 of Stay Baby Stay

“Of course I had nothing to do with it,” she says. “Why aren’t you asking Russell these questions. It was at his house after all.”

“He said you’re the one to ask about it,” Cal says.

I’ve got to admit, his poker face is impressive.

Steph squints. “He did?”

“He said you were in charge of the whole thing,” I add.

“That’s a load of shit,” Steph barks. “I workforRussell. He pays me to find girls to attend his parties, and I pay them to show up looking hot. It’s not solicitation because I’m not paying them for sex. Just attendance.”

“Why don’t you walk me through the process,” Cal says, leaning back in the chair. “Just so I have a clearer picture of where your job ends and Russell’s begins.”

Steph sighs, grabs a joint from a table close by and lights up. “It’s medicinal. I get migraines.”

Cal waves his hand. “By all means.”

She puffs at the joint a couple of times, exhales. “I send a driver to pick up the girls at a central location and take them to the party. They hang out, mingle, give the guests something nice to look at while they smoke their cigars and laugh about who’s made more millions this quarter.”

“How are the girls paid?” Cal asks. I wonder if he already knows most of this information. If he does, he’s doing a good job playing ignorant.

“Depending on how many girls we bring in—”

“Who’s we?” Cal asks.

“Women like me, who Russell hires to find girls willing to drink free booze and get felt up by men old enough to be their grandfathers.” She takes another puff and looks at me. “I’m sure I don’t have to tell you there aren’t a lot of opportunities for girls to make good money in this town. It’s a decent gig. Nobody has to get naked if they don’t want to, though some do decide to...let loose.”

“You mean have sex for money,” Cal says.

She shrugs. “That’s between the girl and the gentleman.”

“But you told Kenzie there was a man who wanted to pay for her time,” I say. “You knew it was happening.”

“It’s my job to keep track of my girls.” Steph glowers at me. “If a gentleman wants to meet with one of them privately, I’ll find a place for them to be. If a girl freaks out and causes a scene, I’m expected to get her back in the van before she breaks anything. Sometimes girls don’t know how uptight they are until Grandpa puts his hand on their knee.”

I roll my eyes. That last dig was definitely meant for me.

“Do you know where McKenzie went off to?” Cal asks.

“No.” She shrugs. “I was told one of the usual guests wasn’t able to attend, so he sent a driver to fetch a girl.”

“Fetch her for what?”

She scoffs. “What do you think, detective?”

Cal pulls a small notepad from his pocket and flips to a middle page. “Who told you the absent gentleman specifically wanted McKenzie?”

“No one. Russell knows I bring quality—” Her gaze flits toward me. “—usually. He said pick a blonde, so I offered the job to McKenzie.”

“Why?” I take a step toward her. “You could’ve picked any other girl. Why’d you choose Kenzie?”

“Honestly?” Steph smirks, and I immediately want to rip her hair out. “She was desperate. I had no idea what this guy was into, but I know desperate girls are more likely to say yes to things.”

Anger curls my hands into fists. Cal clears his throat.

“Who’s the driver who picked McKenzie up?” he asks.

“I don’t know his name,” she says.

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