Third Eye Watch (A Serena Shaw Mystery) (16 page)

“I hoped you would come,” Lena said as Serena took the chair across from her.

“What’s up with all this cloak and dagger?”

“Fredrik was murdered,” she said in a sad voice.

“Yes, I heard, I’m sorry for your loss. Have you talked to Special Agent Glennon?”

She shook her head and said, “No. I didn’t have my cell phone. This phone,” she said, pointing to the one on the table in front of them, “is new because Fredrik had mine.”

“Do you want me to call her now?”

“No, no, please don’t call. I wanted to talk to someone, but not the police. You were the only person I could think of. Did your boyfriend tell you anything more about who killed Fredrik or how he was murdered?”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” Serena protested. “And no, he hasn’t told me anything; he couldn’t tell me about active investigations anyway. Why don’t you let me call him or Special Agent Glennon? You know you should tell them what you and Fredrik were doing these past few days.”

“No. I don’t want to talk to the police. They didn’t do anything to save Sofia, and now Fredrik is dead too.”

She told Serena that she and Fredrik had just returned from dinner, when he said he wanted a smoke, so Lena went inside to go to her room but halfway across the lobby, she recalled that she didn’t have the keycard, so she turned back around and went outside to get the keycard from Fredrik. But she walked out just in time to see two men pushing Fredrik into a black SUV and driving away.

“He died because of me,” Lena’s voice trembled with unshed tears. Serena didn’t say anything.

“Fredrik and I were childhood friends. Fredrik did not like it here. He wanted us to go back home, and I knew that he was probably going to ask me to marry him…..but I didn’t love him like that..…” She broke off, the tears spilling over now.

She flicked the tears away with her fingers and then looked around to see if anyone paid them any attention, then continued with her story.

She told Serena that Fredrik had been visiting local strip clubs and bars, showing Sofia’s photo in the hopes of finding someone who may have known Sofia. Just that afternoon, he had met a waiter at a bar in Hamtramck who recognized Sofia from the photo. The waiter had told Fredrik to talk to a girl named Tania; he said she had been Sofia’s friend.

“Tania works at the Criket Club; it is a strip club in downtown Hamtramck. Fredrik was going to go there, hoping to talk to Tania.”

“Now he is dead, and it’s my fault.” She sobbed quietly, burying her face in her hands.

Lena looked up and blew her nose gently with one of the napkins on the table in front of them. Then, taking a deep breath, she said, “I was so scared after Fredrik disappeared that I sat in the lobby all night, expecting the men to come back.”

She told Serena that the next morning, she had gone to her room and hung the do-not-disturb sign. Then she had quickly showered, changed, and packed a few clothes, leaving most of their things behind.

She hesitated but Serena already knew what she would say next. She had been picking up her thoughts throughout the conversation and knew that Lena was telling the truth.

She was living in Hamtramck, with another Albanian girl whose mother had grown up with Lena’s mom. Lena had gone to her house after Fredrik had disappeared and begged to stay with her for a few days.

“This girl, Sierra, she works at the same club.”

“The Criket Club?”

“Yes.” Lena continued, “The Criket Club is a Gentlemen’s Club, featuring the hottest, sexiest topless women dancers in town. It also has a bar and restaurant.”  She sounded like she was reading the advertisement brochure for the Criket Club.

“Sierra told me that she makes a lot of money from men who pay for tableside dances, and she likes the VIP rooms where she can make more than $100 in two minutes, giving men something more than just a lap dance.”

Serena had heard of such places, although she had never visited one. She doubted too many “gentlemen” could be found at the Criket Club.  

“I have an interview there tonight,” she continued.

“What”? Serena exclaimed loudly.

Lena shrank further into her chair, trying to be inconspicuous in the wake of Serena’s loudness.

“Tonight, I will go there with Sierra. She thinks they will hire me.”

“Are you crazy. Do you even know how to flop around, with your breasts and everything hanging out?” Serena gestured wildly, her voice rising as the words came out in a rush.

“Please lower your voice. And, I’m not going to become a dancer. Sierra told me they had an opening for a waitress. She thinks I am cute enough to get hired. Also, I need money, it is very expensive here in America, and now Fredrik is not there to…..” Fresh tears streamed down her face.

“Lena, just go home, be there for your parents. Fredrik probably died because he was asking questions about Sofia. They may already know you were with Fredrik. You could be in danger. I’m scared for you.”  Serena tried to get through to Lena.

But Lena just shook her head. “I don’t think they know about me. Or they would have come for me by now. I have to do this. I want to find out why my sister died, and why Fredrik died.”  Serena saw the stubborn set to her jaw and knew that Lena had made up her and wouldn’t listen to anything she had to say.

“And I promised my mom that I would find the people who killed her baby,” Lena’s words were soft.

Serena sat back dejectedly. What could anyone possibly say to that?

She watched Lena dig into her purse and withdraw a pen. Then she scribbled something on a napkin and handed it to Serena. It was an address in Hamtramck, and there were also two phone numbers listed.

“It is Sierra’s home address; this is where I am staying. And Sierra’s and my mobile numbers.”

“This is crazy Lena, let me talk to Sam, Special Agent Raina. This is dangerous.” Serena urged her but Lena shook her head, and said, “You can tell him, I know he is your boyfriend, I saw the way he was looking at you. But I won’t change my mind. I hope I get the job, and I will stay in touch.”

She got up and gave Serena a quick hug, and then walked out without a backward glance.  Serena followed her outside and watched her walk to the intersection, and then trudged back to her gallery.

Serena puttered around the gallery, but her mind kept going back to the conversation with Lena. She should’ve tried harder to stop her. She should’ve called Sam right there and then. Lena was going to get herself killed.

Stop it. Such pessimistic thinking is not helping!!!

Sam was going to stop by the apartment around seven with dinner. Serena had dialed him twice; then hung up before the call connected because she just wasn’t up to a phone inquisition from one of America’s finest. Better to tell him in person.

She knew he would be upset.
“You did what? You went to see her? Did you not think to call me?” 
Yep, she knew what was coming, but she also knew that she would do the same thing again if Lena texted her.

And now, she knew of ways to calm him down; she thought with a grin.

LENA

Lena entered the Criket Club with Sierra, wearing a tight black tank top, a short red skirt, and long black boots over midnight black leggings. Her hair was arranged in soft curls around her face, and she wore light makeup, without lipstick.

A large burly bouncer stopped them, raising an inquiring glance at Sierra, as he pointed towards Lena.

“Ivan is expecting her,” Sierra said.

“Wait here,” the bouncer replied, and then spoke on his radio.

A second bouncer came to the door.

“Take her to Ivan; he’s expecting her.” He said gesturing towards Lena, who nodded and followed the man. He led her up a short flight of stairs and knocked on a glass door, which buzzed a second later. He motioned to her to go in and followed her inside.

A woman sat behind a reception desk, buffing her long pink and black nails, while she spoke into a cell phone. Lena thought the room was nicely decorated; black leather couches, large framed art on the walls, and absolutely no windows.

“Who is she?” the woman asked the bouncer.

“She is here to see Ivan.”

“Fill this out; I will tell him you are here.” She handed Lena a form and continued talking on the phone. Lena filled out the form and gave it to the woman, then sat down on the couch, trembling slightly as she waited for Ivan. She could see the bouncer waiting outside.

Ivan was scary looking. He took the application form from Lena and then looked Lena up and down; his eyes lingering on her breasts.

“Why do you want to be a waitress? You can make mucho money as a dancer”. He rubbed his thumb against his index and middle fingers when he said “mucho money”, speaking clear English but with a thick accent, which Lena couldn’t identify.

Lena shook her head in a no but said nothing.

Ivan got up abruptly. “You can start tomorrow. Your shift starts at nine. She will give you the details.” He pointed to the receptionist, and then he was gone. The woman told Lena how much she would be paid, and the hours she would have to work, and then handed her some papers to read.

The bouncer took her through the club, showing her the bar that she would be working at, and then escorted her to the door. Lena thanked him and began walking. Sierra had started her shift, and so she wouldn’t be accompanying Lena home. The apartment wasn’t far, and Sierra had told her exactly how to reach it from the Club.  But Lena was scared about walking on the streets, alone at night. She stifled a sob, and then looking around vigorously, she hastily began walking in the direction of Sierra’s apartment.

SECRETS SHARED

“Dinner,” Sam announced as he entered the apartment, holding up a large box of Jet’s Pizza and putting his free arm around her waist to pull her close, kissing her deeply, tasting the sweet Moscato wine on her lips.

Huh. Is she drinking alone?

She clung to him, surprising him, and he tightened his arms around her until she let go; then she took the box of pizza and headed into the kitchen, telling him to sit and that she’d get him a cold beer.

He gave her a piercing look, tempted to scan her. Then he pushed the thought out of his head, took off his jacket and holster, and followed her into the kitchen. Serena was pouring wine into a glass and he noticed that the bottle of the Robert Mondovi Moscato in her hand was already half empty. He’d never known her to drink alone, and he arched an eyebrow at her quizzically. 

She ignored his unasked question and reached into the fridge, pulling out a beer and handing it to him. He popped open the beer and took a long swig, then leaned against the counter and watched her with hooded eyes.

She chattered animatedly about her day, but he could tell something was up, her smiles didn’t reach her eyes, and she appeared subdued, her natural liveliness dimmed.

“Let’s go sit down, I’m exhausted,” he took her hand and drew her to the sofa in the living room, pulling her down on his lap. He turned her to face him, then lifted her chin with his index finger and forced her to look into his eyes.

“Now, tell me what’s wrong.” He prodded her gently.

She hesitated only a moment before the words spilled from her mouth. She told him about the text message; about meeting Lena and begging her not do anything foolish, then leaving early to come home, and waiting for him to arrive.

“Serena, did you not think
once
that the text might be a ruse?” His voice was dangerously low, and Serena could tell an explosion was imminent.