Page 9 of Triplet Tease

I always preferred to start my shift with asweep through, collecting empty glasses and bottles from all thetables. It gave me the chance to see that night’s customers in theclub up close. I’d suss out who might be drunk, who’d justarrived, and who might be trouble. It gave me an easy way to tune into the night’s atmosphere and set me in the frame of mind forwaiting tables.

As I slipped out from behind the bar, Imuttered to myself, “Let’s see who’s here tonight.”

CHAPTER FIVE

HARRY

The bright lurid signage made it clear whatsort of place the Lime Light was. It wasn’t what I expected, not atall.

We had no time to think about it.

Finn was still in the cab, sorting through hiswallet to pay the driver; meanwhile, a middle-aged man approached meas soon as my first foot hit the sidewalk.

“Harry?” he asked.

“Yes. Are you Derry?” I took hold of hisoutstretched hand. As the man nodded, I indicated my brother climbingout of the cab, “This is my brother, Finn.”

“Good to meet you, both.” Derry looked backand forth between us while he shook Finbar’s hand. “You don’tneed to announce you’re brothers. It’s as clear as day. If youhad similar haircuts and facial hair, I dare say you’d look liketwins.”

We laughed without letting on that we were, infact, twins or, more accurately, two-thirds of a set of triplets.

We’d agreed it might be prudent to give awayas little information about ourselves as possible, although it wastoo late for some things. I’d leaped into action without thinkingthings through.

It all began a few days before we were due toleave Ecuador. We were mourning the loss of a family of infantsquirrel monkeys that didn’t survive a criminal racket when weheard a tip-off about the key players’ location in the smugglingoperation. By chance, we were due to meet our father in precisely thesame city.

Using my real name and contact details, Irushed in and made contact with someone who might have a link toillegal animal importers, which was rash, and something I regretted.

“Oh, Lime Light’s a strip club. I neverexpected that.” With an expression that showed his surprise, Finnlooked up at the red neon signs. Flashing messages alternated between“girls” and “lap dances.”

Derry chuckled. “Not a problem, is it? Youguys both look over twenty-one, but young enough that you might beasked for ID.” He had graying-red hair, a rounded stomach, and helooked to be about the same age as our father. We’d never gone to alap-dancing club with our father, and I didn’t imagine we everwould. “But wait, I expected three of you.”

“Our other brother’s in bed. He’s okayabout us doing the deal for him,” I assured Derry.

“Is he ill?”

“Only exhausted.” That much was true. Thetravel had messed with our sleep patterns. While we’d rested, Etonhad explored the local area. When he arrived back at the apartment,he was too exhausted to join us. It was okay; this shouldn’t takethree of us.

If Eton had come along to the Lime Light, Derrywould have known we were twins. People often couldn’t tell the twoof us apart.

Finn was the sharp-suit one out of the three ofus; he always had a clean-shaven face and smart short hair without awisp out of place. It grew a little while we were in South America,but he ran into the barbershop at every opportunity, including at theairport on our way home. Me and Eton, we favored the unkempt andjust-gotten-out-of-bed look, complete with whiskers. Low maintenance,I called it. Finn said it was a lazy-cum-hippy image.

“Our big brother had a few grueling days withnot enough sleep. He’ll survive. Who are we meeting here?” Finnasked.

“As I said on the phone, I just deal withanimal feed and related products, not live animals. You know I own achain of pet store outlets. If you need anything once you have yourmonkeys, I’m your man for that. But I have contacts, and that’swhy we’re here. I’ll introduce you to the guy who can get youyour animals.”

“Great,” I said, trying to arouse someexcitement about pet monkeys that I didn’t possess.

“No trouble. I’m always happy to putpotential pet owners in contact with good breeders.”

“We’re meeting a breeder?” That wasn’twhat we were expecting. We thought we were meeting someone involvedin smuggling live animals into America. That was what had beenimplied over a series of phone conversations when I’d told him wewanted baby monkeys. Of course, in most states breeding and sellingmonkeys for pets was illegal.

Derry tapped the side of his nose,mysteriously. “I don’t ask too many questions, so he doesn’ttell me too many lies. I don’t know for sure that we’ll run intohim tonight.” Derry swung his body around and held out an arm.“Shall we go in?”

All in all, I deduced, Derry must have been aregular at the lap dance club if this was the only way he knew tofind the animal trader. It suggested the two men were far from beingin business together, or Derry would have phoned his contact. Icouldn’t decide what to make of Derry, but he was full of shit.

We followed him through the intimating blackdoors, passed the sole security man who stood inside, and paid asmall entrance fee to a glamorous elderly lady with long sparklinggolden fingernails sitting at a ticket window. Then we went throughanother set of black double doors to the bar beyond. Inside, a ladywearing a long black evening dress greeted us. She recognized Derry,and they had a brief chat while Finn and I snatched a whisperedconversation.

“Have you ever been to a place like thisbefore?” I asked. I suspected the evening would be a waste of time.I didn’t say it, but Finn saw it written all over my face.

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