Page 9 of Spring Break with a Pilot

Crossing to the window, I stop behind her and wrap my arm around her waist. My chest aches for all Melia and her mom have suffered. I reaffirm what she already has to know. “Your mother loves you, that’s really all that matters.”

She nods, blinking back tears.

I’ll make sure Melia and her mom have justice. One way or another. “We need to know who Big is. We need to get a forensic artist as soon as possible. You aren’t working today. It’s not safe. Dax already said he’s staying with Boots at the shop.”

Melia chuckles. “Wish I was there to watch. He has a hard time keeping his hands to himself, or else he’s over trying to talk Landon out of free samples of his gourmet cheeses.”

She’s a fighter, trying to keep it light. “Can’t say I blame him. That place is addicting.” I release her and stand next to her.

“We’ve suspected a sex trade group operating out of Love Beach for a while. We’ve chipped away at them, but it would be nice to take down the head. I need to check with my headquarters to see if they want to bring in our own artist or if we use someone local.”

Not knowing who is on the take locally, the team reaches out to someone we’ve used before, and we do a video conference where Melia watches the artist draw online.

Dax and Boots show up after the flower shop closes, bringing dinner. He walks up behind Melia where she sits at the breakfast bar studying the artist’s work.

“I know that guy,” Dax says staring at the drawing. “He was on the Faro Lady when I was under cover. That’s not his real face. He uses high end prosthetics and silicone to change his appearance. He could have been wearing a wig as well the night I saw him. On the ship they call him Big Tipper. He’s more than a patron. I’m guessing owner, investor? He’s… something.

“Now that I think of it, with me he was acting like just a regular with maybe some history and clout because of it. I should have caught it then, but I was trying to get to Boots. Now that I think about it, the way the booker looked at him, he was giving the orders.”

“Any ideas on what lies under the prosthetics?” I ask.

He sits next to Melia putting his arm over the back of her chair. Possessiveness fills my chest. Boots comes to stand by me and wraps her arm through mine and gives it a squeeze. She smirks up at me like she knows what’s going through my mind.

The artist saves the first rendition then the three of them work together testing possible enhancements and fading them out. “Did you say Enzo was at the private room party?” I ask Melia.

“I saw him at the club and there was an open seat in the party room, but I can’t swear he was in with them.”

“We need to get back to the Mescal. How long did you work there? Did any of the girls go missing while you were there?”

“I was there a day short of three weeks. That was the first night I saw any of the men who partied with SD. I might have missed them though, depending on the tables I was working or if they came in the backdoor, which sometimes patron customers did.

“Some of the girls were willingly turning tricks. Others… I’m not so sure. I tried to keep to myself because I didn’t like the vibe. The bartender is basically the one who sets things up. Not in a ‘you will do this’ way but more ‘you need some extra cash’ option that he pushes pretty smoothly. He is a jerk though because he gets a cut of everything.”

The artist is still tweaking the drawing when I look over. “Stop. That guy looks familiar. The eyes and the mouth. I’ve seen him somewhere.”

The artist pauses. “Guys, I’ll send you all of these, but I’ve got another appointment. I can work with you more tomorrow.”

“Thanks, you’ve been great. We’ll give you a call.”

Boots cuts in, “I think we all need to step away and eat. Maybe even leave it till tomorrow. Stop forcing it and the answers will come.”

Boots and Melia go to the kitchen to reheat the dinner she and Dax brought. I nod to the back door and Dax follows. “This is the rest of the group we’ve been looking for. I can feel it.”

“Yeah. I wish I would have placed that asshole on the boat.” Dax rubs a hand down his face.

“And I wish I never would have let Boots be taken.”

He nods. “We need to go back to Mescal. We know that Enzo is in this somehow. And we now know that Dennis is dirtier than we thought.”

“I agree, but it needs to be just me. They might place you.”

“Silo’s on assignment in Vegas. You need a wingman.”

“I’ll be fine for a little recon. But you’ll have to keep an eye on both Boots and Melia. I’ll go late tonight. I feel like we’re running out of time.”

“I say we bring in Detective Ford. I’ll run it by Jed. Boots is looking out the window, time to eat.”

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