Chapter 20

When Jean came home from school, I had a snack ready for her. I sat with her while she ate and did her homework. She normally did any reading she had to do between dance sets but did the writing things or computer things in the quiet of our home. I hadn’t told her that I was coming with her tonight and I thought about traveling separately so she wouldn’t know I was talking to Manny.

When she was finished reading, she kissed me, went upstairs and took a nap. After she was asleep, I carefully lay next to her, on top of the covers and just listened to her breathe. When her alarm went off, she was surprised to see me there.

“How long have you been in bed?”

“I got in after you fell asleep.”

We cuddled for a bit and then got up to go down to the kitchen for dinner. Ingrid was back from her last class and looked a bit upset.

“Hi Ingy! Are you OK?” Jean asked.

“No. Trent walked into the cafeteria and started screaming about what a slut I was. He yelled that I was fucking his friends and that I was fucking my best friends’ husband!”

“Son of a bitch! I’m going to kick his ass!” I seethed.

“No don’t. He’s not worth it,” Ingrid said.

“He’s worth it to me. He accused me of cheating on my wife. I’m going to take those words and shove them down my former best friends throat sideways!”

I walked out the kitchen door and into the driveway. I walked to the street and saw that way down the street was that Honda sedan. I started to walk in that direction and I was almost close enough to be able to see the rear plate and the face of the driver when the car backed into the driveway of the house it was parked in front of and then it took off down the road, away from me.

I took out my phone and called my father-in-law.

“Hello, Paul. Is everything OK?”

“No sir. Trent accosted Ingrid at school today. Right there in the college cafeteria, he yelled out that she was sleeping with me. I just walked out of the house to cool off and that Honda sedan was parked a few houses down the block. I walked towards it and it turned and drove away. I’m getting a bit upset about this.”

“I’m sending Barbara over right now. Don’t let Jean leave for the club until Barbara is with her.”

“Is Barbara all healed up and ready, you know, in case she needs to swing her purse?”

“Yes, son. She’s ready. James says that she threw him during judo practice yesterday. I think she’s ready.”

“OK. We’ll wait for her.”

“We?”

“Yeah, I’m going to the club tonight to talk to Manny and Dom but Jean doesn’t know I’ll be there.”

I didn’t say anything about having a chat with the three amigos if they were there.

“In that case I’ll send James as well.”

“Thanks, Mr. C.”

“Any time, son.”

I disconnected the call and walked back to the house. Inside I told Ingrid and Jean what happened when I got outside. Ingrid looked worried. Jean not so much.

“Are you going to be OK tonight at the club?” I asked.

“I think so. I can’t imagine that those three idiots will be there three nights in a row.”

“And if they are?”

“I’ll just dance on the portion of the stage away from them.”

“OK. Your dad is sending Barbara to go with you, just in case.”

“I don’t think that’s needed.”

“I do and better her than me. If I’m there and they pull something, I’m going to put someone in the graveyard.”

“Paul, I appreciate you wanting to save me. But Dom and Manny will have my back covered.”

“And Barbara, and maybe her purse, will be there as well.”

“I guess she’ll have everything else covered.”

“Be careful and come home to me safe and horny.”

“I will.”

Several minutes later, Mr. C knocked at our kitchen door and Ingrid let him in.

“Hi.”

“Hello, Ingrid. I’m Jean’s father.”

“I remember you, Mr. Carlesetti,” she said looking at the woman who was as tall as herself.

“This is James and Barbara Dean. They are Paul and Jean’s security detail and are their very good friends. If you have any dealings with them, you can trust them with your life. I’m going to leave them here as I’ve got a meeting with an old friend about this problem at the club.”

“Thanks Mr. Carlesetti,” Ingrid said and he turned and walked out the door.

After Leo had left, Ingrid held out a hand in greeting and welcomed the pair.

“Hello, I’m Ingrid Skarsgaard.”

“Hi, we’ve actually met at the graduation party,” Barbara said before asking, “Is Jean ready to leave yet?”

Barbara was walking towards the living room.

“She and Paul are upstairs getting ready,” Ingrid answered, following James as he followed Barbara.

“Getting ready?” the tall security woman chuckled.

“Yeah, it’s not what you’re thinking for a change. Paul isn’t in the mood to do anything. I’ve never seen him so pissed. I think he’s even got Jean worried.”

“I’ll go talk to him,” James said quietly to his wife.

“Talk to who?” I said coming out of our bedroom and stopping at the head of the stairs.

“You! You goof!”

“Hi James,” I said coming down the stairs to shake his hand and hug Barbara.

“Hi, Barbara!” Jean said, following me. “I hear you’re back on bodyguard duty.”

“Yup and I’ve got my favorite purse in the SUV.”

“What’s the plan, James?” I asked the senior security guy.

“Barbara takes Jean to the club in the SUV and stays with her.”

“Is she going to join me on stage?” Jean asked with a wink, a smile and a little hip bump.

I was going to make a smart-assed comment about watching Barbara dance naked, but I thought better of it, then I figured what the hell. “If the answer to that question is “yes” I’m going with!” I said.

“Hey, buddy, that’s my wife you’re talking about,” James chided with a push on my chest.

“And it’s my wife everyone is going to be watching dance naked.”

“Touché” James answered with a shrug.

I hugged Jean and Barbara and the two women walked out to the Lexus SUV. As soon as they left the house I turned to James.

“You ready to go?”

“Go? What are you going to do, drive around until you find the Honda?”

“No, that would be stupid. I’m going to the club and talk to the security guys. Besides, you need to meet Dom and Manny. I have a feeling the three of you will have something in common.”

“What would that be?”

“Wanting to see Barbara naked!” I said and took off for the door, James was in hot pursuit.

“I’ll get you for that!”

I yelled at Ingrid as I ran out of the house.

“Ingrid, keep the place locked up. We’ll see you later.”

I opened the driver’s door on the Olds and got in. James ran around to the other side and got in as I was starting the motor. He was clicking in the seatbelt as I accelerated out of my driveway.

“I thought that maybe you had forgotten how to drive fast while you were away.”

“It’s in my blood. I almost tipped over a Jeep taking a curve at Benning. They don’t let me drive too much anymore.”

“No ... really?”

When I got a block away from the club, I backed off and pulled into the parking lot and drove around back to the dancer’s entrance. I stopped the motor and froze when I got out of the car and pointed my finger.

“James! Do you think that could be the Honda sedan? It’s the right size, model, color and there is a ‘D-7’ in the middle of the plate.”

“I’m not going to be surprised by anything right now,” James replied as he took a picture of the Honda’s front plate. “Let’s do this nice and slow and low key. Don’t tear into anyone. Don’t be the first to throw a punch.”

“I won’t. But I won’t allow Jean to be hurt.”

“I understand. Just remember that Barbara has her covered. If anything starts, she will take care of Jean. If you see anything that might be a problem, tell me. Keep me up to speed.”

“You got it.”

We’d walked around to the front entrance as we talked and I walked in to find Dom at his normal door position.

“Hey Paul. How you doing?”

“Not good Dom. I’m hearing bad things are happening to my wife.”

He nodded like he understood and then took a look at James.

“And who might this big guy be?”

“Dom, this is James Dean. He’s been my bodyguard. James this is Dominic”

“You attached to the woman who came in with Scarlet?”

“Scarlet?” James asked.

“That’s Jean’s club name,” I said.

“Figures. Yes, Dom, Barbara is my partner and my wife.”

“Really? You get to see that naked all the time?”

“Dom?” I cautioned the big man.

“Sorry, man. But she is one beautiful lady.”

“She kicked my ass in judo practice a few days ago.”

“Wow.”

“Dom, I need to talk to Manny and then you. Where is he at?” I asked.

“He’s back by the stage entrance. We’ve had some problems with three guys.”

“They drive a Honda sedan?”

“Don’t know, Paul. If so, is there going to be a problem?”

“Could be.”

“Please don’t.”

“I won’t go looking for trouble, Dom, but I won’t turn away from it either. Are those the same three guys who were here last night bothering my wife?”

“Yeah.”

“If there’re problems, they’ll be in the middle of it.”

“I hope not. They are supposed to be a part of the new owner group.”

“And that’s one of the things I need to talk to you and Manny about.”

“OK. I’ll get with you later.”

We bumped fists and I walked away. James, acting invisible as always followed behind. I walked back towards the door next to the stage and greeted Manny.

“Hi Manny!”

“Hey Paul. How you doing?”

“Good, man. This is James Dean. His wife is the tall woman that came in with my wife.”

“You mean Boomer?”

“Boomer?” James repeated.

“Yeah. Those two walked in and one of the guys that are buying the club confronted Scarlet. He reached out for Scarlet’s arm and Boomer thumped him in the balls with her purse.”

“Ouch! That purse is a weapon, Manny. Damn thing is made of titanium and weighs thirty pounds.”

“Well, no wonder the dick was on the floor screaming. I had to pick him up and drag him to his table. I told him to be careful around the girls. I told his friends that he walked into a swinging purse. They were not happy. I’ve been watching the backstage door, just in case.”

“Manny, I found out that those three are going to be taking over as the owner’s representatives. But the old man has signed my wife and some others to special contracts.”

“Yeah, me and Dom got those contracts too.”

Then Manny looked at James, who was trying to be a part of the wall.

“Hey, man. I know you. You do security for Leo Carlesetti. They tried to hire me on once.”

“I know. I’m told that you turned it down because you just can’t get enough of watching naked ladies.”

“That is true,” Manny said shrugging and raising his eyebrows. “I’m also loyal to the old man. He asked me to stay as a personal favor. I stayed.”

“I’m hearing that my wife might be in danger and I’m asking that you keep a special eye on her. I’m also told, Manny, that you have a special place in your heart for Jean.”

The huge man looked at me. Now where some men might not look you in the eyes when you mention that they might have feelings for your own wife, Manny looked me square in the eyes.

“True, Paul. If she was not a married lady, I would chase her all over the Treasure Valley. But she is married and I would never do that to a married lady or the man she’s married to. Especially when I consider that man to be an upstanding man. I heard about some of the shit you did and something about you saving someone who was shot.”

“That was my wife, Manny,” James said quietly. “She got shot in the back and Paul hauled her into our truck and then stuck his fingers into the wounds to stop the bleeding. He saved her life and was under fire at the time himself.”

“That’s what I mean, Paul. I would never do anything to you or your wife, no matter how I feel about her.”

“I appreciate that Manny. And I want you to know that I trust you with her life and safety. But I also want you to know that it could get dangerous. This new outfit is the same one that started up the gambling on local sports games and got players to shave points. They are the ones that shot Barbara and tried to kill Mr. C, my mom, Jean and me. They are trying to make themselves look legit, while using this place to launder money. The dancers and maybe even you and Dom could be in danger.”

“Dom and I have noticed the change. The three guys and their friend, Trent, have been nothing but annoying.”

“Trent used to be my best friend, Manny. Now he’s talking about me banging Jean’s best friend. My wife. I’ve warned him.”

I’d been talking to Manny during the change in shifts for the dancers. The music stopped and the DJ was making announcements about upcoming feature dancers. Feature dancers are usually professional porn actresses out to meet their adoring public and pick up a few thousand bucks and get laid a bit. The DJ was talking about upcoming promos and the like while I talked to Manny.

All of a sudden, the music started and the first of the night shift dancers came out and began her set. As soon as she started, I noticed the three guys and Trent came out of the owner’s box and stood on all sides of the stage. They were rude and obnoxious. They were yelling for the women to show them their pussies. Their crude comments told me that as soon as Jean came out, it would be on.

I looked at James.

“You feel like getting up to speed?”

“Oh boy.”

“What’s up?” Manny asked.

“Paul is going to talk to those guys.”

“Talk or TALK?”

“Depends what those guys do.”

It was still early in the evening. The after-business crowd had come and gone and the evening partiers hadn’t come in yet. On Thursday nights, Jean said that most of the guys who came in later were from a local park where they played softball.