Page 55 of Jump on Three
“We’re fraternal too, but we have the same face,” I supplied.
“It’s a nice face to have doubled,” Clipboard said.
Cue Ball rotated to look at him. “I know you’re not hitting on this little girl right now.”
He held up his clipboard. “I’m just being friendly. Remember she said manners are important? I don’t want no grumpy nuns beating my knuckles.”
I bounced on my toes, both from the music and to get their attention. “I’m eighteen. Not a little girl.”
Cue Ball swung back to me. “I’m forty, so yeah, you’re a little girl. What are you doing out here at night all by yourself?”
“I followed someone here,” I blurted. “I want to know what he’s doing in there.”
Buzz Cut scrubbed his mouth and groaned. “Oh shit. You follow your man here?”
“No, not my man. Just a guy from my school. He’s not twenty-one, so technically, he shouldn’t be allowed in if the same rules apply to everyone.” I narrowed my eyes at them. “I hope the same rules apply to everyone. It truly isn’t fair if they don’t. Rules are there for a reason, and they matter.”
Cue Ball’s chest puffed. “We don’t let anyone underage inside. You sure you saw your man go in?”
I nodded. “He isn't my man, and yes, you let him in.”
He started, like I’d surprised him. “You must be seeing things.”
“I did not imagine it. He stopped, talked to you, and you moved aside to let him in. To jog your memory, he’s incredibly handsome and tall, and he has many, many tattoos, including one of a swallow on the side of his neck.” I touched the spot on my neck to demonstrate.
“Ivan,” Clipboard muttered.
Cue Ball went steely hard. “Enough, little girl. You need to get back in your car and drive away as fast as possible. Don’t come around here with your questions. No one’s going to answer them.”
Buzz Cut lost his humor, his jaw going rigid. “We got a job to do. Need you to move along now before we remove you.”
Clipboard put it simply. “Get gone.”
The backs of my eyes burned. My shoulders slumped with defeat. “Okay. Thank you very much for speaking with me. I hope the rest of your night goes well.”
I spun around on my toes and began the trudge back to Sal’s Beetle. Behind me, one of the massive men sighed, and another said, “Feel bad for her.”
Skrillex spilled into the humid night air, drawing my attention to the source of the music. I stopped, finding myself at the open end of an alley between the nightclub and the building next to it. Light from the streetlights illuminated the alley somewhat, revealing dumpsters and a few metal doors. One swung open, and more Skrillex beats came tumbling out.
The door was propped open while someone tossed trash into the dumpster.
My hands twitched at my sides. If I was fast enough, I could sneak in without anyone seeing. Then I could find Ivan and solve this mystery. Not tonight, though. I wasn’t dressed correctly for this mission. I would stick out like a sore thumb.
I ran the rest of the way to Sal’s car and slipped into the back seat, my heart fluttering in my throat.
“How’d it go, kiddo?”
“Not well,” I said with a wide smile.
She frowned at me in the rearview mirror as she pulled away from the curb. “You look mighty happy for someone whose plan didn’t go well.”
“It didn’t go well, but I have an idea of how to make it go a lot better. Will you be able to bring me back here this weekend?”
She tugged on the brim of her hat. “I get to wear my hat?”
“Of course.”
“Then yep. I’ll bring you back.”