Page 9 of Stealing the Dancer
“Follow me.”She turns and walks to the back of the club in the direction I went the other night.
At the end of the hall, we take a different turn, and up ahead is a red door.This must be the room without the cameras.Hartley steps inside, and when I walk in behind her, I see the room is empty.
She turns to face me after she closes the door.“What do you want with Whit?”She’s not giving anything away.I can tell she’s not going to bring Whitley in here without some answers first.If she’s even still here.
“You mean other than a private dance?”
She rolls her eyes.“You could get half those girls in here to give you one for free.Why Whit?”
Deciding that we’re running out of time, I let out a sigh and tell the truth.“Because she’s in danger.”
Those words get Hartley’s attention, but she recovers quickly.“If she’s in danger, why the hell should she trust you?”
“Does she have any other choice?”The silence that hangs between us gives me my answer, but I keep going.“I know she’s alone, and I know there are really bad men looking for her.Look, I came here to find her and help her escape.That’s all I want.”
I reach into my back pocket, and Hartley takes a step back, holding up her hands.
“It’s just my ID,” I say, slowly taking out my wallet.“This is me.”I pull out my driver's license and hand it to her along with my business card.“I’m a detective, and the person that hired me won’t stop looking for her.”
“So we’re just supposed to hand her over?”She narrows her eyes as she looks up at me.
“No, I’m not taking her back to him.I’m here to help her hide.”
She pauses for a moment, then looks back at the door.“How can I be sure?”
I try to think of what to say to convince her that I’m not here to hurt Whitley, but I don’t know what it will take to make her believe me.So instead I go for the truth.“You can’t, but I know if I don’t get her out of here, he’s going to send someone else in my place.And then you better pray that his enemies don't find her first.”
“It’s okay, Hartley,” a soft voice says from the doorway.I turn around to see Whitley standing there fully dressed with a bag on her shoulder.“He’s right.”
“Whit, I don’t know, maybe there’s another way,” Hartley pleads with her.
“There’s not,” I answer honestly.“If I was able to get to her this easily, you can believe there are other people on their way.”
“Where will you go?”Hartley asks me, and I shake my head.
“If I tell you, then it puts you in danger.”My eyes meet Whitley’s, and my chest tightens.“Will you come with me?”
“What choice do I have?”I see the threat of tears form in her eyes, but she doesn’t let them fall.
My body aches to go to her and pull her against me so I can tell her it’s going to be okay.I can’t do that, so I clench my hands at my sides and force myself to stay still.
“You have a choice, but staying here isn’t smart.”I nod back to the club.“There could be someone out there waiting for you right now.Let me take you someplace safe.”
“Here,” Hartley says as she holds out an envelope.“I took it from Stowe.It’s what he owes you.”
“Thanks,” Whitley says as the two of them embrace.
“Is there a way out from here?”I ask, looking around for an exit.
“Yes, but you have to be fast or the alarm will trip,” Hartley says as she leads us to the rear of the room and pulls back a dark velvet curtain.There’s another red door, and she uses a pin from her braid to pick the lock.
“Not bad.”I nod at her speedy fingers.I could use someone like her on our team.
“Hurry,” Hartley says to Whitley.“They’re going to come looking for you soon.”
“Thank you for everything.”Whitley gives her one last hug before we fling open the door.
Then I grab her by the hand, and we run out into the night.