Free Undercover in Six Inch Stilettos by Carolyn LaRoche Page B

still wanted her and found her attractive after so many years together.
    The guys at Sugar Shakers hooted, hollered, and whistled when she danced, but none of them meant anything to her. Not like getting one of those long, hot stares from Jason. The thought of it almost made her turn around and go back inside.
    She would only be gone for four hours, and then J.J. could make good on his promises. That thought kept her smiling as she jumped in the car and headed to the tourist district. Her ankle wasn’t bothering her at all, despite the rainbow of bruising that still tie-dyed her skin. She was actually anxious to get there.
    Twenty minutes later, Cyndi was surprised to find a small line forming outside the club. Friday nights didn’t usually pick up until closer to midnight, when she was leaving. Parking her car, Cyndi strolled across the street. For a split second, she hesitated. With a crowd like that at the front door, employees were expected to use the back entrance. The alley creeped her out even more than it had before, especially since she and Angela had found Jade’s purse.
    With a quick glance toward the crowd by the door, Cyndi groaned. She’d have to go through the alley. A rowdy yell carried out as the door to the club opened, and Rafael’s deep Cuban accent barked out, “Shut the hell up or get out!”
    She took a deep breath, swallowed the lump in her throat, and headed for the alley. At the edge of the building, Cyndi stopped. The door stood a mere ten feet down the alley, but deep shadows bathed the area. Darkness could be dangerous. Especially when an odd scraping sound came out of said shadows. She glanced again at the crowd by the front door, taking a deep breath and heading toward the alley.
    Cyndi squared her shoulders, peering into the dark, trying to determine the origin of the sound. As she stood there, concentrating on the sounds, a large figure suddenly stepped out of the shadows with its arms raised. Cyndi screamed.
    “Now hold on there, sugah! Why are you screamin’ at Roxy?” The older woman dropped the heavy piece of…whatever she had been fixing to clobber Cyndi with. It fell to the ground with a loud clatter.
    “Roxy!” Cyndi threw her hand over her heart as though she could instantly calm the pounding, or resist the urge to smack Roxy for scaring the crap out of her. “What the hell are you doing out here in the dark?”
    “What are you doing out here, sugah?” Roxy fiddled with the yellow boa she wore with her black bustier and ridiculously spiked heels. A stray feather clung to her bouffant hairdo, and glitter sparkled all over her chest.
    “There’s a crowd out front, I was trying to avoid it. Your turn. Why are you hanging out in the alley?”
    “I wasn’t hangin’ out, I was smokin’ a cigarette before my set.”
    Cyndi drew in a deep breath to try and control her anger. The adrenaline rush had already set her hands to shaking, and she was beginning to sweat. “Well, for crying out loud, you should have announced yourself when you heard me coming.”
    “ You should have announced yourself .”
    “But you were the one ready to smack me over the head with…whatever you had in your hand!”
    “I stopped as soon as I saw you.” Roxy planted her hands on her hips defiantly.
    Cyndi stooped down and retrieved the other woman’s weapon off the ground. It was an old, rusty tire iron. “Does anyone even own these anymore, Roxy?”
    Roxy snatched the tire iron out of Cyndi’s hand. “Hey, a lady can’t be too careful these days. Especially with crazy killers running around.”
    “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    “Umm…Jade? Have you already forgotten that sweet girl?”
    “Of course I haven’t forgotten her! I just didn’t realize you had more information about her disappearance than I do, or the police, for that matter.”
    Roxy suddenly relaxed, lowering her hands from her hips and propping the tire iron against the building. “I don’t have any idea what