Lover Undercover (McCade Brothers 1)

His brows shot up, speculatively. “I don’t know if we can trust your judgment there. After all, Long and Montenegro weren’t exactly harmless. One pulled you offstage. The other did something during a private dance that convinced you to have him bounced.”

She’d said as much to Stacy and was prepared to provide the same reply she’d received. “Carlton was drunk when he pulled me offstage. He didn’t normally drink much, but for some reason he overindulged that evening. The alcohol made him clumsy and overeager. He never intended to hurt me, he just forgot to let go when he took his seat. If the stage bouncer had been doing his job, the whole thing never would have happened.”

“And Montenegro?”

Embarrassment more than nerves had her fingers toying with the silver “om” pendant dangling in the vee of her light gray T-shirt. “Alex wanted to, ah…” Heat swept her cheeks, but she forced herself to spit it out. “He wanted to do a sort of spanking thing during a private dance. I don’t know what the other girls let a client get away with, but I don’t allow that kind of contact. I told him no. A few minutes later he tried it anyway. Ramon didn’t do anything—no big shock because Ramon is off in his own world most of the time—so I cut the music and told Alex if he didn’t keep his hands to himself I wouldn’t dance for him anymore.”

“He took it badly?”

“No, he took it like a mischievous boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar. But the disruption finally attracted Ramon’s attention and I guess he got worried I was going to tell Vern he sat around and did nothing while a customer manhandled me. He made a big scene and escorted Alex out of the club so he wouldn’t look derelict. I didn’t want Alex bounced. Ramon did that on his own.”

Trevor’s steady gaze met hers. “Would you characterize his reaction as impulsive and violent?”

“I’d characterize it as a shortsighted attempt to cover his butt.”

“Why shortsighted?”

“Deuces is an upscale club. The bouncers are expected to be discreet and professional when dealing with a disturbance, not create an even bigger one by dragging a customer out by his collar. I heard through the grapevine Vern gave Ramon grief for handling the incident as he did.”

“So Alex made Ramon appear unprofessional? Maybe put his job in danger?”

“I don’t know if I’d say his job was in danger.”

“But he didn’t look good?”

“No, I guess not.”

“Who was working the stage when Carlton pulled you down?”

Kylie opened her mouth to reply, and then stopped as the answer hit her. Shocked, she turned to Trevor. He nodded encouragingly.

“Ramon.” She barely managed a whisper.

“Carlton made him look incompetent at his job.”

She swallowed to ease the tightness in her throat. “Yes. I found out later Ramon left the stage unattended to take a personal call. Totally against policy. I think Vern threatened to fire him if he ever did it again.”

“Ramon’s the link between Carlton a

nd Alex.”

Kylie shook her head. “You’re saying Ramon killed two men because they caused trouble at Deuces? Made him look bad?” She shook her head again, unwilling to accept the theory. “That’s no reason to kill someone.”

“Welcome to my world.”

The utter calm of his voice made her realize he was serious. Unbidden, Ramon’s dull, empty stare filled her mind. She shivered, but then straightened in her chair. “It can’t be Ramon. He wasn’t working the night…” Her words trailed off as the fuller implication of her statement sank in.

Trevor smiled, a panther closing in on his prey. “Ramon wasn’t working the night Carlton was killed.” It was a statement rather than a question, but Kylie answered anyway.

“No.”

“I’m liking it better and better. He’s got the size and strength for the job, he knew the men, and now, he’s got motive and opportunity.”

She blinked, so stunned she hardly dared hope this particular nightmare might actually be over. “Are you going to arrest him?”

“We’ll pick him up for questioning. In the meantime, if you could keep clear—?”

“Not a problem. I don’t work again until tomorrow night. But what about the other dancers? Are they safe?”