Crime of Passion (Marcus Douglas 1)
“They're strip clubs, I know. But that was the only thing I could find out about her.”
“Anything else?”
“Yes, but it’s not business. So tell me about your day.”
“It’s no smoking gun but, I found a connection between Ferguson and Bill Hudson.”
“Bill Hudson of Hudson Financial?”
“Roland was involved in a merger with Hudson. But he pulled out of the deal at the last minute.”
“That sounds like it could be something.”
“Yeah, but it was in the late eighties, early nineties. I'll keep on it, see where it leads,” Marcus said as he put down the room service menu. “There's nothing on this I want.”
“Well what do you wanna eat?” Marcus looked at Carmen and smiled. “What?” Carmen asked.
“Nothing, Carmen,” Marcus laughed. “I don't know what I wanna eat. But if we're going strip club hopping, I wanna pass by the house and change my clothes.”
“Do you have any food at the house?”
“I got some hot dogs. I'll nuke a couple.”
“See, I was thinking about making you something quick while you changed clothes, but I guess you'll just have to wait until tomorrow. “
“What's happening tomorrow?”
“If you don't have any plans, I'm having a very small house warming party and I was going to cook for you.”
“House warming?”
“Yes, house warming. I really don't like living out of a suitcase. And I've been thinking seriously about moving back here. So I rented an apartment,” Carmen said looking at Marcus, who was smiling all over himself. “On a week to week basis for the time being.”
Week to week or not, Marcus was happy that she was thinking about staying. Right then and there he planned to give her as many reasons as he could to stay.
“Anything in particular got you thinking that way?”
“I'm tired of being alone, Marcus.”
When Marcus and Carmen arrived at Pleasures and took a seat, one of the dancers approached their table. She was thick, redbone, juicy red lips, wearing a black teddy over her wide hips. Marcus's eyes grew wide. She glanced at Carmen as she passed on her way around the table to Marcus. She stepped in between Marcus's legs and put her arms around his neck. Resting her healthy chest against him. “You wanna dance?” she whispered in his ear.
Marcus looked at Carmen out the corner of hi
s eye. “Not right now, but you make sure you come back,” Marcus said, reaching in his pocket for a dollar bill. Almost without looking, Marcus carefully folded then placed the bill in her garter. “And could you send us a waitress?”
“Sure, baby. My name is Peppermint,” she said and kissed Marcus on the cheek and moved on to the next table.
“I see you've been here before?”
“What makes you say that?”
“You weren't even looking when you put the dollar in her garter. And she was all over you like you were a regular customer or something.”
“Watch, Carmen. That's what all the women are doing. They'll go from table to table asking men if they want a table dance. Like he's doing.” Marcus pointed to the table next to theirs, where two dancers were removing their outfits to dance.
“Where's the ladies room?”
“What?” Marcus yelled, completely taken in by the dancer on stage. Not to mention the two that were dancing at the table next to him.