Page 59 of Riptide

“Not to Xtra? You here often?” she pressed, hoping to put the focus back on Joli.

“I suppose I’m like you. I move wherever the wind takes me.” She brought her martini glass to her lips and looked over Kaimana’s shoulder. “Did you say you had a private booth?”

“A bottle of Dom, too.”

“I do love bubbles.”

“Perfect. Wait until you meet my friend, Stone. His name isn’t the only thing that’s hard.”

“Sounds intriguing. Lead the way.”

“This way, beautiful.” Kaimana’s heart pounded in her chest as she winked at Joli. She kept turning back to check she was following, waving her along, cutting through the crowded club.

As Kaimana approached the booth and the fringe beaded curtain slowly opened, relief washed over her. Seth didn’t reveal a hint of deception as he held a glass in the air and gestured for Joli to enter.

“You sit in the middle.” A twinge of jealousy poked at Kaimana as she encouraged Joli to sit next to Seth. She quickly shoved the thoughts to the back of her mind, focused on the task at hand, extracting information. “Welcome to our booth. I want you to meet Stone.”

“Well aren’t you a sexy little filling for our late-night sandwich. What’s your name, sweetheart?” Seth asked, his tone smooth and seductive.

“Magic,” she purred. “Hmm…babe…you didn’t tell me your boyfriend was so hot. He’s delicious.”

“What can I say…he sure is. And let’s just say he doesn’t disappoint.”

In the dimmed light, Kaimana studied Joli as Seth offered her a glass. Her red-tipped fingers wrapped around the flute. Faded makeup covered yellowed bruises that lingered on her neck, and Kaimana struggled to conceal her empathy. How long had Joli been abused? How long had she been trafficked by these horrible people?

Joli sipped her champagne and turned to Kaimana. “So how’s about we finish off this bottle and dip on over to my place?”

“I have a secret I need to tell you first,” Kaimana divulged.

“Hmm…secrets? I love a good secret.” Joli turned to her, beaming.

“I’m here to talk about Evan,” she revealed, her voice low.

Joli immediately struggled to push out of the booth but neither Kaimana nor Seth budged.

“We’re not here to hurt you. We are just looking for some answers,” Seth told her.

“Joli. It’s me, Kaimana. Remember?”

“What are you doing here?” she whispered as she set her glass down and began scanning the room through the fringe. “This is dangerous. Anyone could see you.”

Kaimana kept her voice quiet. “Here’s the deal, Joli. I want to help you, but you have to help me first. Just keep nodding and smiling. No one is going to know anything. Do you understand? Nod.”

Joli slowly did as she was told.

“Now pick up your drink and take a sip. Smile. That’s it. No one knows it’s us.”

“You don’t understand how dangerous this is,” she whispered. “He could be here. He always knows what I’m doing. He’s got eyes everywhere. He’ll kill you. He’ll kill both of us.”

“Please listen to me, Joli.” Kaimana picked up her glass and took a quick sip of her champagne. “I’m going to give you a deal and I really suggest you take it. You aren’t in trouble.”

“We’re both in trouble,” she countered.

“Tell us everything about the organization. Where is the auction? Where is Evan being held? We need answers. We’ll get you out and keep you safe, but you need to cooperate,” Kaimana told her.

“No. I don’t know anything. I gave you the matchbox. He’s alive. That’s all I know. I haven’t seen him since then. I have no idea about the auction. I stay on the mainland now.”

“We know about the scamming, Joli,” Seth interjected.