Page 37 of Stolen Salvation

The woman was beautiful, in a hard-knocks kind of way. Slim to the point of being malnourished, she had long, red hair with dark extensions and wore a bra top and tiny shorts. But it was the beaten, hard look on her face, and the tell-tale track marks on her arms which broke Charlie’s heart.

“What’s it to you?”

“My sister worked here, and I wondered if you knew her.”

The instant she said the words the other woman shut down. “Don’t know nothin’.”

Charlie held out her phone. “Please, will you just look?”

“Listen, lady, I don’t want any trouble.”

“I won’t cause you trouble. Can you just let me know if you’ve seen her recently? Please?”

On a sigh, the woman looked down and paled as if seeing a ghost.

“You know her don’t you?”

The woman stepped back, her hand out as if to protect herself. “You need to leave. That’s one of Carter’s girls.”

“Carter Cavendish?”

“Look, lady, you seem alright, but you don’t want to get mixed up in this. Carter won’t take kindly to questions.”

Charlie nodded. “I understand. Thanks for your help.”

The woman left and Charlie took a second to compose herself before pulling back the door to the ladies and coming face to face with two huge men.

“Miss, your presence is requested in the VIP lounge.”

She looked toward the end of the corridor, but Noah had his back to her fending off women. Taking her by the elbow, the two men didn’t give her a chance to turn down their offer before propelling her in the opposite direction toward the back stairs.

With one man in front of her and the other behind, she had no choice but to follow them. She could take them out, that wasn’t an issue, but she had a feeling she’d get more answers by following them into the lion’s den.

The upper floor was as she’d expected. A glossy black bar with crystal glasses and an array of top-shelf spirits, a smaller dance floor, and black leather couches where men in expensive suits sat around with glamorous, scantily clad women draped off them like accessories. Seeing the edge of the balcony that overlooked the dance floor, she wondered if she could signal Noah from there and let him know she was okay. He’d lose his mind when he found her missing, but it was short-term, or at least she hoped so.

Approaching four men with their backs to her, Charlie made a note of her exit options, either the way she’d come or over the balcony.

“Sir.”

One of the goons pushed her forward and stood back as she tried her best not to turn around and rip his throat out for touching her.

A man she instantly recognised as Carter Cavendish turned his head toward her and offered her a cold but charming smile. “Ah, here she is. The woman asking questions about one of my employees.”

Charlie gritted her teeth, digging her fingernails in her palm to stop herself from launching an attack on the man she knew in her heart was responsible for her sister’s disappearance. She glanced around to see if she recognised any of the three men with Carter but nothing jumped out at her.

His gaze roamed over her body in a suggestive leer which made her skin crawl. “Please sit. Allow me to answer any questions you may have.”

“I don’t want to bother you.”

Carter stood to his full height, which was around six feet, and buttoned the jacket of what was likely a three-thousand-pound suit. “I insist.”

Carter led her toward the bar and ordered two cognacs from the pretty bartender. She needed this information even though she knew it would be mostly lies, but it was what he didn’t say which would give her the biggest clue.

“I appreciate you taking the time, Mr…?”

Carter threw his head back and laughed loudly as his hand gripped her elbow, pulling her close. “You’re a delight. You may call me Carter.”

“Well, Carter, I believe my sister worked here and now she’s missing.”