Eve could hear the loud music coming from the lounge at the Rio before she could see the place. They stopped at the door situated down a hall from the machines and tables. There was a line of people ahead of them, all waiting, it appeared, to go in. There were lights flashing and a strong bass thumping. It was like nothing Eve had ever experienced, and as she looked around at the others in line, the women dressed in short cocktail dresses and high heels, she suddenly felt completely out of place. Daniel, noticing her discomfort, told her she didn’t have to hang around, that he would ask the workers about Dorisanne and she could head back to the car and wait, but she stuffed the ends of her shirt in her jeans, slid her fingers through her hair like a comb, checked her boots to make sure they were clean, and said that since she was there, she might as well stay.
They decided to try to find a table, be actual paying customers, and start asking their questions of the server who waited on them. That actually took longer than they expected. It seemed the manager was still having difficulty filling the positions of missing cocktail waitresses. They paid the cover charge when they entered and walked through the large crowd. The noise was so loud, Eve was unable to hear Daniel asking her where she wanted to sit. She just kept walking toward the front where there was a small stage. A couple got up from a table near the stage and Daniel headed for it, beating out two college-age girls who weren’t quite fast enough. He pulled out a chair and Eve sat down. She looked up at the stage, saw the instruments of a band, a few bottles of water sitting near a stool beside the set of drums, and figured that the performers must have taken a break. She glanced around the busy lounge as the two of them waited. It was about fifteen minutes before a server finally arrived.
She was pretty, Eve thought. She looked to be about Dorisanne’s age, mid-thirties, and it was easy to see that she was trying to take care of too many customers. She arrived just about the time the singer was heading back to the stage to play.
“You know what you want?” the waitress asked. She had a tray full of empty bottles and glasses she had bused from the tables. Her blond hair was pulled back in a long, tight ponytail. She was tall and wore a skimpy black-and-white one-piece uniform. It looked like a tuxedo shirt, but without sleeves and very tight across the chest. The bottom of the outfit was shiny and black and rode high up on her thighs. To complete the ensemble, she wore fishnet stockings and tall, black studded heels. Eve tried to imagine her sister in the costume and she smiled. Dorisanne would love it.
Daniel waited for Eve to order. When she didn’t speak up he ordered for them. “Two cokes,” he said.
“That’s it?” the waitress asked. “No rum or whiskey in there?”
Daniel shook his head. “Just straight-up cokes,” he said.
She nodded. “You’ll like him,” she said, motioning toward the stage and the singer who was strapping on his guitar. “He won the American Idol show a couple of years ago. He’s good. All the ladies love him.” She grinned at Eve, who was staring at the singer and paying no attention to either one of the people at her table.
“Thanks,” Daniel said, smiling at the woman. He read her name tag. “Misti.”
Her smile widened and she walked away.
“Taylor Hicks,” Eve said, watching the man onstage.
“Who?” Daniel turned to look at the singer.
“Taylor Hicks; he won on American Idol, season five.”
Daniel appeared surprised.
“It was a good season. Katharine McPhee, Chris Daughtry, Kellie Pickler. Several of them have done real well. Daughtry has a rock band. Pickler is a country star, won that dancing show.” She was watching Hicks and she turned back to find Daniel staring at her. “What?”
“You watch American Idol?” he asked.
“Sure,” she answered. “Don’t you?”
“You live in a convent,” he said. “You told me once you never went to the movies.”
“We have a television in the lobby.”
“And you watch American Idol?”
“Yep. We even vote for our favorites.”
Daniel shook his head.
“I voted for him,” she said, lifting her chin in the direction of the stage. “Dozens of times.” She blushed a bit. “He’s better-looking in person.”
“Well, I see now why you didn’t want to stay in the car,” Daniel commented.
“What? No,” Eve said, realizing the implication. “I came with you to find out about Dorisanne. I didn’t know he was playing here.”
“Uh-huh,” Daniel said in a teasing way. “Right. And since we’re here, we might as well enjoy the music.” He grinned.
“Two cokes.” Misti had returned. “You want to start a tab or pay for those now?”
Daniel eyed Eve. “Looks like we might stay a while, so we’ll just start a tab.”
“Got it,” Misti answered and was just about to walk away.
“Wait, Misti.”
She turned back.
“We’re trying to find someone.”
“Well, I’m sure you’ll find just the right someone in Vegas.” She winked.
Eve didn’t understand the innuendo. “We’re looking for my sister, Dorisanne. She works here.”
“Oh . . . well, not anymore she doesn’t,” Misti responded. She arranged the drinks on her tray. “Darrell said she was fired.”
Eve remembered talking to Darrell when she’d first called looking for Dorisanne. He was the manager of the bar. He was the boss.
“When was that?” Daniel wanted to know.
Misti glanced down at the two of them. “A couple of days ago. She called in and he told her she shouldn’t plan to come back. That’s why I’m working doubles. He can’t find any help. They keep quitting.”
“Was she fired because she had missed work? Because of her ankle?” Eve wanted to know.
Misti looked around. “I think it was something else, but I don’t know anything for sure. You should ask Darrell or maybe ask your sister.”
“Is Darrell here tonight?” Eve asked.
She shook her head. “He’s off until next week, had to take his wife to her parents. Her dad is sick or something. Talk about bad timing. Jill is managing tonight. She’s the lead bartender.” She pointed, and they both looked to see an older woman fixing drinks behind the bar. A young man was working beside her, and two other waitresses were standing at the corner, waiting on their drinks. “We are so shorthanded,” she added, shaking her head. “No good tips tonight, I know.”
“Is that Jason?” Eve asked, recalling the bartender she’d talked to when she made the call to the bar a few days earlier.
Misti shook her head. “He quit too. Or at least I think he quit. He was a no-show last night. Same thing tonight. So he’s either found another job or left town too.”
“What do you mean, ‘too’?” Daniel asked.
“What?” Misti was looking over at the table next to them. It was easy to see the customers were eager for their drinks.
“Too—you said he left town too. Who else left town?” Daniel had to shout over the noise around them.
“Dorisanne left town. She told Darrell before he fired her. Look, I’ve got to work. I’ll check on you in a while. If you find your sister, tell her to ask about her job again. At this rate, Darrell will be glad to have her back. Enjoy the cokes.” And she walked over to the next table to give them their drinks.
Eve glanced around. Every table was full and it had gotten very loud. Several musicians had joined Hicks onstage and were tuning their instruments, getting ready to start the set. She shouted over to Daniel, “I guess there’s no one else to ask anything.” She took a sip of her coke.
“I guess,” he shouted back.
The musicians began to play while the crowd cheered.
“You want to go?” Daniel asked.
Eve looked at Daniel and then at the stage where Hicks had started to sing the old Lynyrd Skynyrd tune “Sweet Home Alabama.” “Let’s just finish our drinks,” she said.
Daniel smiled. “Of course,” he said. And like Eve, he turned to watch the singer onstage, neither of them spotting the two men at the end of the bar, dressed in dark suits, who were asking the bartender the very same questions they had just asked Misti.