Web of Lies

Chapter 12

BASEY MUSIC THUMPED through the entire club, accompanied by the fluorescent lights flickering and pulsing. It was creating psychedelic patterns on the surrounding walls. Jerry couldn't stand the music, but he wasn't here for that. Who would come to a strip club to appreciate the fine music?

    "Hey, honey!" Smiled the large-breasted brunette, her hand resting on his right shoulder as she swung around. "Would you like a special dance?"

    Jerry accepted the approach, placing his hand on the tops of her hips. Pulling her closer towards him. "How could I say no?"

    The brunette—a newbie to this place—swung her hips and swayed to the music, pulling it together with the dreadful rhythm. Her hands brushed Jerry's skin, trailing down his arms and moving back towards his face.

    Nothing was better after a long day than coming here and unwinding. Beer in hand while a beautiful lady dances around you—on you. He probably wasn't going to tell Fiona he'd spent most of this week's afternoons right here in this very chair. But surely she would understand if he did. This is what a man needs after a long, stressful day; boy, it had been just that.

    "What's your name?" Jerry asked the brunette as she twisted and twirled around him.

    She finished her part of the dance before saying with more breath than necessary: "Charlie, baby, and what should I call you?"

    Jerry was about to say something he thought was both masculine and witty before he felt the surge of excitement in his trousers.

    "I'm sorry, I need to take this," Jerry said, pulling the brunette, Charlie, off his lap and removing his mobile phone from his jeans pocket. His chest felt slightly pulled when he read the caller's name.

    "No problem, honey. I'll be waiting for you." She left him with a blown kiss, which left her glittering lips. He'd be asking for Charlie again.

    Jerry looked down again at his phone screen. He couldn't believe whose name he saw displayed in big bold letters.

    Without hesitation, he couldn't let the phone ring for too long. He had to answer now, pushing down hard on the green digital button.

    "I'm surprised to hear from you, baby brother."

    "Unfortunately, I'm not surprised to hear Mahoney's in the background."

    "Can't a man go to a strip club nowadays?"

    "Didn't say they couldn't, but I thought you'd agreed with Fiona that you wouldn't be doing this anymore?" The voice on the phone came, followed by a slight sigh muffled through Jerry's phone's tinny speaker.

    "Yeah, well. What she doesn't know won't hurt her, right?"

"Sure." Jerry's brother responded sceptically.

"That all you phoned to tell me? 'Don't go to strip clubs, you bad big brother!' or do you have some more wonderful insights?"

"No. I didn't call to talk to you about this or you and Fiona. Jay, I need your help."

"What's happened?" He asked, grabbing the crystal glass from the table and downing his remaining dregs of whiskey. Eying around the bar for Charlie, hoping she hadn't found another well-paying customer.

"It's Luke—" His brother said, and he knew his brother well. He could tell he was holding back. Something was pulling at his throat.

"Luke? He's alright? What's happened?"

Luke was his nephew despite all their petty little arguments and fights. The thought of what could be coming next through the phone tightened his chest further.