The music pulsed with a low, thumping beat, and Finn started shaking his ass in time to it as we pushed through the throngs of people and headed deeper into the club. A hand rose in the air, waving, and I spotted Owen standing at the far end of the bar. I waved back, put my hands against Finn’s shoulders, and steered him in that direction.
Unlike Finn, who’d dressed up, Owen had dressed down in a pair of black corduroy pants and a dark gray sweater that outlined his broad shoulders. His black hair gleamed under the flashing strobe lights, which also made his violet eyes shimmer. I wasn’t the only one who noticed him. Several women gave Owen appreciative, come-hither looks, but his gaze met mine and stayed there. I went over, wound my arms around his neck, and gave him a long, lingering kiss, marking my territory. The women in question all pouted into their drinks and drifted off in search of easier prey.
Owen looked at me, an amused smile playing across his lips. “What was that for?”
“No reason, really. Maybe because it’s Wednesday?”
“Wednesday, huh?” He leaned down and murmured in my ear. “Then you’ll have to come over later tonight, and we’ll really make it memorable. Why, Wednesday might even become my new favorite day of the week.”
His low, husky voice sent shivers down my spine, and I kissed him again. “Deal.”
Owen winked back at me, and then we both turned to the woman standing beside him.
With her short black hair, toffee eyes and skin, and perfect features, she was quite simply one of the most beautiful women I’d ever seen. Supermodels would be jealous of her lush, curvy figure. Even when she was just standing at the bar and sipping a drink, she was the sort of woman who drew everyone’s eye—and envy.
Roslyn Phillips gave me a warm, welcoming smile. “Hey, Gin.”
“Roslyn.” I stepped forward and hugged her. “It’s good to see you. I just wish it was under better circumstances.”
She nodded. “Yeah, Finn called and told me about Jade’s sister being missing. I’ve got the security footage all queued up for you in the back, but I don’t know how much help it’s going to be. I’ve already asked the staff, but no one remembers any kind of disturbance, fight, or major trouble last night.”
I nodded back at her, then turned to Finn and Owen. “You guys stay out here. Show Elissa’s picture to the bartender and other workers, and see if anyone remembers seeing her.”
Finn grinned at a passing redhead. “With pleasure.”
Despite the fact that he was in love with Bria, my foster brother still liked to flirt with anything that moved. I was happy to see him getting his groove back after all the horrible things that had happened with Deirdre Shaw, but I still defended Bria’s honor, the way I always did.
I elbowed him in the side. “Try to keep the partying to a minimum, okay?”
Owen clapped his hand on Finn’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep him in line.”
“You’re no fun, Grayson.” Finn pouted for a few seconds before his face brightened. “But you know what? That makes you the perfect wingman. C’mon. This is going to be good.”
Owen blinked and opened his mouth to protest, but Finn slung his arm around Owen’s shoulder and steered them both out onto the crowded dance floor. Owen looked back at me, a panicked expression on his face, but I just waggled my fingers at him.
“You boys have fun!” I called out over the pulsing music.
Roslyn laughed and finished off her martini. “C’mon. I’ve got everything ready for you.”
She led me toward the back of the club. It was slow going, not only because of the dancers and the drinkers but also because of the workers who stopped to get Roslyn’s advice or orders about this or that. Finally, we made it to a door in the back wall, and Roslyn opened it and ushered me through to the other side.
She shut the door behind us, cutting off some of the noise and commotion from the main part of the club, and I followed her down a series of hallways. Several waiters moved past us, returning to work after their breaks, and a few giant bouncers were stationed back here too, keeping an eye on things in the VIP rooms through various spy holes cut into the walls.
Roslyn led me into her office and gestured for me to sit in her desk chair. When I was settled, she leaned over me and logged into her computer.
“I’ve got the security footage ready to roll,” she said. “Each camera is on a different tab so you can toggle back and forth between all of them.”
“Thanks. I really appreciate this.”
Roslyn nodded. “Anytime. And please tell Jade that I’m sorry and that I hope Elissa turns up soon.”
“Do you know Elissa?”
“Not personally, but she’s a college kid. Sometimes I think that they live here at the club.” Roslyn smiled, but her expression quickly turned serious again. “I can’t imagine what Jade’s going through right now. If anything happened to Lisa or Catherine . . .”
Her voice trailed off at the thought of her sister and young niece. Roslyn shook her head. “Anyway, just holler if you need anything.”
“I will. Thanks, Roslyn.”
“Good luck.” She smiled at me again, left the office, and closed the door behind her.
I pulled the keyboard a little closer, grabbed hold of the mouse, and started going through the footage.
Roslyn’s state-of-the-art security cameras had a much higher resolution than the grainy ones from the country club, and she had a lot more of them showing both the inside and outside of Northern Aggression, plus some of the surrounding parking lots. Roslyn had fast-forwarded yesterday’s footage to about ten minutes before the cab had dropped off Elissa, so I watched the ebb and flow of people in, out, and around the club, looking for anything suspicious, unusual, or out of place.
Northern Aggression attracted all ages, from those barely old enough to drink to folks who’d spent a lifetime partying hard. Young, old, and every age in between moved through the footage, along with humans, elementals, vampires, giants, dwarves, and every combination thereof. The club also catered to a wide range of incomes, everyone from poor college students looking to have a few cheap beers to wealthy businessmen who only imbibed the most expensive liquors. The nightclub truly was Ashland’s melting pot.
The footage unspooled, and time passed, until at last a yellow cab cruised up to the club entrance. Elissa got out, paid the driver, and waited her turn in line to get inside. A few folks, men and women alike, tried to chat her up, but Elissa kept her eyes glued to her phone. Other than that, nothing out of the ordinary happened, and no one suspicious approached her.