17

                                    

                                          
Ethan
                          
We arrived at the club & rushed inside. Strip clubs were very strange during the day. In fact nobody was really there. Working or watching. I guess the magic happens at night. 
                          
"God I can't believe my girlfriend is a stripper," I thought. 
                          
It really hit me at that moment. That this was her life. This was her bread & butter. Everything she had. 
                          
"Hello, how can we help you today?" the bartender behind the bar asked us. 
                          
"We'd like to speak to the owner of this establishment please," Natasha ordered & the bartender led us backstage. The bartender pointed to the guy in charge. He was smoking a cigarette with a glass of Brandy in his hand. 
                          
"Oh Ethan," he called me & I looked at him in confusion. 
                          
"How do you know me?" I asked. 
                          
"Dominique talks about you. Plus I remember I saw you one time when I was picking her up," he explained & I remembered too. 
                          
"Oh. Yeah," I muttered nervously. 
                          
"I'm Max Burton. Your girlfriend's boss," he held out his hand & I shook it. 
                          
"Ethan Dolan. & this is Natasha Bartley, Dominique's best friend & roommate," I pointed to her. She shook his hand with a smile. 
                          
"What can I do for you two?" he asked as he smoked his cigarette. 
                          
"We haven't seen Dom for two days now. We're really worried & were wondering if you've seen her?" I asked. 
                          
"Bub, I'm just as worried as you. My money maker is missing & you really think I'd know where she is? Sorry buddy," he drank from his glass. 
                          
"She's a person. Not a money maker by the way," I chimed in. Natasha held my arm & gripped it tightly. 
                          
"Look boy. She was last seen stripping for a mob boss in the velvet room. Alicia tells me that apparently she ran out & said something about how she can't do this anymore or something. I didn't quite catch it. But I swear I know nothing, now are we done here?" he threw his hands up in defence with a smug look. 
                          
"Her last known location was here. You gotta know something," I urged him. 
                          
"Look. I know nothing. Now will you get out!" he yelled. I got mad & held him by the shirt. 
                          
"Listen bud, if you know what happened to Dominique you better tell me now. If you did anything to her I swear to Nirvana I'm gonna do something I'll regret," I spat. 
                          
"Get out before I call the cops," he whispered. Natasha pulled me back & led me to the door. 
                          
"Thank you for your time Mr Burton. If you have any information concerning her please contact us," she signed off & walked me out to the car. 
                          
"I swear he knows something," I grunted as I gripped the steering wheel tightly. 
                          
"Judging from his hostile defence, his lack of remembrance on Alicia's words & his behaviour, I believe he does know something," she thought aloud. 
                          
"Wow Tash, I didn't know you were all detective," I gasped. 
                          
"I'm studying criminal psychology. I'm not a hot head," she chuckled & looked out the window. 
                          
"Who is Alicia anyways?" she asked. 
                          
"She's one of the girls at the club that despise Dom. They have a history together," I explained. 
                          
"Interesting," she hummed, "we need to investigate her."