Rescued By A Kiss (The New Orleans Go Cup Chronicles Book 1) (17 page)

I dialed Stan at the office. It was late on Saturday night. I don’t know why I thought he would be there, but he picked up. “Hello, Stan Fontenot.”

I couldn’t talk fast enough, “Stan, where have you been, didn’t you see us get pushed into the white van? We were blindfolded and taken to . . .”

“What?” he cut me off. “What happened, where are you?”

“That’s what I’m trying to tell you. Ratty Tulhman had his two goons kidnap Jiff, Isabella and me. His guys took us to the old Ice House on Decatur. Jiff helped me get out of there so I could go for help. I took the dog and I don’t have any money, so I’m at Oz on Bourbon Street with someone . . . I mean where I know someone who . . . works here. I’m calling from his phone. Ratty’s two big thugs chased me and came in here looking for me. Those two just left, and now are probably going back to the Ice House to hurt and kill Jiff. Ratty said they were going to kill me too.” It all spilled out in one breath.

“I saw you park and get out. I was looking for a parking spot and lost you. I called the police to file a report but they won’t write up a missing person until you are gone for twenty-four hours. I didn’t see the van. I’m so sorry. I drove around for hours looking for you. I came to the office hoping you would call me here if you got a chance. I’m on my way. Stay where you are.”

“Tell him to meet you at the Ice House,” Cole said. “I have an idea. Follow me.”

I gave Stan the exact address of The Ice House, and told him I was going back there now with help. I added I would be hiding or waiting in a safe place.

“I’ll call the police, bring backup and meet you there. Brandy, I’m so sorry. Be careful.” and he hung up.

Lola handed me a slinky black, backless gown. I put my own shoes back on as the ones Lola put on my feet were a size twelve and I didn’t think I could walk in them.

Cole shouted for everyone dressed to follow him. We went downstairs and he got up on stage with the other Village People and performed
Macho Man
. The crowd went wild. Once he got them revved up, he got on the microphone and said, “All you macho men out there, let me see your hands.” Most of the room raised their hands. “OK, who wants to go to an all macho man party where the drinks are free!” He yelled over the excited crowed. More people raised their hands, including the women there. That’s when I spotted Dante, or someone who looked like him in the crowd. No. I must be delirious from lack of sleep. He didn’t recognize me in Lola’s get up. I felt as if someone knocked the wind out of me.

“OK, we need to
Macho Man
our way to the Ice House on Decatur!” Cole continued to work the crowd into a frenzy. All you macho men who can carry a queen piggyback or on your shoulders grab one at the door on the way out. They’re wearing heels and can’t run to the party. We want to run there and show up before any other clubs!”

Everyone was screaming “Yeah, let’s go!” and heading for the door. Some very large body builder grabbed me, told me to hike up my dress, and had me ride piggy back on him as he sprinted down the street. The street was filled with guys running or carrying others who couldn’t run because of the dresses or high heels they had on. Cole led the charge. When we got to the Ice House, Cole jumped up on the brick railing and yelled, “We need to push down the door!! Show them who the biggest and best macho men are!” My ride put me down and proceeded to charge the overhead metal door with the others. On the second big push it came down, and it fell into the warehouse. The crowd ran over it into the space hooping and hollering. Cole grabbed my hand and pulled me in with him. I looked around and did not see Dante. Once we were inside, I pointed out the room Jiff was in and Cole got a couple of guys to break open the door telling them that is where he thought the bar was. Jiff was in there, seated, and tied to a column. They had come back, found me gone, and roughed him up before tying him up again to the column. I ran to him. “Are you all right. Can you stand up?” Cole and I got him to his feet. By now the crowd was getting restless and wondering where the party was.

Black, Blue and Ratty were looking down on us from a mezzanine office at the other end of the building. I could see the blank, dense look on their faces. Ratty realized the problem.

Cole yelled out, “There! Those guys lied to me about the party! Get em!”

The crowd went after them knocking down the columns and the metal stairs up to the second floor office space. With the lack of support the office started to pull away from the wall.

Ratty and the boys had locked themselves in the office and were working on barricading themselves in when Cole directed the angry crowd at them. Once the mob knocked down the supports, the floor started sagging, and hung precariously twenty feet above the warehouse floor. We could see them through the glass windows trying to find something they could hold onto if the floor fell out from under them. That’s when we heard police sirens. The disappointed and unruly crowd started to scatter and all that was left was Jiff, Cole, and me.

I told Cole, “Thanks. You might want to get out of here, I don’t want you to get in any trouble.”

“I won’t. I didn’t break in the door, the angry crowd did. I’m here to save you and your friend.”

“I think Stan wants to do that.” I said nodding in Stan’s direction as he ushered in the cops pointing toward me and Jiff.

“Brandy, what’s with all the makeup? And, that dress? You look like a . . .” Stan was trailing off the end of the sentence and looking at Cole in the Indian head dress.

“An exotic dancer?” Cole teased finishing Stan’s sentence.

I started making polite introductions while Stan checked out Cole in his loin cloth, feathered head piece, moccasins, and chiseled body. “Stan, this is Cole, I mean, Silas, a friend of the family. Then the rest flew out so fast I just wanted to say it and have it be over. “He hid Isabella and me from Ratty’s two guys. They came after me when Jiff helped me escape. Jiff helped me over that wall.” I nodded to the wall still looking around to see if any of the roach’s friends were looking for him or me. “When those guys came into the club looking for me, Cole and his friends hid us and kept us safe. After that, I called you, and Silas brought the calvary here to get Jiff out.” I didn’t want all the credit to go to Silas and not recognize Jiff’s part of getting me out of the Ice House. Ah, three fragile male egos to juggle, Stan, Silas and Jiff.

“Brandy?” Jiff finally spoke to me. “I didn’t realize that was you trying to help me up. Are you okay? That’s not your dress. Where’s Isabella?” He looked confused.

“Well, by now Isabella has probably had her hair done and is still resting in a very safe place.” I said as I smiled at Silas.

Stan took charge and went straight to talk with the police to explain who was who and why we were all here. He headed over to the police captain who had arrived. I was sure Stan was giving information to the police as to who Ratty and his two neanderthals were. I heard one of the policemen saying to Stan, “We need to call the Fire Department in here to get those guys down from there. That’s not something we handle. We’ll arrest them after the Fire Department gets them down.” Oh boy, here we go again.

“I’ll call you tomorrow.” Stan said to me as the captain went to find an underling to radio the Fire Department. “It seems Dante’s partner knows these guys and may have had something to do with your abduction. Dante started following him and followed him into that night club. He lost Joe when the mayhem broke out.” As he leaned to kiss me goodbye he said in my ear, “You might want to change out of that getup before you go home. Your parents will think you are working Bourbon Street.”

Stan shook Jiff’s hand and told him to make sure I got home safely. Then, he went to see if one of the patrol units could give us a ride.

“Let’s go back to the club and we’ll get your clothes and Isabella.” Silas said to me. Stan asked the police captain if one of his officers could give us a lift back to Oz. The captain directed one of his men to take us back to the club.

Once there, Jiff called his father to let him know he was safe and who I was, in case his dad heard anything from the police or on the news. Then he waited downstairs and ordered drinks for everyone in the club, on him, while I changed upstairs. I thanked everyone who came to my assistance and kissed Lola on the check. “You helped me most of all hiding me under that beautiful head piece. And thanks for letting me wear one of your gowns to the party.”

I could swear she blushed. Then she said, “You can thank me by telling me how you found that handsome man.”

I gave her the Reader’s Digest version from the parade kiss when he knocked my socks off right up to this moment. She was surprised to find out we had just met. Lola thought we were married or engaged. I smiled.

I had a drink with Jiff and asked him in his ear if this place made him nervous. He said, “Why, I’m with you. I like not having any competition from any other guy here.” It was my turn to blush.

Cole came down resplendid in full dress. “Is that one of your dad’s costumes? It’s exquisite.” I asked noticing the workmanship and hours it must have taken to construct such a magnificent piece. Then I thought,
Silas, or Cole, how do you pull off a double life like this? How do you keep it separate from family or friends you don’t want to know?

“Yes. You know the Tchoupitoulas Indians?” Cole asked.

“Woozie talks about the costumes all the time to me. She is always telling me what feathers or sequins she is looking for and where she has to buy them for you. I know you and your dad, or just the men, can work on the costumes. The women aren’t allowed.”

“Well, you do know about the Indians. The men in my family have been Wild Tchoupitoulas Indians for generations because our heritage is Indian, Black, French, and German. You know, Creole. My granddad was one, and my dad was his spy boy. Then my dad took over from my granddad and I was his spy boy. Every year they start work on a new costume right after Mardi Gras. Tradition has it they wear a costume once. So he never misses the feathers from the ones he has stored in the attic. I help them make the new costumes every year so when they ask me to go get some feathers off a costume, I make sure they never see which one is missing.”

The entertainment was beginning and first up was Lola who dedicated a song to Jiff from me. She lip synced
When Will I See You Again?
by the Three Degrees. We laughed and stayed to have another drink in order to decompress from the last two days’events. The bartender brought a go cup filled with water for Isabella who sat on the barstool next to Jiff. When Lola finished, Big Chief grabbed the mike from her and dedicated a song to me from Jiff. The song was
I’m Your Man
by WHAM!. The entire bar joined in singing, turning to the person they were with.

When we were ready to leave, Cole called us a taxi and put us in it at the door. He handed us two drinks in go cups. “About my mother,” he started to say something but I cut him off.

“What happens in Oz, stays in Oz.” I kissed him on the cheek and Jiff shook his hand. It was about eleven 
P.M.
when we got into the taxi. I said to Jiff, “Well, on our first date you got shot, and on our second date we got kidnapped. I can’t wait to see what we do on our third date.” Jiff sat there smiling at me from ear to ear. “This is a terrible start. Why are you smiling?” I asked him.

“We’re dating, you just said it. I’d like to show the most incredible woman I’ve ever met my appreciation for what you did for me and Isabella. Let me take you to dinner wherever you want. Pick your favorite place or anyplace you want to go. Name it.” Jiff said taking my hand.

“Well in that case, I want to go to College Inn. It’s where you offered to take me on our first official date. We can sit outside like we planned with Isabella. I might even bring Meaux.”

“It’s a date. I’ll pick you up tomorrow evening at seven 
P.M.
I need to go home and get some rest.” he said.

“Me too.” I said just as the taxi stopped in front of my parents’ house. I gave Isabella a kiss on top of her head and she wagged her short little tail and gave me a doggy smile. Only God knows what was waiting inside with my parents so I diplomatically suggested he wait to meet them when he came to pick me up for our dinner date. Mom and Dad were about to hear enough surprises with the station wagon stolen, the kidnapping and the rescue. I thought the new boyfriend needed to be on tomorrow’s agenda.

He got out the cab, walked to my side and opened the door for me. He saw me to my front door, and kissed me goodnight. The second kiss did not disappoint. I don’t know how long we stood there but like the first kiss, everything stopped, my leg bent at the knee like in a romantic movie scene. He put his hand behind my head and whispered in my ear, “Until tomorrow.” Fireworks were going off in my head. He waited until I walked into my house and closed the door before getting into the taxi to leave. Julia said his dad was a gentleman. It seems the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

I closed the front door and leaned on it. I finally had a moment to myself and my roller coaster emotions. One second I had butterflies in my stomach and the next it was in knots thinking of Dante and everything that had transpired over the last forty-eight hours. My face felt hot. One second I felt furious at Dante for keeping things from me, and in the next, I was almost relieved. The information about him had me angry, hurt, and sympathetic all at once. Everything was spinning around, in and out of focus. Why didn’t he trust me enough to tell me, why did he lead me to think we were in a committed relationship? I second guessed myself. Did I miss some obvious signals? Should I have picked up on the fact that he was so non-committal? It did explain a few things, like why we didn’t move forward in our relationship, like why we had not set a wedding date, why we always seemed more like brother and sister, why he was protective of me but not emotionally available to me. I could see why he didn’t want anyone to know—being on the police force, growing up in our male-dominated neighborhood, having five brothers. That made me wonder if one of his brothers knew and was keeping his secret from me too. I was sure if he came out to his family, they would understand—or not. What was I thinking? No way, who was I kidding? All I kept coming back to was how in the world did he keep his secret in this city? Everybody knows someone everybody else knows. This was a keg of dynamite with a fuse, and someone like Julia had a match.