Devilish Details Read Free Page A

Lilly said. Her tone and attitude
were less salty. She dipped and swayed her hips to the music as she
pranced out.
    “And why are you in here instead of getting
guys to spend money on drinks and food?” Jazz snapped at Tyretta
once Lilly exited.
    “I came in here to save her silly ass from a
whippin’, and you from getting arrested,” Tyretta replied
and pointed a forefinger at Jazz.
    “Humph. I think you just delayed what is
eventually going to happen anyway. Lilly is on my nerves every
chance she gets.” Jazz glanced around the dressing room. “And she
better straighten up the mess, too.”
    “Oh c’mon, relax boss lady. She’s not the
only one that junks this room up. What’s got you in such a bad
mood?” Tyretta picked up scarves on the floor and draped them on
hooks attached to the walls as she talked.
    “You mean losing almost three hours of
income, a smaller than usual crowd because of the cops, and being
linked to a murder isn’t a clue?” Jazz shot back.
    Tyretta dropped a hairbrush on the table and
stared wide-eyed at Jazz. “Wait, a murder? Who said anything about
a murder? I thought the cops came around because of loud music and
noise out on the parking lot.”
    “Yeah, they always use some lame-ass excuse
to make trouble. Some lil’ dude got shot up by Kyeisha’s thug
boyfriend. Addison naturally hauls his long, tall self over here to
harass me,” Jazz grumbled. “And, Lilly sure as hell better clean up
before she leaves.”
    “Right, I’ll tell her,” Tyretta replied. She
followed Jazz out, a frown twisting her chocolate brown face.
    Jazz headed down a hallway behind the stage
out front taking the back route to her office on the opposite side
of the club. She turned right at another shorter hallway that ended
in her office. Tyretta followed on her heels asking questions about
the murder.
    “Look, you think I’m CNN or Fox News?” Jazz
retorted over her shoulder. “All I know is some dude is dead and
they looking for Cleavon. That’s all I want to know. Why in the
hell he think Kyeisha is a friend of mine?” She muttered another
curse at the ringing cell phone on her cluttered desk. “Well at
least nobody stole my cell while I was out there.”
    “Detective Addison uses excuses to hang
around ‘cuz he’s sweet on you.” Tyretta took a melodramatic step
back when Jazz spun around and scowled at her. “I’m so scared, but
I gotta tell the truth.”
    “Humph.” Jazz sat down at the desk. She
found the box of cigarillos, pulled one out, and lit up. She
inhaled the sweet smoke and let it out.
    Tyretta had become the closest anyone had
ever come to being Jazz’s best friend. They’d met at a group home
after both had been kicked out of separate foster homes. Despite
appearances, their bickering never amounted to more than their
unique way of communicating. In some ways they were closer than
Jazz was to her older sister, Willa. She thought of her sister
because the caller ID on her phone showed Willa was calling. The
phone played a popular R&B tune again. Jazz grunted and picked
up.
    “Yeah, Willa. The cops must call you when
they come around here, huh? Get out of my business. I’m grown.”
Jazz rolled her eyes to the ceiling. She sucked in more smoke, and
let it trail from her open lips. “Yes, I’m fine. Hell no, I don’t
need bail money. I’m at the club. I’ll talk to you later. I’ll let
you know ‘bout dinner on Sunday. Bye.”
    “She cares about you. That’s something. More
than I can say for my jacked-up family,” Tyretta mumbled.
    “Willa is a control junkie, all right? Not
enough she got them two crumb snatchers to take care of, but she
gotta be in my face asking questions.” Jazz dropped her cell phone
into the pocket of her leather jacket. Then she took it out again
and sent a text to Byron. “See if Lilly is out there workin’ her
butt to make me some money.”
    “I think it’s wonderful that she invites you
over for Sunday dinner.”
    “You