Missing You, Missing Me Ch. 01

The following story is pure fiction. Any resemblance to an actual person, or event, is purely coincidental. Also, this is a follow-up to "Cajun Spice" and does refer back to events from that story, so I strongly suggest reading that story first, if you haven't already. The author retains all rights and privileges to the following story.

*

April sat in her apartment, staring at the answering machine. It had been almost three months since her case in New Orleans and her encounter with the Dupree sisters. She had called Jasmine a couple of times, her first week back, but they were never returned. She waited a few weeks, but had given up when she realized that Jasmine wouldn't be calling.

She'd spent the next month lost in a sea of alcohol, cigarettes and one-night stands. That had worked for her when she'd been in her early twenties, but now, at 31, it was just old. Especially when that little red head she had picked up at the bar, stormed out of her apartment, madder than a wet hen. In the throes of passion, April had screamed out Jasmine's name, and the woman she was with at the time, took offense.

The last few weeks she'd just buried herself with cases. It had always worked for her before, but every once in a while, the image of a beautiful red head with cream-colored skin still popped into her mind.

She'd just gotten home a few minutes ago from a business trip to New York. As always, one of the first things she had done was play back her messages. The sound of John Dupree on her answering machine had stopped her cold.

Apparently, things hadn't been going well between the three Dupree's the last few months. Jade had taken off. John didn't think anything of it at first, sure that Jade would check in with him, eventually. But three weeks had passed without a word, and now he was truly worried. He was calling April because he wanted to hire the P.I. to find his missing niece.

April had received a handful of e-mails from Jade over the last few months. She almost hadn't answered the first one, but she sensed that Jade really needed to talk to someone, so she had written her back. They had talked things out and settled any unresolved issues between them. Jade's last few letters were nothing more than her needing a friend to give her advise, hear her out. April answered every one of them. Part of it was guilt over the way she had screwed everything up between Jade and Jasmine. The other part was that, through their e-mails, she and Jade had become friends, comfortable in discussing almost anything with each other.

Now Jade was in the wind. She hadn't mentioned, in her last e-mail, that she was intending to leave town. April was concerned, but not sure if she should take this case. Maybe it would be better if she just called John back and recommended another P.I. to him. Then again, she knew Jade, knew how her mind worked. She'd have a better chance at finding her than some stranger. But returning to New Orleans meant being face-to-face with Jasmine again. She didn't know if she could handle that, handle being that close to the woman she had fallen in love with, knowing Jasmine hated her guts.

April spent almost an hour, staring at the machine, going through the pros and cons in her mind. With a sigh, she picked up the phone and returned John's call. Maybe she'd have time to hit the laundry mat before she headed to the airport.

##

April sat in a chair opposite John Dupree while he filled her in on the events of the last few months. John blamed himself for Jade's embezzlement of company funds. She'd done it in an attempt to draw attention to herself, and to show him that Jasmine wasn't perfect. Due to his feelings of guilt, John hadn't fired Jade. Instead, he hushed up the entire incident and encouraged Jade to stay, hoping that, by her staying, they would eventually work out their family problems.

But Jade didn't seem to want to talk to him, and any conversations between her and Jasmine always ended in a full-blown screaming match. Three weeks ago, John had come to work to find Jade's letter of resignation sitting on his desk. A quick call to Jasmine, at the house the sisters shared, revealed that Jade's room was bare of any clothes, or any other personal belongings. So, John had decided to wait it out, thinking that Jade would eventually call to tell him she was ok, but no such call ever came. Neither he, nor Jasmine, had heard a word from Jade in almost a month. He now feared the worst.

April did her best to reassure John. She figured Jade had begun to feel uncomfortable around her family. Ashamed of what she had done, feeling unable to patch things up with her sister and uncle, Jade had probably decided to relocate, start over somewhere new.

April told John not to worry, that she'd find Jade and, if she couldn't convince her to come home, at least call John and let him know she was ok. April headed for the door, planning to set up shop in the little apartment above Mama's bar in the Quarter. She'd already called, and Mama had assured her that the apartment was, indeed, available if she wanted it. Well, at least one person had seemed happy that she was back, two if she counted John. She'd yet to see Jasmine, who was conspicuously absent from today's meeting.

##

It was now early evening, and April sat on the couch in her temporary apartment. Her laptop sat on the coffee table beside her, humming away as it busily worked on the searches she had set up. While the computer did its thing, April cleaned and inspected the gun she had just picked up. Just then, she heard a soft knock at her door. Getting up to answer it, she rounded the corner, and came to a dead halt. There, on the other side of the screen door, stood Jasmine Dupree, looking slightly irratated, but breath taking just the same.

Shaking off the shock, April quickly let her in, inviting her to sit with her on the couch. Instead, Jasmine took the high back chair that stood near the end of the couch, facing the coffee table. April sat back down, wiping her damp palms on her jeans before she went back to cleaning the Glock.

Jasmine just sat there, frowning at the table. April had a thousand things she wanted to say, buzzing around in her mind, but she thought it better to let Jasmine start the conversation. She wasn't entirely sure why Jasmine was here.

Finally, Jasmine spoke. "You're looking for Jade," the comment was more a statement than a question.

"Yes. Any idea where she might have headed off to?"

"No." Jasmine continued to stare at the gun. "Still insisting on carrying an illegal weapon, I see."

April just reached for her wallet, pulled out the permit and tossed it on the end of the table, directly in front of Jasmine. Jasmine glanced between April and the paper lying in front of her, then she picked it up and began to read.

"You've already got a permit? When did this happen?"

April didn't answer her right away. She was debating whether to play along, or just get it all out. Deciding to go for it, she stopped in the middle of cleaning and turned her head to give Jasmine her full attention.

"I picked up all the paper work I'd need before I left. Then I just submitted everything from home. Besides the permit to carry, I have my P.I. license for the state of Louisiana."

Jasmine stared at her, her mouth hanging open in shock. "Why?"

"Because, at the time, I thought I'd be moving down here, eventually." April didn't bother to elaborate, thinking it better that Jasmine make the effort to ask, if she cared to.

"You assumed quite a bit."

"Well, there was this one night were I thought I had heard you tell your sister that you were in love with me. Judging from the way things turned out, it must have been my imagination."

"You're the one who left, cher."

April watched Jasmine's eyes spark with anger, her hands clenching the arms of the chair. "Now we're getting somewhere," April thought. She carefully laid the gun and cleaning tools back on the table, choosing her next words very carefully.

"Jasmine, I left because I thought you and your sister needed time to talk, to work things out. I had become another wedge between the two of you. I thought that, if I stayed, I'd just gum up the works."

Jasmine listened to April, feeling angry, hurt, abandoned, and something else. God help her! As mad as she was that April had taken off without a word, she still wanted her. When April had answered her door a few minutes ago, her heart had leaped in her chest. She didn't want to still care about April, and knowing she did just spiked her temper.

"Please! Admit it, April. You knew your chances of getting laid by either one of us was slim to none, so you packed up and ran home."

April understood Jasmine was angry, but she felt her temper kick in, just the same, at Jasmine's biting comments.

"That's bullshit and you know it," April snapped out. Hearing her own voice, she took a deep breath. This might be her last chance with Jasmine, and she didn't want to waste it because she couldn't control her temper. Feeling calmer, she tried again.

"If what happened between us was just you and I getting laid, then why are you so angry?"

April's matter-of-fact tone was really infuriating. Jasmine felt her tempter snap, her next words pouring out in an angry rant.

"Because I wasn't just getting laid. Apparently, you were. My life fell apart and you bailed, so forgive me for not buying that crap about you being in love."

"Ah, there it is," April thought. It was past due, though, that she set Jasmine straight. She got up and advanced on Jasmine. Leaning over the chair, her face in Jasmine's, she struggled to keep herself in check.

"I told you why I left Jasmine. I called you twice, that first week after I left, to explain to you why. You choose not to return my calls. If you were so in love with me, why didn't you at least call back to get an explanation?"

April watched Jasmine's mouth open and knew there was some smart comment coming. Deciding she didn't want to hear it, she pushed on, interrupting Jasmine before the fiery beauty could get started.

"I am in love with you, Jasmine. I spent months trying to forget you, only to find I can't. I'm back because I care about you and your family. I won't feel any better than your uncle does right now, until I can see, with my own eyes, that Jade is safe and sound. And I'm not leaving New Orleans until you and I clear things up. In fact, I might not leave at all."

Right at that moment, Jasmine knew that if April kissed her, touched her in any way, she'd give herself over without a minute's hesitation. That knowledge scared the hell out of her. But hearing April's words, feeling this spark of happiness at her declaration that she wasn't leaving, after the hell she went through when she had found out April had left, ignited her temper. She pushed out of the chair, shoving April out of her way as she went, and stormed out the door, letting the screen door slam shut behind her.

April walked out onto the balcony to watch Jasmine storm down the alley. She wanted to stop her, but decided Jasmine needed time to think, to let her threat about not leaving town, sink in. She watched as Jasmine jumped into her classic, Ford Mustang convertible, and peel out of the parking spot, filling the air with the smell of burnt rubber. April couldn't help but smile. Jasmine had one hell of a temper, and she wasn't one to back down. That was one of the things that April admired and respected about Jasmine. She was also discovering that it was one hell of a turn on.

##

It had taken April almost two days of computer searches and phone calls, but she had finally traced Jade's last few movements. Jade had rented a car, the same day John had found her resignation letter on his desk, and withdrawn about $5,000 from her bank account. The last time she had used either her bankcard, or any of her credit cards, was to pay for gas, latter that same day, at a station on the edge of Baton Rouge. Figuring that was as good a place to start as any, April climbed into her rented sedan and headed out. She had her Glock locked in the glove box and a picture of Jade tucked in her pocket.

##

April had now been in Baton Rouge for almost three full days. At night, she hit all the gay bars, showing Jade's picture around. The problem was, Baton Rouge was a big city, the state capital, and there were a lot more clubs than she had originally figured on. She had called Mason, the boy wonder of computers, and had asked him to keep an eye on Jade's credit cards and bank activity. There was nothing so far.

She also checked in with John periodically, keeping him posted, and hoping that maybe Jade had called him. Nothing there either, so far. The one person she hadn't talked to, since leaving New Orleans, was Jasmine. April was being very careful to keep her cell phone charged, for obvious reasons.

Tonight was her third night, maybe her fourth, of club hopping. She'd yet to find anyone who recognized Jade's picture, but she had gotten a few offers. Aaaah, at least she had hope in case Jasmine never talked to her again.

Checking the map on her laptop, she pulled up in front of a club called The Litter Box. It was well after ten and this was the fifth club tonight. She locked her car and headed in. Buying herself a drink at the bar, she pulled out Jade's picture and made the rounds. She was almost back at the front door, having worked her way around the club, when a blonde commented that the girl in the picture looked a lot like a bartender she had seen the other night. April slipped the girl a twenty and quickly got a few more details.

It turned out that there was a private club near downtown that catered to lesbians only, and was very elite. You had to be a member, or with a member, to get in. The blonde had been there two nights ago, with a date, and swore that one of the bartenders was a dead ringer for the picture that April was showing her. Getting directions, April sprinted out of the club, found her car, and headed over.

Ten minutes later, she was parked across the street from a small, one floor, gray brick building. There was no sign anywhere, just a steel front door, with a carpet and awning that formed a path from the door to the curb. She didn't even see signs of a bouncer. It was close to midnight, and April noticed that there wasn't a whole lot of traffic, street, or pedestrian. She drove around the block a few times, getting a feel for the layout. She still hadn't seen anyone around.

Finally, she eased the car down the alley that ran behind the club. She saw one steel door at the back, a single light mounted right above the door. There was a little parking lot with just a few cars parked there, again, no sign of another living soul. Thinking it was probably the employee entrance, April parked her car a little farther down the alley, out of sight of the building, and walked back.

She came to the end of the fence, where the parking lot started, and stood there for a few minutes, smoking a cigarette. Looking around, she didn't see anyone, and decided it was safe to try the back door. She crossed the lot to the door, walking briskly, her eyes scanning the surrounding area the whole time. The door was locked so, satisfied that no one else was around, she slipped a small leather case out of her back pocket. Choosing a pick, she began working the lock on the door.

Seconds later, she heard a voice and, jumping back while she slid the door pick back into her pocket, saw a woman sashay around the corner of the building.

"You know, sugar, if you want in that badly, I might be persuaded to help you out." As the woman walked closer, April got a better look at who had just issued the provocative invitation. She wasn't more than 5' 4", tops. Very slim and lanky, the woman had long blonde hair, the roots starting to show. She looked barley legal, having the fresh face of a kid just out of high school, but she was dressed to impress, or at least increase a person's heart rate. She was wearing fish net stockings, black shoes with at least a two-inch heel, skin tight, black leather skirt and a halter top, with a nametag that read 'Kayla'.

"And you could get me in?" April's tone was one of great skepticism. She watched as it had the right effect. The girl got a defensive look on her face; acting like April had just thrown down a dare.

"Yeah, I can get you in. I'm allowed guests, you know."

"Even when you're working?"

"Yeah. I can let a friend in once in a while."

"Ok. So, you gonna let me in?"

"Well, sugar, you're not a friend yet." Kayla gave April the once over, a little gleam in her eye. April chocked back a laugh. Kayla was trying so hard to sound like a street tuff, but it just wasn't working for her.

Trying to keep from busting out laughing, April took a gulp of air, deciding to try another tact. She fished Jade's picture out of her pocket and held it up for Kayla to see.

"Know her?"

Kayla's eyes widen in surprise. "Yeah, that's Lee Anne. You a friend of hers?"

Lee Anne? Had Jade changed her name? Wheels turning, April forgot Kayla was there for a minute. Then she felt a finger slide down her arm, and she jerked back to reality, finding Kayla almost plastered to her side.

"Does Lee Anne have a last name?" April held a folded up twenty between two fingers and offered it to Kayla. God, she had to find Jade soon, or wire John for more money. The twenty disappeared inside Kayla's halter-top.

"I don't know," Kayla's voice hesitant, "I mean, I don't know if I should tell you. You aren't gonna hurt her, or something, are you?"

April gave Kayla her most comforting look. "No, Kayla, I'm not here to hurt Lee Anne. I'm an old friend and she just kind of disappeared from our hometown. I just want to see her. You know, make sure she's all right. That's all."

Kayla studied her for a few minutes, mulling things over. "I tell you what, I'll let Lee Anne know she's got a friend in town. If she wants to hook up with you, we'll meet you at The Rainbow in an hour. We're both scheduled to go home soon, so we can both meet you. That way, it's public and safe. Ok?"

April didn't think she could completely trust Kayla, but didn't have a lot of other options at the moment. "Ok. Tell her Sam is here to see her." Sam was one of the sisters' friends from home, who they went clubbing with on a regular basis. April and Sam had enough similar features that, if Kayla described her to Jade, she'd probably buy it. Mind you, she and Sam were definitely different looking, but April didn't think Kayla would give much of a description beyond dark hair and dark eyes. Close enough for government work.

Kayla nodded and went inside. April already knew where The Rainbow was, having hit it last night on her rounds, and headed for her car.

##

Same as last night, The Rainbow was packed. April found a pillar to lean against and hoped a table would open up soon. Twenty minutes later, two love birds slid out of a nearby booth, obviously going home to consummate their drunken vows of forever after. April jumped in, just beating out a small group of women.

"Friends on the way," April muttered to the group, explaining why she, only one person, was going to be mean and take the booth from them. Thankfully, the women didn't argue and just slipped back into the crowd.

Trish had been watching the stranger ever since she came in. She recognized the woman as the one flashing a picture around last night, but that wasn't what was bothering her. Even when she talked to her last night, the woman seemed familiar, but she just couldn't put her finger on it. She just hoped that the woman wasn't going to be trouble. She owned this bar, and wasn't in the mood tonight to have a hassle on her hands.

Trish was a formidable woman. She stood almost 5' 10". Her grandmother had been part American Indian, and Trish had inherited her exotic looks. Her raven black hair hung long and straight, almost to her waist. She had dark brown eyes and her skin was a beautiful, deep bronze. Trish kept herself in shape too. Mainly because she often found herself playing bouncer, on the rare occasions someone got out of hand. She was no push over.