Flowers of Tartarus

By Michele Leech

When her client is found dead of an overdose of a new and dangerous drug, PI Lily Nehme tracks the drug back to Tartarus, a popular nightclub run by Sebastian Galani. Under the guise of their new bartender, Lily infiltrates the club to find the dealer responsible. But as she spends time with the employees of Tartarus, Lily starts to fall for their lifestyle...and the reclusive owner. Her mission becomes secondary as she finds that there's more to Sebastian than meets the eye—and that he just might be the dealer she's looking for.

• Language: Unknown
• Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
• Release date: Jun 17, 2024
• ISBN: 9781509255030

Michele Leech

Michele Leech is a teacher by day and a writer by night. She recently received a degree in library sciences, which just allowed her to find more books to read. When she's not wrangling her daughter, or watching movies with her husband, she enjoys reading, playing video games, and daydreaming about her next book.

Book preview

Chapter 1

This wasn’t how she wanted to find him.

Lily Nehme cracked her knuckles beneath her arms conveniently crossed to hide the faint popping sound. No one in the chattering crowd paid her any mind. They were too distracted by the body on the ground that only recently had been covered with a tarp.

But Lily had seen the tattoo on his arm, the easily identifiable marking she’d studied.

The yellow police tape kept the masses back, but as she nudged her way to the front, her elbows brushed the resilient plastic. Now she stood near the coroner’s van, half hidden behind the door and eavesdropping.

…guess seems to be an overdose, one of the ME’s people said.

Another one? A heavy sigh echoed against the walls of the van, loud enough for Lily to hear clearly. We’ve gotta find this dealer. Whatever they’re spreading is laced with something nasty.

I thought Jersey was the one with the fucked-up shit, a third voice said.

Welcome to the SPD, the first said. The origin of fucked up.

A clearing of a throat ended the conversation, and an authoritative voice spoke up. Clear this place out and get the body back to the morgue. As there are no statements to take, start knocking on doors.

Captain—

Now, Officer Hughes.

A strong looking, tall man with broad shoulders and a week of scruff stepped out from behind the truck. He wore the blue uniform and angry scowl of an officer on door duty. His sullen grey eyes searched the crowd; Lily slipped back into the masses to avoid his gaze. If he spotted her, that would be the end of her day.

Besides, she couldn’t do anything more here.

Stepping away from the crowd, Lily pulled her phone out from her purse and typed a quick text.

—You gotta give me something.—

The response came at once.

—Not again. You promised last time would be the LAST.—

—He’s dead. Give me something.—

She could almost hear the sigh before the next text came. Not a message, but a picture.

A stamp of some kind in glow-in-the-dark ink showed on the victim’s wrist. An ornate T between two lines with a small triangle above it, and two wavy lines below.

A club stamp, she recognized. Recent enough to have been the last place he’d been seen alive. She’d seen the symbol before but couldn’t place the venue.

A second image flashed on the phone screen. This one showed a small plastic bag marked with a bisected O and filled with a hint of blue powder. Must have been what he overdosed on.

—Thanks— she sent.

—Don’t mention it. Seriously. Not ever.—

Lily put the phone back into her purse, tugging the leather strap over her shoulder before stepping onto the sidewalk. As she walked, she took a moment to breathe deeply before she pulled out the phone and sent out another message.

—I have information. Meet me at my place at 7.—

There was no response, but she didn’t think there would be.

The sidewalks grew more and more empty; trash piles heaped higher the further she walked into the former glory part of Southton, New York. After living here for two years, she could nearly pinpoint the street where the financial section ended, and the dangerous section began. Once a thriving factory district, the companies moved out as costs rose, leaving empty warehouses in their wake. With so many empty spaces and hiding spots, the area became a hotbed of criminal activity. Most people avoided it once the gangs and criminal kingpins assumed the control the police had relinquished. It was also where Lily lived and worked.

She used a key to unlock a rusty door into an alleyway. The front door hung open, but she preferred sneaking in the back and getting ready before meeting with her students. She hung her coat up in a locker and pulled out her gym bag. The dress and tights were replaced with a tank top and leggings, the heels by worn sneakers. Her flowing brown locks were pulled back into a tight bun at the base of her neck. She yanked on a pair of gloves over her manicured nails and stepped out onto the mat of Jed’s Gym. She grinned on seeing several of her students ready to go.

Let’s get started, Lily said.

****

No, but I’m seriously seeing a real difference, Reva Hall said, her dark eyes dancing along with the smile on her russet-colored face.

Lily grinned, pulling on her heels again. Good.

I’m not, said the third girl in the room, her light brown hair tumbling over her shoulders as she flipped the ends out from her collar. I don’t think I’ll ever get the hang of this stuff.

You will, El, Lily said. You’ve got good instincts; you just have to trust them.

Instincts aren’t exactly my specialty, she retorted, zipping up her bag.

Reva stood, buttoning her jeans and slipping her feet back into her boots. You couldn’t land a punch to save your life when we started. Now, not only do you hit, but you hurt. You’re getting it.

Maybe. Eliza smiled. So, what’s the plan now?

I’ve got a meeting, Lily answered, combing her hair into place with her fingers.

Did you find him? Reva asked, falling into step as the three of them left the gym.

She nodded, her mouth a thin line—a familiar expression to the others.

I’m sorry, Eliza said quietly. Do they know what killed him?

They’re saying it’s an overdose, but weird. It’s laced with something.

Reva’s eyes narrowed. That’s been going around. Police have been trying to track this dealer down for months. Drug-related deaths have spiked 26% since this shit hit the streets.

And how would you know that? Eliza asked, leaning past to glare at her.

She grinned, unrepentant. I have my sources.

Yeah and tell your source thanks for me. He sent me a couple of pictures. Speaking of— She reached into her purse and pulled out her phone. —do either of you recognize this club stamp?

Eliza shook her head, but Reva hissed out a breath. That’s Tartarus. The club off Brookfield. Super classy, super nice. I tried to get you to go there last month.

Want to go tonight? Lily asked.

Reva stuck her tongue out at her. Of course, you would. I have dinner tonight with Jason, and we’re not rescheduling again.

How about you, El?

Sure. I could use a little music. Eliza’s smile faded somewhat, But Lily…if he’s already dead—

Then my job is just prolonged. I found him, but now I need to know why he died. And if this drug is as bad as they say, it’s just going to keep becoming a problem.

And of course, how dare we expect the police to handle it, Reva said, cutting her eyes at Lily.

Ignoring that, Lily paused at Reva’s bus stop, her arms crossed over her chest. With idiots like Doyle Hughes on the case, I doubt it’ll be investigated properly.

Reva shrugged. That’s fair. Alright, you ladies have fun and be careful.

Always, Eliza said, at the same time Lily said, Never.

Seriously. Tartarus may be the shit for adult entertainment, but everyone who works there has a criminal history. Arson, robbery, identity theft, hacking, or something, she said with a choppy wave of her hand. Plus, the place is run by Sebastian Galani.

Who? The name sounded familiar to Lily, but only vaguely so.

Sebastian Galani. When the two just stared at her with blank expressions, Reva sighed. "Oh my god, get a police scanner already. He’s a Galani," Reva emphasized. One of the leading crime families. His brother, Daniel, is bad news, but Sebastian seems to be avoiding the family business. The cops think Tartarus is a front, so they’re always staking the place out, but he’s never been convicted of anything.

Criminal ties, body with the club’s mark on it? All that confirmed Lily’s need to go there as soon as possible. Maybe Galani was the dealer she sought.

Reva eyed Lily carefully. Try not to be all PI-Lily tonight and cut loose a little. And I expect you to go to Tartarus with me sometime soon. She pointed her finger at the two of them, obviously meaning business.

Eliza crossed her heart. Promise.

Good. Get home safely. Call me if you find anything else on the drugs, Reva ordered just as her bus arrived. She waved at them as she boarded. Lily and Eliza set off.

Lily nodded but knew that Reva would be bugging Jason Ortega for information tonight. How a nerdy evidence technician had landed a cutthroat journalist used to be a mystery until Lily got to know young Jason. His good heart and honest face had gone a long way to rid Lily of her cynicism regarding Southton cops, Detective Doyle Hughes being a glaring exception. Reva and Jason were recently engaged and living together, making it possible for Lily to transform Reva’s old room into a sort of office for her PI business.

They reached their building, sidestepping Lloyd, the homeless man who’d set up camp on the corner, and used Eliza’s key to get in, bypassing the ancient and shoddy buzzer system. Three flights of stairs and two locks later, they reached their apartment.

The simplicity of the apartment had been the main draw—the door opened into a small living room featuring eclectic but comfortable furniture, with the master suite on the left, where Eliza stayed, and two rooms on the right, separated by the bathroom. Behind the living room sat the kitchen, against the windows with a high counter and several barstools. Lily immediately went into the smallest of the three rooms where a dark wood desk, bookended by two filing cabinets held her case files.

Eliza started the water for tea, made a cup, and disappeared into her room. The two of them, though they loved Reva, worked better living together. Reva was an extrovert, while Lily and Eliza were two introverts, though in very different ways. With a wave, Eliza shut her door behind her, locking out everything but her tea and her books.

Lily put her purse in her desk drawer, opening the case file she’d put together on Marcus Rivera. Twenty-three and missing for three months, he’d finished technical school to be an electrician, and shortly after graduation dropped off the face of the earth. Michaela Rivera, Lily’s client, had said that a fight with their father at his graduation party sent Marcus out into the street. When she didn’t hear from her brother for a few weeks, she called Lily for help.

Well, she’d found him. A bittersweet pill to swallow.

When a buzz went through the room, she went to the intercom box next to the door. Hello?

It’s Michaela. Can you buzz me in?

Lily pressed the button. Come on up.

Just a few minutes later, a knock gently echoed from the front. She checked the peephole and recognized Michaela at the door. Undoing the chain, Lily let her in, showing her to the office.

So, you found him? Michaela asked, leaning forward and wringing her hands together.

Lily shut the door and took her seat. I did, but it’s not good news.

Michaela’s eyes started to swim, but she didn’t let the tears fall. He’s dead, then.

Lily nodded, though it hadn’t been a question. They found his body today.

Michaela swallowed hard. What happened?

Drugs.

Marcus didn’t do the hard stuff, Michaela argued. Nothing that would get him hurt.

Lily showed her the picture of the drug packet, making sure not to show any of the images of Marcus’s body. Do you recognize this?

No. What is it?

I don’t know, yet. But I’m going to find out. She put her phone away. You can identify him down at the morgue.

Michaela nodded, the tears finally starting to fall. You…I owe you your money.

My job isn’t done yet, she reminded her gently as she stood to get the box of tissues on the file cabinet. You just deal with the arrangements. I’ll deal with everything else. I’ll call you when it’s over.

Lily— Michaela’s voice shook and trembled in a way that Lily knew all too well.

So many of the folders in the filing cabinets ended the same way. She found people, but they stayed lost all the same. Death or drugs or disappearances that no one would pay attention to. She couldn’t fix everything, but she could at least make sure that no one else was lost in the same way Marcus was. She could take care of one drug. One dealer.

The job’s not done.

****

This is the damage-your-hearing-permanently kind of loud.

Lily glanced at Eliza and smirked. Though Eliza certainly looked the part in her silver heels and green sheath dress, the doctor part of her never rested; she was always looking out for them, making sure they drank water between every alcoholic beverage, making sure they wore earplugs to concerts and wore jackets over club dresses. A quality both endearing and annoying in equal measures.

Though not an actual partner in her PI business, Eliza was Lily’s closest friend and a great ear to bounce ideas off of. She advised when she could and helped decipher some of the information Lily gleaned from photos or documents. She’d honestly make a great PI, but her first love would always be to the general medicine clinic.

I find drinking helps muffle the noise, Lily said.

Then the first round’s on me, Eliza said. I’ll be right back.

Tartarus was a massive building that Lily had seen a few times, though she had never stopped to take a real look. The imposing front featured massive wrought iron gates that reached up the entire front of the facade. Fake pillars supported the entrance’s roof. Every person who passed through the gates looked up as the ceiling opened up into a huge, round room with stairs leading down a flight to a circular bar in the center. The polished black tile floors reflected and refracted the lights from the DJ’s table and ceiling, bouncing them back. Silver and red chrome couches and tables lined the round hall, but the dance floor dominated the space.

Lily’s favorite part, though, was the ceiling. Lights dotted the roof, glittering silver and white, sparking far above everyone’s heads, constant above the lights and music, and haze of sweat and singing and alcohol. She stared up, discerning a faint catwalk along the edge of the stars, and a figure standing there.

She stared a little harder, finding that the man at the top leaned against the railing, looking down over the club. Despite the optical illusion, he really wasn’t that far above her, and as Lily continued to watch him, he seemed to be scanning the club himself. He was too far up to see her gaze, but she felt his eyes pass over her. Lily kept her focus on him until he tipped the glass back, then disappeared through some hidden door above.

Okay, Eliza said upon her return, precariously balancing two drinks in her hand. That bartender is terrible. I have no idea what I have, only that it cost a lot and the pours are terrible, so enjoy.

Lily clinked her glass against Eliza’s, finding that at least the couch was comfortable, and the music amazing, even if the drinks were barely palatable. She watched the DJ for a while, the girl’s half-braided and half-curled locks a seriously awesome look with a punk vibe. The music she blasted through the amps was popular and easy to dance to. The bass was a little heavier than in the originals but fitting the mood of the club.

The two women spent some time weighing the pros and cons of Tartarus during the calmer sets. The music was amazing, the ambiance unique, and the place clean, but the drinks…

There’s no hope for it, Eliza argued. Bad drinks ruin everything and we can’t dance if we can’t drink!

Says you. Lily dragged her onto the dance floor.

Though the drinks weren’t great, they got Eliza loosened up enough to dance. As they tore up the parquet tiled floor, Lily’s aggression melting away with each thump of the bass and swirl of her hips. Dancing was always a fantastic release, second only to—

Bathroom! Eliza called.

Lily followed her to the side of the club furthest from the doors, stepping to the side as three girls fell giggling out of the door, their eyes dilated and glassy. Lily narrowed her gaze, but the three of them continued on, lost in the writhing bodies on the dance floor. Eliza disappeared behind the door and Lily had to follow her. The bathroom was opulent, much like the rest of the club, and, miraculously, empty.

Eliza went into a stall, closing it behind her. Lily walked in front of the stalls, pushing them open with her finger.

I do love this DJ, though, Eliza said, through the door.

Yeah, she’s great. Lily lifted the lids of the small trash on the inside of each stall. Really reads the crowd. She went into the handicapped stall and lifted the trash lid, seeing three dime bags on top, labeled with a cut-through O. Lily leaned against the wall as Eliza came out of the stall and washed her hands.

Still, don’t know if that’s enough to keep me coming back, Eliza said, drying her hands off.

She felt the plastic of the bag, the same bag that had been on Marcus’s body. Either the dealer frequented here, or someone here knew who he was. Oh, I don’t know. There might be something worth coming back for.

Chapter 2

A medium cappuccino. And a medium green tea!

The barista had to shout over the clamor of the coffee shop on Wednesday. Only the beginning of October and autumn had already hit hard. People wanting to warm themselves with their lunchtime coffees packed the space. Figuring out their routines had taken a while, but Lily had finally found her targets and the perfect opportunity to take them down. After staking out this coffee shop for days, she was getting a little sick of cappuccinos.

Lily went up to the counter, busying herself with switching lids and holders as the two women approached the counter. One was the DJ from Tartarus, her hair still half-braided. Lily had discovered her name was Marley but didn’t have a last name, which was interesting and irritating in equal measures. Marley’s companion was Teegan Ward, a dark-skinned woman with a sarcastic tilt to her brow that Lily liked at once. She wasn’t certain what role Teegan played at Tartarus, but she bet a girl with that look was significant to their operation.

Lily shifted to the side, seeing Teegan grab the wrong cup—because Lily had shifted them as the barista called them out—then turn away.

Excuse me, Lily said, following them to the door and away from other patrons, holding out the other cup. I think you grabbed my order by mistake.

Oh. Teegan stopped, glancing at the cup. My bad. Sorry.

It’s fine, Lily said, smiling as she took her drink. Hey, aren’t you the DJ at Tartarus?

Marley grinned. I am.

Her British accent was smoothed and smothered under a lazy smile, and Lily liked her even more. I love your playlists. Honestly, they’re great.

Thanks. Marley grinned at Teegan. See? Someone thinks I’m great.

With seven and a half billion people in this world, Teegan said, sipping her tea, statistically someone would.

Lily laughed despite herself. But seriously, the music’s the only reason I keep going back.

How’s that? Marley asked, stepping aside to let others pass.

No offense, but your bartender sucks.

Teegan snorted into her cup, turning her face away to wipe her face. Marley, on the other hand, laughed loudly. No shit, she announced. We had a good one, but she moved away with her new boyfriend. Ellis has been covering.

Ellis is many things, Teegan said carefully. Bartender is not one of them.

Lily smiled. Look, this may be weird, but…I used to bartend at Diamond, in New York. I’m looking for a job now, and I love your club. Don’t suppose you’re looking for a replacement, are you?

Marley glanced at Teegan, who focused a measuring gaze on Lily. What was your name again?

Lily Nehme.

I’m Teegan Ward. The manager—kind of. She looked down over Lily’s long-sleeved floral dress, the black leggings, and heeled boots. Lily saw the judgment, especially considering Tartarus’s dark and ethereal vibe. How long did you work for Diamond?

Three years. I can give you my manager’s number if you want a reference.

Teegan shrugged. That’s okay. You don’t exactly fit the look, but…sure. Why not? We need a bartender. You free today?

I’m good this afternoon, but I’m not exactly prepared for a full shift.

Teegan nodded, appearing unsurprised that someone wouldn’t be prepared for a night shift on such short notice. That’s fine. Why don’t you come by ‘round four? We’ll run you through the paces. If you’re a good fit, I’ll have you sign the paperwork today, and we’ll start you later this week.

Beside Teegan, Marley grinned and Lily’s answering smile wasn’t faked in the slightest. Sounds great, she said. Do you want my number so you can text me any other details?

Teegan nodded, handing her drink to Marley to get her phone out. She typed in Lily’s number and sent a quick text with her name, before texting Tartarus’s address and the time they agreed on. Go through the alley on the right and come in through the metal door. I’ll make sure it’s unlocked, Teegan said. I look forward to seeing what you can do.

Marley winked at her and waved as the two of them left.

Lily glanced at the text and smiled. Now she just had to get herself a job.

****

Eliza had copped a barstool to enjoy a bowl of spicy chili when Lily stepped into the kitchen. How does this look? she asked and turned on one heel in an unsteady but fairly effective model’s pose.

Eliza swallowed another mouthful before choking out, In what context?

Bartender.

She narrowed her eyes and lowered her