Rescue Me by Farrah Rochon Read Free Book Online

the desk. Alex and Mrs. Overland followed suit.
    “Thank you for coming, Mr. Holmes,” Principal Green said. “I’ll give you a call later this afternoon.”
    “Thanks for letting me know about all of this,” Alex said. “I’m sorry Jasmine has been causing so many problems.”
    “It really isn’t anything we haven’t seen before,” she assured him. “My main concern is finding out what is at the root of her behavior.”
    “That’s what I’d like to know,” Alex said.
    “Don’t worry yourself too much over this, Mr. Holmes.”
    Why did everyone keep telling him that? As if he wouldn’t worry about his daughter turning into a menace. “I just want to make sure Jasmine is okay,” Alex said.
    After all, she was all he had.
    This was not his cup of tea. Not at all.
    Seated on a high stool at the curved bar that occupied the left wall of the Hard Court, Alex studied the social scene before him. Things had changed since the days when he used to go out. Not that he’d ever been big into clubs, but he’d visited a few back in the day. Back then, couples actually danced together. Here, the women danced in groups of five or six while most of the men in the club stood to the side and ogled. A few young bucks were brave enough to step up to the women; the lucky ones actually got to join in on the dancing.
    The Hard Court was the brainchild of Toby’s formercollege basketball teammate Jonathan Campbell. In the six months since its doors first opened, the Hard Court had become one of the most popular nightclubs in New Orleans. Alex had to admit, the place was class with a capital C, and its clientele were the type of people he would probably choose to hang out with—if he ever had the time or the inclination to hang out. Personally, at the end of the day, Alex preferred to wind down on his couch with a banana smoothie and the History Channel.
    Damn.
Secrets of the Egyptian Pyramids
was on to night. He’d forgotten all about it.
    Alex spotted Eli as he entered the club. He caught his brother’s attention and waved him over.
    “What’s up, man?” Eli said, patting Alex on his uninjured shoulder. “You want to go upstairs and get a bite to eat?”
    The Hard Court’s second level sported a full service bistro that had just received top honors in a local restaurant guide, and had added to the club’s astonishing success.
    “Nah, I’m good,” Alex answered. “They’ll bring us an appetizer to the booth down here, right?”
    “That’s if we can get a booth,” Eli said, his eyes roaming over the steadily thickening crowd.
    “Jonathan said we could have the one over there.” Alex pointed to the corner. “He said he’d join us a little later.” He motioned Eli to follow him. “I’ll signal for one of the waitresses to bring some of those breaded cheese sticks I had the last time I was here.”
    “That sounds good,” Eli said. “And I think the correct term is hostess, not waitress.”
    The twelve booths that rimmed the interior wall of the Hard Court’s bottom floor were partially curtained, allowing occupants a mea sure of privacy, yet still a view of the dance floor and raised stage where they could take in performances by some of New Orleans’s hottest acts. A hostess came up to their booth less than a minute after they had taken their seats.
    “Hi there, Eli,” she said.
    “Tamika, how’s it going?” Eli scooted from the booth and stood, giving the hostess a hug and a peck on the cheek.
    “Where’s Monica?”
    “Work. I dragged my brother here to night instead.”
    “Oh, this is your brother?” The woman’s eyes glistened with instant interest, and Alex’s guard went on full alert. “I’d heard there were three of you.” She smiled.
    “This is Alex,” Eli introduced him. “He’s the oldest.”
    “Hi.”
    “Hello.” Alex nodded. “We want some of those cheese sticks. They still serve those?”
    “The breaded mozzarella sticks? We sure do.” She inclined her head, still