Hunter looked up at Stacy and while his words were curt, his lips were curled up in a smirk. Three days after Randy's attack, the police still didn't have many leads. They had spoken with Regal, who had an alibi. There were at least four nurses who stood by him, saying that he hadn't left the hospital at all that night. All of their known enemies and competition had airtight alibis. The only one who seemed possible was Bret Hart, but he logged on and shown on camera at a nearby cyber café.
Stacy had finally gotten the chance to report her interaction with Hart, and Benoit was none too happy that she had left it for so long. She had only told him after their other leads met dead ends. She was the kind of person who wanted to think the best of people, and while Bret Hart wasn't exactly friendly, he just hadn't come off as the attempted murderer type. When he was cleared, she was more than a little relieved. She would have hated to have been somehow an accomplice because she hadn't said something sooner.
Of course, the others weren't exactly believing that Hart was as innocent as the police. They thought he could have at least been behind it. Maybe he hired someone to do it. In the time that he worked for Flair, he had come into contact with quite a few unsavory types, and he could have had any of them put a hit out on Randy. Just to be sure, Hunter had put some security people on him. They kept tabs on Hart, and if he did anything else suspicious, then he was in for some trouble.
In the meantime, though, there were still businesses to be run. Branches of Club Evolution were being opened in New York, Los Angeles, Detroit and Dallas. A restaurant endeavor was starting in Paris. They were even considering buying a sports team, if they could just decide if they wanted to be involved with the NFL or the NBA. They didn't have the freedom to shut down everything until Randy's attacker was caught.
"Stacy, I'm serious." He looked up as she lifted one of her long legs and rested her heel against the bars of the cage. Hunter was quick to close his eyes. Stacy wasn't his type. She was too sweet and pure, and he preferred his women to be one of two things... smartass or easy. Stacy was neither, though she did occasionally come close to smartass. That was the Flair in her. However, he couldn't deny she was sexy and watching her limber movements put thoughts in his mind that would send his business partner straight into a coronary. "Get out of the cage, now, Stacy."
She sighed and put her leg down slowly. She knew she wasn't a professional dancer, at least not the type for the cage. Her father had gotten her ballet and tap lessons when she was younger, but that was as far as her dancing talents went. She didn't even want to do it really, not full-time like Trish and the others did. She took her occasional turns in the cage to relieve stress, and with what was going on lately, she definitely needed to get rid of some stress.
"Dad won't know if you don't tell him," she said, kneeling down so that she was face-to-face with him.
He grunted. "Uh huh. And what happens when he goes up to that glass office and looks down? He'll see you in the cage. I'm not in the mood to argue with him. I said you could get in the cage when he wasn't around or when he was occupied. He won't be occupied for too much longer, so out of the cage."
Stacy pouted and sighed, letting her body slump forward. "Fine," she said, standing back up. "I wasn't exactly dressed to spend all night in here, anyway." She wore a blue denim one-piece that ended at the top of her thighs in shorts. Hunter had been well aware that when she rose her leg, she showed a lot more than Ric would have been happy about.
Stacy opened the cage door and Hunter sighed with relief. "Thank you. We've got enough trouble around here without your old man going on a rampage. When you're out, close the door."
"Nobody's coming in?" She sat on the bottom of the cage with her feet dangling down.
"Trish is still out with Randy. It's Dawn Marie's night off, but she's on her way in. She'll take the cage for the night, and you won't be in anyone else's cage. Got me?"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." She rolled her eyes and let her feet swing. "Can I at least just sit here 'til Dawn shows up?"
Hunter was quiet for a minute, then sighed. Stacy had her father's stubborn streak and he knew it. She would have done it anyway. "Fine, but if Ric sees you and asks, tell him it was your idea. I told you to stay the hell away from the cages when we're open for business."
Stacy grinned at him and Hunter turned away. He pushed his way through the club, trying to get his mind off of Stacy and onto business. He'd been so upset since Randy's attack that he'd almost let an over-priced repair bill slip past him. Yes, Hunter liked to spend money, but only on deserving things. As far as undeserving went... he'd already shown what he did to things that were unworthy. The word was out on the street that the chicks who left Randy to the wolf out back were personae non grata at any establishment owned by Evolution Enterprises. Randy didn't remember their names, but Hunter did. He didn't remember faces too often, but names stuck in his head.
As he moved through the crowded dance floor, he felt something bump his arm. He looked up into a wide grin. The guy wore sunglasses, but he knew that he wasn't looking at him. His attention was directed to Stacy as she sat with her legs swinging from the bottom of the cage. She leaned back and stretched, then sat forward again.
"Hey!" The man turned to Hunter and his grin didn't drop. "What the fuck are you staring at?"
"Isn't that what cage girls are for? To stare at?"
"Who the fuck are you, anyway? She's not a fucking cage girl. And... you're one creepy mother, you know that? Get the hell out of my club."
"Oh, come on now." His grin seemed to grow wider and it annoyed Hunter. He wanted to hit him, but there was enough trouble going around. He didn't need an assault charge on top of everything else. "I paid my cover and everything." He lifted his hand and showed Hunter his glass. "Even paid for your overpriced drinks."
"What..." Hunter shook his head. He couldn't believe this guy was actually talking shit to him. Hell yeah the drinks were overpriced. The whole damn club was overpriced, but people still paid for it. "Get the fuck out of my club!" He pulled out his Nextel walkie and said, "Tomko! Across from the cage near Cena's table. Now." He flipped the phone shut and looked at the grinning annoyance before him. He snatched the glass from his hand.
Tyson Tomko came up and stood with his arms folded. The long, shaped beard hanging down from his chin was stiff. Hunter looked up at him and groaned. He was going to have to talk to him about that. The thing was just disgusting.
"Tomko," Hunter said, "get this jackass out of here and make note of his face. He's not allowed back in here. If he comes near the door, kick his ass and toss him in the street."
"Not the way to win friends and influence people, Helmsley."
Hunter had started to walk away, then turned back to the nuisance. "What the fuck did you say? Do I look like I give a damn about winning friends? Especially your type? Get the fuck out of my club and if I see you again, I'll kick your ass myself."
He laughed and Hunter just shook his head. He watched as he was dragged out by Tomko. "What the fuck is wrong with that guy?" he wondered. Nobody was every happy to be put on Club Evolution's blacklist. That guy was definitely strange. Staring like that...
He growled and pulled out his walkie again, calling Tyson Tomko back once he had done his duty. The big man stood in front of him, looking every bit the stereotypical bouncer, right down to his tattoos. "Stand here and keep an eye on her," he said, jerking a thumb back towards Stacy. "When Dawn Marie gets here, Stacy gets the hell out of that cage and you take her directly up to the office. Got me?" Tomko nodded. "Good. Now, do your damn job. I'm tired of fucking weirdos getting into my club." He stormed off, wondering just when the bullshit would stop and the ownership of the club would get back to being fun.