Adverse Events by Leigh Jones

Author:Leigh Jones [Leigh Jones]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Leigh Jones
Published: 2022-07-19T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

Kate dabbed dark pink lipstick across her bottom lip. She stared at herself in the mirror. A tight black tank top hugged her curves and showed just a sliver of skin over the top of her jean skirt. Not the kind of outfit she would normally wear alone to a bar. But Delilah assured her she’d get better information if she looked like someone the men wanted to talk to.

After first giving her some pointers on where to go and how to broach what could be a tricky subject, the senior reporter had announced she was coming along.

“Not because you need a chaperone,” she’d said. “I just can’t stand to miss out on all the fun.”

Kate put on a show of protest, but truthfully, she was glad to have Delilah with her. She’d never been comfortable sauntering into a bar on her own. She’d been to her share of nighttime hotspots with groups, or with dates. But never alone.

A long horn blast blared from somewhere below her window. She rolled her eyes. What was wrong with a text? She grabbed her phone, her purse, and her keys from the kitchen table and headed downstairs. Delilah’s car was idling at the curb, windows down, Jimmy Buffett blaring from scratchy speakers.

“There you are,” Delilah said when Kate opened the door. “I thought maybe you’d fallen asleep.”

Kate laughed. “Are you kidding? Girls night out with you is the highlight of my week.”

“Humph,” Delilah grunted as she whipped the car into a tight U-turn in the empty intersection. She gave Kate a sideways glance. “At least you look better than my usual date.”

“Speaking of, how did you convince Ben to stay home?”

Delilah snorted. “He’s not home. He went to Millers. He’ll probably behave himself. Mostly. I know the bartender. She’ll keep an eye on him and let me know if he gets out of hand.”

Kate shook her head. Ben Denison was the paper’s longtime cops and courts reporter. He knew almost everyone on the island. And the people he didn’t know, Delilah did. They made a formidable reporting team.

It took less than 15 minutes for Delilah to drive to the Broadside. The bar sat between a barber shop and a storefront with plywood covering the windows. It was just five blocks from the port, an easy walk for crewmen who didn’t want to pay for a cab.

“Alright, remember we need to have at least one drink before we start asking questions,” Delilah said as she put the car in park and rolled up the windows.

Kate nodded.

“And smile. You want to look approachable, friendly. It wouldn’t hurt you to flirt a little either.”

Kate rolled her eyes. “Seriously, Delilah. I have worked a source before.”

“Yeah, but this is a bit different from managing local politicians.”

“Ok, master dive bar hopper. Show me how it’s done.”

Delilah grinned. “Watch and learn.”

Smoke billowed out the door when Delilah pushed it open. Kate tried not to cough. The owners clearly weren’t concerned about the city’s no smoking ordinance. Dim lights punctuated the bar’s dingy interior with puddles of yellow.

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