Memories of Black by C.R. Alvarez

Author:C.R. Alvarez
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-02-11T14:06:38+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO

Stepping into the bar on a Monday night in the fall was their first mistake. National League Football was playing on the thirty or more televisions that hung like a ring of fire around the bar. What made it worse was the Arizona Cardinals were playing, so the fans were raucous and totally involved in drinking and screaming.

Paige pushed her way to the bar and flashed her badge. “Looking for the manager,” she yelled to the single overworked bartender.

“You’re looking at him,” he shouted his reply and continued drafting beers.

“You’re understaffed,” she harassed him.

“Look Ms. Police Woman, m’am,” he said sarcastically coming closer. “My bartender called out sick and I’m one waitress short, so unless this is an emergency I can talk to you tomorrow afternoon.”

“One of your patrons might be dying as we speak.”

That made the man pause, and he glanced back at the police woman. “I mean no disrespect. How can I help?” He was still making drinks but had at least moved closer to Paige and Chase.

“We need your camera feeds from Friday night.”

“Well, that’s easy and hard. They’re all in a bag behind my desk. You can take the bag.”

“Ok…” Paige glanced at Chase in bewilderment. “Is that the easy or hard part?” she returned her attention to the man.

“Go get the bag and I’ll explain,” he tossed his head toward the right side of the bar.

Chase headed toward the kitchen where he hoped he’d find the manager’s office. Paige took out her phone as he left and unlocked it, opening up the text from Deb Buchannon with Jenna’s picture.

“You recognize this young woman?”

The man raised his eyes toward the phone and then nodded as another waitress yelled drinks to him. “That’s my hummingbird.”

“Huh?” Paige grunted.

“If I have a group in here for awhile and the same person is always getting the drinks I remember them by thinking of an animal or thing. I could never remember all their names, but associating them with something like that makes their drink preferences easier to recall.”

“So you bartend a lot?”

“Yep, it’s my first love. Anyway, her group of friends comes in here every few weeks if ASU football is playing on a Friday night. They always try and get the same booths, and she’s the one who doesn’t wait for the waitress but flits over to the bar and orders drinks each time. Her’s is a vodka tonic and then two of her girlfriends have Bud lights. Memorable,” he tapped his temple with a wet finger.

“Okay…” Paige processed the information, “And Friday night?”

“Came in like usual, drank as usual, and left about one AM.”

“They all left together?”

The man closed his eyes for a second and then nodded, “I guess. Didn’t really pay attention.”

Paige saw Chase returning with a paper grocery bag in his hand and waited. He plopped it down on the counter and opened the top for her.

“And here’s the hard part,” his face grimaced.

Tilting her head and glancing inside, her mouth dropped open and

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