The Perfect Trap by Blake Pierce

Author:Blake Pierce [Pierce, Blake]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blake Pierce
Published: 2023-11-22T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

The Old Town Brewpub in Torrance, where Rena Hoffman potentially went just before her death, was not what Ryan was expecting.

He’d assumed it would be a casual joint with TVs on the wall, playing whatever game was on at that moment, along with pool tables and dartboards. But the name turned out to be deceptive. The Brewpub was much more of a traditional nightclub, complete with a dance floor, thumping music, and flashing lights that cut through the veil of darkness.

Considering that it was still only 6 p.m., there was nobody on the dance floor, but almost every stool at the long, semicircular bar was filled. He approached the hostess stand and tried to speak to the young woman standing there but found that he couldn’t be heard over the bass-heavy beat. He leaned in close and yelled in her ear.

“I’m with the LAPD. I need to speak with your manager.”

He held up his badge and ID. After a moment in which the college-aged woman looked mildly terrified, she nodded.

“Give me a minute,” she shouted back and headed toward the back.

While he waited, Ryan tried not to let his mind drift to unrelated concerns. But it was too late. He wanted to know how Jessie was feeling. He was anxious for an update on Susannah Valentine’s status too. He glanced at his phone in the futile hope that there might be a message from FBI agent Jack Dolan about either the search for Haddonfield or Pierce.

Of course, there was nothing. Even though he’d checked in with interim Captain Gaylene Parker on the drive over, he briefly considered texting her to ask how everything was going, before deciding that doing so would be overbearing and insulting to the long-time professional.

He forced himself to tear his thoughts away from his apprehensions and back to the case at hand. Looking around the club, he wondered how any kind of trivia competition could possibly take place here. How could anyone even hear the questions? One thing that did jump out at him was that in a place this loud, busy, and dark, it would be easy to slip a roofie in someone’s drink. The toxicology report wasn’t back yet on Rena Hoffman. But he wouldn’t be stunned if she’d been drugged.

The hostess returned with a short, good-looking, muscular guy in his late twenties with short-cropped black hair. He wearing black slacks and cream-colored shirt opened one button too low, and he appeared as nervous as the hostess.

“What can I do for you, officer?” he nearly screamed.

"Captain, actually," Ryan replied, happy to use the intimidating power of his title as a tool to get the answers he needed. "Is there somewhere quieter we can talk?"

“Sure, there’s the back patio out there,” the manager bellowed, pointing to a distant, moderately populated outdoor section, “or we can go to my office.”

Ryan found it mildly amusing that the guy would even suggest an area filled with patrons when he didn't know the topic of conversation. How

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