Moonshine (Book 2 - The Devils Moon Series)

Chapter 6 - Jess

When I finally got home, I followed my nightly routine of drinking until I fallen asleep. The only difference was this time I spent the time in between trying to find dirt on Luna. I know she has some, and I did not trust her. Unfortunately, I drank too fast and feel asleep at my desk before I could find much.

I shot awake from my nightmares like I do every night and or morning. I was panicking and finding it hard to breath.

"Birch Street, Higgins Drive, Cobalt Lane." I repeated until I was able to calm down.

I wiped away my tears then grabbed my phone that started ringing. I usually liked working this late so I could return calls without actually reaching people.

"Well, I reached you. I received your message." Hogarth said the second I answered the phone.

"So cut a check." I told her which was all I cared about at this moment.

"And I also received a call from Spheeris attorney. Spheeris clams you and I quote "lifted his car overhead and threatened him with your laser eyes." She told me.

"Pathetic." I said as I looked in my fridge for anything to eat.

"Did you threaten him?" She asked me.

"Yeah, with my laser eyes. And he believed that bullshit. Your sister did not have a problem with it. I could have told him my hands where a gun." I told her.

"Cousin." She corrected me. "And people are willing to believe more things these days."

"If your calling me to call me violent or whatever I'm really not in the mood." I told her.

"No, no. No, it sounds like it was very calculated. I only wish I could have been there." She replied.

"Was that a complement?" I asked her.

"I'll notify payroll." She answered then hung up the phone.

I grabbed a shirt and made my way out of my house and to the bar. I looked in through the window. There where a few people inside. An old man was at the bar. I looked around for Luke but could not find him.

"You could drink that out of a glass." A familiar voice said as he was referring the bottle, I brought in with me.

I turned to see Luke standing there. It looked like he was taking out the trash.

"This whiskeys not good enough to put in a glass." I told him.

"Yeah? Well, I got better stuff inside." He told me.

"I buy in bulk." I answered him.

"It's ladies' night. New promotion I'm running." He told me.

I exhaled as I tried not to laugh.

"No, its not." I told him as I looked back inside to not see a single lady inside.

"It is now." He replied.

"Why?" I asked him suspiciously.

"You're local, your hot, drinking alone. Tends to attract customers." He told me then started to walk away. "But you don't have to do me any favors." He said then went back inside the bar.

I let out a loud sigh and fallowed him inside and sat at the bar.

"Heading out boss." The old man told Luke once he returned behind the counter.

"Be good Ray." Luke told him.

"Why start now, huh?" Ray asked him on his way out.

"Last call." Luke told me.

"Still ladies' night?" I asked him.

He nodded and handed me a glass.

"Make it a double." I told him.

"Lot of booze for such a small woman." He told me.

"I don't get asked on a lot of second dates. How long you been doing this?" I asked him.

"A while." He answered.

"You from around here?" You got family here? Friends?" I asked him.

"I got regulars." He answered as I tool a shot.

"Hard day at the office?" He asked me.

"They're all hard." I answered.

"Pops always said if you don't feel good going to work, you should find new word." He told me

"I did that. I'm working the new work." I told him.

"Yeah, what kind of business you in?" He asked me.

I couldn't bring myself to answer.

"Right? You only ask questions." He replied.

"I'm still waiting on answers." I replied.

"Ladies first." He said and I slipped him a business card.

"You're a P.I.?" He asked after reading the card.

"I'm just trying to make a living. You know, booze cost money, usually." I told him.

"There's better ways to hustle then digging in people's business." He replied as he sounded a little to offended.

"it's the only thing I'm good at." I told him.

"How good?" He asked.

"A natural." I answered him.

"Yeah? SO, what have you detected?" He asked me.

"Well, I cant tell by the residue on this bar that four years ago a man named Horace had buffalo wings." I told him.

"His name is Melvin." He responded.

"I stand in dark alleys and wait to take pictures of people boning." I told him.

"Except you been watching me like a hawk since you walked in." He said to me.

"Force of habit." I responded.

"Or its your way of flirting." He said to me.

"I don't flirt. But you do. Not for sport. Its not purpose. Like getting customers to drink more. Tip more." I told him.

"So, what else you got, Sherlock?" He asked me.

"All right. A drunk spills on your shirt, pukes on your shoes, and you roll with it. But break or scratch something? He's toast." I told him. "I've never seen a dive bar so clean. Because you care about it. More then anything. Maybe anyone. There's history here. Memories. Something personal, but private. So, no photos or memorabilia. But you also like woman. Temporarily, at least. And they like you." I continued.

"See, now that sounded like flirting to me." He responded.

"Again, I don't flirt. I just say what I want." I informed him.

"And what do you want?" He asked me.

It didn't take much longer for him to take me back to his place. Before I knew what was happening, we had broken his bed and I was now hiding in his bathroom. I washed my face and got dressed. I opened his medicine cabinet to look for some Advil and was surprised to see a picture of his wife. I closed the cabinet and realized I had to get the fuck out of here. I quickly walked out of the bathroom told him I was sorry and quickly hurried out of his place.