The Jazz Club

Chapter Four

slightly edited

-

18 August 1920

It had been nine months since Julia had started at the Jazz Club. The bright lights above the stage still made Julia wince. She didn't understand how anyone could get used to them. Wrapping her fingers delicately around the microphone, a small smirk formed on her lips and a sense of euphoria filled her soul.

The lyrics she had become accustomed to, leaving her lips as the familiar jazz beat music filled her ears. She was only there for one reason, but she couldn't deny how fun and alive it made her feel to be singing in front of a crowd.

It was the first thing to make her feel something other than sadness since her sister died and she wondered if she was going to miss it. She didn't know why she wondered when she already knew the answer. She was going to miss it.

She cursed at herself for getting emotionally involved when she knew she was only there to find out more about her sister's murder, but maybe that's why she got so connected so easily. She was already emotional, she was already burning up inside about the thought of not knowing what happened to her sister. She was already burning up at the thought of the people she was slowly growing closer to would have something to do with her sister's death.

The song came to an end and Julia giggled into the microphone. She looked around at the people watching her and noticed a few familiar faces, with her undercover work as she called it she had learnt names, she had learnt faces. She was, ever so slowly, getting somewhere.

"Thank you, thank you" Julia continued to smile, "Would you like to hear me sing a bit more or would you like to hear the amazing voice of Albert Wayward?" She asked into the microphone and giggled as some of the voices called out her name. "Well I'm afraid I won't be back on stage again until a bit later, but let Albert take my place and fill your hearts with music"

Albert came up on stage, his usual box smile covering his face and his arm went around Julia's waist, holding onto her lightly. Julia's stomach filled with dread, the same dread she felt the day she met him, but she couldn't let that show on her face, not here. This wasn't the place or time.

"Thank you for listening to me, please enjoy Albert's time on the stage" Julia exclaimed, before making her way off of the stage.

Letting out a silent sigh of relief, Julia brushed at where Albert's hand was, hoping to get away the feeling of his hand on her. He still gave her that stomach wrenching feeling that he gave her when they first met a few weeks after her sister's murder. Just like then, his slightly creepy attitude of how alike Julia and her sister remained.

Going over to the bar, she sat on one of the seats and sent a smile to Henry who worked the usual night shift behind the bar.

Henry was only a few years older than Julia. His dark brown hair matched his deep brown eyes and every now and again his mixed Irish-American accent would flicker at the words he spoke and from what he had told Julia when they first met is that he had only recently got promoted to bar work.

"The usual?" Henry asked and she nodded swiftly as the small smile still graced her lips.

"Please"

It wasn't long before the ice drink was placed in front of her and she diligently took a sip from the glass.

"You really don't like him very much do you?" Henry asked, making Julia look at him with a confused look.