Silent Lucidity

LXXVI

[Angel Heart]

Claire entered a bar and passed a pool table as she approached the bar.

"The hell do you think you're doing in here?" the female bartender asked.

"Come on, it's my birthday tomorrow," Claire replied.

"How old you gonna be? 12? Hmm."

Claire pulled money from her pocket and held it out towards the bartender. "More like 50." She laid the $50 on the bar. "I'm looking for a guy named Ronnie Cartwright. He's supposed to be a regular around here."

The bartender picked up the money.

Claire approached a man, from behind, at a table and stood alongside the table. "Ronnie Cartwright?"

The man looked at her, turned his head away, and sighed. "Whatever you're selling, I ain't buyin' sweetheart."

Claire sat across Ronnie from the table. "I need your help, Ronnie. I'm trying to track somebody." She reached into her jacket, pulled out a picture of Amelia, and laid it on the table facing Ronnie.

Ronnie looked at the picture, made a dismissive face, and slid the picture back towards Claire, who picked up the picture and looked at it.

"I ain't never seen her before in my life," Ronnie replied.

"Her name's Amelia. She's been missing for a few years, but according to her diary, she was supposed to meet up with you."

"I ain't never met her."

"You were gonna introduce her to some miracle worker."

"Look, I don't know what the hell you're talking about. I don't know that lady. And I for damn sure don't know some miracle worker. If I did, you think I'd be in a dump like this? Now piss off. Go back to your Girl Scout troop."

"She's my mother."

"I don't care."

"Can you just take another look? I mean, maybe..."

"I told you, I ain't never seen her before. Now I better never seen you again."

Ronnie took his beer and got up from the table. He walked outside. A hand grabbed his jacket and he spun around to see Claire standing there. "I told you to stay the hell away from me."

"You were the last person to speak to my mom," Claire said. "I need to find her."

"I don't know Amelia Novak. You got it?"

"I never told you her last name." Ronnie turned to walk/run away and Claire grabbed his arm. "Wait!"

Ronnie shoved his arm back to break Claire's grip and she slammed into the wall.

"Uhh!" she cried, sliding to the ground unconscious.

Ronnie looked distressed and reached two fingers to Claire's neck to feel for a pulse. He breathed heavily and took out his phone to make a call.

"Come on," he said impatiently.

"9-1-1, what is your emergency?"

"Um, yeah, found some girl passed out in the alley, uh, uh, by Susie's bar on Overland."

"We'll send an ambulance right away, sir. Can you tell me if she's still breathing?"

Ronnie hung up and ran away.

TULSA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL - DAY

Sirens sounded as Castiel paced. The Impala came around the corner and pulled up in front of the hospital. Sam, Dean and Kennedy, holding baby Nadia, got out of the car in unison and approached Castiel.