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The stench of stale popcorn and sour liquor seared Kate’s nose as she entered The Corner Bar. The Rolling Stones played loudly overhead as she scrutinized the room with a glance. Neon signs above the restroom doors, a pool table, and an actual juke box, made it feel like she’d stepped back in time.
As she entered, the bar patrons stopped their conversations to stare at her. The sudden attention rattled what little confidence she had and made her question her motives. She considered leaving, but instead, played it cool. She walked toward Sal, one of the few who hadn’t turned, too engrossed in his liquid orgasm sitting on the bar in front of him.
Pig.
Kate did her best to ignore the eyes bearing down on her and slid into the red, torn patent leather stool next to Sal.
“Hello, Sal.”
On hearing his name, Sal slowly turned his inebriated head in her direction, his brown eyes glazed over like a sheet. His long, bulbous nose with a sharp bump at the top looked like a bird’s beak, its purple, broken blood vessels displaying Sal’s long love affair with the drink.
He seemed confused and stared at her, her face not registering. After a few seconds, he sat upright a bit, turning to look around the bar, as if to confirm his location. If she’d thought she was afraid of him, it appeared at that moment he was more afraid of her.
“Remember me? Kate?”
He lifted his head, almost as a nod, but not really. With slurred words he said, “What—” He looked around again and hiccupped. “What-er you doin’ here?”
“Oh, I was out running errands and thought I’d stop in for a quick beer, and here you are!” Her voice sounded cheery. Innocent. Inside, she wanted to run, wondering how she could be doing something so stupid.
She called out to the bartender over the loud rock music. “Can I get a lite beer?”
The bartender frowned. “Sure. What kind?”
Kate shrugged. “I don’t care.”
He nodded and brought her a bottle, setting it in front of her.
“Thanks,” she said. “And bring another for my friend Sal, here.”
The bartender looked suspiciously at the two of them, but returned with a whiskey-looking drink on the rocks for Sal.
“Thanks,” he said, killing off the last of his first drink and sipping the one she’d just bought him.
“You’re welcome. Cheers.” She clinked her glass on his. He looked at her strangely.
“Remind me,” he grumbled. “What the f’—I mean ah’, what are you doin’ here? I mean—nice lady like you, in a place like this? Ya’ shouldn’t be here.”
“Why not?”
He chuckled and gave her a creepy smile. “Look around. This ain’t a place fa’ you. This is a rough place and Eddie—” He stopped short.
Kate sat back in her seat. “Eddie? What about Eddie? What’s he got to do with it?”
“Never mind. Fergit-it.”
“No. What? What about Eddie?” She tried to sound light, still cheerful. Innocent.
“Eddie don’t want you in a place like this. He’d kill me if he knew you was in here.”
“Why in the world would Eddie care where I spend my time? What’s he got to do with anything?”
For the first time, Sal sat upright. “Ya’ kiddin’, right?”
Kate stared at him.
Sal continued. “Eddie wants to protect you. He likes you. Wants us to keep you safe.”
“I’m confused. Why? What do you mean he likes me?” Kate’s stomach started to swim.
“Ya’ know. He likes you. Wants-ta take care-a you, all that. He’d fuckin’ kill me if he knew I tole-you all-a this. So, keep this between us, okay?” Sal started to sway back and forth before putting his elbows safely back onto the bar.
“I-ah’. Wow,” Kate said. “I’ll keep it between us, yes. Of course. You can trust me, Sal. I promise I won’t say a thing. She tightened the grip on her beer bottle, unable to drink it.
She shouldn’t be here. What was she doing?
She thought back about Eddie’s care toward her, the kind words, the offers of help, money. The way he looked at her. His arm around her, and his constant touch-ie-feel-ie behavior.
Oh God.
She considered leaving. This was all too much to take in. Marco and Renzo were dead. Why? Because of her? Because of Eddie liking her?
She killed her family. Not with a weapon, but it might as well have been. So many thoughts crowded her mind. It was all pouring into her head too fast. This couldn’t be true. Was all of this so Eddie could possess her? Her stomach swirled and lurched as her head spun.
“Excuse me, Sal. I need to use the restroom.”
Sal shrugged and returned to his drink.
Kate stood and walked toward the back of the room, immediately remembering where she was. Greasy-haired men in leather jackets and equally scary women hanging on their arms, turned to watch her. She heard whispers and chuckles, but they left her alone.
Thankfully, the sole unisex restroom was empty. She locked herself in, the scent of clean soap surprising her. She leaned against the wall and put her hands to her face, as she tried to pull herself together.
Panic rose in her chest as her breathing became labored. She rocked forward and back, unsure of what to do with this new information.
She moved to the sink and looked at her reflection in the dingy mirror. She was surprised how together she appeared given the state of her nerves. She nodded to her reflection and splashed her face with cool water before drying herself with a couple of sheets of cheap brown paper towels.
Pull it together, Kate. You can do this. More now than ever. You have to do this.
She took a deep breath and left the restroom. Her heart sank as she saw that Sal’s seat was empty. She rushed to the bar and asked the bartender if Sal had left, which was a stupid question since there was only one bathroom and she’d been in it.
The bartender nodded. “Just left.”
Kate moved to leave, her bag held tightly in her hand.
“Hey,” said the bartender.
Kate turned to him.
“You owe me twelve bucks.”
“Oh, right. Sorry.” Kate returned to the bar and dug in her wallet, paranoid someone would see the gun. She pulled out a twenty. “Keep the change.”
She exited the bar, her heart pounding as she put on her driving gloves. She looked around before turning right and walking around the corner. Up ahead, Sal was standing at his car. Even from her distance, she could see him staggering, trying to hold himself up.
She called to him as she picked up her pace. “Sal!”
Sal turned and stared back as though he couldn’t understand why she was talking to him.
“Sal,” Kate said breathlessly, as she approached.
“What-da-ya want from me, lady? Go away. I shouldn’t even be talkin’ t-ya.” He continued fiddling with his keys.
“You shouldn’t be driving. You’re drunk.”
“Do it all the time. Now go. You’re gonna’ get me killed.”
“I don’t understand why you keep saying things like that. Eddie wouldn’t—”
Sal started to laugh. “Oh, no?”
He returned to the difficult task of unlocking the driver’s side door.
Kate approached him. “Here. Let me.” She yanked his keys.
“Hey!” Sal shouted. “Gimme’ those.”
“Let me drive you home.”
Sal’s face frowned into a wrinkle as he shook his head. “What? No fuckin’ way.”
“Please. I insist. What would Eddie say if I let you drive and something happened? To you? Or you hurt someone else? You wouldn’t want that .... would you? Come on, Sal, let me drive you.”
Sal moaned. “Jesus H. Christ! Fine. You can fuckin’ drive. Just shut up, will ya’?”
Kate sucked in a breath and released it. “Okay. Good.” She moved to open the passenger side door. “Come on—over here.”
Sal rolled his eyes but complied. He walked around to the passenger side of his car and handed her the keys. He lumbered in, immediately laying his head back onto the headrest, eyes closed.
Kate hurried around to the driver’s side, her eyes darting around for any witnesses, as she slid inside. She inserted the key and started the engine. Taking in a deep breath and holding it for a second, she looked over at Sal, his head back, eyes still closed.
She put the car in drive and maneuvered her way out of the street parking spot. She drove up Beaumont, unsure where she was about to take this drunken killer. But she had him, sitting right next to her—and she could barely believe it.
