a car! I’m Isabell, by the way.”
I shook the girl’s hand. She was pretty. About the same age as me, but a little leaner and with black hair cut short. I could see why other girls wouldn’t want to hang out with her. Most of them were a good ten years younger, fresh out of high school and already looking for adventure – sex and parties. Isabell seemed like she was there for work, which wasn’t a bad thing.
I had respect for a woman who made her way in the world, hell that’s why I was here.
Doing this for me.
For Declan.
“Do you want to go to the bar?” she asked me. “I need to get a drink before this whole thing goes down. Helps with the nerves, you know?”
“Sounds good.” A little liquid courage was just what I needed.
Chapter 4
Owen
“Are you sure this is the place?” I asked the driver.
“Positive, sir.”
The last time I’d been at the club there were lights and a red carpet and a long string of expensive cars. All I saw now was a nondescript bar with a generic name and a dirty sidewalk in front of it.
“Find a spot, okay? I won’t be long.”
There was a skinny guy at the entrance, tapping away on his phone. As I approached, the kid put the phone away and stood straight.
“Mr. Hayes, welcome!” He smiled wide and let me in.
I was terribly overdressed for the place. I almost felt like covering my wristwatch, not to attract any extra attention. There were a couple of guys watching a game at the bar, and the few other people there were talking quietly, with nothing but drinks and French fries on their tables. I had to give props to Lawson, this was a convincing front.
“To the Staff entrance,” the guy called from behind me.
I walked without awaiting further instructions.
As expected, the narrow corridor used to serve as a security checkpoint, but now there was a small kitchen on one side, and a room labeled Lockers on the other. I looked past them and found myself in the center of the Chicago Buyer’s Club.
The place had seen recent renovation, and it was hard not to appreciate what Lawson had done with the place. There was a proper dance floor with a stage big enough to fit a symphony orchestra, and a bar with more variety than a liquor store. I walked past it, seeing some vaguely familiar faces in the crowd. No one paid me any attention. As these places went, people enjoyed their privacy, and granted as much to others.
The general layout of the room had remained the same, and, if I remembered correctly, I would find the private lounges to the left of the stage.
I saw a woman in a red suit standing near the entrance to the private section, and stepped up.
“Hi. I’m Owen Hayes, here to see Lawson.” I tried to sound at ease, but couldn’t help feeling apprehensive. I hoped Lawson was right about the DA showing tonight, otherwise this whole thing would have been a complete waste of time.
“Brilliant! Lawson will be with you shortly, Mr. Hayes. Please, take a seat.”
I wandered a bit more and then moved to the other wall. There were ten booths, most of them empty, and I chose the one at the far wall, where nobody would be sneaking past it. A waitress was there the moment I settled down, and I gave my order. The days of my heavy drinking and partying were long behind me, so I ordered two fingers of whiskey and something to chew on.
The DJ’s music was playing through the booth’s speakers, and it was a popular song. The club felt alive and full of energy. A good place to come to relax on a weekend…
“Owen!” Lawson stormed into the room, arms spread wide, heading towards me for a hug. “So glad you could make it! You look great!”
Lawson, on the other hand, didn’t look too well. I set my glass down and stood up to be embraced. He smelled of vodka, his smile white on his red face. He had a considerable belly, too. Time had changed him, and not for the better.
“You look alright yourself, Lawson.”
“Yeah, right! You can speak your mind, buddy. Won’t hurt me. I’m starting gym next week, anyway, so in a few months you won’t be able to recognize me!”