When I didn't immediately answer him, he started to chuckle. "That's okay. We like shy girls, don't we, guys."
Dan turned around and glared at the three of them. "Gentlemen, I've told you before, you can come in here, but don't bother my staff. Now what can I get for you?" he asked not faltering once while he placed the beers on my tray and nodded for me to get out of there.
I walked quickly over to the table where Grant and Ryan sat and set the beers down in front of them. "Here you go, guys. Did you want anything to eat?"
"Nah, we're good."
"So, have you seen Jackson since you been back?" Ryan asked me outright as he took a sip of his beer.
I looked to Grant and noticed he was giving Ryan the eye.
"What?" Ryan questioned, looking at Grant. "Someone’s got to ask her," he mumbled like I wasn't even standing there.
"Just so you know, Ryan, no, I haven't seen him."
A loud bang behind me caused to me to jump, and I turned in time to see a pool cue being thrown to the ground by one of the gang members.
"Fuckin assholes," Grant mumbled.
"Tell me about it," I said, looking to Ryan.
"Have there been any updates on my brother’s case? Mom won't tell me," I questioned, looking to Grant. I knew this wasn't the time or place to ask, but curiosity was getting the best of me.
"We have a couple suspects. Nothing solid."
"You don't think it’s one of these..." I swallowed hard, my throat getting tight at the thought.
"Bailey, don't you worry. We are on it, okay. Just ignore the fact that these guys are even in here, and if they cause any trouble, call the station."
I nodded, looking to the ground. "Will do." I glanced around and noticed I was being flagged to a couple of tables. "I've gotta go."
An hour later, the only patrons in the bar were the three Donnelly members and two other tables of two, when three other men walked in that I didn't recognize. Dan was in the back, and I was minding the bar. The three men walked over to where Garrick, Linden, and Dorian were playing pool, and I watched out of the corner of my eye as something was said between them. They looked at one another, and then a large pile of cash was placed on the edge of the table and a set of new balls were racked.
I knew the owner wasn't a fan of the Donnelly gang being in here, never mind them betting in his bar, but he said nothing to them. I did as Grant said and continued on with my job pouring drinks and waiting on tables. Once everyone was taken care of, I started loading glasses into the dishwasher while I watched the three men I'd never seen before cheat their way to winning, only I wasn't the only one who had seen it. Garrick had seen it too.
As one of the men cheered and picked up the money, Garrick grabbed one of the guys on the opposing team by the throat and shoved him up against the wall. The force of him hitting the wall caused me to drop a glass to the floor.
"Fuck," I whispered under my breath, afraid that the shatter of glass would turn their attention to me, but none of them did.
"You cheat, you fucker?" Garrick hissed, reaching around and pulling a knife from his belt, holding it to the guy’s throat.
Linden and Dorian approached the other two men and pulled knives from their belt, completely ignoring the fact that they were in the presence of other people.
I didn't wait another minute for this to move ahead any further. Instead, I stepped into the back room and dialed the police.
4
Jackson
I'd just completedthe first half of my shift and was about to stop into the station and have a bite to eat when a call came over the radio requesting police backup at Hooligans bar. It was an odd call for a weeknight. These calls normally came in on a weekend, not on a Wednesday night. Since I was close, I radioed the station, letting them know I was on my way and rushed to Hooligans.
I pulled up outside the bar and saw Greg and Matt bringing two men I recognized as members of the Donnelly gang out in cuffs and place them in the back of their cruiser.
"Gentlemen, what happened?" I asked as I looked into the back of their cruiser and recognized Dorian Patten and Linden Becker.
"Not sure yet. There were apparently three gang members here, but one of them took off just as we arrived. Almost knocked Matt over on our way in," he said, nodding to the other officer.
"Did you happen to get a look at him or a name from these two?"