***Thanks for reading! And we'll be on our way shortly with our story, but
first you'll need to know this...a few weeks have passed, so don't be lost,
and this is just getting started!***
((This chapter takes place in the Morgue, and at the Pogue Mahone))
CHAPTER 6:
Jordan, Woody, Max, Peter, Bug, Garret and Lily are all at the Pogue after work, just hanging out, drinking a few beers, and talking.
~~Jordan~~ Wow. These last few weeks have been amazing! Woody's a really great guy...everybody has noticed how he hangs around me more...they probably all think we've been sleeping together or something. None of that yet...I love the way Dad's taken the whole thing. He's been super supportive, but he gives me space to do my own thing too. I wish Woody would get the heck over here and drag himself away from the pool table...
"Scratched again Woody...you sure you know how to play pool?" Garret grabbed the chalk off the wall and chalked up his cue.
"I normally don't suck like this...I must not be able to concentrate..." He looked down at the table.
Garret took aim, then made his shot. "You know, you only do bad when you're shooting towards the bar..." He looked up at me and grinned. "Don't see why that is..."
Woody stared up at me. "I think it's because I can't stop staring at the woman I love so much..." He tried to shoot, but missed the cue ball completly. "Figures."
Peter then walked over. "Go sit next to her buddy...she needs SOMEONE to drink with." He grabbed the stick out of Woody's hand, then turned to Garret. "I'll show you how to really play pool!"
Garret raised an eyebrow at him as Woody walked over to me. "You're on, Winslow." He pulled all the balls out of the pockets and racked them up again. "You break."
Woody walked over and slid onto the stool next to me and smiled at Dad. "A dark please." He nodded, then pulled one out from under the counter and set it in front of Woody.
"Can I see some ID?" He grinned.
"Come on Max...you know I'm old..."
"You ain't that old yet Woodrow, just keeping ya on your toes." He took his hand off the beer and walked over to Bug and Lily who were sitting at a table near the stereo.
Good way to set up for some conversation Dad... I thought to myself. "So, Woody, how was pool?"
He took a drink of his beer. "It was good...I got my ass beat by your boss, but who cares."
I nudged him playfully. "You know Woody, I've very critical in the skills my men must posess." I winked at him. "Only the finest quality ever get to be close to me you know..." I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
"I hope I'm doing a good job Jordan..." He kissed me back, then glanced over at Garret, who was attempting not to stare at us. "We're being watched..."
I looked over my shoulder at him, then grabbed the back of his head and kissed him full on the mouth. This'll scare him enough... I thought to myself. Woody was probably in shock, with no advance warning to my whole scare tactic. I glanced up at Garret, only to see him shaking his head and trying not to laugh.
"That should keep them away from us for awhile." I smiled at him.
"But it won't keep away your Dad, Jordan..." He looked over at Max who was walking over to us.
I glanced up, and smiled at Dad. "Hey."
"Hello lovebirds. Need any refills?" He wiped a glass out and set it under the counter.
"No Dad, we're okay." I shoved the empty bottle towards him.
"Alright Sweetheart. If you need anything just ask." He walked back to where Bug and Lily were now watching the pool match between Garret and Peter.
Nigel walked in the door as soon as Max stepped away from the bar, and he went and sat at the end, about 5 seats down from me and Woody. Woody looked at me and whispered "What's with him?" motioning towards Nigel.
"I don't know..." I whispered back, then I stood up and pulled Woody off the stool. "Go watch the game...and tell Dad I'll get Nigel a drink, not to worry about it." I nudged him towards everyone else and nodded. "I'll try to talk to him."
"Alright Jordan." He turned and walked off, and I saw him whisper something to Dad, who looked at me and nodded.
I walked around the back of the bar, and pulled Dad's stool up and sat across from Nigel. He just stared at the bar, not talking.
"Nige? You want anything to drink?" I put my hand on the bar where he was staring.
He looked up at me and sighed. "Double shot of vodka, straight up."
I nodded, poured him the glass, and slid it in front of him. "Everything okay Nige?"
~~Nigel~~ I downed the shot in one gulp, not even wincing as it burned down my throat. No, everything's not okay Jordan...I've been following this murder case for weeks, the poor little kid's still got no name, and I have no leads...but who cares right? People can't be decent enough to give the guy the time of day, people beat on their kids for no reason, and people kill innocent children for no reason in bloody hell...no everything's not okay. I glanced up at her and shrugged, then handed her the glass back. "I'm fine." She poured me another shot, and I took that one just as fast, but it didn't hurt as much this time.
"Listen, Nige...whatever's bugging you...you can tell me about it if you feel like it...I won't tell anyone else." She smiled at me, then took the glass back and poured me another shot, then passed it to me.
"Really Jordan, I'm fine." I gulped down the third shot, then set the glass in front of me.
"No more. At least not now."
She nodded, then folded her arms on the counter and rested her head on them. She looked at me, and smiled weakly. "Something happen to Rudy? Bad day at work?"
I shook my head. "No, just the injustices of the world left untouched. Sometimes I don't know how I can stand working with it."
"Is this about the kid?" She put her hand on my forearm softly. "You can't let that beat you up...it's not good for you."
"I know Jordan, it just makes me so damn mad..." I swallowed hard, feeling the sting of tears in my eyes. I hadn't slept straight through a night in weeks, I was exhausted from staying up pouring over the files and evidence looking for one more detail that I knew I had missed. I couldn't think straight anymore. My waking hours were consumed by countless searches through Missing Persons databases, dental records, hospital admits, everything. I was addicted to solving this case...I had to.
"Nigel...I know this makes you mad but..." She stopped when she felt me start to shake. "Nigel?"
I looked up at her, my eyes watering. "I don't know what to do Jordan..." I stared back down at the empty shotglass on the bar.
"Oh God...Nigel..." She hopped off the stool and walked around the edge of the bar and sat next to me. She put an arm around me and hugged me towards her. "You'll find out who this kid is...I know it. You just have to let yourself free of this...pain..."
I swallowed hard again, then looked over at her. "I don't know how..." I stared slowly down at the bar and shut my eyes. You need to go home mate...you need to sleep...
"You're exhausted. Let me drive you home." She rubbed my back softly.
"I'm fine, I can drive myself." I sat up on the stool and looked in my coat for my keys.
"No, you're not okay. You're shaking for God's sake. I am driving you home. I'll take your truck, drive you home, then catch a cab back." She grabbed my keys from me and stood up off the stool. "Let's go."
She walked over to Max and hugged him, then whispered some stuff in Woody's ear, hugged him, then came back to me. "You ready?"
"Ready as I'll ever be." I turned and walked out of the bar without looking at anyone, and I went and leaned on my truck and tried not to fall over. Jordan came out right behind me, and opened the door for me first, then climbed in the driver's side and started the engine.
"You feeling okay Nige?" She looked over at me.
"Yeah...just tired..." I smiled back at her, and we drove in silence towards my apartment. She parked in the back, and I looked over at her before she got out of the car. "Why not just have Woodrow come and get you...instead of calling a cab?"
She thought about it for a minute, then nodded. "I'll call him. Can I use your phone though? I left mine at the bar."
"Sure, you're always welcome at my place." I climbed out of the truck, up the stairs, and then I walked into my apartment where I was soon attacked by a very lonely bulldog. I nodded towards the phone. "Phone's over there, go ahead and use it."
She looked at me, then knelt down on the floor next to me and started playing with Rudy. "You want to talk some more about the kid's case?"
"Alright. You want a beer or something?" I got up and headed for the kitchen.
"Sure, give me one of whatever you've got."
TO BE CONTINUED...
***Sorry to leave you hanging again, but I've gotta go to the farm to feed my fat animals, so I'll talk to you all later!***
((This chapter takes place in the Morgue, and at the Pogue Mahone))
CHAPTER 6:
Jordan, Woody, Max, Peter, Bug, Garret and Lily are all at the Pogue after work, just hanging out, drinking a few beers, and talking.
~~Jordan~~ Wow. These last few weeks have been amazing! Woody's a really great guy...everybody has noticed how he hangs around me more...they probably all think we've been sleeping together or something. None of that yet...I love the way Dad's taken the whole thing. He's been super supportive, but he gives me space to do my own thing too. I wish Woody would get the heck over here and drag himself away from the pool table...
"Scratched again Woody...you sure you know how to play pool?" Garret grabbed the chalk off the wall and chalked up his cue.
"I normally don't suck like this...I must not be able to concentrate..." He looked down at the table.
Garret took aim, then made his shot. "You know, you only do bad when you're shooting towards the bar..." He looked up at me and grinned. "Don't see why that is..."
Woody stared up at me. "I think it's because I can't stop staring at the woman I love so much..." He tried to shoot, but missed the cue ball completly. "Figures."
Peter then walked over. "Go sit next to her buddy...she needs SOMEONE to drink with." He grabbed the stick out of Woody's hand, then turned to Garret. "I'll show you how to really play pool!"
Garret raised an eyebrow at him as Woody walked over to me. "You're on, Winslow." He pulled all the balls out of the pockets and racked them up again. "You break."
Woody walked over and slid onto the stool next to me and smiled at Dad. "A dark please." He nodded, then pulled one out from under the counter and set it in front of Woody.
"Can I see some ID?" He grinned.
"Come on Max...you know I'm old..."
"You ain't that old yet Woodrow, just keeping ya on your toes." He took his hand off the beer and walked over to Bug and Lily who were sitting at a table near the stereo.
Good way to set up for some conversation Dad... I thought to myself. "So, Woody, how was pool?"
He took a drink of his beer. "It was good...I got my ass beat by your boss, but who cares."
I nudged him playfully. "You know Woody, I've very critical in the skills my men must posess." I winked at him. "Only the finest quality ever get to be close to me you know..." I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
"I hope I'm doing a good job Jordan..." He kissed me back, then glanced over at Garret, who was attempting not to stare at us. "We're being watched..."
I looked over my shoulder at him, then grabbed the back of his head and kissed him full on the mouth. This'll scare him enough... I thought to myself. Woody was probably in shock, with no advance warning to my whole scare tactic. I glanced up at Garret, only to see him shaking his head and trying not to laugh.
"That should keep them away from us for awhile." I smiled at him.
"But it won't keep away your Dad, Jordan..." He looked over at Max who was walking over to us.
I glanced up, and smiled at Dad. "Hey."
"Hello lovebirds. Need any refills?" He wiped a glass out and set it under the counter.
"No Dad, we're okay." I shoved the empty bottle towards him.
"Alright Sweetheart. If you need anything just ask." He walked back to where Bug and Lily were now watching the pool match between Garret and Peter.
Nigel walked in the door as soon as Max stepped away from the bar, and he went and sat at the end, about 5 seats down from me and Woody. Woody looked at me and whispered "What's with him?" motioning towards Nigel.
"I don't know..." I whispered back, then I stood up and pulled Woody off the stool. "Go watch the game...and tell Dad I'll get Nigel a drink, not to worry about it." I nudged him towards everyone else and nodded. "I'll try to talk to him."
"Alright Jordan." He turned and walked off, and I saw him whisper something to Dad, who looked at me and nodded.
I walked around the back of the bar, and pulled Dad's stool up and sat across from Nigel. He just stared at the bar, not talking.
"Nige? You want anything to drink?" I put my hand on the bar where he was staring.
He looked up at me and sighed. "Double shot of vodka, straight up."
I nodded, poured him the glass, and slid it in front of him. "Everything okay Nige?"
~~Nigel~~ I downed the shot in one gulp, not even wincing as it burned down my throat. No, everything's not okay Jordan...I've been following this murder case for weeks, the poor little kid's still got no name, and I have no leads...but who cares right? People can't be decent enough to give the guy the time of day, people beat on their kids for no reason, and people kill innocent children for no reason in bloody hell...no everything's not okay. I glanced up at her and shrugged, then handed her the glass back. "I'm fine." She poured me another shot, and I took that one just as fast, but it didn't hurt as much this time.
"Listen, Nige...whatever's bugging you...you can tell me about it if you feel like it...I won't tell anyone else." She smiled at me, then took the glass back and poured me another shot, then passed it to me.
"Really Jordan, I'm fine." I gulped down the third shot, then set the glass in front of me.
"No more. At least not now."
She nodded, then folded her arms on the counter and rested her head on them. She looked at me, and smiled weakly. "Something happen to Rudy? Bad day at work?"
I shook my head. "No, just the injustices of the world left untouched. Sometimes I don't know how I can stand working with it."
"Is this about the kid?" She put her hand on my forearm softly. "You can't let that beat you up...it's not good for you."
"I know Jordan, it just makes me so damn mad..." I swallowed hard, feeling the sting of tears in my eyes. I hadn't slept straight through a night in weeks, I was exhausted from staying up pouring over the files and evidence looking for one more detail that I knew I had missed. I couldn't think straight anymore. My waking hours were consumed by countless searches through Missing Persons databases, dental records, hospital admits, everything. I was addicted to solving this case...I had to.
"Nigel...I know this makes you mad but..." She stopped when she felt me start to shake. "Nigel?"
I looked up at her, my eyes watering. "I don't know what to do Jordan..." I stared back down at the empty shotglass on the bar.
"Oh God...Nigel..." She hopped off the stool and walked around the edge of the bar and sat next to me. She put an arm around me and hugged me towards her. "You'll find out who this kid is...I know it. You just have to let yourself free of this...pain..."
I swallowed hard again, then looked over at her. "I don't know how..." I stared slowly down at the bar and shut my eyes. You need to go home mate...you need to sleep...
"You're exhausted. Let me drive you home." She rubbed my back softly.
"I'm fine, I can drive myself." I sat up on the stool and looked in my coat for my keys.
"No, you're not okay. You're shaking for God's sake. I am driving you home. I'll take your truck, drive you home, then catch a cab back." She grabbed my keys from me and stood up off the stool. "Let's go."
She walked over to Max and hugged him, then whispered some stuff in Woody's ear, hugged him, then came back to me. "You ready?"
"Ready as I'll ever be." I turned and walked out of the bar without looking at anyone, and I went and leaned on my truck and tried not to fall over. Jordan came out right behind me, and opened the door for me first, then climbed in the driver's side and started the engine.
"You feeling okay Nige?" She looked over at me.
"Yeah...just tired..." I smiled back at her, and we drove in silence towards my apartment. She parked in the back, and I looked over at her before she got out of the car. "Why not just have Woodrow come and get you...instead of calling a cab?"
She thought about it for a minute, then nodded. "I'll call him. Can I use your phone though? I left mine at the bar."
"Sure, you're always welcome at my place." I climbed out of the truck, up the stairs, and then I walked into my apartment where I was soon attacked by a very lonely bulldog. I nodded towards the phone. "Phone's over there, go ahead and use it."
She looked at me, then knelt down on the floor next to me and started playing with Rudy. "You want to talk some more about the kid's case?"
"Alright. You want a beer or something?" I got up and headed for the kitchen.
"Sure, give me one of whatever you've got."
TO BE CONTINUED...
***Sorry to leave you hanging again, but I've gotta go to the farm to feed my fat animals, so I'll talk to you all later!***