Chapter 13
During the drive to My Corner of Hell nightclub, Trubel had finally checked her text message from Rosalee, and when she saw it, she announced, "My source is telling me that Dwight may have a Zauberbiest working for him."
"Most likely he does," Lucy was the one to reply as she was coming to a stop at a red light. "He was looking to hire a Hexenbiest or a Zauberbiest five years ago."
"Dealing with Hexenbiests or Zauberbiests can be fatal, so if either of you would like to back out now…" Trubel was only able to get out.
"I'm not backing out," Alysa replied. "Besides, all I'm doing is delivering the toad."
"And all I'm doing is accompanying Alysa, so if she's going there, so am I," Lucy replied.
"Okay," Trubel replied before putting her phone away.
The building to My Corner of Hell nightclub had two floors and a large two-part basement. The two-part basement was separated by a thick concrete wall.
Dwight's private quarters, his office, rooms for most of his many wives and guest rooms were on the second floor.
The front wall to Dwight's office (the wall that touched the hallway) was glass, and when Dwight sat at his desk, he had a direct view of the stairs. The curtains that he had in place, which would cover the entire glass wall for when he wanted privacy, were currently in the fully open position.
Currently Dwight was at his desk while Monte (Dwight's twenty-year-old nephew) and Austin (Monte's twenty-year-old friend) were sitting in two of the three guest chairs. They were having a casual conversation. Like Dwight, Monte was a Ziegevolk. Austin was a Skalengeck.
A restaurant grade kitchen, the main bar (the Blue Lounge) and two private rooms for special events were on the first floor. The Blue Lounge had a ten-stool L-shaped bar, eight four-chair tables, two pool tables, three dart boards, a jukebox, a stage for a moderate size band and a dance floor. One of the two private rooms was being used for a birthday party and the other was being used for a bachelor party.
A Wesen only mini-casino/speakeasy (the Crystal lounge) was in one side of the two-part basement. The Crystal Lounge had an eight-stool L-shaped bar, a blackjack table, a crap table, a card table, a roulette wheel and ten slot machines.
The other side of the two-part basement was Dwight's indoor garden. The indoor garden was only accessible from a secret door from the kitchen's large walk-in supply room, and it was where he grew the herbs for his designer drugs and where he kept his toads.
Seth Sommers and Nathan Sommers (the two Dämonfeuers who worked for Dwight) were two of Dwight's ten bodyguards; although when Dwight didn't need protecting, the ten took turns as being the bouncers for the Crystal Lounge, the bartender for the Crystal Lounge and the operators for the casino games.
Currently Seth and Nathan were walking around the Crystal Lounge while making sure that the peace was kept and no one was cheating.
Once Lucy drove her three-year-old grey Kia Soul onto the lot, she took the closest available parking space to the door, which was about halfway between the closest parking space and the farthest parking space.
"Oh, good," Alysa said before Lucy could park. "We're here early enough to find parking."
"Since today is Wednesday, I doubt that the lot will completely fill up tonight," Lucy said before having a thought. She was coming to a stop within the parking space as she continued to say, "Although, it's been years since I've been here. So I guess it could fill up tonight."
"Okay, well let's get on with it," Trubel urged as she pulled out a pair of sunglasses and put them on. "While you two are taking the toad to Dwight, I'll be at the bar scoping things out."
"What's with the sunglasses?" Lucy quickly asked.
"They are to hide my eyes from Wessen," Trubel replied.
"Why don't you just let loose another one of your smoke bombs?" Alysa questioned.
Lucy shot Alysa a curious look as Trubel replied, "Too big of a place and not enough smoke bombs. Besides, I didn't bring any with me. Plus I don't want Dwight to think that his club is under attack."
"Okay, well, let's do this," Alysa replied before the three went to get out of the Kia.
There was no doorman when Trubel, Alysa and Lucy entered. Alysa carried the box with the toad.
Trubel went directly to the moderately crowded Blue Lounge and ordered a draft beer while Alysa and Lucy stepped up to Scottie (the person guarding the stairs). The ascending stairs to the second floor and descending stairs to the Crystal Lounge were next to each other.
"Club ID," Scottie quickly told them.
With a slight movement of her head, Alysa woged into a Blutbad.
"I'm actually a Kehrseite-Schlich-Kennen; however, five years ago Alysa and I did work for Dwight," Lucy informed when Alysa woged. "We busted tables for the Blue Lounge."
"We are also here to speak with Dwight if we could," Alysa added as she changed back into her human form. "I'm Alysa Woods and she's Lucy Bishop. And I have with me an Asiatic toad. Dwight will know why I have it."
"Give me a moment," Scottie requested before pulling out his cellphone and dialing it. After a few seconds, he continued into the phone, "It's Scottie. Alysa Woods and Lucy Bishop are requesting to meet with you. They claimed to have worked for you five years ago. Yes, she does have an Asiatic toad with her. Yes, sir." As Scottie put his phone away, he gestured towards the ascending stairs and told them, "Dwight will see you. He's in his office on the second floor."
"Thank you," Alysa replied before she and Lucy walked past him and ascended the stairs.
As Dwight, Monte and Austin continued their conversation, Dwight watched Alysa and Lucy after they reached the floor.
When Alysa and Lucy were a few steps from Dwight's office, Dwight stood up and motioned for them to enter. Austin was in the middle of his sentence and had stopped talking.
Monte and Austin turned to face the door when Alysa and Lucy stepped in.
"It took longer than I expected, but I knew you would be back, Alysa," Dwight gloated as he stepped up to Alysa.
"Yes, you were right," Alysa replied in a tone as if she had been beaten. "I need help with something and only you can make that happen. I even brought what you told me to bring when this day came."
"And your timing couldn't have been any better," Dwight replied as he took the box from Alysa. He then faced Monte and held out the box for him to take. "Eat this toad, Monte, and experience a night that you will never forget."
"Wait, I brought the toad for you," Alysa quickly interjected.
"Don't worry, Alysa," Dwight quickly told her. "You are fully credited for bringing me what I had asked for. But this toad is for my nephew to eat."
"What is so special about this toad, Uncle Dwight?" Monte asked in a nasally voice, as if he had a bad cold.
"For your dad and me, the best night of our lives happened after we each ate an Asiatic toad, and they are delicious… although with your cold, most likely you won't be able to enjoy its flavor as you would if you didn't have a cold," Dwight replied. "No matter. I still want you to have it."
"Fine," Monte replied before snatching the toad from the box.
Alysa and Lucy pursed their lips as they watched Monte woge into a Ziegevolk and eat the toad in one bite.
Dwight placed the box on his desk.
Once Monte had swallowed the toad, he informed, "Hmm, it might be just because I caught a cold during my trip to Northern Alaska, but the toad I ate tasted much like the toads that are found here in Twin Falls."
"It has to be your cold because Asiatic toads do not taste like the toads that are found here," Dwight replied before turning his attention towards Alysa. "Anyway, Alysa, what can I do for you? And I hope you didn't come here seeking employment, because it will take a hell of a lot more than one Asiatic toad for me to hire you back."
"I'm definitely not here seeking employment from you," Alysa replied. "However, the day you had fired me and had me dragged out of here was the day my mom had stopped speaking with me. I love my mom and I incorrectly assumed that she and I would eventually reconcile. But after five years, I now see that that's not going to happen… well, it's not going to happen without your assistance, I should say. So what I want from you, is for you to speak to my mom in my behalf."
Dwight considered Alysa's request before saying, "The toad you brought me had only granted you an audience with me."
"Okay," Alysa replied in a patient tone. "What else do you want from me?"
"There is someone I want dead, but I can't have his death linked to me or to one of my employees. So before I speak with your mom, I would like you…" Dwight was only able to get out.
"Forget it," Alysa quickly replied. "I'm no killer nor am I a gun for hire. So if that what it takes for you to speak to my mom in my behalf, then I wasted each other's time."
"Well, that's disappointing," Dwight replied with a pretend frown. "But I respect your choice. Now you and Lucy have two minutes to leave my fine establishment or I will have you both assisted out."
"Another friend of mine came in with us," Alysa informed while indicating to her and Lucy. "She's getting a drink at the bar. So once Lucy and I go grab her, the three of us will be leaving."
"You are not to linger," Dwight ordered.
"We won't, and I'm sorry to have wasted your time," Alysa replied.
Dwight slightly shrugged before saying, "You're not the first person to have wasted a few minutes of my time and you certainly won't be the last."
"Okay, well, goodbye," Alysa replied.
As Alysa and Lucy were turning to leave, Dwight told Alysa, "If you change your mind after you leave here, just call the nightclub, tell the person who you are and then tell the person that you had called to hear about the night owl specials."
Alysa and Lucy only hesitated for only a moment before the two left Dwight's office, and the two didn't say anything from when they left Dwight's office to when they stepped up behind Trubel. Trubel had been talking with Woody (the Kehrseite-bartender).
Woody saw Alysa and Lucy as soon as they entered the Blue Lounge and when they stepped up, he asked, "What will it be, ladies?"
Trubel looked towards Alysa and Lucy when Alysa replied, "Nothing for us. We're leaving."
"Dwight didn't accept your apology?" Trubel questioned.
"The toad I brought him only granted me an audience with him," Alysa replied. "I told him what my request was. He told me he what he wanted from me before he would fill my request. I refused to give him what he wanted and now you, Lucy and I are to immediately leave his establishment before we get escorted out."
"Ah," Trubel let out before downing what was left of her beer. "Okay. I'm ready."
As Trubel, Alysa and Lucy were moving away from the bar, Trubel asked, "So other than what you had said, how did it go?"
"For Dwight, very well," Alysa replied.
"Did something go wrong?" Trubel questioned.
"Dwight's nephew was with Dwight, and Dwight gave the toad to him," Alysa replied.
"So Dwight didn't eat the toad," Trubel commented as if to herself.
"He did not," Alysa replied. "His nephew did."
"Okay, well, I had slightly better luck with getting information on Seth Sommers and Nathan Sommers from Woody… the bartender," Trubel replied. "In fact, Seth and Nathan rent an apartment in the same apartment building as Woody. So tonight, once I get my motorcycle, I'll be trailing Woody back to his apartment building, and once there, I will be staking out the building until the Sommers brothers show up."
"If I didn't spoil it by telling Dwight that you had come in with Lucy and me, you could've seduced Woody and let him take you home," Alysa told Trubel.
"I thought of that too, but I was also told that the brothers could be away from their apartment for days before returning, and I'm not going to use anyone like that for more than a one-nighter. I did that once six years ago, and I'm not going to do that again."
"You fell for the guy that you were using, didn't you?" Lucy asked.
"We fell for each other, but unfortunately once I completed my objective, my presence was quickly demanded elsewhere," Trubel replied. "So I left him… I left Simon without even a word of goodbye. As far as he knows, I'm buried in a shallow grave somewhere."
"Was Simon Wesen or Kehrseite?" Alysa asked.
"He was Kehrseite, but his neighbor was a Wendigo that traveled long distance to find his victims," Trubel informed. "And I only knew where the Wendigo lived and not where he hunted, so it took me ten days to catch up to him and kill him."
"Have you ever thought about returning to Simon?" Lucy asked as they were exiting the nightclub.
"Once, but I quickly decided that he was safer if he remained clueless about the Wesen community and stay away from me," Trubel replied.
"Not necessarily," Alysa replied. "Most Kehrseites I know are clueless about the Wesen community and they are no safer for their lack of knowledge. In fact, not all that long ago, I watched an ex-marine—recently discharged from the military—get his ass kicked by a Heftigauroch. The ex-marine started it and deserved the ask kicking, but if he had known what he was up against, I doubt he would have started anything with the Heftigauroch."
"Okay, well, I do believe that Simon is better off with not knowing," Trubel replied.
"Okay," Alysa replied in a placating tone.
The conversation from the nightclub to Katherine's house was light and casual.
As Lucy was approaching the house, she and Alysa spotted Theo's Jeep Wrangler parked in front of the house. Theo was in the driver's seat.
"That's bold of him," Alysa said while gesturing towards his Jeep.
"Yeah, especially when he is supposed to be out on his date," Lucy replied.
"What's happening?" Trubel questioned as Lucy was parking.
"The guy in the Jeep is Theo… Lucy ex-boyfriend," Alysa replied.
"Ah, super," Trubel replied in a dreading 'what was about to happen' tone.
Theo exited the Jeep with a note in his hand before Lucy could put the shifter into park and turn off the ignition.
As Lucy, Alysa and Trubel were exiting the Kia, Theo quickly made his way to Lucy's door.
"Luce, what's going on?" Theo questioned as he indicated to his note. "In a note, you tell me to pay attention on who I'm sending a text message to and then you tell me that you had moved out."
"Okay, what part of my note needs clarifying?" Lucy questioned.
Alysa and Trubel moved to where they were near Lucy's left rear fender.
"All of it," Theo replied. "Did I send a text to your arch-enemy or something?"
"You sent a text—a romantic rendezvous text, in fact—to me, Theo, but I wasn't your intended recipient," Lucy quickly and unhappily informed.
"When did I do that?" Theo questioned.
Lucy gestured for him to wait before saying, "Hold on." She went into her purse. "Let me get out my phone. I want to be precise about when I received your text." Lucy pulled out her phone and pulled up her text messages. "It was five-thirty-seven when I received your text." Lucy looked at the time from her phone as she continued to say, "And it's seven-twenty-two now. So…"
"Lucy, from five to five-fifty, I was assisting a new gym member with his workout routine," Theo claimed. "And my phone was in my locker all day. So I couldn't have sent you or anyone else a text."
"At five-thirty-seven your phone wasn't in your locker," Lucy quickly replied before holding up her phone. "I have either received a text message from you or from someone using your phone."
Theo pulled out his phone and clicked on the message app before saying, "I can't believe this. My entire message history has been deleted. Someone broke into my locker, used my phone, sent you an erroneous text and then cleared my message history."
"Yes, well, I'm having a hard time believing it as well," Lucy replied. "What I'm finding easier to believe though is that you saw that you had sent me the romantic rendezvous text instead of Pricilla, and when you realized your mistake, you hatched up the excuse you had just given me."
"Whoa, way a minute," Theo quickly requested. "One, my only romantic interest is with you and I made that clear to Pricilla on three separate occasions, and two, she left Twin Falls yesterday because of some family emergency and I have no clue of when she will return."
"And how do you know that she left Twins Falls if you have no interests in her?" Lucy asked.
"Because whoever had contacted her about the family emergency had called the gym while looking for her," Theo began. "Of course she was there, and after taking the call, she became an emotional basket case and left. Joshua ran after her to find out what was up, and her having a family emergency that was making her leave town was what he came back with." When Lucy pursed her lips and stared skeptically at him, he continued to say, "The gym is still open and there is a security camera pointing towards the locker door. You and I could go there now and look at the security video prior to five-thirty-seven."
"Actually, yes," Lucy quickly replied. "If you didn't send me this text, then I would like to know who did."
"Trubel, we are going with Lucy and Theo before I drive you back to your motorcycle," Alysa told her.
Theo shot Alysa a curious look as Trubel replied, "Sure. I just need to get my bike from your place no later than nine-thirty."
"You two really don't need to come," Lucy told Trubel and Alysa.
"I'm coming with you," Alysa replied. "If anyone is messing with you then that person will have to answer to me."
"Okay," Lucy replied with an amused expression on her face. "Let's go."
Lucy got back into the driver's seat, and as Trubel and Alysa made their way back to their respective seats, Theo made his way back to his Jeep.
In Portland, Oregon, Kristy—while relaxing at her parent's house—had spoken with Jared (her brother), and once she was done talking with him, she attempted to call Sarah. When Sarah didn't answer, Kristy left a message for Sarah to call her back.
A few miles away from David and Megan's house, Nick and Erica stepped up to Wolfgang's front door and rang the doorbell.
Wolfgang was also a Balam and he had a romantic interest in Erica.
When Wolfgang opened the door, he smiled at Erica while saying, "Nice to see you again, Detective Espinosa." He then shot Nick a frown. "And I see you are still hanging out with the Grimm."
"I thought you and I were on good terms when we last saw each other, Wolfgang," Nick replied.
"Oh, we are, detective," Wolfgang quickly said. "It's just that, nothing has gone right for me today, and ending my day with a visit from you, Grimm, is just a bit unnerving."
"Okay, well, to put your mind at ease, my partner and I are only here for your architecture expertise," Nick told him.
"In that case detectives, come in," Wolfgang replied before backing up and allowing them in. As Nick and Erica stepped in, Wolfgang continued, "How can I help you two?"
"We are looking for a secluded mansion," Nick replied. "We have a pretty good description of the mansion from a witness, but the witness couldn't tell us where to find it. So if I describe the mansion to you could you tell us where it is?"
"If I'm familiar with the mansion, I could," Wolfgang replied.
"Fair enough," Nick replied before describing the mansion.
Once Nick described enough of the mansion to Wolfgang, Wolfgang interrupted with, "I know the mansion that you are describing, detective. Seven months ago I saw it listed on the market, but I don't know when it was sold or who it was sold to." Wolfgang then told Nick and Erica where to the find the mansion.
"Thank you for your assistance, Wolfgang," Nick told him.
"So what is the deal with you wanting to find the mansion, detective?" Wolfgang questioned. "If I may ask."
"It's part of an ongoing investigation, so we can't say," Nick replied.
"Okay, well, I'm glad I could help with whatever I had helped you with," Wolfgang replied.
"Us too," Erica quickly assured him. "And if we find what we think we will find, you might be hearing about it during tomorrow evening's news report."
"I'll look forward it," Wolfgang replied. "Although, Detective Espinosa, I would be okay if you came by tomorrow before the news report and spoil the ending for me."
Erica pursed her lips before saying, "Goodnight, Wolfgang."
"Goodnight," Wolfgang replied before Nick and Erica left the house.
Once back in Nick's car, Erica pulled out her phone and—while on speaker—called Jonas.
"Erica, Hi. What are you up to?" Jonas said while answering.
"Nick and I are on our way back to the station to sign out for the day," Erica replied. "However, the reason I'm calling is because I just received an anonymous tip about those missing teenage girls."
"Why would someone reach out to you about it?" Jonas questioned, as if to himself.
"I don't know why she reached out to me, and I don't know how she got my number," Erica replied in a convincing tone. She then told Jonas that the teenage girls were being held prisoners in a mansion and where to find the mansion.
"Say, since you and Burthardt haven't punched out for the day yet, would you two assist me with this?" Jonas asked.
"Sure," Nick replied in a casual tone. "We'll meet you there."
In Twin Falls, Idaho, around 7:45 P.M., Carlson (Theo's co-worker at the gym) was playing back the security video for Lucy and Theo to see. Trubel and Alysa were watching over their shoulders.
Carlson fast forwarded the video to display the playback after 5:30 P.M., and after a few seconds, everyone watched as Theo entered the locker room at 5:34 P.M. However, the only view of Theo was from the back.
"No. No. I didn't go in there," Theo insisted. "That's not me. That can't be me. I was assisting a new gym member with his workout routine."
Lucy pursed her lips before saying, "Carlson, fast forward it and show him coming out."
"Okay," Carlson replied before doing so.
Carlson shot past when Theo left the locker room and before anyone could say anything, he paused the video and rewound it to when Theo stepped out. When Theo's face was clearly visible on the playback, Carlson paused it again.
In the playback, Theo's pupils were fully dilated in a well-lit hallway and glazed over, and Lucy noticed it immediately.
"What the hell," Theo uttered. "Carlson, are you sure you are showing us today's video?"
"It's today's video, Theo," Carlson insisted before gesturing to the date stamp. "There's the date right there."
"Okay, well I can't explain this, but from five to five-fifty, I was assisting that new gym member with his workout routine," Theo insisted before turning towards Lucy. "Lucy, I swear to you, this look-a-like is not me."
"Oh, it's you, Theo, but I see now that you weren't in control of your actions," Lucy replied.
"What? What are you talking about?" Theo questioned.
"I'll answer that later, but right now, if there's a security video that shows the new gym member, I would like to see it," Lucy replied.
"There's a camera pointing towards the entrance, so there should be a video of him," Theo replied.
"I'll bring it up," Carlson replied before moving to do so.
"He came in around four-fifty," Theo informed.
"Alright," Carlson replied before clicking on the file.
Carlson played the video on fast forward and when Theo saw the new gym member, he pointed and uttered, "There."
Carlson quickly hit play to slow down the video to normal speed.
"Who is that? He looks familiar," Alysa replied as she stared at the video.
"That's Willie Porter. He's Kyle Swanigan's second cousin," Lucy replied. "He's from Tennessee, and he visited Kyle and his family six summers ago for three months."
"Okay, now I remember," Alysa replied.
"Theo, did Willie offer you something to eat?" Lucy asked.
"No," Theo replied. "Why are you concern about it if he had?"
Lucy considered her words before saying, "The Swanigans and anyone related to them by blood should be considered master hypnotists, and they will drug you with homemade treats that makes you more accessible to their hypnotic suggestions."
"Okay, but why would Willie—which by the way he introduced himself to me as Bill," Theo began. "Anyway, why would he want to hypnotize me and get me to write that malicious text to you?"
"Theo, I promise I will explain later, but I know for a fact that Kyle Swanigan had put him up to it," Lucy replied. "Anyway, if he didn't offer you a snack of some kind, then he got the drugs into you another way."
"His ring stuck me when we shook hands," Theo replied. "It even drew blood. I thought it was an accident though. So I didn't think anything about it."
"Theo, I'm sorry for instantly believing that you were cheating on me, and not realizing that something strange was up about that text," Lucy told him.
"Hey, if the shoes were on the other foot, I would've jumped to the same conclusion," Theo assured her. "I'm just glad that we now know the truth of what happen. So can I assist you in moving your stuff back home… with me?"
Lucy thought for a moment before saying, "Theo, before I can move back in with you, there is something you need to know about me and my family."
"Lucy, don't forget what your mom had said earlier," Alysa quickly told her.
"I haven't," Lucy replied.
"Okay, I definitely feel out of the loop with what's being said," Theo replied.
"You're not the only one," Carlson commented.
"Lucy, if you have something you need to say to me, I'm all ears," Theo continued after the short interruption.
"Not here," Lucy quickly replied before glancing at Trubel and Alysa. "And I saw all I needed to see, so we should go."
"I'm ready," Theo replied before looking towards Carlson. "Thanks for your help, Carlson."
"No problem," Carlson replied. "Although, I'm not quite sure what all I had helped you with."
"You helped to exonerate him of doing me wrong," Lucy replied in Theo's behalf. "And that's all you need to know."
"Fair enough," Carlson replied. "Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow, Theo."
"See you tomorrow," Theo replied before he and Lucy turned towards the exit and walked away.
Trubel and Alysa followed them out.
To Be Continued