Clio arrived in the small Northeastern town of Oldhurst following a lead Orsen had revealed to Lauren. She first drove through and around the town to obtain a lay of the land. The small town was as expected. Lots of rural homes lined the road heading into what could only be construed as the downtown area. The town had a gas station, a series of disparate businesses that lined both sides of the streets, a couple of churches, a couple of motels, a doctor's office that surprisingly shared space with a vet clinic, and of course what small town would be complete without several bars that peppered the down town core.
Clio decided to park and make her way around on foot to gauge where to stop first and make enquiries. She decided to stop at the obvious places first: the bars. The first bar she visited yielded little result from the bartender or the clientele. The second and third bars yielded the same result as the first. Clio contemplated whether she should head to the next bar or try another tack. She decided to stay the course. Clio walked into the fourth bar and bellied up to the tabletop.
"Do you have Kings County Distillery bourbon whiskey?" Clio asked. One of the things Clio noticed at Club Fantasia when Orsen first approached Lauren was the type of whiskey he ordered. It was an odd brand but not unheard of but atypical enough where Clio used it as bait at the past three bars in the hopes it would spur conversation and information.
"Sure do!" The Bartender replied.
"A shot of that please." Clio replied.
"Sure." The bartender placed a shot glass in front of Clio, stepped away then quickly returned with the bottle and poured Clio a shot.
"Glad someone else likes this stuff." The bartender said as he poured and then put the bottle off to the side.
"Oh? Not a very popular bourbon whiskey?" Clio queried realizing she may have struck gold.
"It's a local brand in this region of the country, and a bit of an acquired taste. But we have a guy who comes in pretty regularly and has a taste for it so I keep it stocked for him." The bartender replied.
"He must be quite the regular for you to do that." Clio said and then downed the shot and then tapped her glass for another shot. The bartender dutifully obliged.
"Yeah, but I haven't seen him here lately." The bartender replied as he furrowed his eyebrows.
"Is that unusual?" Clio asked.
"Not sure really. He suddenly appeared, and then routinely returns."
"Is he a local?" Clio asked as she downed another shot.
"No. Says he's in the entertainment industry, recruits actors so he travels a bit, but he stops in here and has a few before he continues on his way." The bartender replied.
"This stuff is pretty potent. He can drive after drinking this?" Clio asked.
"You'd be amazed at some of the iron constitutions around here." The bartender replied then looked intently at Clio. "So what brings a fine young lady through these parts?"
"Amazingly, a casting search for a show we are putting together in Toronto." Clio replied as she tapped her glass again and the bartender refilled it.
"Really? Well, these parts must really be popular for entertainment folks."
"It is, and now I'm wondering if I know the same guy that passes through here. Do you know his name?"
"He says it's Rumlar." The bartender replied. Clio about choked on her drink. She expected him to say Orsen.
"Are you okay? Shall I get you some water?" The bartender asked.
"No I'm fine. really. Whiskey just went down the wrong part of my throat." Clio replied. "Can I have another shot?"
"Are you sure? As you said this is some pretty potent stuff and you've already had a few shots in rapid order."
"I'm one of those people who has an iron constitution." Clio replied. The bartender poured another shot.
"Does anyone else recruit around here? With Rumlar?" Clio asked.
"Are you two in competition?" The bartender asked. Clio chuckled.
"Recruiting for actors is not so cutthroat." Clio replied.
"Nope. It's always just him." The bartender replied. "But he seems to be very popular of late."
"Why is that?"
"There was a woman in here that was specifically looking for him. Hot one too."
"Oh really? How hot?" Clio fished.
"Very. Brunette. Average height. Thin. Great legs. Legs were amazing! I just chalked it up to someone he was trying to recruit that came looking for him." The bartender replied. Clio couldn't believe her luck.
"Did she say anything?"
"Beyond asking where she could find him next, no. I told her if she wanted to check the next town she could it's about 150 miles up the road."
"The next town is that far?"
"One with life in it." The bartender replied. Clio laughed.
"What's it called?"
"Bear Valley."
"Is it called that because there are lots of bears?"
"No, but it does have an unusual amount of wolf sightings."
"Really?"
"Yeah, and if you head that way be careful. That town has quite the reputation for mysterious happenings."
"Good to know. Well, I better be on my way then." Clio said as she stood up and downed her last shot and paid her bill. "Thanks for the company."
