Undying Rage Nightclub

  Thursday

  11:57 p.m.

  Rachel wipes down one side of the bar while glancing occasionally up at the television behind her. A hockey game from probably twenty years ago plays on the TV. However, the news banner on the bottom is what has Rachel's interest piqued.

  Since about five o'clock that afternoon, the local channel has posted updates on the case involving Evelyn's insane murder. Rachel is as certain as she can be that the police are making a big mistake suspecting Detective Mackey. The man the department is ready to nail to the wall couldn't possibly be the same guy that was in the club several nights ago. Not the man who cornered and brought down the Aquarius Killer. It just can't be possible. But maybe, it is. People have been known to crack under pressure. Her family life is evidence of that.

  Rachel glances up as a handsome gentleman settles down at the bar, straightening his gray suit in the process. The man appears unsure, his brow creased with what Rachel can only assume is indecision. Placing her clean rag on the counter, Rachel makes her way over to the gorgeous fellow.

  "So," Rachel says with a smile. "Drinking alone or are you meeting someone? Haha. Either way...What are you having?"

  "Uh...An orange juice, please," the man says in a pleasant voice. "I'm not really a drinker."

  "Ha. Not really a drinker? Don't hear that often in here," Rachel laughs, leaning onto the counter and studying the handsome stranger. "I guess you are meeting someone, huh? Is she pretty? She must be to have coaxed you into the devil's den."

  "Well, actually...The person I'm hoping to meet is a man."

  "Oh," Rachel says, straightening up and removing her apron. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to..."

  "No, it's nothing like that. He's a...Well, he's a business associate. I was hoping he'd be here tonight, but I don't see him."

  The more Rachel stares at the handsome man at the bar, the more she is certain she has seen him before. Rachel places her apron on the counter and leans toward the newcomer a second time.

  "Forgive me saying this, Sir...But you seem really familiar. Do I know you? Are you some sort of businessman?"

  "Uh. No," Mackey says. "But you may have seen me on the news. The Evelyn Reardon case. I'm...I'm Detective James Mackey. I'm here...Unofficially to get some information about a guy who frequented this establishment for the last two weeks. A guy claiming to be me."

  Rachel gapes at Detective Mackey, studying him for easily the twentieth time. A warm smile slowly spreads on her face.

  "I knew it. I knew it. There was no way that bastard could possibly be you," Rachel whispers, her eyes tearing up.

  Mackey's eyes widen, and he leans across the counter conspiratorially. He speaks to Rachel in an equally soft voice.

  "So you know the guy I'm talking about. The man calling himself Jim Mackey? The man with the dark trenchcoat and a huge drinking problem?"

  "Yes. I mean...I've seen him in here a few times," Rachel confirms. "I'd say...He's been coming in here for about...Maybe a little over a week. At least, that's when I first noticed him. He was always with a couple of drunk women or some really tough looking guys. Said his name was Jim Mackey. I should've known he was using some sort of alias. I watched your press conference after Aquarius was finally taken down, Mr. Mackey. I thought something was a bit off. As far as the other guy's appearance was concerned. But then again, time can change people. Guess I should've gone with my gut feeling. I'm so glad to finally meet you, Mr. Mackey. I'll do whatever I can to help your case. Uh. Unofficially, of course."

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Detective Mackey manages a tiny grin when Rachel offers him an energetic wink.

  "Thank you, Miss--?"

  "Corbin. Rachel Corbin. You can call me, Rachel."

  "Okay, Rachel," James replies, his grin widening. "Thank you, Rachel. I owe you one."

  "No. I figure, I owe you," Rachel says.

  "Really? Why's that?"

  "For ending Aquarius' reign of terror. For bringing that murdering scumbag to justice. I will forever be grateful to you for that," Rachel continues.

  "I was only doing my job, Rachel. If I could've brought him in instead...I would have. The law states I have to do everything within my power to see a criminal gets their day in court and faces a jury of their peers. I took no pleasure in killing Aquarius."

  "You don't have to convince me, Detective Mackey. I'd be grateful to you either way. It's just that...The case--"

  Rachel exhales sharply and reaches for her abandoned cleaning rag. The sorrow filled young woman begins wiping down the bar. She wipes hard enough to nearly take the shine off of the countertop. Silent tears stream down her cheeks and she uses the back of her opposite hand to cover her mouth. Detective Mackey grows alarmed, placing his right hand on Rachel's--which is still clinging to the cleaning rag.

  "Hey. Whoa. It's okay. It's okay. Take a deep breath. Relax. I understand. That case was hard for a lot of women. My own wife was almost a victim. I understand. Just...Breath, Rachel. Okay?"

  "I'm so sorry, Mr. Mackey. I know better than to get emotional in front of the customers. I...I apologize," Rachel says, attempting to pull herself together. "But it wasn't just about watching some insane killer get what he deserved. It was personal. You don't...You don't know who I am? Do you, Detective Mackey?"

  James scrutinizes the grief stricken woman from his spot in front of the bar. Something about her does seem strikingly familiar. Like he has seen her somewhere before.

  "I...I don't blame you for what happened, Detective," Rachel exclaims. "It was bound to have happened sooner or later. Mom tried to warn Karine that Stefan was no good. That she was asking for trouble getting mixed up with his crowd. I always thought Stefan was more than a little bit crazy. Just from the things I'd heard around town about him. If anyone was going to hurt Karine, I thought it would be Stefan. She hooked up with him a few years ago. Around the same time, she started working in that new club downtown. By then, Mom and Dad were already divorced. Lenny had moved out to live with his pregnant girlfriend and Mom got real ill. Karine's money paid the rent and the medical bills. So, Mom didn't bother Karine about her spicy lifestyle anymore. Karine never listened to anyone anyway."

  The entire time Rachel is rambling, James stares at her with very large eyes. Karine? Karine Peters? Is this young woman saying that Karine Peters was her sister? It sure sounds like it. Wow. Now the pieces finally fit. No wonder, she'd seemed familiar. And just as beautiful too.

  There wasn't time, between finding each horribly mutilated body, to do more than a cursory background check on Karine Peter's foster family. As young girls, Karine and her half-sister had become wards of the state after their biological mother abandoned them to go on a journey of hard drugs and self discovery. Both of the girls had different fathers. Neither of which wanted the hassle of raising a toddler or a stubborn tween. He and Dave hadn't uncovered much on the younger sister. In fact, Rachel was one of only two people in the family who James had never met. He'd been informed she'd gone off to junior college elsewhere. There'd been even less information on the elusive foster brother. A military man, if memory serves him. Lenny had also been unable to make the funeral in time. The entire family led a mostly uneventful life. The only controversy had been Karine/Kimberly and her ties to the late drug kingpin Eduardo Maldova--and the infamous Stefan Clayborne.

  "Karine Peters...Was your sister?" James ventures to ask, already knowing the answer.

  "Yes, Mr. Mackey...She was. I wanted you to know--" Rachel falters. "...that I don't blame you for anything. I'm not angry. Karine made her own bed. We all do. You did what you could."

  Despite the amount of time which has passed, Mackey has been unable to get the image of beautiful Karine's brutalized body out of his mind. The gruesome discovery has caused him many sleepless nights, finding Karine with her throat slit--and a tarot card shoved into the bloody opening. Stefan Clayborne's body had been fashioned to Karine's nude form as if performing the worst sort of copulation in the history of mankind. Definitely not a sight for someone with a weak stomach.

  "What would you like to know, Detective?" Rachel asks with a warm smile.

  Detective Mackey returns Rachel's friendly smile. He experiences the first true glimmer of hope he has had since entering that damn abandoned building. Hope. Now, there's a thought.