Page 18 of The Alibi Club

Theo grinned. “Nice to meet you.” He held out his elbow for Jamie to grab.

Jamie smiled and took it. She was picking up all good things so far from Theo. Confident, respectful, easygoing manner … but there was something else. Something weird. She couldn’t put her finger on it.

“Hey, do you mind if we pivot slightly?” Theo asked. Uh-oh

“Depends on what we’re pivoting to,” Jamie said warily.

“A friend of mine just opened this super cool speakeasy a few blocks this way.” He gestured to the north. Uncorked was to the east.

Jamie was caught off guard by the change of venue but was not fast enough to object. She nodded even though she would be more comfortable at the wine bar. She knew people there, and no one to her knowledge had been drugged and raped at Uncorked. Far from it. It was one of her favorite spots. But Theo seemed nice and he had suggested a special place, and there was no reason for her to be difficult, something her mother always accused her of.

“Okay,” she said but started sweating a little. It’ll be fine.

Fine.

Everything’s going to be fine.

Maybe that was the something weird she was picking up from Theo. Just his change of venue. Sure. That’s it. She wished she could mute her talent. Stop prejudging and give the weirdo a chance!

Theo started talking about what he did for a living, something to do with craftmanship and processing. She could hear the pride in his voice, but she wasn’t paying complete attention as they walked north toward a part of town where two boutique luxury hotels now stood.

Developers had mowed down a string of small shops and a few historic beach bungalows to make way for a new high-end hotel, a testament to the theory that progress marches on and paves over. These several blocks had once been home to a surf and skateboard shop, an old- school barber shop, Either/Or Bookstore and her favorite breakfast joint, the Backburner Café. Best pancakes in town. It had been a special place where her dad always took her on Sundays.

Her heart stuttered at the memory of her father.

“Here we are,” Theo said as he stopped right in front. “Welcome to the Beach Lodge.” The Backburner Café’s original patio had been transformed into a dark wood portico, with gas lamps flickering on each side of the opening. A heavy door with an iron doorknocker faced them. Theo went on to explain how his friend had reimagined the idea of a speakeasy, but Jamie’s memories came flooding in and drowned him out.

The Backburner patio with her dad. She was ten, still wore braids in her hair. She ordered the short stack, no powdered sugar, her dad got fried eggs and sourdough toast, his usual. The salty air mixed in with the nutty scent of freshly brewed chicory coffee.

They talked about all the things Jamie couldn’t talk about at home.

“Don’t be silly, your mother loves you. She just has a hard time with affection.”

“No, Dad. You don’t understand.” Reluctant tears formed in her eyes.

“What don’t I understand?” Her dad rubbed her back and tried to calm her down.

“She’s mean. She took my diary. And she uses my secrets against me. Doesn’t she do the same thing to you? I saw her take your favorite journal from your office.”

“Wait. What?” Her dad seemed instantly alarmed. “When?”

“Last week,” Jamie answered.

Her dad’s blue eyes clouded over for a moment as he looked out to the street, as if seeing a storm approaching.

“Dad?”

He stood up so fast, his chair bounced back with a clatter. Jamie turned to see what he was seeing. A pair of policemen had pulled up. One of them walked up to their table.

“Hal Frisco? We have a warrant for your arrest.”

Jamie was bewildered by the siren chirping and her father being put in handcuffs.

Just then that same siren chirped as it sailed by Jamie, bringing her back to the moment with Theo, standing in front of the imposing portico that used to be the Backburner patio.

“Hey, Jamie, you still with me?” Theo waved a hand in front of her face and snapped his fingers.

Jamie shook her head to dispel the memory. “Wow, sorry, I really got lost there. A lot of memories of this place.”