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CHAPTER 4
Justin pulled his carinto the almost empty lot just before 11 that evening. Katrina looked up at the broken sign above the bar and sighed, wondering to herself if it had been damaged in the recent storms.
Wondering why it hadn’t been replaced yet.
“Do you want to stay here?” Justin asked her, and she shook her head.
“No, I...” She wanted to see the inside, see if it fit the vision Lorenzo had gone over so many times during their high school years.
“Okay, then.” Justin unbuckled his seatbelt. “Let’s do this.”
Katrina followed him up to the building, her stomach churning at the thought of the people behind that door. Who in there cared for him? Did anyone, or had he held them all at arm’s length?
Would there be another woman, one who would cry the way that she had?
Justin was full of confidence as he opened the door, the sound of the jukebox loud within, drowning out most of the conversation amongst the customers. There weren’t many left. Some sat at tables finishing up food, and there were a couple of older men at the bar nursing their drinks. The floor was sticky beneath her feet as she surveyed the room around her, the one that seemed to hold secrets.
The one place where no one would ask them of you.
But to her, as she fought against the anxiety building up in her, the side who could see Lorenzo standing behind the bar, it was the one place that could divulge them.
Katrina followed Justin up to the bartender, who was using a rag to clean the inside of a glass..
“What can I get for you?” he asked without looking up.
“We’re looking for Martin,” Justin replied.
The man set the glass down and eyed them suspiciously. “You found him. What can I do for you?”
Justin leaned in closer. “Is there somewhere we can talk?”
“What is this about?”
“Lorenzo Cade.”
“He’s not here.”
“Please, sir,” Katrina finally spoke up. “We know he isn’t. We need to speak with you.”
Martin paused for a moment, then nodded. “Jamie,” he called out over the music, “you’re up.”
A younger man who was throwing darts looked over his shoulder. “Sure thing,” he said, then Martin gestured towards Justin and Katrina to follow him.
“Back in the office,” he called out over his shoulder. Katrina followed them back down a hallway into a small office, its door having seen better days and looking like it had been kicked in at least once. Having known Lorenzo, he’d probably done it himself after locking his keys inside.
But that was the Lorenzo from ten years ago.
She wasn’t sure who he was now.
There were papers strewn about the small wooden desk that sat in the corner and the black file cabinet, which had scrapes along the side, had one drawer that wasn’t quite shut. There were only two chairs in the room, the black chair seated at the desk and a smaller orange bucket chair along the wall. There were no pictures on the paneled walls, other than framed licenses. A one-dollar bill was pinned along with several business cards to a bulletin board beside the desk which had either fallen from the wall or had never hung on one to begin with.
Martin motioned in Katrina’s direction, asking if she could shut the door behind her, and as she did, she noticed what was hanging on the doorknob.
A leather jacket.
His leather jacket.
When it fell from the knob, she picked it up, the familiar scent of Lorenzo washing over her as she did so.
