Against All Odds - Chapter 17
“I’m sorry to hear about AJ. He was a really cool dude,” the bartender at the club said as
he wiped down the top of the bar’s counter.
Brian looked at the man’s name tag before he plunged into questions. “So, um, Jake, did you
notice anything unusual about that night AJ played here?”
“Unusual as in how?”
“Was he around people that seemed out of the place to you?” Nick broke in.
Jake threw the white towel into the sink. “I don’t even really know AJ, how would I know
what was normal company for him?”
Brian sighed. “True.” He thought for a moment and before he could say anything, Nick
jumped in the questioning again.
“Okay, I’m sure you could detect friends from fans couldn’t you? I mean you’re pretty
capeable of reading that from being a bartender, right?”
“Yeah, so?”
“Okay so was there anyone that seemed to be obsessed with talking to AJ in a fan way
versus a friend way?”
Jake thought for a moment and then smiled. “Yeah, yeah I do remember one thing that
was kinda odd, even for AJ.”
Both Brian and Nick leaned forward, in anticipation, waiting for Jake’s description of the
event.
“Well there was this young couple, probably in their late twenties and it looked like they
were married. Anyway, they were buying AJ rounds of drinks, nothing hard, just sodas but
they did order one mix but the rest were sodas.”
“Okay, nothing that would make him drunk, right?” Brian pressed.
“Nope, AJ said something about not wanting to drink liquor saying he was trying to get dry,
which I appreciate,” Jake continued as he walked out from behind the bar towards the
floor where chairs were stacked up ontop of the tables, in groups of four to a table.
“Did you happen to catch any of the conversation they had with AJ?” Nick asked.
Jake groaned as he heaved a chair from the table and set it onto the floor. “No, nothing
odd, just that they loved his work and that they had a niece that was very much into
n’sync. Nothing usual about anything with them, I guess.”
“So how long did AJ stay after the show?” Brian quizzed.
“Oh, I would say about an hour or two after the show. He seemed to be really into the
conversation with that one couple. I think they were talking stocks or something and he
was really into it with them. They bought him a few more sodas and some bottled water
and then the three of them left together. End of story.”
“Do you know who those people are?” Brian asked.
Jake shook his head. “No, I don’t know them, but the guy comes here almost every night.”
Brian slapped his hand on Nick’s back. “Thanks Jake, you’ve been alot of help. We’ll talk to
you later.”
Nick stared at Brian as they left the club.
“Don’t worry, we’re not done just yet Nick,” Brian explained. “We will come back here
tonight.”
Chapter 18
