The Trap Of Ace

Read The Trap Of Ace [by Eva Zahan] Chapter 21 – Turning to another turn, I took the car through an almost empty street, my gaze continued their connection with the GPS tracker of my phone. I’d never heard of that bar’s name before, and after tracing Beth’s phone, I found it was at Northern Avenue. The street infamous for old buildings, illegal casinos, small cafes and bars. And most importantly, hundreds of alleys.

I’d no idea what the h**l she was doing here at nine of the night!

And seeing the eerie silence around, I felt people of this area called it a night much earlier than others.

Once I was finally outside at the destination at the middle of a narrow road, I double checked the location and the bar’s name. A big’ Dakota’s Bar’ was written on a white board, red fairy lights lit at the edges. And the wobbly two rugged men that stumbled out of the bar rose the scale of my discomfort higher.

I’d just pick her up and flee out of this uncanny area.

When I was about to park my car at the small parking lot at the corner, I found it full. And the c****o beside it explained the reason. I’d just park my car outside the bar, but a big no parking sign stopped me.

Sighing, I went ahead and turned to another narrow road and found there a place to park. Keeping my car there, I took my phone and went back to the bar.

Cold air pricked my skin as I walked along the footpath, brown locks of mine swayed with the breeze. Distant music coming out from the c****o’s closed doors was the only sound I could hear other than some dogs barking afar.

As soon as I entered the bar, her sprawled figure came into my view. With a large bottle in her hand, she sang something in her not so pleasant slurry voice; her dark curly head rested on the rounded table at the corner. It was a small bar, so finding her wasn’t a hassle.

When I approached her, a man in white shirt and red bow around his neck greeted me.

“I guess you’re the friend of hers I called, right?” he asked.

“Yes, that’s me. Thank you so much for informing me about her! I’d no idea she would be here at this moment,” I said, genuinely grateful. At places like this, she could fall into a wrong man’s hand. Thank G*d, this man, who must be a bartender here, turned out to be a gentleman!

“No problem, Miss. She’s actually here for the last four hours, drinking and crying non-stop. And when it was our time to close the bar, we asked her to leave but she wasn’t in a state to leave alone, so we’d to call you.”

Crying? What happened to her?

“Alright! Again, thank you so much for taking care of her until I arrived,” saying, I hurried to her and called out her name.

Blinking her red swollen eyes at me, recognition flickered over her face as an uneven smile stretched across her lips.” Emmm! You’re ‘ere! I was soooo lonely.” She tugged at my hand. “Come, sit’ere! Now we’re going to drink together!”

I brushed her unkempt hair out of her forehead, her cheeks were streaked with dried tears and smudged mascara. She looked like a mess.

everything was alright. I’d talk to her once she was sober. But I needed to

any more. Let’s go, we’re leaving.”‘ I tried to get her up by her shoulders but she shrugged

to go! Need more drinks, an’ you’ll drink with

eying his wrist. The whole bar was empty, he was just waiting for us to leave so that he could close

Come on, get up! We need to go!” Forcing her to stand up, I wrapped one of

drink!” she complained, but walked along me

man. He offered if I needed help but I denied. Paying her bill, I thanked

I glanced around, leading her the way my car was parked. Some wobbling figures appeared and disappeared around the corners. In the whole

dragged her along, she started crying again, mumbling something incoherent

Beth. It’s alright. We’re

on me. My gaze

was too strong. And when I heard footsteps behind me, i’d to turn around. A fleeting figure moved

fell onto the other black Range Rover standing at the other end of the street. But there was

before I came here? No, it must’ve been another car.

turned around and urged

Some middle-aged men huddled under the shadow, I could feel their gaze set on us. When one of them pushed against the wall, standing straight, I tightened my grip on

Walk faster! We need to move fast!”

groaned. “I don’t wanna go

faster!” I said,

I almost sighed in relief. Until

with her along. With another hand, I fished out my pepper spray and phone from my pocket and kept it in my

alone. I

brain screamed at me to run, but I knew I

something in a foreign language as they neared closer and

door open with shaky hands and pounding heart, I pushed her inside and whirled

found no one. As if they suddenly vanished into the thin air. Just like that. The entire

the h**l did just

and drove off. And when we were out of that area, away from those alleys, only

mine about the stunt she pulled tonight tomorrow morning. While I felt like I just