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.

to her once she was sober. But I needed to get her

you aren’t having any more. Let’s go, we’re leaving.”‘ I tried

don’t want to go! Need more drinks, an’ you’ll drink

empty, he

I wrapped one of

drink!” she complained, but

and then glanced at the man. He offered if I needed help but I denied. Paying her bill, I thanked him again and carried her out

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

she started crying again, mumbling something incoherent

It’s alright.

ran down my spine as I felt eyes on me. My gaze flickered around, but there

I heard footsteps behind me, i’d to turn

end of the street. But there was no one in there. It was the same car that was behind me most of the

came here? No, it must’ve been another

heart at my throat, I turned around and urged Beth to walk faster. But her being drunk

street. 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 Beth and dragged

faster! We need to move fast!” I urged

groaned. “I don’t wanna

going to my place, don’t worry. Now walk faster!” I said, glancing over my shoulder. No

my car parked on, I almost sighed in relief. Until footsteps behind us reached me. And this time, there wasn’t only a

heart pounded in my chest as I walked as fast as I could with her along. With another hand, I fished out my pepper spray and phone from my pocket

shouldn’t have come here alone. I at least

I knew I couldn’t. Fear gripped my chest in a

yelled out something in a foreign language

and pounding heart, I pushed

no one. As if they suddenly vanished into the thin air.

the h**l did just

drove off. And

definitely going to talk to this friend of mine about the stunt she pulled tonight tomorrow morning. While I felt like I just escaped a heart failure,