last call at the nightshade lounge excerpt
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Preview:
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LAST CALL
A T T H E
N I G H T S H A D E
L O U N G E
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12
CHAPTER ONE
Bailey Chen was taking care of some serious business
ldquoHellordquo She plugged a 1047297nger into her non-cell-phone ear
ldquoJess Are you still there I was just saying that I think Divinylrsquosdoing some really interesting things with their business modelmdashrdquo
ldquoYuprdquo said a perky-sounding female ldquoThatrsquos great So you
probably know wersquoremdashrdquo
ldquolsquoA revolutionary return to revolving musicrsquordquo Bailey recited
ldquolsquoThe company thatrsquos bringing the retro sound of vinyl to the con-
venience of a mobile platformrsquo I think thatrsquos really uhmdashrdquo She cast
around for the right word Cool Awesome What could you really
say about an audio-1047297lter app that took sharp clear mp983091s and re-ren-
dered them into record-styled hiss- and pop-1047297lled playback
Anything she reminded herself anything as long as it landed
her an interview
ldquo really innovativerdquo Bailey said ldquoAnd Irsquod love to come in
and talk with yourdquo
She heard a crackle on the line and Bailey wondered for a split
second if it was an intentional throwback designed into Divinylrsquos
corporate phone system or just a side eff ect of her shitty cell
reception
ldquoTotallyrdquo Jess said ldquoGod can you believe we havenrsquot talked
since like high school We have so much to catch up onrdquo
ldquoOhrdquo Bailey said ldquoUm yeahrdquo
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13
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
Bailey could believe they hadnrsquot talked since like high school
because they hadnrsquot talked that much in high school But maybe Jess
was one of those people who had dramatically changed in college
Besides if Bailey landed the job Jess would probably be her 1047297rst
office friend They could do business-lady things like go out for
chopped salads Or even better make an intern bring them chopped
salads which they would eat in their spacious window-1047297lled corner
offices while planning total domination of their market sector (And
maybe online-shopped for statement necklaces because it was after
all their lunch break)
Bailey smiled If shersquod ever had a mental picture of success that
was it lunch delivery ruthless business sense and power jewelryldquoBaileyrdquo
ldquoSorry Jess Irsquom here So do you have any time coming up this
week ormdashrdquo
ldquoBaileyrdquo
This time her name was not coming from the phone Zane
Whelanrsquos shaggy-haired head appeared over the end of the bar his
square eyeglasses gleaming ldquoThere you arerdquo
Shit ldquoUm gotta gordquo Bailey chirped into her phone ldquobut
callmebackwhenyougetachmdashrdquo
Zane frowned ldquoAre you talking to someonerdquo
ldquoHydrangeasrdquo Bailey said quickly
ldquoHuhrdquo
ldquoHydrangeas wisterias oleander rhododendron and anthur-
iumrdquo Bailey said nodding to the trivia emcee gamely grinning
down at a clipboard from behind her microphone ldquoFive of uh the
most common poisonous plantsrdquo
ldquoAnthuriumrdquo Zane blinked ldquoThat sounds like something
from a B movierdquo
Bailey pocketed her phone ldquoWell itrsquos realrdquo
The emcee paced the bar 1047298oor shooting pleading glances at
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983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
14
each team ldquoCome on guysrdquo she said with microphone-added re-
verb ldquoI only need 1047297ve Yoursquove still got twenty seconds left tomdashyes
Yourdquo
The captain of a team of yuppies had leapt to his feet ldquoOleander
poinsettia dandelmdashrdquo
But just as he said ldquodandelionrdquo a buzzer drowned him out
ldquoDuhrdquo Bailey said under her breath ldquoDandelions are ediblerdquo
ldquoReallyrdquo Zane said
ldquoTheyrsquore good in saladsrdquo
ldquoSorryrdquo The emcee shook her head like a rueful gameshow
host ldquoDandelions may not taste great but they are not poisonous
Theyrsquore actuallymdashrdquoBailey mouthed the rest of the sentence ldquomdashedible and good
in saladsrdquo
ldquoWowrdquo Zane tapped out a few polite claps ldquoIrsquom impressedrdquo
ldquoOh um donrsquot berdquo Bailey said praying he wouldnrsquot ask about
the phone call ldquoPoinsettias arenrsquot toxic to humans unless you eat
like 1047297ve hundred leaves She should have called him on that onerdquo
ldquoHey ease up Not everyone in this barrsquos an Ivy League
graduaterdquo
Bailey 1047298ushed ldquoI didnrsquot meanmdashrdquo
But Zane was grinning ldquoBecause that distinction is the exclu-
sive territory of our smartest barbackrdquo
He patted her shoulder and Bailey tried not to cringe
ldquoRightrdquo she said ldquoThanksrdquo
ldquoAnd as the smartest barback at the Nightshade Loungerdquomdash
Zane went onmdashldquoyou really should know better than to go sit on
the 1047298oor during a busy shiftrdquo
ldquoIrsquom sorry Irsquom sorryrdquo Bailey rushed to say ldquoI just had to uh
the music mdashrdquo
ldquoMusicrdquo Zane shook his head ldquoBailey that jukebox has
probably been here since the sixties It totally doesnrsquot work You
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15
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
know thatrdquo
ldquoRightrdquo Bailey said Sometimes it felt like nothing worked at
the Nightshade Lounge except Bailey And Zane of course
Zane gave the jukebox a fond pat on its cracked glass ldquoAnyway
Donrsquot slack on me okayrdquo
ldquoIrsquom notrdquo Bailey protested If there was one thing she wasnrsquot it
was a slacker ldquoIrsquom justmdashrdquo
ldquoLook Bailey I told my uncle you could do this job with no
experiencerdquo Zane said ldquoAnd you can do it But if you donrsquot rdquo
He cleared his throat and continued in a low voice ldquoI donrsquot want to
have to 1047297re you the 1047297rst weekrdquo
Bailey could only nod She wanted to explainmdash Sorry Zane thatIrsquom not only looking for the 1047297rst opportunity to ditch the job you pulled
major strings to get me but also doing it while on the clockmdash but instead
gave him the truncated version ldquoSorry Yuprdquo
ldquoGoodrdquo Zane smiled Hersquod shown up to work wearing what
he always wore a slim old three-piece suit complete with loose-
ly knotted tie and rumpled dress shirt which made him look like
a Swinging London modster about to zip off on a candy-colored
scooter ldquoAnd in return Irsquoll continue to pay you and act as your
bene1047297cent overlordrdquo
ldquoMore glassesrdquo Trina the redheaded bartender who was
Zanersquos counterweight that night yelled at them from the other end
ldquoSometime this century pleaserdquo she added ldquoNot those glasses Zane
You already made that joke like 1047297ve minutes agordquo
Zane crammed his spectacles back onto his face ldquoI still think
itrsquos funnyrdquo
ldquoOn itrdquo Bailey said glad for the abrupt end to the conversa-
tion She scooted along in the narrow space behind them calling
out ldquoOn your back On your backrdquo as she passed After depositing
a freshly cleaned stack of old fashioned glasses by Trinarsquos side she
glanced at the garnish tray
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17
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983089 Keep bartenders supplied with a steady stream of clean
glasses while removing the used ones
2 Make sure each garnish tray is well stocked at all times
3 Regularly check the garbage taking it out before it
over 1047298ows
(Bailey did her best work when she could prioritize everything
preferably in list form)
At the height of a rush however her list was far more likely to
look like this
983089 DO EVERYTHING
2 RIGHT NOW
3 OR ELSE
All night every night she never stopped moving No matter
how on top of the situation she was there was always another 1047297re
to put out
And then there were the customers They started the evening
pleasant enough But a few rounds had the same eff ect as a trip to
Pinocchiorsquos Pleasure Island anyone could turn into an ass
ldquoSo thatrsquoll be a martini for merdquo one of the hard-core trivia
enthusiasts slurred at her awhile later She leaned over the bar and
gazed down at Bailey with glassy eyes
Bailey greeted the girl with a patient smile ldquoIrsquom sorry but Irsquom
just a bar-backrdquo she said ldquoI canrsquot makemdashrdquo
ldquomdashtwo glasses of whiskey with icerdquo the girl continued ldquoAnd
for Trevmdashhey Trev What do you wantrdquo
A few paces away Trev muttered
ldquoOh yeahrdquo said the girl ldquoA Long Island iced teardquo With her lazy
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18
boozy diction the order came out lawn-ilan-icy
Bailey doubled down on her outward customer friendliness
even as her internal patience evaporated ldquoIrsquom sorry marsquoamrdquo she
said again ldquobut Imdashrdquo
Zane appeared like magic ldquoLadiesrdquo he said smoothly position-
ing himself between his barback and members of the ldquoWreck Your
Privilegerdquo trivia team ldquoI know a thing or two about making a de-
cent Long Island Why donrsquot you leave it to merdquo
His performance felt increasingly unreal as Bailey watched The
Zane shersquod always known had been clumsy and awkward but ap-
parently a lot changed when you hadnrsquot seen someone for 1047297ve years
This version of Zane eff ortlessly charmed his customers entertain-ing them while he mixed their drinks with the showy vigor of
a stage magician
Speaking of people whorsquove changed since high school she thought
and then squashed the notion as quickly as it appeared Yes high
school Zane had been the kind of guy who couldnrsquot admit to his
feelings for his best friend Bailey until a couple of beers at Luke
Perezrsquos graduation party had loosened his tongue and Baileyrsquos
pants Yes talking to Zane two weeks ago had been a catch-up ses-
sion even more awkward than her theoretical upcoming ldquoplease
give me a jobrdquo chat with Jess But no overall things were 1047297ne Zane
and Bailey were friends again and it wasnrsquot too awkward (which
was good) Hersquod even given her a job to help get her parents off
her back (which was even better) And if the only side eff ect was
her own sudden terminal uncoolness well so be it She probably
deserved it
ldquoYou knowrdquo Bailey said ldquoitrsquod probably help if you taught me
how to make drinks Just for when you or Trina are too busyrdquo The
bar lifestyle had wreaked havoc on her sleep schedule and her social
life and the pay truly sucked but calling herself a bartender was at
least kind of cool and would sound less embarrassing when she got
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983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
around to having friends again
Zane shook his head ldquoNo dicerdquo he said ldquoNo off ense but yoursquore
not readyrdquo
ldquoNot readyrdquo Bailey was incredulous ldquoWhat happened to
smartest barbackrdquo
ldquoYoursquore also our only barbackrdquo Zane said ldquoAnd right now
thatrsquos where I need you Okayrdquo
Bailey tried not to scowl ldquoOkayrdquo
Zane nodded his head toward the blank spot behind him that
Trina shouldrsquove been occupying ldquoItrsquos gonna be a little busy for
a bitrdquo he said ldquoTrinarsquos stepping out for a smokerdquo
Ah yes Bailey thought Wouldnrsquot be an evening at the Nightshadewithout one of the sta ff taking a suspiciously long smoke break right at
the height of the rush All the bartenders even Zane usually excused
themselves during shifts leaving Bailey and the remaining bartender
to hold down the fortmdashwhich 1047297ne drinking and smoking did kind
of go hand in hand But as far as she could tell none of the loungersquos
staff smoked no tobacco smell no yellow teeth no pack-size faded
spot on their pockets
ldquoZanerdquo she asked slowly ldquodo you have a lightrdquo
ldquoHuh No Whyrdquo
Interesting Bailey thought ldquoNo reasonrdquo she said ldquoWhat do you
need me to dordquo
Zane winced ldquoIrsquom sorry to askmdashrdquo
Baileyrsquos heart sank Zane had no poker face Whatever he was
about to say it wasnrsquot going to be pretty But unfortunately ldquonot
prettyrdquo was her job
ldquoWhat is itrdquo she said ldquoSpit it outrdquo
ldquoFunny you should use that phrasingrdquo Zane said ldquoSomeone
mustrsquove been feeling a little ah soft-boiled Womenrsquos bathroommdashrdquo
ldquoHow badrdquo
Zane smiled weakly ldquoShe almost made itrdquo
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20
ldquoHey Suit guyrdquo yelled a Cubs fan ldquoWersquore thirsty over hererdquo
Zane nodded to him ldquoSorryrdquo he said ldquoReally sorryrdquo And then
he was off grabbing a shaker and glass of ice as he went
Bailey spent a half hour scrubbing the bathroom to a service-
able shine though she knew full well someone would undo all her
work the second she put the mop and bucket away She probably
couldrsquove gotten to the bar faster by half-assing the job but being
detail oriented was so entwined in her DNA that she couldnrsquot leave
things un1047297nished no matter how stupid or gross they were By
the time she rejoined Zane on the line that goddamn bathroom
sparkled
The trivia game was winding down as Bailey slipped behindthe bar and even though shersquod 1047298itted in and out all night she still
mentally answered more questions than most of the teams faltering
only in classic literature So I havenrsquot read every book Bailey thought
Trivia was just a test of fact retention and her brain was as absorbent
as a sponge
Also she thought as she replenished the plastic straws with-
out being asked Irsquom a self-starter Think of what I could do in the right
environment
With a bang that rattled the glasses on the shelves Trina re-
turned from her smoke break (decidedly not smelling of cigarettes
Bailey noted) and more and people 1047297ltered out By a half hour from
closing only a few customers remained Zane sent Trina home early
leaving just him and Bailey to close up
ldquoThat was funrdquo he said as if theyrsquod just stepped off the best
roller coaster ever
Bailey looked at him sidelong estimating whether sufficient
distance separated her from his insanity
ldquoOh come onrdquo he said ldquoYou didnrsquot have a fun night in the
trenchesrdquo He playfully dropped into a boxerrsquos crouch and swiped
at the air
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ldquoThey didnrsquot box in the trenchesrdquo she said ldquoThey used long-
range bombardment weapons Can you mime a howitzerrdquo
ldquoAs soon as I learn what that isrdquo he said ldquoYoursquore telling me
you donrsquot get anything out of the rush times Not even a trickle of
adrenalinerdquo
ldquoZane adrenalinersquos something your body makes to stop you
from dying horriblyrdquo She plunked down a martini glass which he
snatched right up and dried off In tandem they worked with as-
sembly-line efficiency ldquoAnd nordquo she said ldquoitrsquos not fun Jobs arenrsquot
supposed to be Thatrsquos why theyrsquore jobsrdquo
ldquoTheyrsquore not supposed to be but that doesnrsquot mean they canrsquot
be rightrdquoBailey grunted
ldquoWell heyrdquo he said ldquoYou wanna come out tonight Me and
some of the other bartenders around town like to stop in at Nerorsquos
Griddlemdashyou remember Nerorsquos rightrdquo
Bailey barely had time to nod
ldquoAnd yoursquove gotta meet this buddy of mine who works down
in Boystown and more important my girlfmdashrdquo
At that Bailey snapped to attention but Zane was frowning at
his phone Whatever he was reading had snuff ed out his smile
ldquoWhat is itrdquo she said more curious about his trailed-off sen-
tence than whatever was on his phone Only one word started with
girlf and it wasnrsquot one shersquod ever heard Zane use about himself
ldquoI have to gordquo Zane crammed his phone back into his pocket
He looked serious even grim as if he were barely aware that Bailey
was still there and then reached for supplies lime juice triple sec
a bottle of tequila that he produced from under the counter
ldquoHeyrdquo Bailey cried ldquoWe just cleaned thosemdashrdquo
ldquoI need you to close up Baileyrdquo Zane slapped the lid on his
now-full shaker which he started to shake with a weirdly exact
rhythm rattling the ice cubes against the metal sides in a seven-point
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22
beat He grabbed a margarita glass dipped the rim in water and then
jammed it into the salt dish and twisted He strained the contents
of the shaker into the salt-rimmed glass then dropped in one of the
last remaining lime wedges The lime bobbed a bit against the cubes
and in the low bar light the glass seemed to be glowing green
Zane snatched up the drink took a few deep gulps and
squeezed his eyes against what looked like a brain freeze ldquoYou
know the drillrdquo he said ldquoSet the dishwasher clean out the trays and
give the counters a good polish The rest of it we can handle when
we open tomorrow night Just lock up when yoursquore done and get
home safe okayrdquo
Bailey frowned ldquoWhatrsquos going onrdquoldquoDonrsquot worry about it Wersquoll do breakfast another midnightrdquo
ldquoButmdashrdquo
Zane was already vaulting over the bar and headed for the
door When he yanked it open Bailey caught a glimpse of someone
standing outside an angular woman with dreadlocks The moment
the woman saw Zane she took off running and the two of them
sped off into the night
The doors swung shut again leaving Bailey alone in the quiet
empty bar
Angry a little pissed off and too late into the night to call Jess
to pin down an interview she slammed the dishwasher shut rattling
every glass and cup inside She trudged back into the front to polish
off the counter seriously ready to call it a night Starting at Zanersquos
end she moved her rag in small circles systematically eliminating
any hint of grime or spillage Everywhere her towel went it stayed
until the surface beneath was a varnished brown mirror
As she made her way to Trinarsquos end something caught her eye
a small hole in the space beneath the counter As she approached
she realized it wasnrsquot just a hole it was a gap between panels that
looked like it could slide open She pushed it wide openmdashit must
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983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
have been designed to stay 1047298ush with the wall when closedmdashand
found a row of six small bottles four clearish two pale browny All
the elementary liquorsmdashvodka tequila gin rum (light and dark)
and whiskeymdashand all with the same labelmdashnot Jack Danielrsquos or
Seagramrsquos or anything she recognized but one with no name and
a logo of two interlocked C s
She reached for one popped the cork and took a sniff vodka
The good stuff as far as she could tell Her 1047297rst instinct was to put
it right back after all it was Nightshade inventory and hidden in
a secret compartment besides Instead she grabbed a spare glass
some ice and the carton of orange juice in the mini-fridge under
the sink Zane had a strict no-drinking policy while on the job butthis hardly counted And after tonight shersquod fucking earned it
Not ready yet she thought as the ice cracked under her mea-
sured shot of vodka What was to be ready for Look at me now Zane
Irsquom making a drink and Irsquom managing Having 1047297lled the glass with
orange juice she stuck in a straw gave it a quick stir and replaced
the bottle shutting the secret compartment and promising herself
shersquod ask Zane or Trina tomorrow what the hell that was about
Then she turned and admired the fruit of her labors a freshly made
screwdriver
The drink gleamed cheerfully on the counter just as Zanersquos
margarita had Bailey squinted upward Maybe a bulb was out
or one of the neon signs was leaking (could they leak) making
the tainted air cast everything in an extra-glittery glow Whatever
Drinks were for drinking not for gawking at and so thatrsquos exactly
what Bailey did
Bailey had had screwdrivers before Usually they were slapdash
concoctions little more than orange juice and vodka splashed to-
gether inside a red Solo cup But this one was no dorm room spe-
cial rather than clash the vodka and orange juice harmonized The
drink was sweet and tangy and cold and the liquid burned just the
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24
right amount on the way down Bailey had intended to take only
small sips but when she pulled the glass away from her lips she was
surprised to see shersquod already downed half
Well she thought as the delicious feeling spread from her stom-
ach to her toes Irsquoll have to drink more screwdrivers
When she swung out the front door ten minutes later she
felt even warmer inside Warm but not tipsy or clumsy Refreshed
Curiously refreshed Probably the best shersquod ever felt postshift She
jammed her key into the door to lock up like the dutiful employee
she was Except somehow she really jammed it because when she
turned the key it stuck Shersquod completely bent it
ldquoShitrdquoBailey stared at her hand wondering how shersquod manage to
warp a solid piece of metal when she had trouble opening twist-off
beers Prepared to struggle she dug in her heels and yanked but the
key came out so easily she stumbled backward Stunned and a little
woozy she stared at the crooked key in her palm then daintily took
it in her 1047297ngertips and slowly tentatively bent it upward The metal
yielded to her hands The key was utterly straight and good as new
No harm done Bailey told herself She dropped her keys into
a jacket pocket and started to stroll home wishing she knew how to
whistle so she could complete the picture
Ravenswood had been a rough little neighborhood on the
North Side when her parents moved in but gentri1047297cation set in
during the twenty-odd years since Now it felt like a suburb that had
been swallowed whole and unchewed by a big city Damen Avenue
where the Nightshade Lounge sat on the corner of Leland was as
business district-y as the neighborhood got lined with closed-for-
the-night shops a few parked cars and the occasional tree In the
distance a late-night Brown Line train trundled along its elevated
track Sunnyside Avenue where she was headed and where she now
livedmdashagainmdashwith her parents was quiet with squat houses set
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983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
behind small well-kept lawns and raised front porches Everywhere
people hung up the city 1047298ag of Chicagomdashtwo blue stripes on white
with four red stars in the middlemdashas if city hall was afraid that peo-
ple this far north would forget where they were living
As Bailey turned onto Leland she felt the hairs prick on the
back of her neck She wasnrsquot weird about walking by herselfmdash
this was her home turf after all and she possessed an above-aver-
age amount of street smarts thanks to a mandatory girls-only ses-
sion during orientation week called ldquoSisters Self-Defendinrsquo It for
Ourselvesrdquo But while Damen was the main drag with streetlights
and shop windows and potential witnesses Leland was more seclud-
ed especially after last call Despite the warm September night sheshivered and quickened her pace glancing over her shoulder No
onersquos there she told herself Just a few more blocks
But the more she walked the more certain she was that she
was hearing something a skittering noise down the block some-
thing rustling through the leaves on the ground Bailey thought it
was probably a rat or a raccoon but then again she wasnrsquot sure she
knew this neighborhood anymore Maybe there were muggers now
Vaguely recalling her instructorrsquos method for self-defendinrsquo it Bailey
whipped out her keys brandishing them like tiny daggers between
her knuckles
ldquoI can hear yourdquo she said a little shakily ldquoI know yoursquore thererdquo
Con 1047297dence lets your attacker know yoursquore not an easy target the
instructor had told them Remember the acronym S-A-F-E stay alert
announce f-something
Shit what was F Focus Well she was trying to Bailey pivoted
but saw nothing distinct enough to focus on
But she could hear it
And then it came out of the darkness Whatever was following
her wasnrsquot just another hungover coed in gym shorts It didnrsquot even
look human too low to the ground eyes too yellow Glowing yellow
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26
ldquoGood boyrdquo Bailey said keys held high ldquoNice bmdashrdquo
But it wasnrsquot a dog It was something awful that shersquod never
seen before
Before she could scream something rammed into her hard and
dense like a cannonball to the ribs Her head smacked the pave-
ment her elbow skinned across asphalt The not-a-dog was heavy
on top of her a horrible squirming four-legged thing the size of
a German shepherd with a head like a protruding tumor and limbs
covered in naked ropes of salmon-colored muscle
Bailey scrambled under it the world spinning from alcohol and
adrenaline The thing was pawing at her with stubby feet and she
couldnrsquot keep it off couldnrsquot wrestle away couldnrsquot escapeOh God she thought Irsquom going to die Here on the streets of
Ravenswood less than half a mile from where shersquod grown up less
than half a block from where shersquod just scrubbed a toilet
No Bailey thought No No The slimy weight on her chest
was too heavy for her to draw breath for a scream and the world
was going fuzzy around her God no This was how it ended not
with a bang but with a minimum-wage job and a heap of student
debt Bailey cringed and with all her dizzied nauseated might she
mustered up one stupid single and probably 1047297nal thought
Fuck That Shit
And she kicked Hard
It worked She pushed the thing away with the soles of her
sneakers and before she had time to think sprang to her feet closed
her eyes and threw the hardest punch of her life
It was ugly and clumsy and her 1047297st hooked around the thingrsquos
side instead of slamming it head-on But her knuckles met 1047298esh and
in a spray of black blood its head caved in like a rotted pumpkin
ldquoShitrdquo Bailey yelped and leapt back The remains of the an-
imal-thingrsquos body splatted to the concrete Smoke curled up from
the edges of its limbs as if it were a leaf catching 1047297re and the night
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
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27
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
air 1047297lled with a thick chemical stench Bailey coughed shielding her
eyes and before she even had time to worry about how to scrape
the nasty mess off the pavement the thingrsquos body collapsed with an
abrupt squelch
Bailey jumped back from the puddle out of the street and cast
around wildly for something else A pack A 1047298ock Another pair of
yellow eyes But she saw nothing Just a quiet street and a 1047297zzing
pool of dead-smelling something
She clamped her bloodstained hands over her mouth and
smothered a scream The screwdriver roiled inside her Her arms
and legs shook like it was below freezing and her heart squeezed
painfully with every breathShe wasnrsquot safe She wasnrsquot safe and she was going to be sick
Terri1047297ed and trembling Bailey did what she apparently did
best she 1047298ed back home
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1819
$ ()+ - )0)1234
The Screwdriver $amp () +amp $-(- () (0+ 1+ampamp+$ 1-$(+amp+$
$ampamp ()(ampamp )amp++ -(
0 1234 )amp++ 256-(47 83ampamp 28
927
$ampamp 4lt55) -26-(47+ 28
)amp++ -( 245) =3gt -4 25 57 +49
20+ 3$+4$+$ )amp+ )5 1-$(+ampamp6 7)( 1-3 -amp 8+58 3)3(-9 20)80 )amp+ 3-ampamp)( )+$+ (0+ 7)$
(-amp3+ )5 - lt83 7amp -amp - )) 0+-$( amp (0+ 5+ )5 - 1-$(+amp+$= )33-)amp -$+ 40+amp (0+ 1+( ()amp3 8$+ 1$-4amp9 gtamp
(0 +-$(7+amp(= (0+ 3$+4$+$ $+7-amp 8amp7-(30+9-$(+amp+$ 5-)$ (0 3)3(- 5)$ 7$- $+-)amp9 gt( amp
$++amp( -$+ 5+4= 30+-= -amp +- )1(-amp-1+ amp - 18( (0+7)( $+7)(+ -3+9 gt( 3-amp 1+ 7A+ lt83= amp (0+ ++amp( (0-()amp+ 0- 1++amp 3-80( 5-(5))(+ 40+ -) 1+amp 3)amp+amp+amp( 4(0amp -$76 $+-30 )5 - 58 ()3+ 1-$9 amp (0)80 (0+-1(+ $-amp(+ 1 (0+ $)+$ $+-$-()amp )5 )(0+$ 1-()amp7- $+lt8$+ +-$ )5 (+- $-3(3+ () 7-(+$= $amp+$ )5 (0+
3$+4$+$ 0-+ 5)8amp (0-( 0((amp (0amp +$ 0-$ amp (0+5-3+ 8amp( (0+ + $-(0+$ ($-0(5)$4-$9
( 15 4Bamp5)$(8amp-(+= $+3)$ )5 )- amp (0+ $+-3)8( +$- -$+-$+C 0)4++$= ( 8+ amp)4amp () -(+ 1-3 () -( +-( (0+
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1919
$ ()+ - )0)1234
$ () +$ )-+$)) $ 0+1$ )$)2 + 345+$( 4612467)$8 942 2+7+6+lt) 40 () =6$$+ $ gt)1
$ ()A)2455BA() 45B (+C 4 4 4lt+)D5lt+ 7) 4 5)lt) ()+1 (47)$ + () 2)2 40 +)1 5) 54)4 (6 E145+C 1)7)$8 F12++455B 2+$+55)2 0147 $6CG1G1+( )1)5 C1+$ 41 E44)$ lt42 5$4 0462 $)42G1B 7)2++5 6$) $ 1)$41+lt) H6 lt+) +$ $1)C()+C
E14E)1+)$ I)+C 7+$) 041 ()5+C 4)$834$GJ546 lt42 0462 +$ B 4 K7)1+ $(41)$ +
() $225)IC$ 40 () 345+$( lt5+)1 L$+7+1 365$+ (4 )G461C)2 +$ I+I65+4 74C$ () lt51B7) () 1+)2 40+C( + () K7)1+ =)lt456+48 F(46C( () )-E1)$$5B 041GI2) +$ 6$) + 4E) I5) (+$ (41$)7) 4652 01)H6)5B I)2+$E()2 +( 1+4$ 40 lt42 4 E145 () 01+C)$ 40 (+$)7E7)$ 2 144 46 561+C 1)7)$8
125 67)04
F() 54C+$+5 2+00+65B 40 E1426+C 7$$ H6++)$ 40 41GC) M6+) $+2)5+)2 +$ 6$) 041 7B B)1$ $ I1)2+C61+4$+B 2 5+5) )5$)8 N $O 6+5 () 7+2G)+)()61B 2 () 2lt) 40 +2)$E1)2 1)01+C)1)2 16+C$B$)7$ ( I1)2)1$ )1) I5) 4 +41E41) + 1)C6515B+4 ()+1 1)E)14+1)$8 P41 I)$ 1)$65$ 01)$(G$H6))Q)2 M6+) +$1)477)2)2R +0 4) +$ lt+5I5) )2 41C) M6+) +(+$ (+C()1 lt+7+ L 4) +$ E1)0)1I5) 4 $212 C14G
)1B I45)$ 41 14$8 N +$ 64 (4 1))2 (+$ E1+G 651 47I++4 I6 () 7) gt$1)21+lt)1 $ 4+)2 IBP1)2)1+ S))2$ P541+2 I1)2)1 (4 5+7)2 ( () 6$)2() 21+ 4 ()5E (+7 1)74lt) 0147 (+$ I4 (+( $1) ((2 16$)2 +4 E5)8
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 219
12
CHAPTER ONE
Bailey Chen was taking care of some serious business
ldquoHellordquo She plugged a 1047297nger into her non-cell-phone ear
ldquoJess Are you still there I was just saying that I think Divinylrsquosdoing some really interesting things with their business modelmdashrdquo
ldquoYuprdquo said a perky-sounding female ldquoThatrsquos great So you
probably know wersquoremdashrdquo
ldquolsquoA revolutionary return to revolving musicrsquordquo Bailey recited
ldquolsquoThe company thatrsquos bringing the retro sound of vinyl to the con-
venience of a mobile platformrsquo I think thatrsquos really uhmdashrdquo She cast
around for the right word Cool Awesome What could you really
say about an audio-1047297lter app that took sharp clear mp983091s and re-ren-
dered them into record-styled hiss- and pop-1047297lled playback
Anything she reminded herself anything as long as it landed
her an interview
ldquo really innovativerdquo Bailey said ldquoAnd Irsquod love to come in
and talk with yourdquo
She heard a crackle on the line and Bailey wondered for a split
second if it was an intentional throwback designed into Divinylrsquos
corporate phone system or just a side eff ect of her shitty cell
reception
ldquoTotallyrdquo Jess said ldquoGod can you believe we havenrsquot talked
since like high school We have so much to catch up onrdquo
ldquoOhrdquo Bailey said ldquoUm yeahrdquo
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13
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
Bailey could believe they hadnrsquot talked since like high school
because they hadnrsquot talked that much in high school But maybe Jess
was one of those people who had dramatically changed in college
Besides if Bailey landed the job Jess would probably be her 1047297rst
office friend They could do business-lady things like go out for
chopped salads Or even better make an intern bring them chopped
salads which they would eat in their spacious window-1047297lled corner
offices while planning total domination of their market sector (And
maybe online-shopped for statement necklaces because it was after
all their lunch break)
Bailey smiled If shersquod ever had a mental picture of success that
was it lunch delivery ruthless business sense and power jewelryldquoBaileyrdquo
ldquoSorry Jess Irsquom here So do you have any time coming up this
week ormdashrdquo
ldquoBaileyrdquo
This time her name was not coming from the phone Zane
Whelanrsquos shaggy-haired head appeared over the end of the bar his
square eyeglasses gleaming ldquoThere you arerdquo
Shit ldquoUm gotta gordquo Bailey chirped into her phone ldquobut
callmebackwhenyougetachmdashrdquo
Zane frowned ldquoAre you talking to someonerdquo
ldquoHydrangeasrdquo Bailey said quickly
ldquoHuhrdquo
ldquoHydrangeas wisterias oleander rhododendron and anthur-
iumrdquo Bailey said nodding to the trivia emcee gamely grinning
down at a clipboard from behind her microphone ldquoFive of uh the
most common poisonous plantsrdquo
ldquoAnthuriumrdquo Zane blinked ldquoThat sounds like something
from a B movierdquo
Bailey pocketed her phone ldquoWell itrsquos realrdquo
The emcee paced the bar 1047298oor shooting pleading glances at
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983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
14
each team ldquoCome on guysrdquo she said with microphone-added re-
verb ldquoI only need 1047297ve Yoursquove still got twenty seconds left tomdashyes
Yourdquo
The captain of a team of yuppies had leapt to his feet ldquoOleander
poinsettia dandelmdashrdquo
But just as he said ldquodandelionrdquo a buzzer drowned him out
ldquoDuhrdquo Bailey said under her breath ldquoDandelions are ediblerdquo
ldquoReallyrdquo Zane said
ldquoTheyrsquore good in saladsrdquo
ldquoSorryrdquo The emcee shook her head like a rueful gameshow
host ldquoDandelions may not taste great but they are not poisonous
Theyrsquore actuallymdashrdquoBailey mouthed the rest of the sentence ldquomdashedible and good
in saladsrdquo
ldquoWowrdquo Zane tapped out a few polite claps ldquoIrsquom impressedrdquo
ldquoOh um donrsquot berdquo Bailey said praying he wouldnrsquot ask about
the phone call ldquoPoinsettias arenrsquot toxic to humans unless you eat
like 1047297ve hundred leaves She should have called him on that onerdquo
ldquoHey ease up Not everyone in this barrsquos an Ivy League
graduaterdquo
Bailey 1047298ushed ldquoI didnrsquot meanmdashrdquo
But Zane was grinning ldquoBecause that distinction is the exclu-
sive territory of our smartest barbackrdquo
He patted her shoulder and Bailey tried not to cringe
ldquoRightrdquo she said ldquoThanksrdquo
ldquoAnd as the smartest barback at the Nightshade Loungerdquomdash
Zane went onmdashldquoyou really should know better than to go sit on
the 1047298oor during a busy shiftrdquo
ldquoIrsquom sorry Irsquom sorryrdquo Bailey rushed to say ldquoI just had to uh
the music mdashrdquo
ldquoMusicrdquo Zane shook his head ldquoBailey that jukebox has
probably been here since the sixties It totally doesnrsquot work You
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15
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
know thatrdquo
ldquoRightrdquo Bailey said Sometimes it felt like nothing worked at
the Nightshade Lounge except Bailey And Zane of course
Zane gave the jukebox a fond pat on its cracked glass ldquoAnyway
Donrsquot slack on me okayrdquo
ldquoIrsquom notrdquo Bailey protested If there was one thing she wasnrsquot it
was a slacker ldquoIrsquom justmdashrdquo
ldquoLook Bailey I told my uncle you could do this job with no
experiencerdquo Zane said ldquoAnd you can do it But if you donrsquot rdquo
He cleared his throat and continued in a low voice ldquoI donrsquot want to
have to 1047297re you the 1047297rst weekrdquo
Bailey could only nod She wanted to explainmdash Sorry Zane thatIrsquom not only looking for the 1047297rst opportunity to ditch the job you pulled
major strings to get me but also doing it while on the clockmdash but instead
gave him the truncated version ldquoSorry Yuprdquo
ldquoGoodrdquo Zane smiled Hersquod shown up to work wearing what
he always wore a slim old three-piece suit complete with loose-
ly knotted tie and rumpled dress shirt which made him look like
a Swinging London modster about to zip off on a candy-colored
scooter ldquoAnd in return Irsquoll continue to pay you and act as your
bene1047297cent overlordrdquo
ldquoMore glassesrdquo Trina the redheaded bartender who was
Zanersquos counterweight that night yelled at them from the other end
ldquoSometime this century pleaserdquo she added ldquoNot those glasses Zane
You already made that joke like 1047297ve minutes agordquo
Zane crammed his spectacles back onto his face ldquoI still think
itrsquos funnyrdquo
ldquoOn itrdquo Bailey said glad for the abrupt end to the conversa-
tion She scooted along in the narrow space behind them calling
out ldquoOn your back On your backrdquo as she passed After depositing
a freshly cleaned stack of old fashioned glasses by Trinarsquos side she
glanced at the garnish tray
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17
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
983089 Keep bartenders supplied with a steady stream of clean
glasses while removing the used ones
2 Make sure each garnish tray is well stocked at all times
3 Regularly check the garbage taking it out before it
over 1047298ows
(Bailey did her best work when she could prioritize everything
preferably in list form)
At the height of a rush however her list was far more likely to
look like this
983089 DO EVERYTHING
2 RIGHT NOW
3 OR ELSE
All night every night she never stopped moving No matter
how on top of the situation she was there was always another 1047297re
to put out
And then there were the customers They started the evening
pleasant enough But a few rounds had the same eff ect as a trip to
Pinocchiorsquos Pleasure Island anyone could turn into an ass
ldquoSo thatrsquoll be a martini for merdquo one of the hard-core trivia
enthusiasts slurred at her awhile later She leaned over the bar and
gazed down at Bailey with glassy eyes
Bailey greeted the girl with a patient smile ldquoIrsquom sorry but Irsquom
just a bar-backrdquo she said ldquoI canrsquot makemdashrdquo
ldquomdashtwo glasses of whiskey with icerdquo the girl continued ldquoAnd
for Trevmdashhey Trev What do you wantrdquo
A few paces away Trev muttered
ldquoOh yeahrdquo said the girl ldquoA Long Island iced teardquo With her lazy
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983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
18
boozy diction the order came out lawn-ilan-icy
Bailey doubled down on her outward customer friendliness
even as her internal patience evaporated ldquoIrsquom sorry marsquoamrdquo she
said again ldquobut Imdashrdquo
Zane appeared like magic ldquoLadiesrdquo he said smoothly position-
ing himself between his barback and members of the ldquoWreck Your
Privilegerdquo trivia team ldquoI know a thing or two about making a de-
cent Long Island Why donrsquot you leave it to merdquo
His performance felt increasingly unreal as Bailey watched The
Zane shersquod always known had been clumsy and awkward but ap-
parently a lot changed when you hadnrsquot seen someone for 1047297ve years
This version of Zane eff ortlessly charmed his customers entertain-ing them while he mixed their drinks with the showy vigor of
a stage magician
Speaking of people whorsquove changed since high school she thought
and then squashed the notion as quickly as it appeared Yes high
school Zane had been the kind of guy who couldnrsquot admit to his
feelings for his best friend Bailey until a couple of beers at Luke
Perezrsquos graduation party had loosened his tongue and Baileyrsquos
pants Yes talking to Zane two weeks ago had been a catch-up ses-
sion even more awkward than her theoretical upcoming ldquoplease
give me a jobrdquo chat with Jess But no overall things were 1047297ne Zane
and Bailey were friends again and it wasnrsquot too awkward (which
was good) Hersquod even given her a job to help get her parents off
her back (which was even better) And if the only side eff ect was
her own sudden terminal uncoolness well so be it She probably
deserved it
ldquoYou knowrdquo Bailey said ldquoitrsquod probably help if you taught me
how to make drinks Just for when you or Trina are too busyrdquo The
bar lifestyle had wreaked havoc on her sleep schedule and her social
life and the pay truly sucked but calling herself a bartender was at
least kind of cool and would sound less embarrassing when she got
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19
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
around to having friends again
Zane shook his head ldquoNo dicerdquo he said ldquoNo off ense but yoursquore
not readyrdquo
ldquoNot readyrdquo Bailey was incredulous ldquoWhat happened to
smartest barbackrdquo
ldquoYoursquore also our only barbackrdquo Zane said ldquoAnd right now
thatrsquos where I need you Okayrdquo
Bailey tried not to scowl ldquoOkayrdquo
Zane nodded his head toward the blank spot behind him that
Trina shouldrsquove been occupying ldquoItrsquos gonna be a little busy for
a bitrdquo he said ldquoTrinarsquos stepping out for a smokerdquo
Ah yes Bailey thought Wouldnrsquot be an evening at the Nightshadewithout one of the sta ff taking a suspiciously long smoke break right at
the height of the rush All the bartenders even Zane usually excused
themselves during shifts leaving Bailey and the remaining bartender
to hold down the fortmdashwhich 1047297ne drinking and smoking did kind
of go hand in hand But as far as she could tell none of the loungersquos
staff smoked no tobacco smell no yellow teeth no pack-size faded
spot on their pockets
ldquoZanerdquo she asked slowly ldquodo you have a lightrdquo
ldquoHuh No Whyrdquo
Interesting Bailey thought ldquoNo reasonrdquo she said ldquoWhat do you
need me to dordquo
Zane winced ldquoIrsquom sorry to askmdashrdquo
Baileyrsquos heart sank Zane had no poker face Whatever he was
about to say it wasnrsquot going to be pretty But unfortunately ldquonot
prettyrdquo was her job
ldquoWhat is itrdquo she said ldquoSpit it outrdquo
ldquoFunny you should use that phrasingrdquo Zane said ldquoSomeone
mustrsquove been feeling a little ah soft-boiled Womenrsquos bathroommdashrdquo
ldquoHow badrdquo
Zane smiled weakly ldquoShe almost made itrdquo
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983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
20
ldquoHey Suit guyrdquo yelled a Cubs fan ldquoWersquore thirsty over hererdquo
Zane nodded to him ldquoSorryrdquo he said ldquoReally sorryrdquo And then
he was off grabbing a shaker and glass of ice as he went
Bailey spent a half hour scrubbing the bathroom to a service-
able shine though she knew full well someone would undo all her
work the second she put the mop and bucket away She probably
couldrsquove gotten to the bar faster by half-assing the job but being
detail oriented was so entwined in her DNA that she couldnrsquot leave
things un1047297nished no matter how stupid or gross they were By
the time she rejoined Zane on the line that goddamn bathroom
sparkled
The trivia game was winding down as Bailey slipped behindthe bar and even though shersquod 1047298itted in and out all night she still
mentally answered more questions than most of the teams faltering
only in classic literature So I havenrsquot read every book Bailey thought
Trivia was just a test of fact retention and her brain was as absorbent
as a sponge
Also she thought as she replenished the plastic straws with-
out being asked Irsquom a self-starter Think of what I could do in the right
environment
With a bang that rattled the glasses on the shelves Trina re-
turned from her smoke break (decidedly not smelling of cigarettes
Bailey noted) and more and people 1047297ltered out By a half hour from
closing only a few customers remained Zane sent Trina home early
leaving just him and Bailey to close up
ldquoThat was funrdquo he said as if theyrsquod just stepped off the best
roller coaster ever
Bailey looked at him sidelong estimating whether sufficient
distance separated her from his insanity
ldquoOh come onrdquo he said ldquoYou didnrsquot have a fun night in the
trenchesrdquo He playfully dropped into a boxerrsquos crouch and swiped
at the air
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21
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
ldquoThey didnrsquot box in the trenchesrdquo she said ldquoThey used long-
range bombardment weapons Can you mime a howitzerrdquo
ldquoAs soon as I learn what that isrdquo he said ldquoYoursquore telling me
you donrsquot get anything out of the rush times Not even a trickle of
adrenalinerdquo
ldquoZane adrenalinersquos something your body makes to stop you
from dying horriblyrdquo She plunked down a martini glass which he
snatched right up and dried off In tandem they worked with as-
sembly-line efficiency ldquoAnd nordquo she said ldquoitrsquos not fun Jobs arenrsquot
supposed to be Thatrsquos why theyrsquore jobsrdquo
ldquoTheyrsquore not supposed to be but that doesnrsquot mean they canrsquot
be rightrdquoBailey grunted
ldquoWell heyrdquo he said ldquoYou wanna come out tonight Me and
some of the other bartenders around town like to stop in at Nerorsquos
Griddlemdashyou remember Nerorsquos rightrdquo
Bailey barely had time to nod
ldquoAnd yoursquove gotta meet this buddy of mine who works down
in Boystown and more important my girlfmdashrdquo
At that Bailey snapped to attention but Zane was frowning at
his phone Whatever he was reading had snuff ed out his smile
ldquoWhat is itrdquo she said more curious about his trailed-off sen-
tence than whatever was on his phone Only one word started with
girlf and it wasnrsquot one shersquod ever heard Zane use about himself
ldquoI have to gordquo Zane crammed his phone back into his pocket
He looked serious even grim as if he were barely aware that Bailey
was still there and then reached for supplies lime juice triple sec
a bottle of tequila that he produced from under the counter
ldquoHeyrdquo Bailey cried ldquoWe just cleaned thosemdashrdquo
ldquoI need you to close up Baileyrdquo Zane slapped the lid on his
now-full shaker which he started to shake with a weirdly exact
rhythm rattling the ice cubes against the metal sides in a seven-point
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983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
22
beat He grabbed a margarita glass dipped the rim in water and then
jammed it into the salt dish and twisted He strained the contents
of the shaker into the salt-rimmed glass then dropped in one of the
last remaining lime wedges The lime bobbed a bit against the cubes
and in the low bar light the glass seemed to be glowing green
Zane snatched up the drink took a few deep gulps and
squeezed his eyes against what looked like a brain freeze ldquoYou
know the drillrdquo he said ldquoSet the dishwasher clean out the trays and
give the counters a good polish The rest of it we can handle when
we open tomorrow night Just lock up when yoursquore done and get
home safe okayrdquo
Bailey frowned ldquoWhatrsquos going onrdquoldquoDonrsquot worry about it Wersquoll do breakfast another midnightrdquo
ldquoButmdashrdquo
Zane was already vaulting over the bar and headed for the
door When he yanked it open Bailey caught a glimpse of someone
standing outside an angular woman with dreadlocks The moment
the woman saw Zane she took off running and the two of them
sped off into the night
The doors swung shut again leaving Bailey alone in the quiet
empty bar
Angry a little pissed off and too late into the night to call Jess
to pin down an interview she slammed the dishwasher shut rattling
every glass and cup inside She trudged back into the front to polish
off the counter seriously ready to call it a night Starting at Zanersquos
end she moved her rag in small circles systematically eliminating
any hint of grime or spillage Everywhere her towel went it stayed
until the surface beneath was a varnished brown mirror
As she made her way to Trinarsquos end something caught her eye
a small hole in the space beneath the counter As she approached
she realized it wasnrsquot just a hole it was a gap between panels that
looked like it could slide open She pushed it wide openmdashit must
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
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23
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
have been designed to stay 1047298ush with the wall when closedmdashand
found a row of six small bottles four clearish two pale browny All
the elementary liquorsmdashvodka tequila gin rum (light and dark)
and whiskeymdashand all with the same labelmdashnot Jack Danielrsquos or
Seagramrsquos or anything she recognized but one with no name and
a logo of two interlocked C s
She reached for one popped the cork and took a sniff vodka
The good stuff as far as she could tell Her 1047297rst instinct was to put
it right back after all it was Nightshade inventory and hidden in
a secret compartment besides Instead she grabbed a spare glass
some ice and the carton of orange juice in the mini-fridge under
the sink Zane had a strict no-drinking policy while on the job butthis hardly counted And after tonight shersquod fucking earned it
Not ready yet she thought as the ice cracked under her mea-
sured shot of vodka What was to be ready for Look at me now Zane
Irsquom making a drink and Irsquom managing Having 1047297lled the glass with
orange juice she stuck in a straw gave it a quick stir and replaced
the bottle shutting the secret compartment and promising herself
shersquod ask Zane or Trina tomorrow what the hell that was about
Then she turned and admired the fruit of her labors a freshly made
screwdriver
The drink gleamed cheerfully on the counter just as Zanersquos
margarita had Bailey squinted upward Maybe a bulb was out
or one of the neon signs was leaking (could they leak) making
the tainted air cast everything in an extra-glittery glow Whatever
Drinks were for drinking not for gawking at and so thatrsquos exactly
what Bailey did
Bailey had had screwdrivers before Usually they were slapdash
concoctions little more than orange juice and vodka splashed to-
gether inside a red Solo cup But this one was no dorm room spe-
cial rather than clash the vodka and orange juice harmonized The
drink was sweet and tangy and cold and the liquid burned just the
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24
right amount on the way down Bailey had intended to take only
small sips but when she pulled the glass away from her lips she was
surprised to see shersquod already downed half
Well she thought as the delicious feeling spread from her stom-
ach to her toes Irsquoll have to drink more screwdrivers
When she swung out the front door ten minutes later she
felt even warmer inside Warm but not tipsy or clumsy Refreshed
Curiously refreshed Probably the best shersquod ever felt postshift She
jammed her key into the door to lock up like the dutiful employee
she was Except somehow she really jammed it because when she
turned the key it stuck Shersquod completely bent it
ldquoShitrdquoBailey stared at her hand wondering how shersquod manage to
warp a solid piece of metal when she had trouble opening twist-off
beers Prepared to struggle she dug in her heels and yanked but the
key came out so easily she stumbled backward Stunned and a little
woozy she stared at the crooked key in her palm then daintily took
it in her 1047297ngertips and slowly tentatively bent it upward The metal
yielded to her hands The key was utterly straight and good as new
No harm done Bailey told herself She dropped her keys into
a jacket pocket and started to stroll home wishing she knew how to
whistle so she could complete the picture
Ravenswood had been a rough little neighborhood on the
North Side when her parents moved in but gentri1047297cation set in
during the twenty-odd years since Now it felt like a suburb that had
been swallowed whole and unchewed by a big city Damen Avenue
where the Nightshade Lounge sat on the corner of Leland was as
business district-y as the neighborhood got lined with closed-for-
the-night shops a few parked cars and the occasional tree In the
distance a late-night Brown Line train trundled along its elevated
track Sunnyside Avenue where she was headed and where she now
livedmdashagainmdashwith her parents was quiet with squat houses set
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25
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
behind small well-kept lawns and raised front porches Everywhere
people hung up the city 1047298ag of Chicagomdashtwo blue stripes on white
with four red stars in the middlemdashas if city hall was afraid that peo-
ple this far north would forget where they were living
As Bailey turned onto Leland she felt the hairs prick on the
back of her neck She wasnrsquot weird about walking by herselfmdash
this was her home turf after all and she possessed an above-aver-
age amount of street smarts thanks to a mandatory girls-only ses-
sion during orientation week called ldquoSisters Self-Defendinrsquo It for
Ourselvesrdquo But while Damen was the main drag with streetlights
and shop windows and potential witnesses Leland was more seclud-
ed especially after last call Despite the warm September night sheshivered and quickened her pace glancing over her shoulder No
onersquos there she told herself Just a few more blocks
But the more she walked the more certain she was that she
was hearing something a skittering noise down the block some-
thing rustling through the leaves on the ground Bailey thought it
was probably a rat or a raccoon but then again she wasnrsquot sure she
knew this neighborhood anymore Maybe there were muggers now
Vaguely recalling her instructorrsquos method for self-defendinrsquo it Bailey
whipped out her keys brandishing them like tiny daggers between
her knuckles
ldquoI can hear yourdquo she said a little shakily ldquoI know yoursquore thererdquo
Con 1047297dence lets your attacker know yoursquore not an easy target the
instructor had told them Remember the acronym S-A-F-E stay alert
announce f-something
Shit what was F Focus Well she was trying to Bailey pivoted
but saw nothing distinct enough to focus on
But she could hear it
And then it came out of the darkness Whatever was following
her wasnrsquot just another hungover coed in gym shorts It didnrsquot even
look human too low to the ground eyes too yellow Glowing yellow
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26
ldquoGood boyrdquo Bailey said keys held high ldquoNice bmdashrdquo
But it wasnrsquot a dog It was something awful that shersquod never
seen before
Before she could scream something rammed into her hard and
dense like a cannonball to the ribs Her head smacked the pave-
ment her elbow skinned across asphalt The not-a-dog was heavy
on top of her a horrible squirming four-legged thing the size of
a German shepherd with a head like a protruding tumor and limbs
covered in naked ropes of salmon-colored muscle
Bailey scrambled under it the world spinning from alcohol and
adrenaline The thing was pawing at her with stubby feet and she
couldnrsquot keep it off couldnrsquot wrestle away couldnrsquot escapeOh God she thought Irsquom going to die Here on the streets of
Ravenswood less than half a mile from where shersquod grown up less
than half a block from where shersquod just scrubbed a toilet
No Bailey thought No No The slimy weight on her chest
was too heavy for her to draw breath for a scream and the world
was going fuzzy around her God no This was how it ended not
with a bang but with a minimum-wage job and a heap of student
debt Bailey cringed and with all her dizzied nauseated might she
mustered up one stupid single and probably 1047297nal thought
Fuck That Shit
And she kicked Hard
It worked She pushed the thing away with the soles of her
sneakers and before she had time to think sprang to her feet closed
her eyes and threw the hardest punch of her life
It was ugly and clumsy and her 1047297st hooked around the thingrsquos
side instead of slamming it head-on But her knuckles met 1047298esh and
in a spray of black blood its head caved in like a rotted pumpkin
ldquoShitrdquo Bailey yelped and leapt back The remains of the an-
imal-thingrsquos body splatted to the concrete Smoke curled up from
the edges of its limbs as if it were a leaf catching 1047297re and the night
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27
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
air 1047297lled with a thick chemical stench Bailey coughed shielding her
eyes and before she even had time to worry about how to scrape
the nasty mess off the pavement the thingrsquos body collapsed with an
abrupt squelch
Bailey jumped back from the puddle out of the street and cast
around wildly for something else A pack A 1047298ock Another pair of
yellow eyes But she saw nothing Just a quiet street and a 1047297zzing
pool of dead-smelling something
She clamped her bloodstained hands over her mouth and
smothered a scream The screwdriver roiled inside her Her arms
and legs shook like it was below freezing and her heart squeezed
painfully with every breathShe wasnrsquot safe She wasnrsquot safe and she was going to be sick
Terri1047297ed and trembling Bailey did what she apparently did
best she 1047298ed back home
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
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$ ()+ - )0)1234
The Screwdriver $amp () +amp $-(- () (0+ 1+ampamp+$ 1-$(+amp+$
$ampamp ()(ampamp )amp++ -(
0 1234 )amp++ 256-(47 83ampamp 28
927
$ampamp 4lt55) -26-(47+ 28
)amp++ -( 245) =3gt -4 25 57 +49
20+ 3$+4$+$ )amp+ )5 1-$(+ampamp6 7)( 1-3 -amp 8+58 3)3(-9 20)80 )amp+ 3-ampamp)( )+$+ (0+ 7)$
(-amp3+ )5 - lt83 7amp -amp - )) 0+-$( amp (0+ 5+ )5 - 1-$(+amp+$= )33-)amp -$+ 40+amp (0+ 1+( ()amp3 8$+ 1$-4amp9 gtamp
(0 +-$(7+amp(= (0+ 3$+4$+$ $+7-amp 8amp7-(30+9-$(+amp+$ 5-)$ (0 3)3(- 5)$ 7$- $+-)amp9 gt( amp
$++amp( -$+ 5+4= 30+-= -amp +- )1(-amp-1+ amp - 18( (0+7)( $+7)(+ -3+9 gt( 3-amp 1+ 7A+ lt83= amp (0+ ++amp( (0-()amp+ 0- 1++amp 3-80( 5-(5))(+ 40+ -) 1+amp 3)amp+amp+amp( 4(0amp -$76 $+-30 )5 - 58 ()3+ 1-$9 amp (0)80 (0+-1(+ $-amp(+ 1 (0+ $)+$ $+-$-()amp )5 )(0+$ 1-()amp7- $+lt8$+ +-$ )5 (+- $-3(3+ () 7-(+$= $amp+$ )5 (0+
3$+4$+$ 0-+ 5)8amp (0-( 0((amp (0amp +$ 0-$ amp (0+5-3+ 8amp( (0+ + $-(0+$ ($-0(5)$4-$9
( 15 4Bamp5)$(8amp-(+= $+3)$ )5 )- amp (0+ $+-3)8( +$- -$+-$+C 0)4++$= ( 8+ amp)4amp () -(+ 1-3 () -( +-( (0+
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1919
$ ()+ - )0)1234
$ () +$ )-+$)) $ 0+1$ )$)2 + 345+$( 4612467)$8 942 2+7+6+lt) 40 () =6$$+ $ gt)1
$ ()A)2455BA() 45B (+C 4 4 4lt+)D5lt+ 7) 4 5)lt) ()+1 (47)$ + () 2)2 40 +)1 5) 54)4 (6 E145+C 1)7)$8 F12++455B 2+$+55)2 0147 $6CG1G1+( )1)5 C1+$ 41 E44)$ lt42 5$4 0462 $)42G1B 7)2++5 6$) $ 1)$41+lt) H6 lt+) +$ $1)C()+C
E14E)1+)$ I)+C 7+$) 041 ()5+C 4)$834$GJ546 lt42 0462 +$ B 4 K7)1+ $(41)$ +
() $225)IC$ 40 () 345+$( lt5+)1 L$+7+1 365$+ (4 )G461C)2 +$ I+I65+4 74C$ () lt51B7) () 1+)2 40+C( + () K7)1+ =)lt456+48 F(46C( () )-E1)$$5B 041GI2) +$ 6$) + 4E) I5) (+$ (41$)7) 4652 01)H6)5B I)2+$E()2 +( 1+4$ 40 lt42 4 E145 () 01+C)$ 40 (+$)7E7)$ 2 144 46 561+C 1)7)$8
125 67)04
F() 54C+$+5 2+00+65B 40 E1426+C 7$$ H6++)$ 40 41GC) M6+) $+2)5+)2 +$ 6$) 041 7B B)1$ $ I1)2+C61+4$+B 2 5+5) )5$)8 N $O 6+5 () 7+2G)+)()61B 2 () 2lt) 40 +2)$E1)2 1)01+C)1)2 16+C$B$)7$ ( I1)2)1$ )1) I5) 4 +41E41) + 1)C6515B+4 ()+1 1)E)14+1)$8 P41 I)$ 1)$65$ 01)$(G$H6))Q)2 M6+) +$1)477)2)2R +0 4) +$ lt+5I5) )2 41C) M6+) +(+$ (+C()1 lt+7+ L 4) +$ E1)0)1I5) 4 $212 C14G
)1B I45)$ 41 14$8 N +$ 64 (4 1))2 (+$ E1+G 651 47I++4 I6 () 7) gt$1)21+lt)1 $ 4+)2 IBP1)2)1+ S))2$ P541+2 I1)2)1 (4 5+7)2 ( () 6$)2() 21+ 4 ()5E (+7 1)74lt) 0147 (+$ I4 (+( $1) ((2 16$)2 +4 E5)8
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
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13
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
Bailey could believe they hadnrsquot talked since like high school
because they hadnrsquot talked that much in high school But maybe Jess
was one of those people who had dramatically changed in college
Besides if Bailey landed the job Jess would probably be her 1047297rst
office friend They could do business-lady things like go out for
chopped salads Or even better make an intern bring them chopped
salads which they would eat in their spacious window-1047297lled corner
offices while planning total domination of their market sector (And
maybe online-shopped for statement necklaces because it was after
all their lunch break)
Bailey smiled If shersquod ever had a mental picture of success that
was it lunch delivery ruthless business sense and power jewelryldquoBaileyrdquo
ldquoSorry Jess Irsquom here So do you have any time coming up this
week ormdashrdquo
ldquoBaileyrdquo
This time her name was not coming from the phone Zane
Whelanrsquos shaggy-haired head appeared over the end of the bar his
square eyeglasses gleaming ldquoThere you arerdquo
Shit ldquoUm gotta gordquo Bailey chirped into her phone ldquobut
callmebackwhenyougetachmdashrdquo
Zane frowned ldquoAre you talking to someonerdquo
ldquoHydrangeasrdquo Bailey said quickly
ldquoHuhrdquo
ldquoHydrangeas wisterias oleander rhododendron and anthur-
iumrdquo Bailey said nodding to the trivia emcee gamely grinning
down at a clipboard from behind her microphone ldquoFive of uh the
most common poisonous plantsrdquo
ldquoAnthuriumrdquo Zane blinked ldquoThat sounds like something
from a B movierdquo
Bailey pocketed her phone ldquoWell itrsquos realrdquo
The emcee paced the bar 1047298oor shooting pleading glances at
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983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
14
each team ldquoCome on guysrdquo she said with microphone-added re-
verb ldquoI only need 1047297ve Yoursquove still got twenty seconds left tomdashyes
Yourdquo
The captain of a team of yuppies had leapt to his feet ldquoOleander
poinsettia dandelmdashrdquo
But just as he said ldquodandelionrdquo a buzzer drowned him out
ldquoDuhrdquo Bailey said under her breath ldquoDandelions are ediblerdquo
ldquoReallyrdquo Zane said
ldquoTheyrsquore good in saladsrdquo
ldquoSorryrdquo The emcee shook her head like a rueful gameshow
host ldquoDandelions may not taste great but they are not poisonous
Theyrsquore actuallymdashrdquoBailey mouthed the rest of the sentence ldquomdashedible and good
in saladsrdquo
ldquoWowrdquo Zane tapped out a few polite claps ldquoIrsquom impressedrdquo
ldquoOh um donrsquot berdquo Bailey said praying he wouldnrsquot ask about
the phone call ldquoPoinsettias arenrsquot toxic to humans unless you eat
like 1047297ve hundred leaves She should have called him on that onerdquo
ldquoHey ease up Not everyone in this barrsquos an Ivy League
graduaterdquo
Bailey 1047298ushed ldquoI didnrsquot meanmdashrdquo
But Zane was grinning ldquoBecause that distinction is the exclu-
sive territory of our smartest barbackrdquo
He patted her shoulder and Bailey tried not to cringe
ldquoRightrdquo she said ldquoThanksrdquo
ldquoAnd as the smartest barback at the Nightshade Loungerdquomdash
Zane went onmdashldquoyou really should know better than to go sit on
the 1047298oor during a busy shiftrdquo
ldquoIrsquom sorry Irsquom sorryrdquo Bailey rushed to say ldquoI just had to uh
the music mdashrdquo
ldquoMusicrdquo Zane shook his head ldquoBailey that jukebox has
probably been here since the sixties It totally doesnrsquot work You
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15
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
know thatrdquo
ldquoRightrdquo Bailey said Sometimes it felt like nothing worked at
the Nightshade Lounge except Bailey And Zane of course
Zane gave the jukebox a fond pat on its cracked glass ldquoAnyway
Donrsquot slack on me okayrdquo
ldquoIrsquom notrdquo Bailey protested If there was one thing she wasnrsquot it
was a slacker ldquoIrsquom justmdashrdquo
ldquoLook Bailey I told my uncle you could do this job with no
experiencerdquo Zane said ldquoAnd you can do it But if you donrsquot rdquo
He cleared his throat and continued in a low voice ldquoI donrsquot want to
have to 1047297re you the 1047297rst weekrdquo
Bailey could only nod She wanted to explainmdash Sorry Zane thatIrsquom not only looking for the 1047297rst opportunity to ditch the job you pulled
major strings to get me but also doing it while on the clockmdash but instead
gave him the truncated version ldquoSorry Yuprdquo
ldquoGoodrdquo Zane smiled Hersquod shown up to work wearing what
he always wore a slim old three-piece suit complete with loose-
ly knotted tie and rumpled dress shirt which made him look like
a Swinging London modster about to zip off on a candy-colored
scooter ldquoAnd in return Irsquoll continue to pay you and act as your
bene1047297cent overlordrdquo
ldquoMore glassesrdquo Trina the redheaded bartender who was
Zanersquos counterweight that night yelled at them from the other end
ldquoSometime this century pleaserdquo she added ldquoNot those glasses Zane
You already made that joke like 1047297ve minutes agordquo
Zane crammed his spectacles back onto his face ldquoI still think
itrsquos funnyrdquo
ldquoOn itrdquo Bailey said glad for the abrupt end to the conversa-
tion She scooted along in the narrow space behind them calling
out ldquoOn your back On your backrdquo as she passed After depositing
a freshly cleaned stack of old fashioned glasses by Trinarsquos side she
glanced at the garnish tray
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17
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
983089 Keep bartenders supplied with a steady stream of clean
glasses while removing the used ones
2 Make sure each garnish tray is well stocked at all times
3 Regularly check the garbage taking it out before it
over 1047298ows
(Bailey did her best work when she could prioritize everything
preferably in list form)
At the height of a rush however her list was far more likely to
look like this
983089 DO EVERYTHING
2 RIGHT NOW
3 OR ELSE
All night every night she never stopped moving No matter
how on top of the situation she was there was always another 1047297re
to put out
And then there were the customers They started the evening
pleasant enough But a few rounds had the same eff ect as a trip to
Pinocchiorsquos Pleasure Island anyone could turn into an ass
ldquoSo thatrsquoll be a martini for merdquo one of the hard-core trivia
enthusiasts slurred at her awhile later She leaned over the bar and
gazed down at Bailey with glassy eyes
Bailey greeted the girl with a patient smile ldquoIrsquom sorry but Irsquom
just a bar-backrdquo she said ldquoI canrsquot makemdashrdquo
ldquomdashtwo glasses of whiskey with icerdquo the girl continued ldquoAnd
for Trevmdashhey Trev What do you wantrdquo
A few paces away Trev muttered
ldquoOh yeahrdquo said the girl ldquoA Long Island iced teardquo With her lazy
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983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
18
boozy diction the order came out lawn-ilan-icy
Bailey doubled down on her outward customer friendliness
even as her internal patience evaporated ldquoIrsquom sorry marsquoamrdquo she
said again ldquobut Imdashrdquo
Zane appeared like magic ldquoLadiesrdquo he said smoothly position-
ing himself between his barback and members of the ldquoWreck Your
Privilegerdquo trivia team ldquoI know a thing or two about making a de-
cent Long Island Why donrsquot you leave it to merdquo
His performance felt increasingly unreal as Bailey watched The
Zane shersquod always known had been clumsy and awkward but ap-
parently a lot changed when you hadnrsquot seen someone for 1047297ve years
This version of Zane eff ortlessly charmed his customers entertain-ing them while he mixed their drinks with the showy vigor of
a stage magician
Speaking of people whorsquove changed since high school she thought
and then squashed the notion as quickly as it appeared Yes high
school Zane had been the kind of guy who couldnrsquot admit to his
feelings for his best friend Bailey until a couple of beers at Luke
Perezrsquos graduation party had loosened his tongue and Baileyrsquos
pants Yes talking to Zane two weeks ago had been a catch-up ses-
sion even more awkward than her theoretical upcoming ldquoplease
give me a jobrdquo chat with Jess But no overall things were 1047297ne Zane
and Bailey were friends again and it wasnrsquot too awkward (which
was good) Hersquod even given her a job to help get her parents off
her back (which was even better) And if the only side eff ect was
her own sudden terminal uncoolness well so be it She probably
deserved it
ldquoYou knowrdquo Bailey said ldquoitrsquod probably help if you taught me
how to make drinks Just for when you or Trina are too busyrdquo The
bar lifestyle had wreaked havoc on her sleep schedule and her social
life and the pay truly sucked but calling herself a bartender was at
least kind of cool and would sound less embarrassing when she got
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19
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
around to having friends again
Zane shook his head ldquoNo dicerdquo he said ldquoNo off ense but yoursquore
not readyrdquo
ldquoNot readyrdquo Bailey was incredulous ldquoWhat happened to
smartest barbackrdquo
ldquoYoursquore also our only barbackrdquo Zane said ldquoAnd right now
thatrsquos where I need you Okayrdquo
Bailey tried not to scowl ldquoOkayrdquo
Zane nodded his head toward the blank spot behind him that
Trina shouldrsquove been occupying ldquoItrsquos gonna be a little busy for
a bitrdquo he said ldquoTrinarsquos stepping out for a smokerdquo
Ah yes Bailey thought Wouldnrsquot be an evening at the Nightshadewithout one of the sta ff taking a suspiciously long smoke break right at
the height of the rush All the bartenders even Zane usually excused
themselves during shifts leaving Bailey and the remaining bartender
to hold down the fortmdashwhich 1047297ne drinking and smoking did kind
of go hand in hand But as far as she could tell none of the loungersquos
staff smoked no tobacco smell no yellow teeth no pack-size faded
spot on their pockets
ldquoZanerdquo she asked slowly ldquodo you have a lightrdquo
ldquoHuh No Whyrdquo
Interesting Bailey thought ldquoNo reasonrdquo she said ldquoWhat do you
need me to dordquo
Zane winced ldquoIrsquom sorry to askmdashrdquo
Baileyrsquos heart sank Zane had no poker face Whatever he was
about to say it wasnrsquot going to be pretty But unfortunately ldquonot
prettyrdquo was her job
ldquoWhat is itrdquo she said ldquoSpit it outrdquo
ldquoFunny you should use that phrasingrdquo Zane said ldquoSomeone
mustrsquove been feeling a little ah soft-boiled Womenrsquos bathroommdashrdquo
ldquoHow badrdquo
Zane smiled weakly ldquoShe almost made itrdquo
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983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
20
ldquoHey Suit guyrdquo yelled a Cubs fan ldquoWersquore thirsty over hererdquo
Zane nodded to him ldquoSorryrdquo he said ldquoReally sorryrdquo And then
he was off grabbing a shaker and glass of ice as he went
Bailey spent a half hour scrubbing the bathroom to a service-
able shine though she knew full well someone would undo all her
work the second she put the mop and bucket away She probably
couldrsquove gotten to the bar faster by half-assing the job but being
detail oriented was so entwined in her DNA that she couldnrsquot leave
things un1047297nished no matter how stupid or gross they were By
the time she rejoined Zane on the line that goddamn bathroom
sparkled
The trivia game was winding down as Bailey slipped behindthe bar and even though shersquod 1047298itted in and out all night she still
mentally answered more questions than most of the teams faltering
only in classic literature So I havenrsquot read every book Bailey thought
Trivia was just a test of fact retention and her brain was as absorbent
as a sponge
Also she thought as she replenished the plastic straws with-
out being asked Irsquom a self-starter Think of what I could do in the right
environment
With a bang that rattled the glasses on the shelves Trina re-
turned from her smoke break (decidedly not smelling of cigarettes
Bailey noted) and more and people 1047297ltered out By a half hour from
closing only a few customers remained Zane sent Trina home early
leaving just him and Bailey to close up
ldquoThat was funrdquo he said as if theyrsquod just stepped off the best
roller coaster ever
Bailey looked at him sidelong estimating whether sufficient
distance separated her from his insanity
ldquoOh come onrdquo he said ldquoYou didnrsquot have a fun night in the
trenchesrdquo He playfully dropped into a boxerrsquos crouch and swiped
at the air
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21
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
ldquoThey didnrsquot box in the trenchesrdquo she said ldquoThey used long-
range bombardment weapons Can you mime a howitzerrdquo
ldquoAs soon as I learn what that isrdquo he said ldquoYoursquore telling me
you donrsquot get anything out of the rush times Not even a trickle of
adrenalinerdquo
ldquoZane adrenalinersquos something your body makes to stop you
from dying horriblyrdquo She plunked down a martini glass which he
snatched right up and dried off In tandem they worked with as-
sembly-line efficiency ldquoAnd nordquo she said ldquoitrsquos not fun Jobs arenrsquot
supposed to be Thatrsquos why theyrsquore jobsrdquo
ldquoTheyrsquore not supposed to be but that doesnrsquot mean they canrsquot
be rightrdquoBailey grunted
ldquoWell heyrdquo he said ldquoYou wanna come out tonight Me and
some of the other bartenders around town like to stop in at Nerorsquos
Griddlemdashyou remember Nerorsquos rightrdquo
Bailey barely had time to nod
ldquoAnd yoursquove gotta meet this buddy of mine who works down
in Boystown and more important my girlfmdashrdquo
At that Bailey snapped to attention but Zane was frowning at
his phone Whatever he was reading had snuff ed out his smile
ldquoWhat is itrdquo she said more curious about his trailed-off sen-
tence than whatever was on his phone Only one word started with
girlf and it wasnrsquot one shersquod ever heard Zane use about himself
ldquoI have to gordquo Zane crammed his phone back into his pocket
He looked serious even grim as if he were barely aware that Bailey
was still there and then reached for supplies lime juice triple sec
a bottle of tequila that he produced from under the counter
ldquoHeyrdquo Bailey cried ldquoWe just cleaned thosemdashrdquo
ldquoI need you to close up Baileyrdquo Zane slapped the lid on his
now-full shaker which he started to shake with a weirdly exact
rhythm rattling the ice cubes against the metal sides in a seven-point
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22
beat He grabbed a margarita glass dipped the rim in water and then
jammed it into the salt dish and twisted He strained the contents
of the shaker into the salt-rimmed glass then dropped in one of the
last remaining lime wedges The lime bobbed a bit against the cubes
and in the low bar light the glass seemed to be glowing green
Zane snatched up the drink took a few deep gulps and
squeezed his eyes against what looked like a brain freeze ldquoYou
know the drillrdquo he said ldquoSet the dishwasher clean out the trays and
give the counters a good polish The rest of it we can handle when
we open tomorrow night Just lock up when yoursquore done and get
home safe okayrdquo
Bailey frowned ldquoWhatrsquos going onrdquoldquoDonrsquot worry about it Wersquoll do breakfast another midnightrdquo
ldquoButmdashrdquo
Zane was already vaulting over the bar and headed for the
door When he yanked it open Bailey caught a glimpse of someone
standing outside an angular woman with dreadlocks The moment
the woman saw Zane she took off running and the two of them
sped off into the night
The doors swung shut again leaving Bailey alone in the quiet
empty bar
Angry a little pissed off and too late into the night to call Jess
to pin down an interview she slammed the dishwasher shut rattling
every glass and cup inside She trudged back into the front to polish
off the counter seriously ready to call it a night Starting at Zanersquos
end she moved her rag in small circles systematically eliminating
any hint of grime or spillage Everywhere her towel went it stayed
until the surface beneath was a varnished brown mirror
As she made her way to Trinarsquos end something caught her eye
a small hole in the space beneath the counter As she approached
she realized it wasnrsquot just a hole it was a gap between panels that
looked like it could slide open She pushed it wide openmdashit must
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23
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
have been designed to stay 1047298ush with the wall when closedmdashand
found a row of six small bottles four clearish two pale browny All
the elementary liquorsmdashvodka tequila gin rum (light and dark)
and whiskeymdashand all with the same labelmdashnot Jack Danielrsquos or
Seagramrsquos or anything she recognized but one with no name and
a logo of two interlocked C s
She reached for one popped the cork and took a sniff vodka
The good stuff as far as she could tell Her 1047297rst instinct was to put
it right back after all it was Nightshade inventory and hidden in
a secret compartment besides Instead she grabbed a spare glass
some ice and the carton of orange juice in the mini-fridge under
the sink Zane had a strict no-drinking policy while on the job butthis hardly counted And after tonight shersquod fucking earned it
Not ready yet she thought as the ice cracked under her mea-
sured shot of vodka What was to be ready for Look at me now Zane
Irsquom making a drink and Irsquom managing Having 1047297lled the glass with
orange juice she stuck in a straw gave it a quick stir and replaced
the bottle shutting the secret compartment and promising herself
shersquod ask Zane or Trina tomorrow what the hell that was about
Then she turned and admired the fruit of her labors a freshly made
screwdriver
The drink gleamed cheerfully on the counter just as Zanersquos
margarita had Bailey squinted upward Maybe a bulb was out
or one of the neon signs was leaking (could they leak) making
the tainted air cast everything in an extra-glittery glow Whatever
Drinks were for drinking not for gawking at and so thatrsquos exactly
what Bailey did
Bailey had had screwdrivers before Usually they were slapdash
concoctions little more than orange juice and vodka splashed to-
gether inside a red Solo cup But this one was no dorm room spe-
cial rather than clash the vodka and orange juice harmonized The
drink was sweet and tangy and cold and the liquid burned just the
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24
right amount on the way down Bailey had intended to take only
small sips but when she pulled the glass away from her lips she was
surprised to see shersquod already downed half
Well she thought as the delicious feeling spread from her stom-
ach to her toes Irsquoll have to drink more screwdrivers
When she swung out the front door ten minutes later she
felt even warmer inside Warm but not tipsy or clumsy Refreshed
Curiously refreshed Probably the best shersquod ever felt postshift She
jammed her key into the door to lock up like the dutiful employee
she was Except somehow she really jammed it because when she
turned the key it stuck Shersquod completely bent it
ldquoShitrdquoBailey stared at her hand wondering how shersquod manage to
warp a solid piece of metal when she had trouble opening twist-off
beers Prepared to struggle she dug in her heels and yanked but the
key came out so easily she stumbled backward Stunned and a little
woozy she stared at the crooked key in her palm then daintily took
it in her 1047297ngertips and slowly tentatively bent it upward The metal
yielded to her hands The key was utterly straight and good as new
No harm done Bailey told herself She dropped her keys into
a jacket pocket and started to stroll home wishing she knew how to
whistle so she could complete the picture
Ravenswood had been a rough little neighborhood on the
North Side when her parents moved in but gentri1047297cation set in
during the twenty-odd years since Now it felt like a suburb that had
been swallowed whole and unchewed by a big city Damen Avenue
where the Nightshade Lounge sat on the corner of Leland was as
business district-y as the neighborhood got lined with closed-for-
the-night shops a few parked cars and the occasional tree In the
distance a late-night Brown Line train trundled along its elevated
track Sunnyside Avenue where she was headed and where she now
livedmdashagainmdashwith her parents was quiet with squat houses set
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25
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
behind small well-kept lawns and raised front porches Everywhere
people hung up the city 1047298ag of Chicagomdashtwo blue stripes on white
with four red stars in the middlemdashas if city hall was afraid that peo-
ple this far north would forget where they were living
As Bailey turned onto Leland she felt the hairs prick on the
back of her neck She wasnrsquot weird about walking by herselfmdash
this was her home turf after all and she possessed an above-aver-
age amount of street smarts thanks to a mandatory girls-only ses-
sion during orientation week called ldquoSisters Self-Defendinrsquo It for
Ourselvesrdquo But while Damen was the main drag with streetlights
and shop windows and potential witnesses Leland was more seclud-
ed especially after last call Despite the warm September night sheshivered and quickened her pace glancing over her shoulder No
onersquos there she told herself Just a few more blocks
But the more she walked the more certain she was that she
was hearing something a skittering noise down the block some-
thing rustling through the leaves on the ground Bailey thought it
was probably a rat or a raccoon but then again she wasnrsquot sure she
knew this neighborhood anymore Maybe there were muggers now
Vaguely recalling her instructorrsquos method for self-defendinrsquo it Bailey
whipped out her keys brandishing them like tiny daggers between
her knuckles
ldquoI can hear yourdquo she said a little shakily ldquoI know yoursquore thererdquo
Con 1047297dence lets your attacker know yoursquore not an easy target the
instructor had told them Remember the acronym S-A-F-E stay alert
announce f-something
Shit what was F Focus Well she was trying to Bailey pivoted
but saw nothing distinct enough to focus on
But she could hear it
And then it came out of the darkness Whatever was following
her wasnrsquot just another hungover coed in gym shorts It didnrsquot even
look human too low to the ground eyes too yellow Glowing yellow
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983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
26
ldquoGood boyrdquo Bailey said keys held high ldquoNice bmdashrdquo
But it wasnrsquot a dog It was something awful that shersquod never
seen before
Before she could scream something rammed into her hard and
dense like a cannonball to the ribs Her head smacked the pave-
ment her elbow skinned across asphalt The not-a-dog was heavy
on top of her a horrible squirming four-legged thing the size of
a German shepherd with a head like a protruding tumor and limbs
covered in naked ropes of salmon-colored muscle
Bailey scrambled under it the world spinning from alcohol and
adrenaline The thing was pawing at her with stubby feet and she
couldnrsquot keep it off couldnrsquot wrestle away couldnrsquot escapeOh God she thought Irsquom going to die Here on the streets of
Ravenswood less than half a mile from where shersquod grown up less
than half a block from where shersquod just scrubbed a toilet
No Bailey thought No No The slimy weight on her chest
was too heavy for her to draw breath for a scream and the world
was going fuzzy around her God no This was how it ended not
with a bang but with a minimum-wage job and a heap of student
debt Bailey cringed and with all her dizzied nauseated might she
mustered up one stupid single and probably 1047297nal thought
Fuck That Shit
And she kicked Hard
It worked She pushed the thing away with the soles of her
sneakers and before she had time to think sprang to her feet closed
her eyes and threw the hardest punch of her life
It was ugly and clumsy and her 1047297st hooked around the thingrsquos
side instead of slamming it head-on But her knuckles met 1047298esh and
in a spray of black blood its head caved in like a rotted pumpkin
ldquoShitrdquo Bailey yelped and leapt back The remains of the an-
imal-thingrsquos body splatted to the concrete Smoke curled up from
the edges of its limbs as if it were a leaf catching 1047297re and the night
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27
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
air 1047297lled with a thick chemical stench Bailey coughed shielding her
eyes and before she even had time to worry about how to scrape
the nasty mess off the pavement the thingrsquos body collapsed with an
abrupt squelch
Bailey jumped back from the puddle out of the street and cast
around wildly for something else A pack A 1047298ock Another pair of
yellow eyes But she saw nothing Just a quiet street and a 1047297zzing
pool of dead-smelling something
She clamped her bloodstained hands over her mouth and
smothered a scream The screwdriver roiled inside her Her arms
and legs shook like it was below freezing and her heart squeezed
painfully with every breathShe wasnrsquot safe She wasnrsquot safe and she was going to be sick
Terri1047297ed and trembling Bailey did what she apparently did
best she 1047298ed back home
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$ ()+ - )0)1234
The Screwdriver $amp () +amp $-(- () (0+ 1+ampamp+$ 1-$(+amp+$
$ampamp ()(ampamp )amp++ -(
0 1234 )amp++ 256-(47 83ampamp 28
927
$ampamp 4lt55) -26-(47+ 28
)amp++ -( 245) =3gt -4 25 57 +49
20+ 3$+4$+$ )amp+ )5 1-$(+ampamp6 7)( 1-3 -amp 8+58 3)3(-9 20)80 )amp+ 3-ampamp)( )+$+ (0+ 7)$
(-amp3+ )5 - lt83 7amp -amp - )) 0+-$( amp (0+ 5+ )5 - 1-$(+amp+$= )33-)amp -$+ 40+amp (0+ 1+( ()amp3 8$+ 1$-4amp9 gtamp
(0 +-$(7+amp(= (0+ 3$+4$+$ $+7-amp 8amp7-(30+9-$(+amp+$ 5-)$ (0 3)3(- 5)$ 7$- $+-)amp9 gt( amp
$++amp( -$+ 5+4= 30+-= -amp +- )1(-amp-1+ amp - 18( (0+7)( $+7)(+ -3+9 gt( 3-amp 1+ 7A+ lt83= amp (0+ ++amp( (0-()amp+ 0- 1++amp 3-80( 5-(5))(+ 40+ -) 1+amp 3)amp+amp+amp( 4(0amp -$76 $+-30 )5 - 58 ()3+ 1-$9 amp (0)80 (0+-1(+ $-amp(+ 1 (0+ $)+$ $+-$-()amp )5 )(0+$ 1-()amp7- $+lt8$+ +-$ )5 (+- $-3(3+ () 7-(+$= $amp+$ )5 (0+
3$+4$+$ 0-+ 5)8amp (0-( 0((amp (0amp +$ 0-$ amp (0+5-3+ 8amp( (0+ + $-(0+$ ($-0(5)$4-$9
( 15 4Bamp5)$(8amp-(+= $+3)$ )5 )- amp (0+ $+-3)8( +$- -$+-$+C 0)4++$= ( 8+ amp)4amp () -(+ 1-3 () -( +-( (0+
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1919
$ ()+ - )0)1234
$ () +$ )-+$)) $ 0+1$ )$)2 + 345+$( 4612467)$8 942 2+7+6+lt) 40 () =6$$+ $ gt)1
$ ()A)2455BA() 45B (+C 4 4 4lt+)D5lt+ 7) 4 5)lt) ()+1 (47)$ + () 2)2 40 +)1 5) 54)4 (6 E145+C 1)7)$8 F12++455B 2+$+55)2 0147 $6CG1G1+( )1)5 C1+$ 41 E44)$ lt42 5$4 0462 $)42G1B 7)2++5 6$) $ 1)$41+lt) H6 lt+) +$ $1)C()+C
E14E)1+)$ I)+C 7+$) 041 ()5+C 4)$834$GJ546 lt42 0462 +$ B 4 K7)1+ $(41)$ +
() $225)IC$ 40 () 345+$( lt5+)1 L$+7+1 365$+ (4 )G461C)2 +$ I+I65+4 74C$ () lt51B7) () 1+)2 40+C( + () K7)1+ =)lt456+48 F(46C( () )-E1)$$5B 041GI2) +$ 6$) + 4E) I5) (+$ (41$)7) 4652 01)H6)5B I)2+$E()2 +( 1+4$ 40 lt42 4 E145 () 01+C)$ 40 (+$)7E7)$ 2 144 46 561+C 1)7)$8
125 67)04
F() 54C+$+5 2+00+65B 40 E1426+C 7$$ H6++)$ 40 41GC) M6+) $+2)5+)2 +$ 6$) 041 7B B)1$ $ I1)2+C61+4$+B 2 5+5) )5$)8 N $O 6+5 () 7+2G)+)()61B 2 () 2lt) 40 +2)$E1)2 1)01+C)1)2 16+C$B$)7$ ( I1)2)1$ )1) I5) 4 +41E41) + 1)C6515B+4 ()+1 1)E)14+1)$8 P41 I)$ 1)$65$ 01)$(G$H6))Q)2 M6+) +$1)477)2)2R +0 4) +$ lt+5I5) )2 41C) M6+) +(+$ (+C()1 lt+7+ L 4) +$ E1)0)1I5) 4 $212 C14G
)1B I45)$ 41 14$8 N +$ 64 (4 1))2 (+$ E1+G 651 47I++4 I6 () 7) gt$1)21+lt)1 $ 4+)2 IBP1)2)1+ S))2$ P541+2 I1)2)1 (4 5+7)2 ( () 6$)2() 21+ 4 ()5E (+7 1)74lt) 0147 (+$ I4 (+( $1) ((2 16$)2 +4 E5)8
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
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983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
14
each team ldquoCome on guysrdquo she said with microphone-added re-
verb ldquoI only need 1047297ve Yoursquove still got twenty seconds left tomdashyes
Yourdquo
The captain of a team of yuppies had leapt to his feet ldquoOleander
poinsettia dandelmdashrdquo
But just as he said ldquodandelionrdquo a buzzer drowned him out
ldquoDuhrdquo Bailey said under her breath ldquoDandelions are ediblerdquo
ldquoReallyrdquo Zane said
ldquoTheyrsquore good in saladsrdquo
ldquoSorryrdquo The emcee shook her head like a rueful gameshow
host ldquoDandelions may not taste great but they are not poisonous
Theyrsquore actuallymdashrdquoBailey mouthed the rest of the sentence ldquomdashedible and good
in saladsrdquo
ldquoWowrdquo Zane tapped out a few polite claps ldquoIrsquom impressedrdquo
ldquoOh um donrsquot berdquo Bailey said praying he wouldnrsquot ask about
the phone call ldquoPoinsettias arenrsquot toxic to humans unless you eat
like 1047297ve hundred leaves She should have called him on that onerdquo
ldquoHey ease up Not everyone in this barrsquos an Ivy League
graduaterdquo
Bailey 1047298ushed ldquoI didnrsquot meanmdashrdquo
But Zane was grinning ldquoBecause that distinction is the exclu-
sive territory of our smartest barbackrdquo
He patted her shoulder and Bailey tried not to cringe
ldquoRightrdquo she said ldquoThanksrdquo
ldquoAnd as the smartest barback at the Nightshade Loungerdquomdash
Zane went onmdashldquoyou really should know better than to go sit on
the 1047298oor during a busy shiftrdquo
ldquoIrsquom sorry Irsquom sorryrdquo Bailey rushed to say ldquoI just had to uh
the music mdashrdquo
ldquoMusicrdquo Zane shook his head ldquoBailey that jukebox has
probably been here since the sixties It totally doesnrsquot work You
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15
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
know thatrdquo
ldquoRightrdquo Bailey said Sometimes it felt like nothing worked at
the Nightshade Lounge except Bailey And Zane of course
Zane gave the jukebox a fond pat on its cracked glass ldquoAnyway
Donrsquot slack on me okayrdquo
ldquoIrsquom notrdquo Bailey protested If there was one thing she wasnrsquot it
was a slacker ldquoIrsquom justmdashrdquo
ldquoLook Bailey I told my uncle you could do this job with no
experiencerdquo Zane said ldquoAnd you can do it But if you donrsquot rdquo
He cleared his throat and continued in a low voice ldquoI donrsquot want to
have to 1047297re you the 1047297rst weekrdquo
Bailey could only nod She wanted to explainmdash Sorry Zane thatIrsquom not only looking for the 1047297rst opportunity to ditch the job you pulled
major strings to get me but also doing it while on the clockmdash but instead
gave him the truncated version ldquoSorry Yuprdquo
ldquoGoodrdquo Zane smiled Hersquod shown up to work wearing what
he always wore a slim old three-piece suit complete with loose-
ly knotted tie and rumpled dress shirt which made him look like
a Swinging London modster about to zip off on a candy-colored
scooter ldquoAnd in return Irsquoll continue to pay you and act as your
bene1047297cent overlordrdquo
ldquoMore glassesrdquo Trina the redheaded bartender who was
Zanersquos counterweight that night yelled at them from the other end
ldquoSometime this century pleaserdquo she added ldquoNot those glasses Zane
You already made that joke like 1047297ve minutes agordquo
Zane crammed his spectacles back onto his face ldquoI still think
itrsquos funnyrdquo
ldquoOn itrdquo Bailey said glad for the abrupt end to the conversa-
tion She scooted along in the narrow space behind them calling
out ldquoOn your back On your backrdquo as she passed After depositing
a freshly cleaned stack of old fashioned glasses by Trinarsquos side she
glanced at the garnish tray
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17
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
983089 Keep bartenders supplied with a steady stream of clean
glasses while removing the used ones
2 Make sure each garnish tray is well stocked at all times
3 Regularly check the garbage taking it out before it
over 1047298ows
(Bailey did her best work when she could prioritize everything
preferably in list form)
At the height of a rush however her list was far more likely to
look like this
983089 DO EVERYTHING
2 RIGHT NOW
3 OR ELSE
All night every night she never stopped moving No matter
how on top of the situation she was there was always another 1047297re
to put out
And then there were the customers They started the evening
pleasant enough But a few rounds had the same eff ect as a trip to
Pinocchiorsquos Pleasure Island anyone could turn into an ass
ldquoSo thatrsquoll be a martini for merdquo one of the hard-core trivia
enthusiasts slurred at her awhile later She leaned over the bar and
gazed down at Bailey with glassy eyes
Bailey greeted the girl with a patient smile ldquoIrsquom sorry but Irsquom
just a bar-backrdquo she said ldquoI canrsquot makemdashrdquo
ldquomdashtwo glasses of whiskey with icerdquo the girl continued ldquoAnd
for Trevmdashhey Trev What do you wantrdquo
A few paces away Trev muttered
ldquoOh yeahrdquo said the girl ldquoA Long Island iced teardquo With her lazy
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983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
18
boozy diction the order came out lawn-ilan-icy
Bailey doubled down on her outward customer friendliness
even as her internal patience evaporated ldquoIrsquom sorry marsquoamrdquo she
said again ldquobut Imdashrdquo
Zane appeared like magic ldquoLadiesrdquo he said smoothly position-
ing himself between his barback and members of the ldquoWreck Your
Privilegerdquo trivia team ldquoI know a thing or two about making a de-
cent Long Island Why donrsquot you leave it to merdquo
His performance felt increasingly unreal as Bailey watched The
Zane shersquod always known had been clumsy and awkward but ap-
parently a lot changed when you hadnrsquot seen someone for 1047297ve years
This version of Zane eff ortlessly charmed his customers entertain-ing them while he mixed their drinks with the showy vigor of
a stage magician
Speaking of people whorsquove changed since high school she thought
and then squashed the notion as quickly as it appeared Yes high
school Zane had been the kind of guy who couldnrsquot admit to his
feelings for his best friend Bailey until a couple of beers at Luke
Perezrsquos graduation party had loosened his tongue and Baileyrsquos
pants Yes talking to Zane two weeks ago had been a catch-up ses-
sion even more awkward than her theoretical upcoming ldquoplease
give me a jobrdquo chat with Jess But no overall things were 1047297ne Zane
and Bailey were friends again and it wasnrsquot too awkward (which
was good) Hersquod even given her a job to help get her parents off
her back (which was even better) And if the only side eff ect was
her own sudden terminal uncoolness well so be it She probably
deserved it
ldquoYou knowrdquo Bailey said ldquoitrsquod probably help if you taught me
how to make drinks Just for when you or Trina are too busyrdquo The
bar lifestyle had wreaked havoc on her sleep schedule and her social
life and the pay truly sucked but calling herself a bartender was at
least kind of cool and would sound less embarrassing when she got
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19
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
around to having friends again
Zane shook his head ldquoNo dicerdquo he said ldquoNo off ense but yoursquore
not readyrdquo
ldquoNot readyrdquo Bailey was incredulous ldquoWhat happened to
smartest barbackrdquo
ldquoYoursquore also our only barbackrdquo Zane said ldquoAnd right now
thatrsquos where I need you Okayrdquo
Bailey tried not to scowl ldquoOkayrdquo
Zane nodded his head toward the blank spot behind him that
Trina shouldrsquove been occupying ldquoItrsquos gonna be a little busy for
a bitrdquo he said ldquoTrinarsquos stepping out for a smokerdquo
Ah yes Bailey thought Wouldnrsquot be an evening at the Nightshadewithout one of the sta ff taking a suspiciously long smoke break right at
the height of the rush All the bartenders even Zane usually excused
themselves during shifts leaving Bailey and the remaining bartender
to hold down the fortmdashwhich 1047297ne drinking and smoking did kind
of go hand in hand But as far as she could tell none of the loungersquos
staff smoked no tobacco smell no yellow teeth no pack-size faded
spot on their pockets
ldquoZanerdquo she asked slowly ldquodo you have a lightrdquo
ldquoHuh No Whyrdquo
Interesting Bailey thought ldquoNo reasonrdquo she said ldquoWhat do you
need me to dordquo
Zane winced ldquoIrsquom sorry to askmdashrdquo
Baileyrsquos heart sank Zane had no poker face Whatever he was
about to say it wasnrsquot going to be pretty But unfortunately ldquonot
prettyrdquo was her job
ldquoWhat is itrdquo she said ldquoSpit it outrdquo
ldquoFunny you should use that phrasingrdquo Zane said ldquoSomeone
mustrsquove been feeling a little ah soft-boiled Womenrsquos bathroommdashrdquo
ldquoHow badrdquo
Zane smiled weakly ldquoShe almost made itrdquo
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20
ldquoHey Suit guyrdquo yelled a Cubs fan ldquoWersquore thirsty over hererdquo
Zane nodded to him ldquoSorryrdquo he said ldquoReally sorryrdquo And then
he was off grabbing a shaker and glass of ice as he went
Bailey spent a half hour scrubbing the bathroom to a service-
able shine though she knew full well someone would undo all her
work the second she put the mop and bucket away She probably
couldrsquove gotten to the bar faster by half-assing the job but being
detail oriented was so entwined in her DNA that she couldnrsquot leave
things un1047297nished no matter how stupid or gross they were By
the time she rejoined Zane on the line that goddamn bathroom
sparkled
The trivia game was winding down as Bailey slipped behindthe bar and even though shersquod 1047298itted in and out all night she still
mentally answered more questions than most of the teams faltering
only in classic literature So I havenrsquot read every book Bailey thought
Trivia was just a test of fact retention and her brain was as absorbent
as a sponge
Also she thought as she replenished the plastic straws with-
out being asked Irsquom a self-starter Think of what I could do in the right
environment
With a bang that rattled the glasses on the shelves Trina re-
turned from her smoke break (decidedly not smelling of cigarettes
Bailey noted) and more and people 1047297ltered out By a half hour from
closing only a few customers remained Zane sent Trina home early
leaving just him and Bailey to close up
ldquoThat was funrdquo he said as if theyrsquod just stepped off the best
roller coaster ever
Bailey looked at him sidelong estimating whether sufficient
distance separated her from his insanity
ldquoOh come onrdquo he said ldquoYou didnrsquot have a fun night in the
trenchesrdquo He playfully dropped into a boxerrsquos crouch and swiped
at the air
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983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
ldquoThey didnrsquot box in the trenchesrdquo she said ldquoThey used long-
range bombardment weapons Can you mime a howitzerrdquo
ldquoAs soon as I learn what that isrdquo he said ldquoYoursquore telling me
you donrsquot get anything out of the rush times Not even a trickle of
adrenalinerdquo
ldquoZane adrenalinersquos something your body makes to stop you
from dying horriblyrdquo She plunked down a martini glass which he
snatched right up and dried off In tandem they worked with as-
sembly-line efficiency ldquoAnd nordquo she said ldquoitrsquos not fun Jobs arenrsquot
supposed to be Thatrsquos why theyrsquore jobsrdquo
ldquoTheyrsquore not supposed to be but that doesnrsquot mean they canrsquot
be rightrdquoBailey grunted
ldquoWell heyrdquo he said ldquoYou wanna come out tonight Me and
some of the other bartenders around town like to stop in at Nerorsquos
Griddlemdashyou remember Nerorsquos rightrdquo
Bailey barely had time to nod
ldquoAnd yoursquove gotta meet this buddy of mine who works down
in Boystown and more important my girlfmdashrdquo
At that Bailey snapped to attention but Zane was frowning at
his phone Whatever he was reading had snuff ed out his smile
ldquoWhat is itrdquo she said more curious about his trailed-off sen-
tence than whatever was on his phone Only one word started with
girlf and it wasnrsquot one shersquod ever heard Zane use about himself
ldquoI have to gordquo Zane crammed his phone back into his pocket
He looked serious even grim as if he were barely aware that Bailey
was still there and then reached for supplies lime juice triple sec
a bottle of tequila that he produced from under the counter
ldquoHeyrdquo Bailey cried ldquoWe just cleaned thosemdashrdquo
ldquoI need you to close up Baileyrdquo Zane slapped the lid on his
now-full shaker which he started to shake with a weirdly exact
rhythm rattling the ice cubes against the metal sides in a seven-point
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22
beat He grabbed a margarita glass dipped the rim in water and then
jammed it into the salt dish and twisted He strained the contents
of the shaker into the salt-rimmed glass then dropped in one of the
last remaining lime wedges The lime bobbed a bit against the cubes
and in the low bar light the glass seemed to be glowing green
Zane snatched up the drink took a few deep gulps and
squeezed his eyes against what looked like a brain freeze ldquoYou
know the drillrdquo he said ldquoSet the dishwasher clean out the trays and
give the counters a good polish The rest of it we can handle when
we open tomorrow night Just lock up when yoursquore done and get
home safe okayrdquo
Bailey frowned ldquoWhatrsquos going onrdquoldquoDonrsquot worry about it Wersquoll do breakfast another midnightrdquo
ldquoButmdashrdquo
Zane was already vaulting over the bar and headed for the
door When he yanked it open Bailey caught a glimpse of someone
standing outside an angular woman with dreadlocks The moment
the woman saw Zane she took off running and the two of them
sped off into the night
The doors swung shut again leaving Bailey alone in the quiet
empty bar
Angry a little pissed off and too late into the night to call Jess
to pin down an interview she slammed the dishwasher shut rattling
every glass and cup inside She trudged back into the front to polish
off the counter seriously ready to call it a night Starting at Zanersquos
end she moved her rag in small circles systematically eliminating
any hint of grime or spillage Everywhere her towel went it stayed
until the surface beneath was a varnished brown mirror
As she made her way to Trinarsquos end something caught her eye
a small hole in the space beneath the counter As she approached
she realized it wasnrsquot just a hole it was a gap between panels that
looked like it could slide open She pushed it wide openmdashit must
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23
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
have been designed to stay 1047298ush with the wall when closedmdashand
found a row of six small bottles four clearish two pale browny All
the elementary liquorsmdashvodka tequila gin rum (light and dark)
and whiskeymdashand all with the same labelmdashnot Jack Danielrsquos or
Seagramrsquos or anything she recognized but one with no name and
a logo of two interlocked C s
She reached for one popped the cork and took a sniff vodka
The good stuff as far as she could tell Her 1047297rst instinct was to put
it right back after all it was Nightshade inventory and hidden in
a secret compartment besides Instead she grabbed a spare glass
some ice and the carton of orange juice in the mini-fridge under
the sink Zane had a strict no-drinking policy while on the job butthis hardly counted And after tonight shersquod fucking earned it
Not ready yet she thought as the ice cracked under her mea-
sured shot of vodka What was to be ready for Look at me now Zane
Irsquom making a drink and Irsquom managing Having 1047297lled the glass with
orange juice she stuck in a straw gave it a quick stir and replaced
the bottle shutting the secret compartment and promising herself
shersquod ask Zane or Trina tomorrow what the hell that was about
Then she turned and admired the fruit of her labors a freshly made
screwdriver
The drink gleamed cheerfully on the counter just as Zanersquos
margarita had Bailey squinted upward Maybe a bulb was out
or one of the neon signs was leaking (could they leak) making
the tainted air cast everything in an extra-glittery glow Whatever
Drinks were for drinking not for gawking at and so thatrsquos exactly
what Bailey did
Bailey had had screwdrivers before Usually they were slapdash
concoctions little more than orange juice and vodka splashed to-
gether inside a red Solo cup But this one was no dorm room spe-
cial rather than clash the vodka and orange juice harmonized The
drink was sweet and tangy and cold and the liquid burned just the
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24
right amount on the way down Bailey had intended to take only
small sips but when she pulled the glass away from her lips she was
surprised to see shersquod already downed half
Well she thought as the delicious feeling spread from her stom-
ach to her toes Irsquoll have to drink more screwdrivers
When she swung out the front door ten minutes later she
felt even warmer inside Warm but not tipsy or clumsy Refreshed
Curiously refreshed Probably the best shersquod ever felt postshift She
jammed her key into the door to lock up like the dutiful employee
she was Except somehow she really jammed it because when she
turned the key it stuck Shersquod completely bent it
ldquoShitrdquoBailey stared at her hand wondering how shersquod manage to
warp a solid piece of metal when she had trouble opening twist-off
beers Prepared to struggle she dug in her heels and yanked but the
key came out so easily she stumbled backward Stunned and a little
woozy she stared at the crooked key in her palm then daintily took
it in her 1047297ngertips and slowly tentatively bent it upward The metal
yielded to her hands The key was utterly straight and good as new
No harm done Bailey told herself She dropped her keys into
a jacket pocket and started to stroll home wishing she knew how to
whistle so she could complete the picture
Ravenswood had been a rough little neighborhood on the
North Side when her parents moved in but gentri1047297cation set in
during the twenty-odd years since Now it felt like a suburb that had
been swallowed whole and unchewed by a big city Damen Avenue
where the Nightshade Lounge sat on the corner of Leland was as
business district-y as the neighborhood got lined with closed-for-
the-night shops a few parked cars and the occasional tree In the
distance a late-night Brown Line train trundled along its elevated
track Sunnyside Avenue where she was headed and where she now
livedmdashagainmdashwith her parents was quiet with squat houses set
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25
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
behind small well-kept lawns and raised front porches Everywhere
people hung up the city 1047298ag of Chicagomdashtwo blue stripes on white
with four red stars in the middlemdashas if city hall was afraid that peo-
ple this far north would forget where they were living
As Bailey turned onto Leland she felt the hairs prick on the
back of her neck She wasnrsquot weird about walking by herselfmdash
this was her home turf after all and she possessed an above-aver-
age amount of street smarts thanks to a mandatory girls-only ses-
sion during orientation week called ldquoSisters Self-Defendinrsquo It for
Ourselvesrdquo But while Damen was the main drag with streetlights
and shop windows and potential witnesses Leland was more seclud-
ed especially after last call Despite the warm September night sheshivered and quickened her pace glancing over her shoulder No
onersquos there she told herself Just a few more blocks
But the more she walked the more certain she was that she
was hearing something a skittering noise down the block some-
thing rustling through the leaves on the ground Bailey thought it
was probably a rat or a raccoon but then again she wasnrsquot sure she
knew this neighborhood anymore Maybe there were muggers now
Vaguely recalling her instructorrsquos method for self-defendinrsquo it Bailey
whipped out her keys brandishing them like tiny daggers between
her knuckles
ldquoI can hear yourdquo she said a little shakily ldquoI know yoursquore thererdquo
Con 1047297dence lets your attacker know yoursquore not an easy target the
instructor had told them Remember the acronym S-A-F-E stay alert
announce f-something
Shit what was F Focus Well she was trying to Bailey pivoted
but saw nothing distinct enough to focus on
But she could hear it
And then it came out of the darkness Whatever was following
her wasnrsquot just another hungover coed in gym shorts It didnrsquot even
look human too low to the ground eyes too yellow Glowing yellow
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26
ldquoGood boyrdquo Bailey said keys held high ldquoNice bmdashrdquo
But it wasnrsquot a dog It was something awful that shersquod never
seen before
Before she could scream something rammed into her hard and
dense like a cannonball to the ribs Her head smacked the pave-
ment her elbow skinned across asphalt The not-a-dog was heavy
on top of her a horrible squirming four-legged thing the size of
a German shepherd with a head like a protruding tumor and limbs
covered in naked ropes of salmon-colored muscle
Bailey scrambled under it the world spinning from alcohol and
adrenaline The thing was pawing at her with stubby feet and she
couldnrsquot keep it off couldnrsquot wrestle away couldnrsquot escapeOh God she thought Irsquom going to die Here on the streets of
Ravenswood less than half a mile from where shersquod grown up less
than half a block from where shersquod just scrubbed a toilet
No Bailey thought No No The slimy weight on her chest
was too heavy for her to draw breath for a scream and the world
was going fuzzy around her God no This was how it ended not
with a bang but with a minimum-wage job and a heap of student
debt Bailey cringed and with all her dizzied nauseated might she
mustered up one stupid single and probably 1047297nal thought
Fuck That Shit
And she kicked Hard
It worked She pushed the thing away with the soles of her
sneakers and before she had time to think sprang to her feet closed
her eyes and threw the hardest punch of her life
It was ugly and clumsy and her 1047297st hooked around the thingrsquos
side instead of slamming it head-on But her knuckles met 1047298esh and
in a spray of black blood its head caved in like a rotted pumpkin
ldquoShitrdquo Bailey yelped and leapt back The remains of the an-
imal-thingrsquos body splatted to the concrete Smoke curled up from
the edges of its limbs as if it were a leaf catching 1047297re and the night
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27
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
air 1047297lled with a thick chemical stench Bailey coughed shielding her
eyes and before she even had time to worry about how to scrape
the nasty mess off the pavement the thingrsquos body collapsed with an
abrupt squelch
Bailey jumped back from the puddle out of the street and cast
around wildly for something else A pack A 1047298ock Another pair of
yellow eyes But she saw nothing Just a quiet street and a 1047297zzing
pool of dead-smelling something
She clamped her bloodstained hands over her mouth and
smothered a scream The screwdriver roiled inside her Her arms
and legs shook like it was below freezing and her heart squeezed
painfully with every breathShe wasnrsquot safe She wasnrsquot safe and she was going to be sick
Terri1047297ed and trembling Bailey did what she apparently did
best she 1047298ed back home
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$ ()+ - )0)1234
The Screwdriver $amp () +amp $-(- () (0+ 1+ampamp+$ 1-$(+amp+$
$ampamp ()(ampamp )amp++ -(
0 1234 )amp++ 256-(47 83ampamp 28
927
$ampamp 4lt55) -26-(47+ 28
)amp++ -( 245) =3gt -4 25 57 +49
20+ 3$+4$+$ )amp+ )5 1-$(+ampamp6 7)( 1-3 -amp 8+58 3)3(-9 20)80 )amp+ 3-ampamp)( )+$+ (0+ 7)$
(-amp3+ )5 - lt83 7amp -amp - )) 0+-$( amp (0+ 5+ )5 - 1-$(+amp+$= )33-)amp -$+ 40+amp (0+ 1+( ()amp3 8$+ 1$-4amp9 gtamp
(0 +-$(7+amp(= (0+ 3$+4$+$ $+7-amp 8amp7-(30+9-$(+amp+$ 5-)$ (0 3)3(- 5)$ 7$- $+-)amp9 gt( amp
$++amp( -$+ 5+4= 30+-= -amp +- )1(-amp-1+ amp - 18( (0+7)( $+7)(+ -3+9 gt( 3-amp 1+ 7A+ lt83= amp (0+ ++amp( (0-()amp+ 0- 1++amp 3-80( 5-(5))(+ 40+ -) 1+amp 3)amp+amp+amp( 4(0amp -$76 $+-30 )5 - 58 ()3+ 1-$9 amp (0)80 (0+-1(+ $-amp(+ 1 (0+ $)+$ $+-$-()amp )5 )(0+$ 1-()amp7- $+lt8$+ +-$ )5 (+- $-3(3+ () 7-(+$= $amp+$ )5 (0+
3$+4$+$ 0-+ 5)8amp (0-( 0((amp (0amp +$ 0-$ amp (0+5-3+ 8amp( (0+ + $-(0+$ ($-0(5)$4-$9
( 15 4Bamp5)$(8amp-(+= $+3)$ )5 )- amp (0+ $+-3)8( +$- -$+-$+C 0)4++$= ( 8+ amp)4amp () -(+ 1-3 () -( +-( (0+
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1919
$ ()+ - )0)1234
$ () +$ )-+$)) $ 0+1$ )$)2 + 345+$( 4612467)$8 942 2+7+6+lt) 40 () =6$$+ $ gt)1
$ ()A)2455BA() 45B (+C 4 4 4lt+)D5lt+ 7) 4 5)lt) ()+1 (47)$ + () 2)2 40 +)1 5) 54)4 (6 E145+C 1)7)$8 F12++455B 2+$+55)2 0147 $6CG1G1+( )1)5 C1+$ 41 E44)$ lt42 5$4 0462 $)42G1B 7)2++5 6$) $ 1)$41+lt) H6 lt+) +$ $1)C()+C
E14E)1+)$ I)+C 7+$) 041 ()5+C 4)$834$GJ546 lt42 0462 +$ B 4 K7)1+ $(41)$ +
() $225)IC$ 40 () 345+$( lt5+)1 L$+7+1 365$+ (4 )G461C)2 +$ I+I65+4 74C$ () lt51B7) () 1+)2 40+C( + () K7)1+ =)lt456+48 F(46C( () )-E1)$$5B 041GI2) +$ 6$) + 4E) I5) (+$ (41$)7) 4652 01)H6)5B I)2+$E()2 +( 1+4$ 40 lt42 4 E145 () 01+C)$ 40 (+$)7E7)$ 2 144 46 561+C 1)7)$8
125 67)04
F() 54C+$+5 2+00+65B 40 E1426+C 7$$ H6++)$ 40 41GC) M6+) $+2)5+)2 +$ 6$) 041 7B B)1$ $ I1)2+C61+4$+B 2 5+5) )5$)8 N $O 6+5 () 7+2G)+)()61B 2 () 2lt) 40 +2)$E1)2 1)01+C)1)2 16+C$B$)7$ ( I1)2)1$ )1) I5) 4 +41E41) + 1)C6515B+4 ()+1 1)E)14+1)$8 P41 I)$ 1)$65$ 01)$(G$H6))Q)2 M6+) +$1)477)2)2R +0 4) +$ lt+5I5) )2 41C) M6+) +(+$ (+C()1 lt+7+ L 4) +$ E1)0)1I5) 4 $212 C14G
)1B I45)$ 41 14$8 N +$ 64 (4 1))2 (+$ E1+G 651 47I++4 I6 () 7) gt$1)21+lt)1 $ 4+)2 IBP1)2)1+ S))2$ P541+2 I1)2)1 (4 5+7)2 ( () 6$)2() 21+ 4 ()5E (+7 1)74lt) 0147 (+$ I4 (+( $1) ((2 16$)2 +4 E5)8
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
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15
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
know thatrdquo
ldquoRightrdquo Bailey said Sometimes it felt like nothing worked at
the Nightshade Lounge except Bailey And Zane of course
Zane gave the jukebox a fond pat on its cracked glass ldquoAnyway
Donrsquot slack on me okayrdquo
ldquoIrsquom notrdquo Bailey protested If there was one thing she wasnrsquot it
was a slacker ldquoIrsquom justmdashrdquo
ldquoLook Bailey I told my uncle you could do this job with no
experiencerdquo Zane said ldquoAnd you can do it But if you donrsquot rdquo
He cleared his throat and continued in a low voice ldquoI donrsquot want to
have to 1047297re you the 1047297rst weekrdquo
Bailey could only nod She wanted to explainmdash Sorry Zane thatIrsquom not only looking for the 1047297rst opportunity to ditch the job you pulled
major strings to get me but also doing it while on the clockmdash but instead
gave him the truncated version ldquoSorry Yuprdquo
ldquoGoodrdquo Zane smiled Hersquod shown up to work wearing what
he always wore a slim old three-piece suit complete with loose-
ly knotted tie and rumpled dress shirt which made him look like
a Swinging London modster about to zip off on a candy-colored
scooter ldquoAnd in return Irsquoll continue to pay you and act as your
bene1047297cent overlordrdquo
ldquoMore glassesrdquo Trina the redheaded bartender who was
Zanersquos counterweight that night yelled at them from the other end
ldquoSometime this century pleaserdquo she added ldquoNot those glasses Zane
You already made that joke like 1047297ve minutes agordquo
Zane crammed his spectacles back onto his face ldquoI still think
itrsquos funnyrdquo
ldquoOn itrdquo Bailey said glad for the abrupt end to the conversa-
tion She scooted along in the narrow space behind them calling
out ldquoOn your back On your backrdquo as she passed After depositing
a freshly cleaned stack of old fashioned glasses by Trinarsquos side she
glanced at the garnish tray
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17
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
983089 Keep bartenders supplied with a steady stream of clean
glasses while removing the used ones
2 Make sure each garnish tray is well stocked at all times
3 Regularly check the garbage taking it out before it
over 1047298ows
(Bailey did her best work when she could prioritize everything
preferably in list form)
At the height of a rush however her list was far more likely to
look like this
983089 DO EVERYTHING
2 RIGHT NOW
3 OR ELSE
All night every night she never stopped moving No matter
how on top of the situation she was there was always another 1047297re
to put out
And then there were the customers They started the evening
pleasant enough But a few rounds had the same eff ect as a trip to
Pinocchiorsquos Pleasure Island anyone could turn into an ass
ldquoSo thatrsquoll be a martini for merdquo one of the hard-core trivia
enthusiasts slurred at her awhile later She leaned over the bar and
gazed down at Bailey with glassy eyes
Bailey greeted the girl with a patient smile ldquoIrsquom sorry but Irsquom
just a bar-backrdquo she said ldquoI canrsquot makemdashrdquo
ldquomdashtwo glasses of whiskey with icerdquo the girl continued ldquoAnd
for Trevmdashhey Trev What do you wantrdquo
A few paces away Trev muttered
ldquoOh yeahrdquo said the girl ldquoA Long Island iced teardquo With her lazy
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983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
18
boozy diction the order came out lawn-ilan-icy
Bailey doubled down on her outward customer friendliness
even as her internal patience evaporated ldquoIrsquom sorry marsquoamrdquo she
said again ldquobut Imdashrdquo
Zane appeared like magic ldquoLadiesrdquo he said smoothly position-
ing himself between his barback and members of the ldquoWreck Your
Privilegerdquo trivia team ldquoI know a thing or two about making a de-
cent Long Island Why donrsquot you leave it to merdquo
His performance felt increasingly unreal as Bailey watched The
Zane shersquod always known had been clumsy and awkward but ap-
parently a lot changed when you hadnrsquot seen someone for 1047297ve years
This version of Zane eff ortlessly charmed his customers entertain-ing them while he mixed their drinks with the showy vigor of
a stage magician
Speaking of people whorsquove changed since high school she thought
and then squashed the notion as quickly as it appeared Yes high
school Zane had been the kind of guy who couldnrsquot admit to his
feelings for his best friend Bailey until a couple of beers at Luke
Perezrsquos graduation party had loosened his tongue and Baileyrsquos
pants Yes talking to Zane two weeks ago had been a catch-up ses-
sion even more awkward than her theoretical upcoming ldquoplease
give me a jobrdquo chat with Jess But no overall things were 1047297ne Zane
and Bailey were friends again and it wasnrsquot too awkward (which
was good) Hersquod even given her a job to help get her parents off
her back (which was even better) And if the only side eff ect was
her own sudden terminal uncoolness well so be it She probably
deserved it
ldquoYou knowrdquo Bailey said ldquoitrsquod probably help if you taught me
how to make drinks Just for when you or Trina are too busyrdquo The
bar lifestyle had wreaked havoc on her sleep schedule and her social
life and the pay truly sucked but calling herself a bartender was at
least kind of cool and would sound less embarrassing when she got
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19
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
around to having friends again
Zane shook his head ldquoNo dicerdquo he said ldquoNo off ense but yoursquore
not readyrdquo
ldquoNot readyrdquo Bailey was incredulous ldquoWhat happened to
smartest barbackrdquo
ldquoYoursquore also our only barbackrdquo Zane said ldquoAnd right now
thatrsquos where I need you Okayrdquo
Bailey tried not to scowl ldquoOkayrdquo
Zane nodded his head toward the blank spot behind him that
Trina shouldrsquove been occupying ldquoItrsquos gonna be a little busy for
a bitrdquo he said ldquoTrinarsquos stepping out for a smokerdquo
Ah yes Bailey thought Wouldnrsquot be an evening at the Nightshadewithout one of the sta ff taking a suspiciously long smoke break right at
the height of the rush All the bartenders even Zane usually excused
themselves during shifts leaving Bailey and the remaining bartender
to hold down the fortmdashwhich 1047297ne drinking and smoking did kind
of go hand in hand But as far as she could tell none of the loungersquos
staff smoked no tobacco smell no yellow teeth no pack-size faded
spot on their pockets
ldquoZanerdquo she asked slowly ldquodo you have a lightrdquo
ldquoHuh No Whyrdquo
Interesting Bailey thought ldquoNo reasonrdquo she said ldquoWhat do you
need me to dordquo
Zane winced ldquoIrsquom sorry to askmdashrdquo
Baileyrsquos heart sank Zane had no poker face Whatever he was
about to say it wasnrsquot going to be pretty But unfortunately ldquonot
prettyrdquo was her job
ldquoWhat is itrdquo she said ldquoSpit it outrdquo
ldquoFunny you should use that phrasingrdquo Zane said ldquoSomeone
mustrsquove been feeling a little ah soft-boiled Womenrsquos bathroommdashrdquo
ldquoHow badrdquo
Zane smiled weakly ldquoShe almost made itrdquo
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20
ldquoHey Suit guyrdquo yelled a Cubs fan ldquoWersquore thirsty over hererdquo
Zane nodded to him ldquoSorryrdquo he said ldquoReally sorryrdquo And then
he was off grabbing a shaker and glass of ice as he went
Bailey spent a half hour scrubbing the bathroom to a service-
able shine though she knew full well someone would undo all her
work the second she put the mop and bucket away She probably
couldrsquove gotten to the bar faster by half-assing the job but being
detail oriented was so entwined in her DNA that she couldnrsquot leave
things un1047297nished no matter how stupid or gross they were By
the time she rejoined Zane on the line that goddamn bathroom
sparkled
The trivia game was winding down as Bailey slipped behindthe bar and even though shersquod 1047298itted in and out all night she still
mentally answered more questions than most of the teams faltering
only in classic literature So I havenrsquot read every book Bailey thought
Trivia was just a test of fact retention and her brain was as absorbent
as a sponge
Also she thought as she replenished the plastic straws with-
out being asked Irsquom a self-starter Think of what I could do in the right
environment
With a bang that rattled the glasses on the shelves Trina re-
turned from her smoke break (decidedly not smelling of cigarettes
Bailey noted) and more and people 1047297ltered out By a half hour from
closing only a few customers remained Zane sent Trina home early
leaving just him and Bailey to close up
ldquoThat was funrdquo he said as if theyrsquod just stepped off the best
roller coaster ever
Bailey looked at him sidelong estimating whether sufficient
distance separated her from his insanity
ldquoOh come onrdquo he said ldquoYou didnrsquot have a fun night in the
trenchesrdquo He playfully dropped into a boxerrsquos crouch and swiped
at the air
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21
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
ldquoThey didnrsquot box in the trenchesrdquo she said ldquoThey used long-
range bombardment weapons Can you mime a howitzerrdquo
ldquoAs soon as I learn what that isrdquo he said ldquoYoursquore telling me
you donrsquot get anything out of the rush times Not even a trickle of
adrenalinerdquo
ldquoZane adrenalinersquos something your body makes to stop you
from dying horriblyrdquo She plunked down a martini glass which he
snatched right up and dried off In tandem they worked with as-
sembly-line efficiency ldquoAnd nordquo she said ldquoitrsquos not fun Jobs arenrsquot
supposed to be Thatrsquos why theyrsquore jobsrdquo
ldquoTheyrsquore not supposed to be but that doesnrsquot mean they canrsquot
be rightrdquoBailey grunted
ldquoWell heyrdquo he said ldquoYou wanna come out tonight Me and
some of the other bartenders around town like to stop in at Nerorsquos
Griddlemdashyou remember Nerorsquos rightrdquo
Bailey barely had time to nod
ldquoAnd yoursquove gotta meet this buddy of mine who works down
in Boystown and more important my girlfmdashrdquo
At that Bailey snapped to attention but Zane was frowning at
his phone Whatever he was reading had snuff ed out his smile
ldquoWhat is itrdquo she said more curious about his trailed-off sen-
tence than whatever was on his phone Only one word started with
girlf and it wasnrsquot one shersquod ever heard Zane use about himself
ldquoI have to gordquo Zane crammed his phone back into his pocket
He looked serious even grim as if he were barely aware that Bailey
was still there and then reached for supplies lime juice triple sec
a bottle of tequila that he produced from under the counter
ldquoHeyrdquo Bailey cried ldquoWe just cleaned thosemdashrdquo
ldquoI need you to close up Baileyrdquo Zane slapped the lid on his
now-full shaker which he started to shake with a weirdly exact
rhythm rattling the ice cubes against the metal sides in a seven-point
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22
beat He grabbed a margarita glass dipped the rim in water and then
jammed it into the salt dish and twisted He strained the contents
of the shaker into the salt-rimmed glass then dropped in one of the
last remaining lime wedges The lime bobbed a bit against the cubes
and in the low bar light the glass seemed to be glowing green
Zane snatched up the drink took a few deep gulps and
squeezed his eyes against what looked like a brain freeze ldquoYou
know the drillrdquo he said ldquoSet the dishwasher clean out the trays and
give the counters a good polish The rest of it we can handle when
we open tomorrow night Just lock up when yoursquore done and get
home safe okayrdquo
Bailey frowned ldquoWhatrsquos going onrdquoldquoDonrsquot worry about it Wersquoll do breakfast another midnightrdquo
ldquoButmdashrdquo
Zane was already vaulting over the bar and headed for the
door When he yanked it open Bailey caught a glimpse of someone
standing outside an angular woman with dreadlocks The moment
the woman saw Zane she took off running and the two of them
sped off into the night
The doors swung shut again leaving Bailey alone in the quiet
empty bar
Angry a little pissed off and too late into the night to call Jess
to pin down an interview she slammed the dishwasher shut rattling
every glass and cup inside She trudged back into the front to polish
off the counter seriously ready to call it a night Starting at Zanersquos
end she moved her rag in small circles systematically eliminating
any hint of grime or spillage Everywhere her towel went it stayed
until the surface beneath was a varnished brown mirror
As she made her way to Trinarsquos end something caught her eye
a small hole in the space beneath the counter As she approached
she realized it wasnrsquot just a hole it was a gap between panels that
looked like it could slide open She pushed it wide openmdashit must
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23
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
have been designed to stay 1047298ush with the wall when closedmdashand
found a row of six small bottles four clearish two pale browny All
the elementary liquorsmdashvodka tequila gin rum (light and dark)
and whiskeymdashand all with the same labelmdashnot Jack Danielrsquos or
Seagramrsquos or anything she recognized but one with no name and
a logo of two interlocked C s
She reached for one popped the cork and took a sniff vodka
The good stuff as far as she could tell Her 1047297rst instinct was to put
it right back after all it was Nightshade inventory and hidden in
a secret compartment besides Instead she grabbed a spare glass
some ice and the carton of orange juice in the mini-fridge under
the sink Zane had a strict no-drinking policy while on the job butthis hardly counted And after tonight shersquod fucking earned it
Not ready yet she thought as the ice cracked under her mea-
sured shot of vodka What was to be ready for Look at me now Zane
Irsquom making a drink and Irsquom managing Having 1047297lled the glass with
orange juice she stuck in a straw gave it a quick stir and replaced
the bottle shutting the secret compartment and promising herself
shersquod ask Zane or Trina tomorrow what the hell that was about
Then she turned and admired the fruit of her labors a freshly made
screwdriver
The drink gleamed cheerfully on the counter just as Zanersquos
margarita had Bailey squinted upward Maybe a bulb was out
or one of the neon signs was leaking (could they leak) making
the tainted air cast everything in an extra-glittery glow Whatever
Drinks were for drinking not for gawking at and so thatrsquos exactly
what Bailey did
Bailey had had screwdrivers before Usually they were slapdash
concoctions little more than orange juice and vodka splashed to-
gether inside a red Solo cup But this one was no dorm room spe-
cial rather than clash the vodka and orange juice harmonized The
drink was sweet and tangy and cold and the liquid burned just the
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24
right amount on the way down Bailey had intended to take only
small sips but when she pulled the glass away from her lips she was
surprised to see shersquod already downed half
Well she thought as the delicious feeling spread from her stom-
ach to her toes Irsquoll have to drink more screwdrivers
When she swung out the front door ten minutes later she
felt even warmer inside Warm but not tipsy or clumsy Refreshed
Curiously refreshed Probably the best shersquod ever felt postshift She
jammed her key into the door to lock up like the dutiful employee
she was Except somehow she really jammed it because when she
turned the key it stuck Shersquod completely bent it
ldquoShitrdquoBailey stared at her hand wondering how shersquod manage to
warp a solid piece of metal when she had trouble opening twist-off
beers Prepared to struggle she dug in her heels and yanked but the
key came out so easily she stumbled backward Stunned and a little
woozy she stared at the crooked key in her palm then daintily took
it in her 1047297ngertips and slowly tentatively bent it upward The metal
yielded to her hands The key was utterly straight and good as new
No harm done Bailey told herself She dropped her keys into
a jacket pocket and started to stroll home wishing she knew how to
whistle so she could complete the picture
Ravenswood had been a rough little neighborhood on the
North Side when her parents moved in but gentri1047297cation set in
during the twenty-odd years since Now it felt like a suburb that had
been swallowed whole and unchewed by a big city Damen Avenue
where the Nightshade Lounge sat on the corner of Leland was as
business district-y as the neighborhood got lined with closed-for-
the-night shops a few parked cars and the occasional tree In the
distance a late-night Brown Line train trundled along its elevated
track Sunnyside Avenue where she was headed and where she now
livedmdashagainmdashwith her parents was quiet with squat houses set
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25
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
behind small well-kept lawns and raised front porches Everywhere
people hung up the city 1047298ag of Chicagomdashtwo blue stripes on white
with four red stars in the middlemdashas if city hall was afraid that peo-
ple this far north would forget where they were living
As Bailey turned onto Leland she felt the hairs prick on the
back of her neck She wasnrsquot weird about walking by herselfmdash
this was her home turf after all and she possessed an above-aver-
age amount of street smarts thanks to a mandatory girls-only ses-
sion during orientation week called ldquoSisters Self-Defendinrsquo It for
Ourselvesrdquo But while Damen was the main drag with streetlights
and shop windows and potential witnesses Leland was more seclud-
ed especially after last call Despite the warm September night sheshivered and quickened her pace glancing over her shoulder No
onersquos there she told herself Just a few more blocks
But the more she walked the more certain she was that she
was hearing something a skittering noise down the block some-
thing rustling through the leaves on the ground Bailey thought it
was probably a rat or a raccoon but then again she wasnrsquot sure she
knew this neighborhood anymore Maybe there were muggers now
Vaguely recalling her instructorrsquos method for self-defendinrsquo it Bailey
whipped out her keys brandishing them like tiny daggers between
her knuckles
ldquoI can hear yourdquo she said a little shakily ldquoI know yoursquore thererdquo
Con 1047297dence lets your attacker know yoursquore not an easy target the
instructor had told them Remember the acronym S-A-F-E stay alert
announce f-something
Shit what was F Focus Well she was trying to Bailey pivoted
but saw nothing distinct enough to focus on
But she could hear it
And then it came out of the darkness Whatever was following
her wasnrsquot just another hungover coed in gym shorts It didnrsquot even
look human too low to the ground eyes too yellow Glowing yellow
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26
ldquoGood boyrdquo Bailey said keys held high ldquoNice bmdashrdquo
But it wasnrsquot a dog It was something awful that shersquod never
seen before
Before she could scream something rammed into her hard and
dense like a cannonball to the ribs Her head smacked the pave-
ment her elbow skinned across asphalt The not-a-dog was heavy
on top of her a horrible squirming four-legged thing the size of
a German shepherd with a head like a protruding tumor and limbs
covered in naked ropes of salmon-colored muscle
Bailey scrambled under it the world spinning from alcohol and
adrenaline The thing was pawing at her with stubby feet and she
couldnrsquot keep it off couldnrsquot wrestle away couldnrsquot escapeOh God she thought Irsquom going to die Here on the streets of
Ravenswood less than half a mile from where shersquod grown up less
than half a block from where shersquod just scrubbed a toilet
No Bailey thought No No The slimy weight on her chest
was too heavy for her to draw breath for a scream and the world
was going fuzzy around her God no This was how it ended not
with a bang but with a minimum-wage job and a heap of student
debt Bailey cringed and with all her dizzied nauseated might she
mustered up one stupid single and probably 1047297nal thought
Fuck That Shit
And she kicked Hard
It worked She pushed the thing away with the soles of her
sneakers and before she had time to think sprang to her feet closed
her eyes and threw the hardest punch of her life
It was ugly and clumsy and her 1047297st hooked around the thingrsquos
side instead of slamming it head-on But her knuckles met 1047298esh and
in a spray of black blood its head caved in like a rotted pumpkin
ldquoShitrdquo Bailey yelped and leapt back The remains of the an-
imal-thingrsquos body splatted to the concrete Smoke curled up from
the edges of its limbs as if it were a leaf catching 1047297re and the night
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27
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
air 1047297lled with a thick chemical stench Bailey coughed shielding her
eyes and before she even had time to worry about how to scrape
the nasty mess off the pavement the thingrsquos body collapsed with an
abrupt squelch
Bailey jumped back from the puddle out of the street and cast
around wildly for something else A pack A 1047298ock Another pair of
yellow eyes But she saw nothing Just a quiet street and a 1047297zzing
pool of dead-smelling something
She clamped her bloodstained hands over her mouth and
smothered a scream The screwdriver roiled inside her Her arms
and legs shook like it was below freezing and her heart squeezed
painfully with every breathShe wasnrsquot safe She wasnrsquot safe and she was going to be sick
Terri1047297ed and trembling Bailey did what she apparently did
best she 1047298ed back home
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$ ()+ - )0)1234
The Screwdriver $amp () +amp $-(- () (0+ 1+ampamp+$ 1-$(+amp+$
$ampamp ()(ampamp )amp++ -(
0 1234 )amp++ 256-(47 83ampamp 28
927
$ampamp 4lt55) -26-(47+ 28
)amp++ -( 245) =3gt -4 25 57 +49
20+ 3$+4$+$ )amp+ )5 1-$(+ampamp6 7)( 1-3 -amp 8+58 3)3(-9 20)80 )amp+ 3-ampamp)( )+$+ (0+ 7)$
(-amp3+ )5 - lt83 7amp -amp - )) 0+-$( amp (0+ 5+ )5 - 1-$(+amp+$= )33-)amp -$+ 40+amp (0+ 1+( ()amp3 8$+ 1$-4amp9 gtamp
(0 +-$(7+amp(= (0+ 3$+4$+$ $+7-amp 8amp7-(30+9-$(+amp+$ 5-)$ (0 3)3(- 5)$ 7$- $+-)amp9 gt( amp
$++amp( -$+ 5+4= 30+-= -amp +- )1(-amp-1+ amp - 18( (0+7)( $+7)(+ -3+9 gt( 3-amp 1+ 7A+ lt83= amp (0+ ++amp( (0-()amp+ 0- 1++amp 3-80( 5-(5))(+ 40+ -) 1+amp 3)amp+amp+amp( 4(0amp -$76 $+-30 )5 - 58 ()3+ 1-$9 amp (0)80 (0+-1(+ $-amp(+ 1 (0+ $)+$ $+-$-()amp )5 )(0+$ 1-()amp7- $+lt8$+ +-$ )5 (+- $-3(3+ () 7-(+$= $amp+$ )5 (0+
3$+4$+$ 0-+ 5)8amp (0-( 0((amp (0amp +$ 0-$ amp (0+5-3+ 8amp( (0+ + $-(0+$ ($-0(5)$4-$9
( 15 4Bamp5)$(8amp-(+= $+3)$ )5 )- amp (0+ $+-3)8( +$- -$+-$+C 0)4++$= ( 8+ amp)4amp () -(+ 1-3 () -( +-( (0+
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1919
$ ()+ - )0)1234
$ () +$ )-+$)) $ 0+1$ )$)2 + 345+$( 4612467)$8 942 2+7+6+lt) 40 () =6$$+ $ gt)1
$ ()A)2455BA() 45B (+C 4 4 4lt+)D5lt+ 7) 4 5)lt) ()+1 (47)$ + () 2)2 40 +)1 5) 54)4 (6 E145+C 1)7)$8 F12++455B 2+$+55)2 0147 $6CG1G1+( )1)5 C1+$ 41 E44)$ lt42 5$4 0462 $)42G1B 7)2++5 6$) $ 1)$41+lt) H6 lt+) +$ $1)C()+C
E14E)1+)$ I)+C 7+$) 041 ()5+C 4)$834$GJ546 lt42 0462 +$ B 4 K7)1+ $(41)$ +
() $225)IC$ 40 () 345+$( lt5+)1 L$+7+1 365$+ (4 )G461C)2 +$ I+I65+4 74C$ () lt51B7) () 1+)2 40+C( + () K7)1+ =)lt456+48 F(46C( () )-E1)$$5B 041GI2) +$ 6$) + 4E) I5) (+$ (41$)7) 4652 01)H6)5B I)2+$E()2 +( 1+4$ 40 lt42 4 E145 () 01+C)$ 40 (+$)7E7)$ 2 144 46 561+C 1)7)$8
125 67)04
F() 54C+$+5 2+00+65B 40 E1426+C 7$$ H6++)$ 40 41GC) M6+) $+2)5+)2 +$ 6$) 041 7B B)1$ $ I1)2+C61+4$+B 2 5+5) )5$)8 N $O 6+5 () 7+2G)+)()61B 2 () 2lt) 40 +2)$E1)2 1)01+C)1)2 16+C$B$)7$ ( I1)2)1$ )1) I5) 4 +41E41) + 1)C6515B+4 ()+1 1)E)14+1)$8 P41 I)$ 1)$65$ 01)$(G$H6))Q)2 M6+) +$1)477)2)2R +0 4) +$ lt+5I5) )2 41C) M6+) +(+$ (+C()1 lt+7+ L 4) +$ E1)0)1I5) 4 $212 C14G
)1B I45)$ 41 14$8 N +$ 64 (4 1))2 (+$ E1+G 651 47I++4 I6 () 7) gt$1)21+lt)1 $ 4+)2 IBP1)2)1+ S))2$ P541+2 I1)2)1 (4 5+7)2 ( () 6$)2() 21+ 4 ()5E (+7 1)74lt) 0147 (+$ I4 (+( $1) ((2 16$)2 +4 E5)8
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 619
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 719
17
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
983089 Keep bartenders supplied with a steady stream of clean
glasses while removing the used ones
2 Make sure each garnish tray is well stocked at all times
3 Regularly check the garbage taking it out before it
over 1047298ows
(Bailey did her best work when she could prioritize everything
preferably in list form)
At the height of a rush however her list was far more likely to
look like this
983089 DO EVERYTHING
2 RIGHT NOW
3 OR ELSE
All night every night she never stopped moving No matter
how on top of the situation she was there was always another 1047297re
to put out
And then there were the customers They started the evening
pleasant enough But a few rounds had the same eff ect as a trip to
Pinocchiorsquos Pleasure Island anyone could turn into an ass
ldquoSo thatrsquoll be a martini for merdquo one of the hard-core trivia
enthusiasts slurred at her awhile later She leaned over the bar and
gazed down at Bailey with glassy eyes
Bailey greeted the girl with a patient smile ldquoIrsquom sorry but Irsquom
just a bar-backrdquo she said ldquoI canrsquot makemdashrdquo
ldquomdashtwo glasses of whiskey with icerdquo the girl continued ldquoAnd
for Trevmdashhey Trev What do you wantrdquo
A few paces away Trev muttered
ldquoOh yeahrdquo said the girl ldquoA Long Island iced teardquo With her lazy
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
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983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
18
boozy diction the order came out lawn-ilan-icy
Bailey doubled down on her outward customer friendliness
even as her internal patience evaporated ldquoIrsquom sorry marsquoamrdquo she
said again ldquobut Imdashrdquo
Zane appeared like magic ldquoLadiesrdquo he said smoothly position-
ing himself between his barback and members of the ldquoWreck Your
Privilegerdquo trivia team ldquoI know a thing or two about making a de-
cent Long Island Why donrsquot you leave it to merdquo
His performance felt increasingly unreal as Bailey watched The
Zane shersquod always known had been clumsy and awkward but ap-
parently a lot changed when you hadnrsquot seen someone for 1047297ve years
This version of Zane eff ortlessly charmed his customers entertain-ing them while he mixed their drinks with the showy vigor of
a stage magician
Speaking of people whorsquove changed since high school she thought
and then squashed the notion as quickly as it appeared Yes high
school Zane had been the kind of guy who couldnrsquot admit to his
feelings for his best friend Bailey until a couple of beers at Luke
Perezrsquos graduation party had loosened his tongue and Baileyrsquos
pants Yes talking to Zane two weeks ago had been a catch-up ses-
sion even more awkward than her theoretical upcoming ldquoplease
give me a jobrdquo chat with Jess But no overall things were 1047297ne Zane
and Bailey were friends again and it wasnrsquot too awkward (which
was good) Hersquod even given her a job to help get her parents off
her back (which was even better) And if the only side eff ect was
her own sudden terminal uncoolness well so be it She probably
deserved it
ldquoYou knowrdquo Bailey said ldquoitrsquod probably help if you taught me
how to make drinks Just for when you or Trina are too busyrdquo The
bar lifestyle had wreaked havoc on her sleep schedule and her social
life and the pay truly sucked but calling herself a bartender was at
least kind of cool and would sound less embarrassing when she got
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19
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
around to having friends again
Zane shook his head ldquoNo dicerdquo he said ldquoNo off ense but yoursquore
not readyrdquo
ldquoNot readyrdquo Bailey was incredulous ldquoWhat happened to
smartest barbackrdquo
ldquoYoursquore also our only barbackrdquo Zane said ldquoAnd right now
thatrsquos where I need you Okayrdquo
Bailey tried not to scowl ldquoOkayrdquo
Zane nodded his head toward the blank spot behind him that
Trina shouldrsquove been occupying ldquoItrsquos gonna be a little busy for
a bitrdquo he said ldquoTrinarsquos stepping out for a smokerdquo
Ah yes Bailey thought Wouldnrsquot be an evening at the Nightshadewithout one of the sta ff taking a suspiciously long smoke break right at
the height of the rush All the bartenders even Zane usually excused
themselves during shifts leaving Bailey and the remaining bartender
to hold down the fortmdashwhich 1047297ne drinking and smoking did kind
of go hand in hand But as far as she could tell none of the loungersquos
staff smoked no tobacco smell no yellow teeth no pack-size faded
spot on their pockets
ldquoZanerdquo she asked slowly ldquodo you have a lightrdquo
ldquoHuh No Whyrdquo
Interesting Bailey thought ldquoNo reasonrdquo she said ldquoWhat do you
need me to dordquo
Zane winced ldquoIrsquom sorry to askmdashrdquo
Baileyrsquos heart sank Zane had no poker face Whatever he was
about to say it wasnrsquot going to be pretty But unfortunately ldquonot
prettyrdquo was her job
ldquoWhat is itrdquo she said ldquoSpit it outrdquo
ldquoFunny you should use that phrasingrdquo Zane said ldquoSomeone
mustrsquove been feeling a little ah soft-boiled Womenrsquos bathroommdashrdquo
ldquoHow badrdquo
Zane smiled weakly ldquoShe almost made itrdquo
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20
ldquoHey Suit guyrdquo yelled a Cubs fan ldquoWersquore thirsty over hererdquo
Zane nodded to him ldquoSorryrdquo he said ldquoReally sorryrdquo And then
he was off grabbing a shaker and glass of ice as he went
Bailey spent a half hour scrubbing the bathroom to a service-
able shine though she knew full well someone would undo all her
work the second she put the mop and bucket away She probably
couldrsquove gotten to the bar faster by half-assing the job but being
detail oriented was so entwined in her DNA that she couldnrsquot leave
things un1047297nished no matter how stupid or gross they were By
the time she rejoined Zane on the line that goddamn bathroom
sparkled
The trivia game was winding down as Bailey slipped behindthe bar and even though shersquod 1047298itted in and out all night she still
mentally answered more questions than most of the teams faltering
only in classic literature So I havenrsquot read every book Bailey thought
Trivia was just a test of fact retention and her brain was as absorbent
as a sponge
Also she thought as she replenished the plastic straws with-
out being asked Irsquom a self-starter Think of what I could do in the right
environment
With a bang that rattled the glasses on the shelves Trina re-
turned from her smoke break (decidedly not smelling of cigarettes
Bailey noted) and more and people 1047297ltered out By a half hour from
closing only a few customers remained Zane sent Trina home early
leaving just him and Bailey to close up
ldquoThat was funrdquo he said as if theyrsquod just stepped off the best
roller coaster ever
Bailey looked at him sidelong estimating whether sufficient
distance separated her from his insanity
ldquoOh come onrdquo he said ldquoYou didnrsquot have a fun night in the
trenchesrdquo He playfully dropped into a boxerrsquos crouch and swiped
at the air
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21
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
ldquoThey didnrsquot box in the trenchesrdquo she said ldquoThey used long-
range bombardment weapons Can you mime a howitzerrdquo
ldquoAs soon as I learn what that isrdquo he said ldquoYoursquore telling me
you donrsquot get anything out of the rush times Not even a trickle of
adrenalinerdquo
ldquoZane adrenalinersquos something your body makes to stop you
from dying horriblyrdquo She plunked down a martini glass which he
snatched right up and dried off In tandem they worked with as-
sembly-line efficiency ldquoAnd nordquo she said ldquoitrsquos not fun Jobs arenrsquot
supposed to be Thatrsquos why theyrsquore jobsrdquo
ldquoTheyrsquore not supposed to be but that doesnrsquot mean they canrsquot
be rightrdquoBailey grunted
ldquoWell heyrdquo he said ldquoYou wanna come out tonight Me and
some of the other bartenders around town like to stop in at Nerorsquos
Griddlemdashyou remember Nerorsquos rightrdquo
Bailey barely had time to nod
ldquoAnd yoursquove gotta meet this buddy of mine who works down
in Boystown and more important my girlfmdashrdquo
At that Bailey snapped to attention but Zane was frowning at
his phone Whatever he was reading had snuff ed out his smile
ldquoWhat is itrdquo she said more curious about his trailed-off sen-
tence than whatever was on his phone Only one word started with
girlf and it wasnrsquot one shersquod ever heard Zane use about himself
ldquoI have to gordquo Zane crammed his phone back into his pocket
He looked serious even grim as if he were barely aware that Bailey
was still there and then reached for supplies lime juice triple sec
a bottle of tequila that he produced from under the counter
ldquoHeyrdquo Bailey cried ldquoWe just cleaned thosemdashrdquo
ldquoI need you to close up Baileyrdquo Zane slapped the lid on his
now-full shaker which he started to shake with a weirdly exact
rhythm rattling the ice cubes against the metal sides in a seven-point
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22
beat He grabbed a margarita glass dipped the rim in water and then
jammed it into the salt dish and twisted He strained the contents
of the shaker into the salt-rimmed glass then dropped in one of the
last remaining lime wedges The lime bobbed a bit against the cubes
and in the low bar light the glass seemed to be glowing green
Zane snatched up the drink took a few deep gulps and
squeezed his eyes against what looked like a brain freeze ldquoYou
know the drillrdquo he said ldquoSet the dishwasher clean out the trays and
give the counters a good polish The rest of it we can handle when
we open tomorrow night Just lock up when yoursquore done and get
home safe okayrdquo
Bailey frowned ldquoWhatrsquos going onrdquoldquoDonrsquot worry about it Wersquoll do breakfast another midnightrdquo
ldquoButmdashrdquo
Zane was already vaulting over the bar and headed for the
door When he yanked it open Bailey caught a glimpse of someone
standing outside an angular woman with dreadlocks The moment
the woman saw Zane she took off running and the two of them
sped off into the night
The doors swung shut again leaving Bailey alone in the quiet
empty bar
Angry a little pissed off and too late into the night to call Jess
to pin down an interview she slammed the dishwasher shut rattling
every glass and cup inside She trudged back into the front to polish
off the counter seriously ready to call it a night Starting at Zanersquos
end she moved her rag in small circles systematically eliminating
any hint of grime or spillage Everywhere her towel went it stayed
until the surface beneath was a varnished brown mirror
As she made her way to Trinarsquos end something caught her eye
a small hole in the space beneath the counter As she approached
she realized it wasnrsquot just a hole it was a gap between panels that
looked like it could slide open She pushed it wide openmdashit must
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23
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
have been designed to stay 1047298ush with the wall when closedmdashand
found a row of six small bottles four clearish two pale browny All
the elementary liquorsmdashvodka tequila gin rum (light and dark)
and whiskeymdashand all with the same labelmdashnot Jack Danielrsquos or
Seagramrsquos or anything she recognized but one with no name and
a logo of two interlocked C s
She reached for one popped the cork and took a sniff vodka
The good stuff as far as she could tell Her 1047297rst instinct was to put
it right back after all it was Nightshade inventory and hidden in
a secret compartment besides Instead she grabbed a spare glass
some ice and the carton of orange juice in the mini-fridge under
the sink Zane had a strict no-drinking policy while on the job butthis hardly counted And after tonight shersquod fucking earned it
Not ready yet she thought as the ice cracked under her mea-
sured shot of vodka What was to be ready for Look at me now Zane
Irsquom making a drink and Irsquom managing Having 1047297lled the glass with
orange juice she stuck in a straw gave it a quick stir and replaced
the bottle shutting the secret compartment and promising herself
shersquod ask Zane or Trina tomorrow what the hell that was about
Then she turned and admired the fruit of her labors a freshly made
screwdriver
The drink gleamed cheerfully on the counter just as Zanersquos
margarita had Bailey squinted upward Maybe a bulb was out
or one of the neon signs was leaking (could they leak) making
the tainted air cast everything in an extra-glittery glow Whatever
Drinks were for drinking not for gawking at and so thatrsquos exactly
what Bailey did
Bailey had had screwdrivers before Usually they were slapdash
concoctions little more than orange juice and vodka splashed to-
gether inside a red Solo cup But this one was no dorm room spe-
cial rather than clash the vodka and orange juice harmonized The
drink was sweet and tangy and cold and the liquid burned just the
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24
right amount on the way down Bailey had intended to take only
small sips but when she pulled the glass away from her lips she was
surprised to see shersquod already downed half
Well she thought as the delicious feeling spread from her stom-
ach to her toes Irsquoll have to drink more screwdrivers
When she swung out the front door ten minutes later she
felt even warmer inside Warm but not tipsy or clumsy Refreshed
Curiously refreshed Probably the best shersquod ever felt postshift She
jammed her key into the door to lock up like the dutiful employee
she was Except somehow she really jammed it because when she
turned the key it stuck Shersquod completely bent it
ldquoShitrdquoBailey stared at her hand wondering how shersquod manage to
warp a solid piece of metal when she had trouble opening twist-off
beers Prepared to struggle she dug in her heels and yanked but the
key came out so easily she stumbled backward Stunned and a little
woozy she stared at the crooked key in her palm then daintily took
it in her 1047297ngertips and slowly tentatively bent it upward The metal
yielded to her hands The key was utterly straight and good as new
No harm done Bailey told herself She dropped her keys into
a jacket pocket and started to stroll home wishing she knew how to
whistle so she could complete the picture
Ravenswood had been a rough little neighborhood on the
North Side when her parents moved in but gentri1047297cation set in
during the twenty-odd years since Now it felt like a suburb that had
been swallowed whole and unchewed by a big city Damen Avenue
where the Nightshade Lounge sat on the corner of Leland was as
business district-y as the neighborhood got lined with closed-for-
the-night shops a few parked cars and the occasional tree In the
distance a late-night Brown Line train trundled along its elevated
track Sunnyside Avenue where she was headed and where she now
livedmdashagainmdashwith her parents was quiet with squat houses set
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25
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
behind small well-kept lawns and raised front porches Everywhere
people hung up the city 1047298ag of Chicagomdashtwo blue stripes on white
with four red stars in the middlemdashas if city hall was afraid that peo-
ple this far north would forget where they were living
As Bailey turned onto Leland she felt the hairs prick on the
back of her neck She wasnrsquot weird about walking by herselfmdash
this was her home turf after all and she possessed an above-aver-
age amount of street smarts thanks to a mandatory girls-only ses-
sion during orientation week called ldquoSisters Self-Defendinrsquo It for
Ourselvesrdquo But while Damen was the main drag with streetlights
and shop windows and potential witnesses Leland was more seclud-
ed especially after last call Despite the warm September night sheshivered and quickened her pace glancing over her shoulder No
onersquos there she told herself Just a few more blocks
But the more she walked the more certain she was that she
was hearing something a skittering noise down the block some-
thing rustling through the leaves on the ground Bailey thought it
was probably a rat or a raccoon but then again she wasnrsquot sure she
knew this neighborhood anymore Maybe there were muggers now
Vaguely recalling her instructorrsquos method for self-defendinrsquo it Bailey
whipped out her keys brandishing them like tiny daggers between
her knuckles
ldquoI can hear yourdquo she said a little shakily ldquoI know yoursquore thererdquo
Con 1047297dence lets your attacker know yoursquore not an easy target the
instructor had told them Remember the acronym S-A-F-E stay alert
announce f-something
Shit what was F Focus Well she was trying to Bailey pivoted
but saw nothing distinct enough to focus on
But she could hear it
And then it came out of the darkness Whatever was following
her wasnrsquot just another hungover coed in gym shorts It didnrsquot even
look human too low to the ground eyes too yellow Glowing yellow
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26
ldquoGood boyrdquo Bailey said keys held high ldquoNice bmdashrdquo
But it wasnrsquot a dog It was something awful that shersquod never
seen before
Before she could scream something rammed into her hard and
dense like a cannonball to the ribs Her head smacked the pave-
ment her elbow skinned across asphalt The not-a-dog was heavy
on top of her a horrible squirming four-legged thing the size of
a German shepherd with a head like a protruding tumor and limbs
covered in naked ropes of salmon-colored muscle
Bailey scrambled under it the world spinning from alcohol and
adrenaline The thing was pawing at her with stubby feet and she
couldnrsquot keep it off couldnrsquot wrestle away couldnrsquot escapeOh God she thought Irsquom going to die Here on the streets of
Ravenswood less than half a mile from where shersquod grown up less
than half a block from where shersquod just scrubbed a toilet
No Bailey thought No No The slimy weight on her chest
was too heavy for her to draw breath for a scream and the world
was going fuzzy around her God no This was how it ended not
with a bang but with a minimum-wage job and a heap of student
debt Bailey cringed and with all her dizzied nauseated might she
mustered up one stupid single and probably 1047297nal thought
Fuck That Shit
And she kicked Hard
It worked She pushed the thing away with the soles of her
sneakers and before she had time to think sprang to her feet closed
her eyes and threw the hardest punch of her life
It was ugly and clumsy and her 1047297st hooked around the thingrsquos
side instead of slamming it head-on But her knuckles met 1047298esh and
in a spray of black blood its head caved in like a rotted pumpkin
ldquoShitrdquo Bailey yelped and leapt back The remains of the an-
imal-thingrsquos body splatted to the concrete Smoke curled up from
the edges of its limbs as if it were a leaf catching 1047297re and the night
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27
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
air 1047297lled with a thick chemical stench Bailey coughed shielding her
eyes and before she even had time to worry about how to scrape
the nasty mess off the pavement the thingrsquos body collapsed with an
abrupt squelch
Bailey jumped back from the puddle out of the street and cast
around wildly for something else A pack A 1047298ock Another pair of
yellow eyes But she saw nothing Just a quiet street and a 1047297zzing
pool of dead-smelling something
She clamped her bloodstained hands over her mouth and
smothered a scream The screwdriver roiled inside her Her arms
and legs shook like it was below freezing and her heart squeezed
painfully with every breathShe wasnrsquot safe She wasnrsquot safe and she was going to be sick
Terri1047297ed and trembling Bailey did what she apparently did
best she 1047298ed back home
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$ ()+ - )0)1234
The Screwdriver $amp () +amp $-(- () (0+ 1+ampamp+$ 1-$(+amp+$
$ampamp ()(ampamp )amp++ -(
0 1234 )amp++ 256-(47 83ampamp 28
927
$ampamp 4lt55) -26-(47+ 28
)amp++ -( 245) =3gt -4 25 57 +49
20+ 3$+4$+$ )amp+ )5 1-$(+ampamp6 7)( 1-3 -amp 8+58 3)3(-9 20)80 )amp+ 3-ampamp)( )+$+ (0+ 7)$
(-amp3+ )5 - lt83 7amp -amp - )) 0+-$( amp (0+ 5+ )5 - 1-$(+amp+$= )33-)amp -$+ 40+amp (0+ 1+( ()amp3 8$+ 1$-4amp9 gtamp
(0 +-$(7+amp(= (0+ 3$+4$+$ $+7-amp 8amp7-(30+9-$(+amp+$ 5-)$ (0 3)3(- 5)$ 7$- $+-)amp9 gt( amp
$++amp( -$+ 5+4= 30+-= -amp +- )1(-amp-1+ amp - 18( (0+7)( $+7)(+ -3+9 gt( 3-amp 1+ 7A+ lt83= amp (0+ ++amp( (0-()amp+ 0- 1++amp 3-80( 5-(5))(+ 40+ -) 1+amp 3)amp+amp+amp( 4(0amp -$76 $+-30 )5 - 58 ()3+ 1-$9 amp (0)80 (0+-1(+ $-amp(+ 1 (0+ $)+$ $+-$-()amp )5 )(0+$ 1-()amp7- $+lt8$+ +-$ )5 (+- $-3(3+ () 7-(+$= $amp+$ )5 (0+
3$+4$+$ 0-+ 5)8amp (0-( 0((amp (0amp +$ 0-$ amp (0+5-3+ 8amp( (0+ + $-(0+$ ($-0(5)$4-$9
( 15 4Bamp5)$(8amp-(+= $+3)$ )5 )- amp (0+ $+-3)8( +$- -$+-$+C 0)4++$= ( 8+ amp)4amp () -(+ 1-3 () -( +-( (0+
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1919
$ ()+ - )0)1234
$ () +$ )-+$)) $ 0+1$ )$)2 + 345+$( 4612467)$8 942 2+7+6+lt) 40 () =6$$+ $ gt)1
$ ()A)2455BA() 45B (+C 4 4 4lt+)D5lt+ 7) 4 5)lt) ()+1 (47)$ + () 2)2 40 +)1 5) 54)4 (6 E145+C 1)7)$8 F12++455B 2+$+55)2 0147 $6CG1G1+( )1)5 C1+$ 41 E44)$ lt42 5$4 0462 $)42G1B 7)2++5 6$) $ 1)$41+lt) H6 lt+) +$ $1)C()+C
E14E)1+)$ I)+C 7+$) 041 ()5+C 4)$834$GJ546 lt42 0462 +$ B 4 K7)1+ $(41)$ +
() $225)IC$ 40 () 345+$( lt5+)1 L$+7+1 365$+ (4 )G461C)2 +$ I+I65+4 74C$ () lt51B7) () 1+)2 40+C( + () K7)1+ =)lt456+48 F(46C( () )-E1)$$5B 041GI2) +$ 6$) + 4E) I5) (+$ (41$)7) 4652 01)H6)5B I)2+$E()2 +( 1+4$ 40 lt42 4 E145 () 01+C)$ 40 (+$)7E7)$ 2 144 46 561+C 1)7)$8
125 67)04
F() 54C+$+5 2+00+65B 40 E1426+C 7$$ H6++)$ 40 41GC) M6+) $+2)5+)2 +$ 6$) 041 7B B)1$ $ I1)2+C61+4$+B 2 5+5) )5$)8 N $O 6+5 () 7+2G)+)()61B 2 () 2lt) 40 +2)$E1)2 1)01+C)1)2 16+C$B$)7$ ( I1)2)1$ )1) I5) 4 +41E41) + 1)C6515B+4 ()+1 1)E)14+1)$8 P41 I)$ 1)$65$ 01)$(G$H6))Q)2 M6+) +$1)477)2)2R +0 4) +$ lt+5I5) )2 41C) M6+) +(+$ (+C()1 lt+7+ L 4) +$ E1)0)1I5) 4 $212 C14G
)1B I45)$ 41 14$8 N +$ 64 (4 1))2 (+$ E1+G 651 47I++4 I6 () 7) gt$1)21+lt)1 $ 4+)2 IBP1)2)1+ S))2$ P541+2 I1)2)1 (4 5+7)2 ( () 6$)2() 21+ 4 ()5E (+7 1)74lt) 0147 (+$ I4 (+( $1) ((2 16$)2 +4 E5)8
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
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17
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
983089 Keep bartenders supplied with a steady stream of clean
glasses while removing the used ones
2 Make sure each garnish tray is well stocked at all times
3 Regularly check the garbage taking it out before it
over 1047298ows
(Bailey did her best work when she could prioritize everything
preferably in list form)
At the height of a rush however her list was far more likely to
look like this
983089 DO EVERYTHING
2 RIGHT NOW
3 OR ELSE
All night every night she never stopped moving No matter
how on top of the situation she was there was always another 1047297re
to put out
And then there were the customers They started the evening
pleasant enough But a few rounds had the same eff ect as a trip to
Pinocchiorsquos Pleasure Island anyone could turn into an ass
ldquoSo thatrsquoll be a martini for merdquo one of the hard-core trivia
enthusiasts slurred at her awhile later She leaned over the bar and
gazed down at Bailey with glassy eyes
Bailey greeted the girl with a patient smile ldquoIrsquom sorry but Irsquom
just a bar-backrdquo she said ldquoI canrsquot makemdashrdquo
ldquomdashtwo glasses of whiskey with icerdquo the girl continued ldquoAnd
for Trevmdashhey Trev What do you wantrdquo
A few paces away Trev muttered
ldquoOh yeahrdquo said the girl ldquoA Long Island iced teardquo With her lazy
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983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
18
boozy diction the order came out lawn-ilan-icy
Bailey doubled down on her outward customer friendliness
even as her internal patience evaporated ldquoIrsquom sorry marsquoamrdquo she
said again ldquobut Imdashrdquo
Zane appeared like magic ldquoLadiesrdquo he said smoothly position-
ing himself between his barback and members of the ldquoWreck Your
Privilegerdquo trivia team ldquoI know a thing or two about making a de-
cent Long Island Why donrsquot you leave it to merdquo
His performance felt increasingly unreal as Bailey watched The
Zane shersquod always known had been clumsy and awkward but ap-
parently a lot changed when you hadnrsquot seen someone for 1047297ve years
This version of Zane eff ortlessly charmed his customers entertain-ing them while he mixed their drinks with the showy vigor of
a stage magician
Speaking of people whorsquove changed since high school she thought
and then squashed the notion as quickly as it appeared Yes high
school Zane had been the kind of guy who couldnrsquot admit to his
feelings for his best friend Bailey until a couple of beers at Luke
Perezrsquos graduation party had loosened his tongue and Baileyrsquos
pants Yes talking to Zane two weeks ago had been a catch-up ses-
sion even more awkward than her theoretical upcoming ldquoplease
give me a jobrdquo chat with Jess But no overall things were 1047297ne Zane
and Bailey were friends again and it wasnrsquot too awkward (which
was good) Hersquod even given her a job to help get her parents off
her back (which was even better) And if the only side eff ect was
her own sudden terminal uncoolness well so be it She probably
deserved it
ldquoYou knowrdquo Bailey said ldquoitrsquod probably help if you taught me
how to make drinks Just for when you or Trina are too busyrdquo The
bar lifestyle had wreaked havoc on her sleep schedule and her social
life and the pay truly sucked but calling herself a bartender was at
least kind of cool and would sound less embarrassing when she got
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
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19
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
around to having friends again
Zane shook his head ldquoNo dicerdquo he said ldquoNo off ense but yoursquore
not readyrdquo
ldquoNot readyrdquo Bailey was incredulous ldquoWhat happened to
smartest barbackrdquo
ldquoYoursquore also our only barbackrdquo Zane said ldquoAnd right now
thatrsquos where I need you Okayrdquo
Bailey tried not to scowl ldquoOkayrdquo
Zane nodded his head toward the blank spot behind him that
Trina shouldrsquove been occupying ldquoItrsquos gonna be a little busy for
a bitrdquo he said ldquoTrinarsquos stepping out for a smokerdquo
Ah yes Bailey thought Wouldnrsquot be an evening at the Nightshadewithout one of the sta ff taking a suspiciously long smoke break right at
the height of the rush All the bartenders even Zane usually excused
themselves during shifts leaving Bailey and the remaining bartender
to hold down the fortmdashwhich 1047297ne drinking and smoking did kind
of go hand in hand But as far as she could tell none of the loungersquos
staff smoked no tobacco smell no yellow teeth no pack-size faded
spot on their pockets
ldquoZanerdquo she asked slowly ldquodo you have a lightrdquo
ldquoHuh No Whyrdquo
Interesting Bailey thought ldquoNo reasonrdquo she said ldquoWhat do you
need me to dordquo
Zane winced ldquoIrsquom sorry to askmdashrdquo
Baileyrsquos heart sank Zane had no poker face Whatever he was
about to say it wasnrsquot going to be pretty But unfortunately ldquonot
prettyrdquo was her job
ldquoWhat is itrdquo she said ldquoSpit it outrdquo
ldquoFunny you should use that phrasingrdquo Zane said ldquoSomeone
mustrsquove been feeling a little ah soft-boiled Womenrsquos bathroommdashrdquo
ldquoHow badrdquo
Zane smiled weakly ldquoShe almost made itrdquo
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20
ldquoHey Suit guyrdquo yelled a Cubs fan ldquoWersquore thirsty over hererdquo
Zane nodded to him ldquoSorryrdquo he said ldquoReally sorryrdquo And then
he was off grabbing a shaker and glass of ice as he went
Bailey spent a half hour scrubbing the bathroom to a service-
able shine though she knew full well someone would undo all her
work the second she put the mop and bucket away She probably
couldrsquove gotten to the bar faster by half-assing the job but being
detail oriented was so entwined in her DNA that she couldnrsquot leave
things un1047297nished no matter how stupid or gross they were By
the time she rejoined Zane on the line that goddamn bathroom
sparkled
The trivia game was winding down as Bailey slipped behindthe bar and even though shersquod 1047298itted in and out all night she still
mentally answered more questions than most of the teams faltering
only in classic literature So I havenrsquot read every book Bailey thought
Trivia was just a test of fact retention and her brain was as absorbent
as a sponge
Also she thought as she replenished the plastic straws with-
out being asked Irsquom a self-starter Think of what I could do in the right
environment
With a bang that rattled the glasses on the shelves Trina re-
turned from her smoke break (decidedly not smelling of cigarettes
Bailey noted) and more and people 1047297ltered out By a half hour from
closing only a few customers remained Zane sent Trina home early
leaving just him and Bailey to close up
ldquoThat was funrdquo he said as if theyrsquod just stepped off the best
roller coaster ever
Bailey looked at him sidelong estimating whether sufficient
distance separated her from his insanity
ldquoOh come onrdquo he said ldquoYou didnrsquot have a fun night in the
trenchesrdquo He playfully dropped into a boxerrsquos crouch and swiped
at the air
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21
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
ldquoThey didnrsquot box in the trenchesrdquo she said ldquoThey used long-
range bombardment weapons Can you mime a howitzerrdquo
ldquoAs soon as I learn what that isrdquo he said ldquoYoursquore telling me
you donrsquot get anything out of the rush times Not even a trickle of
adrenalinerdquo
ldquoZane adrenalinersquos something your body makes to stop you
from dying horriblyrdquo She plunked down a martini glass which he
snatched right up and dried off In tandem they worked with as-
sembly-line efficiency ldquoAnd nordquo she said ldquoitrsquos not fun Jobs arenrsquot
supposed to be Thatrsquos why theyrsquore jobsrdquo
ldquoTheyrsquore not supposed to be but that doesnrsquot mean they canrsquot
be rightrdquoBailey grunted
ldquoWell heyrdquo he said ldquoYou wanna come out tonight Me and
some of the other bartenders around town like to stop in at Nerorsquos
Griddlemdashyou remember Nerorsquos rightrdquo
Bailey barely had time to nod
ldquoAnd yoursquove gotta meet this buddy of mine who works down
in Boystown and more important my girlfmdashrdquo
At that Bailey snapped to attention but Zane was frowning at
his phone Whatever he was reading had snuff ed out his smile
ldquoWhat is itrdquo she said more curious about his trailed-off sen-
tence than whatever was on his phone Only one word started with
girlf and it wasnrsquot one shersquod ever heard Zane use about himself
ldquoI have to gordquo Zane crammed his phone back into his pocket
He looked serious even grim as if he were barely aware that Bailey
was still there and then reached for supplies lime juice triple sec
a bottle of tequila that he produced from under the counter
ldquoHeyrdquo Bailey cried ldquoWe just cleaned thosemdashrdquo
ldquoI need you to close up Baileyrdquo Zane slapped the lid on his
now-full shaker which he started to shake with a weirdly exact
rhythm rattling the ice cubes against the metal sides in a seven-point
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22
beat He grabbed a margarita glass dipped the rim in water and then
jammed it into the salt dish and twisted He strained the contents
of the shaker into the salt-rimmed glass then dropped in one of the
last remaining lime wedges The lime bobbed a bit against the cubes
and in the low bar light the glass seemed to be glowing green
Zane snatched up the drink took a few deep gulps and
squeezed his eyes against what looked like a brain freeze ldquoYou
know the drillrdquo he said ldquoSet the dishwasher clean out the trays and
give the counters a good polish The rest of it we can handle when
we open tomorrow night Just lock up when yoursquore done and get
home safe okayrdquo
Bailey frowned ldquoWhatrsquos going onrdquoldquoDonrsquot worry about it Wersquoll do breakfast another midnightrdquo
ldquoButmdashrdquo
Zane was already vaulting over the bar and headed for the
door When he yanked it open Bailey caught a glimpse of someone
standing outside an angular woman with dreadlocks The moment
the woman saw Zane she took off running and the two of them
sped off into the night
The doors swung shut again leaving Bailey alone in the quiet
empty bar
Angry a little pissed off and too late into the night to call Jess
to pin down an interview she slammed the dishwasher shut rattling
every glass and cup inside She trudged back into the front to polish
off the counter seriously ready to call it a night Starting at Zanersquos
end she moved her rag in small circles systematically eliminating
any hint of grime or spillage Everywhere her towel went it stayed
until the surface beneath was a varnished brown mirror
As she made her way to Trinarsquos end something caught her eye
a small hole in the space beneath the counter As she approached
she realized it wasnrsquot just a hole it was a gap between panels that
looked like it could slide open She pushed it wide openmdashit must
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23
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
have been designed to stay 1047298ush with the wall when closedmdashand
found a row of six small bottles four clearish two pale browny All
the elementary liquorsmdashvodka tequila gin rum (light and dark)
and whiskeymdashand all with the same labelmdashnot Jack Danielrsquos or
Seagramrsquos or anything she recognized but one with no name and
a logo of two interlocked C s
She reached for one popped the cork and took a sniff vodka
The good stuff as far as she could tell Her 1047297rst instinct was to put
it right back after all it was Nightshade inventory and hidden in
a secret compartment besides Instead she grabbed a spare glass
some ice and the carton of orange juice in the mini-fridge under
the sink Zane had a strict no-drinking policy while on the job butthis hardly counted And after tonight shersquod fucking earned it
Not ready yet she thought as the ice cracked under her mea-
sured shot of vodka What was to be ready for Look at me now Zane
Irsquom making a drink and Irsquom managing Having 1047297lled the glass with
orange juice she stuck in a straw gave it a quick stir and replaced
the bottle shutting the secret compartment and promising herself
shersquod ask Zane or Trina tomorrow what the hell that was about
Then she turned and admired the fruit of her labors a freshly made
screwdriver
The drink gleamed cheerfully on the counter just as Zanersquos
margarita had Bailey squinted upward Maybe a bulb was out
or one of the neon signs was leaking (could they leak) making
the tainted air cast everything in an extra-glittery glow Whatever
Drinks were for drinking not for gawking at and so thatrsquos exactly
what Bailey did
Bailey had had screwdrivers before Usually they were slapdash
concoctions little more than orange juice and vodka splashed to-
gether inside a red Solo cup But this one was no dorm room spe-
cial rather than clash the vodka and orange juice harmonized The
drink was sweet and tangy and cold and the liquid burned just the
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24
right amount on the way down Bailey had intended to take only
small sips but when she pulled the glass away from her lips she was
surprised to see shersquod already downed half
Well she thought as the delicious feeling spread from her stom-
ach to her toes Irsquoll have to drink more screwdrivers
When she swung out the front door ten minutes later she
felt even warmer inside Warm but not tipsy or clumsy Refreshed
Curiously refreshed Probably the best shersquod ever felt postshift She
jammed her key into the door to lock up like the dutiful employee
she was Except somehow she really jammed it because when she
turned the key it stuck Shersquod completely bent it
ldquoShitrdquoBailey stared at her hand wondering how shersquod manage to
warp a solid piece of metal when she had trouble opening twist-off
beers Prepared to struggle she dug in her heels and yanked but the
key came out so easily she stumbled backward Stunned and a little
woozy she stared at the crooked key in her palm then daintily took
it in her 1047297ngertips and slowly tentatively bent it upward The metal
yielded to her hands The key was utterly straight and good as new
No harm done Bailey told herself She dropped her keys into
a jacket pocket and started to stroll home wishing she knew how to
whistle so she could complete the picture
Ravenswood had been a rough little neighborhood on the
North Side when her parents moved in but gentri1047297cation set in
during the twenty-odd years since Now it felt like a suburb that had
been swallowed whole and unchewed by a big city Damen Avenue
where the Nightshade Lounge sat on the corner of Leland was as
business district-y as the neighborhood got lined with closed-for-
the-night shops a few parked cars and the occasional tree In the
distance a late-night Brown Line train trundled along its elevated
track Sunnyside Avenue where she was headed and where she now
livedmdashagainmdashwith her parents was quiet with squat houses set
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25
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
behind small well-kept lawns and raised front porches Everywhere
people hung up the city 1047298ag of Chicagomdashtwo blue stripes on white
with four red stars in the middlemdashas if city hall was afraid that peo-
ple this far north would forget where they were living
As Bailey turned onto Leland she felt the hairs prick on the
back of her neck She wasnrsquot weird about walking by herselfmdash
this was her home turf after all and she possessed an above-aver-
age amount of street smarts thanks to a mandatory girls-only ses-
sion during orientation week called ldquoSisters Self-Defendinrsquo It for
Ourselvesrdquo But while Damen was the main drag with streetlights
and shop windows and potential witnesses Leland was more seclud-
ed especially after last call Despite the warm September night sheshivered and quickened her pace glancing over her shoulder No
onersquos there she told herself Just a few more blocks
But the more she walked the more certain she was that she
was hearing something a skittering noise down the block some-
thing rustling through the leaves on the ground Bailey thought it
was probably a rat or a raccoon but then again she wasnrsquot sure she
knew this neighborhood anymore Maybe there were muggers now
Vaguely recalling her instructorrsquos method for self-defendinrsquo it Bailey
whipped out her keys brandishing them like tiny daggers between
her knuckles
ldquoI can hear yourdquo she said a little shakily ldquoI know yoursquore thererdquo
Con 1047297dence lets your attacker know yoursquore not an easy target the
instructor had told them Remember the acronym S-A-F-E stay alert
announce f-something
Shit what was F Focus Well she was trying to Bailey pivoted
but saw nothing distinct enough to focus on
But she could hear it
And then it came out of the darkness Whatever was following
her wasnrsquot just another hungover coed in gym shorts It didnrsquot even
look human too low to the ground eyes too yellow Glowing yellow
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26
ldquoGood boyrdquo Bailey said keys held high ldquoNice bmdashrdquo
But it wasnrsquot a dog It was something awful that shersquod never
seen before
Before she could scream something rammed into her hard and
dense like a cannonball to the ribs Her head smacked the pave-
ment her elbow skinned across asphalt The not-a-dog was heavy
on top of her a horrible squirming four-legged thing the size of
a German shepherd with a head like a protruding tumor and limbs
covered in naked ropes of salmon-colored muscle
Bailey scrambled under it the world spinning from alcohol and
adrenaline The thing was pawing at her with stubby feet and she
couldnrsquot keep it off couldnrsquot wrestle away couldnrsquot escapeOh God she thought Irsquom going to die Here on the streets of
Ravenswood less than half a mile from where shersquod grown up less
than half a block from where shersquod just scrubbed a toilet
No Bailey thought No No The slimy weight on her chest
was too heavy for her to draw breath for a scream and the world
was going fuzzy around her God no This was how it ended not
with a bang but with a minimum-wage job and a heap of student
debt Bailey cringed and with all her dizzied nauseated might she
mustered up one stupid single and probably 1047297nal thought
Fuck That Shit
And she kicked Hard
It worked She pushed the thing away with the soles of her
sneakers and before she had time to think sprang to her feet closed
her eyes and threw the hardest punch of her life
It was ugly and clumsy and her 1047297st hooked around the thingrsquos
side instead of slamming it head-on But her knuckles met 1047298esh and
in a spray of black blood its head caved in like a rotted pumpkin
ldquoShitrdquo Bailey yelped and leapt back The remains of the an-
imal-thingrsquos body splatted to the concrete Smoke curled up from
the edges of its limbs as if it were a leaf catching 1047297re and the night
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27
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
air 1047297lled with a thick chemical stench Bailey coughed shielding her
eyes and before she even had time to worry about how to scrape
the nasty mess off the pavement the thingrsquos body collapsed with an
abrupt squelch
Bailey jumped back from the puddle out of the street and cast
around wildly for something else A pack A 1047298ock Another pair of
yellow eyes But she saw nothing Just a quiet street and a 1047297zzing
pool of dead-smelling something
She clamped her bloodstained hands over her mouth and
smothered a scream The screwdriver roiled inside her Her arms
and legs shook like it was below freezing and her heart squeezed
painfully with every breathShe wasnrsquot safe She wasnrsquot safe and she was going to be sick
Terri1047297ed and trembling Bailey did what she apparently did
best she 1047298ed back home
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$ ()+ - )0)1234
The Screwdriver $amp () +amp $-(- () (0+ 1+ampamp+$ 1-$(+amp+$
$ampamp ()(ampamp )amp++ -(
0 1234 )amp++ 256-(47 83ampamp 28
927
$ampamp 4lt55) -26-(47+ 28
)amp++ -( 245) =3gt -4 25 57 +49
20+ 3$+4$+$ )amp+ )5 1-$(+ampamp6 7)( 1-3 -amp 8+58 3)3(-9 20)80 )amp+ 3-ampamp)( )+$+ (0+ 7)$
(-amp3+ )5 - lt83 7amp -amp - )) 0+-$( amp (0+ 5+ )5 - 1-$(+amp+$= )33-)amp -$+ 40+amp (0+ 1+( ()amp3 8$+ 1$-4amp9 gtamp
(0 +-$(7+amp(= (0+ 3$+4$+$ $+7-amp 8amp7-(30+9-$(+amp+$ 5-)$ (0 3)3(- 5)$ 7$- $+-)amp9 gt( amp
$++amp( -$+ 5+4= 30+-= -amp +- )1(-amp-1+ amp - 18( (0+7)( $+7)(+ -3+9 gt( 3-amp 1+ 7A+ lt83= amp (0+ ++amp( (0-()amp+ 0- 1++amp 3-80( 5-(5))(+ 40+ -) 1+amp 3)amp+amp+amp( 4(0amp -$76 $+-30 )5 - 58 ()3+ 1-$9 amp (0)80 (0+-1(+ $-amp(+ 1 (0+ $)+$ $+-$-()amp )5 )(0+$ 1-()amp7- $+lt8$+ +-$ )5 (+- $-3(3+ () 7-(+$= $amp+$ )5 (0+
3$+4$+$ 0-+ 5)8amp (0-( 0((amp (0amp +$ 0-$ amp (0+5-3+ 8amp( (0+ + $-(0+$ ($-0(5)$4-$9
( 15 4Bamp5)$(8amp-(+= $+3)$ )5 )- amp (0+ $+-3)8( +$- -$+-$+C 0)4++$= ( 8+ amp)4amp () -(+ 1-3 () -( +-( (0+
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1919
$ ()+ - )0)1234
$ () +$ )-+$)) $ 0+1$ )$)2 + 345+$( 4612467)$8 942 2+7+6+lt) 40 () =6$$+ $ gt)1
$ ()A)2455BA() 45B (+C 4 4 4lt+)D5lt+ 7) 4 5)lt) ()+1 (47)$ + () 2)2 40 +)1 5) 54)4 (6 E145+C 1)7)$8 F12++455B 2+$+55)2 0147 $6CG1G1+( )1)5 C1+$ 41 E44)$ lt42 5$4 0462 $)42G1B 7)2++5 6$) $ 1)$41+lt) H6 lt+) +$ $1)C()+C
E14E)1+)$ I)+C 7+$) 041 ()5+C 4)$834$GJ546 lt42 0462 +$ B 4 K7)1+ $(41)$ +
() $225)IC$ 40 () 345+$( lt5+)1 L$+7+1 365$+ (4 )G461C)2 +$ I+I65+4 74C$ () lt51B7) () 1+)2 40+C( + () K7)1+ =)lt456+48 F(46C( () )-E1)$$5B 041GI2) +$ 6$) + 4E) I5) (+$ (41$)7) 4652 01)H6)5B I)2+$E()2 +( 1+4$ 40 lt42 4 E145 () 01+C)$ 40 (+$)7E7)$ 2 144 46 561+C 1)7)$8
125 67)04
F() 54C+$+5 2+00+65B 40 E1426+C 7$$ H6++)$ 40 41GC) M6+) $+2)5+)2 +$ 6$) 041 7B B)1$ $ I1)2+C61+4$+B 2 5+5) )5$)8 N $O 6+5 () 7+2G)+)()61B 2 () 2lt) 40 +2)$E1)2 1)01+C)1)2 16+C$B$)7$ ( I1)2)1$ )1) I5) 4 +41E41) + 1)C6515B+4 ()+1 1)E)14+1)$8 P41 I)$ 1)$65$ 01)$(G$H6))Q)2 M6+) +$1)477)2)2R +0 4) +$ lt+5I5) )2 41C) M6+) +(+$ (+C()1 lt+7+ L 4) +$ E1)0)1I5) 4 $212 C14G
)1B I45)$ 41 14$8 N +$ 64 (4 1))2 (+$ E1+G 651 47I++4 I6 () 7) gt$1)21+lt)1 $ 4+)2 IBP1)2)1+ S))2$ P541+2 I1)2)1 (4 5+7)2 ( () 6$)2() 21+ 4 ()5E (+7 1)74lt) 0147 (+$ I4 (+( $1) ((2 16$)2 +4 E5)8
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
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983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
18
boozy diction the order came out lawn-ilan-icy
Bailey doubled down on her outward customer friendliness
even as her internal patience evaporated ldquoIrsquom sorry marsquoamrdquo she
said again ldquobut Imdashrdquo
Zane appeared like magic ldquoLadiesrdquo he said smoothly position-
ing himself between his barback and members of the ldquoWreck Your
Privilegerdquo trivia team ldquoI know a thing or two about making a de-
cent Long Island Why donrsquot you leave it to merdquo
His performance felt increasingly unreal as Bailey watched The
Zane shersquod always known had been clumsy and awkward but ap-
parently a lot changed when you hadnrsquot seen someone for 1047297ve years
This version of Zane eff ortlessly charmed his customers entertain-ing them while he mixed their drinks with the showy vigor of
a stage magician
Speaking of people whorsquove changed since high school she thought
and then squashed the notion as quickly as it appeared Yes high
school Zane had been the kind of guy who couldnrsquot admit to his
feelings for his best friend Bailey until a couple of beers at Luke
Perezrsquos graduation party had loosened his tongue and Baileyrsquos
pants Yes talking to Zane two weeks ago had been a catch-up ses-
sion even more awkward than her theoretical upcoming ldquoplease
give me a jobrdquo chat with Jess But no overall things were 1047297ne Zane
and Bailey were friends again and it wasnrsquot too awkward (which
was good) Hersquod even given her a job to help get her parents off
her back (which was even better) And if the only side eff ect was
her own sudden terminal uncoolness well so be it She probably
deserved it
ldquoYou knowrdquo Bailey said ldquoitrsquod probably help if you taught me
how to make drinks Just for when you or Trina are too busyrdquo The
bar lifestyle had wreaked havoc on her sleep schedule and her social
life and the pay truly sucked but calling herself a bartender was at
least kind of cool and would sound less embarrassing when she got
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19
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
around to having friends again
Zane shook his head ldquoNo dicerdquo he said ldquoNo off ense but yoursquore
not readyrdquo
ldquoNot readyrdquo Bailey was incredulous ldquoWhat happened to
smartest barbackrdquo
ldquoYoursquore also our only barbackrdquo Zane said ldquoAnd right now
thatrsquos where I need you Okayrdquo
Bailey tried not to scowl ldquoOkayrdquo
Zane nodded his head toward the blank spot behind him that
Trina shouldrsquove been occupying ldquoItrsquos gonna be a little busy for
a bitrdquo he said ldquoTrinarsquos stepping out for a smokerdquo
Ah yes Bailey thought Wouldnrsquot be an evening at the Nightshadewithout one of the sta ff taking a suspiciously long smoke break right at
the height of the rush All the bartenders even Zane usually excused
themselves during shifts leaving Bailey and the remaining bartender
to hold down the fortmdashwhich 1047297ne drinking and smoking did kind
of go hand in hand But as far as she could tell none of the loungersquos
staff smoked no tobacco smell no yellow teeth no pack-size faded
spot on their pockets
ldquoZanerdquo she asked slowly ldquodo you have a lightrdquo
ldquoHuh No Whyrdquo
Interesting Bailey thought ldquoNo reasonrdquo she said ldquoWhat do you
need me to dordquo
Zane winced ldquoIrsquom sorry to askmdashrdquo
Baileyrsquos heart sank Zane had no poker face Whatever he was
about to say it wasnrsquot going to be pretty But unfortunately ldquonot
prettyrdquo was her job
ldquoWhat is itrdquo she said ldquoSpit it outrdquo
ldquoFunny you should use that phrasingrdquo Zane said ldquoSomeone
mustrsquove been feeling a little ah soft-boiled Womenrsquos bathroommdashrdquo
ldquoHow badrdquo
Zane smiled weakly ldquoShe almost made itrdquo
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983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
20
ldquoHey Suit guyrdquo yelled a Cubs fan ldquoWersquore thirsty over hererdquo
Zane nodded to him ldquoSorryrdquo he said ldquoReally sorryrdquo And then
he was off grabbing a shaker and glass of ice as he went
Bailey spent a half hour scrubbing the bathroom to a service-
able shine though she knew full well someone would undo all her
work the second she put the mop and bucket away She probably
couldrsquove gotten to the bar faster by half-assing the job but being
detail oriented was so entwined in her DNA that she couldnrsquot leave
things un1047297nished no matter how stupid or gross they were By
the time she rejoined Zane on the line that goddamn bathroom
sparkled
The trivia game was winding down as Bailey slipped behindthe bar and even though shersquod 1047298itted in and out all night she still
mentally answered more questions than most of the teams faltering
only in classic literature So I havenrsquot read every book Bailey thought
Trivia was just a test of fact retention and her brain was as absorbent
as a sponge
Also she thought as she replenished the plastic straws with-
out being asked Irsquom a self-starter Think of what I could do in the right
environment
With a bang that rattled the glasses on the shelves Trina re-
turned from her smoke break (decidedly not smelling of cigarettes
Bailey noted) and more and people 1047297ltered out By a half hour from
closing only a few customers remained Zane sent Trina home early
leaving just him and Bailey to close up
ldquoThat was funrdquo he said as if theyrsquod just stepped off the best
roller coaster ever
Bailey looked at him sidelong estimating whether sufficient
distance separated her from his insanity
ldquoOh come onrdquo he said ldquoYou didnrsquot have a fun night in the
trenchesrdquo He playfully dropped into a boxerrsquos crouch and swiped
at the air
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21
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
ldquoThey didnrsquot box in the trenchesrdquo she said ldquoThey used long-
range bombardment weapons Can you mime a howitzerrdquo
ldquoAs soon as I learn what that isrdquo he said ldquoYoursquore telling me
you donrsquot get anything out of the rush times Not even a trickle of
adrenalinerdquo
ldquoZane adrenalinersquos something your body makes to stop you
from dying horriblyrdquo She plunked down a martini glass which he
snatched right up and dried off In tandem they worked with as-
sembly-line efficiency ldquoAnd nordquo she said ldquoitrsquos not fun Jobs arenrsquot
supposed to be Thatrsquos why theyrsquore jobsrdquo
ldquoTheyrsquore not supposed to be but that doesnrsquot mean they canrsquot
be rightrdquoBailey grunted
ldquoWell heyrdquo he said ldquoYou wanna come out tonight Me and
some of the other bartenders around town like to stop in at Nerorsquos
Griddlemdashyou remember Nerorsquos rightrdquo
Bailey barely had time to nod
ldquoAnd yoursquove gotta meet this buddy of mine who works down
in Boystown and more important my girlfmdashrdquo
At that Bailey snapped to attention but Zane was frowning at
his phone Whatever he was reading had snuff ed out his smile
ldquoWhat is itrdquo she said more curious about his trailed-off sen-
tence than whatever was on his phone Only one word started with
girlf and it wasnrsquot one shersquod ever heard Zane use about himself
ldquoI have to gordquo Zane crammed his phone back into his pocket
He looked serious even grim as if he were barely aware that Bailey
was still there and then reached for supplies lime juice triple sec
a bottle of tequila that he produced from under the counter
ldquoHeyrdquo Bailey cried ldquoWe just cleaned thosemdashrdquo
ldquoI need you to close up Baileyrdquo Zane slapped the lid on his
now-full shaker which he started to shake with a weirdly exact
rhythm rattling the ice cubes against the metal sides in a seven-point
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
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22
beat He grabbed a margarita glass dipped the rim in water and then
jammed it into the salt dish and twisted He strained the contents
of the shaker into the salt-rimmed glass then dropped in one of the
last remaining lime wedges The lime bobbed a bit against the cubes
and in the low bar light the glass seemed to be glowing green
Zane snatched up the drink took a few deep gulps and
squeezed his eyes against what looked like a brain freeze ldquoYou
know the drillrdquo he said ldquoSet the dishwasher clean out the trays and
give the counters a good polish The rest of it we can handle when
we open tomorrow night Just lock up when yoursquore done and get
home safe okayrdquo
Bailey frowned ldquoWhatrsquos going onrdquoldquoDonrsquot worry about it Wersquoll do breakfast another midnightrdquo
ldquoButmdashrdquo
Zane was already vaulting over the bar and headed for the
door When he yanked it open Bailey caught a glimpse of someone
standing outside an angular woman with dreadlocks The moment
the woman saw Zane she took off running and the two of them
sped off into the night
The doors swung shut again leaving Bailey alone in the quiet
empty bar
Angry a little pissed off and too late into the night to call Jess
to pin down an interview she slammed the dishwasher shut rattling
every glass and cup inside She trudged back into the front to polish
off the counter seriously ready to call it a night Starting at Zanersquos
end she moved her rag in small circles systematically eliminating
any hint of grime or spillage Everywhere her towel went it stayed
until the surface beneath was a varnished brown mirror
As she made her way to Trinarsquos end something caught her eye
a small hole in the space beneath the counter As she approached
she realized it wasnrsquot just a hole it was a gap between panels that
looked like it could slide open She pushed it wide openmdashit must
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
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23
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
have been designed to stay 1047298ush with the wall when closedmdashand
found a row of six small bottles four clearish two pale browny All
the elementary liquorsmdashvodka tequila gin rum (light and dark)
and whiskeymdashand all with the same labelmdashnot Jack Danielrsquos or
Seagramrsquos or anything she recognized but one with no name and
a logo of two interlocked C s
She reached for one popped the cork and took a sniff vodka
The good stuff as far as she could tell Her 1047297rst instinct was to put
it right back after all it was Nightshade inventory and hidden in
a secret compartment besides Instead she grabbed a spare glass
some ice and the carton of orange juice in the mini-fridge under
the sink Zane had a strict no-drinking policy while on the job butthis hardly counted And after tonight shersquod fucking earned it
Not ready yet she thought as the ice cracked under her mea-
sured shot of vodka What was to be ready for Look at me now Zane
Irsquom making a drink and Irsquom managing Having 1047297lled the glass with
orange juice she stuck in a straw gave it a quick stir and replaced
the bottle shutting the secret compartment and promising herself
shersquod ask Zane or Trina tomorrow what the hell that was about
Then she turned and admired the fruit of her labors a freshly made
screwdriver
The drink gleamed cheerfully on the counter just as Zanersquos
margarita had Bailey squinted upward Maybe a bulb was out
or one of the neon signs was leaking (could they leak) making
the tainted air cast everything in an extra-glittery glow Whatever
Drinks were for drinking not for gawking at and so thatrsquos exactly
what Bailey did
Bailey had had screwdrivers before Usually they were slapdash
concoctions little more than orange juice and vodka splashed to-
gether inside a red Solo cup But this one was no dorm room spe-
cial rather than clash the vodka and orange juice harmonized The
drink was sweet and tangy and cold and the liquid burned just the
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24
right amount on the way down Bailey had intended to take only
small sips but when she pulled the glass away from her lips she was
surprised to see shersquod already downed half
Well she thought as the delicious feeling spread from her stom-
ach to her toes Irsquoll have to drink more screwdrivers
When she swung out the front door ten minutes later she
felt even warmer inside Warm but not tipsy or clumsy Refreshed
Curiously refreshed Probably the best shersquod ever felt postshift She
jammed her key into the door to lock up like the dutiful employee
she was Except somehow she really jammed it because when she
turned the key it stuck Shersquod completely bent it
ldquoShitrdquoBailey stared at her hand wondering how shersquod manage to
warp a solid piece of metal when she had trouble opening twist-off
beers Prepared to struggle she dug in her heels and yanked but the
key came out so easily she stumbled backward Stunned and a little
woozy she stared at the crooked key in her palm then daintily took
it in her 1047297ngertips and slowly tentatively bent it upward The metal
yielded to her hands The key was utterly straight and good as new
No harm done Bailey told herself She dropped her keys into
a jacket pocket and started to stroll home wishing she knew how to
whistle so she could complete the picture
Ravenswood had been a rough little neighborhood on the
North Side when her parents moved in but gentri1047297cation set in
during the twenty-odd years since Now it felt like a suburb that had
been swallowed whole and unchewed by a big city Damen Avenue
where the Nightshade Lounge sat on the corner of Leland was as
business district-y as the neighborhood got lined with closed-for-
the-night shops a few parked cars and the occasional tree In the
distance a late-night Brown Line train trundled along its elevated
track Sunnyside Avenue where she was headed and where she now
livedmdashagainmdashwith her parents was quiet with squat houses set
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25
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
behind small well-kept lawns and raised front porches Everywhere
people hung up the city 1047298ag of Chicagomdashtwo blue stripes on white
with four red stars in the middlemdashas if city hall was afraid that peo-
ple this far north would forget where they were living
As Bailey turned onto Leland she felt the hairs prick on the
back of her neck She wasnrsquot weird about walking by herselfmdash
this was her home turf after all and she possessed an above-aver-
age amount of street smarts thanks to a mandatory girls-only ses-
sion during orientation week called ldquoSisters Self-Defendinrsquo It for
Ourselvesrdquo But while Damen was the main drag with streetlights
and shop windows and potential witnesses Leland was more seclud-
ed especially after last call Despite the warm September night sheshivered and quickened her pace glancing over her shoulder No
onersquos there she told herself Just a few more blocks
But the more she walked the more certain she was that she
was hearing something a skittering noise down the block some-
thing rustling through the leaves on the ground Bailey thought it
was probably a rat or a raccoon but then again she wasnrsquot sure she
knew this neighborhood anymore Maybe there were muggers now
Vaguely recalling her instructorrsquos method for self-defendinrsquo it Bailey
whipped out her keys brandishing them like tiny daggers between
her knuckles
ldquoI can hear yourdquo she said a little shakily ldquoI know yoursquore thererdquo
Con 1047297dence lets your attacker know yoursquore not an easy target the
instructor had told them Remember the acronym S-A-F-E stay alert
announce f-something
Shit what was F Focus Well she was trying to Bailey pivoted
but saw nothing distinct enough to focus on
But she could hear it
And then it came out of the darkness Whatever was following
her wasnrsquot just another hungover coed in gym shorts It didnrsquot even
look human too low to the ground eyes too yellow Glowing yellow
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26
ldquoGood boyrdquo Bailey said keys held high ldquoNice bmdashrdquo
But it wasnrsquot a dog It was something awful that shersquod never
seen before
Before she could scream something rammed into her hard and
dense like a cannonball to the ribs Her head smacked the pave-
ment her elbow skinned across asphalt The not-a-dog was heavy
on top of her a horrible squirming four-legged thing the size of
a German shepherd with a head like a protruding tumor and limbs
covered in naked ropes of salmon-colored muscle
Bailey scrambled under it the world spinning from alcohol and
adrenaline The thing was pawing at her with stubby feet and she
couldnrsquot keep it off couldnrsquot wrestle away couldnrsquot escapeOh God she thought Irsquom going to die Here on the streets of
Ravenswood less than half a mile from where shersquod grown up less
than half a block from where shersquod just scrubbed a toilet
No Bailey thought No No The slimy weight on her chest
was too heavy for her to draw breath for a scream and the world
was going fuzzy around her God no This was how it ended not
with a bang but with a minimum-wage job and a heap of student
debt Bailey cringed and with all her dizzied nauseated might she
mustered up one stupid single and probably 1047297nal thought
Fuck That Shit
And she kicked Hard
It worked She pushed the thing away with the soles of her
sneakers and before she had time to think sprang to her feet closed
her eyes and threw the hardest punch of her life
It was ugly and clumsy and her 1047297st hooked around the thingrsquos
side instead of slamming it head-on But her knuckles met 1047298esh and
in a spray of black blood its head caved in like a rotted pumpkin
ldquoShitrdquo Bailey yelped and leapt back The remains of the an-
imal-thingrsquos body splatted to the concrete Smoke curled up from
the edges of its limbs as if it were a leaf catching 1047297re and the night
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27
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
air 1047297lled with a thick chemical stench Bailey coughed shielding her
eyes and before she even had time to worry about how to scrape
the nasty mess off the pavement the thingrsquos body collapsed with an
abrupt squelch
Bailey jumped back from the puddle out of the street and cast
around wildly for something else A pack A 1047298ock Another pair of
yellow eyes But she saw nothing Just a quiet street and a 1047297zzing
pool of dead-smelling something
She clamped her bloodstained hands over her mouth and
smothered a scream The screwdriver roiled inside her Her arms
and legs shook like it was below freezing and her heart squeezed
painfully with every breathShe wasnrsquot safe She wasnrsquot safe and she was going to be sick
Terri1047297ed and trembling Bailey did what she apparently did
best she 1047298ed back home
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
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$ ()+ - )0)1234
The Screwdriver $amp () +amp $-(- () (0+ 1+ampamp+$ 1-$(+amp+$
$ampamp ()(ampamp )amp++ -(
0 1234 )amp++ 256-(47 83ampamp 28
927
$ampamp 4lt55) -26-(47+ 28
)amp++ -( 245) =3gt -4 25 57 +49
20+ 3$+4$+$ )amp+ )5 1-$(+ampamp6 7)( 1-3 -amp 8+58 3)3(-9 20)80 )amp+ 3-ampamp)( )+$+ (0+ 7)$
(-amp3+ )5 - lt83 7amp -amp - )) 0+-$( amp (0+ 5+ )5 - 1-$(+amp+$= )33-)amp -$+ 40+amp (0+ 1+( ()amp3 8$+ 1$-4amp9 gtamp
(0 +-$(7+amp(= (0+ 3$+4$+$ $+7-amp 8amp7-(30+9-$(+amp+$ 5-)$ (0 3)3(- 5)$ 7$- $+-)amp9 gt( amp
$++amp( -$+ 5+4= 30+-= -amp +- )1(-amp-1+ amp - 18( (0+7)( $+7)(+ -3+9 gt( 3-amp 1+ 7A+ lt83= amp (0+ ++amp( (0-()amp+ 0- 1++amp 3-80( 5-(5))(+ 40+ -) 1+amp 3)amp+amp+amp( 4(0amp -$76 $+-30 )5 - 58 ()3+ 1-$9 amp (0)80 (0+-1(+ $-amp(+ 1 (0+ $)+$ $+-$-()amp )5 )(0+$ 1-()amp7- $+lt8$+ +-$ )5 (+- $-3(3+ () 7-(+$= $amp+$ )5 (0+
3$+4$+$ 0-+ 5)8amp (0-( 0((amp (0amp +$ 0-$ amp (0+5-3+ 8amp( (0+ + $-(0+$ ($-0(5)$4-$9
( 15 4Bamp5)$(8amp-(+= $+3)$ )5 )- amp (0+ $+-3)8( +$- -$+-$+C 0)4++$= ( 8+ amp)4amp () -(+ 1-3 () -( +-( (0+
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1919
$ ()+ - )0)1234
$ () +$ )-+$)) $ 0+1$ )$)2 + 345+$( 4612467)$8 942 2+7+6+lt) 40 () =6$$+ $ gt)1
$ ()A)2455BA() 45B (+C 4 4 4lt+)D5lt+ 7) 4 5)lt) ()+1 (47)$ + () 2)2 40 +)1 5) 54)4 (6 E145+C 1)7)$8 F12++455B 2+$+55)2 0147 $6CG1G1+( )1)5 C1+$ 41 E44)$ lt42 5$4 0462 $)42G1B 7)2++5 6$) $ 1)$41+lt) H6 lt+) +$ $1)C()+C
E14E)1+)$ I)+C 7+$) 041 ()5+C 4)$834$GJ546 lt42 0462 +$ B 4 K7)1+ $(41)$ +
() $225)IC$ 40 () 345+$( lt5+)1 L$+7+1 365$+ (4 )G461C)2 +$ I+I65+4 74C$ () lt51B7) () 1+)2 40+C( + () K7)1+ =)lt456+48 F(46C( () )-E1)$$5B 041GI2) +$ 6$) + 4E) I5) (+$ (41$)7) 4652 01)H6)5B I)2+$E()2 +( 1+4$ 40 lt42 4 E145 () 01+C)$ 40 (+$)7E7)$ 2 144 46 561+C 1)7)$8
125 67)04
F() 54C+$+5 2+00+65B 40 E1426+C 7$$ H6++)$ 40 41GC) M6+) $+2)5+)2 +$ 6$) 041 7B B)1$ $ I1)2+C61+4$+B 2 5+5) )5$)8 N $O 6+5 () 7+2G)+)()61B 2 () 2lt) 40 +2)$E1)2 1)01+C)1)2 16+C$B$)7$ ( I1)2)1$ )1) I5) 4 +41E41) + 1)C6515B+4 ()+1 1)E)14+1)$8 P41 I)$ 1)$65$ 01)$(G$H6))Q)2 M6+) +$1)477)2)2R +0 4) +$ lt+5I5) )2 41C) M6+) +(+$ (+C()1 lt+7+ L 4) +$ E1)0)1I5) 4 $212 C14G
)1B I45)$ 41 14$8 N +$ 64 (4 1))2 (+$ E1+G 651 47I++4 I6 () 7) gt$1)21+lt)1 $ 4+)2 IBP1)2)1+ S))2$ P541+2 I1)2)1 (4 5+7)2 ( () 6$)2() 21+ 4 ()5E (+7 1)74lt) 0147 (+$ I4 (+( $1) ((2 16$)2 +4 E5)8
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 919
19
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
around to having friends again
Zane shook his head ldquoNo dicerdquo he said ldquoNo off ense but yoursquore
not readyrdquo
ldquoNot readyrdquo Bailey was incredulous ldquoWhat happened to
smartest barbackrdquo
ldquoYoursquore also our only barbackrdquo Zane said ldquoAnd right now
thatrsquos where I need you Okayrdquo
Bailey tried not to scowl ldquoOkayrdquo
Zane nodded his head toward the blank spot behind him that
Trina shouldrsquove been occupying ldquoItrsquos gonna be a little busy for
a bitrdquo he said ldquoTrinarsquos stepping out for a smokerdquo
Ah yes Bailey thought Wouldnrsquot be an evening at the Nightshadewithout one of the sta ff taking a suspiciously long smoke break right at
the height of the rush All the bartenders even Zane usually excused
themselves during shifts leaving Bailey and the remaining bartender
to hold down the fortmdashwhich 1047297ne drinking and smoking did kind
of go hand in hand But as far as she could tell none of the loungersquos
staff smoked no tobacco smell no yellow teeth no pack-size faded
spot on their pockets
ldquoZanerdquo she asked slowly ldquodo you have a lightrdquo
ldquoHuh No Whyrdquo
Interesting Bailey thought ldquoNo reasonrdquo she said ldquoWhat do you
need me to dordquo
Zane winced ldquoIrsquom sorry to askmdashrdquo
Baileyrsquos heart sank Zane had no poker face Whatever he was
about to say it wasnrsquot going to be pretty But unfortunately ldquonot
prettyrdquo was her job
ldquoWhat is itrdquo she said ldquoSpit it outrdquo
ldquoFunny you should use that phrasingrdquo Zane said ldquoSomeone
mustrsquove been feeling a little ah soft-boiled Womenrsquos bathroommdashrdquo
ldquoHow badrdquo
Zane smiled weakly ldquoShe almost made itrdquo
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20
ldquoHey Suit guyrdquo yelled a Cubs fan ldquoWersquore thirsty over hererdquo
Zane nodded to him ldquoSorryrdquo he said ldquoReally sorryrdquo And then
he was off grabbing a shaker and glass of ice as he went
Bailey spent a half hour scrubbing the bathroom to a service-
able shine though she knew full well someone would undo all her
work the second she put the mop and bucket away She probably
couldrsquove gotten to the bar faster by half-assing the job but being
detail oriented was so entwined in her DNA that she couldnrsquot leave
things un1047297nished no matter how stupid or gross they were By
the time she rejoined Zane on the line that goddamn bathroom
sparkled
The trivia game was winding down as Bailey slipped behindthe bar and even though shersquod 1047298itted in and out all night she still
mentally answered more questions than most of the teams faltering
only in classic literature So I havenrsquot read every book Bailey thought
Trivia was just a test of fact retention and her brain was as absorbent
as a sponge
Also she thought as she replenished the plastic straws with-
out being asked Irsquom a self-starter Think of what I could do in the right
environment
With a bang that rattled the glasses on the shelves Trina re-
turned from her smoke break (decidedly not smelling of cigarettes
Bailey noted) and more and people 1047297ltered out By a half hour from
closing only a few customers remained Zane sent Trina home early
leaving just him and Bailey to close up
ldquoThat was funrdquo he said as if theyrsquod just stepped off the best
roller coaster ever
Bailey looked at him sidelong estimating whether sufficient
distance separated her from his insanity
ldquoOh come onrdquo he said ldquoYou didnrsquot have a fun night in the
trenchesrdquo He playfully dropped into a boxerrsquos crouch and swiped
at the air
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21
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
ldquoThey didnrsquot box in the trenchesrdquo she said ldquoThey used long-
range bombardment weapons Can you mime a howitzerrdquo
ldquoAs soon as I learn what that isrdquo he said ldquoYoursquore telling me
you donrsquot get anything out of the rush times Not even a trickle of
adrenalinerdquo
ldquoZane adrenalinersquos something your body makes to stop you
from dying horriblyrdquo She plunked down a martini glass which he
snatched right up and dried off In tandem they worked with as-
sembly-line efficiency ldquoAnd nordquo she said ldquoitrsquos not fun Jobs arenrsquot
supposed to be Thatrsquos why theyrsquore jobsrdquo
ldquoTheyrsquore not supposed to be but that doesnrsquot mean they canrsquot
be rightrdquoBailey grunted
ldquoWell heyrdquo he said ldquoYou wanna come out tonight Me and
some of the other bartenders around town like to stop in at Nerorsquos
Griddlemdashyou remember Nerorsquos rightrdquo
Bailey barely had time to nod
ldquoAnd yoursquove gotta meet this buddy of mine who works down
in Boystown and more important my girlfmdashrdquo
At that Bailey snapped to attention but Zane was frowning at
his phone Whatever he was reading had snuff ed out his smile
ldquoWhat is itrdquo she said more curious about his trailed-off sen-
tence than whatever was on his phone Only one word started with
girlf and it wasnrsquot one shersquod ever heard Zane use about himself
ldquoI have to gordquo Zane crammed his phone back into his pocket
He looked serious even grim as if he were barely aware that Bailey
was still there and then reached for supplies lime juice triple sec
a bottle of tequila that he produced from under the counter
ldquoHeyrdquo Bailey cried ldquoWe just cleaned thosemdashrdquo
ldquoI need you to close up Baileyrdquo Zane slapped the lid on his
now-full shaker which he started to shake with a weirdly exact
rhythm rattling the ice cubes against the metal sides in a seven-point
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
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22
beat He grabbed a margarita glass dipped the rim in water and then
jammed it into the salt dish and twisted He strained the contents
of the shaker into the salt-rimmed glass then dropped in one of the
last remaining lime wedges The lime bobbed a bit against the cubes
and in the low bar light the glass seemed to be glowing green
Zane snatched up the drink took a few deep gulps and
squeezed his eyes against what looked like a brain freeze ldquoYou
know the drillrdquo he said ldquoSet the dishwasher clean out the trays and
give the counters a good polish The rest of it we can handle when
we open tomorrow night Just lock up when yoursquore done and get
home safe okayrdquo
Bailey frowned ldquoWhatrsquos going onrdquoldquoDonrsquot worry about it Wersquoll do breakfast another midnightrdquo
ldquoButmdashrdquo
Zane was already vaulting over the bar and headed for the
door When he yanked it open Bailey caught a glimpse of someone
standing outside an angular woman with dreadlocks The moment
the woman saw Zane she took off running and the two of them
sped off into the night
The doors swung shut again leaving Bailey alone in the quiet
empty bar
Angry a little pissed off and too late into the night to call Jess
to pin down an interview she slammed the dishwasher shut rattling
every glass and cup inside She trudged back into the front to polish
off the counter seriously ready to call it a night Starting at Zanersquos
end she moved her rag in small circles systematically eliminating
any hint of grime or spillage Everywhere her towel went it stayed
until the surface beneath was a varnished brown mirror
As she made her way to Trinarsquos end something caught her eye
a small hole in the space beneath the counter As she approached
she realized it wasnrsquot just a hole it was a gap between panels that
looked like it could slide open She pushed it wide openmdashit must
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1319
23
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
have been designed to stay 1047298ush with the wall when closedmdashand
found a row of six small bottles four clearish two pale browny All
the elementary liquorsmdashvodka tequila gin rum (light and dark)
and whiskeymdashand all with the same labelmdashnot Jack Danielrsquos or
Seagramrsquos or anything she recognized but one with no name and
a logo of two interlocked C s
She reached for one popped the cork and took a sniff vodka
The good stuff as far as she could tell Her 1047297rst instinct was to put
it right back after all it was Nightshade inventory and hidden in
a secret compartment besides Instead she grabbed a spare glass
some ice and the carton of orange juice in the mini-fridge under
the sink Zane had a strict no-drinking policy while on the job butthis hardly counted And after tonight shersquod fucking earned it
Not ready yet she thought as the ice cracked under her mea-
sured shot of vodka What was to be ready for Look at me now Zane
Irsquom making a drink and Irsquom managing Having 1047297lled the glass with
orange juice she stuck in a straw gave it a quick stir and replaced
the bottle shutting the secret compartment and promising herself
shersquod ask Zane or Trina tomorrow what the hell that was about
Then she turned and admired the fruit of her labors a freshly made
screwdriver
The drink gleamed cheerfully on the counter just as Zanersquos
margarita had Bailey squinted upward Maybe a bulb was out
or one of the neon signs was leaking (could they leak) making
the tainted air cast everything in an extra-glittery glow Whatever
Drinks were for drinking not for gawking at and so thatrsquos exactly
what Bailey did
Bailey had had screwdrivers before Usually they were slapdash
concoctions little more than orange juice and vodka splashed to-
gether inside a red Solo cup But this one was no dorm room spe-
cial rather than clash the vodka and orange juice harmonized The
drink was sweet and tangy and cold and the liquid burned just the
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1419
983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
24
right amount on the way down Bailey had intended to take only
small sips but when she pulled the glass away from her lips she was
surprised to see shersquod already downed half
Well she thought as the delicious feeling spread from her stom-
ach to her toes Irsquoll have to drink more screwdrivers
When she swung out the front door ten minutes later she
felt even warmer inside Warm but not tipsy or clumsy Refreshed
Curiously refreshed Probably the best shersquod ever felt postshift She
jammed her key into the door to lock up like the dutiful employee
she was Except somehow she really jammed it because when she
turned the key it stuck Shersquod completely bent it
ldquoShitrdquoBailey stared at her hand wondering how shersquod manage to
warp a solid piece of metal when she had trouble opening twist-off
beers Prepared to struggle she dug in her heels and yanked but the
key came out so easily she stumbled backward Stunned and a little
woozy she stared at the crooked key in her palm then daintily took
it in her 1047297ngertips and slowly tentatively bent it upward The metal
yielded to her hands The key was utterly straight and good as new
No harm done Bailey told herself She dropped her keys into
a jacket pocket and started to stroll home wishing she knew how to
whistle so she could complete the picture
Ravenswood had been a rough little neighborhood on the
North Side when her parents moved in but gentri1047297cation set in
during the twenty-odd years since Now it felt like a suburb that had
been swallowed whole and unchewed by a big city Damen Avenue
where the Nightshade Lounge sat on the corner of Leland was as
business district-y as the neighborhood got lined with closed-for-
the-night shops a few parked cars and the occasional tree In the
distance a late-night Brown Line train trundled along its elevated
track Sunnyside Avenue where she was headed and where she now
livedmdashagainmdashwith her parents was quiet with squat houses set
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1519
25
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
behind small well-kept lawns and raised front porches Everywhere
people hung up the city 1047298ag of Chicagomdashtwo blue stripes on white
with four red stars in the middlemdashas if city hall was afraid that peo-
ple this far north would forget where they were living
As Bailey turned onto Leland she felt the hairs prick on the
back of her neck She wasnrsquot weird about walking by herselfmdash
this was her home turf after all and she possessed an above-aver-
age amount of street smarts thanks to a mandatory girls-only ses-
sion during orientation week called ldquoSisters Self-Defendinrsquo It for
Ourselvesrdquo But while Damen was the main drag with streetlights
and shop windows and potential witnesses Leland was more seclud-
ed especially after last call Despite the warm September night sheshivered and quickened her pace glancing over her shoulder No
onersquos there she told herself Just a few more blocks
But the more she walked the more certain she was that she
was hearing something a skittering noise down the block some-
thing rustling through the leaves on the ground Bailey thought it
was probably a rat or a raccoon but then again she wasnrsquot sure she
knew this neighborhood anymore Maybe there were muggers now
Vaguely recalling her instructorrsquos method for self-defendinrsquo it Bailey
whipped out her keys brandishing them like tiny daggers between
her knuckles
ldquoI can hear yourdquo she said a little shakily ldquoI know yoursquore thererdquo
Con 1047297dence lets your attacker know yoursquore not an easy target the
instructor had told them Remember the acronym S-A-F-E stay alert
announce f-something
Shit what was F Focus Well she was trying to Bailey pivoted
but saw nothing distinct enough to focus on
But she could hear it
And then it came out of the darkness Whatever was following
her wasnrsquot just another hungover coed in gym shorts It didnrsquot even
look human too low to the ground eyes too yellow Glowing yellow
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983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
26
ldquoGood boyrdquo Bailey said keys held high ldquoNice bmdashrdquo
But it wasnrsquot a dog It was something awful that shersquod never
seen before
Before she could scream something rammed into her hard and
dense like a cannonball to the ribs Her head smacked the pave-
ment her elbow skinned across asphalt The not-a-dog was heavy
on top of her a horrible squirming four-legged thing the size of
a German shepherd with a head like a protruding tumor and limbs
covered in naked ropes of salmon-colored muscle
Bailey scrambled under it the world spinning from alcohol and
adrenaline The thing was pawing at her with stubby feet and she
couldnrsquot keep it off couldnrsquot wrestle away couldnrsquot escapeOh God she thought Irsquom going to die Here on the streets of
Ravenswood less than half a mile from where shersquod grown up less
than half a block from where shersquod just scrubbed a toilet
No Bailey thought No No The slimy weight on her chest
was too heavy for her to draw breath for a scream and the world
was going fuzzy around her God no This was how it ended not
with a bang but with a minimum-wage job and a heap of student
debt Bailey cringed and with all her dizzied nauseated might she
mustered up one stupid single and probably 1047297nal thought
Fuck That Shit
And she kicked Hard
It worked She pushed the thing away with the soles of her
sneakers and before she had time to think sprang to her feet closed
her eyes and threw the hardest punch of her life
It was ugly and clumsy and her 1047297st hooked around the thingrsquos
side instead of slamming it head-on But her knuckles met 1047298esh and
in a spray of black blood its head caved in like a rotted pumpkin
ldquoShitrdquo Bailey yelped and leapt back The remains of the an-
imal-thingrsquos body splatted to the concrete Smoke curled up from
the edges of its limbs as if it were a leaf catching 1047297re and the night
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
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27
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
air 1047297lled with a thick chemical stench Bailey coughed shielding her
eyes and before she even had time to worry about how to scrape
the nasty mess off the pavement the thingrsquos body collapsed with an
abrupt squelch
Bailey jumped back from the puddle out of the street and cast
around wildly for something else A pack A 1047298ock Another pair of
yellow eyes But she saw nothing Just a quiet street and a 1047297zzing
pool of dead-smelling something
She clamped her bloodstained hands over her mouth and
smothered a scream The screwdriver roiled inside her Her arms
and legs shook like it was below freezing and her heart squeezed
painfully with every breathShe wasnrsquot safe She wasnrsquot safe and she was going to be sick
Terri1047297ed and trembling Bailey did what she apparently did
best she 1047298ed back home
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
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$ ()+ - )0)1234
The Screwdriver $amp () +amp $-(- () (0+ 1+ampamp+$ 1-$(+amp+$
$ampamp ()(ampamp )amp++ -(
0 1234 )amp++ 256-(47 83ampamp 28
927
$ampamp 4lt55) -26-(47+ 28
)amp++ -( 245) =3gt -4 25 57 +49
20+ 3$+4$+$ )amp+ )5 1-$(+ampamp6 7)( 1-3 -amp 8+58 3)3(-9 20)80 )amp+ 3-ampamp)( )+$+ (0+ 7)$
(-amp3+ )5 - lt83 7amp -amp - )) 0+-$( amp (0+ 5+ )5 - 1-$(+amp+$= )33-)amp -$+ 40+amp (0+ 1+( ()amp3 8$+ 1$-4amp9 gtamp
(0 +-$(7+amp(= (0+ 3$+4$+$ $+7-amp 8amp7-(30+9-$(+amp+$ 5-)$ (0 3)3(- 5)$ 7$- $+-)amp9 gt( amp
$++amp( -$+ 5+4= 30+-= -amp +- )1(-amp-1+ amp - 18( (0+7)( $+7)(+ -3+9 gt( 3-amp 1+ 7A+ lt83= amp (0+ ++amp( (0-()amp+ 0- 1++amp 3-80( 5-(5))(+ 40+ -) 1+amp 3)amp+amp+amp( 4(0amp -$76 $+-30 )5 - 58 ()3+ 1-$9 amp (0)80 (0+-1(+ $-amp(+ 1 (0+ $)+$ $+-$-()amp )5 )(0+$ 1-()amp7- $+lt8$+ +-$ )5 (+- $-3(3+ () 7-(+$= $amp+$ )5 (0+
3$+4$+$ 0-+ 5)8amp (0-( 0((amp (0amp +$ 0-$ amp (0+5-3+ 8amp( (0+ + $-(0+$ ($-0(5)$4-$9
( 15 4Bamp5)$(8amp-(+= $+3)$ )5 )- amp (0+ $+-3)8( +$- -$+-$+C 0)4++$= ( 8+ amp)4amp () -(+ 1-3 () -( +-( (0+
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1919
$ ()+ - )0)1234
$ () +$ )-+$)) $ 0+1$ )$)2 + 345+$( 4612467)$8 942 2+7+6+lt) 40 () =6$$+ $ gt)1
$ ()A)2455BA() 45B (+C 4 4 4lt+)D5lt+ 7) 4 5)lt) ()+1 (47)$ + () 2)2 40 +)1 5) 54)4 (6 E145+C 1)7)$8 F12++455B 2+$+55)2 0147 $6CG1G1+( )1)5 C1+$ 41 E44)$ lt42 5$4 0462 $)42G1B 7)2++5 6$) $ 1)$41+lt) H6 lt+) +$ $1)C()+C
E14E)1+)$ I)+C 7+$) 041 ()5+C 4)$834$GJ546 lt42 0462 +$ B 4 K7)1+ $(41)$ +
() $225)IC$ 40 () 345+$( lt5+)1 L$+7+1 365$+ (4 )G461C)2 +$ I+I65+4 74C$ () lt51B7) () 1+)2 40+C( + () K7)1+ =)lt456+48 F(46C( () )-E1)$$5B 041GI2) +$ 6$) + 4E) I5) (+$ (41$)7) 4652 01)H6)5B I)2+$E()2 +( 1+4$ 40 lt42 4 E145 () 01+C)$ 40 (+$)7E7)$ 2 144 46 561+C 1)7)$8
125 67)04
F() 54C+$+5 2+00+65B 40 E1426+C 7$$ H6++)$ 40 41GC) M6+) $+2)5+)2 +$ 6$) 041 7B B)1$ $ I1)2+C61+4$+B 2 5+5) )5$)8 N $O 6+5 () 7+2G)+)()61B 2 () 2lt) 40 +2)$E1)2 1)01+C)1)2 16+C$B$)7$ ( I1)2)1$ )1) I5) 4 +41E41) + 1)C6515B+4 ()+1 1)E)14+1)$8 P41 I)$ 1)$65$ 01)$(G$H6))Q)2 M6+) +$1)477)2)2R +0 4) +$ lt+5I5) )2 41C) M6+) +(+$ (+C()1 lt+7+ L 4) +$ E1)0)1I5) 4 $212 C14G
)1B I45)$ 41 14$8 N +$ 64 (4 1))2 (+$ E1+G 651 47I++4 I6 () 7) gt$1)21+lt)1 $ 4+)2 IBP1)2)1+ S))2$ P541+2 I1)2)1 (4 5+7)2 ( () 6$)2() 21+ 4 ()5E (+7 1)74lt) 0147 (+$ I4 (+( $1) ((2 16$)2 +4 E5)8
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
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983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
20
ldquoHey Suit guyrdquo yelled a Cubs fan ldquoWersquore thirsty over hererdquo
Zane nodded to him ldquoSorryrdquo he said ldquoReally sorryrdquo And then
he was off grabbing a shaker and glass of ice as he went
Bailey spent a half hour scrubbing the bathroom to a service-
able shine though she knew full well someone would undo all her
work the second she put the mop and bucket away She probably
couldrsquove gotten to the bar faster by half-assing the job but being
detail oriented was so entwined in her DNA that she couldnrsquot leave
things un1047297nished no matter how stupid or gross they were By
the time she rejoined Zane on the line that goddamn bathroom
sparkled
The trivia game was winding down as Bailey slipped behindthe bar and even though shersquod 1047298itted in and out all night she still
mentally answered more questions than most of the teams faltering
only in classic literature So I havenrsquot read every book Bailey thought
Trivia was just a test of fact retention and her brain was as absorbent
as a sponge
Also she thought as she replenished the plastic straws with-
out being asked Irsquom a self-starter Think of what I could do in the right
environment
With a bang that rattled the glasses on the shelves Trina re-
turned from her smoke break (decidedly not smelling of cigarettes
Bailey noted) and more and people 1047297ltered out By a half hour from
closing only a few customers remained Zane sent Trina home early
leaving just him and Bailey to close up
ldquoThat was funrdquo he said as if theyrsquod just stepped off the best
roller coaster ever
Bailey looked at him sidelong estimating whether sufficient
distance separated her from his insanity
ldquoOh come onrdquo he said ldquoYou didnrsquot have a fun night in the
trenchesrdquo He playfully dropped into a boxerrsquos crouch and swiped
at the air
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21
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
ldquoThey didnrsquot box in the trenchesrdquo she said ldquoThey used long-
range bombardment weapons Can you mime a howitzerrdquo
ldquoAs soon as I learn what that isrdquo he said ldquoYoursquore telling me
you donrsquot get anything out of the rush times Not even a trickle of
adrenalinerdquo
ldquoZane adrenalinersquos something your body makes to stop you
from dying horriblyrdquo She plunked down a martini glass which he
snatched right up and dried off In tandem they worked with as-
sembly-line efficiency ldquoAnd nordquo she said ldquoitrsquos not fun Jobs arenrsquot
supposed to be Thatrsquos why theyrsquore jobsrdquo
ldquoTheyrsquore not supposed to be but that doesnrsquot mean they canrsquot
be rightrdquoBailey grunted
ldquoWell heyrdquo he said ldquoYou wanna come out tonight Me and
some of the other bartenders around town like to stop in at Nerorsquos
Griddlemdashyou remember Nerorsquos rightrdquo
Bailey barely had time to nod
ldquoAnd yoursquove gotta meet this buddy of mine who works down
in Boystown and more important my girlfmdashrdquo
At that Bailey snapped to attention but Zane was frowning at
his phone Whatever he was reading had snuff ed out his smile
ldquoWhat is itrdquo she said more curious about his trailed-off sen-
tence than whatever was on his phone Only one word started with
girlf and it wasnrsquot one shersquod ever heard Zane use about himself
ldquoI have to gordquo Zane crammed his phone back into his pocket
He looked serious even grim as if he were barely aware that Bailey
was still there and then reached for supplies lime juice triple sec
a bottle of tequila that he produced from under the counter
ldquoHeyrdquo Bailey cried ldquoWe just cleaned thosemdashrdquo
ldquoI need you to close up Baileyrdquo Zane slapped the lid on his
now-full shaker which he started to shake with a weirdly exact
rhythm rattling the ice cubes against the metal sides in a seven-point
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22
beat He grabbed a margarita glass dipped the rim in water and then
jammed it into the salt dish and twisted He strained the contents
of the shaker into the salt-rimmed glass then dropped in one of the
last remaining lime wedges The lime bobbed a bit against the cubes
and in the low bar light the glass seemed to be glowing green
Zane snatched up the drink took a few deep gulps and
squeezed his eyes against what looked like a brain freeze ldquoYou
know the drillrdquo he said ldquoSet the dishwasher clean out the trays and
give the counters a good polish The rest of it we can handle when
we open tomorrow night Just lock up when yoursquore done and get
home safe okayrdquo
Bailey frowned ldquoWhatrsquos going onrdquoldquoDonrsquot worry about it Wersquoll do breakfast another midnightrdquo
ldquoButmdashrdquo
Zane was already vaulting over the bar and headed for the
door When he yanked it open Bailey caught a glimpse of someone
standing outside an angular woman with dreadlocks The moment
the woman saw Zane she took off running and the two of them
sped off into the night
The doors swung shut again leaving Bailey alone in the quiet
empty bar
Angry a little pissed off and too late into the night to call Jess
to pin down an interview she slammed the dishwasher shut rattling
every glass and cup inside She trudged back into the front to polish
off the counter seriously ready to call it a night Starting at Zanersquos
end she moved her rag in small circles systematically eliminating
any hint of grime or spillage Everywhere her towel went it stayed
until the surface beneath was a varnished brown mirror
As she made her way to Trinarsquos end something caught her eye
a small hole in the space beneath the counter As she approached
she realized it wasnrsquot just a hole it was a gap between panels that
looked like it could slide open She pushed it wide openmdashit must
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
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23
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
have been designed to stay 1047298ush with the wall when closedmdashand
found a row of six small bottles four clearish two pale browny All
the elementary liquorsmdashvodka tequila gin rum (light and dark)
and whiskeymdashand all with the same labelmdashnot Jack Danielrsquos or
Seagramrsquos or anything she recognized but one with no name and
a logo of two interlocked C s
She reached for one popped the cork and took a sniff vodka
The good stuff as far as she could tell Her 1047297rst instinct was to put
it right back after all it was Nightshade inventory and hidden in
a secret compartment besides Instead she grabbed a spare glass
some ice and the carton of orange juice in the mini-fridge under
the sink Zane had a strict no-drinking policy while on the job butthis hardly counted And after tonight shersquod fucking earned it
Not ready yet she thought as the ice cracked under her mea-
sured shot of vodka What was to be ready for Look at me now Zane
Irsquom making a drink and Irsquom managing Having 1047297lled the glass with
orange juice she stuck in a straw gave it a quick stir and replaced
the bottle shutting the secret compartment and promising herself
shersquod ask Zane or Trina tomorrow what the hell that was about
Then she turned and admired the fruit of her labors a freshly made
screwdriver
The drink gleamed cheerfully on the counter just as Zanersquos
margarita had Bailey squinted upward Maybe a bulb was out
or one of the neon signs was leaking (could they leak) making
the tainted air cast everything in an extra-glittery glow Whatever
Drinks were for drinking not for gawking at and so thatrsquos exactly
what Bailey did
Bailey had had screwdrivers before Usually they were slapdash
concoctions little more than orange juice and vodka splashed to-
gether inside a red Solo cup But this one was no dorm room spe-
cial rather than clash the vodka and orange juice harmonized The
drink was sweet and tangy and cold and the liquid burned just the
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
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983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
24
right amount on the way down Bailey had intended to take only
small sips but when she pulled the glass away from her lips she was
surprised to see shersquod already downed half
Well she thought as the delicious feeling spread from her stom-
ach to her toes Irsquoll have to drink more screwdrivers
When she swung out the front door ten minutes later she
felt even warmer inside Warm but not tipsy or clumsy Refreshed
Curiously refreshed Probably the best shersquod ever felt postshift She
jammed her key into the door to lock up like the dutiful employee
she was Except somehow she really jammed it because when she
turned the key it stuck Shersquod completely bent it
ldquoShitrdquoBailey stared at her hand wondering how shersquod manage to
warp a solid piece of metal when she had trouble opening twist-off
beers Prepared to struggle she dug in her heels and yanked but the
key came out so easily she stumbled backward Stunned and a little
woozy she stared at the crooked key in her palm then daintily took
it in her 1047297ngertips and slowly tentatively bent it upward The metal
yielded to her hands The key was utterly straight and good as new
No harm done Bailey told herself She dropped her keys into
a jacket pocket and started to stroll home wishing she knew how to
whistle so she could complete the picture
Ravenswood had been a rough little neighborhood on the
North Side when her parents moved in but gentri1047297cation set in
during the twenty-odd years since Now it felt like a suburb that had
been swallowed whole and unchewed by a big city Damen Avenue
where the Nightshade Lounge sat on the corner of Leland was as
business district-y as the neighborhood got lined with closed-for-
the-night shops a few parked cars and the occasional tree In the
distance a late-night Brown Line train trundled along its elevated
track Sunnyside Avenue where she was headed and where she now
livedmdashagainmdashwith her parents was quiet with squat houses set
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
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25
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
behind small well-kept lawns and raised front porches Everywhere
people hung up the city 1047298ag of Chicagomdashtwo blue stripes on white
with four red stars in the middlemdashas if city hall was afraid that peo-
ple this far north would forget where they were living
As Bailey turned onto Leland she felt the hairs prick on the
back of her neck She wasnrsquot weird about walking by herselfmdash
this was her home turf after all and she possessed an above-aver-
age amount of street smarts thanks to a mandatory girls-only ses-
sion during orientation week called ldquoSisters Self-Defendinrsquo It for
Ourselvesrdquo But while Damen was the main drag with streetlights
and shop windows and potential witnesses Leland was more seclud-
ed especially after last call Despite the warm September night sheshivered and quickened her pace glancing over her shoulder No
onersquos there she told herself Just a few more blocks
But the more she walked the more certain she was that she
was hearing something a skittering noise down the block some-
thing rustling through the leaves on the ground Bailey thought it
was probably a rat or a raccoon but then again she wasnrsquot sure she
knew this neighborhood anymore Maybe there were muggers now
Vaguely recalling her instructorrsquos method for self-defendinrsquo it Bailey
whipped out her keys brandishing them like tiny daggers between
her knuckles
ldquoI can hear yourdquo she said a little shakily ldquoI know yoursquore thererdquo
Con 1047297dence lets your attacker know yoursquore not an easy target the
instructor had told them Remember the acronym S-A-F-E stay alert
announce f-something
Shit what was F Focus Well she was trying to Bailey pivoted
but saw nothing distinct enough to focus on
But she could hear it
And then it came out of the darkness Whatever was following
her wasnrsquot just another hungover coed in gym shorts It didnrsquot even
look human too low to the ground eyes too yellow Glowing yellow
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
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983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
26
ldquoGood boyrdquo Bailey said keys held high ldquoNice bmdashrdquo
But it wasnrsquot a dog It was something awful that shersquod never
seen before
Before she could scream something rammed into her hard and
dense like a cannonball to the ribs Her head smacked the pave-
ment her elbow skinned across asphalt The not-a-dog was heavy
on top of her a horrible squirming four-legged thing the size of
a German shepherd with a head like a protruding tumor and limbs
covered in naked ropes of salmon-colored muscle
Bailey scrambled under it the world spinning from alcohol and
adrenaline The thing was pawing at her with stubby feet and she
couldnrsquot keep it off couldnrsquot wrestle away couldnrsquot escapeOh God she thought Irsquom going to die Here on the streets of
Ravenswood less than half a mile from where shersquod grown up less
than half a block from where shersquod just scrubbed a toilet
No Bailey thought No No The slimy weight on her chest
was too heavy for her to draw breath for a scream and the world
was going fuzzy around her God no This was how it ended not
with a bang but with a minimum-wage job and a heap of student
debt Bailey cringed and with all her dizzied nauseated might she
mustered up one stupid single and probably 1047297nal thought
Fuck That Shit
And she kicked Hard
It worked She pushed the thing away with the soles of her
sneakers and before she had time to think sprang to her feet closed
her eyes and threw the hardest punch of her life
It was ugly and clumsy and her 1047297st hooked around the thingrsquos
side instead of slamming it head-on But her knuckles met 1047298esh and
in a spray of black blood its head caved in like a rotted pumpkin
ldquoShitrdquo Bailey yelped and leapt back The remains of the an-
imal-thingrsquos body splatted to the concrete Smoke curled up from
the edges of its limbs as if it were a leaf catching 1047297re and the night
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1719
27
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
air 1047297lled with a thick chemical stench Bailey coughed shielding her
eyes and before she even had time to worry about how to scrape
the nasty mess off the pavement the thingrsquos body collapsed with an
abrupt squelch
Bailey jumped back from the puddle out of the street and cast
around wildly for something else A pack A 1047298ock Another pair of
yellow eyes But she saw nothing Just a quiet street and a 1047297zzing
pool of dead-smelling something
She clamped her bloodstained hands over her mouth and
smothered a scream The screwdriver roiled inside her Her arms
and legs shook like it was below freezing and her heart squeezed
painfully with every breathShe wasnrsquot safe She wasnrsquot safe and she was going to be sick
Terri1047297ed and trembling Bailey did what she apparently did
best she 1047298ed back home
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1819
$ ()+ - )0)1234
The Screwdriver $amp () +amp $-(- () (0+ 1+ampamp+$ 1-$(+amp+$
$ampamp ()(ampamp )amp++ -(
0 1234 )amp++ 256-(47 83ampamp 28
927
$ampamp 4lt55) -26-(47+ 28
)amp++ -( 245) =3gt -4 25 57 +49
20+ 3$+4$+$ )amp+ )5 1-$(+ampamp6 7)( 1-3 -amp 8+58 3)3(-9 20)80 )amp+ 3-ampamp)( )+$+ (0+ 7)$
(-amp3+ )5 - lt83 7amp -amp - )) 0+-$( amp (0+ 5+ )5 - 1-$(+amp+$= )33-)amp -$+ 40+amp (0+ 1+( ()amp3 8$+ 1$-4amp9 gtamp
(0 +-$(7+amp(= (0+ 3$+4$+$ $+7-amp 8amp7-(30+9-$(+amp+$ 5-)$ (0 3)3(- 5)$ 7$- $+-)amp9 gt( amp
$++amp( -$+ 5+4= 30+-= -amp +- )1(-amp-1+ amp - 18( (0+7)( $+7)(+ -3+9 gt( 3-amp 1+ 7A+ lt83= amp (0+ ++amp( (0-()amp+ 0- 1++amp 3-80( 5-(5))(+ 40+ -) 1+amp 3)amp+amp+amp( 4(0amp -$76 $+-30 )5 - 58 ()3+ 1-$9 amp (0)80 (0+-1(+ $-amp(+ 1 (0+ $)+$ $+-$-()amp )5 )(0+$ 1-()amp7- $+lt8$+ +-$ )5 (+- $-3(3+ () 7-(+$= $amp+$ )5 (0+
3$+4$+$ 0-+ 5)8amp (0-( 0((amp (0amp +$ 0-$ amp (0+5-3+ 8amp( (0+ + $-(0+$ ($-0(5)$4-$9
( 15 4Bamp5)$(8amp-(+= $+3)$ )5 )- amp (0+ $+-3)8( +$- -$+-$+C 0)4++$= ( 8+ amp)4amp () -(+ 1-3 () -( +-( (0+
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1919
$ ()+ - )0)1234
$ () +$ )-+$)) $ 0+1$ )$)2 + 345+$( 4612467)$8 942 2+7+6+lt) 40 () =6$$+ $ gt)1
$ ()A)2455BA() 45B (+C 4 4 4lt+)D5lt+ 7) 4 5)lt) ()+1 (47)$ + () 2)2 40 +)1 5) 54)4 (6 E145+C 1)7)$8 F12++455B 2+$+55)2 0147 $6CG1G1+( )1)5 C1+$ 41 E44)$ lt42 5$4 0462 $)42G1B 7)2++5 6$) $ 1)$41+lt) H6 lt+) +$ $1)C()+C
E14E)1+)$ I)+C 7+$) 041 ()5+C 4)$834$GJ546 lt42 0462 +$ B 4 K7)1+ $(41)$ +
() $225)IC$ 40 () 345+$( lt5+)1 L$+7+1 365$+ (4 )G461C)2 +$ I+I65+4 74C$ () lt51B7) () 1+)2 40+C( + () K7)1+ =)lt456+48 F(46C( () )-E1)$$5B 041GI2) +$ 6$) + 4E) I5) (+$ (41$)7) 4652 01)H6)5B I)2+$E()2 +( 1+4$ 40 lt42 4 E145 () 01+C)$ 40 (+$)7E7)$ 2 144 46 561+C 1)7)$8
125 67)04
F() 54C+$+5 2+00+65B 40 E1426+C 7$$ H6++)$ 40 41GC) M6+) $+2)5+)2 +$ 6$) 041 7B B)1$ $ I1)2+C61+4$+B 2 5+5) )5$)8 N $O 6+5 () 7+2G)+)()61B 2 () 2lt) 40 +2)$E1)2 1)01+C)1)2 16+C$B$)7$ ( I1)2)1$ )1) I5) 4 +41E41) + 1)C6515B+4 ()+1 1)E)14+1)$8 P41 I)$ 1)$65$ 01)$(G$H6))Q)2 M6+) +$1)477)2)2R +0 4) +$ lt+5I5) )2 41C) M6+) +(+$ (+C()1 lt+7+ L 4) +$ E1)0)1I5) 4 $212 C14G
)1B I45)$ 41 14$8 N +$ 64 (4 1))2 (+$ E1+G 651 47I++4 I6 () 7) gt$1)21+lt)1 $ 4+)2 IBP1)2)1+ S))2$ P541+2 I1)2)1 (4 5+7)2 ( () 6$)2() 21+ 4 ()5E (+7 1)74lt) 0147 (+$ I4 (+( $1) ((2 16$)2 +4 E5)8
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1119
21
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
ldquoThey didnrsquot box in the trenchesrdquo she said ldquoThey used long-
range bombardment weapons Can you mime a howitzerrdquo
ldquoAs soon as I learn what that isrdquo he said ldquoYoursquore telling me
you donrsquot get anything out of the rush times Not even a trickle of
adrenalinerdquo
ldquoZane adrenalinersquos something your body makes to stop you
from dying horriblyrdquo She plunked down a martini glass which he
snatched right up and dried off In tandem they worked with as-
sembly-line efficiency ldquoAnd nordquo she said ldquoitrsquos not fun Jobs arenrsquot
supposed to be Thatrsquos why theyrsquore jobsrdquo
ldquoTheyrsquore not supposed to be but that doesnrsquot mean they canrsquot
be rightrdquoBailey grunted
ldquoWell heyrdquo he said ldquoYou wanna come out tonight Me and
some of the other bartenders around town like to stop in at Nerorsquos
Griddlemdashyou remember Nerorsquos rightrdquo
Bailey barely had time to nod
ldquoAnd yoursquove gotta meet this buddy of mine who works down
in Boystown and more important my girlfmdashrdquo
At that Bailey snapped to attention but Zane was frowning at
his phone Whatever he was reading had snuff ed out his smile
ldquoWhat is itrdquo she said more curious about his trailed-off sen-
tence than whatever was on his phone Only one word started with
girlf and it wasnrsquot one shersquod ever heard Zane use about himself
ldquoI have to gordquo Zane crammed his phone back into his pocket
He looked serious even grim as if he were barely aware that Bailey
was still there and then reached for supplies lime juice triple sec
a bottle of tequila that he produced from under the counter
ldquoHeyrdquo Bailey cried ldquoWe just cleaned thosemdashrdquo
ldquoI need you to close up Baileyrdquo Zane slapped the lid on his
now-full shaker which he started to shake with a weirdly exact
rhythm rattling the ice cubes against the metal sides in a seven-point
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
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983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
22
beat He grabbed a margarita glass dipped the rim in water and then
jammed it into the salt dish and twisted He strained the contents
of the shaker into the salt-rimmed glass then dropped in one of the
last remaining lime wedges The lime bobbed a bit against the cubes
and in the low bar light the glass seemed to be glowing green
Zane snatched up the drink took a few deep gulps and
squeezed his eyes against what looked like a brain freeze ldquoYou
know the drillrdquo he said ldquoSet the dishwasher clean out the trays and
give the counters a good polish The rest of it we can handle when
we open tomorrow night Just lock up when yoursquore done and get
home safe okayrdquo
Bailey frowned ldquoWhatrsquos going onrdquoldquoDonrsquot worry about it Wersquoll do breakfast another midnightrdquo
ldquoButmdashrdquo
Zane was already vaulting over the bar and headed for the
door When he yanked it open Bailey caught a glimpse of someone
standing outside an angular woman with dreadlocks The moment
the woman saw Zane she took off running and the two of them
sped off into the night
The doors swung shut again leaving Bailey alone in the quiet
empty bar
Angry a little pissed off and too late into the night to call Jess
to pin down an interview she slammed the dishwasher shut rattling
every glass and cup inside She trudged back into the front to polish
off the counter seriously ready to call it a night Starting at Zanersquos
end she moved her rag in small circles systematically eliminating
any hint of grime or spillage Everywhere her towel went it stayed
until the surface beneath was a varnished brown mirror
As she made her way to Trinarsquos end something caught her eye
a small hole in the space beneath the counter As she approached
she realized it wasnrsquot just a hole it was a gap between panels that
looked like it could slide open She pushed it wide openmdashit must
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
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23
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
have been designed to stay 1047298ush with the wall when closedmdashand
found a row of six small bottles four clearish two pale browny All
the elementary liquorsmdashvodka tequila gin rum (light and dark)
and whiskeymdashand all with the same labelmdashnot Jack Danielrsquos or
Seagramrsquos or anything she recognized but one with no name and
a logo of two interlocked C s
She reached for one popped the cork and took a sniff vodka
The good stuff as far as she could tell Her 1047297rst instinct was to put
it right back after all it was Nightshade inventory and hidden in
a secret compartment besides Instead she grabbed a spare glass
some ice and the carton of orange juice in the mini-fridge under
the sink Zane had a strict no-drinking policy while on the job butthis hardly counted And after tonight shersquod fucking earned it
Not ready yet she thought as the ice cracked under her mea-
sured shot of vodka What was to be ready for Look at me now Zane
Irsquom making a drink and Irsquom managing Having 1047297lled the glass with
orange juice she stuck in a straw gave it a quick stir and replaced
the bottle shutting the secret compartment and promising herself
shersquod ask Zane or Trina tomorrow what the hell that was about
Then she turned and admired the fruit of her labors a freshly made
screwdriver
The drink gleamed cheerfully on the counter just as Zanersquos
margarita had Bailey squinted upward Maybe a bulb was out
or one of the neon signs was leaking (could they leak) making
the tainted air cast everything in an extra-glittery glow Whatever
Drinks were for drinking not for gawking at and so thatrsquos exactly
what Bailey did
Bailey had had screwdrivers before Usually they were slapdash
concoctions little more than orange juice and vodka splashed to-
gether inside a red Solo cup But this one was no dorm room spe-
cial rather than clash the vodka and orange juice harmonized The
drink was sweet and tangy and cold and the liquid burned just the
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
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983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
24
right amount on the way down Bailey had intended to take only
small sips but when she pulled the glass away from her lips she was
surprised to see shersquod already downed half
Well she thought as the delicious feeling spread from her stom-
ach to her toes Irsquoll have to drink more screwdrivers
When she swung out the front door ten minutes later she
felt even warmer inside Warm but not tipsy or clumsy Refreshed
Curiously refreshed Probably the best shersquod ever felt postshift She
jammed her key into the door to lock up like the dutiful employee
she was Except somehow she really jammed it because when she
turned the key it stuck Shersquod completely bent it
ldquoShitrdquoBailey stared at her hand wondering how shersquod manage to
warp a solid piece of metal when she had trouble opening twist-off
beers Prepared to struggle she dug in her heels and yanked but the
key came out so easily she stumbled backward Stunned and a little
woozy she stared at the crooked key in her palm then daintily took
it in her 1047297ngertips and slowly tentatively bent it upward The metal
yielded to her hands The key was utterly straight and good as new
No harm done Bailey told herself She dropped her keys into
a jacket pocket and started to stroll home wishing she knew how to
whistle so she could complete the picture
Ravenswood had been a rough little neighborhood on the
North Side when her parents moved in but gentri1047297cation set in
during the twenty-odd years since Now it felt like a suburb that had
been swallowed whole and unchewed by a big city Damen Avenue
where the Nightshade Lounge sat on the corner of Leland was as
business district-y as the neighborhood got lined with closed-for-
the-night shops a few parked cars and the occasional tree In the
distance a late-night Brown Line train trundled along its elevated
track Sunnyside Avenue where she was headed and where she now
livedmdashagainmdashwith her parents was quiet with squat houses set
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
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25
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
behind small well-kept lawns and raised front porches Everywhere
people hung up the city 1047298ag of Chicagomdashtwo blue stripes on white
with four red stars in the middlemdashas if city hall was afraid that peo-
ple this far north would forget where they were living
As Bailey turned onto Leland she felt the hairs prick on the
back of her neck She wasnrsquot weird about walking by herselfmdash
this was her home turf after all and she possessed an above-aver-
age amount of street smarts thanks to a mandatory girls-only ses-
sion during orientation week called ldquoSisters Self-Defendinrsquo It for
Ourselvesrdquo But while Damen was the main drag with streetlights
and shop windows and potential witnesses Leland was more seclud-
ed especially after last call Despite the warm September night sheshivered and quickened her pace glancing over her shoulder No
onersquos there she told herself Just a few more blocks
But the more she walked the more certain she was that she
was hearing something a skittering noise down the block some-
thing rustling through the leaves on the ground Bailey thought it
was probably a rat or a raccoon but then again she wasnrsquot sure she
knew this neighborhood anymore Maybe there were muggers now
Vaguely recalling her instructorrsquos method for self-defendinrsquo it Bailey
whipped out her keys brandishing them like tiny daggers between
her knuckles
ldquoI can hear yourdquo she said a little shakily ldquoI know yoursquore thererdquo
Con 1047297dence lets your attacker know yoursquore not an easy target the
instructor had told them Remember the acronym S-A-F-E stay alert
announce f-something
Shit what was F Focus Well she was trying to Bailey pivoted
but saw nothing distinct enough to focus on
But she could hear it
And then it came out of the darkness Whatever was following
her wasnrsquot just another hungover coed in gym shorts It didnrsquot even
look human too low to the ground eyes too yellow Glowing yellow
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
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983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
26
ldquoGood boyrdquo Bailey said keys held high ldquoNice bmdashrdquo
But it wasnrsquot a dog It was something awful that shersquod never
seen before
Before she could scream something rammed into her hard and
dense like a cannonball to the ribs Her head smacked the pave-
ment her elbow skinned across asphalt The not-a-dog was heavy
on top of her a horrible squirming four-legged thing the size of
a German shepherd with a head like a protruding tumor and limbs
covered in naked ropes of salmon-colored muscle
Bailey scrambled under it the world spinning from alcohol and
adrenaline The thing was pawing at her with stubby feet and she
couldnrsquot keep it off couldnrsquot wrestle away couldnrsquot escapeOh God she thought Irsquom going to die Here on the streets of
Ravenswood less than half a mile from where shersquod grown up less
than half a block from where shersquod just scrubbed a toilet
No Bailey thought No No The slimy weight on her chest
was too heavy for her to draw breath for a scream and the world
was going fuzzy around her God no This was how it ended not
with a bang but with a minimum-wage job and a heap of student
debt Bailey cringed and with all her dizzied nauseated might she
mustered up one stupid single and probably 1047297nal thought
Fuck That Shit
And she kicked Hard
It worked She pushed the thing away with the soles of her
sneakers and before she had time to think sprang to her feet closed
her eyes and threw the hardest punch of her life
It was ugly and clumsy and her 1047297st hooked around the thingrsquos
side instead of slamming it head-on But her knuckles met 1047298esh and
in a spray of black blood its head caved in like a rotted pumpkin
ldquoShitrdquo Bailey yelped and leapt back The remains of the an-
imal-thingrsquos body splatted to the concrete Smoke curled up from
the edges of its limbs as if it were a leaf catching 1047297re and the night
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1719
27
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
air 1047297lled with a thick chemical stench Bailey coughed shielding her
eyes and before she even had time to worry about how to scrape
the nasty mess off the pavement the thingrsquos body collapsed with an
abrupt squelch
Bailey jumped back from the puddle out of the street and cast
around wildly for something else A pack A 1047298ock Another pair of
yellow eyes But she saw nothing Just a quiet street and a 1047297zzing
pool of dead-smelling something
She clamped her bloodstained hands over her mouth and
smothered a scream The screwdriver roiled inside her Her arms
and legs shook like it was below freezing and her heart squeezed
painfully with every breathShe wasnrsquot safe She wasnrsquot safe and she was going to be sick
Terri1047297ed and trembling Bailey did what she apparently did
best she 1047298ed back home
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1819
$ ()+ - )0)1234
The Screwdriver $amp () +amp $-(- () (0+ 1+ampamp+$ 1-$(+amp+$
$ampamp ()(ampamp )amp++ -(
0 1234 )amp++ 256-(47 83ampamp 28
927
$ampamp 4lt55) -26-(47+ 28
)amp++ -( 245) =3gt -4 25 57 +49
20+ 3$+4$+$ )amp+ )5 1-$(+ampamp6 7)( 1-3 -amp 8+58 3)3(-9 20)80 )amp+ 3-ampamp)( )+$+ (0+ 7)$
(-amp3+ )5 - lt83 7amp -amp - )) 0+-$( amp (0+ 5+ )5 - 1-$(+amp+$= )33-)amp -$+ 40+amp (0+ 1+( ()amp3 8$+ 1$-4amp9 gtamp
(0 +-$(7+amp(= (0+ 3$+4$+$ $+7-amp 8amp7-(30+9-$(+amp+$ 5-)$ (0 3)3(- 5)$ 7$- $+-)amp9 gt( amp
$++amp( -$+ 5+4= 30+-= -amp +- )1(-amp-1+ amp - 18( (0+7)( $+7)(+ -3+9 gt( 3-amp 1+ 7A+ lt83= amp (0+ ++amp( (0-()amp+ 0- 1++amp 3-80( 5-(5))(+ 40+ -) 1+amp 3)amp+amp+amp( 4(0amp -$76 $+-30 )5 - 58 ()3+ 1-$9 amp (0)80 (0+-1(+ $-amp(+ 1 (0+ $)+$ $+-$-()amp )5 )(0+$ 1-()amp7- $+lt8$+ +-$ )5 (+- $-3(3+ () 7-(+$= $amp+$ )5 (0+
3$+4$+$ 0-+ 5)8amp (0-( 0((amp (0amp +$ 0-$ amp (0+5-3+ 8amp( (0+ + $-(0+$ ($-0(5)$4-$9
( 15 4Bamp5)$(8amp-(+= $+3)$ )5 )- amp (0+ $+-3)8( +$- -$+-$+C 0)4++$= ( 8+ amp)4amp () -(+ 1-3 () -( +-( (0+
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1919
$ ()+ - )0)1234
$ () +$ )-+$)) $ 0+1$ )$)2 + 345+$( 4612467)$8 942 2+7+6+lt) 40 () =6$$+ $ gt)1
$ ()A)2455BA() 45B (+C 4 4 4lt+)D5lt+ 7) 4 5)lt) ()+1 (47)$ + () 2)2 40 +)1 5) 54)4 (6 E145+C 1)7)$8 F12++455B 2+$+55)2 0147 $6CG1G1+( )1)5 C1+$ 41 E44)$ lt42 5$4 0462 $)42G1B 7)2++5 6$) $ 1)$41+lt) H6 lt+) +$ $1)C()+C
E14E)1+)$ I)+C 7+$) 041 ()5+C 4)$834$GJ546 lt42 0462 +$ B 4 K7)1+ $(41)$ +
() $225)IC$ 40 () 345+$( lt5+)1 L$+7+1 365$+ (4 )G461C)2 +$ I+I65+4 74C$ () lt51B7) () 1+)2 40+C( + () K7)1+ =)lt456+48 F(46C( () )-E1)$$5B 041GI2) +$ 6$) + 4E) I5) (+$ (41$)7) 4652 01)H6)5B I)2+$E()2 +( 1+4$ 40 lt42 4 E145 () 01+C)$ 40 (+$)7E7)$ 2 144 46 561+C 1)7)$8
125 67)04
F() 54C+$+5 2+00+65B 40 E1426+C 7$$ H6++)$ 40 41GC) M6+) $+2)5+)2 +$ 6$) 041 7B B)1$ $ I1)2+C61+4$+B 2 5+5) )5$)8 N $O 6+5 () 7+2G)+)()61B 2 () 2lt) 40 +2)$E1)2 1)01+C)1)2 16+C$B$)7$ ( I1)2)1$ )1) I5) 4 +41E41) + 1)C6515B+4 ()+1 1)E)14+1)$8 P41 I)$ 1)$65$ 01)$(G$H6))Q)2 M6+) +$1)477)2)2R +0 4) +$ lt+5I5) )2 41C) M6+) +(+$ (+C()1 lt+7+ L 4) +$ E1)0)1I5) 4 $212 C14G
)1B I45)$ 41 14$8 N +$ 64 (4 1))2 (+$ E1+G 651 47I++4 I6 () 7) gt$1)21+lt)1 $ 4+)2 IBP1)2)1+ S))2$ P541+2 I1)2)1 (4 5+7)2 ( () 6$)2() 21+ 4 ()5E (+7 1)74lt) 0147 (+$ I4 (+( $1) ((2 16$)2 +4 E5)8
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1219
983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
22
beat He grabbed a margarita glass dipped the rim in water and then
jammed it into the salt dish and twisted He strained the contents
of the shaker into the salt-rimmed glass then dropped in one of the
last remaining lime wedges The lime bobbed a bit against the cubes
and in the low bar light the glass seemed to be glowing green
Zane snatched up the drink took a few deep gulps and
squeezed his eyes against what looked like a brain freeze ldquoYou
know the drillrdquo he said ldquoSet the dishwasher clean out the trays and
give the counters a good polish The rest of it we can handle when
we open tomorrow night Just lock up when yoursquore done and get
home safe okayrdquo
Bailey frowned ldquoWhatrsquos going onrdquoldquoDonrsquot worry about it Wersquoll do breakfast another midnightrdquo
ldquoButmdashrdquo
Zane was already vaulting over the bar and headed for the
door When he yanked it open Bailey caught a glimpse of someone
standing outside an angular woman with dreadlocks The moment
the woman saw Zane she took off running and the two of them
sped off into the night
The doors swung shut again leaving Bailey alone in the quiet
empty bar
Angry a little pissed off and too late into the night to call Jess
to pin down an interview she slammed the dishwasher shut rattling
every glass and cup inside She trudged back into the front to polish
off the counter seriously ready to call it a night Starting at Zanersquos
end she moved her rag in small circles systematically eliminating
any hint of grime or spillage Everywhere her towel went it stayed
until the surface beneath was a varnished brown mirror
As she made her way to Trinarsquos end something caught her eye
a small hole in the space beneath the counter As she approached
she realized it wasnrsquot just a hole it was a gap between panels that
looked like it could slide open She pushed it wide openmdashit must
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1319
23
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
have been designed to stay 1047298ush with the wall when closedmdashand
found a row of six small bottles four clearish two pale browny All
the elementary liquorsmdashvodka tequila gin rum (light and dark)
and whiskeymdashand all with the same labelmdashnot Jack Danielrsquos or
Seagramrsquos or anything she recognized but one with no name and
a logo of two interlocked C s
She reached for one popped the cork and took a sniff vodka
The good stuff as far as she could tell Her 1047297rst instinct was to put
it right back after all it was Nightshade inventory and hidden in
a secret compartment besides Instead she grabbed a spare glass
some ice and the carton of orange juice in the mini-fridge under
the sink Zane had a strict no-drinking policy while on the job butthis hardly counted And after tonight shersquod fucking earned it
Not ready yet she thought as the ice cracked under her mea-
sured shot of vodka What was to be ready for Look at me now Zane
Irsquom making a drink and Irsquom managing Having 1047297lled the glass with
orange juice she stuck in a straw gave it a quick stir and replaced
the bottle shutting the secret compartment and promising herself
shersquod ask Zane or Trina tomorrow what the hell that was about
Then she turned and admired the fruit of her labors a freshly made
screwdriver
The drink gleamed cheerfully on the counter just as Zanersquos
margarita had Bailey squinted upward Maybe a bulb was out
or one of the neon signs was leaking (could they leak) making
the tainted air cast everything in an extra-glittery glow Whatever
Drinks were for drinking not for gawking at and so thatrsquos exactly
what Bailey did
Bailey had had screwdrivers before Usually they were slapdash
concoctions little more than orange juice and vodka splashed to-
gether inside a red Solo cup But this one was no dorm room spe-
cial rather than clash the vodka and orange juice harmonized The
drink was sweet and tangy and cold and the liquid burned just the
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1419
983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
24
right amount on the way down Bailey had intended to take only
small sips but when she pulled the glass away from her lips she was
surprised to see shersquod already downed half
Well she thought as the delicious feeling spread from her stom-
ach to her toes Irsquoll have to drink more screwdrivers
When she swung out the front door ten minutes later she
felt even warmer inside Warm but not tipsy or clumsy Refreshed
Curiously refreshed Probably the best shersquod ever felt postshift She
jammed her key into the door to lock up like the dutiful employee
she was Except somehow she really jammed it because when she
turned the key it stuck Shersquod completely bent it
ldquoShitrdquoBailey stared at her hand wondering how shersquod manage to
warp a solid piece of metal when she had trouble opening twist-off
beers Prepared to struggle she dug in her heels and yanked but the
key came out so easily she stumbled backward Stunned and a little
woozy she stared at the crooked key in her palm then daintily took
it in her 1047297ngertips and slowly tentatively bent it upward The metal
yielded to her hands The key was utterly straight and good as new
No harm done Bailey told herself She dropped her keys into
a jacket pocket and started to stroll home wishing she knew how to
whistle so she could complete the picture
Ravenswood had been a rough little neighborhood on the
North Side when her parents moved in but gentri1047297cation set in
during the twenty-odd years since Now it felt like a suburb that had
been swallowed whole and unchewed by a big city Damen Avenue
where the Nightshade Lounge sat on the corner of Leland was as
business district-y as the neighborhood got lined with closed-for-
the-night shops a few parked cars and the occasional tree In the
distance a late-night Brown Line train trundled along its elevated
track Sunnyside Avenue where she was headed and where she now
livedmdashagainmdashwith her parents was quiet with squat houses set
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1519
25
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
behind small well-kept lawns and raised front porches Everywhere
people hung up the city 1047298ag of Chicagomdashtwo blue stripes on white
with four red stars in the middlemdashas if city hall was afraid that peo-
ple this far north would forget where they were living
As Bailey turned onto Leland she felt the hairs prick on the
back of her neck She wasnrsquot weird about walking by herselfmdash
this was her home turf after all and she possessed an above-aver-
age amount of street smarts thanks to a mandatory girls-only ses-
sion during orientation week called ldquoSisters Self-Defendinrsquo It for
Ourselvesrdquo But while Damen was the main drag with streetlights
and shop windows and potential witnesses Leland was more seclud-
ed especially after last call Despite the warm September night sheshivered and quickened her pace glancing over her shoulder No
onersquos there she told herself Just a few more blocks
But the more she walked the more certain she was that she
was hearing something a skittering noise down the block some-
thing rustling through the leaves on the ground Bailey thought it
was probably a rat or a raccoon but then again she wasnrsquot sure she
knew this neighborhood anymore Maybe there were muggers now
Vaguely recalling her instructorrsquos method for self-defendinrsquo it Bailey
whipped out her keys brandishing them like tiny daggers between
her knuckles
ldquoI can hear yourdquo she said a little shakily ldquoI know yoursquore thererdquo
Con 1047297dence lets your attacker know yoursquore not an easy target the
instructor had told them Remember the acronym S-A-F-E stay alert
announce f-something
Shit what was F Focus Well she was trying to Bailey pivoted
but saw nothing distinct enough to focus on
But she could hear it
And then it came out of the darkness Whatever was following
her wasnrsquot just another hungover coed in gym shorts It didnrsquot even
look human too low to the ground eyes too yellow Glowing yellow
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1619
983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
26
ldquoGood boyrdquo Bailey said keys held high ldquoNice bmdashrdquo
But it wasnrsquot a dog It was something awful that shersquod never
seen before
Before she could scream something rammed into her hard and
dense like a cannonball to the ribs Her head smacked the pave-
ment her elbow skinned across asphalt The not-a-dog was heavy
on top of her a horrible squirming four-legged thing the size of
a German shepherd with a head like a protruding tumor and limbs
covered in naked ropes of salmon-colored muscle
Bailey scrambled under it the world spinning from alcohol and
adrenaline The thing was pawing at her with stubby feet and she
couldnrsquot keep it off couldnrsquot wrestle away couldnrsquot escapeOh God she thought Irsquom going to die Here on the streets of
Ravenswood less than half a mile from where shersquod grown up less
than half a block from where shersquod just scrubbed a toilet
No Bailey thought No No The slimy weight on her chest
was too heavy for her to draw breath for a scream and the world
was going fuzzy around her God no This was how it ended not
with a bang but with a minimum-wage job and a heap of student
debt Bailey cringed and with all her dizzied nauseated might she
mustered up one stupid single and probably 1047297nal thought
Fuck That Shit
And she kicked Hard
It worked She pushed the thing away with the soles of her
sneakers and before she had time to think sprang to her feet closed
her eyes and threw the hardest punch of her life
It was ugly and clumsy and her 1047297st hooked around the thingrsquos
side instead of slamming it head-on But her knuckles met 1047298esh and
in a spray of black blood its head caved in like a rotted pumpkin
ldquoShitrdquo Bailey yelped and leapt back The remains of the an-
imal-thingrsquos body splatted to the concrete Smoke curled up from
the edges of its limbs as if it were a leaf catching 1047297re and the night
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1719
27
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
air 1047297lled with a thick chemical stench Bailey coughed shielding her
eyes and before she even had time to worry about how to scrape
the nasty mess off the pavement the thingrsquos body collapsed with an
abrupt squelch
Bailey jumped back from the puddle out of the street and cast
around wildly for something else A pack A 1047298ock Another pair of
yellow eyes But she saw nothing Just a quiet street and a 1047297zzing
pool of dead-smelling something
She clamped her bloodstained hands over her mouth and
smothered a scream The screwdriver roiled inside her Her arms
and legs shook like it was below freezing and her heart squeezed
painfully with every breathShe wasnrsquot safe She wasnrsquot safe and she was going to be sick
Terri1047297ed and trembling Bailey did what she apparently did
best she 1047298ed back home
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1819
$ ()+ - )0)1234
The Screwdriver $amp () +amp $-(- () (0+ 1+ampamp+$ 1-$(+amp+$
$ampamp ()(ampamp )amp++ -(
0 1234 )amp++ 256-(47 83ampamp 28
927
$ampamp 4lt55) -26-(47+ 28
)amp++ -( 245) =3gt -4 25 57 +49
20+ 3$+4$+$ )amp+ )5 1-$(+ampamp6 7)( 1-3 -amp 8+58 3)3(-9 20)80 )amp+ 3-ampamp)( )+$+ (0+ 7)$
(-amp3+ )5 - lt83 7amp -amp - )) 0+-$( amp (0+ 5+ )5 - 1-$(+amp+$= )33-)amp -$+ 40+amp (0+ 1+( ()amp3 8$+ 1$-4amp9 gtamp
(0 +-$(7+amp(= (0+ 3$+4$+$ $+7-amp 8amp7-(30+9-$(+amp+$ 5-)$ (0 3)3(- 5)$ 7$- $+-)amp9 gt( amp
$++amp( -$+ 5+4= 30+-= -amp +- )1(-amp-1+ amp - 18( (0+7)( $+7)(+ -3+9 gt( 3-amp 1+ 7A+ lt83= amp (0+ ++amp( (0-()amp+ 0- 1++amp 3-80( 5-(5))(+ 40+ -) 1+amp 3)amp+amp+amp( 4(0amp -$76 $+-30 )5 - 58 ()3+ 1-$9 amp (0)80 (0+-1(+ $-amp(+ 1 (0+ $)+$ $+-$-()amp )5 )(0+$ 1-()amp7- $+lt8$+ +-$ )5 (+- $-3(3+ () 7-(+$= $amp+$ )5 (0+
3$+4$+$ 0-+ 5)8amp (0-( 0((amp (0amp +$ 0-$ amp (0+5-3+ 8amp( (0+ + $-(0+$ ($-0(5)$4-$9
( 15 4Bamp5)$(8amp-(+= $+3)$ )5 )- amp (0+ $+-3)8( +$- -$+-$+C 0)4++$= ( 8+ amp)4amp () -(+ 1-3 () -( +-( (0+
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1919
$ ()+ - )0)1234
$ () +$ )-+$)) $ 0+1$ )$)2 + 345+$( 4612467)$8 942 2+7+6+lt) 40 () =6$$+ $ gt)1
$ ()A)2455BA() 45B (+C 4 4 4lt+)D5lt+ 7) 4 5)lt) ()+1 (47)$ + () 2)2 40 +)1 5) 54)4 (6 E145+C 1)7)$8 F12++455B 2+$+55)2 0147 $6CG1G1+( )1)5 C1+$ 41 E44)$ lt42 5$4 0462 $)42G1B 7)2++5 6$) $ 1)$41+lt) H6 lt+) +$ $1)C()+C
E14E)1+)$ I)+C 7+$) 041 ()5+C 4)$834$GJ546 lt42 0462 +$ B 4 K7)1+ $(41)$ +
() $225)IC$ 40 () 345+$( lt5+)1 L$+7+1 365$+ (4 )G461C)2 +$ I+I65+4 74C$ () lt51B7) () 1+)2 40+C( + () K7)1+ =)lt456+48 F(46C( () )-E1)$$5B 041GI2) +$ 6$) + 4E) I5) (+$ (41$)7) 4652 01)H6)5B I)2+$E()2 +( 1+4$ 40 lt42 4 E145 () 01+C)$ 40 (+$)7E7)$ 2 144 46 561+C 1)7)$8
125 67)04
F() 54C+$+5 2+00+65B 40 E1426+C 7$$ H6++)$ 40 41GC) M6+) $+2)5+)2 +$ 6$) 041 7B B)1$ $ I1)2+C61+4$+B 2 5+5) )5$)8 N $O 6+5 () 7+2G)+)()61B 2 () 2lt) 40 +2)$E1)2 1)01+C)1)2 16+C$B$)7$ ( I1)2)1$ )1) I5) 4 +41E41) + 1)C6515B+4 ()+1 1)E)14+1)$8 P41 I)$ 1)$65$ 01)$(G$H6))Q)2 M6+) +$1)477)2)2R +0 4) +$ lt+5I5) )2 41C) M6+) +(+$ (+C()1 lt+7+ L 4) +$ E1)0)1I5) 4 $212 C14G
)1B I45)$ 41 14$8 N +$ 64 (4 1))2 (+$ E1+G 651 47I++4 I6 () 7) gt$1)21+lt)1 $ 4+)2 IBP1)2)1+ S))2$ P541+2 I1)2)1 (4 5+7)2 ( () 6$)2() 21+ 4 ()5E (+7 1)74lt) 0147 (+$ I4 (+( $1) ((2 16$)2 +4 E5)8
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1319
23
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
have been designed to stay 1047298ush with the wall when closedmdashand
found a row of six small bottles four clearish two pale browny All
the elementary liquorsmdashvodka tequila gin rum (light and dark)
and whiskeymdashand all with the same labelmdashnot Jack Danielrsquos or
Seagramrsquos or anything she recognized but one with no name and
a logo of two interlocked C s
She reached for one popped the cork and took a sniff vodka
The good stuff as far as she could tell Her 1047297rst instinct was to put
it right back after all it was Nightshade inventory and hidden in
a secret compartment besides Instead she grabbed a spare glass
some ice and the carton of orange juice in the mini-fridge under
the sink Zane had a strict no-drinking policy while on the job butthis hardly counted And after tonight shersquod fucking earned it
Not ready yet she thought as the ice cracked under her mea-
sured shot of vodka What was to be ready for Look at me now Zane
Irsquom making a drink and Irsquom managing Having 1047297lled the glass with
orange juice she stuck in a straw gave it a quick stir and replaced
the bottle shutting the secret compartment and promising herself
shersquod ask Zane or Trina tomorrow what the hell that was about
Then she turned and admired the fruit of her labors a freshly made
screwdriver
The drink gleamed cheerfully on the counter just as Zanersquos
margarita had Bailey squinted upward Maybe a bulb was out
or one of the neon signs was leaking (could they leak) making
the tainted air cast everything in an extra-glittery glow Whatever
Drinks were for drinking not for gawking at and so thatrsquos exactly
what Bailey did
Bailey had had screwdrivers before Usually they were slapdash
concoctions little more than orange juice and vodka splashed to-
gether inside a red Solo cup But this one was no dorm room spe-
cial rather than clash the vodka and orange juice harmonized The
drink was sweet and tangy and cold and the liquid burned just the
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1419
983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
24
right amount on the way down Bailey had intended to take only
small sips but when she pulled the glass away from her lips she was
surprised to see shersquod already downed half
Well she thought as the delicious feeling spread from her stom-
ach to her toes Irsquoll have to drink more screwdrivers
When she swung out the front door ten minutes later she
felt even warmer inside Warm but not tipsy or clumsy Refreshed
Curiously refreshed Probably the best shersquod ever felt postshift She
jammed her key into the door to lock up like the dutiful employee
she was Except somehow she really jammed it because when she
turned the key it stuck Shersquod completely bent it
ldquoShitrdquoBailey stared at her hand wondering how shersquod manage to
warp a solid piece of metal when she had trouble opening twist-off
beers Prepared to struggle she dug in her heels and yanked but the
key came out so easily she stumbled backward Stunned and a little
woozy she stared at the crooked key in her palm then daintily took
it in her 1047297ngertips and slowly tentatively bent it upward The metal
yielded to her hands The key was utterly straight and good as new
No harm done Bailey told herself She dropped her keys into
a jacket pocket and started to stroll home wishing she knew how to
whistle so she could complete the picture
Ravenswood had been a rough little neighborhood on the
North Side when her parents moved in but gentri1047297cation set in
during the twenty-odd years since Now it felt like a suburb that had
been swallowed whole and unchewed by a big city Damen Avenue
where the Nightshade Lounge sat on the corner of Leland was as
business district-y as the neighborhood got lined with closed-for-
the-night shops a few parked cars and the occasional tree In the
distance a late-night Brown Line train trundled along its elevated
track Sunnyside Avenue where she was headed and where she now
livedmdashagainmdashwith her parents was quiet with squat houses set
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1519
25
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
behind small well-kept lawns and raised front porches Everywhere
people hung up the city 1047298ag of Chicagomdashtwo blue stripes on white
with four red stars in the middlemdashas if city hall was afraid that peo-
ple this far north would forget where they were living
As Bailey turned onto Leland she felt the hairs prick on the
back of her neck She wasnrsquot weird about walking by herselfmdash
this was her home turf after all and she possessed an above-aver-
age amount of street smarts thanks to a mandatory girls-only ses-
sion during orientation week called ldquoSisters Self-Defendinrsquo It for
Ourselvesrdquo But while Damen was the main drag with streetlights
and shop windows and potential witnesses Leland was more seclud-
ed especially after last call Despite the warm September night sheshivered and quickened her pace glancing over her shoulder No
onersquos there she told herself Just a few more blocks
But the more she walked the more certain she was that she
was hearing something a skittering noise down the block some-
thing rustling through the leaves on the ground Bailey thought it
was probably a rat or a raccoon but then again she wasnrsquot sure she
knew this neighborhood anymore Maybe there were muggers now
Vaguely recalling her instructorrsquos method for self-defendinrsquo it Bailey
whipped out her keys brandishing them like tiny daggers between
her knuckles
ldquoI can hear yourdquo she said a little shakily ldquoI know yoursquore thererdquo
Con 1047297dence lets your attacker know yoursquore not an easy target the
instructor had told them Remember the acronym S-A-F-E stay alert
announce f-something
Shit what was F Focus Well she was trying to Bailey pivoted
but saw nothing distinct enough to focus on
But she could hear it
And then it came out of the darkness Whatever was following
her wasnrsquot just another hungover coed in gym shorts It didnrsquot even
look human too low to the ground eyes too yellow Glowing yellow
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1619
983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
26
ldquoGood boyrdquo Bailey said keys held high ldquoNice bmdashrdquo
But it wasnrsquot a dog It was something awful that shersquod never
seen before
Before she could scream something rammed into her hard and
dense like a cannonball to the ribs Her head smacked the pave-
ment her elbow skinned across asphalt The not-a-dog was heavy
on top of her a horrible squirming four-legged thing the size of
a German shepherd with a head like a protruding tumor and limbs
covered in naked ropes of salmon-colored muscle
Bailey scrambled under it the world spinning from alcohol and
adrenaline The thing was pawing at her with stubby feet and she
couldnrsquot keep it off couldnrsquot wrestle away couldnrsquot escapeOh God she thought Irsquom going to die Here on the streets of
Ravenswood less than half a mile from where shersquod grown up less
than half a block from where shersquod just scrubbed a toilet
No Bailey thought No No The slimy weight on her chest
was too heavy for her to draw breath for a scream and the world
was going fuzzy around her God no This was how it ended not
with a bang but with a minimum-wage job and a heap of student
debt Bailey cringed and with all her dizzied nauseated might she
mustered up one stupid single and probably 1047297nal thought
Fuck That Shit
And she kicked Hard
It worked She pushed the thing away with the soles of her
sneakers and before she had time to think sprang to her feet closed
her eyes and threw the hardest punch of her life
It was ugly and clumsy and her 1047297st hooked around the thingrsquos
side instead of slamming it head-on But her knuckles met 1047298esh and
in a spray of black blood its head caved in like a rotted pumpkin
ldquoShitrdquo Bailey yelped and leapt back The remains of the an-
imal-thingrsquos body splatted to the concrete Smoke curled up from
the edges of its limbs as if it were a leaf catching 1047297re and the night
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1719
27
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
air 1047297lled with a thick chemical stench Bailey coughed shielding her
eyes and before she even had time to worry about how to scrape
the nasty mess off the pavement the thingrsquos body collapsed with an
abrupt squelch
Bailey jumped back from the puddle out of the street and cast
around wildly for something else A pack A 1047298ock Another pair of
yellow eyes But she saw nothing Just a quiet street and a 1047297zzing
pool of dead-smelling something
She clamped her bloodstained hands over her mouth and
smothered a scream The screwdriver roiled inside her Her arms
and legs shook like it was below freezing and her heart squeezed
painfully with every breathShe wasnrsquot safe She wasnrsquot safe and she was going to be sick
Terri1047297ed and trembling Bailey did what she apparently did
best she 1047298ed back home
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1819
$ ()+ - )0)1234
The Screwdriver $amp () +amp $-(- () (0+ 1+ampamp+$ 1-$(+amp+$
$ampamp ()(ampamp )amp++ -(
0 1234 )amp++ 256-(47 83ampamp 28
927
$ampamp 4lt55) -26-(47+ 28
)amp++ -( 245) =3gt -4 25 57 +49
20+ 3$+4$+$ )amp+ )5 1-$(+ampamp6 7)( 1-3 -amp 8+58 3)3(-9 20)80 )amp+ 3-ampamp)( )+$+ (0+ 7)$
(-amp3+ )5 - lt83 7amp -amp - )) 0+-$( amp (0+ 5+ )5 - 1-$(+amp+$= )33-)amp -$+ 40+amp (0+ 1+( ()amp3 8$+ 1$-4amp9 gtamp
(0 +-$(7+amp(= (0+ 3$+4$+$ $+7-amp 8amp7-(30+9-$(+amp+$ 5-)$ (0 3)3(- 5)$ 7$- $+-)amp9 gt( amp
$++amp( -$+ 5+4= 30+-= -amp +- )1(-amp-1+ amp - 18( (0+7)( $+7)(+ -3+9 gt( 3-amp 1+ 7A+ lt83= amp (0+ ++amp( (0-()amp+ 0- 1++amp 3-80( 5-(5))(+ 40+ -) 1+amp 3)amp+amp+amp( 4(0amp -$76 $+-30 )5 - 58 ()3+ 1-$9 amp (0)80 (0+-1(+ $-amp(+ 1 (0+ $)+$ $+-$-()amp )5 )(0+$ 1-()amp7- $+lt8$+ +-$ )5 (+- $-3(3+ () 7-(+$= $amp+$ )5 (0+
3$+4$+$ 0-+ 5)8amp (0-( 0((amp (0amp +$ 0-$ amp (0+5-3+ 8amp( (0+ + $-(0+$ ($-0(5)$4-$9
( 15 4Bamp5)$(8amp-(+= $+3)$ )5 )- amp (0+ $+-3)8( +$- -$+-$+C 0)4++$= ( 8+ amp)4amp () -(+ 1-3 () -( +-( (0+
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1919
$ ()+ - )0)1234
$ () +$ )-+$)) $ 0+1$ )$)2 + 345+$( 4612467)$8 942 2+7+6+lt) 40 () =6$$+ $ gt)1
$ ()A)2455BA() 45B (+C 4 4 4lt+)D5lt+ 7) 4 5)lt) ()+1 (47)$ + () 2)2 40 +)1 5) 54)4 (6 E145+C 1)7)$8 F12++455B 2+$+55)2 0147 $6CG1G1+( )1)5 C1+$ 41 E44)$ lt42 5$4 0462 $)42G1B 7)2++5 6$) $ 1)$41+lt) H6 lt+) +$ $1)C()+C
E14E)1+)$ I)+C 7+$) 041 ()5+C 4)$834$GJ546 lt42 0462 +$ B 4 K7)1+ $(41)$ +
() $225)IC$ 40 () 345+$( lt5+)1 L$+7+1 365$+ (4 )G461C)2 +$ I+I65+4 74C$ () lt51B7) () 1+)2 40+C( + () K7)1+ =)lt456+48 F(46C( () )-E1)$$5B 041GI2) +$ 6$) + 4E) I5) (+$ (41$)7) 4652 01)H6)5B I)2+$E()2 +( 1+4$ 40 lt42 4 E145 () 01+C)$ 40 (+$)7E7)$ 2 144 46 561+C 1)7)$8
125 67)04
F() 54C+$+5 2+00+65B 40 E1426+C 7$$ H6++)$ 40 41GC) M6+) $+2)5+)2 +$ 6$) 041 7B B)1$ $ I1)2+C61+4$+B 2 5+5) )5$)8 N $O 6+5 () 7+2G)+)()61B 2 () 2lt) 40 +2)$E1)2 1)01+C)1)2 16+C$B$)7$ ( I1)2)1$ )1) I5) 4 +41E41) + 1)C6515B+4 ()+1 1)E)14+1)$8 P41 I)$ 1)$65$ 01)$(G$H6))Q)2 M6+) +$1)477)2)2R +0 4) +$ lt+5I5) )2 41C) M6+) +(+$ (+C()1 lt+7+ L 4) +$ E1)0)1I5) 4 $212 C14G
)1B I45)$ 41 14$8 N +$ 64 (4 1))2 (+$ E1+G 651 47I++4 I6 () 7) gt$1)21+lt)1 $ 4+)2 IBP1)2)1+ S))2$ P541+2 I1)2)1 (4 5+7)2 ( () 6$)2() 21+ 4 ()5E (+7 1)74lt) 0147 (+$ I4 (+( $1) ((2 16$)2 +4 E5)8
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1419
983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
24
right amount on the way down Bailey had intended to take only
small sips but when she pulled the glass away from her lips she was
surprised to see shersquod already downed half
Well she thought as the delicious feeling spread from her stom-
ach to her toes Irsquoll have to drink more screwdrivers
When she swung out the front door ten minutes later she
felt even warmer inside Warm but not tipsy or clumsy Refreshed
Curiously refreshed Probably the best shersquod ever felt postshift She
jammed her key into the door to lock up like the dutiful employee
she was Except somehow she really jammed it because when she
turned the key it stuck Shersquod completely bent it
ldquoShitrdquoBailey stared at her hand wondering how shersquod manage to
warp a solid piece of metal when she had trouble opening twist-off
beers Prepared to struggle she dug in her heels and yanked but the
key came out so easily she stumbled backward Stunned and a little
woozy she stared at the crooked key in her palm then daintily took
it in her 1047297ngertips and slowly tentatively bent it upward The metal
yielded to her hands The key was utterly straight and good as new
No harm done Bailey told herself She dropped her keys into
a jacket pocket and started to stroll home wishing she knew how to
whistle so she could complete the picture
Ravenswood had been a rough little neighborhood on the
North Side when her parents moved in but gentri1047297cation set in
during the twenty-odd years since Now it felt like a suburb that had
been swallowed whole and unchewed by a big city Damen Avenue
where the Nightshade Lounge sat on the corner of Leland was as
business district-y as the neighborhood got lined with closed-for-
the-night shops a few parked cars and the occasional tree In the
distance a late-night Brown Line train trundled along its elevated
track Sunnyside Avenue where she was headed and where she now
livedmdashagainmdashwith her parents was quiet with squat houses set
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1519
25
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
behind small well-kept lawns and raised front porches Everywhere
people hung up the city 1047298ag of Chicagomdashtwo blue stripes on white
with four red stars in the middlemdashas if city hall was afraid that peo-
ple this far north would forget where they were living
As Bailey turned onto Leland she felt the hairs prick on the
back of her neck She wasnrsquot weird about walking by herselfmdash
this was her home turf after all and she possessed an above-aver-
age amount of street smarts thanks to a mandatory girls-only ses-
sion during orientation week called ldquoSisters Self-Defendinrsquo It for
Ourselvesrdquo But while Damen was the main drag with streetlights
and shop windows and potential witnesses Leland was more seclud-
ed especially after last call Despite the warm September night sheshivered and quickened her pace glancing over her shoulder No
onersquos there she told herself Just a few more blocks
But the more she walked the more certain she was that she
was hearing something a skittering noise down the block some-
thing rustling through the leaves on the ground Bailey thought it
was probably a rat or a raccoon but then again she wasnrsquot sure she
knew this neighborhood anymore Maybe there were muggers now
Vaguely recalling her instructorrsquos method for self-defendinrsquo it Bailey
whipped out her keys brandishing them like tiny daggers between
her knuckles
ldquoI can hear yourdquo she said a little shakily ldquoI know yoursquore thererdquo
Con 1047297dence lets your attacker know yoursquore not an easy target the
instructor had told them Remember the acronym S-A-F-E stay alert
announce f-something
Shit what was F Focus Well she was trying to Bailey pivoted
but saw nothing distinct enough to focus on
But she could hear it
And then it came out of the darkness Whatever was following
her wasnrsquot just another hungover coed in gym shorts It didnrsquot even
look human too low to the ground eyes too yellow Glowing yellow
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1619
983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
26
ldquoGood boyrdquo Bailey said keys held high ldquoNice bmdashrdquo
But it wasnrsquot a dog It was something awful that shersquod never
seen before
Before she could scream something rammed into her hard and
dense like a cannonball to the ribs Her head smacked the pave-
ment her elbow skinned across asphalt The not-a-dog was heavy
on top of her a horrible squirming four-legged thing the size of
a German shepherd with a head like a protruding tumor and limbs
covered in naked ropes of salmon-colored muscle
Bailey scrambled under it the world spinning from alcohol and
adrenaline The thing was pawing at her with stubby feet and she
couldnrsquot keep it off couldnrsquot wrestle away couldnrsquot escapeOh God she thought Irsquom going to die Here on the streets of
Ravenswood less than half a mile from where shersquod grown up less
than half a block from where shersquod just scrubbed a toilet
No Bailey thought No No The slimy weight on her chest
was too heavy for her to draw breath for a scream and the world
was going fuzzy around her God no This was how it ended not
with a bang but with a minimum-wage job and a heap of student
debt Bailey cringed and with all her dizzied nauseated might she
mustered up one stupid single and probably 1047297nal thought
Fuck That Shit
And she kicked Hard
It worked She pushed the thing away with the soles of her
sneakers and before she had time to think sprang to her feet closed
her eyes and threw the hardest punch of her life
It was ugly and clumsy and her 1047297st hooked around the thingrsquos
side instead of slamming it head-on But her knuckles met 1047298esh and
in a spray of black blood its head caved in like a rotted pumpkin
ldquoShitrdquo Bailey yelped and leapt back The remains of the an-
imal-thingrsquos body splatted to the concrete Smoke curled up from
the edges of its limbs as if it were a leaf catching 1047297re and the night
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1719
27
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
air 1047297lled with a thick chemical stench Bailey coughed shielding her
eyes and before she even had time to worry about how to scrape
the nasty mess off the pavement the thingrsquos body collapsed with an
abrupt squelch
Bailey jumped back from the puddle out of the street and cast
around wildly for something else A pack A 1047298ock Another pair of
yellow eyes But she saw nothing Just a quiet street and a 1047297zzing
pool of dead-smelling something
She clamped her bloodstained hands over her mouth and
smothered a scream The screwdriver roiled inside her Her arms
and legs shook like it was below freezing and her heart squeezed
painfully with every breathShe wasnrsquot safe She wasnrsquot safe and she was going to be sick
Terri1047297ed and trembling Bailey did what she apparently did
best she 1047298ed back home
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1819
$ ()+ - )0)1234
The Screwdriver $amp () +amp $-(- () (0+ 1+ampamp+$ 1-$(+amp+$
$ampamp ()(ampamp )amp++ -(
0 1234 )amp++ 256-(47 83ampamp 28
927
$ampamp 4lt55) -26-(47+ 28
)amp++ -( 245) =3gt -4 25 57 +49
20+ 3$+4$+$ )amp+ )5 1-$(+ampamp6 7)( 1-3 -amp 8+58 3)3(-9 20)80 )amp+ 3-ampamp)( )+$+ (0+ 7)$
(-amp3+ )5 - lt83 7amp -amp - )) 0+-$( amp (0+ 5+ )5 - 1-$(+amp+$= )33-)amp -$+ 40+amp (0+ 1+( ()amp3 8$+ 1$-4amp9 gtamp
(0 +-$(7+amp(= (0+ 3$+4$+$ $+7-amp 8amp7-(30+9-$(+amp+$ 5-)$ (0 3)3(- 5)$ 7$- $+-)amp9 gt( amp
$++amp( -$+ 5+4= 30+-= -amp +- )1(-amp-1+ amp - 18( (0+7)( $+7)(+ -3+9 gt( 3-amp 1+ 7A+ lt83= amp (0+ ++amp( (0-()amp+ 0- 1++amp 3-80( 5-(5))(+ 40+ -) 1+amp 3)amp+amp+amp( 4(0amp -$76 $+-30 )5 - 58 ()3+ 1-$9 amp (0)80 (0+-1(+ $-amp(+ 1 (0+ $)+$ $+-$-()amp )5 )(0+$ 1-()amp7- $+lt8$+ +-$ )5 (+- $-3(3+ () 7-(+$= $amp+$ )5 (0+
3$+4$+$ 0-+ 5)8amp (0-( 0((amp (0amp +$ 0-$ amp (0+5-3+ 8amp( (0+ + $-(0+$ ($-0(5)$4-$9
( 15 4Bamp5)$(8amp-(+= $+3)$ )5 )- amp (0+ $+-3)8( +$- -$+-$+C 0)4++$= ( 8+ amp)4amp () -(+ 1-3 () -( +-( (0+
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1919
$ ()+ - )0)1234
$ () +$ )-+$)) $ 0+1$ )$)2 + 345+$( 4612467)$8 942 2+7+6+lt) 40 () =6$$+ $ gt)1
$ ()A)2455BA() 45B (+C 4 4 4lt+)D5lt+ 7) 4 5)lt) ()+1 (47)$ + () 2)2 40 +)1 5) 54)4 (6 E145+C 1)7)$8 F12++455B 2+$+55)2 0147 $6CG1G1+( )1)5 C1+$ 41 E44)$ lt42 5$4 0462 $)42G1B 7)2++5 6$) $ 1)$41+lt) H6 lt+) +$ $1)C()+C
E14E)1+)$ I)+C 7+$) 041 ()5+C 4)$834$GJ546 lt42 0462 +$ B 4 K7)1+ $(41)$ +
() $225)IC$ 40 () 345+$( lt5+)1 L$+7+1 365$+ (4 )G461C)2 +$ I+I65+4 74C$ () lt51B7) () 1+)2 40+C( + () K7)1+ =)lt456+48 F(46C( () )-E1)$$5B 041GI2) +$ 6$) + 4E) I5) (+$ (41$)7) 4652 01)H6)5B I)2+$E()2 +( 1+4$ 40 lt42 4 E145 () 01+C)$ 40 (+$)7E7)$ 2 144 46 561+C 1)7)$8
125 67)04
F() 54C+$+5 2+00+65B 40 E1426+C 7$$ H6++)$ 40 41GC) M6+) $+2)5+)2 +$ 6$) 041 7B B)1$ $ I1)2+C61+4$+B 2 5+5) )5$)8 N $O 6+5 () 7+2G)+)()61B 2 () 2lt) 40 +2)$E1)2 1)01+C)1)2 16+C$B$)7$ ( I1)2)1$ )1) I5) 4 +41E41) + 1)C6515B+4 ()+1 1)E)14+1)$8 P41 I)$ 1)$65$ 01)$(G$H6))Q)2 M6+) +$1)477)2)2R +0 4) +$ lt+5I5) )2 41C) M6+) +(+$ (+C()1 lt+7+ L 4) +$ E1)0)1I5) 4 $212 C14G
)1B I45)$ 41 14$8 N +$ 64 (4 1))2 (+$ E1+G 651 47I++4 I6 () 7) gt$1)21+lt)1 $ 4+)2 IBP1)2)1+ S))2$ P541+2 I1)2)1 (4 5+7)2 ( () 6$)2() 21+ 4 ()5E (+7 1)74lt) 0147 (+$ I4 (+( $1) ((2 16$)2 +4 E5)8
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1519
25
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
behind small well-kept lawns and raised front porches Everywhere
people hung up the city 1047298ag of Chicagomdashtwo blue stripes on white
with four red stars in the middlemdashas if city hall was afraid that peo-
ple this far north would forget where they were living
As Bailey turned onto Leland she felt the hairs prick on the
back of her neck She wasnrsquot weird about walking by herselfmdash
this was her home turf after all and she possessed an above-aver-
age amount of street smarts thanks to a mandatory girls-only ses-
sion during orientation week called ldquoSisters Self-Defendinrsquo It for
Ourselvesrdquo But while Damen was the main drag with streetlights
and shop windows and potential witnesses Leland was more seclud-
ed especially after last call Despite the warm September night sheshivered and quickened her pace glancing over her shoulder No
onersquos there she told herself Just a few more blocks
But the more she walked the more certain she was that she
was hearing something a skittering noise down the block some-
thing rustling through the leaves on the ground Bailey thought it
was probably a rat or a raccoon but then again she wasnrsquot sure she
knew this neighborhood anymore Maybe there were muggers now
Vaguely recalling her instructorrsquos method for self-defendinrsquo it Bailey
whipped out her keys brandishing them like tiny daggers between
her knuckles
ldquoI can hear yourdquo she said a little shakily ldquoI know yoursquore thererdquo
Con 1047297dence lets your attacker know yoursquore not an easy target the
instructor had told them Remember the acronym S-A-F-E stay alert
announce f-something
Shit what was F Focus Well she was trying to Bailey pivoted
but saw nothing distinct enough to focus on
But she could hear it
And then it came out of the darkness Whatever was following
her wasnrsquot just another hungover coed in gym shorts It didnrsquot even
look human too low to the ground eyes too yellow Glowing yellow
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1619
983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
26
ldquoGood boyrdquo Bailey said keys held high ldquoNice bmdashrdquo
But it wasnrsquot a dog It was something awful that shersquod never
seen before
Before she could scream something rammed into her hard and
dense like a cannonball to the ribs Her head smacked the pave-
ment her elbow skinned across asphalt The not-a-dog was heavy
on top of her a horrible squirming four-legged thing the size of
a German shepherd with a head like a protruding tumor and limbs
covered in naked ropes of salmon-colored muscle
Bailey scrambled under it the world spinning from alcohol and
adrenaline The thing was pawing at her with stubby feet and she
couldnrsquot keep it off couldnrsquot wrestle away couldnrsquot escapeOh God she thought Irsquom going to die Here on the streets of
Ravenswood less than half a mile from where shersquod grown up less
than half a block from where shersquod just scrubbed a toilet
No Bailey thought No No The slimy weight on her chest
was too heavy for her to draw breath for a scream and the world
was going fuzzy around her God no This was how it ended not
with a bang but with a minimum-wage job and a heap of student
debt Bailey cringed and with all her dizzied nauseated might she
mustered up one stupid single and probably 1047297nal thought
Fuck That Shit
And she kicked Hard
It worked She pushed the thing away with the soles of her
sneakers and before she had time to think sprang to her feet closed
her eyes and threw the hardest punch of her life
It was ugly and clumsy and her 1047297st hooked around the thingrsquos
side instead of slamming it head-on But her knuckles met 1047298esh and
in a spray of black blood its head caved in like a rotted pumpkin
ldquoShitrdquo Bailey yelped and leapt back The remains of the an-
imal-thingrsquos body splatted to the concrete Smoke curled up from
the edges of its limbs as if it were a leaf catching 1047297re and the night
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1719
27
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
air 1047297lled with a thick chemical stench Bailey coughed shielding her
eyes and before she even had time to worry about how to scrape
the nasty mess off the pavement the thingrsquos body collapsed with an
abrupt squelch
Bailey jumped back from the puddle out of the street and cast
around wildly for something else A pack A 1047298ock Another pair of
yellow eyes But she saw nothing Just a quiet street and a 1047297zzing
pool of dead-smelling something
She clamped her bloodstained hands over her mouth and
smothered a scream The screwdriver roiled inside her Her arms
and legs shook like it was below freezing and her heart squeezed
painfully with every breathShe wasnrsquot safe She wasnrsquot safe and she was going to be sick
Terri1047297ed and trembling Bailey did what she apparently did
best she 1047298ed back home
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1819
$ ()+ - )0)1234
The Screwdriver $amp () +amp $-(- () (0+ 1+ampamp+$ 1-$(+amp+$
$ampamp ()(ampamp )amp++ -(
0 1234 )amp++ 256-(47 83ampamp 28
927
$ampamp 4lt55) -26-(47+ 28
)amp++ -( 245) =3gt -4 25 57 +49
20+ 3$+4$+$ )amp+ )5 1-$(+ampamp6 7)( 1-3 -amp 8+58 3)3(-9 20)80 )amp+ 3-ampamp)( )+$+ (0+ 7)$
(-amp3+ )5 - lt83 7amp -amp - )) 0+-$( amp (0+ 5+ )5 - 1-$(+amp+$= )33-)amp -$+ 40+amp (0+ 1+( ()amp3 8$+ 1$-4amp9 gtamp
(0 +-$(7+amp(= (0+ 3$+4$+$ $+7-amp 8amp7-(30+9-$(+amp+$ 5-)$ (0 3)3(- 5)$ 7$- $+-)amp9 gt( amp
$++amp( -$+ 5+4= 30+-= -amp +- )1(-amp-1+ amp - 18( (0+7)( $+7)(+ -3+9 gt( 3-amp 1+ 7A+ lt83= amp (0+ ++amp( (0-()amp+ 0- 1++amp 3-80( 5-(5))(+ 40+ -) 1+amp 3)amp+amp+amp( 4(0amp -$76 $+-30 )5 - 58 ()3+ 1-$9 amp (0)80 (0+-1(+ $-amp(+ 1 (0+ $)+$ $+-$-()amp )5 )(0+$ 1-()amp7- $+lt8$+ +-$ )5 (+- $-3(3+ () 7-(+$= $amp+$ )5 (0+
3$+4$+$ 0-+ 5)8amp (0-( 0((amp (0amp +$ 0-$ amp (0+5-3+ 8amp( (0+ + $-(0+$ ($-0(5)$4-$9
( 15 4Bamp5)$(8amp-(+= $+3)$ )5 )- amp (0+ $+-3)8( +$- -$+-$+C 0)4++$= ( 8+ amp)4amp () -(+ 1-3 () -( +-( (0+
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1919
$ ()+ - )0)1234
$ () +$ )-+$)) $ 0+1$ )$)2 + 345+$( 4612467)$8 942 2+7+6+lt) 40 () =6$$+ $ gt)1
$ ()A)2455BA() 45B (+C 4 4 4lt+)D5lt+ 7) 4 5)lt) ()+1 (47)$ + () 2)2 40 +)1 5) 54)4 (6 E145+C 1)7)$8 F12++455B 2+$+55)2 0147 $6CG1G1+( )1)5 C1+$ 41 E44)$ lt42 5$4 0462 $)42G1B 7)2++5 6$) $ 1)$41+lt) H6 lt+) +$ $1)C()+C
E14E)1+)$ I)+C 7+$) 041 ()5+C 4)$834$GJ546 lt42 0462 +$ B 4 K7)1+ $(41)$ +
() $225)IC$ 40 () 345+$( lt5+)1 L$+7+1 365$+ (4 )G461C)2 +$ I+I65+4 74C$ () lt51B7) () 1+)2 40+C( + () K7)1+ =)lt456+48 F(46C( () )-E1)$$5B 041GI2) +$ 6$) + 4E) I5) (+$ (41$)7) 4652 01)H6)5B I)2+$E()2 +( 1+4$ 40 lt42 4 E145 () 01+C)$ 40 (+$)7E7)$ 2 144 46 561+C 1)7)$8
125 67)04
F() 54C+$+5 2+00+65B 40 E1426+C 7$$ H6++)$ 40 41GC) M6+) $+2)5+)2 +$ 6$) 041 7B B)1$ $ I1)2+C61+4$+B 2 5+5) )5$)8 N $O 6+5 () 7+2G)+)()61B 2 () 2lt) 40 +2)$E1)2 1)01+C)1)2 16+C$B$)7$ ( I1)2)1$ )1) I5) 4 +41E41) + 1)C6515B+4 ()+1 1)E)14+1)$8 P41 I)$ 1)$65$ 01)$(G$H6))Q)2 M6+) +$1)477)2)2R +0 4) +$ lt+5I5) )2 41C) M6+) +(+$ (+C()1 lt+7+ L 4) +$ E1)0)1I5) 4 $212 C14G
)1B I45)$ 41 14$8 N +$ 64 (4 1))2 (+$ E1+G 651 47I++4 I6 () 7) gt$1)21+lt)1 $ 4+)2 IBP1)2)1+ S))2$ P541+2 I1)2)1 (4 5+7)2 ( () 6$)2() 21+ 4 ()5E (+7 1)74lt) 0147 (+$ I4 (+( $1) ((2 16$)2 +4 E5)8
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1619
983152983137983157983148 983147983154983157983141983143983141983154
26
ldquoGood boyrdquo Bailey said keys held high ldquoNice bmdashrdquo
But it wasnrsquot a dog It was something awful that shersquod never
seen before
Before she could scream something rammed into her hard and
dense like a cannonball to the ribs Her head smacked the pave-
ment her elbow skinned across asphalt The not-a-dog was heavy
on top of her a horrible squirming four-legged thing the size of
a German shepherd with a head like a protruding tumor and limbs
covered in naked ropes of salmon-colored muscle
Bailey scrambled under it the world spinning from alcohol and
adrenaline The thing was pawing at her with stubby feet and she
couldnrsquot keep it off couldnrsquot wrestle away couldnrsquot escapeOh God she thought Irsquom going to die Here on the streets of
Ravenswood less than half a mile from where shersquod grown up less
than half a block from where shersquod just scrubbed a toilet
No Bailey thought No No The slimy weight on her chest
was too heavy for her to draw breath for a scream and the world
was going fuzzy around her God no This was how it ended not
with a bang but with a minimum-wage job and a heap of student
debt Bailey cringed and with all her dizzied nauseated might she
mustered up one stupid single and probably 1047297nal thought
Fuck That Shit
And she kicked Hard
It worked She pushed the thing away with the soles of her
sneakers and before she had time to think sprang to her feet closed
her eyes and threw the hardest punch of her life
It was ugly and clumsy and her 1047297st hooked around the thingrsquos
side instead of slamming it head-on But her knuckles met 1047298esh and
in a spray of black blood its head caved in like a rotted pumpkin
ldquoShitrdquo Bailey yelped and leapt back The remains of the an-
imal-thingrsquos body splatted to the concrete Smoke curled up from
the edges of its limbs as if it were a leaf catching 1047297re and the night
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1719
27
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
air 1047297lled with a thick chemical stench Bailey coughed shielding her
eyes and before she even had time to worry about how to scrape
the nasty mess off the pavement the thingrsquos body collapsed with an
abrupt squelch
Bailey jumped back from the puddle out of the street and cast
around wildly for something else A pack A 1047298ock Another pair of
yellow eyes But she saw nothing Just a quiet street and a 1047297zzing
pool of dead-smelling something
She clamped her bloodstained hands over her mouth and
smothered a scream The screwdriver roiled inside her Her arms
and legs shook like it was below freezing and her heart squeezed
painfully with every breathShe wasnrsquot safe She wasnrsquot safe and she was going to be sick
Terri1047297ed and trembling Bailey did what she apparently did
best she 1047298ed back home
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1819
$ ()+ - )0)1234
The Screwdriver $amp () +amp $-(- () (0+ 1+ampamp+$ 1-$(+amp+$
$ampamp ()(ampamp )amp++ -(
0 1234 )amp++ 256-(47 83ampamp 28
927
$ampamp 4lt55) -26-(47+ 28
)amp++ -( 245) =3gt -4 25 57 +49
20+ 3$+4$+$ )amp+ )5 1-$(+ampamp6 7)( 1-3 -amp 8+58 3)3(-9 20)80 )amp+ 3-ampamp)( )+$+ (0+ 7)$
(-amp3+ )5 - lt83 7amp -amp - )) 0+-$( amp (0+ 5+ )5 - 1-$(+amp+$= )33-)amp -$+ 40+amp (0+ 1+( ()amp3 8$+ 1$-4amp9 gtamp
(0 +-$(7+amp(= (0+ 3$+4$+$ $+7-amp 8amp7-(30+9-$(+amp+$ 5-)$ (0 3)3(- 5)$ 7$- $+-)amp9 gt( amp
$++amp( -$+ 5+4= 30+-= -amp +- )1(-amp-1+ amp - 18( (0+7)( $+7)(+ -3+9 gt( 3-amp 1+ 7A+ lt83= amp (0+ ++amp( (0-()amp+ 0- 1++amp 3-80( 5-(5))(+ 40+ -) 1+amp 3)amp+amp+amp( 4(0amp -$76 $+-30 )5 - 58 ()3+ 1-$9 amp (0)80 (0+-1(+ $-amp(+ 1 (0+ $)+$ $+-$-()amp )5 )(0+$ 1-()amp7- $+lt8$+ +-$ )5 (+- $-3(3+ () 7-(+$= $amp+$ )5 (0+
3$+4$+$ 0-+ 5)8amp (0-( 0((amp (0amp +$ 0-$ amp (0+5-3+ 8amp( (0+ + $-(0+$ ($-0(5)$4-$9
( 15 4Bamp5)$(8amp-(+= $+3)$ )5 )- amp (0+ $+-3)8( +$- -$+-$+C 0)4++$= ( 8+ amp)4amp () -(+ 1-3 () -( +-( (0+
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1919
$ ()+ - )0)1234
$ () +$ )-+$)) $ 0+1$ )$)2 + 345+$( 4612467)$8 942 2+7+6+lt) 40 () =6$$+ $ gt)1
$ ()A)2455BA() 45B (+C 4 4 4lt+)D5lt+ 7) 4 5)lt) ()+1 (47)$ + () 2)2 40 +)1 5) 54)4 (6 E145+C 1)7)$8 F12++455B 2+$+55)2 0147 $6CG1G1+( )1)5 C1+$ 41 E44)$ lt42 5$4 0462 $)42G1B 7)2++5 6$) $ 1)$41+lt) H6 lt+) +$ $1)C()+C
E14E)1+)$ I)+C 7+$) 041 ()5+C 4)$834$GJ546 lt42 0462 +$ B 4 K7)1+ $(41)$ +
() $225)IC$ 40 () 345+$( lt5+)1 L$+7+1 365$+ (4 )G461C)2 +$ I+I65+4 74C$ () lt51B7) () 1+)2 40+C( + () K7)1+ =)lt456+48 F(46C( () )-E1)$$5B 041GI2) +$ 6$) + 4E) I5) (+$ (41$)7) 4652 01)H6)5B I)2+$E()2 +( 1+4$ 40 lt42 4 E145 () 01+C)$ 40 (+$)7E7)$ 2 144 46 561+C 1)7)$8
125 67)04
F() 54C+$+5 2+00+65B 40 E1426+C 7$$ H6++)$ 40 41GC) M6+) $+2)5+)2 +$ 6$) 041 7B B)1$ $ I1)2+C61+4$+B 2 5+5) )5$)8 N $O 6+5 () 7+2G)+)()61B 2 () 2lt) 40 +2)$E1)2 1)01+C)1)2 16+C$B$)7$ ( I1)2)1$ )1) I5) 4 +41E41) + 1)C6515B+4 ()+1 1)E)14+1)$8 P41 I)$ 1)$65$ 01)$(G$H6))Q)2 M6+) +$1)477)2)2R +0 4) +$ lt+5I5) )2 41C) M6+) +(+$ (+C()1 lt+7+ L 4) +$ E1)0)1I5) 4 $212 C14G
)1B I45)$ 41 14$8 N +$ 64 (4 1))2 (+$ E1+G 651 47I++4 I6 () 7) gt$1)21+lt)1 $ 4+)2 IBP1)2)1+ S))2$ P541+2 I1)2)1 (4 5+7)2 ( () 6$)2() 21+ 4 ()5E (+7 1)74lt) 0147 (+$ I4 (+( $1) ((2 16$)2 +4 E5)8
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1719
27
983148983137983155983156 983139983137983148983148 983137983156 983156983144983141 983150983145983143983144983156983155983144983137983140983141 983148983151983157983150983143983141
air 1047297lled with a thick chemical stench Bailey coughed shielding her
eyes and before she even had time to worry about how to scrape
the nasty mess off the pavement the thingrsquos body collapsed with an
abrupt squelch
Bailey jumped back from the puddle out of the street and cast
around wildly for something else A pack A 1047298ock Another pair of
yellow eyes But she saw nothing Just a quiet street and a 1047297zzing
pool of dead-smelling something
She clamped her bloodstained hands over her mouth and
smothered a scream The screwdriver roiled inside her Her arms
and legs shook like it was below freezing and her heart squeezed
painfully with every breathShe wasnrsquot safe She wasnrsquot safe and she was going to be sick
Terri1047297ed and trembling Bailey did what she apparently did
best she 1047298ed back home
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1819
$ ()+ - )0)1234
The Screwdriver $amp () +amp $-(- () (0+ 1+ampamp+$ 1-$(+amp+$
$ampamp ()(ampamp )amp++ -(
0 1234 )amp++ 256-(47 83ampamp 28
927
$ampamp 4lt55) -26-(47+ 28
)amp++ -( 245) =3gt -4 25 57 +49
20+ 3$+4$+$ )amp+ )5 1-$(+ampamp6 7)( 1-3 -amp 8+58 3)3(-9 20)80 )amp+ 3-ampamp)( )+$+ (0+ 7)$
(-amp3+ )5 - lt83 7amp -amp - )) 0+-$( amp (0+ 5+ )5 - 1-$(+amp+$= )33-)amp -$+ 40+amp (0+ 1+( ()amp3 8$+ 1$-4amp9 gtamp
(0 +-$(7+amp(= (0+ 3$+4$+$ $+7-amp 8amp7-(30+9-$(+amp+$ 5-)$ (0 3)3(- 5)$ 7$- $+-)amp9 gt( amp
$++amp( -$+ 5+4= 30+-= -amp +- )1(-amp-1+ amp - 18( (0+7)( $+7)(+ -3+9 gt( 3-amp 1+ 7A+ lt83= amp (0+ ++amp( (0-()amp+ 0- 1++amp 3-80( 5-(5))(+ 40+ -) 1+amp 3)amp+amp+amp( 4(0amp -$76 $+-30 )5 - 58 ()3+ 1-$9 amp (0)80 (0+-1(+ $-amp(+ 1 (0+ $)+$ $+-$-()amp )5 )(0+$ 1-()amp7- $+lt8$+ +-$ )5 (+- $-3(3+ () 7-(+$= $amp+$ )5 (0+
3$+4$+$ 0-+ 5)8amp (0-( 0((amp (0amp +$ 0-$ amp (0+5-3+ 8amp( (0+ + $-(0+$ ($-0(5)$4-$9
( 15 4Bamp5)$(8amp-(+= $+3)$ )5 )- amp (0+ $+-3)8( +$- -$+-$+C 0)4++$= ( 8+ amp)4amp () -(+ 1-3 () -( +-( (0+
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1919
$ ()+ - )0)1234
$ () +$ )-+$)) $ 0+1$ )$)2 + 345+$( 4612467)$8 942 2+7+6+lt) 40 () =6$$+ $ gt)1
$ ()A)2455BA() 45B (+C 4 4 4lt+)D5lt+ 7) 4 5)lt) ()+1 (47)$ + () 2)2 40 +)1 5) 54)4 (6 E145+C 1)7)$8 F12++455B 2+$+55)2 0147 $6CG1G1+( )1)5 C1+$ 41 E44)$ lt42 5$4 0462 $)42G1B 7)2++5 6$) $ 1)$41+lt) H6 lt+) +$ $1)C()+C
E14E)1+)$ I)+C 7+$) 041 ()5+C 4)$834$GJ546 lt42 0462 +$ B 4 K7)1+ $(41)$ +
() $225)IC$ 40 () 345+$( lt5+)1 L$+7+1 365$+ (4 )G461C)2 +$ I+I65+4 74C$ () lt51B7) () 1+)2 40+C( + () K7)1+ =)lt456+48 F(46C( () )-E1)$$5B 041GI2) +$ 6$) + 4E) I5) (+$ (41$)7) 4652 01)H6)5B I)2+$E()2 +( 1+4$ 40 lt42 4 E145 () 01+C)$ 40 (+$)7E7)$ 2 144 46 561+C 1)7)$8
125 67)04
F() 54C+$+5 2+00+65B 40 E1426+C 7$$ H6++)$ 40 41GC) M6+) $+2)5+)2 +$ 6$) 041 7B B)1$ $ I1)2+C61+4$+B 2 5+5) )5$)8 N $O 6+5 () 7+2G)+)()61B 2 () 2lt) 40 +2)$E1)2 1)01+C)1)2 16+C$B$)7$ ( I1)2)1$ )1) I5) 4 +41E41) + 1)C6515B+4 ()+1 1)E)14+1)$8 P41 I)$ 1)$65$ 01)$(G$H6))Q)2 M6+) +$1)477)2)2R +0 4) +$ lt+5I5) )2 41C) M6+) +(+$ (+C()1 lt+7+ L 4) +$ E1)0)1I5) 4 $212 C14G
)1B I45)$ 41 14$8 N +$ 64 (4 1))2 (+$ E1+G 651 47I++4 I6 () 7) gt$1)21+lt)1 $ 4+)2 IBP1)2)1+ S))2$ P541+2 I1)2)1 (4 5+7)2 ( () 6$)2() 21+ 4 ()5E (+7 1)74lt) 0147 (+$ I4 (+( $1) ((2 16$)2 +4 E5)8
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1819
$ ()+ - )0)1234
The Screwdriver $amp () +amp $-(- () (0+ 1+ampamp+$ 1-$(+amp+$
$ampamp ()(ampamp )amp++ -(
0 1234 )amp++ 256-(47 83ampamp 28
927
$ampamp 4lt55) -26-(47+ 28
)amp++ -( 245) =3gt -4 25 57 +49
20+ 3$+4$+$ )amp+ )5 1-$(+ampamp6 7)( 1-3 -amp 8+58 3)3(-9 20)80 )amp+ 3-ampamp)( )+$+ (0+ 7)$
(-amp3+ )5 - lt83 7amp -amp - )) 0+-$( amp (0+ 5+ )5 - 1-$(+amp+$= )33-)amp -$+ 40+amp (0+ 1+( ()amp3 8$+ 1$-4amp9 gtamp
(0 +-$(7+amp(= (0+ 3$+4$+$ $+7-amp 8amp7-(30+9-$(+amp+$ 5-)$ (0 3)3(- 5)$ 7$- $+-)amp9 gt( amp
$++amp( -$+ 5+4= 30+-= -amp +- )1(-amp-1+ amp - 18( (0+7)( $+7)(+ -3+9 gt( 3-amp 1+ 7A+ lt83= amp (0+ ++amp( (0-()amp+ 0- 1++amp 3-80( 5-(5))(+ 40+ -) 1+amp 3)amp+amp+amp( 4(0amp -$76 $+-30 )5 - 58 ()3+ 1-$9 amp (0)80 (0+-1(+ $-amp(+ 1 (0+ $)+$ $+-$-()amp )5 )(0+$ 1-()amp7- $+lt8$+ +-$ )5 (+- $-3(3+ () 7-(+$= $amp+$ )5 (0+
3$+4$+$ 0-+ 5)8amp (0-( 0((amp (0amp +$ 0-$ amp (0+5-3+ 8amp( (0+ + $-(0+$ ($-0(5)$4-$9
( 15 4Bamp5)$(8amp-(+= $+3)$ )5 )- amp (0+ $+-3)8( +$- -$+-$+C 0)4++$= ( 8+ amp)4amp () -(+ 1-3 () -( +-( (0+
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1919
$ ()+ - )0)1234
$ () +$ )-+$)) $ 0+1$ )$)2 + 345+$( 4612467)$8 942 2+7+6+lt) 40 () =6$$+ $ gt)1
$ ()A)2455BA() 45B (+C 4 4 4lt+)D5lt+ 7) 4 5)lt) ()+1 (47)$ + () 2)2 40 +)1 5) 54)4 (6 E145+C 1)7)$8 F12++455B 2+$+55)2 0147 $6CG1G1+( )1)5 C1+$ 41 E44)$ lt42 5$4 0462 $)42G1B 7)2++5 6$) $ 1)$41+lt) H6 lt+) +$ $1)C()+C
E14E)1+)$ I)+C 7+$) 041 ()5+C 4)$834$GJ546 lt42 0462 +$ B 4 K7)1+ $(41)$ +
() $225)IC$ 40 () 345+$( lt5+)1 L$+7+1 365$+ (4 )G461C)2 +$ I+I65+4 74C$ () lt51B7) () 1+)2 40+C( + () K7)1+ =)lt456+48 F(46C( () )-E1)$$5B 041GI2) +$ 6$) + 4E) I5) (+$ (41$)7) 4652 01)H6)5B I)2+$E()2 +( 1+4$ 40 lt42 4 E145 () 01+C)$ 40 (+$)7E7)$ 2 144 46 561+C 1)7)$8
125 67)04
F() 54C+$+5 2+00+65B 40 E1426+C 7$$ H6++)$ 40 41GC) M6+) $+2)5+)2 +$ 6$) 041 7B B)1$ $ I1)2+C61+4$+B 2 5+5) )5$)8 N $O 6+5 () 7+2G)+)()61B 2 () 2lt) 40 +2)$E1)2 1)01+C)1)2 16+C$B$)7$ ( I1)2)1$ )1) I5) 4 +41E41) + 1)C6515B+4 ()+1 1)E)14+1)$8 P41 I)$ 1)$65$ 01)$(G$H6))Q)2 M6+) +$1)477)2)2R +0 4) +$ lt+5I5) )2 41C) M6+) +(+$ (+C()1 lt+7+ L 4) +$ E1)0)1I5) 4 $212 C14G
)1B I45)$ 41 14$8 N +$ 64 (4 1))2 (+$ E1+G 651 47I++4 I6 () 7) gt$1)21+lt)1 $ 4+)2 IBP1)2)1+ S))2$ P541+2 I1)2)1 (4 5+7)2 ( () 6$)2() 21+ 4 ()5E (+7 1)74lt) 0147 (+$ I4 (+( $1) ((2 16$)2 +4 E5)8
7242019 Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Excerpt
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulllast-call-at-the-nightshade-lounge-excerpt 1919
$ ()+ - )0)1234
$ () +$ )-+$)) $ 0+1$ )$)2 + 345+$( 4612467)$8 942 2+7+6+lt) 40 () =6$$+ $ gt)1
$ ()A)2455BA() 45B (+C 4 4 4lt+)D5lt+ 7) 4 5)lt) ()+1 (47)$ + () 2)2 40 +)1 5) 54)4 (6 E145+C 1)7)$8 F12++455B 2+$+55)2 0147 $6CG1G1+( )1)5 C1+$ 41 E44)$ lt42 5$4 0462 $)42G1B 7)2++5 6$) $ 1)$41+lt) H6 lt+) +$ $1)C()+C
E14E)1+)$ I)+C 7+$) 041 ()5+C 4)$834$GJ546 lt42 0462 +$ B 4 K7)1+ $(41)$ +
() $225)IC$ 40 () 345+$( lt5+)1 L$+7+1 365$+ (4 )G461C)2 +$ I+I65+4 74C$ () lt51B7) () 1+)2 40+C( + () K7)1+ =)lt456+48 F(46C( () )-E1)$$5B 041GI2) +$ 6$) + 4E) I5) (+$ (41$)7) 4652 01)H6)5B I)2+$E()2 +( 1+4$ 40 lt42 4 E145 () 01+C)$ 40 (+$)7E7)$ 2 144 46 561+C 1)7)$8
125 67)04
F() 54C+$+5 2+00+65B 40 E1426+C 7$$ H6++)$ 40 41GC) M6+) $+2)5+)2 +$ 6$) 041 7B B)1$ $ I1)2+C61+4$+B 2 5+5) )5$)8 N $O 6+5 () 7+2G)+)()61B 2 () 2lt) 40 +2)$E1)2 1)01+C)1)2 16+C$B$)7$ ( I1)2)1$ )1) I5) 4 +41E41) + 1)C6515B+4 ()+1 1)E)14+1)$8 P41 I)$ 1)$65$ 01)$(G$H6))Q)2 M6+) +$1)477)2)2R +0 4) +$ lt+5I5) )2 41C) M6+) +(+$ (+C()1 lt+7+ L 4) +$ E1)0)1I5) 4 $212 C14G
)1B I45)$ 41 14$8 N +$ 64 (4 1))2 (+$ E1+G 651 47I++4 I6 () 7) gt$1)21+lt)1 $ 4+)2 IBP1)2)1+ S))2$ P541+2 I1)2)1 (4 5+7)2 ( () 6$)2() 21+ 4 ()5E (+7 1)74lt) 0147 (+$ I4 (+( $1) ((2 16$)2 +4 E5)8
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