The Dead and the Dreamer

"You're the expert," John replied.

She smiled and looked down at her watch. The lights were too dim for John to see the expression on her face but he knew it was confusion. She was defiantly out of her realm of comfort. But being the beautiful trooper she was, she hung in there.

"I do know that they'll be coming in from that door," he told her pointing to the side of the stage. "That's the only access to the back stage area."

"How do you know?"

A waitress finally came by. She was a tall woman wearing clothes obviously belonging to a much shorter and trimmer woman. Tammy ordered a smart sounding mixed drink and John just ordered a draft beer.

"I've played here before. Hasn't changed much. The name was different then, though."

"Wasn't it some off the wall bar?"

"You don't think we'd ever play a good place, do you? We were heavy metal rockers back then. Long hair and the whole bit."

Her laugh came clearly over the loud music.

"It was called The Black Diamond back then," he said.

"That sounds like a nice place," she said. Her smile said she was not impressed a bit.

After fifteen minutes of listening to the music and watching teenagers come and go, laugh and talk, the music suddenly stopped and the stage lights flashed on green first and then red. John looked to the door he had told Tammy about. He was stunned to see Lt. Grimm slip out ahead of the band.

He elbowed Tammy gently and told her who the man was.

"Why is he here? Off duty security or something?"

"I wouldn't think so. He makes good money as a lieutenant. Let's watch and see."

"You sure he's who you think he is?" she asked. "It's dark in here."

John nodded.

The band started. They were pretty good and full of energy. The cute little woman singer could pull her weight. The guitar player even played a little saxophone on a couple of songs. The whole time they played John eyed Frank. The mysterious lieutenant had taken a table close to the stage door. He simply sat and watched the show. He did not even order a drink.

John ruled out Tammy's idea of off duty security. Bars usually had their own bouncers unless it was an unusually big act. In which case the band carried its own security team. Plus Frank was wearing his yuppie best. He sported a yellow collared Polo shirt and khakis.