"What can you tell us about her?" Sera started off "Do you know her parents?" She asked looking at the young man seating beside her.
He looked bartered and drowned, his face showed disappointment and most of all hatred. Sera could not tell if the hatred was for them who broke the news to him or for the killer who is yet to be arrested and tried for murdering a lady he loved.
"Dora lost her mother a few months ago and she doesn't talk about her dad that much." Abel replied. "She was a reserved person and liked to keep her private life private." HE concluded.
"Do you know any of her other friends anything to lead us to who her father is?" Dave asked.
"None that I know of, she practically had her life cut out for herself. She lived a partnered kind of life, 'Work and Home'."
They stared at each other for a while, trying to ignore the smell of the various meals being cooked at the restaurant. The delicious aroma Jason's tummy rumble but he needed to get something out from Abel. Abel was the only person who had met Dora alive, at least the only one they have found for now. There must be something he could give.
"Dora leaves down the road, do you think it will be helpful to look there?" Abel chipped in casually.
Jason face lit up at hearing what Abel had said. Why had he not thought of that, he never asked Abel where Dora had lived? That was very unusual. The aroma of fried turkey hit him again and he knew very well that he would not last a couple of more minutes under the torment.
"Can you take us to her apartment?" Jason said as he reached for his wallet. He dropped a five dollar bill on the table.
They walked out into the busy Julian Boulevard, the sun was not as hot anymore and the traffic was mild. A car was playing loud music a few distance away with teenagers smoking and drinking around it. Youthfulness, Jason thought, the biggest scam of all time.
Abel took them around the bend and they kept walking. The passed a hospital of about five floors, the sound of siren from an ambulance started off faintly then increase as the van came out of the hospitals parking lot and turned left towards Tampa on high speed. The whole area was active, Jason thought as they came to a building.
The building was painted brown and it had ten floors. It was anything exotic but it was decent and looked clean. It had an automatic jam lock that only an occupant of the building can let you in that is if you don't sneak in when the lock haven't jammed after someone leaves or enters the building. Their names and room numbers attached to the call button and each number dials the apartment that the number is attached to. Jason looked at the numbers and saw 27 attached to a name he had become accustomed with in the last few hours, Dorathy.
"The only way in is to call someone." Jason said and punched 26 McAnthony.
They waited for a while nobody answered, he stared at Sera who gave a sarcastic smile.
"Nobody home, try a different number." Sera suggested.
Jason punched in 28 Craig, and again they waited. There was footstep coming from the inside and laughter followed. The door clicked and opened from the inside and a guy and a lady of not more than 23 step out. They were busy with their conversation and laughter that they didn't notice the three people standing just outside the door. As they walked passed them Sera took one quick step and wedged the door from jamming up on them, with her feet.
"Sera to the rescue." Jason said and pulled the door open for her to go in, Abel followed and the Jason walked in and finally allowed the door jam again behind him.
They made their way into the lobby, there was a wall of mailboxes with numbers attached to them. On the wall facing the entrance, a wide notice board hung there with just on typed notice on it. Jason went closer and read it. It was a notice of power obstruction that will happen in two days' time, as a result of an installation. He led the way and they began the climb to the second floor.
At the second floor, Jason intended to lead them towards the left wing of the floor to search for apartment 27 but Sera nudged him to the right.
"The rooms where numbered in ascending order from the left to the right, we are in the middle of the long corridor and this room says 15, so our room should be on the right." Sera said and lead the way towards the right.
They followed the numbers till they stood in front of a door with a number attached to it, 27.
*******************
Daniel sat behind his seat a little tipsy now, he had watched his phone ring over and over again. Rita has been trying to get to him but he didn't have the courage to take the call. The police must have called her to ask verify his claim of being with her during the time of the murder and he feels ashamed of given her up so easily. He should have made up something, anything, but he didn't he chickened out and exposed his relationship with a woman married to one of the most dangerous men in Tampa.
Twice he had thought of running away, but he looked out of his window earlier and saw a police car parked beside his car. This could only mean one thing, he was being watched and monitored.
He reached for the bottle again and as he was about gulping from the bottle a knock came from behind his door and it opened, a young lady stepped in and was saying something before she stopped. She had noticed the rough state of Daniel and the bottle of Vodka in his hand.
"Is everything okay Boss?" She asked confused.
"Get out!" Daniel snapped at the woman and she quickly stepped out closing the door gently behind her.
Daniel stood up with a little effort and made his way to the window again, he almost tripped but he got his footing again leaning on the file cabinet. He open the blinds gradually and again he confirmed that the police car was still there. He went back to his seat and shrunk into it. He phone was ringing again and just like earlier, he ignored it.
**********************
Rahim stepped into La Tampa Club, he paused a bit to look around the dimly light 24 hour club. He wasn't tasty for a drink and if he wanted a drink LTC won't be his stop, Don will roll over in anger if he gets to find out his most trusted man dines in the company of his enemies.
LTC is one of Cash establishments, a front for the hidden activities that happen somewhere in this building. Don launders money and invests in shady deals through outfits like this but he never stops to tell himself the truth, they are all cut throats and sharks in a pond of sharks. It is a principle of eat or be eaten.
Rahim checked his wrist watch and it said, 4:35pm. He made his way to the VIP bar on the opposite side of the large room. He has passed through three unarmed guards at the entrance and he had spotted a few inside the main club floor. He made his way through people dancing on the floor and got to the stair case where he met with two arms guards. One of the stretched a palm to stop him and Rahim produced a VIP card that allowed the guards to wave him in. He smiled in his heart, if it were on a different circumstances, the guard would have lost that hand but he needed to get his information so that hand will have to wait.
He climbed the stairs from where he could see the entire club poll, there where sexy women everywhere, the elevated cages had hot ladies dancing erotically. The club was very active this late afternoon and it was just how it was every other hour of the day, 24 hour club house. He got to the VIP lounge and noticed a few VIP card holders. There was a table of about 5 men in suit, possible having a secret meeting. Other corners had rich men either getting lap dances or carelessly running his hands all over women. There were guards in the VIP two at the bar and one on every corner.
He walked to the bar and ordered for Cinnamon Fire Rum, and while the bar man was at it. Rahim looked around him and took in every detail and distance between the guards and the bar.
He took of his suit gradually and placed it around the tiny back rest of the bar high stool.
The bar man brought his drink and beckoned on him.
"Hey dude, I want to ask you a question." Rahim said unbuttoning his sleeves and folding them gradually, taken every bit of his time.
"Yeah, sure sir." The bar man came a bit closer to hear what the question was. The noise around them was exactly not conversation friendly.
"Where is Cash?" Rahim asked and took the glass cup in front of him and gulped the content at a go.
The expression of the bar man changed and he stepped away from the counter as he had lean forward earlier to hear what Rahim had to say.
"Sorry I didn't get that, what did you say?" The bar man asked. Standing straight
"I asked you where Cash was and I am sure you heard me, do I have to beat it out of you?" Rahim asked with an evil smile across his face.
"The bar man quickly reached under his counter and in a fast move grabbed at a shotgun, he quickly corked it and pointed the gun at Rahim.
"Who the hell are you?" The bar man asked. The guard standing a few meters away from the men having a meeting saw the bar man pull his short gun at the man folding his sleeves, he began to walk towards them while he radioed it in. At this point, the two guards at the far end started walking towards Rahim and the bar man, making the total of four guards who responded to the commotion.
Now Rahim was done neatly folding his white sleeves, he placed both hands on his waist as he stirred at the bar man with a wicked smile on his face.
"You shouldn't have done that." Rahim said and with the speed of light, he used his open left palm to jab the muzzle of the shotgun up while he slammed his right hand heavily on the side of the gun. The gun went off with a loud 'bang' and the particles dropped from the ceiling to the floor of the VIP lounge.
The loud music doused the sound of the gun shot but the other guest in the VIP saw the whole scene play out so most people dove to the ground while some tried to make it towards the exit.
Rahim had disarmed the bar man in a clean calculated attack, he grabbed at the surprised man and pulled him over the counter, he threw him at the hefty men running towards him from all direction. He counted eight of them now and he was sure more where bound to come. He did wait for the first man to get to him, Rahim dashed towards the man and forcefully leaped towards him with his knee locked at an angle ninety in front of him. He bashed the knee into the heavy guy who wasn't expecting it, the guy reeled with pain as the forced threw him backwards into the guard behind him. Rahim quickly got up and blocked a punch from one of the guards who attacked from behind, the guard threw another punch aiming at Rahim's ribs, which was also parried by Rahim. He grabbed the heavy man by the suit and gave him a head boot, the hit dazed the man but not enough to knock him out, and Rahim gave him an upper cut that threw the man onto one of the tables that was occupied a moment ago. The table broke under the weight of the guard and bottles scattered all over the place causing the guest who had dashed to the ground to scream for their lives.
Two guards attacked Rahim at same time, he blocked a few punches from the first guy the second guy landed on punch at the back of Rahim's head. He fell to the ground and rolled over expertly and got back on his feet. He grabbed one of the long stools and used it as a shield. The closest guard threw punches at him and he let the punches land, but not on his face, he positioned the metallic side of the stool to receive the hits from the guard. It quiet hurt the guard, as he bent down to nurse his knuckles, Rahim swung the stool on the back of the guards head and the guard dropped down permanently.
He looked around at the mess on the VIP wing, one of the guards was trying to get up but his unsteady hands failed him. Rahim walked towards him and stumped on the guards head, dashing it to the ground and the guard was out. He saw the shotgun beside the counter where it had fell from the grip of the bartender, he went and picked it up. He knew sooner than later armed guards will come running over. The guest who had ran out of the VIP would have attracted attention to the VIP lounge. Music still filled the whole place and people were having the fun of their lives down at the dance floor. He checked the gun and saw that only five round remained. The bartender shot once while he was trying to disarm him.
******Please make sure to read this story on Webnovel.com, if you are reading Murder at Dark from anywhere else then you are on a pirating website, do not accept to offer any kind of payment to such people as they are non-respectful of author's rights and i, as a writer am not benefiting from their schemes in any way possible.******