Chapter 197: Chapter 197

INT. - 27 CLUB - AFTERNOON

The 27 Club's back door was open, the rattle of beer bottles letting Gerri know she wasn't alone as she climbed the old, metal stairs and entered the dark hallway. Her eyes quickly adjusted from the bright, California morning to the gloom of the back entry, a red exit sign flickering overhead. The long, unhappy fluorescent did its job with halfhearted willingness.

Someone turned and yelped, making Gerri jump, hand falling on the butt of her gun. When the tall, skinny guy with the hipster beard and geek boy t-shirt stopped, panting out of fear, she flashed her badge.

"You scared the crap out of me." He shifted to the side from where he'd been stacking empty beer bottles out of the way. "Detective." An add-on, a bit more respectful.

"Sorry about that," she said, grinning. Was it wrong that tickled her funny bone? "Detective Geraldine Meyers."

"Nate Witten." He rubbed both palms on the legs of his jeans before shaking her hand. "Is Juliette okay?"