From Lorenzo’s, Vicky and I were able to walk to Club Novus. It was only a few blocks down Main Street until we approached the club with its blue neon sign out front. The parking lot was packed, and it was around 9:30 p.m.

A tall and muscular bouncer stood in the front of the door, just below the neon sign with four lines forming each letter.

“May I help you two?” He asked, his voice hoarse and deep.

“Yes, we’d like to come inside,” Vicky said.

“I need to see an invitation.”

Vicky reached in her bag and pulled out the blue slip, and handed it to him.

“I need to see your ID as well.”

Vicky handed over her driver’s license. “This is my guest I’m bringing with me too.”

“I need to see your ID too, pal.”

I pulled out my driver’s license and handed it to him. He stared at both of them for a moment with a tiny flashlight before returning our IDs back to us. “Enjoy your evening.”

The bouncer unclipped the burgundy stanchion guarding the entrance to the three-story brick building.

We approached the dark blue metal doors, and I pulled them open, but they were heavy. It led us into a dark room only lit by a blue light bulb up above. There was no decoration, only another set of doors. I pulled those open, and we were immersed in the club.

Fog covered the entire place. Industrial music blasted through the speakers. People bobbed their heads and swayed in rhythm to the droning, overdriven, instrumental music. The dance floor had squares of light panels shining different colors. It was a rainbow of lights, but every other piece of light was bright blue. To the left was a massive bar, and there were semi-circular booths in the corners. Nearly every table was occupied and full. Servers walked around holding a tray of shot glasses, but the staff dressed in clothes that showed a lot of skin. Chiseled men showcasing their abs and muscles wore golden outfits barely covering their privates. The women wore similar outfits. I found one thing in particular abnormal; every single server was wearing a sizeable facial mask. A golden hawk face with gold spires coming out of the back, like an art deco sun.

“I feel like I’m in a strip club, but there aren’t any strippers,” I whispered to Vicky.

“This place is a lot different than I expected. I thought they’d be playing top 40 club music or something. Dance, or electronic, but this just sounds like audio distortion with a slow beat to it. And what’s with all the masks?”

A woman approached us, wearing tight golden strands that barely covered sensitive regions with a large golden mask. “Would you like table service? We have one booth left.”

“Yes, that would be great. Thank you,” I said.

The woman nodded and beckoned for us with her index finger.

We followed, and I noticed through the fog people gazed at us from the other booths. My spine tingled.

The hostess sat us at a booth. “What would you two like to drink?”

“Is there a menu?” Vicky asked.

“This must be your first time here. We specialize in cocktails. Would you like a house cocktail?” She asked.

“Sure, but what’s in it?”

The woman didn’t reply. She looked over at me. “And what would you like?”

“I would also like one of those house cocktails. But I’m curious to know what’s in it? Just in case I might have a food allergy to it,” I said.

Again, there was no reply, only a stoic stare from behind the mask. She turned to Vicky. “I prefer talking to you more. The house cocktail comes with a specialized vodka, a rare guava berry juice, and a homemade lime soda.”

“Great, that sounds delicious. I don’t think either of us has an allergy to that,” Vicky said, and she looked at me to confirm, and I nodded.

“Great, two cocktails coming up.” The server walked away, and I continued watching the people on the dance floor slowly rub themselves on each other with their eyes closed in delight.

“So, what do you think so far?” I asked and chuckled.

“It’s foggy.” Vicky laughed. “And loud, and debaucherous. You name it, they got it here.”

Thinking back on the interaction with the server, I remembered seeing something on her body that didn’t register with me. She had a tattoo.

“Did you notice that the server had a tattoo on her upper arm?” I asked.

“Yeah. I also noticed that she didn’t like you very much.” Vicky giggled.

“Yeah, I’m not sure what that’s about. I didn’t say anything wrong or to make some offensive gesture, did I?”

“Apparently, you did. But I didn’t notice it.”

“How strange. Did you get a chance to see what her tattoo was?”

“I think it was a three-headed dog.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

I thought about how the server at Buckwheat’s had a tattoo of Cerberus. I remembered her body type was similar to the woman I just saw.

“Do you know any of the servers at Buckwheat’s?”

“Not really.”

“I could have sworn I saw a waitress with the same tattoo at this morning.”

Vicky shrugged. “Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for people to have two jobs just so they can stay afloat.”

“Yeah, it’s unfortunate.”

There was a pause before Vicky said, “So, do you like this place at all?”

“No, not really. This wouldn’t be a hang-out spot for me. I will say it is interesting, though. Fun to people watch.”

The server came back to our table with two pink-colored drinks.

“Just so you’re aware, we don’t take card. Cash transactions only,” the server said while looking only at Vicky.

Why wouldn’t today accept credit cards when most places did?

“So, would you like to start a tab or pay as you go?”

“That’s no problem. Pay as we go.” I pulled out my wallet, with more than enough twenties to pay for an overpriced cocktail.

“That will be $10 each,” the server said.

I pulled out $30 and gave it to the server.

She slowly reached to grab it and tucked it into a band against her hip. Leaning her head close to me, she whispered, “Thank you, sweetheart.”

My skin tingled and I smiled in return as she pulled her head away.

The server left.

“You gave her a $10 tip?” Vicky asked.

“What else was I supposed to do?”

“I feel like she may have manipulated you. She admitted she didn’t like you, and you just gave her a large tip to try and create a different perception of yourself.”

“No, I would have tipped that amount regardless of how she talked to me.”

“Is it because of how she’s dressed?” Vicky snickered.

I smiled, embarrassed. “No, no, it’s not because of how she’s dressed. If it was a male server, I would have given him the same amount. Even if they were all wearing three layers of clothes, I’m just happy to be here, and I want to be invited again. There seems to be a lot going on here. I found these two out-of-towners, and they hung out with the owner in a private room and partied with him and his entourage. That’s what I want. I want that experience.”

“Why, though?”

“Leave no stone unturned. I haven’t seen anything weird that wants me to investigate more at all of the other places I’ve been to. The Painted Goose, maybe, but not quite like this place. There’s more here.”

“I just think you want to see more of the almost naked people.” Vicky cracked up.

I rolled my eyes, but deep down, I did think it was funny. Picking up my glass, I tapped my drink against hers.

“Cheers,” we both said at the same time.

I took a drink, an explosion of fruity flavor where I could barely taste the alcohol. Light carbonation as well. Incredibly refreshing.

“Wow, this is really good,” Vicky said.

“Delicious.”

We both took another drink.

“Ah, excuse me one moment.” Vicky reached into her handbag. “I just felt my phone buzz.” Her phone screen lit up her face, and she scrunched her brow. “Huh, it says I have a voicemail from my mom, but I never heard my phone buzz. Sorry, but I’m going to check the voicemail if you don’t mind.”

“Of course not, please, check it out.”

Vicky held the phone up to her face and stared off into a corner. She pursed her brow the entire time. Finally, she put the phone down and looked at me. “My grandpa had to be taken to the hospital tonight.”

“Oh no, I’m so sorry to hear that. Do you need to leave?”

Vicky nodded. “Look, I’m really sorry to leave so early, it’s been a lot of fun tonight, but I have to go.”

“I can come with you if you don’t want to be alone. At least let me walk you to your car.”

“You should stay here and investigate whatever you can. Because I think once you leave, you can’t come back in. You don’t have the slip anymore, nor me to come back in with you. I’d hate for your investigation to be interrupted by me. Families are relying on you.”

I didn’t respond. Vicky slid out of the booth and took her bag. “I’ll text you with updates, okay?”

“Sounds good. I’ll see you soon; have a goodnight. Can I give you a hug before you leave?”

“Sure.”

I stood up, and we hugged for a moment. I could smell her lavender-scented perfume. I wished time could freeze as I held her.

“I’ll see you soon,” Vicky said, and she walked away.

I sat back down into the booth and took a drink of my cocktail. As I watched the dance floor for a few minutes, the server came back up to my table, but instead of standing next to it, she took a seat across from me, where Vicky was sitting.

“Your friend left?” She asked.

“Unfortunately, she had to take care of some personal manners,” I said.

“That’s a shame.”

“Yeah, she’s going through a lot right now. I just hope things can start getting better for her soon.”

“I hope so too. So you’re still here, though?”

“Is that a problem?”

“Of course not. I want you to enjoy yourself while you’re here.” She took a drink of Vicky’s cocktail.

“Are you allowed to drink on the job here?”

“It might be frowned upon, but no one will know.”

“How long have you been working here?”

“Long enough.”

I didn’t know what that meant, but I didn’t bother following up. “Do you by chance work at Buckwheat’s as well?”

The server fell silent and took another drink from Vicky’s cocktail. She slid out of the booth and strolled away.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend.” My voice became quieter as I finished my sentence. She didn’t turn around and kept walking.

I focused on the dance floor as well as the booths around me. The people sitting down were having hushed conversations or silently leaning up against each other with a drink in their hand, looking like they were about to fall asleep. The dance floor had servers come up to random people to hold them by the hand and lead them to the back of the building, but it was so foggy I couldn’t see where they went. Certainly, it wasn’t an exit since there were no bright orange exit signs in sight, except for the main entrance.

I stood up to walk towards the dance floor and––

––I woke up in my bedroom at the inn. It took me a moment to realize where I was.

I’m in the inn at Wilton.

Yes, but how? How did I end up in my bedroom? Was I dreaming the entire time? What just happened?

I checked my phone on the nightstand next to me. It was charging, and it was 4:30 a.m.

Falling back on my pillow, I wondered what had happened.

The last solidified memory I could recall was approaching the dance floor at Club Novus.

But what happened after that? What the hell happened after that?