Chapter 11


Outside the 'Frog and Duck' the rain lashed down hard. Although it was draining away, the sheer ferocity of the downpour kept a couple of inches of water consistently covering every surface on the road. The street was deserted, with only the occasional person running for cover. Yet when lightning struck, the silhouette of a rather large man became visible, standing opposite the pub. The man had a long trench coat on, wore a fedora style hat and was carrying an old duffel bag in one hand. The fact that he seemed entirely nonplused by the rain suggested that he was an accustomed traveler, used to being outside, and didn't really care about the excessive amounts of water drenching him. His large, imposing figure simply stared at the warmth inside the pub. The same sign sat outside the entrance, displaying the words 'Karaoke tonight'. The man simply stared, observing the shadows of people moving about behind the windows, disrupting the orange glow from within. He pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket, took a quick glance at it, and walked in.
As would have been expected anywhere, the room fell silent as the figure of the stranger filled up the doorway and entered. He seemed to bring in half an ocean with him, each step creating a small pond in his wake. Glenda the barmaid look positively scared as the snarling, heavy footed beast of a man stepped up to the bar.
"W-w-what can I g-g-get you?" she trembled
The man took out the piece of paper again, and showed it to her. It was a photo of Dan.
"I'm looking for this man, have you seen him about?"
At first Glenda didn't recognize the photo, she simply snarled at the drenched man and curled her top lip. But upon closer inspection, her eyes widened as she remembered that fateful night.
"Him!" she gasped
"When did he come in here?"
"Just a few weeks ago, maybe a couple of months at the most. It was just the once but I'll never forget him. The locals here don't like anyone on their karaoke patch here, and they kind of er .. roughed him up a bit when he attempted to sing. If you can call it singing that is, his style was a bit more like screaming."
The stranger kept a straight face, "That's him all right, do you know where he is now?"
"No, we never saw him again after that night. I figure a man desperate enough to try taking karaoke in here must be a bit obsessed, try some of the other venues about here, he probably goes to one of those now."
"I have, yours was the last one. Thanks for your time Mam'" The stranger started to walk out of the bar, much to the relief of the local punters. Glenda, however, had started to take a shine to the mysterious stranger, as she usually did to any man that paid her attention. Her curling top lip was in full flow.
"Don't mention it darling. What do you need him for anyway?"
"We have unfinished business."
"Oh, okay, right. Hey, if you see him around tell him to call me!"
"Will do"
"If he ever comes back in, who shall I say is looking for him?"
"He won't, and you won't."
The mysterious stranger closed the door behind him, and stepped back out into the rain