Chapter Twenty-Six.

They decided that they would go back to the same bar, he would go earlier and get a table in the back, and she would come in later, in costume. She didn't know if it would work, but it was worth a try, that way, Jacob would be able to get a good look at the man.

It was getting late by now, she would have to hurry to get ready. Rushing home, she got into the same pair of pants that she had worn before and pulled on the boots. It took a while to get her hair pinned up. The wig gave her a hard time, it wasn't fitting properly, and it looked fake. She turned to her closet and found a tight fitting sweater and pulled it on over her head. She applied the make up and then tried the wig again. This time she managed to get it looking right.

She ran downstairs to meet the cab she had called earlier on her way home, nearly tripping several times with the silly boots she wore. The cab was waiting when she arrived at the bottom. She climbed into the cab and gave the driver the directions to the bar she wanted to go to.

The cab dropped her off in front of the nightclub and she pushed the door open, walking inside. She looked around before finding a seat at the bar and ordering a drink. There was a piano in the back corner that she hadn't noticed the last time she was here, and a man was sitting at it playing a song. She recognized the tune, but couldn't recall the name.

Dana started up a conversation with the man on the barstool next to her, casually chatting about mundane subjects like the weather. While she spoke, she occasionally sent a cursory glance around the room, watching for the tall bald man.

The man next to her bought her another drink as she finished the first. She had learned his name was Gary, he was an accountant and he loved piano music. Luckily for her, he seemed completely content to talk about himself. When he finally paused to take a drink, she excused herself to the restroom.

Jacob watched her as she flirted and talked with the guy next to her. He was surprised to find himself feeling jealous. He saw her get up and head to the restroom. He pushed his own chair out and stood up. Walking around the piano, he reached the restroom door at the same time she did.

"He'�s not here yet," she said. He nodded. "We can stay another hour, then maybe try again tomorrow. There's no way to tell if he's going to come back here anyway," he told her. She pulled the restroom door open, saying, "Yeah, okay."

She went inside and stood in front of the mirror to freshen up her make up. After using the toilet, she washed her hands and walked out, back to her seat next to Gary. She turned around on the seat so that she had her back to the bar and watched the people in the bar. Most of them were deep in conversations with each other, the random singles watching the piano player.

"So, do you come here a lot?" she asked him, knowing exactly how cliche it sounded. "A couple times a week, I guess," he answered her, "how about you?"

"This is only the second time I've been in here. But I like it," she told him. Dana had a thought occur to her.

"My cousin�s boyfriend comes in here a lot, maybe you've seen him?" she said, "I haven't seen them for a while, might be nice to run into him." "I might know him, what's he look like?" Gary asked.

"He's really tall, I come up to maybe his shoulder. He shaves his head too. He's got some kind of sun allergy, so he's really light skinned too." Dana was impressed with her own improvisational skills.

"That guy? He has a girlfriend?" Gary looked at her surprised. "I think you might want to tell your cousin that her boyfriend cheats on her a lot."

"Oh my god, you're kidding? You have seen him in here? Wow, I'm going to have to come back and see him sometime. Well," she stopped as she saw the look on Gary's face, "After I tell my cousin about what he's been doing."

"He usually comes in on Thursdays and sometimes Saturdays. He likes picking up women in here, I always see him leaving with someone different." Gary told her.

Dana picked up the rest of her drink and drained it. "No," she said when he started to wave to the bartender, "I need to get home, I work in the morning. But thanks, maybe I'll see you in here again." She smiled at him in her most convincing way, picked up her purse and walked to the door.

Jacob had gotten up as soon as he saw her pick up her purse and followed her out. They walked down the street together in silence for a block and then Dana slid her hand inside his arm, holding on to him.

"What happened?" he asked her. She told him what Gary had said to her and then asked him, "How many more are there? How many has he killed that haven"t been found?"

He heard the barest crack in her voice and realized that she was close to tears. He took his hand out of his pocket and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She was shaking, more from anger and frustration than from the chill evening.

"Come on, I'll give you a ride home," he said and led her to his car. He had parked in the pay lot two blocks down the street from the club. She was quiet the whole way home. Jacob insisted on walking her up to her apartment, and she didn't argue.

At the door, she unlocked it and debated asking him in. But he turned away after he was sure she was inside and safe. "Another time, I guess," she whispered to his back, and closed the door, locking it and the deadbolt.