“She’s inside, boss” Vince says to me, pointing his thumb at the bar door. 
“Thanks Vince” I reply. I slam the door open, scanning the room. “The hell is she?” I shout and the chatter dies down.
“You're in trouble now” Sylvia chuckles from behind the bar.
I take in Valerie’s appearance, a different outfit and leaning precariously on a bar stool.
I already know she’d been in a fight tonight, Jason instantly texting me the minute he rescued her. 

I clench my fists when i notice the bruising marks on her throat, harsh compared to her flushed pale skin.
“Shhh” Valerie whispers back, “she may not see me.”
“Too late for that,” MJ laughs, seated next to Valerie, an array of empty shot glasses and pints covering the bench.
I storm over, my anger riding.
She runs off like a fool, nearly gets taken, sees someone murdered right in front of her and that idiot is drinking?!
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I almost growl, slamming my palm next to Valerie.
She jumps at the noise, slipping off the seat haphazardly and falling on her ass. The damn drunkard dares to laugh at herself.
“This is so fun” MJ cackles, nearly falling off her own seat.
“Come here, we need to talk, '' I order, grabbing Valerie by the arm and hauling her up.
“Now?” Valerie whines, looking towards the bar. “I still owe MJ a shot.”
“She can get her own” I reply, pulling Valerie around the bar and into the back. I look over to Sylvia, “I’ll deal with you later.”
“Aye, aye ma’am” Sylvia replies cheekily. Great, she’s drunk too.

I pull Valerie into the back into the miscellaneous storage room and push her onto the couch so she doesn’t trip over.
I inhale heavily, about to unleash hell on Valerie’s ass.
“I’m sorry.”
I choke, coughing and sputtering as I twirl to face her. “What did you just say?”
“I’m sorry” she says again, her back lying against the back of the couch, her head tilted to the ceiling, her eyes closed. “ I panicked and made a mess of things.”
I take a seat on the edge of the bed, opposite Valerie.
Valerie looks down, twiddling her thumbs, her eyes focused on them. “I shouldn’t have threatened you with your gun and run off. Even though you have held me captive you haven’t really hurt me in any serious way. Besides the obvious locking up. I doubt the Lion’s would have done the same.”
I stay silent, surprised how honest she’s being. This must be what she’s like when she drinks. Despite my anger I let her go on. She did just see a person die after all.
Valerie stands up and starts pacing, albeit a little wobbly. “ I just was going insane, locked up in that place and the only thing keeping me sane was the thought that you and the others were investigating the murders.”
“We are,” i reply. Valerie looks at me, raising her eyebrows. “Ahh, you mean you thought we were planning to attack them.”
“I thought we were on the same page” Valerie begins again, “but we aren’t. I want them to suffer what they did to my mother and to Brooke” Valerie tightens her hands into fists, “and I thought you would want to help get back at them considering how you don’t get along.”
“I get that to get vengeance…”
“You don't get anything!” Valerie suddenly shouts. “I held my mothers limp body in my arms, soaked in her blood. I didn’t even get to go to Brooke’s funeral. And they are both dead because of me. I need the Lion’s to pay!”
“That’s why you left, think you could take them on?”
Valerie’s cheeks become redder, “yeah, that’s why. I wanted to kill them for what they did.” Valerie sits back down. “But once I'd run out all my pent up adrenaline I realised how stupid I was. How on earth would I manage to get to the killers, kill them and then escape with nothing but my brain and a gun? I was even stupid enough to go to the apartment, thinking there would be some clue that the police missed. And it’s not like I could even go to the police since they’ve covered up their deaths. I mean I am completely and utterly alone” Valerie half laughs, half sobs the last sentence. She suddenly jumps up, coming to stand in front of me. “I want to make a deal.”
Now I'm intrigued, if not slightly afraid. “What are you suggesting?”
“I won’t try to escape again if you promise me that you’ll tell me everything about your investigation. I won’t ask you to go after the Lion’s or anything. But let me in on your plans so I can develop my own.”

I mull it over in my head, weighing up the pros and cons. Pro’s; she stays put and won’t make a fuss. She could find something we missed. She seems to be pretty clever in terms of problem solving and critical thinking. Con’s; she could potentially learn secrets held tightly in our gang. She could also go haywire if she discovers something crazy or traumatic.
But the fact she apologised without a prompt, became willing to compromise and even shared her intimate thoughts has made me respect her a little more. She may be stubborn but she’s also smart, emotional and stronger than I gave her credit for.
“Ok, deal” I say, standing up and holding out my hand, “and you let me know if you’re scheming anything?”
“Ok, it’s a deal then,” Valerie grabs my hand and shakes it up and down roughly.
I grab my hand back and shake it, “drunk you doesn’t know your own strength” I gripe. “Since you said sorry, I won't yell at you.”
“Much appreciated,” Valerie replies, smiling. “Also,” Valerie tucks a loose strand behind her ear, “I need you to know that I wasn’t trying to seduce you for information. I was genuinely worried. Maybe it's because your shirt was covered in blood and I remembered my mum’s body.”
So that's why she looked so startled and upset when we came into the room.
“So it's because you saw your mum?” Damn it, my voice came out squeakier than I thought it would.
“Not the only reason. I was slightly worried about you, even though you’re an ass” she replies cheekily, leaning her head to the side.
“How thoughtful” I chuckle back, my anger completely diminished.
“Can I go crush MJ at the bar now? I think I’m beginning to sober up” Valerie chirps, thumbing at the room door.
I sigh, this girl is going to be the death of me. “Why do I get the feeling you're still going to be a pain in my side.”
“Just a perk you’re going to have to get used to,” she laughs.
I like her laugh. It’s pitchy and rough and makes you want to laugh with her.
Hang on, what was the other reason? No way, it’s not like that right? 

“Hey Valerie…”

I’m cut short as Sylvia slams the door open, her face flushed but also creased with concern. “Someone’s come into the bar claiming they know you, Valerie.”