Chapter 173

When I got to the pub, I unlocked the front door. The pub was just like I left it the night before. I went to the pub for a least an hour or two every night. I made sure everything was going smoothly. I knew The Brit would never ask for help, but I intended to be there if he needed it. He was the only friend I had left. Plus we were in the Mary Ellen thing together.

The first thing I did to prepare for the evening's customers was to wash the beer mugs from the night before. The sink was three stainless steel thing. The first sink was filled with hot water. The second was a rinse of hot water and third sink held a sanitizer made with a special mixture to kill any germs left over from the other two sinks.

Next I fired up the coffee pot. Since I would be drinking while I worked, I would need the coffee for sure. I had the glasses finished when Juanita arrived. The pub didn't prepare lunch they served only the evening meal. Even then it was mostly sandwiches with only a meat pie for those who wanted more.

Customers started to wander in around six o'clock. After six people came and went, until midnight when I turn on the overhead light and shut the door. Shortly there after the place emptied out and Juanita left for the evening. I went to the alley behind the pub to pick up my cruiser van,

I felt a little under dressed during my evening in the cut off jeans and tee shirt. Even so I managed to keep he place running. Not only had I helped build the bar, I had also been on of it't best customers. I went there at some time everyday. I drank a cup coffee with the Brit every day. Yeah I realized he was my only real friend.

That Sunday I called a lot of my acquaintances and had them drop in for a drink. There were sheriff's deputies and highway patrolmen. The cops occupied half the bar and the motorcycle guys occupied the other half. Mixed in were a few girls as well.

The pub was only half filled but it was more than I expected. Also more than the Brit had expected. Juanita ran out of food about nine o'clock. So I called the pizza restaurant at the plaza and them bring several pizzas to the pub.

Juanita left before I closed the pub, so I was alone when there was a knock on the door. "Are you alright?" I asked Juanita.

"No a man grabbed me in the alley," she said crying

I took the .22 magnum out back just as soon I was sure she was okay. The alley was empty I would bet my life that he ran away just as soon as Juanita did. He wouldn't want to be there when the cops or her family came looking for him.

"Juanita I need to get you to a hospital." It was obvious that her clothes had been disturbed. She needed an examination.

"No hospital, I can't go to the hospital. Please no Miss Sylvia we are in this country illegally." Juanita said to me.

"Juanita had you ever been with a man before?" I asked.

"No never," she said.

"I'm sorry this really isn't the way to learn about sex. Did you recognize him?" I asked.

"Yes I know him he is such a nice boy I don't know what got into him." She said.

"Was he in the pub earlier?" I asked. Trying to remember anyone who seemed hinky. No one came to mind. I had Juanita agree to meet me the next morning at my house. I told her to tell her dad she was going to help me clean. What was actually going to do was go to the drugstore for the morning after pills. Juanita didn't want the kid of a rape. She wanted to have a nice normal life. I was determined, if at all possible, to arrange that for her.

She was in my house reading a fashion magazine, which she brought with her, when The Brit got my message. "Sylvia what the hell is it," he asked.

"You ought to come over to my place. You really need to come alone." I said.

"I can't do that Sylvia Jeremy agreed no more holding back when I'm home. We can both come out there if you like. Give me a couple of hours I have to go to the store." I hung up the phone in disgust.

"Come on Juanita we are going to the drug store." When we got there we bought a couple of thing each. "Might as well make the trip worthwhile," I said to her.

We were home several minutes when The Brit and Jeremy showed up. I wasn't how Jeremy would react to Juanita. He proved to be sympathetic. He tried to be helpful, but there was nothing he could do. I took her home then went back but The Brits new pub.

"Jeremy you might want to wait upstairs. This is not going to be pretty." The Brit said. Jeremy turned on his heels and climbed the stares. I didn't think he wanted to know what was going to happen.

"What are we going to do?" I asked.

"What we are not going to do is let him get away with this. There has to be a cost to that kind of action. If not society would fall apart." The Brit said.

"Society be damned, this is about the fucking alley behind your pub," I said.

"First we have to find him, then we have to decide what we are going to do. I suggest we string him up by his balls while we decided." I said with what at any other time might have been mistaken for a smile. But it was no smile and The Brit knew it.

"Was it someone who had been inside the pub?" He asked me.

"There is just no way to tell. He might have been inside or he might have been outside just watching the people. It next to impossible to tell what he was doing."