The October sun was shining in the car windows and the chilly wind carresed Natalie's exposed neck.They were walking hand in hand just like they were a happy couple.If anyone would have seen them they would seem like two newlyleds not a homocide detective and a journalist running after a killer.
It wasn't a surprise that everyone judged their relationship.After all every journalist needs a police source, but for Natalie it was different she needed him,she was addicted of the calm that she felt when she was near him.Haven,on the other hand,was in love with the adrenaline rush that surrounded this woman:her confidence,her ability to twist men around her fingers just to get what she needed.He felt drunk with her personality,he would have never left her side,he worshiped her and he would start a family with her if only she let him...
When they reached The Drunken Bear it was almost noon,the car horns were loud,the traffic was hectic with hundreds of cars fleeing past them.Natalie's mind was foggy,full of thoughts and memories.Seeing the rusty door of the bar made her reminiscence her life with Simon,their short moments of happiness erased by their numerous fights.She still blamed herself for destroying the possibility of being complete and at ease with herself;she was the only one to blame for what she became now.
"It's been a while since I've been here,Haven...I feel wierd..."

"It's ok.I'm here with you.I will always be..."

Natalie clung to his arm clenching the rough material of his cloack trying to hide the fact that she was scared like a child thrown into the wilderness.The door creaked loudly letting the daylight pierce the darkness that surrounded the bar counter,making the bartender snap out of his light sleep and lift his head to check the "customers".

"Thelma?"

The bartender squinted his eyes so that he could distinguish her face through the beam of lights in the doorway.He analysed her every feature trying to figure out if this is reality or if he is still sleeping.

"Hi,Tom.Long time no see old man."Natalie laughed while aproaching the counter with a sudden boost of confidence.

Tom's face lit up with joy,got up from his old chair and started smiling with his big teeth and the gap in his teeth that brightened his face.

"Thelma...Oh my god,Thelma...You look so tired,so....sad...What did they do to you?Where were you?"

"Here and there,running from myself in this town.They put me on my knees,they broke me,Tom..."she gulped and tried to regain compusure,she smiled lightly "But I'm afraid that I am here with some buissness.This is detective Haven Tremblay,he is here to ask you some questions about a murder."

"Murder?In my bar??"

"No,no,we are just retracing some steps."Haven interfered

Tom's voice lost its spark for a moment and his face frownned,his bushy eyebrows edging  his squinted eyes.

"Ok.Anything to drink,detective?"

"No,thank you."

"I assume that Natalie is still not drinking..."

"Yeah,still smoking like a chimney though."

"Never thought otherwise,Nat."he started cleaning the counter like he was trying to avoid Haven's questioning look that followed the movement of his arms like a hawk."So,how can I help?"

"Do you know this woman?"Haven questioned while pulling a photo of Tania from his cloak pocket.

"Oh my god...."Tom lost his balance,nearly dropping the towel from his hands,he wiggled a bit on his feet and then sit on the chair

"She is Tania....Tania Melinsky...She worked here for a while.Is she dead?"

"What did she stopped working?"

"Is she dead,Mr.Tremblay?"

"Unfortunately,yes.I'm sorry..."

Tom looked empty at the framed pictures from the opposite wall.

"She emigrated from Russia with her husband 3 years ago.They both worked here,small salary but I rented them the room upstairs for free.He was helping me move cargo and she was doing my accounting,she was such a smart girl,organized,caring...She had so many dreams here...I can't do this Nat..."

Natalie smiled lightly and took Tom's hand gripping his bulky fingers in her tiny hand.

"We need to find who did this Tom...We must give her peace."

"Max got into some bad shit shortly after they came here,something to do with some guys around the neighborhood.They started coming here and drinking for free,but I was always too afraid to ask what was happening.I just know that one day,he and Tania had a big  fight.She wanted to know who were those guys,she begged him to stop hanging out with them.He beat her,badly...I took her to the hospital myself.Next thing I knew was that she divorced,took her stuff and dissapeared.I haven't seen her since then..."

"And Max?Max Melinsky?Is it good?"

"Yes...Max still works here.He has some problems.I think he lost some money lately,he is very distracted at work,he sold every piece of furniture that he had.I even think that he stole some of my money from the cash register..."

"Why didn't you notified the police,Mr.Morrison?"

"I don't want more trouble for him.I want him out from this shit."

"Where was Max Monday around midnight?"

"Well,he was unloading some booze bottles in the back,he must've finished around 2 or 3."

"But you are not sure?"

"Not really,I didn't check.I  just left after my last customer.But in the morning all my cargo was at its place,he did his job..."

"Which brings me at your last customer....Simon met Tania here,didn't he?"

Tom's eyes bulged and started digging intro Natalie's soul like he was just caught with a terrible sin.

"Umm....Simon came here often,he saw her,he liked her,she liked him.I don't know if they had an affair while she was married but he came to take some of her stuff a couple of months after the divorce...Natalie,what happened?"

"He is the prime suspect in Tania's murder."

"No,he is a good kid,he didn't do it...he was just..."

"Very high that night,Tom.Since when did he started again?"

"He was on drugs again?"

"Yes"Natalie complained annoyed by Tom's display of ignorance

"He wasn't high on Monday or at least I didn't notice.He drank a couple of drinks and left..He looked terrible,he was very troubled,but he was not high.He never took drugs when he drunk."

"Yeah,I asked him that too..."

"You talked with him?"

"He came to me to help him..."

"Why do you do it?"

The eternal question everyone asked.The sad part was that even she asked herself this.Why is  she helping a man that made her abort their baby and then trashed her in The Chicago Post,threw her out of his house in the streets....Her thoughts were brutally stopped by Haven's voice.

"What time did Simon left the bar?"

"Around midnight.He got a phone call he said something like he was going to try to regain his life before everything is too hectic to repair and left.Maybe he used drugs after he left my bar,but I can assure that he was clean when he came here."

"Can we talk with Max Melinsky?"

"He is not here,he is out of town.I think he went to beg for some money somewhere.I'm sure of it,but you can try tomorrow morning,he is working."

"Do you think he could've killed Tania?Maybe he went to ask her for money?"

"He's weird lately,but I hardly think he killed her...."

"Ok.We will return tomorrow if that's ok."

Tom turned his back while cleaning some glasses.

"Yes,sure.."he mumbled"Natalie,I know that you hate Simon,but he is such a good kid,he couldn't kill her.He hates blood,why would he kill her like this?"

"Yeah,we will see."

Haven and Natalie left the bar shortly after walikng in silence for a moment or two.

"He's hiding stuff,Nat..."

"You never told him how Tania was murdered.How did he know that it was a bloodbath?"Natalie said puzzled while stopping in the middle of the sidewalk

"I know.He may be hiding things about Max too.He was vague about it."

"Simon has an alibi if we trust Tom..."

"Can you trust Tom?"

"I don't know.Max has motive to kill Tania,maybe he asked money and she wouldn't give him,he gets mad and killes her out of rage.Maybe he was jealous that she left him for Simon,he asks her to come back at him,he may even find about the pregnancy then he killes Tania and frames her lover..."

"You have a point,but we will have to talk with him to get some more."

"About that...I think it is better if I go alone tomorrow.Tom will be more honest if it's just me there."

"So you want me to let you alone with a Russian guy involved in some crazy shit?"

"I'll take Ford with me.It is the best aproach,he won't give more that he already told you."

"No,absolutely not."

"You take me and Ford there and then you wait in the car?"

"Fine,but if I smell something fishy I come in.I don't trust those men."

"Ok.Deal."

"When will you talk with Simon?"

"Tomorrow.I'm beat it's a bit too much information for today.I can't deal with him after all the emotion rolllercoaster that this bar brought me today."

"Do you want to come over at my place?"

"Only If we get some food.I'm famished.I think I will faint if I stay like this long enough."

"Of course my fair lady.I will order some distinguish pizza for you to enjoy."

"Oh,I enjoy other things too,you can be assured."

She laugghed silly at him.His bright eyes sparkled and her heart fluttered a little bit more.She felt like she could be happy,but somewhere deep down her soul couldn't be rested.Who did this to Tania?Questions fumbled through her mind like a sand storm.Suspicion creeped into her heart,feeling that she mustn't trust anybody.Everyone seemed to have something to hide,an ulterior motive,she started to question even her own sincerity.Was she helping him only because she still felt gulity about how it worked out or was it something more?

She took a glimpse at Haven and everything fell into place.For a while she will stop being Natalie Clemonte,the journalist.She would be just Nat,a woman that will enjoy a nice afternoon with a man that loves her,the only man she could trust with all her heart.