Page 95 of Demitri

The girls all hug, and I take Mia’s hand. She’s not going in without me either. One of the officers meets us at the door, and we all step inside. I know what I’m looking for. The real damage beyond the flipped tables and chairs. Because my family doesn’t do things half-assed. But I don’t see it. I don’t see burn marks on the floors or cracks in the walls. Some of the liquor bottles are missing, but none have been broken to leave glass on the floor.

“We’ll need an inventory of what’s missing from behind the bar. And a list of any damages,” the officer tells Mia.

But she’s seeing the same thing I am. A few overturned tables and chairs, some missing booze, and not much else.

“Window guy will be here in thirty to replace this one,” Daniel says through the broken window.

“Thanks,” Mia graciously tells him. “What else do you need?” She turns to the cop.

“I think we’re good. You’ll get us a list to add to the report?”

“Sure thing. When can we open?”

“As soon as you want, I guess. I figure some kids got a little too enthusiastic.”

“Could be,” Mia replies absentmindedly.

The cop leaves, and Joker shakes his head.

“I swear. They didn’t even take prints, so convinced it’s ‘just kids’,” he says, using finger quotes. “Fuckers. Nate and Aiden are coming in to check for prints.”

“We already know who it was,” Mia replies. “Are prints really going to change our minds on that?”

I look around the room again. “Mia, I’m not sure it was them. This is too…clean.”

“What do you mean?” Daniel asks, coming in through the back with some equipment.

“I mean, Russians aren’t known for their polite destruction. They aren’t known for leaving messages without damage. I don’t see a ton of true damage.”

“He’s right,” Mia says from behind the bar. “I’ve seen bars that were broken into and busted up. Biker bars, trying to run someone out of town for competition back home. The first thing they would do is damage the actual bar.” She runs her hands over the still smooth wood. “There’s no harm to mine.”

“No bottles busted up,” Joker adds, taking a closer look. It seems all of them are noticing what I already did. “No pool cues broken. Tables and chairs just tipped on their sides.”

“Demitri,” Mia quietly calls my name, looking at something behind the bar.

I quickly go to her side, where she points to where my bottle of vodka has been for four years. It’s missing. In its place is a different bottle, one that’s dark instead of clear, and there’s no liquid in it. I lift it up and Mia gasps.

“There’s something in it.”

Mia reaches in with a pair of skinny tongs and pulls out a piece of folded paper. Joker comes over with gloves on and opens the note so we don’t touch it. All of us crowd around, all of us looking at it. Then they all look at me.

“What’s it say? Can you read it?” Mia asks.

?? ?? ????. ? ?????, ????? ??????.

“You are not alone. I am here to help.” I look up at everyone, adding, “And the initials SP.”

“Your uncle?” She looks at me, and I know the hope and fear in her eyes reflect my own.

“I don’t know. I don’t know who else it would be.”

Daniel’s face hardens as he pulls out his phone. “I need to make a call.”

He walks to the far corner, bitching someone out in low tones, but we can’t make out any of the words.

“Fuck. He’s going to be in a mood all day.” Joker frowns.

“What else are you all doing before we can start straightening up in here?” Mia asks, distracting us from Daniel.

---