THE GIRL WHO CRIED WOLF

Saturday, 8:00 PM, The Hermosa Saloon, Hermosa Beach

The dance floor was packed. Jeri Kadar squeezed into the Hermosa Saloon wearing a purple body dress with a padded bra, dark glasses and a long curly red wig. She was sure her boyfriend Brake Whitcomb wasn’t going to recognize her. She sat next to him at the bar and waited for what seemed like forever for him to notice her.  He didn’t offer to buy her a drink so she ordered a beer and nursed it. When she finished the beer she was exasperated and tapped Brake on the shoulder and asked if he wanted to dance.

“Sorry, I’m spoken for,” he said putting his arm around a blonde seated next to him.

Jeri was furious and stormed out of the saloon.

“Come on! Jeri! It was just a joke. We all knew it was you. Faye is George’s girlfriend. You know George. Come back inside!” Brake pled in the parking lot.  

Jeri kept walking down the alley.

“Go to hell!” Jeri shouted, raising her arms but not looking back.

“Well, at least let me drive you home,” he tried to reason with her.

“I’d rather die,” she shouted. She decided to walk back to her apartment via the beach so he couldn’t drive alongside her like he did last time. That was awkward.

“You need grow up, Jeri,” Brake gave up and went back inside the saloon.

There was no one on the beach. Jeri soon regretted her plan. She wished she’d taken Hermosa Avenue. She was headed in that direction when a man grabbed her.

“I got what you’re lookin’ for baby,” he ripped her dress. She scratched his face and broke free. She ran as fast as she could.  She could hear him close behind. Then suddenly it sounded like he fell and made a face plant in the clump of seaweed she just jumped over. She didn’t stop or look back.

She called the police from her apartment.  Officers Aaron Evans and Officer Bill Harland told her they spoke with her boyfriend.  Brake Whitcomb admitted they’d had an argument and that Jeri might be making things up for attention.

“Well, we’ll see if Randy Durst has a scratch on his face when we find him,” Officer Evans said to his partner as they walked back to their squad car.

 ~ To Be Continued ~