Page 75 of Knight
Ghost nodded from the back, but I hadn’t really expected him to argue. I opened the door and hopped out. I strolled up the sidewalk and took the two steps up onto the low porch.
I rapped on the screen door.
There was barking inside. A few voices that sounded like kids. The door swung open to show a five-year-old boy.
“Robbie, no!” A woman came up behind him, sweeping him away from the door. “I told you not to answer!”
“But—”
“No. Go to your room!”
He huffed, casting me a forlorn look, and trudged away. His mother eyed me with suspicion. “Just leave us alone. Hasn’t he done enough already?”
She started to close the door.
“Wait!” I called. “If Tex is in trouble, maybe I can help.”
She paused with the door halfway closed. “You’re here for Tex?”
“Yeah. He’s got a parole meeting. I just want to help him stay on the right path.”
She relaxed and pulled the door wider. “Sorry. I thought you were here about—” She shook her head. “Never mind. Tex isn’t here.”
“Do you know where I couldfind him?”
She sighed. “He’s probably at Keg Haus. It’s a pub that my, um, ex frequents. Tex has been keeping an eye on him.”
Something about her tone and averted glance told me that this ex was giving her trouble. Tex running out here was starting to make a lot more sense. It wasn’t at all the reason I’d guessed—or that Hollywood probably thought, either.
“Thank you, ma’am.” I hesitated. “If Tex leaves, will it put you at risk?”
She shook her head. “Tex can’t do anything around here but get himself into trouble. Tell him to go with my blessing.”
She closed the door, and I headed back to the Hummer. I hopped in.
“No luck?” Joy asked. “Can we get pizza now?”
“Tex is at Keg Haus. It’s a pub, so there’s probably food, but we have to get him over to Riverton by one-thirty.”
“Cool. I saw that place downtown.”
Joy pulled around the block and headed back the way we came. Five minutes later, we were turning down an alley and pulling into a parking lot behind the pub. It was more than half full, clearly a popular lunch spot.
We entered through the back door into a wide-open space with stained concrete floors that gave it a warehouse vibe and lots of wood that glowed as if freshly polished. A bar curved along the back wall, and high-backed wooden booths lined the walls.
“A yuppy bar,” Ghost said. “Great.”
“I was expecting more of a hole-in-the-wall,” I admitted. “But it’s a college town, so…”
A hostess with a brunette page cut greeted us with a smile. “Hi, how many?”
“We’re actually meeting a friend.” I scanned the room. “I see him over there. We’ll just seat ourselves, if that’s all right.”
“Sure, go ahead. I’ll alert the server to bring you menus.”
I headed across the pub like I knew where I was going, but I hadn’t yet spotted Tex. I just didn’t want a hostess leading us around.
“There he is,” Ghost said. “Small table on the far side of the bar.”
