Page 86 of Gideon

Joey grinned. “Why didn’t you say so? Come on in.”

“Why do you look like you’re enjoying this?”

“’Cause I am. So, tell me, what kind of trouble are you in? Is this because of the totem pole thingies again?”

“No, we’ve moved way beyond that now. You really do find my trouble amusing?”

“Maybe I like the sound of Fairfax being uncomfortable. Welcome to my new royal palace. But you’ll have to buy your own dinner. I don’t have any food.”

Gideon followed him inside and grimaced at the smell of garbage and sweat. “I happen to know for a fact that Beth Morris brought you a meal.”

“Yeah. One meal. Not two. And I’ve eaten it.”

It was a studio space with a single bed pushed into the back corner. A small kitchen was set up on one wall with what appeared to be a dining area and living area separated by clothes scattered around.

“You want me to take out the trash?” Gideon said, noticing the overflowing bucket.

“If you want.” Joey threw cans off the couch onto the floor. “You can sleep here.”

Gideon gathered the pizza boxes off the table, folding them as small as he could in order to fit them in the garbage bag. He tied it, then opened another and collected the cans before taking them out. When he returned, Joey was sitting on the couch with his feet on an upside-down box he was using as a coffee table, his toes poking out of holes in his socks.

“So, tell,” he said, turning on the TV. Much smaller than the old one. “What’d you do this time?”

Gideon settled into an old armchair with tufts of stuffing pouring from one armrest. “You turned on the TV to talk to me?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep the volume low. ButM.A.S.H. is coming on soon. You’ve got under ten minutes to give me all the gory details.”

“For starters, he got Charlie to sign an affidavit saying I’d upset his customers at the bar.”

“What customers?”

“I suspect he was referring to you.”

Joey blew a raspberry, one side of his lips juddering as spit covered his bottom lip. “You’ve been upsetting me since the day you were born. What’s new?”

“Very kind of you to say.”

“Charlie should know better.”

“I’m sure he did. But Fairfax would have had plenty to threaten him with to get him to sign.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time the king of Asher has made people lie for him. What’s he trying to do, arrest you?”

“He already has. But I think court is too risky. All he really wants is for me to leave town.”

“But you're not?”

“I was. He threatened to kill me.”

“Are you sure?”

“You believed me a few minutes ago when I got here.”

“I thought you were saying that to get in the door. What were his exact words?”

“Sheriff Peters said that if he finds me around town after tonight, he will make sure no one can find my body.”

“He said that?” Gideon was surprised by the fierce pucker on his dad’s face. “I’ll kill him if he lays so muchas a finger on my boy. Maybe youshouldget out of here.”

---