Page 42 of Dark Alleys

“I’ll call first next time so you won’t be scared. How’s it going so far? This is a nice apartment.”

“Great. I love it here. Everything is new and everything works—like the taps and the toilet—like that.”

“Do you need anything?”

“Neil asked me to make a list as I settled in, and he’d try to help me out. He said people donate things to his shelter and he’d grab a stroller for me so I could take Flint out for a walk.”

“That’s the only thing you have on your list?”

“Yep.” She laughed. “Isn’t it amazing? I don’t need one other thing.”

“That is amazing.”

“Neil is so nice. Did you know he played baseball on the Ranger’s team up in Dallas?”

“Uh huh. I knew that. Neil is my cousin.”

“I forgot that. That’s how you knew about the shelter, isn’t it?”

“Yep, it is.”

I headed for the door. “You have my number if you need me for anything.”

“I’ll be fine, Lukas. The girls in the other units are nice and they said we would all be friends in this building.”

“That’s great.”

As I left, I made a mental note to ask Mick about security. I put a baby stroller on the same list.

Riverside Bar and Grille. Riverside. Austin.

Bad news when I walked into my regular hang. Brandy and Crissy were both sitting in my booth.

That can’t be good.

“Hey, girls.”

“We shouldn’t even talk to you, Lukas. You’ve been so fuckin’ mean to us.”

“So the two of you are ganging up on me? That’s what’s happening here?”

“You owe us,” said Crissy. “That’s what we were thinking.”

“I don’t see it that way, girls. I don’t owe anybody anything.”

Bailey brought me a pitcher and a glass and set it on the table. I thanked her and squeezed in next to Brandy. I picked up the pitcher and filled the glass.

“The least you owe us is a drink,” said Crissy.

“I’m gonna buy you girls one drink each but you have to sit in your own booth to drink it. I’ve got work to do.”

Brandy laughed. “That’s a bullshit joke, Lukas. You don’t work.”

“Everybody works, Brandy. That’s how we make a living.”

“Did you hear about the guy who got stabbed in Festival Park?”

“Nope,” I said. “Who was it?”

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