Page 84 of Cowboy's Last Stand
Wade ordered his usual, a carne asada plate and a Dos Equis.
“Coming right up,” Gabe said.
Although Wade was a regular customer, Gabe seemed uneasy about his visit.Maybe he objected to Wade’s interference the other night.Wade had embarrassed Billy in front of two pretty girls, and he’d ruined Gabe’s chances to get lucky with one of them.It wasn’t fair to blame Wade for the incident—they were contributing to the delinquency of minors, not him—but life wasn’t fair.It never had been.
For the next thirty minutes, Wade watched Gabe hustle back and forth from the kitchen.Wade finished his meal, which was excellent, and settled the bill.He stayed for over an hour, long after his dishes had been cleared, and soon every table was empty.A few old guys sat like permanent fixtures at the bar, where Gabe’s sister served drinks.
Gabe must have realized that Wade was waiting for him.He pushed through the swinging doors and disappeared into the kitchen.Wade wondered if the kid was making an escape.He was about to follow when Gabe returned, his features taut with tension.The front of his shirt was damp, and he smelled like alcohol.
“Is there a problem?”Gabe asked.
“Have a seat,” Wade said.
Gabe sat.
“How’s your mom?”
Gabe flinched at the question.His gaze shifted from Wade to the painting on the wall.“She’s hanging in there.”
“Is the treatment working?”
“They don’t know yet.”
Gabe’s mom had stomach cancer.She was undergoing chemotherapy and hadn’t worked at the restaurant in months.His dad had been staying home also, probably to take care of her.Wade hoped she would make a full recovery.The Lunas had endured too many tragedies.Mike’s death had hit them hard.
Wade didn’t pursue the subject.He glanced toward the bar, where Gabe’s sister was chatting with a customer.Zelda looked like their mother, slender and pretty.She smiled and tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear.
“I thought your sister went away to college,” Wade said.
“She did.She graduated over a year ago.”
Wade was surprised by this news.He couldn’t believe Zelda was old enough to finish college.It seemed like only a year ago that Wade had been in college himself.He’d been a quarterback at UT.Maybe he was stuck in those glory days before his knee injury.Before his father had asked him to come home and help with Billy.
Across the room, Zelda bent to retrieve something from behind the bar.The male customer ogled her as soon as her back was turned.
“What do you want?”Gabe asked, sounding irritated.
Wade returned his attention to Gabe.“I have a few questions about Billy.Off the record.”
“OK.”
“Do you know what happened with Natalie last weekend?”
Gabe rubbed a hand across his mouth like he needed another drink.“I know what Billy told me.”
“What did he say?”
“He said she was having car trouble, and he stopped to check on her.”
“Where were you?”
“I went to the Boot Scoot with some girls.”
“They let you into the Boot Scoot?”
“I got turned away at the door,” Gabe admitted.
“Why didn’t Billy come along?”
