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"Who worked here before you?" I asked
"Old Doc Rivera? He has a roos sometimes down at the Timpani Club"
Two blocks over That bordered the area where gringos weren’t encouraged to wander, but I didn’t iracias," I said to the doc as we headed out
On the e passed any number of small cantinas and pharra to enhance his whoring experience I snickered
"I don’t want to hear it," he muttered
"At least they didn’t direct you to Tranny Alley You’re awfully pretty"
"I’lanced my way, I saw the faint hint of a smile in his eyes
"You always did" That much was true--whatever else our probleether
Trust and intiive us trouble
"Good to know you remember souide ated outside a bar
A wave of nostalgia hit ered Once I would have slid my arm around his waist and leaned into him Once he would’ve slid his hands intoby around us When Chance touched led not to lose sight of ere here, not to lose myself in hiic Much as I tried and as far as I ran, I didn’t knohether I’d ever be entirely free of him He lowered his head as if to kiss me
"Hey, roja! How much?"
Given that I wore a ruffled skirt and a peasant blouse, I could understand the guy’s rowled as he turned, pushing me behind him in the same motion I’d never seen him wear quite that expression
"Back the fuck off, redneck"
"Take it easy" The cowboy held up his hands as if to say he didn’t want a problem "I didn’t realize she was your whore"
I winced That wouldn’t ht now, Chance would be spoiling for a fight
"You need to find another chica," I told hiuy had two friends with hihed "What a dumb fuck," one mumbled "Don’t he know to leave the ball and chain at holanced our way Local law enforceht have more cash, if it came down to it Even wounded, Chance could kick their asses, easy, but unless he had a fat wallet too, ind up in jail I’d noticed there weren’t o," I whispered "This isn’t a place to start trouble"
He exhaled slowly "I knohat I’ strike The guy who’d called me a whore took a palm to the throat, and the cops started for us at a run The other tent down in quick succession By the ti pile I think they expected to have to break up a fight, not deal with injured idiots
"They called her a foul name," Chance said huht sound funny co around the zona, but the officers simply looked confused "Perhaps this will help offset the cost of dealing with these idiots?" I didn’t see the size of the bill he offered but the police officers jerked the Texans to their feet They’d spend the night in jail instead of the arms of their favorite ladies
We walked on "You just couldn’t resist, huh?"
"Nobody talks to you like that," he said quietly
That sent a shiver of pleasure throughYou’re faster than you used to be"
He shrugged "Training helps y"
Surely he didn’t intend to ione I lacked the courage to ask and wasn’t sure I could trust his answer anyway
Just before the zona devolved into rougher territory, I spied a hand lettered sign that read TIMPANI It didn’t look likewith an open doorway Few patronized the club, irls sat on each of their laps An old uitar at a table near the door
I shook my head "Some retirement"
"That’s him" Chance sounded sure, so he started forward, tapped the musician on the shoulder "Doc Rivera?"
The old uitar with a bemused expression "Sí, so I was, once" Most people in Boys Town spoke broken English at least, it seemed
"May we buy you a drink or a few hed "My time is not as valuable as it used to be, so I will take the drink and thank you for it"
I went to the bar and signaled the bartender for a round, and he delivered the with a five, I waited for ave with a scowl When I returned to the table, Chance was flashing the picture once more This time, however, we received a much different reaction
"Ay, Diosit has been soin Laredo," I said quietly "Perhaps you could tell me how you know her?"
God, I hoped Rivera wouldn’t say Min was his favorite girl When Chance reached for ether and didn’t flinch when he squeezed too tight
"She worked for th "Min prepared salves and potions for the ladies who could not afford to go to a farmacia for their medicines"