The Prescott men ordered the world-famous chicken-fried steak, Threadgill's specialty. Andy's mother ordered a salad.
'How's the loft?' she asked.
'Sweet.'
'And your girlfriend?'
'The blonde or the brunette?'
His father leaned back and laughed. 'Listen to him now. Two months ago he's dating Curtis and Dave, now he's got to beat the gals off with a stick.'
'The blonde.'
'Where'd you see us?'
'Whole Foods. She doesn't wear a lot of clothes.'
'Would you cover up that body?'
'Hell, son,' his father said, 'you'd better eat two of those steaks. You need the protein.' He drank his iced tea and said, 'Reeves, he changed your life.'
'For the better.'
'Andy…'
'Yeah?'
'Don't get too comfortable with that new life.'
'Are you still working on those SoCo developments?' his mother said.
'Renovations. I got three approved by the residents. Construction's already started on those. I've been traveling, so the others are on hold.'
'Whereabouts?' his father said.
'Houston, Dallas, New Orleans, Seattle, Miami, Chicago.'
'For Reeves?'
Andy nodded.
'Real-estate deals?'
'Not exactly.'
'What exactly?'
'Dad, I can't say. It's confidential. But it's all good.'
'If you say so.' He grunted. 'Damn, I'd love a cold beer with this steak.'
' 'I'm looking for a friend. You cannot be a liar and must have a job.' '
Curtis looked up from the personal ad.
'That seems a little harsh.'
Andy paid Ronda for another round of Coronas for the table. His folks had dropped him off at Guero's on their way back to Wimberley, Natalie had paroled Tres for the night, Curtis was reading personal ads aloud, and Dave was standing by the front door of Guero's waiting for his date to arrive. He appeared as nervous as a lawyer taking a polygraph.
'I can't believe someone answered his ad,' Tres said.
'Gives me hope,' Curtis said.
'Curtis,' Tres said, 'you'd do better looking for a date on Mensa-dot-com.'
'Dave's wearing cowboy boots,' Andy said, 'to look taller. Still doesn't look six-two.'
'He'd have to stand on a chair to look six-two.'
Curtis turned to the next ad. 'This girl says 'I strive to find justice and equality in life.' '
'And she's seeking casual sex?'
'How'd you know?'
Tres turned to Andy. 'You've been gone a lot. Reeves?'
'Yeah.'
'Where?'
'All over the country.'
'What for?'
'Confidential. He swore me to secrecy.'
'You're not in over your head, are you, Andy?'
'Nothing like that. Actually, I'm playing Robin Hood.'
'She's here,' Curtis said.
They all turned to the front door. A very attractive blonde-she wasn't Suzie or Bobbi, but then Dave wasn't Russell Reeves' lawyer-had just walked up to Dave. They exchanged a few words, then she kissed him on the cheek.
'Wow,' Curtis said.
Curtis Baxter had never been kissed by a female unrelated by blood.
Dave and the blonde went inside and were seated at one of the tables in the first room where the bar was located. From their position on the front porch, they had a clear view of Dave and his date through the window. Ronda took their orders then returned with margaritas. They talked and laughed and ate Mexican food. Dave paid the mariachis to sing at their table.
'She's eating fajitas,' Curtis said. 'Beef.'
'So?'
'So he's got a chance. She's a carnivore, too.'
'She looks like she's having fun,' Tres said.
'Wow,' Curtis said again.
Dave and the girl had another round of margaritas, then Dave stood and walked through the double doors into the main dining room. She smiled and gave him a little finger wave.
'Restroom,' Curtis said. 'Margaritas go right through him.'
The restrooms were at the rear of the restaurant. As soon as Dave disappeared from sight, the smile disappeared from the blonde's face. She pulled out her cell phone. She said something into the phone, stood, and downed her margarita then grabbed her purse and walked outside. Fast. She almost ran past them on the porch and down the sidewalk past the Oak Garden where Los Flames were playing. A car pulled up on Congress; she dove in and drove off.
'Aw, man.'
They turned and looked back inside through the window. Dave had returned to their table; he was glancing around with a confused expression. He looked over at them; Andy waved him out. Dave came over.
'Did she go to the restroom?'
Tres and Curtis averted their eyes from this train wreck. That left Andy to deliver the bad news.
'She bailed.'
'She left?'
Andy nodded. Dave's body deflated like a popped balloon. He fell into a chair.
'I thought we were having fun.'
Andy waved an empty beer bottle at Ronda. Another round for the table. Curtis gave Dave a buddy pat.
'Sucks, dude.'
Dave shook his head.
'Man, she smelled great.'
FIFTEEN
'Why can't you find Frankie Doyle?'
'Because she doesn't want to be found.'
'You found the first six women.'
'They weren't hiding.'
At nine sharp the next morning, Andy was sitting across the desk from Hollis McCloskey. Hollis leaned back in
