He held up one finger. Touche!

I grinned and stepped in behind him as he started for the bar. A bit of humor to ease the mood was good, but now it was time to concentrate.

We entered, and I glanced around. It was pretty much as I’d heard it described. A bit dingy with concrete floors and beat-up tables. Karaoke equipment was set up near one end, and I hoped we’d be long gone before any of that started up. No, not a fan. Thank you for asking.

Paul stopped just inside the door. His eyes were alert. I suspected he was seeing far more than the sad decor. His nostrils flared. It always kind of creeped me out when I remembered he learned almost as much about the world around him through his nose as his eyes. I’m just a...

Please subscribe to keep reading.