Anthony nodded. “But never when he has that look on his face.”

I turned toward the door, seeing the ripped T-shirt guy and his friend leaving. “That didn’t last long.”

“I heard them say they were bored. Apparently, the service was too slow,” Anthony said with a wink.

“You’re brilliant,” I said with a grin.

“You should talk to Val one more time, Sawyer. Lay it all out on the table. If she doesn’t go for it though, you need to move out, and you need to sign those papers. You’re not being fair to her.”

“You’re right. I hate you, but you’re right. And no matter what you say, Lindy, we’re still friends.”

“Fine.”

Sawyer and I tabbed out, said good-bye to Anthony, and then walked across the dark room, pushing out the door. The sidewalk was well lit, traffic was normal, but something was off.

Sawyer touched my arm.

“You, too?” I asked.

We carefully approached the corner, and someone groaned.

Sawyer meant to take a quick peek around, but he stared, and his mouth fell open. “Oh, shit!”

I followed him and immediately pulled out my cell phone. The two men from the bar were lying in matching puddles of blood.

“Nine-one-one. What is your emergency?”

“I have two males, early to mid-twenties, badly beaten on the sidewalk in Midtown. They’re both going to need an ambulance on the scene.”

Sawyer checked them both. “This one’s unresponsive,” he said.

“They’re both breathing. One is unresponsive.”

I gave her the address and then pressed End.

Sawyer glanced around. A middle-aged couple was walking in the opposite direction on the next block, but other than them and a homeless man digging in the trash on the corner to the north, the block was empty. I saw no one who looked suspicious.

Sirens echoed in the distance.

Sawyer shoved his hands in his pants pockets. “I guess they found the fight they were looking for.”

“Maybe it was the people they had a run-in with earlier?”

Sawyer shrugged. “Not my jurisdiction.”

“Funny.”

A police cruiser arrived within minutes, followed soon after by an ambulance. We told them what we knew, and once we offered them credentials, we were free to leave.

Sawyer walked me to the lobby and gave me a hug.

“Sure you don’t want me to walk you home?” I asked. “Whoever did that could still be out there.”

Sawyer chuckled. “Shut up, Lindy.”

“Good night. See you tomorrow.”

“Nope. I’ll be out.”

“Oh, right. The, uh…the thing,” I said. My head was fuzzy. I was glad we’d decided to leave the bar when we did.

“I’m tailing one of our Vegas sources, Arturo.”

“Benny’s guy? Why is he in San Diego?” I asked.