BooksBarbecue
Back The House Party
Chapters (57)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. April 2008
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. Author’s Note
  55. Acknowledgments
  56. About the Author
  57. About the Publisher

“Rosie,” Hunter said, sitting on a stool at the counter. “I know it’s a lot to ask, but if there’s anything that you can find out from him, it could make a big difference. Or maybe you could say something to him? Try to get him to understand? My dad says that the DA’s office has a lot of discretion on the charges. There’s a lot riding on this.”

“He’s not going to tell me anything,” Rosie said. “I mean, why would he?”

Hunter thought for a moment. “What about his phone?” he asked.

“What about his phone? What am I going to do? Steal his phone and, like, read his emails?”

“Why not?” Hunter said. “You girls do it all the time to each other.”

“Okay, that’s just nuts. First of all, it’s probably a crime. And second, what could we do with it, anyway?”

“You’re right,” Hunter said. “It’s a stupid idea. I just wish I knew who gave them my name. Then I’d have a better idea of how to fight it. I have no idea how much they know. Anything you find out could really help me.”

Rosie looked at him, then turned her head toward the kitchen. “Alright, I guess I could try.”

“Thanks, Rosie. That’s a really big help,” Hunter said. “Can you bail for a few minutes?” he asked. “Let’s go walk around. I feel like I can’t sit still.”

“Sure,” Rosie replied. “I just need to be back by six.” She went into the kitchen to tell her dad, and when she came back out, Hunter noticed that she’d let her hair down, and it looked like she’d put on lip gloss. He slung his arm over her shoulders. “Fits just right,” he said, which he always said to June, and she pulled a little closer to him as they walked out into the warm afternoon.

32

Tuesday was locals’ night at Canal House, the brew pub in New Falls. The town didn’t have much of a craft beer scene, and Canal House was no exception. Their house ale had a great-looking can but mediocre taste, and on locals’ night the special was a shot and a beer—not the house ale, but a bottle of Yuengling. Trip was on his third round, but the bartender, Joe, was a friend, and he didn’t keep too close of an eye on it. Trip’s tab was always more of an estimate than an exact reckoning.