AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Maybe we can meet Janis while we’re in Texas?” she said.
Duncan and Tim B laughed.
“We’ll all be meeting Janis someday,” said Cotton. “But it won’t be in Texas.”
Janis had died of a drug overdose over forty years ago. She was only twenty-seven at the time.
“Hey, Kaira, ever hear of the Beatles?” asked Duncan.
“Who?” asked Kaira.
“You got to be kiddin’ me,” said Duncan. “You’re kidding me, right?”
Kaira shrugged.
Cotton laughed. “She’s playing with you, man.”
Duncan wasn’t so sure.
When they arrived at the hotel in Houston, Aileen was there to give them all their room keys and schedules. She had arrived earlier and had already gotten everybody checked in. They could just go right to their rooms. Their luggage would be brought up.
“You’re Rhoda Morgenstern,” she told Kaira as she handed her the key.
Kaira studied Aileen’s face for some hint of betrayal, but her expression gave nothing away.
Even in her high heels, Aileen was shorter than Kaira. Everything about her was small: her waist, her feet, her ears, her mouth. She was stylish, efficient, and compact, like a cell phone.
“Do you know who Rhoda is?” Aileen asked.
“Mary Tyler Moore’s best friend,” said Kaira.
“Actually, Mary Richards’s best friend,” said Aileen.
It was a game they had. Aileen always registered Kaira under an assumed name so she wouldn’t be hassled by fans. Aileen chose characters from old TV shows, but Kaira hadn’t been stumped yet.
She watched too much TV.
11
X-Ray picked up Armpit at school; then they drove to South Congress Avenue in search of a barbecue joint called Smokestack Lightnin’. Somebody by the name of Murdock wanted two tickets.
“I don’t feel comfortable on someone else’s territory,” X-Ray had said.
“How come he couldn’t meet you at the H-E-B?”
“Said he couldn’t get away. Works from six in the morning until midnight.”
Armpit thought that sounded a little suspicious.
So did X-Ray. That was why he wanted Armpit along.
“I got to be at work at one,” Armpit reminded him.
“I’ll get you there,” X-Ray assured him.
Congress Avenue was called that because at its north end stood the majestic state capitol building, with its dome and white co
lumns. This was where the Texas congress met, but only every other year, so they couldn’t cause too much damage.
