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Nikki looked back over her shoulder. “I let a poker game get in the way.”
Before Blake could ask any more questions, Lincoln stuck his head out the door and said, “Unless you two have come up with something new and brilliant, we’re leaving in half an hour. There are clothes in here for you.”
Blake looked down at his clothes. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”
“Tactical pants and boots don’t exactly say yee-haw,” Lincoln said.
Blake didn’t like it, but he agreed. He held open the door for Nikki.
“I have to get a picture of you dressed up,” Nikki said.
Blake pointed at her. “Do and die. There will be no evidence of me in a cowboy hat.”
Nikki gave him a half smile. “Yeah, okay.”
He hated this plan.
“I’m going to get a beer,” Lincoln said after they got to the fairgrounds. He checked his watch. “Spread out, and let’s meet back in an hour.”
Reagan walked over to Blake. “Nikki and I should go with you.”
Nikki furrowed her forehead. “Why?”
“A man walking around with one woman is on a date. No one will pay attention to that. But a man walking around with two women is more than likely looking out for them.”
“Since when are you the expert on men?” Nikki asked.
Reagan clicked her tongue. “Not an expert on men, but I know people.” She tapped a finger on her temple. “It’s not just a hat rack.”
Blake interrupted Nikki before she could say anything else. “Fine. I’m hungry. I bet there’ll be corndogs or hot dogs around here somewhere.”
He let Nikki and Reagan walk slightly in front of him. It gave him the chance to watch them while scoping out the people walking around them. The kids ran around screaming and laughing while their parents chased after them or yelled something about not running. Young lovebirds walked around holding hands with silly, sappy smiles on their faces. A few of the men were already drunk and flexed their muscles at the various carnival games. But most people ignored them. A couple of women watched them as they walked by, but that was it.
They stood in line for food and beer, finding a picnic table on the side of the seating area.
Reagan took a drink of beer and then said, “My family worked carnivals most of my life. I’m pretty sure my two brothers still do.”
“You don’t know?” Nikki said.
“I haven’t talked to my family since before I went to prison.”
Blake said, “Can I ask you something?”
Reagan eyed him and pressed her lips together. “You can ask, but I won’t guarantee an answer.”
“Fair enough. How did all of you get out of prison?”
Reagan exchanged looks with Nikki and then looked away. She waited several moments before she said, “I’m not sure. I wasn’t the most cooperative prisoner.”
“Really? You don’t say,” Nikki interrupted her.
Reagan narrowed her eyes to Nikki for an extended moment. There was something unspoken exchanged, and Blake didn’t know if it was something good or something that would stir up trouble.
“I spent a lot of days in solitary. That was better than Gen Pop, anyway. I grew up in a large family, constantly surrounded by an even bigger family of carnies. Not much of a chance to be alone. After the first couple of times I was sent to solitary, I started doing shit on purpose. I could breathe when I was alone. The guards were nicer in solitary, too. Maybe because they only had to tell me once what to do. The only drawback was only getting one hour a day outside.”
“Did they treat you any differently?” Blake asked.
“You mean because I was a shifter?”
