Excluded and Uninvited novel · Chapter 20 of 24

Chapter 20: The Loading Dock

Riverside Hall had a red carpet out front and a banner three stories tall.

On the banner Greg smiled down at the street.

Under him it said "500K LIVE PARTY" in pink and gold letters.

Jo walked up to the check-in table first, with her chin up and her own name on the list.

"Jo McPartland, plus one," she said.

The girl at the table ran a finger down the page.

"Here you are. Who's your plus one?"

"My friend Katja."

Katja gave her name, and a wristband went onto each of them.

I stood twenty feet back in a ball cap with the bill pulled low, a borrowed hoodie and a thumb drive in my sock.

Jo glanced over her shoulder at me.

She had told me not to walk in with her.

She had told me to wait by the loading dock and not to talk to anyone.

I went around the side of the building.

The door at the dock was propped open with a milk crate.

The woman who ran the Crew's lights was standing in it with a headset around her neck.

"You came," she said.

"I said I would."

"They struck your name last night. He told security to turn you away on sight. They have your photo."

"Then it's good I'm wearing a hat."

"It's a terrible hat."

"It's Jo's."

She almost laughed, then held the door wider.

"Quick," she said. "Come in with the cable guys."

Backstage was a long concrete hall with road cases stacked on both sides and cables taped to the floor.

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