Near the end of the next block was a pub and microbrewery that had a couple of pool tables. Mandi and Cade discovered the place to be almost empty, despite large numbers of convention attendees wandering the streets. Two guys at a table near the window nodded to Mandi and Cade as they entered and approached the bar. Cade ordered a couple of beers and some quarters. Gesturing around the pub, Mandi said, "Well, Ed, you did say you wanted to get away from the crowds." As the bartender pulled a couple of glasses of beer for them, he said, "It's like this every year. The only convention that brings in less business is the Salvation Army thing." Nodding toward the window, he added, "Which just happens to be going on this week, too, of course. It's the worst week of the year for everybody but the hotels and restaurants." The reddish-colored beer cost five bucks a glass and it tasted rather bitter. Cade decided that he preferred his usual Ice House beer as he set his local brew on a table and put quarters in one of the pool tables. "Don't like it, huh?" asked Mandi, nodding at Cade's beer. "Not particularly. Too bitter. I'll break." "Oh, really? We aren't going to flip a coin?" "No, ma'am, we aren't. I've got a strong feeling that if you break, you'll run the table." Rolling a stick on the table to check it's straightness, Mandi said, "Oh, but maybe I'm not much of a pool player, sir." Watching her chalk the tip of her stick by spinning the stick and lightly buffing the contact point, Cade said, "Uh, huh. That's what all the sexy blonde hustlers say." Cade made the four on the break and made another five balls before a bad leave put the cue ball behind three of her stripes. His attempted jump shot made the seven ball, but the cue ball followed it into the pocket. Mandi grinned as she stepped up to the table. One after another she rather elegantly pocketed all of her striped balls, including one that involved a long, almost right-angle cut to reach a distant corner pocket. When only the eight ball remained, she eyed the six-inch shot and smilingly asked, "Want to concede the game?" Shaking his head, Cade said, "Nope. Work for it, lady." With a chuckle, Mandi popped the eight into the pocket. The two guys who'd been watching from a nearby table had come to stand by Cade. "Man, she flat kicked your ass," said one of them. "I think she got lucky on the fourteen," said the other guy. "Yeah?" asked Cade. "Put your quarters up. You just volunteered to be her next victim." The guy nodded and reached in his pocket, then fed the table as the other guy introduced himself as Mike and the other guy as Stan, then put his name on the chalkboard for the next game. "Hey, there's three of us here, dude," confided Mike. "One of us has to beat her." Glancing at Mandi, Cade chuckled and said, "Yeah, right."