He takes off his coat and shirt and hands them to us. Just as we’re slipping them on, we hear Renfrew shout, “Lola, Benji, get the fuckin’ brats! I’m tired of this shit.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Eight
A girl and a boy only a few years older than Henri and Oscar emerge from the shadows. I’d put a bullet in Renfrew’s head for exploiting children, but I’m dumbfounded by the kids’ appearances. They’re both shirtless. The guy, Benji, is wearing tights that cling to him so much so that nothing is left to the imagination. The girt, Lola, is wearing a skimpy bra that barely covers the goods.
Selkie reacts first. “What the fuck! What kind of sick shit are you into?” She bolts towards the two kids, then skids to a stop as Oscar emerges.
“Nothin’s going on,” Oscar says as he stands next to the girl. “We were just hanging out.”
He’s wearing a bright red coat with tails. The coat is embroidered elaborately and adorned with sequins. He looks like a fuckin’ circus ringmaster. Henri follows him out, wearing a long-sleeved oversized white dress shirt that she’s buttoning up. She’s also wearing a gold vest and has a top hat on her head.
“What the fuck?” Selkie says. Whatever fear she was feeling for Oscar and Henri’s well-being is replaced by confusion.
I turn to Renfrew. “This is your gang initiation? Embarrass them to death?”
Renfrew can’t stop snickering as he shakes his head. Trigger and Rocky are laughing their heads off.
Benji turns to Henri. “Why are you wearing my top hat?”
She struts around him like she’s in a fashion show. “Because it looks good on me.”
“Give it back.”
Selkie says, “Take it off. You might get lice.”
“Hey!” Benji protests. “I showered last week!”
“Spoilsport,” Henri says as she takes off the hat and tosses it at Benji who misses the catch.
Lola rolls her eyes, then picks it up and dusts it off. “He’s got no hand-eye coordination,” she explains as she sets the hat on top of Benji’s head, steps back, examines it, then adjusts it slightly.
“Why the fuck are you dressed like that?” I say to Oscar. “I thought you were too old to play dress-up.”
Henri takes offence. “We weren’t playing dress up. We got cold and Benji lent us some clothes.”
“I never get cold,” Benji interjects.
“Then where the fuck is her shirt?” Hangman says nodding towards Lola.
“Ummm,” Oscar says, but Lola rescues him.
“I don’t like shirts. They restrict my breathing and I can’t do yoga.”
“Jesus Christ,” Joker mutters. “This isn’t a shit show, it’s a fuckin’ circus.”
Benji gives him a wide smile. “Thank you, sir,” he says as he bows.
“These are kids,” Hangman growls at Renfrew. “All of them. What the fuck’s wrong with your head?”
Renfrew’s smile drops from his face. “They wanted in. They come from fucked up homes and shit parents. I’m just helping them out.” He nods at me. “Oscar says you kick him around.”
I throw a dark look at Oscar. “Not yet, I don’t.”
Selkie gasps. “That’s not on, Oscar. Your dad doesn’t mistreat you.” She says to Henri, “What the hell did you tell them about me?”
“That you’re batshit crazy,” Renfrew says.
