With that, we headed back toward Miami once again.
“Why is your club so far out of Miami?” I asked.
“From my understanding, they had a clubhouse there. Back before they created the club, Huck, McCoy, Che, and Remystripped cars. So they had a garage that had apartments above it. But something went down that led to the place getting blown up. Instead of rebuilding, they decided to move. I guess so they can see threats coming more easily, since it’s a little more rural out here.”
“That makes sense, I guess. Must have been a blow to see them building across the street. I’m a little disappointed I didn’t meet any of your old man admirers.”
“Oh, they’re probably heading over now. They wake up at the fucking crack of dawn. While we’re still trying to sleep off the night before.”
“Do they let themselves in?”
“Usually someone else does. Or we find them hanging out by the pool when someone comes down.”
“It’s kind of cute that you guys entertain it.”
“Figure, if I’m old as dirt, I’d want someone to help me feel young again.”
“I can’t see myself becoming an old lady who sits and ogles the neighbor men while doing yard work.”
“Dunno, babe. Think the horny old person phase comes for us all. Might have something to do with seeing the clock ticking down and not giving a fuck anymore.”
“Yeah, probably. I hear that STDs are a big problem in retirement homes because everyone is banging. Which, hey, good for them. But also… wrap it up. God, it’s getting so hot already,” I grumbled, reaching over to turn the air up.
“You like the colder weather more?”
“God, no. I like a perfect fifty to seventy degrees. Anything else is excessive and unnecessary. But according to my research, the only place with that kind of weather is San Francisco. And I’m not dealing with that kind of traffic. So… I just need to constantly be close to a well-working air conditioning unit. You like the heat?”
“I’m used to it. I’ve never lived anywhere with winters, so this is all I’ve known. These guys, they live in an apartment?”
“They rent this little bungalow. It’s actually pretty cute. But all four of them are packed into a one-bedroom. With no air.”
“So, you’re really looking—whoa,” he said when I slammed on the brakes. “The fuck?”
“There’s a tree chicken in the road,” I said, nodding toward where the massive iguana was resting, soaking up the sun like he wasn’t blocking a whole roadway.
“Tree chicken,” Caymen chuckled. “Honk at it, it should scurry off.” Sure enough, he scuttled away into the brush at the side of the road. “Not used to the local wildlife yet?”
“I kind of like the iguanas, actually. I mean, I know they’re invasive, but they’re kinda cool. It’s the snakes, gators, and crocs that freak me out.”
“You mostly don’t have to interact with them.”
“Not when I live on a top floor, at least,” I agreed, turning down a quiet side street where the bungalow was located.
Velle and York weren’t far behind us.
“I know you’re not gonna like hearing this, but I don’t want you going in alone,” Caymen said when we were all parked on the street outside the sweet little yellow bungalow with the white picket fence and charmingly overgrown gardens.
One look at his face told me all I needed to know: he wasn’t going to give in on this.
“Fine. But just you. You guys can do a perimeter check,” I told York and Velle, who fell in line with the plan, no questions asked. “Huh.”
“What?”
“If I knew employees would follow orders so well, I might not have gone into this game solo,” I admitted as I reached for the doorknob.
I had my gun in a holster because I didn’t want to startle these guys if they were on something and paranoid.
Caymen gave me a nod, and I pushed the door in.
