Page 143 of After 5
“No, I’ve got to bolt.”
“Because you have a date?”
“Yeah, jealous?”
“A little.”
“Good.” He pulled me in and hugged me tight, kissing the top of my head.
My inner voice reminded me about Caiyan’s little secret growing in the other room and encouraged me to take Marco upstairs and relieve him of his t-shirt and jeans.
Another time, I told her. I needed Caiyan to share his secrets before I could move on and open my heart to someone else.
I invitedDarryl over for Chipotle.
Since the club had been the scene of a CIA shakedown involving a notorious crime family and needed repairs, he had the night off.
Darryl didn’t know Victory missed the last decade, but he entertained her with stories about things he’d come across in his business as a picker.
I called the hospital at Gitmo to check on Caiyan while we waited for the food. The nurse told me his blood pressure had stabilized and he was doing much better. She thought his lucky charm was the real deal. I knew it was.
We sat around the coffee table eating burrito bowls and listened to how Darryl manipulates steel remnants into funky art animals. Ragina breezed in through the front door.
“Thanks for knocking,” I said. With the Mafusos on the mad, I needed to remind Gertie to lock the door.
“Whoa,” Darryl said.
Ragina hovered over us in designer pink cowboy boots and matching sequined cowboy hat. 90210 had gone all out sparkly cowgirl.
“I don’t know how you did it.” Ragina tossed her photos on the table and scowled in my direction.
“Did what?” I asked her.
Brodie picked up one of the photos and his face lit up.
“The owner of Mama’s Double Wide rejected my photos. Thanks for doctoring them up with your Photoshop,” Ragina said.
“What are you talking about?” Gertie leaned in toward Brodie to examine the photo. Her mouth formed a giantO.
Ragina plucked a photo off the table and shoved it into my hands. The black and white reproduction of a vintage photo showed a group of doctors standing next to an amputation table. Dr. Seuss minus the wig and mustache stood in the background.
“That man sort of looks like me,” I chuckled. I vaguely recalled a group of men gathered in front of the medical tent where I had stopped to watch Caiyan disappear into the woods. I didn’t realize they were posing for a picture.
Brodie flipped his photo over to show us. A bleary-eyed Gertie stood with Marco in front of General Lee’s tent.
“How do you explain that one?” Ragina asked.
“Coincidence?” I shrugged.
“The owner of Mama’s Double Wide told me he couldn’t pay me for photos of the karaoke queen and her bar-dancing sidekick.”
“Look who’s the sidekick now.” Gertie beamed at me.
“I’ll be your sidekick anytime,” I said to Gertie.
“You bet your sweet ass.” Everyone laughed, causing Ragina to storm out of the house.
“I’d better go after her. She’ll need to release all that pent-up hostility, and I know just the guy to help her.” Darryl stood, a determined grin across his face.
