Page 65 of Wild Fever

Kara smiled. “I hate to admit it, but I kinda like you.” She scrunched her lips.

“There are worse things.”

She chuckled again. “I suppose.” After a pause, she said, “Listen, I want you to do me a favor. If I don’t… you know… I want you to get the bastards who did this.”

I gave a subtle nod.

After another sip of champagne, she said in a sultry voice, “So, how do you feel about granting a dying woman her last wish?”

I lifted an intrigued eyebrow. “What did you have in mind?” I asked, knowing exactly what she wanted.

She leaned close, her full lips beckoning. “I think you can figure it out,” she said as she closed in for the kill, our lips on a collision course.

It was about that time when a team of four scoundrels emerged from the brush with AR-15s, interrupting the tender moment.

Talk about bad timing.

“This is private property,” the gang leader said with a Spanish accent. “You’re trespassing.”

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Ismiled. "We're guests of Dr. Malcolm's.”

"Is that so?” the gang leader replied.

His shaggy raven hair hung into his predatory eyes. He had a swarthy tan and a thin mustache and goatee. In his mid-30s, his hard face was lined beyond his years. Thin with ropy muscles and a mean mug, he was dangerous and unpredictable. There was an almost crazed look in his eyes. I knew the type. Coiled energy waiting to strike. A man who thrived on violence.

"You can go ask him yourself, if you'd like."

"Both of you. On your feet. Now!"

We complied, and one of the goons frisked us both and found my pistol. It didn't take him long to find my badge. "He's a cop."

The goon, whom I’d later come to know as Diego, tossed my badge to the ringleader, Chivo. The boss examined it for a moment, then chuckled. "Are we even in Coconut County?”

The others laughed on cue.

"Technically, yes," I replied.

"What are you doing all the way out here?"

"I told you. We’re guests of Dr. Malcolm's.” I forced another smile. "If you'll just return my belongings, we can go about our business, and you can go about yours. No harm, no foul.”

Chivo laughed, but it didn't take long for his grin to fade. He growled, "Move!" motioning the barrel of his rifle toward the lab.

I exchanged a subtle glance with Kara before marching back into the underbrush. I led the way with the goons behind us, ARs at our backs.

"So, are you friends of Vernon's?" I asked.

"Shut up and keep walking!" Chivo replied.

The last rays of sunshine cascaded across the island as the sun sank below the horizon. The sky was multiple shades of pink and purple and would soon give way to gray.

These guys really spoiled the moment.

They marched us into the thick underbrush, once again crunching across leaves and stepping over fallen logs. We ducked under branches and weaved through thick foliage.

Mosquitoes buzzed about in full force. Keeping on the move kept the vultures from landing.