Sin stood her ground. “Back atcha.”
The chief tipped his hat at Troy and appeared to almost bow towards the prophet. “I will see you both Tuesday night.”
He stepped forward and shoulder bumped Sin. She could tell he expected her to lose her balance, and she saw goose bumps flood his flesh when he became misdirected from their collision.
Sin followed him out with her eyes. Turning back towards the others, she saw Heap shaking his head.
“You do have a way with people,” Heap laughed. “Follow me and I will give you the grand tour.”
An hour later, the three of them were back where they started.
Heap pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the sweat from his brow. “Well, Sergeant, I hope this has inspired you to attend services on Sunday.”
Sin quickly changed the subject. “The church is very impressive, Prophet. How large did you say the facility was?”
Heap wiped his brow again. “I don’t recall saying, but the entire building is twenty-thousand-square-feet and we have plans to erect two adjacent buildings.”
Sin’s mind was racing. From her peripheral vision, she saw Troy start to fidget.
He gestured to the clock on the wall. “I hate to break up this conversation, but I just realized the time. I am on duty in an hour. Do you mind if we rush out, Prophet Heap?”
“Not at all, Deputy. I am late for a meeting, also.”
“Thank you for your hospitality,” Troy answered. “Sergeant O’Malley—ready?”
13
Sin was deep in thought the entire ride back home. She knew the dimensions of the sanctuary and the other rooms inside the church didn’t add up to the total square footage. She was also thinking about Ezekiel Miller’s remarks. What meeting would Troy be attending with both Miller and Heap. The more she reflected, the angrier she became.
When they arrived back in Tumbleboat, her words and disposition were curt as she thanked Troy for taking her to the church.
He grabbed her arm as she began to walk away. “What happened to the girl that rode with me on the way to the church?” he asked.
Sin jerked her arm from his grasp. “She was fooled by your charm, but don’t worry. It won’t happen again.”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
Sin stepped toward Troy. “You say you’ve changed, but you haven’t. You are still the same piece of shit you were back in high school.”
Troy threw his arms up. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about Miller saying that he was going to see you at a meeting on Tuesday. If you are against Heap and his cronies, why are you attending a meeting with them?”
Troy shook his head and straddled his bike. “You need to learn to give people the benefit of the doubt. Instead of jumping to conclusions, why didn’t you just ask?”
Sin leaned against her bike and crossed her ankles. “I’m listening.”
Troy started his Harley and shifted into first gear. “I’m late for work. Lose the attitude, put on a dress, and I will pick you up for dinner at eight.”
He gunned the throttle, fishtailing out of the shell-rock drive.
Dinner? Sin smirked. Some guys just like to be punished.
After checking on her dad, she left Carmelita a note and left to take care of some things of her own.
Sin always thought best when there were noise and people around. Without even thinking where she was going, she pulled her bike into the Lower Keys Saloon. She eyed the parking lot and not seeing any of her ‘buddies’ vehicles, she ventured inside to quench her thirst and think.
A while later, the bar started to fill up with locals and Sin thought it best to leave before she was the cause of any more trouble. Thirst quenched and notes written, Sin left with a plan. Not much of one, but it was better than nothing.
Walking outside in the late day sun, she slid her mirror-lensed sunglasses down onto her eyes, straddled her bike, and made a quick phone call before kick-starting her Harley.
14
Sin pulled up to the Navy base in Key West. She was checked through by the MP and given directions to the base commander’s office.
“I appreciate your assistance, Captain,” she said.
Captain Jackson rolled the cigar from one side of his mouth to the other, finished signing an acquisition order, and nodded. “It’s the least I can do for an American hero,” he said, stogie clenched between his teeth.
“I’m just a soldier doing my job like everyone else, Sir.”
“Modest, I like that,” he said handing her the paper. A quizzical look painted his expression as he placed the well-chewed cigar in the crystal ashtray. “Tell me, Sergeant, are you sure this gear is for recreational purposes?”
Sin, straight faced—without a glint of a tell—answered, “I’m on leave, Captain. I just figured I would get a little recreational diving in during my down time.”
Captain Jackson emitted a belly laugh. “Get out of here, O’Malley before I change my mind.”
Sin saluted the colonel and left to fill the requisition order.
She handed the corporal manning the equipment locker a piece of paper. “Would you mind sending this equipment to my residence?”
He looked at the requisition and then at Sin. “I’ll send it to Sixteen Hundred Pennsylvania Avenue if you want, Ma’am.”
Sin smiled. “I don’t think there is much need for SCUBA equipment in D.C. Maybe next time.”
Papers and manifests signed, she headed back to Tumbleboat to talk to Carmelita before getting ready for dinner.
Sin sat at the red light on U.S. 1, the road that led off Key West. She glanced in her rearview mirror and noticed a pick-up truck tailing her about five vehicles back. She couldn’t make out the occupants, but she knew she had seen the truck before.
That’s the same truck I saw pass me when I pulled onto the base, she thought. Let’s see how badly they want to tail me.
The light turned green and she eased off the clutch, following the line of traffic off
