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Dan says, “I understand that you’re interested in joining our little social club.”
“Not really. She’s interested in me joining.”
Damn it.
I look at Janet.
“Sorry. They’re interested in me joining.”
“It’s okay,” Janet says. “You’re trying.”
“Here’s the thing,” says Dan. “We usually have a pretty extensive vetting process.”
Juliette says, “To see if the applicant is a true adventurer. But you already proved you’re up for an interesting time.”
Dan picks right up the moment she stops talking, like they’ve rehearsed the whole thing.
He says, “I take it you’re Sub Rosa?”
Surprised, I say, “Does that get me extra brownie points?”
“A few actually.”
“Still,” says Juliette. “Ambushing a dumb animal is one thing.”
Dan continues, “How are you when something intelligent can look you right in the eye?”
I don’t like where this is going.
“You want to thumb-wrestle?”
“Something like that, but not me.”
I look at Juliette.
She smiles and takes Dan’s arm.
“You should be so lucky.”
The Lodge members, when I look them over, are a dull bunch. Rich and poor. Fat and skinny. Some nervously not wanting to look me in the eye. Others staring daggers. There are a few buff gym rats in the group, but no one looks particularly dangerous. Besides, a lot of them still have casts and bandages from the freeway stunt.
I half-smile at Dan.
“You don’t mean Janet, and I could knock over most of this bunch with a well-aimed Twinkie.”
“Not any of them, either.”
“Look, unless you have a gorilla in the guest room I’m leaving.”
“In fact, we do. But not the guest room. Through there.”
There’s a metal door like a bank vault across the room. Whatever is behind it is set deep into the granite of the cliff the house stands on.
I glance at Janet and they nod eagerly at me.
Turning back to Dan and Juliette, I say, “Whatever you have planned, let’s get going. Don’t take this the wrong way, but for adrenaline junkies you’re kind of boring.”
Juliette ushers me to the vault door and purrs in my ear.
