Page 228 of Johnny

I have to believe that or I wouldn’t be able to let him go.

“Where to now?” Logan asks.

Johnny and I both turn to face him.

Logan was not happy about being refused his revenge. But Johnny told him what he could and left

the most dangerous secrets out.

And Logan is a man who knows when to let things go. Because he just nodded in agreement.

“Key West,” Johnny says. “I need to let my brothers know everything has been taken care of.”

“Has it though?” Logan asks.

“As far as they’re concerned it has. We’re not going to tell them any of this. They will never know

about the new deal I made. All they’ll know is that it’s over. They won’t push me on details once they

find out there’s no more money-making ceremonies in our future. They’ll just be happy I took care of

it.” Then he mumbles, “The way I always do.”

“Who’s gonna do that?” Logan asks. “The money-making stuff?”

“According to the contract I signed, a guy I know called… Check. I guess he was promoted too.”

The Dumas family… compound? I’m not sure that’s accurate. It’s really a whole street filled with

cottages they own and rent to tourists. But at the moment are all filled with Johnny’s brother’s friends

and family. But the Dumas family, regardless of what you call their living arrangements… well, it’s

crazy.

There are so many new people here for me to meet. Jesse and Emma. Joey, Brooke, Huck, and

Wald. Zach, Johnny’s cousin. And then Emma’s business partners. The science nerd Mrs. Boston

referred to, Hanna, and her boyfriend. Whose name no one seems to be able to remember even though

Hannah tells me she’s been dating him for two years. Then there’s Mila Sanchez and her entire family.

Two kids and a husband. Natalie, who brought not one, but two, boyfriends down for her little vacay

stay. And of course, Emma’s three massive, tattooed brothers—Alonzo, Tony, and Luke—and her

parents. One tiny, bossy mother and one huge accommodating father.

Johnny was right about how his brothers would react. They pushed him a little for details, but not

many. Johnny just said, “It’s been taken care of,” and that seemed to be enough.

Tomorrow the whole Boston brother party is going back to the city to get on with life but right now

we’re sitting in the backyard of the Dumas family home having a huge Saturday dinner. Fried chicken,

homemade rolls, corn on the cob, baked beans… an all-American picnic.