by then, he had his unit going and he contacted me. I work with great people.”
“How can your name be ‘Tiger’ when there are no tigers around here?” Len asked.
“Family name. It’s just my name.”
“Cool name,” Elly said.
Axel shrugged, looking at Len. “And in a way, as common as Smith.”
“Not that common,” Len assured him.
“Maybe not quite as common,” Axel agreed.
“And you’re half white—and half Native American? Miccosukee or Seminole?”
“Technically, I guess. I’m a quarter Miccosukee, a quarter Seminole and a half mix-match of Northern Europeans through the centuries,” Axel said. “No conflicts in my life. My mom’s family loved my dad, and my dad’s family loved my mom.”
Mya laughed. “Well, that’s great. My dad still isn’t sure about Len!”
“Thinks I shouldn’t be a hands-on man,” Len said. Then he sighed. “That didn’t come out right. I’m a contractor. I believe he thinks that Mya should have married an attorney or a doctor.”
“He’s coming around,” Mya assured him. “I think he’s actually glad you’re a big, strong guy. Protect his little girl, you know.”
“So, Axel, this latest murder...seems as if the news stations are saying it was just like one that occurred some months back,” Len said, frowning. “Strange, because from what the news gathered, they were just kind of...killed. How does anyone get anyone else out to the Everglades to kill them and get away so easily?”
“That’s what we’re trying to find out,” Axel said.
Len lifted his beer glass. “Well, it’s good to have you with us.”
“Thanks,” Axel said.
“You think it’s because you were dating Jordan Rivera before?” Lucia suddenly wondered, looking at Mya. “And he saw how quickly he was rising in Fielding’s firm?”
“You mean my dad not being sure about Len yet?” Mya asked, frowning, having moved on from that area of their conversation.
“Yeah, sorry, I was thinking. I mean, we all love Len!” Lucia flashed him a smile. “But your dad always liked Jordan.”
“We all like Jordan. He’s a friend we grew up with,” Elly said.
“I get along fine with the guy,” Len said, shrugging. He smiled at his wife. “He was just a practice dude. I’m the real deal.” He looked over at Raina. “You dated his buddy, Tate, right? And you’re still friends.”
“Yes, we agreed we were just friends. I think we both wanted to go to the prom with someone we knew since neither of us had a high school romance,” Raina said. She was surprised to feel a slight flush.
It was so long ago.
It was also something she’d never mentioned to Axel. Of course, she and Axel weren’t dating. And even if they were, they had surely each dated several different people by then, some relationships being closer than others. She still felt Axel by her side then, as if his heat had heightened or he had moved imperceptibly closer.
“Right,” Mya said. “We all just played dating back then. Probably because we were all together so long. Long enough to know we had to grow up. It’s not that big a deal.”
“He’s going to like me a lot once we have grandchildren,” Len said. “Your dad, I mean.”
“True. So there you have it!” Mya said.
“It was cool to see your friend tonight—Jeremy Gray,” Lucia told Axel. “He’s so interesting, like a walking, living, breathing description of dignity.”
“He would like that. And he is an amazing man. Loves kids and thinks everyone has a story that should be shared,” Axel answered.
“Did you know the other man? Larry Stillwater? He was nice, too. Had a great sense of humor,” Mya said.
“I’ve known him. He’s a council member for the Seminole tribe. He reminds me a lot of Jeremy. Same kind of easy manner, accepting of all, open to new ideas. He, like Jeremy, seems like an all-around good guy.”
“And you, too!” Lucia said.
“Well, thank you, Lucia,” Axel told her.
Titan barked. Axel laughed and patted the dog. “Thank you, too, Titan. I think?”
He looked at Raina questioningly.
“He approves of you. And he’s picky, so you must be a good guy,” Raina said, smiling.
“What does he do when he doesn’t like someone?” Axel asked.
“He’s never bitten anyone that I know of,” Lucia said.
“But we met him when he was young, when Raina had just got him,” Elly said. “He thinks we’re relatives.”
“He loves you, and as I said, he’s a good judge of character. No, he hasn’t bitten anyone, but he has warned a few people away from the door. When we’re out, if he doesn’t like someone, he stares at them and stays right by