yet, Tami? I’ve been thinking about tempura all afternoon. ”
Death let out a screeching laugh, and Casey’s mouth fell open. This was Tamille’s teacher? No, not Tamille. Tami. Casey stifled a chuckle.
Tamille glared at her good-naturedly. “I did order the tempura, sensei. And some inagi and shrimp Ebi. I hope that is acceptable.”
“Whatever you want, my girl. Whatever you want. Pour me some tea, will you?”
Casey took a seat on her cushion, trying not to break into laughter. Sensei Asuhara was not exactly what one would expect from a karate master. He was so…cute.
Tamille poured his tea, and he dumped four teaspoons of sugar into it. Like he needed more nervous energy.
“So,” Asuhara said. “Tami tells me you are quite the fighter.” He leaned over and elbowed Casey. “I’d like to see that. Someone beating my Tami? Takes a special person. I’ve seen multitudes go down under her fists.”
Tami scoffed at that. “Multitudes?”
“I do not lie.” He turned back to Casey. “You are new here, Tami tells me. Just moved in?”
“That’s right.”
“Coming from?”
Casey wracked her brain. Where had Daisy last been?
“Tallahassee,” Death said.
Right. “Tallahassee.”
“And why the move to Raceda? Men troubles? Money troubles? A strong urge for a good tan?”
Tamille watched Casey with amusement. You don’t refuse to answer a sensei’s questions, even if they are more personal than he should be asking at first meeting.
“I needed a change. Staying in Florida sounded good, and the job at the Flamingo came up.”
“Ah.” He speared a piece of sushi on a chopstick and stuck it in his mouth.
Casey used his chewing time as a reprieve, to prepare herself for what he might ask next. Who knew, with this guy? He was a live wire. He swallowed, and Casey braced herself.
“And how do you find the Flamingo?”
Casey shot a quick look at Tamille, who innocently picked up a fried noodle and ate it, watching Casey all the while.
“The Flamingo is…challenging.”
He laughed. No. Giggled. “That’s exactly what Tami says. It’s why she stays there, even without anyone to hang out with.” He shook his head, giggling some more. “Challenging.” He tried to spear another piece of shrimp, but his chopstick slipped, and the shrimp flew across the tray, landing on the floor. Tamille picked it up without comment and set it aside, wrapped in a napkin.
Asuhara waved his chopsticks at Casey. “So tell me a story.”
“About what?”
“Something at the Flamingo.”
“That I find challenging?”
He considered. “No. Something you find disturbing.”
Well, that was easy. “A woman was murdered on Tuesday.”
“Tami told me all about that, and of course it is very disturbing. But I want to hear about something else.”
Casey sat back on her pillow. What could be more disturbing than a murder?
“Oh, please,” Death said. “Like there aren’t a million things at the Flamingo that make you wonder why God ever made people to begin with.”
“Hair dye,” Casey said.
“Hair dye?” Death shrieked. “You can pick anything you want and you pick hair dye?”
“Not…hair dye itself, though, I guess,” Casey said. “But what it represents.”
Asuhara nodded, as if he’d heard it all before, and gestured for her to go on.
“No one there is what they seem, because they’re all dyed, plucked, tanned, whitened, buffed, muscled, or who knows what all. They’re squeezed into expensive clothes, or easing the awkwardness with alcohol, or sleeping with everybody who asks, or pretending they’re younger than they are. It’s like high school all over again, except for then people try to act older than they are.”
Tamille and Asuhara exchanged a glance.
“What?” Casey said.
“Your response sounds just like the complaints I hear every week from Tami.” Asuhara took a sip of tea, and Casey used the opportunity to eat something.
He set down his cup and searched the tray, his chopsticks hovering in the air. “No one there is what they seem?”
“Well, I certainly don’t know everybody, so I can’t say for certain. But just about everyone I’ve come into contact with. Except Tamille here, maybe.” She smiled, and Tamille acknowledged the compliment with a nod. “Oh, and Jack, the bartender. If I had to say, I’d guess he’s just who he seems to be, with ordinary clothes and only the hair God gave him. Talking to him after a day with the others is…a relief.”
“I see.” Asuhara set down his chopsticks. “Tami, dear, will you please go ask for a fork? I’m about to starve to death looking at all this wonderful food.”
“Of course, sensei.” She rose, gave a little bow, and left the room.