“Sorry, boys. I hired a different roofing company. I won’t need that estimate after all.”
It’s code.
I nod and slide the envelope to Brick, who thumbs through the stack of cash.
“It’s all good,” Brick says.
“Sorry for the inconvenience,” the man mutters and pats the window frame. “Maybe next time.”
“Call us if the other company doesn’t work out,” I say.
“You bet.”
I back out, and he disappears inside.
I quickly weave my way out of the area and jump on the expressway, headed back around the bay to Stillwater.
It’s a forty-minute ride.
“I’m getting really tired of these trips,” I mutter.
“Maybe we can put some prospects on this bullshit job,” Pipe mutters.
“There’s no way Prez is going to trust this to them.”
Brick slides his shades down and peers at me over the edge. “How ‘bout we stop at that shrimp place?”
“I gotta get back,” I say. “I’ve got shit to do.”
“Party pooper,” he mutters.
I roll my eyes. “I can drop you and Pipe off there. You can call an Uber.”
“Don’t you dare leave me with Brick,” Pipe says, and I laugh.
Brick twists to him. “What the fuck’s with you? And here I was gonna buy you lunch.”
“Sure you were, right up until the check comes, and you suddenly realize you don’t have your wallet.” Pipe smacks the back of Brick’s seat.
“Y’all are gangin’ up on me. What’d I do?”
I chuckle.
He chews on a toothpick, then looks at me. “You should bring Grace by the house. Angie wants to meet her.”
“She can meet her at the clubhouse party,” I say.
“Why not sooner?”
“I don’t want to rub her face in the club, okay? She’s already spooked enough.”
“Yeah, he had me come over and install a security system last night,” Pipe tells him.
Brick meets my eyes and pulls the toothpick from his mouth. “That right? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“’Cause there’s nothing to tell.”
“Sounds like there is.”