Wolf’s Bane

“The way you say that, bro, makes it sound like something else happened between him and me… Damn, the hair on my arms is standing on end with the thought. Ugh…” groaned Eron as he grabbed a bigger screwdriver from one of the toolboxes around him.

“Ahaha bro, you said that, I didn’t. Your green mind is making you think up thoughts that I never even said.”

“Bro, that is NOT helping me and you said you were gonna help. Come on, you can start by taking out these tires from the wheel rims. These I will definitely have to order because they can’t be salvaged anymore. Damn, whoever did this…”

“Speaking of which, the axe we found with your stuff? I originally thought it was Max’s but it’s not his, apparently,” Jack said as he started using a long metal tool to remove the tires from the rims.

“I kinda thought it was him when I saw that axe. It’s one of the things I saw around the campsite when I went there. He even had one hanging from his hip on the day he told me Diwana was HIS… Fucking jerk… If I ever prove that it was him…”

“Well, according to the newbie, it’s not, and that Mad Max let him borrow his axe for practice so he can have a better chance at being hired with us. Not that it’s necessary since they get to be trained by their team leaders or work partners if they pass the interview, and I don’t demand they cut wood to get my approval, as you well know too.”

“Yeah, and I don’t believe Max would do any good deeds if he wasn’t going to get anything in return. I’m sorry Jack, I know I’m sounding really nasty right now, but he has done nothing to earn my trust, let alone my respect.”

“I gotta admit, from the time you showed interest in Diwana, I kinda noticed him getting a little bit possessive.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t fucking care…”

“Hmmm, that’s funny…”

“What is?” Eron asked as he saw Jack looking weirdly at him.

“You didn’t exactly counter what I said…”

“Of course, I won’t counter what you said! He did get a little… actually, A LOT possessive when… I showed… interest… in… ”

“Yes?” Jack inquired, his tone a bit amused at this point.

“Well, I… uhhh… I mean…”

“You mean, what?”

“I mean… Could you get me that riveting kit, please? … Just lug over the whole hard case, thank you…”

Jack’s smirk had almost reached his right ear by the time he brought the heavy chain and rivet pack back to the flustered bike owner, whose cheeks were a little redder than usual then. The company owner decided to spare his employees from further embarrassment by moving to another topic entirely.

Of course, that’s because he already knew what he needed to know and didn’t need to ask anything further.

At least not about that topic…

“Looks like I can learn a thing or two with you working on Scorpia, bro,” Jack said as he watched Eron expertly wrestle with the tangled-up bike chain with relative ease. “Too bad that there’s some work needed putting up the new department in the company so I might not be able to help you with your motorcycle after tonight.”

“Bro, you don’t even have to be here to begin with, but you still took time to come over and help me. That is a big thing already. If anything, I should be the one helping you out with stuff at the lumberyard instead of taking your time away from your work.”© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

“Well, you staying here with Diwa and the kids is actually a favor to me, alright. She’s like a sister to me and ever since her husband died, I’ve been really worried for her, especially since she also lost her baby boy just days after Mason passed away due to the killer fever.”

“So uhhh… she was your childhood friend or something?”

“No, she’s not a native here. I think it’s pretty obvious… She doesn’t even look like a local…”

“Yeah, but I was thinking she was probably a regular tourist here and she fell in love with her husband because she would always stay at the Oro Villa…”

“Bro… she hasn’t told you? Wow, she usually talks about that freely. I wonder why she didn’t tell YOU…”

“Jack, will you stop keeping me in suspense? … Did I make a mistake with profiling her? Because that would be a first for me…”

“Well, yeah you did make a mistake. She didn’t fall in love with her husband, for starters. Diwana is a mail-order bride, bro.”

Eron’s hand froze in the middle of twisting a large wrench around a tight metal nut on one of Scorpia’s wheels. The impromptu mechanic swiftly turned towards Jack, an expression of disbelief and sympathy in his hazel eyes.

“She what!? Why? How? No way, dude…”

Jack’s look was saddened and serious as he replied, “Yes way, dude…”

And yes, Eron’s employer was now definitely sure of what he was reading on The Charmer’s face…

+++

It was around dinner time when Myron and Raquel left their beach house to try out the ocean along with the seafood and steakhouse that the resort was famous for. Of course, Myron had more on his to-do list than these vacation activities and he did manage to sneak them in every chance he could.

Unfortunately, for him, he found nothing that he could use.

“Hey bro, did you guys see this dude around here in the past few weeks?” he had asked one of the tanned, well-built lifeguards on the beach while showing the latest snapshot of the former Right Hand.

“Uhhh, no, I haven’t seen him,” the dark-haired lifeguard replied as he glanced at the colored image. “What about you, Lexter, did you ever see him around here?”

“Well, no…” answered the other male and muscled beach staff. “But I would definitely remember someone who looks as good as that if I ever see him.”

Myron did a double take at the speaker before responding, “Ok, thanks guys.”

“Leaving so soon? I think you’re kinda cute, too. Wanna try me out?”

“Come on, Lexter, you might get into trouble again for propositioning the clients. Don’t mind him, Sir. He’s just too randy for his own good.”

“Uh hehe… yeah… gotta go, my wife is calling me now.”

“Oh, let us know if she wants to join in too…”

Myron was definitely not asking them anymore.

Soon he would be talking to the female lifeguards, the receptionist staff, the kitchen people, the waiters and waitresses, the maintenance department, housekeeping and finally, the security officers. The last did require him to flash his badge and sign autographs too when the guards realised who he was, but all in all, his sleuthing was a total waste of time.