Welcome to Hurricane Bay, Florida, where the act of arson isn’t uncommon. When a popular gay bar, the Flaming Flamingo, burns to the ground with bartender Rudy inside, fear rocks the Gulf-side community. Bar owner Peter Rotunda wants to learn who destroyed his business and committed murder. Soon after the incident, Rotunda hires adorable and sexy private investigator Axle Dupree to take the case.<br><br>Axle is a fresh private eye with exemplary charm. Not only can he woo the pants off his boyfriend Casey, but also just about every other guy in town. Soon a list of alleged suspects builds: wealthy Laura Monigal, who has a history of arson; mysterious faux-cowboy Clifton Monigal; a Daisy Dukes-wearing circus performer; and a “fluff” romance writer.<br><br>As June unfolds, conversations are sharp, road trips into the Everglades become overwhelming, and spying is necessary. But after applying heat to the suspects, Axle learns who the murderer is ... and so much more about his community.

Heat

“We undress, compare notes, and bang each other like porn stars. It’s quite the adventure, if you want to know the truth. Both of us get off on the tales.”


“That sounds fun,” I said, making a note to bring the sex game up to Casey.


“What, the compared notes or the banging?”


To the left of the tall desk stretched a very long hallway comprised of walnut wood and vintage tile. Yellow globes hung down from the ceiling, begging to be cleaned and coated with cobwebs. Officer Bishop popped his head out of his office, finding me.


“Axle, I thought I heard you out here. Thank you for coming to see me.”


“Off you go, handsome,” Chandler said, pointing me in the direction of Bishop’s office. “Don’t keep him waiting, or he’ll become cranky. None of us need that.”


Chapter 44