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

I felt enlightened by her honesty, whether she verbally shared a confession with me or not. “What about Margo’s novels being burned on Hurricane Bay Beach? Tell me what you know about those smaller fires. Are they also tied to Bruno Grigade?”


She waved both hands at me this time and giggled with joy, perhaps entertained by my visit and our shared meeting. “Stop, you’re being ridiculous, young man. Why would Bruno start little fires when he can torch large buildings?”


Her garble made sense. The cliché gobig or go homecame to mind, which I thought appropriate at the moment.


Chapter 48