“Too right,” Billings said. He started driving. There were no other cars on the road. “Last year we made up cruel stories about some of the uglier au pairs.”

“So they’d be fired,” Blakely said.

“Exactly so.”

“And none of these mommies want to take care of their little brats.”

“Heavens no.”

“So they have to replace the au pairs.”

“Often with more attractive ones.”

“See the brilliance?”

Myron looked at Win. Win just grinned.

“Pretend I do,” Myron said.

“Anyway, this island can get boring,” Blakely said.

“Dullsville,” Billings added.

“Tedious.”

“Tiresome.”

“You could die from such boredom, really. And in truth, no one is even sure that Gabriel Wire lives in that estate.”

“We’ve never seen him.”

“But we’ve gotten close to the house.”

“We’ve touched it.”

Blakely turned around and flashed the teeth at Myron. “See, we bring the babes there. We tell them that the house belongs to Gabriel Wire and that it’s well guarded.”

“Because danger is an aphrodisiac.”

“If you mention danger to a girl, her panties practically melt off, do you hear what I’m saying?”

Myron looked at Win again. Win still grinned.

“Pretend I do,” Myron said again.

Billings continued: “It took us a while—trial and error, don’t you know—but we found a safe path to the beach by Wire’s house.”

“We never get caught anymore.”

“Not in the last two summers anyway.”

“We go to the beach. Sometimes we bring girls.”

“In your day,” Billings said, looking at Myron, “you probably called it Lover’s Lane or something like that.”

“Like in an old movie.”

“Exactly. Like, you took them to the malt shop and then you went to Lover’s Lane, right?”

“Yes,” Myron said. “After the horse-and-buggy ride.”

“Right. See, the beach by Wire’s house? That’s our version of that.”

“Billings is very good with the ladies,” Blakely said.

“Ol’ Blakely here is being too modest.”

They both chuckled with their jaws set. Blakely pulled out a hand-rolled cigarette and lit it up. He took a hit and passed it to his brother.

“We also smoke reefer there,” Billings said.

“Doobies.”

“Weed.”

“Hemp.”

“Grass.”

“Joints.”

“A little ganja.”

“Marijuana,” Myron said, cutting them off. “I get it.”

The boys started snickering. This was not their first cigarette of the night.

Win said, “Blakely and Billings are going to lead us down their secret path.”

“Where we bring the girls.”

“Our honeys.”

“Babes-a-licious.”

“Glorious hotties.”

“Tasties.”

“Gnaw-worthy morsels.”

Myron looked at Win. “They, uh, seem young to get involved in this.”

“Nah, it’s cool,” Billings said. “They won’t hurt us.”

“Plus we’re brave.”

“Especially after we do a little herb.”

“Some hay butt.”

“A little Doña Juanita.”

“A touch of Mary Jane.”

“Panama Gal.”