Free of Panda’s grip, Toby got his swagger back along with his belligerence. “I never spied on nobody. My grandma sent me over to make sure you didn’t trash the place.”

“I’m being policed by a ten-year-old?”

“Twelve!”

As she very well knew, but Viper wasn’t as sentimental about kids as Lucy. “You need to find something better to do with your time,” she said.

The boy jutted his jaw and stared her square in the eye. “I haven’t been spying. You’re lying.”

Viper looked up at Panda. “Go ahead. Take him out.”

Chapter Nine

PANDA LIFTED AN EYEBROW AT her. “Take him out?”

Toby was a disagreeable little cuss, and she hated being spied on. Still, she couldn’t help but like his spirit. “He’s too much for me,” she said. “It’s the least you can do.”

Toby stumbled backward in his effort to get away, only to slip on a patch of pine straw and go down hard. He scrambled to his feet and started to take off again, but Panda captured him by the seat of his baggy shorts. “Hold on, kid. This conversation isn’t over.”

“Let me go, you jerkoff!”

“Hey! What’s going on here?”

Lucy turned to see Big Mike Moody approaching on the path, a large pizza box in his hands. She’d forgotten all about her invitation for him to return and annoy Panda. He must have spotted them through the trees.

“Big Mike!” Toby was back on his feet, still struggling to get away.

“Trouble here, folks?” The real estate broker flashed his shiny white teeth at Panda. “Nice to see you on the island again. Hope you’re enjoying that house.”

Panda gave him a brusque nod.

Big Mike gestured toward the boy with his free hand. “What’s up, Toby? You in trouble? Toby’s a friend of mine. Maybe I can help out here.”

Toby shot Lucy an enraged glare. “She says I was spying on her. She’s a big liar.”

Big Mike frowned. “Best you settle down, boy. That’s no way to talk.”

Lucy stiffened. As annoyed as she was with Toby, she didn’t appreciate hearing him addressed as “boy.” Either Big Mike didn’t know or didn’t care how offensive that appellation was to African American males, regardless of their age. If her brother, Andre, had been around, Big Mike would have gotten a big lesson in racial sensitivity.

But the offense didn’t appear to have registered with Toby. As Panda freed him, he rushed to Big Mike’s side. “I didn’t do anything. Honest.”

Big Mike had already transferred the pizza box to his left hand, and he draped his right arm around the kid’s shoulders, undoubtedly transferring his cologne in the process. “Are you sure about that?” Big Mike said. “Miss Viper here seems pretty upset.”

Panda snorted.