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does he know Julie?” I asked.
    Joseph had his ear to the street, and if he wanted to find out information about people, he could, especially the low-life element. But he couldn’t be depended on to produce in a timely fashion and not cop an attitude, or worse, sell you out to a higher bidder.
    He looked around as though he expected someone to be eavesdropping. Seeing no one milling about, he continued, “Those two dated a long time ago, long before your brother. Striker got arrested for trying to buy drugs from an undercover cop. He got free room and board for a couple of years—end of romance.” He brushed his hands together. “He just got released. Probably won’t take him long to get sent back to prison since it’s like a second home. He’s one of those guys that can only stay out of trouble for a short time and then gets sent back. He needs the structure.”
    I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that Creole had had nothing to do with any of his arrests. He’d moved back to the Cove long after Striker was incarcerated. Besides, he didn’t deal with the bottom of the food chain. He worked the middle, which made it more likely he could get seriously hurt or worse. I tried not to think about the danger that surrounded his job.
    Joseph downed his beer and stomped on the can, throwing it through his open door onto the living room floor. “Striker has a heavy hand with the ladies, if you know what I mean. He speaks, expects the woman to dance, and if not, he gets real mean. So be careful.”
    “You’re being nice.” I eyed him and didn’t feel guilty for thinking he wanted something. “How are you and the professor getting along?”
    “He told me that I was a dim-wit and added that that was being generous.” Joseph snorted. “Just wait, he’ll want something, and I’ll slam the door in his face. I will admit that I admire that he can bag a woman in his underwear.”
    “Don’t even think about wandering around half-dressed. We now have a dress code—pants, shorts, or skirt. Mac has informed him of the new rules and anyone caught breaking it moves.” I gestured to the street.
    “Don’t get all worked up, thinking I’m going to be a copycat. I’m not putting my treasure on display like that. Sorry ladies, I gotta to pee.” He went inside, slamming the door behind him.
    “At least he didn’t do it in the bushes,” Mac whispered as we headed back towards the office.
    “The last tenant that did that killed my flowers,” I grumbled.
    “Joseph is right about one thing, the professor brought some painfully thin…ah…older woman back the other night. She was wearing a fifties polka dot full-skirt dress. I wouldn’t mind one myself, but I think it would make my butt look big.”
    I bit my lip, controlling the laugh that threatened to burst out. How would a fifties dress fit into her retro-hippie look?
    “For an old gal, she rocked those four-inch heels, but the hat… someone needed to tell her that the flowers and bird on the brim were a bit much. She clung to his arm, giggling. I got the impression she’d already sampled his…um…goods.”
    “Did anyone die?” I asked, not wanting to think about his, or anyone’s, goods.
    She sucked in a breath. “I would’ve been hot on the phone if that had happened.”
    “I probably don’t say it enough, but I appreciate you.”
    “Ha,” she snorted. “I love my job, and I’m not going anywhere. I never got to pull my gun at my last place of employment.”
    “If you want to show me your appreciation, you could fix me up with one of Creole or Didier’s friends.”
    Her innocent smile made me give her a second look. “When are you going to tell me what’s going on with you? Did you kick your husband to the curb?”
    She looked momentarily sad, then replaced it with her contagious smile. “I haven’t told Shirl; she has to be the first. Best friend and all. Then I’ll tell you.”
    Shirl, another tenant, had come to The Cottages temporarily