As Freeze watched Wanda walk away he said, “Yeah, right. I’m sure Nick is just dyin’ to talk to your shit-talkin’ ass.” Diane came toward his table.

“Excuse me, Freeze. Travis is here to see you. Do you want me to show him to the office?”

“No, that’s all right, Diane. I’ll go over there and talk to him.” Freeze paused for a second. “One more thing, Diane. Start enforcing the old dress code. I’ll make sure you have security up there to back you up.”

“You’re the boss,” Diane said and walked away.

No, the boss just left.

Freeze got up and walked toward the table where Travis was sitting. “What’s up, y’all?” Freeze said as he took a seat.

“What’s up, Freeze?” Travis reached in his coat for the envelope containing the money he had for Freeze.

“No,” Freeze said quickly in anticipation of what Travis was about to do. “Meet me at Cynt’s in two hours. We’ll talk there. And from now on, when you need to see me, call me and I’ll tell you when and where to meet me. Understood?” Freeze said and moved on to the next table.

“What’s up with that?” Ronnie asked.

“How should I know?” Travis replied. “We’ll just meet him at Cynt’s in two hours. I’m sure you two won’t mind, since that’s probably where y’all were goin’ anyway. Spend some of that money. I know it’s burnin’ a hole your pockets,” he said as he got up and started for the door.

“Shit, like that wasn’t where you were goin’,” Jackie said as she followed Travis and Ronnie to the door.

Four hours later, Freeze still hadn’t arrived at Cynt’s, and it really didn’t seem to matter. Cynt’s was the kind of place where you went to escape. Cynt’s was the kind of place where you went to indulge all of your passions, no matter what they were. You could be or do anything you wanted, as long as it didn’t hurt or bother anybody. Liquor, gambling, and of course, you could experience the pleasures of the women in the house. Cynt’s was a place where fantasies did come true.