Chapter 9 Section IX

Malone was packing his bags when a hoarse voice called him, "Is Malone home?" He followed the prestige, and there was a man standing in the messy yard outside the window. The man had broad shoulders, a golden cropped hair, and a sharp-edged face that was bronzed by the sun. Malone exclaimed, "Jeb?" overjoyed, and the burly man chuckled. "My God! Why didn't you tell me beforehand that you were coming?" "Dude, I can only hear you but not see you, where are you?" "I'll be right out." Malone hurried from the house to the yard.Jeb Wainwright grinned happily when he saw Malone.He was the same age as Malone, both thirty-seven.Malone looked him over. Jeb was wearing sandals, wide-leg brown shorts, and a bright short-sleeved floral shirt that was three buttons unbuttoned, revealing curly blond chest hair.Visible was a bullet wound on his left thigh from the night in the Battle of Panama, when their helicopter was hit and Malone rescued him from death.Despite being out of the game for a decade, his body is still as muscular as ever: broad shoulders, muscular, and a face as angular as limestone on a beach.

"I knocked on the door just now but no one answered." Jeb grinned and said to Malone who came over, "I was really worried just now that you don't live here anymore, especially when you see the mess here. I thought you didn’t live here anymore.” He pointed to the downed palm trees and the bunkers next to each other, “What’s wrong? It looks like it was hit by a hurricane.” "It was done by a real estate developer." "There is another thing that I am also curious about. I have been to the restaurant where you took me last time. I have a special liking for the delicious food there, but it is closed."

"That real estate developer did it too, let's talk about something else, I don't want this topic to spoil my mood." Malone patted Jeb on the shoulder and said, "It's nice to see you, since the last time we met, we have How long has it been? At least a year?" Jeb nodded and said, "I missed you, let's take a look. I happened to be on vacation by the beach, and I haven't surfed for a long time." "Where's your luggage?" "In a rented car outside the yard." "Come on, I'll help you move it in, and you can stay here with me." Malone paused and said again, "But I can't accompany you. You came at a bad time. I have to fly back to New York tomorrow morning."

"What? Back to New York? You leave as soon as I arrive? Can't you push it back a few days?" Malone shook his head, then said emotionally, "I've got to settle with the guy who ruined this place. Or he'll have those bulldozers knock my house down at some point and you won't find out until you wake up Sleeping in the open air on the beach." "Is it really that bad?" "Even worse." "Tell me what's going on," Jeb pointed to the beach outside the courtyard and said, "Come on, let's talk."