“Jesus,” he said, backing off. “I'm in really bad shape.”
And he was gone.
* * * * *
MY MOTHER looked up expectantly when I came into the kitchen. Well? the look said. Did you sleep with him?
My grandmother was at the table with a cup of tea. My father was nowhere to be seen. And Sally was at the head of the table, eating chocolate chip cookies, once again wearing my bathrobe.
“Hey, dude,” Sally said to me.
“Sally was telling us all about last night,” Grandma said. “Boy, I sure wish I'd been there. Sally said you were the bomb.”
“Of all places,” my mother said, “the senior citizens' home. What were you thinking? You know how they talk!”
“We've had three phone calls so far this morning,” Grandma said. “This is the first chance I've had to sit down with my tea. It's just like we're movie stars!”
“So what's new?” I asked Sally. “You have plans for the day?”
“I'm moving. Got a new place to live. Ran into some friends last night who were looking to replace a roommate. They've got a house in Yardley.”
“Dang,” Grandma said. “I'm going to miss seeing you sitting there in that pink bathrobe.”
I puttered around until Sally was out of the house. Then I took a shower and straightened my room. I didn't like that I'd lost Mrs. Nowicki. All because I hadn't told Morelli the whole story soon enough. “Damn!” I yelled out. Now all I needed was for Joyce Barnhardt to haul Maxine in. “Shit.”
My mother knocked on my bedroom door. “Are you all right in there?”
I opened the door. “No, I'm not all right. I'm bummed! I've screwed this case up, and now I have to worry about Joyce Barnhardt making my apprehension.”
My mother gave a sharp inhale. “Joyce Barnhardt! Joyce Barnhardt couldn't carry your water pail! You're better than Joyce Barnhardt!”
“You think so?”
“Just go fix whatever it is you botched. I'm sure it isn't that bad. This woman you're after has to be out there somewhere. People don't just disappear.”
“It isn't that easy. I've lost all my leads.” With the exception of Bernie the horny drug dealer, who I wasn't crazy about seeing again.
“Do you know that for sure?”
Actually, no.
“You're right,” I said. “It wouldn't hurt to check a few things out.” I grabbed my shoulder bag and headed for the stairs.
“Will you be home for supper?” my mother asked. “We're having fried chicken and biscuits and strawberry shortcake.”
“I'll be home.”
My enthusiasm did another dip when I saw the Buick waiting for me. It was hard to be Wonder Woman in the Buick. It would be much easier to be Wonder Woman on a Duc, for instance.
I crawled onto the big bench seat and peered over the steering wheel at the powder-?blue hood stretching endlessly in front of me. I turned the key and accelerated. Bzzzzzzzup, the car sucked gas and rolled up the street.
Morelli had covered Mrs. Nowicki's house, but he hadn't gone to see Margie. There was a slim chance that Mrs. Nowicki might be with Margie.
I didn't feel encouraged when I pulled up at Margie's house. Her car wasn't there, and neither was Mrs. Nowicki's. I went to the door and found it locked. No one answered my knock. I tiptoed around and looked in windows and saw no sign of life. No breakfast dishes left on the kitchen counter. No socks left lying on the floor. No cat curled in an armchair. The neighbor didn't pop out. Maybe she was used to me snooping.
I crossed the lawn and rapped on the neighbor's door.
She looked puzzled at first, then she placed me. “You're Margie's friend!” she said.