“I can't stay,” I said. “I just wanted to stop around and see how you were doing.”
“Isn't that sweet of you. I'm doing peachy. I think I've decided on a trip to Bermuda.”
I picked a brochure off the coffee table. “Singles cruises for seniors?”
“They have some very good rates.”
“Anything happen that I should know about? Like, have you heard from Fred?”
“I haven't heard a word from Fred. I suppose he's dead.”
Boy, don't get all broken up over it. “It's only been two weeks,” I said. “He could still turn up.”
Mabel slid a longing look at the brochures. “I suppose that's true.”
Ten minutes later I was at the office.
“Hey, girlfriend,” Lula said. “Did you see the paper this morning? You got a big spread. And not that I'm bummed or anything, but I didn't even get a mention. And I didn't get a cool name like Bombshell Bounty Hunter either. Hell, I could bombshell your ass off.”
“I know that,” I said. “And that's why I was wondering if you wanted to ride along with me again today?”
“I don't know. What kind of car are you driving? You back to driving that Buick?”
“Actually, I have a Beemer.”
Lula rushed to the front window and looked out. “Damn skippy. Way to go.”
Vinnie stuck his head out of his office doorway. “What's going on?”
“Stephanie got a new car,” Lula said. “That's it at the curb.”
“Anybody hear about anything funny going on at First Trenton?” I asked. “Anybody shady work there?”
“You should ask the little guy we talked to yesterday,” Lula said. “I can't remember his name, but he seemed like a nice guy. You don't think he's shady, do you?”
“Hard to tell who's shady,” I said to Lula. Actually, I thought shady would be a step up for Shempsky.
“Where'd you get the car?” Vinnie asked.
“It's a company car. I'm working with Ranger.”
Vinnie's face creased into a big, oily smile. “Ranger gave you a car? Hah! What kind of work you doing? Gotta be good to get a car like that.”
“Maybe you should ask Ranger,” I said.
“Yeah, sure, when I don't want to live anymore.”
“Any new FTAs come in?” I asked Connie.
“We got two in yesterday, but they're chump change. I wasn't sure you wanted to be bothered with them. Seems like you've got a lot on your plate right now.”
“What's the profile?”
“A shoplifter and a wife beater.”
“We'll take the wife beater,” Lula said. “We don't allow no wife beaters to just walk away. We like to give the wife beaters personal attention.”
I took the file from Connie and sifted through it. Kenyon Lally. Age twenty-?eight. Unemployed. Long history of spousal abuse. Two DUI convictions. Living in the projects. No mention of Kenyon shooting any previous bounty hunters.