“I've never seen anyone doing it before!” I said to Lula. My face was flaming under the laughter. “I've never even looked in a mirror.”
“You never want to look in a mirror,” Lula said. “Men love mirrors. They look at themselves doing the deed and they see Rex the Wonder Horse. Women look at themselves and think they need to renew their membership at the gym.”
I was trying to get myself under control when my mother called on my cell phone.
“There's something funny going on,” my mother said. “Where's your grandmother? Why hasn't she come home?”
“She'll be home tonight.”
“You said that last night. Who is this man she's with? I don't like this one bit. What will people say?”
“Don't worry. Grandma's being very discreet. She just had this thing to do.” I didn't know what else to say so I made some crackling staticky sounds. “Uh-oh,” I yelled, “I'm breaking up. I have to go.”
Lula was staring over my shoulder. “I can see clear down the street,” she said, “and there's a big black car just drove out of the lot by the paving company. And there's three men just came out the front door, and I could swear they're pointing at us.”
I looked to see what was happening. From this distance it was impossible to see details, but one of them might have been pointing. The men got into the car and the car turned in our direction.
“Maybe Ronald forgot to tell us something,” Lula said.
I had a weird feeling in my chest. “He could have called.”
“My second thought is maybe you shouldn't have told him you have the heart.”
Shit.
Lula and I jumped on the bike, but by now the car was only a block away and gaining.
“Hang on,” I yelled. And we shot forward. I accelerated to the corner and took it wide. I wasn't that good on the bike yet to take chances.
“Yow,” Lula shouted in my ear, “they're right on your ass.”
My peripheral vision caught the car coming up on my side. We were on a two-lane street with two blocks to go to Broad. These side streets were empty, but Broad would be busy at this time of day. If I could get to Broad I could lose them. The car eased past me, put some space between us, and then angled across the road, blocking my progress. The Lincoln's doors opened, all four men jumped out, and I slid to a stop. I felt Lula's arm rest on my shoulder and from the corner of my eye I got a glimpse of her Glock.
Everything came to a standstill.
Finally one of the men stepped forward. “Ronnie said I should give you his card in case you need to get in touch with him. It has his cell phone number on it.”
“Thanks,” I said, taking the card from him. “That was smart of Ronald to think of that.”
“Yeah. He's a smart guy.”
Then they all piled into the car and drove away.
Lula reset the safety on the gun. “I think I messed my pants,” she said.
RANGER WAS IN the office when we got back.
“Seven o'clock tonight,” I said to Ranger. “At the Silver Dollar Diner. Morelli knows about it, but he's promised no police action.”
Ranger watched me. “Do you need me there, too?”
“Wouldn't hurt.”
He got to his feet. “Wear the wire. Turn it on at six-thirty.”
“How about me?” Lula asked. “Am I invited?”
“You're riding shotgun,” I said. “I need someone to carry the cooler.”