I happened to know that Ranger had been married for about twenty minutes when he was in the military. He has a ten-year-old daughter from that marriage, and the daughter lives in Miami with her mother and stepfather. So far as I know, he's been careful to avoid entanglements since. At least, that's what I believed, until a couple hours ago.
'Who is this woman if she's not his wife?' I asked.
'Wacked-out bimbo? Paid assassin? Demented relative?'
'Get serious.'
'I am serious.'
'Okay, different subject. Did you do the report on Melvin Pickle? Do you know his status?'
'Oswald did the report. Pickle shoul
dn't have any problem getting rebonded. Probably have to go through some kind of mental health screening.' Morelli eyed the last piece of pizza. 'Do you want it?' he asked.
'You can have it,' I told him, 'but it'll cost you.'
'What's the price?'
'How about running Carmen Manoso through the system?'
'I'd need more than a piece of pizza for that,' Morelli said. 'I'd need a night of balls-to-the-wall sex.'
'You're going to get that anyway,' I told him.
Morelli was already out of the house when I dragged myself down the stairs and into the kitchen. I gave Bob a hug, scooped some coffee into the coffeemaker, added water, pushed the button, and listened to the magical gurgle of coffee brewing. Morelli had a loaf of raisin bread out on the counter. I considered toasting a slice, but it seemed like unnecessary work, so I ate a slice raw. I drank my coffee and read the paper Morelli left behind.
'Gotta go to work,' I said to Bob, pushing back from the table.
Bob didn't look like he cared a lot. Bob had found a patch of sun on the kitchen floor and was soaking it up.
I showered and got dressed in clean jeans and a little knit shirt. I swiped some mascara on my lashes and took off. I had two files pulled from the pack on the seat next to me. Leon James, the arsonist. And Lonnie Johnson. Both high bonds.
I drove the short distance to Hamilton and parked in front of the office. I got out of the Mini and looked across the street at the black SUV with Virginia plates and tinted windows. Carmen was on the job. I stuck my head into the office. Lula was on the couch reading a movie star magazine. Connie was at her desk.
'How long's the SUV been across the street?' I asked.
'It was there when I opened the office,' Connie said.
'Anybody come in to say hello?'
'Nope.'
I turned and walked across the street and rapped on the driver's side window of the SUV.
The window rolled down, and Carmen looked out at me. 'Looks to me like you spent the night with someone,' she said. 'Like maybe you spent the night with my husband.'
'I spent the night with my boyfriend. Not that it's any of your business.'
'I'm going to stick to you like nothing you've ever seen. I know you're going to lead me to the son of a bitch. And when I find him, I'm going to kill him. And then I'm going to kill you.'
Carmen Manoso had said this with eyes narrowed and teeth clenched. And I realized that the jealousy I felt over her and Ranger was nothing compared to the jealousy she felt toward me. Like it or not, fact or fiction, I was the other woman.
'Maybe we should talk this over,' I said. 'There are some things that don't add up for me. Maybe I can help you. And I have a couple questions.'
The gun appeared, pointed at a spot in the middle of my forehead. 'I'm not answering any more questions,' Carmen said.
I stepped to the rear of the SUV and got the plate. Then I hustled across the street and into the office.