into the driveway, and Vinnie jumped out.
What the heck? Vinnie said, kicking through the debris. This is my shirt. And socks. He walked to the door and rang the bell. He rang a second time. Hey! he yelled. Hey, Lucille!
A light flashed on in an upstairs window, the window opened, and Lucille stuck her head out. Vinnie?
Yeah. Ive been rescued. Let me in. I dont have my key.
Sizzling Sixteen
Page: 60
This is my lawn, too, Vinnie said.
The hell it is. My father bought this house for us, and its in my name.
Its common property, sweetie pie, Vinnie said. And youll have to kill me to get my half.
No problem, Lucille said.
She disappeared from the window, and Vinnie started collecting his clothes. I cant believe she did this, he said. Look at this silk shirt laying here in the mulch. And my hand-painted tie.
Lucille reappeared in the window with a shotgun, and she blasted one off at Vinnie. Youre trespassing, she said.
What are you gonna do, shoot me and call the police? Vinnie yelled at her.
No. I called my father. Hes on his way over.
Her fathers dumped so many bodies in the landfill he has his own parking place, Ranger said.
Lucille squeezed off another shot, and Vinnie scrambled to the Jeep with his arms full of clothes.
Ranger put the Jeep in gear and backed out of the driveway. Your call, he said to me.
Take him to the office.
THE BLACK SUV was parked in front of the bonds office. There was a big gash in the hood and the roof was smashed in over the cargo area. A second car was parked behind it.
Probably, we dont want to stop here, I said to Ranger.
Give me a gun. Ill take care of those assholes, Vinnie said.
Youve caused enough trouble, I told him. Youre not getting a gun. And for crying out loud, put some clothes on. Im going to have to disinfect the seat back there.
Ranger cut off Hamilton, into the Burg, and stopped at a cross street.
I dont suppose youd want to take him home with you, I said to Ranger.
Ranger glanced at Vinnie in the rear view mirror. We could negotiate. The price would be high.
Sizzling Sixteen
Page: 61
Ranger cut his eyes to me. It wasnt what I had in mind, but it would be a place to start.
Cripes, Vinnie said. You two want to get a room?
Tell me again why you rescued him, Ranger said.
I slid the Maglite back under the drivers seat. Grandma Plum and Aunt Mim.
Maybe he can stay with them, Ranger said.
Unfortunately, thats not an option, I said. He can stay with me tonight.
I GAVE VINNIE a quilt and a pillow. You can spend one night here, I said. One night. Tomorrow, you have to find a different place to live.
Vinnie dropped the quilt and pillow onto the couch. I cant believe Lucille kicked me out.
You were caught with a hooker!
I was doing Lucille a favor. Shes a good woman, but shes picky about a lot of stuff. Dont do this, and dont do that. And what about me? I got needs. Okay, so Im a pervert, but perverts got rights, too. There are places where Id be considered normal. Borneo, maybe. Atlantic City.
Good grief. I was going to have to set off a roach bomb in my apartment after he left.
Anyway, the big problem isnt Lucille, Vinnie said. The big problem is Bobby Sunflower. You whacked one of his guys in the head, and you snatched me out from under him. Hes not gonna like it.
Would he have killed you if I hadnt gotten you out of there?
For sure. I was a dead man.
All because you made some bad bets.
Vinnie remoted the television on, flipped through about twenty channels, and gave it up. Sunflowers in trouble. He needs money, and he needs respect. Hes in the middle of a war, and he cant show weakness.
What war? Whos he fighting?
I dont know. Maybe I should go into therapy at one of those sex addiction places. Do you think that would get me off the hook?
Maybe with Lucille. I dont think Harryll buy it.
Sizzling Sixteen
Page: 62
Hey, Morelli said when I called him back.
Hey, yourself.
Just checking to see if youre
What the heck? Vinnie said, kicking through the debris. This is my shirt. And socks. He walked to the door and rang the bell. He rang a second time. Hey! he yelled. Hey, Lucille!
A light flashed on in an upstairs window, the window opened, and Lucille stuck her head out. Vinnie?
Yeah. Ive been rescued. Let me in. I dont have my key.
Sizzling Sixteen
Page: 60
This is my lawn, too, Vinnie said.
The hell it is. My father bought this house for us, and its in my name.
Its common property, sweetie pie, Vinnie said. And youll have to kill me to get my half.
No problem, Lucille said.
She disappeared from the window, and Vinnie started collecting his clothes. I cant believe she did this, he said. Look at this silk shirt laying here in the mulch. And my hand-painted tie.
Lucille reappeared in the window with a shotgun, and she blasted one off at Vinnie. Youre trespassing, she said.
What are you gonna do, shoot me and call the police? Vinnie yelled at her.
No. I called my father. Hes on his way over.
Her fathers dumped so many bodies in the landfill he has his own parking place, Ranger said.
Lucille squeezed off another shot, and Vinnie scrambled to the Jeep with his arms full of clothes.
Ranger put the Jeep in gear and backed out of the driveway. Your call, he said to me.
Take him to the office.
THE BLACK SUV was parked in front of the bonds office. There was a big gash in the hood and the roof was smashed in over the cargo area. A second car was parked behind it.
Probably, we dont want to stop here, I said to Ranger.
Give me a gun. Ill take care of those assholes, Vinnie said.
Youve caused enough trouble, I told him. Youre not getting a gun. And for crying out loud, put some clothes on. Im going to have to disinfect the seat back there.
Ranger cut off Hamilton, into the Burg, and stopped at a cross street.
I dont suppose youd want to take him home with you, I said to Ranger.
Ranger glanced at Vinnie in the rear view mirror. We could negotiate. The price would be high.
Sizzling Sixteen
Page: 61
Ranger cut his eyes to me. It wasnt what I had in mind, but it would be a place to start.
Cripes, Vinnie said. You two want to get a room?
Tell me again why you rescued him, Ranger said.
I slid the Maglite back under the drivers seat. Grandma Plum and Aunt Mim.
Maybe he can stay with them, Ranger said.
Unfortunately, thats not an option, I said. He can stay with me tonight.
I GAVE VINNIE a quilt and a pillow. You can spend one night here, I said. One night. Tomorrow, you have to find a different place to live.
Vinnie dropped the quilt and pillow onto the couch. I cant believe Lucille kicked me out.
You were caught with a hooker!
I was doing Lucille a favor. Shes a good woman, but shes picky about a lot of stuff. Dont do this, and dont do that. And what about me? I got needs. Okay, so Im a pervert, but perverts got rights, too. There are places where Id be considered normal. Borneo, maybe. Atlantic City.
Good grief. I was going to have to set off a roach bomb in my apartment after he left.
Anyway, the big problem isnt Lucille, Vinnie said. The big problem is Bobby Sunflower. You whacked one of his guys in the head, and you snatched me out from under him. Hes not gonna like it.
Would he have killed you if I hadnt gotten you out of there?
For sure. I was a dead man.
All because you made some bad bets.
Vinnie remoted the television on, flipped through about twenty channels, and gave it up. Sunflowers in trouble. He needs money, and he needs respect. Hes in the middle of a war, and he cant show weakness.
What war? Whos he fighting?
I dont know. Maybe I should go into therapy at one of those sex addiction places. Do you think that would get me off the hook?
Maybe with Lucille. I dont think Harryll buy it.
Sizzling Sixteen
Page: 62
Hey, Morelli said when I called him back.
Hey, yourself.
Just checking to see if youre
Similar Books
