home. Shots were fired at Sunflowers apartment building tonight.
Is that unusual?
Good point, Morelli said. We also got a report of shots being fired from Vinnies house. Lucille said she was shooting at a rat.
That neighborhoods going to hell in a handbasket.
Should I be worried? Morelli asked me.
Hard to say.
Morelli disconnected, and I limped into the bathroom, where I stood in the shower until all the rust was washed out of my hair. When I was done, I looked at the shampoo bottle. Empty. My refrigerator was also empty. I needed money. I needed to make another capture.
VINNIE WAS BACK to wearing only his underwear. He was in my kitchen, unshaven, his hair spiked up from sleep, his eyes half open.
Wheres the coffee? he asked. Wheres the orange juice?
I dont have any, I told him. I need to go shopping.
I need coffee. Lucille always had my coffee ready.
Theres no Lucille, I told him. Get used to it. And after today, theres no me. You cant stay here.
Where will I go?
Stay with one of your friends.
I dont have friends, Vinnie said. I have hookers and bookies. And my bookie wants to shoot me.
Do you have money?
Vinnie flapped his arms. Do I look like I have money? My wallet was left behind with my pants. Maybe we should go back and check out the lawn in front of my house to see if Lucille tossed out cash and credit cards along with my clothes.
Sizzling Sixteen
Page: 63
We might have a small cash flow problem, Vinnie said.
How small?
We might be a million in the red, give or take a couple bucks.
What?
Its complicated, Vinnie said. Bookeeping issues. We have too many outstanding skips.
I have a stack of skips in my bag that Im working on, but I dont think they add up to a million. And what about the bankers who underwrite you?
They arent answering their phones.
Oh boy.
Youve got three minutes to get dressed, I said to Vinnie. Im taking you to my parents house. When they get fed up with you, Ill think of something else. At least you can get coffee there before my mother kicks you out.
I debated calling ahead but decided against it. If I dumped him on my mothers doorstep and drove away real fast, shed have to take him in, at least for a while. If I called, she could say no.
Twenty minutes later, I idled in front of my parents house while Vinnie walked to the front door. On the rare possibility that no one was home, I didnt want to just drive off. He didnt have a cell phone to call me to come back. I saw the front door open and I laid rubber.
I drove by the office twice before I parked. I didnt see the bashed-in SUV, and I didnt see any angry-looking guys hanging out with guns drawn, so I figured things were quiet this morning. Connie was at her desk. Lula hadnt arrived.
You didnt bring Vinnie with you, did you? Connie asked. I already had a visit from Bobby Sunflower this morning.
I poured myself a cup of coffee. He gets up early.
I guess he was motivated. He wants his money or he wants Vinnie. He said if he didnt get either of those things by Friday he was going to eliminate the office.
Eliminate it?
Like from the face of the earth.
Could be worse, I said. According to Vinnie, this office is about a million in the red.
Connie froze for a beat. Vinnie said that?
Sizzling Sixteen
Page: 64
I dont do the books. Vinnie has an accountant for that.
Maybe we should talk to the accountant.
The accountants dead. He got run over by a truck last week. Twice.
Thats not good.
No, Connie said. Its really not good.
Does Sunflower know we were the ones to spring Vinnie?
Yeah, but I think its too embarrassing to let go public. And I think hed rather have the money than to see us shot full of holes.
I drank some coffee and took a doughnut from the box on Connies desk. So we need to raise money.
Its up to a million two.
Chopper is a pretty high-bond. The toilet paper guy isnt worth much, but he might be easy to capture.
Butch Goodey is worth something, Connie
Is that unusual?
Good point, Morelli said. We also got a report of shots being fired from Vinnies house. Lucille said she was shooting at a rat.
That neighborhoods going to hell in a handbasket.
Should I be worried? Morelli asked me.
Hard to say.
Morelli disconnected, and I limped into the bathroom, where I stood in the shower until all the rust was washed out of my hair. When I was done, I looked at the shampoo bottle. Empty. My refrigerator was also empty. I needed money. I needed to make another capture.
VINNIE WAS BACK to wearing only his underwear. He was in my kitchen, unshaven, his hair spiked up from sleep, his eyes half open.
Wheres the coffee? he asked. Wheres the orange juice?
I dont have any, I told him. I need to go shopping.
I need coffee. Lucille always had my coffee ready.
Theres no Lucille, I told him. Get used to it. And after today, theres no me. You cant stay here.
Where will I go?
Stay with one of your friends.
I dont have friends, Vinnie said. I have hookers and bookies. And my bookie wants to shoot me.
Do you have money?
Vinnie flapped his arms. Do I look like I have money? My wallet was left behind with my pants. Maybe we should go back and check out the lawn in front of my house to see if Lucille tossed out cash and credit cards along with my clothes.
Sizzling Sixteen
Page: 63
We might have a small cash flow problem, Vinnie said.
How small?
We might be a million in the red, give or take a couple bucks.
What?
Its complicated, Vinnie said. Bookeeping issues. We have too many outstanding skips.
I have a stack of skips in my bag that Im working on, but I dont think they add up to a million. And what about the bankers who underwrite you?
They arent answering their phones.
Oh boy.
Youve got three minutes to get dressed, I said to Vinnie. Im taking you to my parents house. When they get fed up with you, Ill think of something else. At least you can get coffee there before my mother kicks you out.
I debated calling ahead but decided against it. If I dumped him on my mothers doorstep and drove away real fast, shed have to take him in, at least for a while. If I called, she could say no.
Twenty minutes later, I idled in front of my parents house while Vinnie walked to the front door. On the rare possibility that no one was home, I didnt want to just drive off. He didnt have a cell phone to call me to come back. I saw the front door open and I laid rubber.
I drove by the office twice before I parked. I didnt see the bashed-in SUV, and I didnt see any angry-looking guys hanging out with guns drawn, so I figured things were quiet this morning. Connie was at her desk. Lula hadnt arrived.
You didnt bring Vinnie with you, did you? Connie asked. I already had a visit from Bobby Sunflower this morning.
I poured myself a cup of coffee. He gets up early.
I guess he was motivated. He wants his money or he wants Vinnie. He said if he didnt get either of those things by Friday he was going to eliminate the office.
Eliminate it?
Like from the face of the earth.
Could be worse, I said. According to Vinnie, this office is about a million in the red.
Connie froze for a beat. Vinnie said that?
Sizzling Sixteen
Page: 64
I dont do the books. Vinnie has an accountant for that.
Maybe we should talk to the accountant.
The accountants dead. He got run over by a truck last week. Twice.
Thats not good.
No, Connie said. Its really not good.
Does Sunflower know we were the ones to spring Vinnie?
Yeah, but I think its too embarrassing to let go public. And I think hed rather have the money than to see us shot full of holes.
I drank some coffee and took a doughnut from the box on Connies desk. So we need to raise money.
Its up to a million two.
Chopper is a pretty high-bond. The toilet paper guy isnt worth much, but he might be easy to capture.
Butch Goodey is worth something, Connie
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