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Elwood was sullen in the backseat, not saying anything. He'd caught a couple cheese balls and egg rolls by accident, and his Kirk suit wasn't up to Federation standard anymore.
I dropped Lula off and continued on to the police station. Jimmy Neeley was at the desk. “Jesus,” he said, “what's that smell?”
“Cheese balls,” I told him. “And egg roll.”
“You look like you've been in a food fight.”
“It was the Romulan who started it,” I said. “Damn Romulans.”
“Yeah,” Neeley said, “you can't trust them Romulans.”
I got my body receipt and retrieved my cuffs from Captain Kirk, then I left the police station and walked out into the night air. The police lot was artificially bright, lit
by overhead halogens. Beyond the halogens the sky was dark and starless. A light rain had started to fall. It would have been a cozy night if I was over at Morelli's with him and Bob. As it was, I was alone in the rain, smelling like a big crab puff, feeling a little worried that someone had terminated Cynthia Lotte and I might be next. The only good thing about the Lotte murder was that it had temporarily taken my mind off Arturo Stolle.
I didn't feel totally sexually attractive with my sauce-stained shirt and cheese-ball hair, so I went home to change before seeing Morelli. I parked the Buick next to Mr. Weinstein's Cadillac, locked up, and took a step toward the building before I realized Ranger was leaning against the car in front of me.
“You need to be more careful, babe,” he said. “You should look around before you get out of your car.”
“I was distracted.”
“A bullet in the head would distract you permanently.”
I made a face and stuck my tongue out.
Ranger smiled. “Trying to get me excited?” He picked a glob of food out of my hair. “Egg roll?”
“It's been a long night.”
“Did you learn anything from Ramos?”
“He said they had a problem in Trenton, which I'm supposing is Junior Macaroni. But then he said he'd fixed it so the problem would go on a boat next week. And with any luck the boat would sink. Then the two goons came in to retrieve him, and they said they couldn't find the cargo. Do you know what any of this means?”
“Yes.”
“Do you want to tell me?”
“No.”
Christ. “You're a real prick. I'm not working for you anymore.”
“Too late. I already fired you.”
“I mean ever!”
“Where's Bob?”
“With Morelli.”
“So all I have to worry about is keeping you safe,” Ranger said.
“The sentiment is sweet, but not necessary.”
“What, are you kidding me? I told you to drop out and be careful and two hours later you've got Ramos back in your car.”
“I was looking for you, and he jumped in the Buick.”
“You ever hear about door locks?”
