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'You don't look too good,' Lula said. 'Are you okay? You look whiter than usual.'
This is the devil guy.'
Connie grabbed the file. 'Are you sure?'
'It's been five days, but I'm pretty sure that's him.'
'I didn't give him to you when I ran the neighborhood check because I couldn't find him,' Connie said. 'I didn't have time to go through the stacks of unfiled folders.'
'Oops,' Lula said.
Connie looked through the folder and read from the computer search. 'Anton Ward. Dropped out of high school when he was sixteen. No work history. Lives with his brother.' She flipped to the bond document. 'His bond was secured by someone named
Francine Taylor. She put her house up as collateral. Vinnie has a note that the daughter, Lauralene, is very pregnant, very young, and expecting to marry Anton Ward.' Connie handed the file back to me. 'I hate to give this to you. Ordinarily this would go to
Ranger.'
'No problem,' I said. `I'm turning it over to the police.' Trenton
PD didn't have the manpower to pursue every skip. This was fine by me because it meant my job was secure. Anton Ward would be different. He was involved in a cop shooting and a possible murder.
Trenton PD would find the manpower to go after Anton Ward.
I called Morelli and told him about Ward.
'I don't want you anywhere near this guy,' Morelli said.
I felt the muscles knot around my spine. Morelli's a cop. He's
Italian, I told myself. He can't help himself. Cut him some slack.
'Could you rephrase that?' I asked Morelli. 'I think what you meant was be careful.'
`I said exactly what I meant. I don't want you anywhere near
Anton Ward.'
So here's the unfortunate truth. I called Morelli because I didn't want to go anywhere near Anton Ward. Problem is, when Morelli issues it as a demand my ears go flat against my head, my eyes narrow, and I take a stance with my head down, ready to lock horns. I don't know why I do this. I think it might have something to do with curly hair and being born in Jersey. And needless to say, this isn't the first time it's happened.
'And I suppose it's okay for you to go after him?' I said to
Morelli.
`I'M a cop. We go after criminals. That's why you called me, right?'
'And I'm a fugitive apprehension agent.'
'Don't take this the wrong way,' Morelli said, 'but you're not a great apprehension agent.'
'I get the job done.'
'You're a magnet for disaster.'
'Okay, hotshot,' I said. `I'll give you twenty-four hours to get him
... and then he's mine.'
I put my phone back into my bag and looked over at Lula.
