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“Suppose you got to eat birthday cake while you watched it?”
“That would help,” Diesel said, “but it wouldn’t close the deal.”
“This is over at nine o’clock,” Briggs said. “Can you wait until then?”
“I guess,” Diesel said.
“I’m staying here,” Snuggy said. “I like this show.”
I pushed in next to Grandma. “Me, too.”
“Do these dancers ever hit each other?” Diesel asked.
“No.”
“Then I’m gonna pass. I’ll be back at nine.”
It was nine o’clock and Briggs was ready to go. Grandma was asleep in her bedroom. Lula and Snuggy were watching SPEED channel.
Diesel knocked once and opened the door.
“Why do you knock here, but you just pop into my apartment unannounced?” I asked him.
“I don’t want to chance seeing some of these people naked. You’re not one of them.”
“Let’s move,” Briggs said. “I got a date tonight. I don’t want to be late.”
Diesel draped an arm across my shoulders. “I have a plan.”
That was good since I didn’t have any plans of my own. I was tired of watching television and tired of hanging out in the casino. I didn’t have a room. I didn’t have a way to get home. I didn’t have any money. I’d called Morelli to tell him I didn’t know when I’d be back in Trenton, and I’d gotten his phone service. That meant either he was called out on a case or the Rangers were playing and the game was televised.
“You’re going to make me look civilized,” Diesel said.
“How much time do I have?”
“Not enough. I just want you to come with me. I checked out the players and they’re all older, and I doubt anyone’s going to be wearing torn jeans. If I go by myself, I’ll look like a hustler. If you come along, we can role-?play.” He turned to Snuggy. “You are not to leave the room. If you leave the room, I’ll send Lula out to get you. And you saw what she did to that guy in the casino.”
Snuggy gasped and gave an involuntary shiver.
“Yep,” Lula said to Snuggy. “I’d squash you like a bug if I had to.”
Diesel, Briggs, and I took the elevator and walked across the casino floor to the front desk. Briggs flashed his ID and asked to see his safety deposit box. He was ushered into a back room, and the door closed behind him.
My cell phone buzzed in my pocket. I hauled it out and looked at the number display. Blocked. Most likely Morelli or Ranger.
“Yep?” I said into the phone.
“Your car’s at the bonds office, and the electronics in your purse tell me you’re in Atlantic City. Are you okay?”
It was Ranger. Rangers former Special Forces, now turned security expert. Our history together isn’t all that long, and it’s hard to say how our future relationship will go. Ranger’s personality and skin tone run several shades darker than Morelli’s. He’s a little bigger, got a little more bulk to his muscle. His hair is brown and currently cut short, and his eyes are black. And with or without clothes, he’s a heart-?stopper.
In the past, I’ve gotten myself into some precarious situations, and Ranger now feels compelled to monitor me. Since I have no control over Ranger, and because sometimes I actually like having him watch over me, I go with it.
“I’m here with Grandma, and Lula, and Randy Briggs, and a guy who thinks he’s a leprechaun... and Diesel.”
“Babe,” Ranger said.
“And I’m fine.”
