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“No. An unknown. We found him behind the dumpster. He’s got a hole in his head. Do you want to take a look and see if you can ID him?”
“No,” I said.
“I’ll pass on that too,” Lula said. “I don’t like dead stuff. Especially people.”
Connie went with Butch, looked at the dead guy, and came back to us. “I don’t know him,” she said. “I took a picture with my phone, if you want to see.”
I looked at the picture. “It’s possible that this is one of the men who tried to kidnap Grandma. I remember his shoes. Red Air Jordans. And he’s the right size. I didn’t get to see his face.”
I called Morelli and told him about the body behind the dumpster.
“I’m already on my way,” he said. “I just got a call from the uniform who’s on the scene with you. He was at your parents’ house yesterday and remembered you talking about the red shoes.”
We went out and watched the ladder go up and Richie get helped down.
“This is a lot better than last time,” Butch said. “Last time he was naked, and no one wanted to bring him down. We had to draw straws.”
“The boy’s got a problem,” Lula said. “He needs to get a different dragon.”
We all nodded agreement.
“I suppose you’re going to want to wait for Morelli,” Lula said. “I hope he gets here soon because I’m in a mood to go after the shoplifter.”
“He said he was already on his way.”
“What do you think of my hair?” she asked.
Lula’s hair was cut short, dyed blue-black, and was totally slicked down.
“I like it,” I said.
“It’s one of them retro-French looks.”
“Yep. I can see that.”
“It’s why I’m wearing this little scarf around my neck. It’s the recommended accessory.”
Richie was on the ground, flitting around like a butterfly, flapping his arms. The first responders were standing back, waiting for him to get tired.
“I don’t know what he’s on,” Butch said, “but I want some.”
Connie went into the office and came back with the donut box. There were two donuts left. She waved the box in front of Richie and immediately got his attention.
“If you go in the truck with the medics, you can have these donuts,” Connie said.
Richie stopped flitting and took the donut box. “Yum.”
“We’ve got to remember to bring donuts next time we get called out to rescue a crazy,” Butch said.
Morelli angle parked behind the fire truck and walked over to us.
“Did Velez tell you anything?” I asked him.
“He met a guy in a bar, they got to talking, and the guy offered him a job. One-time hit. Fifty dollars.”
“That’s all? Fifty dollars?”
“Velez thought it was good money.”
