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I went back to the dining room and made my excuses. I left the restaurant and found Lula and Bob standing by the SUV.
“I just got a call from Celia Manley,” I said to Lula. “Nutsy got a clown gig and he’s overdue to return home.”
“He’s got clown in his blood,” Lula said. “He probably could never refuse someone wanting him to be a clown. It’s too late for a little kid’s birthday party, so he must be entertaining a bunch of adult clown lovers.”
“Or he could be entertaining Frankie Plover.”
“That was going to be my next possibility,” Lula said, getting into the SUV.
“Celia said Nutsy was heading for Shirley Street.”
“That’s a strange place for a clown performance,” Lula said. “It’s mostly industrial around Shirley. Some small warehouses and stores. Although, there’s a dance studio and a gym and oneof those trampoline bounce places for kids. The bounce place advertises parties all the time. I know about it because it’s next to a store for hair and nail techs. My friend Yolanda works there and gets me a discount.”
Shirley was just past lower Stark Street. At this time of night there was no traffic, and most buildings were dark. A few of the smaller units had lights shining in windows. The dance studio, gym, and bounce thing were dark. I crept along, looking for Nutsy’s Yamaha. After two blocks I came to a small one-story building that was lit and had a bunch of balloons fixed to its mailbox.
“Hunh,” Lula said. “I bet there’s a clown in there.”
I idled in front of the building for a moment and a text message dinged on my phone. Unknown caller with a photo of Nutsy in a clown costume. He was strapped to a straight chair. His face was bruised and bleeding. He was slumped over, possibly unconscious. There was another ding.Congratulations. You found us. Join the party.
“Are we going to join the party?” Lula asked.
“Eventually,” I said. “Are you armed?”
“Do bears do it in the woods?” Lula said. “Are you?”
I reached under the driver’s seat and unlatched the gun box. I took out a Glock 19. “Yep,” I said. “I’m armed.”
I wouldn’t ordinarily walk into a situation like this with just Lula and Bob as backup. Unfortunately, Ranger was in Virginia and Morelli had just landed at Newark. And I didn’t feel comfortable relying on 911. I didn’t want a bunch of first responders thundering in with lights flashing.
I texted a message to Morelli.I’m in a situation. Let me know when you roll into Trenton.
I drove around the block, getting a feel for the area. I pulled it up on Google Earth on my cell phone and got a bird’s-eye view. The building was freestanding with a small swath of ground around it. Morgan Plumbing was behind it and there were several other small freestanding buildings on either side of the balloon building. I parked two doors down and ran around to the back of the SUV. This was a Rangeman fleet car equipped with standard cargo. The standard cargo included a first aid kit complete with an AED, ankle shackles, knives, batteries for Maglites and stun guns, flash-bang grenades, and smoke bombs. The only things missing were an Indiana Jones–style whip and aStar Warslightsaber.
I grabbed a knife and the flash-bangs and smoke bombs and brought them up front. I gave half to Lula, and I shoved the rest in my pockets and messenger bag.
“I’m all about this,” Lula said. “I’m ready to kick ass. I’m in Avenger mode. It’s disgraceful, what they did to Nutsy. You don’t treat a clown like that.”
“When we go in and things get hairy, please try not to shoot me,” I said.
“I know in the past I’ve been off the mark sometimes,” Lula said, “but things are changing for me and I’m just about at sharpshooter level now.”
Lula, Bob, and I left the SUV and stayed in the shadows as we crept up to our target. Lula and Bob plastered themselves against the side of the building and I moved around it, looking in windows. Most of the rooms were dark and empty. I reached the back of the building and I saw Nutsy strapped to the chair. He was slumped over, not moving. I couldn’t tell if he was dead or alive. No one else was in the room with him. I continued aroundto the far side of the building. The shades were down here, but there was no sign that lights were on or that people were inside. I scuttled across the front and rejoined Lula and Bob.
“I can see Nutsy,” I said. “He seems to be alone, but I find that hard to believe.”
“Are we going to go get him?” Lula asked. “I’m ready. I saw that picture of him, and I don’t like clowns being treated like that.”
“We’re going in through the back door and we’re going to get him out as fast as possible,” I said. “If it’s necessary we’ll use the flash-bangs and smoke bombs before shooting.”
“Okay,” Lula said. “I got it. Flash-bangs, smoke bombs, and then shoot. Is your heart racing? My heart is racing.”
“Yeah,” I said, “my heart is racing.”
Not as much as when I thought about marrying Ranger, but it was up there.
We inched our way around to the back of the building and I went to the back door. I looked in the window. Still only Nutsy in the room. I tried the door. Unlocked. Not a good sign.
Lula and Bob were close behind me.
