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“Are you sure you can see okay with all that tissue stuck up your nose?” Lula asked.
“No problem,” I said. “My eyes are fine.”
“They don’t look fine,” Lula said. “They’re turning black and purple and they’re looking puffy.”
I dropped Lula off at the office, and Bob and I went back to my apartment. I changed my clothes, pulled the tissue out of my nose, and made myself a peanut butter and olive sandwich for lunch. I made a peanut butter and deli ham sandwich for Bob because he doesn’t like olives. I knew I should put ice on my nose, but I was lacking motivation. I was debating taking a nap when Morelli called.
“I only have a few minutes before I have to get back to court,” he said. “I just wanted to check in. Is everything okay?”
“Yep. Bob’s doing great. He had an amorous adventure with a poodle doodle today.”
“How amorous?”
“As amorous as a dog could get.”
“He’s neutered,” Morelli said.
“Apparently, some dogs can overcome that handicap.”
“Bob actually did it with the poodle doodle?”
“Yep.”
“All the way?”
“All the way and then some.”
“That’s my boy. Any other good news?”
“That’s as good as it gets,” I said. “While I have you on the phone, were you aware that Duncan Dugan and Nutsy knew each other?”
“I didn’t know that. I’ve only seen Nutsy a couple times since high school, and I’m not really involved in the Plover case. You might want to share that with Jonesy since he’s the principal. I have to go. They’re waving at me. I’ll call you tonight.”
I shuffled into the bathroom and looked at myself again. Twoblack eyes and a slightly swollen nose. Not my finest hour, and I had no hope of ever making a decent popover.
“What do you think?” I asked Bob.
Bob looked up at me as if I were pretty. And that’s why I’d take a bullet for Bob.
“When the going gets tough, the tough get going,” I said to Bob. “Let’s go to the office and see what we can dig up on someone.Anyone.”
Bob was all for it. He followed me out of my apartment and down to the parking lot and jumped into my crumpled Cherokee. When we walked into the office, Connie was cleaning her gun and Lula was on the couch readingStarmagazine.
“I like the way you coordinated your black and purple eye with a poison-green T-shirt,” Lula said to me. “It totally works but you need to change your nail polish. I’d go with black.”
“I have some information on the girlfriend,” Connie said. “Maxine Polinski. Works as a personal trainer at Manny’s Gym. Forty-seven years old. Owns the house on Carlory Street. Divorced three times. Currently single. Operates as a pimp for three girls working Stark Street.”
“I didn’t recognize her,” Lula said. “I’m out of the Stark Street loop. I don’t even know who’s working my corner now.”
“She throws a good punch,” I said.
“She’ll be going back to the house,” Lula said. “The poodle doodle is there and anyways, it’s her house. Probably Trundle will be going back with her. He has to shack up somewhere and her house is better than his house.”
“I might want to take Ranger with me next time,” I said.
“Yeah, that would be a good idea,” Lula said. “Taking Rangeranywhere is a good idea, but maybe you want to wait for the eyes to calm down first.”
“Not attractive?” I asked her.
