'You don't need a warrant to search some places.'
Wolfe's eyebrows rose.
'Public places,' I said.
Wolfe leaned forward. 'What do you have to show us?'
'It's in my car.'
We finished our meal. They spent the time talking about Lola's new boyfriend. Sounded like he wouldn't be around long.
They picked up my check.
44
'I'm parked against the back fence. An old Plymouth. Pull your car next to mine, open your trunk.'
I caught Rocco and Floyd in the edge of my vision. Wolfe's Audi pulled in. Lola went around the back to open the trunk. Wolfe snapped a lead on the Rottweiler, walked him over to my car.
'Bruiser, stay!' The beast dropped into a sitting position the way a sprinter settles into the starting blocks, eyes only for me.
I opened the duffel bag in the trunk, pulled out the blanket inside. Uncovered the leather bag.
'You know what this is?' I asked.
Neither of them said anything.
'I traced Emerson's path from the hotel. Found this along the way.'
'The way to where?'
I told them about the dark water surrounding Rikers Island. Step by step.
'You think the baby's in that bag?' Wolfe.
'Maybe some pieces of him, but I doubt it. I think he's in the water. You can get divers without a warrant, right?'
'Yes. But it's a long shot. Unless he weighted it down, it could be anywhere.'
'Worth a try.'
'Sure.'
'I'll put the bag in your trunk. The coroner will tell you the rest.'
'And how did we come by the bag?'
'I figure, maybe Rocco and Floyd were doing some investigating, ran across it, cut it down. Tagged it in an evidence sack, all the right stuff.'
'When would they have done this?'
'Why don't you ask them,' I said, flicking a glance to my left.
Wolfe spotted them. 'Get over here!' she shouted. Lola giggled. They walked over, looking everyplace but at Wolfe.
'One of you two clowns put this in my trunk,' Wolfe said, pointing at the bag.
'What is it?' Rocco.
'We don't know yet. You and Floyd found it last night.'
'Huh?'
'Shut up and do it. I'll talk to you two when we get back to the office.'
'We just thought we'd…' Floyd.
He caught a warning look from Lola, cut it short.
Rocco took the bag in his hands. An ugly low snarl came from Bruiser.
'No!' Wolfe barked back at him.
'I'll call you,' I said to Wolfe.
She stepped close to me. The breeze ruffled her hair. Orchid perfume. 'Give me a number. I'll call you.'
I gave her Mama's number. She didn't write it down.
'I'm not there much. Leave a message.
'I know,' she said.
They were all still standing in the parking lot as I pulled out.
45
I made my rounds the next few days. Patternless, like always, in case anybody was interested. Somebody left a message for me at the poolroom. Wanted to buy guns. A lot of guns, full-auto only. Probably the ATF, checking to see if I was still in business.
Dropped by the clinic in Brooklyn where they buy blood. I buy in small lots, but I outbid the Red Cross every time. The blood goes into small clear plastic packets. The way it works is this: The team hits a bank. One guy
