to be with you when you talk to her.”
“Why?”
“I have a personal interest, like I said.”
“What kind of a personal interest?”
“There’s a reason why it’s called personal,” Very shot back. “Look, either I come with you when you talk to Beth Breslauer or when I finally do get through to this Sergeant Snipes on my own-and, word up, I will-then she gets the entire package.”
“Deal.” Mitch reached for his cell phone. “I’ll call Yolie.”
Very froze. “Did you just say Yolie? Sergeant Snipes is Yolie Snipes?”
“Yeah, why?”
The lieutenant got a dreamy, faraway look on his face. “Woo…”
Mitch frowned at him. “Woo…?”
“Just make the call, dude.”
She got there in twenty minutes.
Mitch went out to greet her as she climbed out of her cruiser. “Thanks for coming, Yolie.”
“No prob, hon. I was intrigued by your message. So mysterious.” Yolie flashed a sly grin at him. “Plus I was hoping to accidentally run into Dorset’s resident trooper.”
“Des isn’t here.”
“She will be five minutes from now. Just spoke to her on the phone.” Her gaze fell upon Mitch’s visitor, who was lingering somewhat bashfully in the cottage doorway. “Who’s the biker boy?”
“It’s Very.”
“Very what?”
“Very Very. That’s his name. He’s a police detective from New York City. Told me he’s been trying to get you on the phone.”
“Oh, right. I do have a gazillion messages from some lieutenant named, like, Romeo Very.”
“Romaine.”
“Mitch, I don’t need a New York City hot dog sticking his nose in my case.”
“I understand completely. But you may want to talk to him. He was tight with your murder victim. Seems to think he has information that can help.”
Yolie heaved a sigh of annoyance before she waved Very on over.
He approached her slowly, the two of them sizing each other up like middleweights in a ring.
“You the detective who’s been calling me?”
“That’s me.” Very showed her his shield. “And you’re Yolie Snipes. No introduction necessary, believe me.”
She drew back from him, her nostrils flaring. “We know each other?”
“We’ve never met, Sarge. But I’m a huge fan of Big East women’s hoops. I saw you play at the Garden must be a half-dozen times. You wore number twenty-six. Averaged just under seven assists per game throughout your career. Played killer defense. And no one, but no one, settled her sweet self at the charity stripe like you did when you were shooting a free throw.”
“Is that a fact?” Yolie growled. Although Mitch could tell she was warming to the guy. She’d settled into her left hip just enough so that she was no longer taller than Very. “Coach Vivian always told us it was to be balanced right.”
“Oh, you were balanced plenty right,” Very assured her. “Still are, from where I’m standing.”
“Where you’re standing, hon, is about a hundred and twenty miles outside of your jurisdiction. You got information for me?”
Very nodded. “Also some questions.”
“What kind of questions?”
Very didn’t answer her. His attention had been drawn to the Saab that was making its way across the causeway toward them.
“This must be your lucky day, Lieutenant,” Mitch told him. “You’re about to meet Dorset’s resident trooper.”
Des got out of her car wearing a polo shirt, shorts and an extremely troubled expression. Mitch really, really didn’t like the way she looked. Something heavy was weighing on her. “Who’s your friend?” she asked him quietly.
“Master Sergeant Desiree Mitry, say hello to Detective Lieutenant Romaine Very of the NYPD. He and Augie Donatelli were friends.”
“And he thinks he can help,” Yolie added dryly.
“Can he?”
“Dunno. All he’s done so far is flap his gums about ball.”
“Mitch told me that you and Dawgie didn’t get along,” Very said to Des. “That’s messed up. And I’m sure it was entirely on Dawgie. He had his demons. I’ll be real happy to tell you all about them sometime over a cup of coffee if you’d-”
“Is there a point here somewhere?” Des asked him.
“Yes, there is. The guy was like family to me, okay? He didn’t have anyone else. And he didn’t deserve what happened to him.”
“Agreed,” she allowed.
“You were saying you have questions,” Yolie put in. “What questions?”
“Have your people conducted a search of Dawgie’s apartment?”
She crossed her big arms in front of her chest, eyes narrowing. “Why are you asking?”
“Did they find a camera?”
“Yeah, an old-school Nikon. Top of the line model, all sorts of lenses.”
“Was there any film inside of it?”
Yolie blinked at him. “I don’t recall, offhand. But I’m sure they looked. We’re very thorough out here, Lieutenant. We wear latex gloves. We floss our teeth daily.” To Des she said, “Not that you asked, but I got what you need in the front seat of my ride. They’re in the big white envelope.” She meant crime scene photos. She knew Des. Knew Des would want to draw a portrait of Augie.
“You’re the best,” Des said, smiling at her gratefully.
“How about notepads?” Very asked Yolie. “Did they find any of those?”
“Don’t recall any, no.”
“Was his apartment locked?”
“Yes. So was his GTO.”
“Did your-?”
“They searched the glove compartment and trunk. Found nothing of interest.”
“Mind if I take a look around for myself now that you’re done?”
“I don’t mind-if you tell me what you’re looking for.”
“Nothing in particular. I’m just curious.”
“You’re curious, all right.” Yolie’s cell phone rang now. She glanced at the screen and took it. “Hey, Rico, how’s Tawny doing?
… No, no. You stay with her. She needs you right now. I can bring you up to speed tomorrow… No prob, don’t worry about it.” She rang off, her face tightening with determination.
“Is Tawny okay?” Des asked her.
Yolie nodded. “False alarm. Hospital sent her home. She’s seeing her doctor first thing in the morning. Rico will be back down here after that-unless the doctor says otherwise.”
“So they’re not assigning a different lieutenant to the case?” Very asked.
“Not yet,” she replied. “Not that it’s any of your concern.”
“But it’s huge for you.” He’d picked right up on just how ambitious Yolie was. The man was no dummy. Not that Mitch had thought for one second that he was. “If you crack this by tomorrow afternoon it’s a career maker. I can help you, Sarge. We can help each other.”
Yolie rolled her eyes. “Lookie here, Romeo…”
