“I’ve been busy,” I said.
“So I hear.”
I gave him a raised eyebrow.
“Two suspicious conduct complaints in one day, plus breaking and entering. You must be going for some sort of personal record,” Morelli said.
“Costanza has a big mouth.”
“You were lucky it was Costanza. If it had been Gaspick you’d be calling Vinnie for bail right now.”
We were caught in a gust of wind, and we hunkered down into our jackets.
“Can I talk to you off the record?” I asked Morelli.
“Shit,” Morelli said. “I hate when you start a conversation like this.”
“There’s something strange about Uncle Mo.”
“Oh boy.”
“I’m serious!”
“Okay,” Morelli said. “So what have you got?”
“A feeling.”
“If anyone else said that to me I’d walk away.”
“Mo’s gone FTA on a carrying charge. It would have gotten him a fine and a slap on the hand. It doesn’t make sense.”
“Life never makes sense.”
“I’ve been out looking for him. He’s nowhere. His car is gone, but his garage door was left open. There are dry goods in the garage. Things he wouldn’t want stolen. It doesn’t feel right. His store has been closed up for two days. No one knows where he is. His sister doesn’t know. His neighbors don’t know.”
“What did you find in his apartment?”
“Clothes in the closet. Food in the fridge.”
“Any sign of struggle?”
“None.”
“Maybe he needed to go off to think,” Morelli said. “Did he have an attorney?”
“Waived an attorney.”
“I think you’re jumping to conclusions.”
I shrugged. “Maybe, but it still feels strange.”
“Out of character for Mo.”
“Yeah.”
Mrs. Turkevich came out of Fiorello’s Deli carrying a grocery bag.
I nodded to her. “Pretty cold today.”
“Hmmmph,” she said.
“Listen, it’s not my fault!” I told her. “I’m just doing my job.”
The grin widened on Morelli’s face. “Us crime stoppers have a tough life, huh?”
“Are you still working vice?”
“I’m working homicide. Temporarily.”
“Is that a promotion?”
“It’s more like lateral movement.”
I wasn’t sure I could see Morelli as a homicide cop. Morelli liked to get out there and make things happen. Homicide was a more cerebral, reactive position.
“Was there a reason for this visit?” I asked.
“I was in the area. Thought I’d see how things were going.”
“You mean things like Moses Bedemier?”
“You need to be more careful. Mo has some very protective, very noisy neighbors.”
I held my coat collar tight to my neck. “I don’t get it. What’s so great about this guy?”
Morelli did a palms up. “I guess he’s just one of those lovable types. Friends with everyone.”
“What I’m finding is that he’s friends with no one. He’s a very private person. Doesn’t even confide in his sister. My grandmother says it’s like he’s married to the store. Like a priest.”
“A lot of people let their work take over their life. It’s the American way,” Morelli said.
