Four to Score

'Damn right I mind,' Leo said. 'I don't want no one creeping around my house.'

'As it is, I've had the phone ringing ever since the police were here. Everyone wanting to know what's going on,' Betty said.

'Next thing you know there'll be TV trucks pulling up, and I'll be on the evening news because her nephew's a bum.'

'He's your nephew, too,' Betty said.

'Only by marriage, and that don't hardly count.'

'He's not so bad,' Betty said.

'He's a bum. A bum!'

14

SALLY AND I stood at the curb by the Porsche and watched the Glicks making shooing motions at us.

'They're like . . . lame people,' Sally said.

'When I first met them I had the feeling they liked Kuntz. At least Betty. In the beginning she was inviting me in for pound cake. And she was warm. Sort of motherly.'

'Maybe they're the ones who offed of Eddie. Maybe he didn't pay his rent. Maybe he insulted Betty's pound cake.'

I didn't think they offed Eddie Kuntz, but I did think they were acting odd. If I had to pin down emotions I'd say they were scared and angry. They definitely didn't want me sticking my nose into their business. Which meant either they had something to hide or else they didn't like me. Since I couldn't imagine anyone not liking me, I was going to assume they had something to hide. And the most obvious thing they would have to hide would be knowledge of Eddie Kuntz. Like maybe whoever snatched him had gotten in touch with Uncle Leo and Aunt Betty and had scared the beejeebers out of them.

Or here's another thought. Maybe Kuntz's mixed up with the counterfeit stuff and has gone underground. Maybe the note passed through the bartender was to warn him. And maybe Kuntz told Uncle Leo that he's okay and that Leo should keep his mouth shut and not let anybody come snooping . . . or else. Jesus, maybe his closets are filled with stacks of twenties!

Betty was still making the shooing sounds, but now she was mouthing the word go.

'How about I drive,' I said to Sally. 'I've always wanted to drive a Porsche.' Also, I've always wanted to live.

My pager went off, and I looked at the number. It wasn't familiar. I hauled my cell phone out of my shoulder bag and dialed.

The voice at the other end was excited. 'Jeez, that was fast!'

I squinted at the phone. Like squinting would help me to think better. 'Who is this?'

'Bernie! You know, the vegetable guy. And I got news for you. Francine Nowicki just came in. She wanted some special produce, if you get my drift.'

Yes! 'Is she there now?'

'Yeah. I was real smart. I told her I couldn't get anything for her until I went on my break, and then I called you right away. I figured your friend said she'd be grateful and all.'

'I'm on my way. Make sure Mrs. Nowicki stays there until I arrive.'

'Your friend's with you, right?'

I disconnected and jumped into the car. 'We just got a break!' I said, buckling myself in, plugging the key into the ignition. 'Mama Nowicki's shopping for fruit.'

'Far out,' Sally said. 'Fruit is cosmic.'

I didn't want to tell him what sort of fruit Bernie was selling. I was afraid he'd clean Bernie out and there wouldn't be any left for Maxine's mother.

I took off from the curb with my foot to the floor.

'Wow! Warp speed, Mr. Sulu,' Sally said. 'Excellent.'

Ten minutes later, give or take a few seconds, I cruised into the supermarket lot and parked. I wrote a note to Bernie telling him to give Francine Nowicki enough 'produce' for only one day, and instructed him to tell her she'd have to come back tomorrow for the rest. Just in case I lost her today. I signed it 'Love and kisses, your new friend, Stephanie.' And then I added that Lula sent her love, too.

'There's a little guy in the produce department who looks like R2D2,' I told Sally. 'Give him this note and take off. If you see Maxine's mother, don't go near her. Just give Bernie the note and come back here, so we can follow her when she leaves.'

Sally loped across the lot on his long legs, earring glittering in the sunlight, rat's nest hair bobbing as, he walked. He swung through the big glass doors and turned toward Produce. I lost sight of him for a moment and then he was back in my line of vision, heading out.

'She was there,' he said, folding himself into the little car. 'I saw her standing by the apples. You can't miss her with that big bandage on her head. She's got it covered with a scarf, but you can still see it's a bandage underneath.'

I'd chosen a spot off to the side, next to a van so we'd be less visible. We fell into silence, watching the door.