Morelli went still. 'Now I'm really listening. What about Francine Nowicki?'
'She passed another phony twenty. And my informant tells me Francine had a roll of them.'
'That's why you were so hot to put her under surveillance. You think she's mixed up in this counterfeiting thing and she's going to take off . . . along with Maxine.'
'I think Maxine might already be gone.'
'Why are you still interested if you think Maxine's gone?'
I took another cookie. 'I don't know for sure that she's gone. And maybe she's not so gone that I can't find her.'
'Especially if her mother or her friend rats on her.'
I nodded. 'There's always that possibility. So what do you say, can I use your truck?'
'If she's still there in the morning I'll put a van in place.'
'Her doctor appointment's at three.'
'Why did you decide to tell me?'
I slouched lower on the couch. 'I need help. I don't have the right equipment to do any kind of decent surveillance. And I'm tired. I hardly slept last night, and I've had a nightmare day. This guy emptied a revolver at me tonight, and then he chased me with a knife in his hand. I hate when people do that!' I was trying to eat a cookie, but my hand was shaking so bad I could hardly get it to my mouth. 'Look at me. I'm a wreck!'
'Adrenaline surplus,' Morelli said. 'As soon as it wears off you'll sleep like the dead.'
'Don't say that!'
'You'll feel better in the morning.'
'Maybe. Right now I'm happy for whatever assistance you can give me.'
Morelli got up and shook out cookie crumbs. 'I'm going to get a glass of milk. Want one?'
'Sure.'
I stretched out the length of the couch. He was right about the adrenaline. I'd stopped shaking and now I was exhausted.
* * * * *
I HAD a moment of disorientation when I opened my eyes. And then I realized I'd fallen asleep on Morelli's couch. And now it was morning. Sunlight was streaming through the front windows, and I could smell coffee brewing in the kitchen. Morelli had removed my shoes and covered me with a summer quilt. I did a quick check to make sure the rest of my clothes were intact before feeling too grateful.
I shuffled into the kitchen and poured out some coffee.
Morelli was buckling his gun onto his belt. 'I've gotta run,' he said. 'I called your mother last night and told her you were here. I figured she'd worry.'
'Thanks. That was nice of you.'
'Help yourself to whatever. If anything comes up today, you can get me on my pager.'
'Are you watching Nowicki?'
Morelli paused. 'She's gone. I had someone check last night. The house is empty.'
'Damn!'
'We might still get her. There's an alert out for her. The Treasury has resources.'
'The doctor—'
'Nowicki canceled her appointment yesterday.'
He gulped the rest of his coffee, put the mug in the sink and took off. He got to the middle of the dining room, stopped and stared down at his shoe for a minute. Thinking. I saw him give his head a single shake. He turned, strode back into the kitchen, pulled me to him and kissed me. Lots of tongue. Hungry hands.
'Jesus,' he said, backing off. 'I'm in really bad shape.'
And he was gone.
* * * * *
MY MOTHER looked up expectantly when I came into the kitchen. Well? the look said. Did you sleep with him?
My grandmother was at the table with a cup of tea. My father was nowhere to be seen. And Sally was at the head of the table, eating chocolate chip cookies, once again wearing my bathrobe.
'Hey, dude,' Sally said to me.
'Sally was telling us all about last night,' Grandma said. 'Boy, I sure wish I'd been there. Sally said you were the bomb.'
'Of all places,' my mother said, 'the senior citizens' home. What were you thinking? You know how they talk!'
'We've had three phone calls so far this morning,' Grandma said. 'This is the first chance I've had to sit down with my tea. It's just like we're movie stars!'
