'Must be Brian Simon,' I said to Morelli. 'I had to whine at him to get a deal for Carol Zabo.'
'This is about Carol Zabo?'
'God, I hope so.' That, or Brian Simon was calling in his marker. 'I'll be right there,' I yelled to Grandma. 'Get his number, and tell him I'll call him back.'
'You're breaking my heart,' Morelli said.
'Grandma will only be here for a couple more days, and then we can celebrate.'
'In a couple days I'll be gnawing my arm off.'
'That's pretty serious.'
'Don't ever doubt it,' Morelli said. He kissed me, and I didn't doubt anything. He had his hand under my shirt, and his tongue deep in my mouth… and I heard someone give a wolf whistle.
Mrs. Fine and Mr. Morgenstern were hanging out their windows, whistling, drawn to the shouting between Grandma and me. They both started clapping and making hooting sounds.
Mrs. Benson opened her window. 'What's going on?' she wanted to know.
'Sex in the parking lot,' Mr. Morgenstern said.
Morelli looked at me speculatively. 'It's possible.'
I turned and ran for the door and sprinted up the stairs. I cut myself a piece of cake, and then I called Simon.
'What's up?' I said.
'I need a favor.'
'I don't do phone sex,' I said.
'It's not phone sex. Cripes, what made you think that?'
'I don't know. It just popped out.'
'It's about my dog. I have to go out of town for a couple days, and I don't have anybody to take care of my dog. So since you owe me a favor…'
'I live in an apartment! I can't have a dog.'
'It's only for a couple days. And he's a real good dog.'
'What about a kennel?'
'He hates kennels. He won't eat. He gets all depressed.'
'What kind of dog is it?'
'It's a little dog.'
Damn. 'It's only for a couple days?'
'I'll drop him off tomorrow first thing in the morning and pick him up on Sunday.'
'I don't know. This isn't a good time. My grandmother is staying with me.'
'He loves old ladies. I swear to God. Your grandma will love him.'
I looked over at Rex. I'd hate to see him all depressed and not eating, so I guess I could understand how Simon felt about his dog. 'Okay,' I said. 'What time tomorrow?'
'Around eight?'
I OPENED MY eyes and wondered about the time. I was on the couch, it was pitch black out, and I smelled coffee. There was a moment of panicky disorientation. My eyes settled on the chair across from the couch, and I realized someone was sitting in it. A man. Hard to see in the dark. My breathing stopped altogether.
'How'd it go tonight?' he said. 'Learn anything worthwhile?'
Ranger. No point asking how he'd gotten in when the windows and doors were closed and locked. Ranger had ways. 'What time is it?'
'Three.'
'Has it occurred to you that some people sleep at this time of night?'
'It smells like a pine forest in here,' Ranger said.
'It's me. I was in the pine tree behind Hannibal's house, and I can't get the sap off. It's all stuck in my hair.'
I saw Ranger smile in the darkness. Heard him laugh softly.
I sat up. 'Hannibal has a lady friend. She drove up at ten o'clock in a black BMW. She was with Hannibal for about ten minutes, gave him a letter, and left.'
'What's she look like?'
'Short blond hair. Slim. Nicely dressed.'
'Did you get the license plate?'
'Yeah. I wrote it down. Didn't get a chance to check it out yet.'
He sipped his coffee. 'Anything else?'
'He sort of saw me.'
'Sort of?'
'I fell out of the tree into his backyard.'
The smile disappeared. 'And?'
'And I told him I was looking for my cat, but I'm not sure he bought it.'
'If he knew you better…' Ranger said.
'Then the second time he caught me in the tree, he pulled a gun, so I jumped down and ran away.'
'Quick thinking.'
'Hey,' I said, tapping my finger to my head, 'no grass growing here.'
Ranger was smiling again.
5
'I THOUGHT YOU didn't drink coffee,' I said to Ranger. 'What about your body being a temple?'
He sipped at the coffee. 'It's my disguise. It goes with the haircut.'
'Will you let your hair grow back?'
'Probably.'
'And then will you stop drinking coffee?'
'You ask a lot of questions,' Ranger said.
'Just trying to figure this out.'
He was slouched in the chair, one long leg extended, his arms on the arms of the chair, his eyes on me. He set his cup on the coffee table, rose from the chair, and stood over the couch. He bent and kissed me lightly on the lips. 'Some things are better left a mystery,' he said. And then he moved to the door.
'Hey, wait a minute,' I said. 'Am I supposed to keep watching Hannibal?'
'Can you watch him without getting shot?'
I gave him a pissy look in the dark.
'I see that,' he said.
'Morelli wants to talk to you.'
'I'll call him tomorrow, maybe.'
The front door opened and clicked shut. Ranger was gone. I padded to the door and looked out the peephole. No Ranger anywhere. I slid the security chain in place and went back to the couch. I fluffed up my pillow and crawled under the quilt.
And I thought about the kiss. What was I supposed to make of the kiss? Friendly, I told myself. It had been friendly. No tongue. No groping hands. No gnashing of teeth in uncontrollable passion. A friendly kiss. Only it hadn't felt friendly. It had felt… sexy.
Damn!
'WHAT WOULD YOU like for breakfast?' Grandma asked. 'How about some nice warm oatmeal?'
Left to my own devices, I'd have eaten the cake. 'Sure,' I said, 'oatmeal would be okay.'
I poured a cup of coffee, and there was a knock on the door. I opened the door, and a big orange thing rushed
