There was a lot of loud knocking on the front door. I grabbed my bagel and went to investigate.
It was Lula, dressed in a poison green tank and spandex jeans with rhinestones running down the side seam. 'I heard about the wedding,' Lula said. 'I bet your mama had a cow. Imagine having to call all those people and tell them they're on their own for burgers tonight. But there's some good news in all this, right? You didn't have to go parading around like a freakin' eggplant.'
'It all worked out for the best,' I said.
'Damn skippy. Glad you feel that way. Wouldn't want you to be in a bad mood since I need a little help.'
'Oh boy.'
'It's just a little help. Moral support. But you can jump in on the physical stuff if you want. Not that I expect anyone's gonna shoot at us or anything.'
'No. Whatever it is ... I'm not doing it.'
'You don't mean that. I can see you don't mean that. Where's Officer Hottie? He in the kitchen?' Lula swept past me and went in search of Morelli. 'Hey,' she said to him. 'How's it shakin'? You don't mind if I borrow Stephanie today, do you?'
'He does,' I said. 'We were going to do something . . .'
'Actually, it's Guy Day,' Morelli said to me. 'I promised the guys we could hang out today.'
'You hung out with the guys yesterday. And the day before.'
'Those were cop guys. These are just guy guys. My brother Tony and my cousin
Mooch. They're coming over to watch the game.'
'Lucky for you I came along,' Lula said to me. 'You would have had to hide upstairs in your room so you didn't ruin Guy Day.'
'You can stay and watch the game with us,' Morelli said to me. 'It's not like it's a stag party. It's just Tony and Mooch.'
'Yeah,' Lula said. 'They probably be happy to have someone do the pizza run and open their beer bottles for them.'
'Think I'll pass on Guy Day,' I said to Morelli. 'But thanks for inviting me.' I grabbed my jacket and followed Lula out to the Firebird. 'Who are we looking for?'
'I'm gonna take another shot at Willie Martin. I'm gonna keep my clothes on this time. I'm gonna nail his ass.'
'He didn't leave town?'
'He's such an arrogant so-and-so. He thinks he's safe. He thinks no one can touch him. He's still in his cheap- ass apartment over the garage. My friend Lauralene made a business call on him last night. Do you believe it?'
In a former life, Lula was a 'ho, and she still has a lot of friends in the industry. 'Is Lauralene still there?'
'No. Willie's too cheap to pay for a night. Willie's strictly pay by the job.'
We crossed town, turned onto Stark, and Lula parked in front of the garage.
We both looked up at Willie's apartment windows on the third floor.
'You got a gun?' Lula asked.
'No.'
'Stun gun?'
'No.'
'Cuffs?'
'Negative.'
'I swear, I don't know why I brought you.'
'To make sure you keep your clothes on,' I said.
'Yeah, that would be it.'
We got out of the Firebird and took the stairs. The air was foul, reeking of urine and stale fast-food burgers and fries. We got to the third-floor landing, and Lula started arranging her equipment. Gun shoved into the waistband of her jeans. Cuffs half out of her pocket. Stun gun rammed into her jeans at the small of her back. Pepper spray in hand.
'Where's the taser?' I asked.
'It's in my purse.' She rooted around in her big shoulder bag and found the taser. 'I haven't had a chance to test-drive this baby yet, but I think I could figure it out. How hard can it be, right?' She powered up and held on to the taser. She motioned me to the door. 'Go ahead and knock.'
'Me?'
'He won't open the door if it's me. I'm gonna hide to the side, here. He see a skinny white girl like you standing at his door, he's gonna get all excited and open up.'
'He'd better not get too excited.'
'Hell, the more excited the better. Slow him down running. Make him do some pole vaulting.'
I rapped on the door, and I stood where Martin could see me. The door opened, and he looked me over.
