a little something, the fur coats and all, don’t y’know.
“When’s the last time you saw her?” Carella asked.
“She was in and out a lot the past few days,” Dooley said. “Doing her Christmas shopping, I guess. This the same case as the other one?”
Carella and Ollie looked at each other, puzzled.
“Had some detectives from the Eight-Seven here the other day,” Dooley said.
“Oh? When was that?” Ollie asked.
“The other day. Thursday.”
“What do you mean by the other case?” Carella asked.
“The break-in. We had a patrol car come by and then two detectives.”
“No, this has nothing to do with that.”
“I thought… well … Miss Ridley and all.”
“What do you mean?”
“It was her apartment got broken into. She had me change the lock on the door the very next day.”
“Let me get this straight,” Carella said.
“There was a burglary here?” Ollie said.
“On Thursday, yes, sir. I changed the lock on this door only yesterday.”
“Because the apartment was broken into?” Ollie said.
“Yep. I was outside with the doorman when your two detectives come by to investigate,” Dooley said. “One of them a redhead, the other one this short little fellow with curly black hair. Doorman called upstairs, Miss Ridley told him to send them right up.”
“Who were they, do you know?”
“Thought you might.”
Carella was already on the cell phone.
“Anybody else here for the lady in recent days?” Ollie asked.
“Not that I noticed. I’m busy in the office most of the time.”
“Bert?” Carella said. “This is Steve. Can you check with the Loot, see if Willis and Hawes responded to a burglary here on South Ealey this past Thursday?” He listened. “321,” he said. “Apartment 9C. Sure.” He turned to Ollie. “Kling. He’s checking.”
“Did you see anyone coming out of the building with Miss Ridley late last night, early this morning?” Ollie asked the super.
“I go home at six,” Dooley said. “You’re lucky you caught me.”
“Which doorman was on last night, would you know?”
“Same one as now.”
“Can you send him up, please?”
“Sure,” Dooley said, and walked off toward the elevator.
“Yeah,” Carella said into the phone. “Just what I thought. Are either of them there now? Put him on, willya?” He turned to Ollie. “Willis and Hawes were here around four Thursday,” he said. “He’s getting Willis now.”
They waited.
The apartment seemed suddenly very still.
“Hal, hi, it’s Steve,” he said. “Bert tells me you investigated a burg here at 321 South Ealey this past Thursday. Can you tell me a little about it?” He listened. “No, this is a homicide. Right. The lady got stabbed with an ice pick and thrown into the lion exhibit at the zoo. No, I’m dead serious. Can you give me the back story?” He listened. “A sable worth forty-five grand, right. And a mink stole worth six. Initials in both of them, CJR. Is that it? Okay, good, thanks a lot.” He hit the end button, flipped the lid shut, turned to Ollie. “You heard?” he said.
“I heard.”
Dooley was back with a man wearing a blue uniform with gold trim, blue hat with a shiny black peak. He looked Hispanic to Ollie, but Dooley introduced him as Muhammad Hassid, which meant he had just arrived from the Sahara and was plotting to blow up the nearest municipal building. Ollie asked him if he’d seen Miss Ridley leaving the building with anyone anytime last night.
“No, sir, I have seen no one,” Hassid said.
“What time did you leave here?” Ollie asked.
“I was relieved at eleven-forty-five,” Hassid said.
“Who came on after you?”
“Manuel Escovar.”
“We’ll want his address and phone number,” Carella told Dooley.
“I have them in the office,” Dooley said. “Will you be needin either of us any further?”
