I threw the bolt and opened the door.
“I don't know why I'm doing this,” Sally said. “I'm like sucked into this bounty hunter trip.”
“The excitement of the chase,” I said.
“Yeah. That's it. It's the fucking chase.” He held a jar out to me. “I went back and got the clue. Borrowed one of those longhandled duster things. I decoded the note, but I don't know what it means.”
“Weren't there people around, wondering what you were doing?”
“When you look like this nobody asks. They're all happy as shit I'm not close-?dancing on their front lawn with Uncle Fred.” He lifted his chin a fraction of an inch and gave Joe the once-?over. “Who's this?”
“This is Joe Morelli. He was just leaving.”
“No I wasn't,” Morelli said.
Sally stepped forward. “If she says you're leaving then I think you're leaving.”
Morelli rocked back on his heels and grinned. “You gonna make me?”
“You think I can't?”
“I think somebody should help you pick out a bra. This year the rounded look is in.”
Sally looked down at his ice-?cream cones. “They're my trademark. I'm making a fucking fortune off these babies.” He looked up and sucker-?punched Morelli in the gut.
“Oof,” Morelli said. Then he narrowed his eyes and lunged at Sally.
“No!” I yelped, jumping between them.
There was some close-?in scuffling. I got clipped on the chin and went down like a sack of sand. Both men stooped to pick me up.
“Back off,” I yelled, slapping them away. “Don't either of you touch me. I don't need help from you two infantile morons.”
“He insulted my breasts,” Sally said.
“That's what happens when you have breasts,” I shouted. “People insult them. Get used to it.”
Joe glared at Sally. “Who are you? And what's with this jar?”
Sally extended his hand. “Sally Sweet.”
Joe took the offered hand. “Joe Morelli.”
They stood like that for a moment or two, and I saw a red flush begin to creep into Sally's cheeks. The cords in Morelli's neck grew prominent. Their hands remained clasped and their bodies jerked in rigid struggle. The morons were arm wrestling.
“That does it,” I said. “I'm getting my gun. And I'm going to shoot the winner.”
Eyes slid in my direction.
“Actually, I've gotta run,” Sally said. “I've got a gig at the shore tonight, and Sugar's waiting in the car.”
“He's a musician,” I told Morelli.
Morelli took a step backward. “It's always a treat to meet Stephanie's friends.”
“Yeah,” Sally said, “my fucking pleasure.”
Morelli was grinning when I closed and locked the door. “You never disappoint me,” he said.