Lula looked at me hopefully. 'Need any help?'
'Not with Brown. I've picked her up before. She's usually cooperative.' And to make things even easier, I'd chosen the flashy
Turbo. Shoshanna would be at home smoking weed in her rat trap apartment, watching the Travel Channel on her stolen television, and she'd happily trade her freedom for a ride in the Porsche.
Shoshanna lived in the projects on the other side of town. I took
Hamilton to Olden and wound my way around, avoiding known
Slayer territory. I parked in front of Shoshanna's building and called her. Ordinarily, I'd march up to Shoshannas front door and encourage her to come with me in person. If I did that today, alone and in the Porsche, the car would be gone the instant I turned my back.
`Yeah, what?' Shoshanna said, answering the phone.
'Its Stephanie Plum. I want you to look out your front window.'
This better be good. I'm watching a show on the best bathrooms in Vegas.'
'I came to take you for a ride in Rangers Turbo.'
'Are you shitting me? The Porsche? You came to pick me up in the Porsche? Hold on. I'll be right out. I just gotta put on some lipstick for my new photo. I've been waiting for you anyway I'm hoping I get sent to the workhouse on account of I got a tooth that's killing me, and they got a good dentist there. I won't have to pay for it or nothing.'
Two minutes later, Shoshanna burst out of her apartment and angled herself into the Porsche. 'Now this is class,' she said. 'I hope some of my neighbors are watching. I don't suppose you could drive me past my friend Latisha Anne's apartment so she could see?'
I drove Shoshanna past Latisha Anne's apartment, Shirelle
Maries apartment, and Lucy Sue's apartment. And then I drove her to jail.
Shoshanna was cuffed to the bench when I left with my paperwork. Thanks,' she said. 'See you next time.'
'You might want to think about staying out of trouble.'
'It's no problema,' she said. `I only get caught when I need dental.'
Morelli was waiting for me outside. 'Nice car,' he said.
`I borrowed it from Ranger to get Shoshanna. She jumped right in.'
'Clever.'
I was choking on guilt. My throat was dry and my chest was hot.
I could feel sweat beginning to prickle at the roots of my hair. I happen to be excellent at rationalizing away acts of dumbness, but this one had me for a loss. I'd slept with Ranger! Not sexually, of course. But I'd been in his bed. And then there was the evil shower gel. And the kisses. And heaven help me, there'd been desire. A lot of desire.
'It was all because of the shower gel,' I said.
Morelli's eyes narrowed. 'Shower gel?'
I made a major effort not to sigh. 'Long story. You probably don't want to hear it. Out of morbid curiosity, what sort of a relationship do we have?'
It looks to me like we're in the off stage of on again, off again. Or maybe we're still on again... but in a remote sort of way.'
'Suppose I wanted to change it to full-time on again?'
'For starters, you'd have to get a new job. Or even better, no job at all.'
'No job?'
'You could be a housewife,' Morelli said.