`I'd tell you if I thought I could trust you.'
Morelli sent me a tight smile. He couldn't be trusted. We both knew it. He'd drag me out of my hiding place against my wishes if he thought it was the right thing to do.
'Do you need an escort out of here? Are you in public parking?'
'No, I'm illegally parked in the chief's spot.'
Morelli looked over at the reserved space. The Lincoln? What happened to the truck?'
Too high profile.'
My cell phone rang at six forty-five Monday morning.
'Junkman tagged the second gang member on his list,' Morelli said. 'You don't want to know the details, but it took us less time to locate all the body parts this time since we knew where to look.'
Not good information on an empty stomach.
I rolled out of bed and went to the kitchen to say good morning to Rex. I made coffee and drank it with my meager bowl of healthy, tasteless cereal. After two cups of coffee I still wasn't motivated to start my day, so I went back to bed.
The phone rang again at eight o'clock. It was Connie.
'You remembered about Carol Cantell, right?'
'Sure. What was I supposed to remember?'
'She's got court today.'
Shit. I'd completely forgotten. 'What's her court time?'
'She's supposed to be there at nine, but her case probably won't be heard until after lunch.'
'Call her sister and have her go over to Carol's house. I'll pick
Lula up at the office in a half hour.'
No time for a shower. I borrowed a hat and another shirt from
Ranger and pulled on my one remaining pair of clean jeans. I was in the elevator when I realized I'd buttoned the top snap on the jeans. Hooray. The diet was working. Good thing, too, because I was hating every minute of it and would love an excuse to quit.
I remoted the gate open and ran to the car. I was parking closer now that I was driving the Lincoln. Not as afraid of discovery by
Ranger's men. I was on the cell phone at the first red light, calling
Cantell.
'What?' she yelled into the phone. "What?'
'It's Stephanie Plum,' I said, in my most reassuring, soothing voice. 'How are things going?'
I'm fat... that's how it's frigging going. I have nothing to wear.
I look like a blimp.'
'You remembered your court date?'
I'm not going. I can't get into any of my clothes, and everyone's going to laugh at me. I ate a truckful of chips, for crying out loud.'
'Lula and I are coming over to help. Just hang in there.'