“Late. Like always.”
I caught a flash of red in my peripheral vision and Lula swept through the front door. Her hair was still fire-engine red, and her sweater, skirt, and shoes matched her hair.
“Speak of the devil,” Connie said.
“I ain't no devil,” Lula said. “I'm respectable, mostly. I'm an engaged woman. I got a ring and everything. I told you I had a feeling.”
She held her hand out, and we looked at her ring.
“Wow, that's a big diamond,” Connie said. “Is it real?”
“Sure it's real,” Lula said. “I got it in the diamond district on Eighth and Remington.”
“That's the projects,” Connie said.
“Yeah. Scootch Brown runs that corner. He said this was a real good ring. He gave me a good price on it.”
“So it was okay with Tank that you bought the ring?”
“Tank got a real important job,” Lula said. “He don't necessarily have time to go shopping for shit like this.”
“Does he know he's engaged?”
“Of course he knows,” Lula said. “It was real romantic, too. He came over, and we always get right to it, if you know what I mean. So anyway, we got that out of the way, and then Tank fell asleep and I put the ring on. And the
n when Tank woke up, I told him how happy I was, and how he was such a sweetie. And then I celebrated by making him feel real good, and after that he fell asleep again.”
“Congratulations,” I said to Lula. “When's the wedding?”
“I haven't decided that. June might be nice.”
“That's next month.”
“Yeah,” Lula said. “You think it's too far away? I don't like long engagements.”
“You can't go wrong with June,” Connie said. “Everyone wants to get married in June.”
“That's what I figure,” Lula said. “I always wanted to be a June bride, but I don't want one of them schmaltzy weddings with the big white gown and all. I just want to get married real quiet.” She looked at me. “What about you? Did you have a big schmaltzy wedding?”
“Yeah. And then I had an even bigger divorce.”
“I remember the divorce,” Connie said. “It was spectacular. It was a real accomplishment, since you'd only been married about fifteen minutes.” She handed a file over to me. “This guy just came in. Failed to appear for his court appearance. Not a big bond, but it shouldn't be hard to find him. He lives with his brother in a row house on Vine Street.”
“What's the charge?”
“Indecent exposure.”
“That sounds like fun,” Lula said. “I might have to help you with that one.”
I read through the bond document. “He's eighty-one.”
“Now that I think about it,” Lula said, “I got a lot to do. I might not have time to round up some eighty-one-year-old naked guy.”
“I'm sure he's not always naked,” I said to Lula. “He probably just forgot to close the barn door.”
“Okay, I'll go with you, but I don't want to get involved with no eighty-year-old doodles, you see what I'm saying?”
“Before I forget, Mary Ann Falattio is having a purse party tonight,” Connie said. “Are you interested?”