55

“What’s dis shit?” Sarge bellowed. “I got ta put up wit’ you tree times a day now?”

“Bask in the reflection, my man. Morley is my number one boy now. He up there showing some married lady the ins and out of cross stitch? I could maybe tell him something he wants to hear.”

“Yeah? Like what?” I wasn’t selling Sarge no swamp.

“Like where to find some buried treasure.”

Sarge moved out.

We’ve all endured one another so long we all know when the yak means something and when it’s just macho yammer. Sarge figured I had something, so he got intimate with the speaking tube. I didn’t hear what he said, but hardly three minutes passed before Morley descended the stairs. A woman of astonishing beauty peeked down for a moment, as though she just had to see what improbability could distract Morley Dotes from her. From what I saw of her, I had to consider that an excellent question.

“I’m sorry.” The woman retreated, but my imagination went with her. I hated Morley for having found her first. How did he do it? “Who was that?”

He sneered. “Wipe the drool off your chin. Someone might mistake you for a mad dog werewolf.”

“Who is she?”

“No, you don’t. I was a gentleman about Chaz. I suffered in silence while you wasted Tinnie Tate. I didn’t birddog when that went bad because it might get good again. So forget my little Julie, eh?”

“I’ll give you half a minute.”

“Generous, Garrett. Generous. How come you’re down here making my life miserable again?” Oddly, he seemed anxious. He covered by glancing upstairs like he was thinking about maybe spanking somebody for revealing herself to the rabble. Then he eyed me like he really did expect to hear about buried treasure.

“While back I got the impression you wanted to get face-to-face with the Rainmaker.”

He glanced at the stairway. Glorious, lovely Julie was very much with us even though she remained unseen. He said, “Tell me about it.”

I wondered. I knew Morley’s priorities. Seldom did he find a Julie less interesting than revenge. “I think I know where to find him.”

Morley cast one more longing glance upstairs. “How did you manage that? You turn psychic? Or psycho? Or did the Dead Man wake up?”

“Through the exercise of reason, my man. Pure reason.”

Morley offered me one of his special looks, just to let me know I couldn’t fool a stone with a learning disability. “I’ll bite, Garrett. Where?”

“On the Hill. Maggie Jenn’s place.”

He made a show of thinking about it before he smiled nastily. “Damn if I don’t think you stumbled into it and came up smelling sweet. I should have thought of that. Let’s go.”

“What? Me? No way. I did my part. Take your help. Sarge and Puddle need the exercise. I’ll stay here and hold the fort.”

“Ha. That’s ha, like in half a ha-ha, Garrett.”

“Some guys got no sense of humor.”

“You talking about me? I gave you a parrot, didn’t I?”

“My point exactly.”

“What can you do? People just won’t show any gratitude anymore. All right. Let’s go see the man.”

I smirked. Behind Morley’s back. No sense having him figure out who was manipulating whom. Not just yet.