One for the Money (Stephanie Plum 1)

“I've been back there. It's a long drop if you're not dead.”

Morelli shrugged. “Maybe he was able to slide through the crowd hovering over Ziggy and me. Then he went out the back door, collected Carmen, and drove off.”

“I want to hear the part about me getting the $10,000.”

“You help me prove I shot Kulesza in self-defense, and I'll let you bring me in.”

“I can hardly wait to hear how I'm going to do this.”

"The only link I have to the missing witness is Ramirez. I've been watching him, but nothing's come of it. Unfortunately, my movements are getting restricted. I've called in just about every favor I had out there. Lately, I've been spending more hours hiding than looking. I feel like I'm running out of time and ideas.

“You're the one person no one would suspect of helping me,” Morelli said.

“Why would I want to help you? Why don't I just use the opportunity to turn you in?”

“Because I'm innocent.”

“That's your problem, not mine.” It was a hardass answer and not entirely the truth. The truth was, I'd actually started to feel kind of soft on Morelli.

“Then let's up the ante for you. While you're helping me find my witness, I'll be protecting you from Ramirez.”

I almost said I didn't need protection, but that was absurd. I needed all the protection I could get. “What happens when Dorsey picks up Ramirez and I no longer need your protection?”

“Ramirez will be out on bail and twice as hungry. He has some powerful friends.”

“And how are you going to protect me?”

“I'm going to guard your body, Sweet Cakes.”

“You're not sleeping in my apartment.”

“I'll sleep in the van. Tomorrow I'll wire you up for sound.”

“What about tonight?”

“It's your decision,” he said. “Probably you'll be okay. My guess is Ramirez wants to play with you a while. This is like a fight for him. He's going to want to go all ten rounds.”

I agreed. Ramirez could have come crashing through my bedroom window any time he wanted, but he chose to wait.

“Even if I wanted to help you, I wouldn't know where to begin,” I said. “What could I do that you haven't already done? Maybe the witness is in Argentina.”

“The witness isn't in Argentina. He's out there killing people. He's killing everyone who can place him at the scene. He's killed two people from Carmen's apartment building and failed in his attempt to murder a third. I'm also on his list, but he can't find me while I'm in hiding, and if I go public to draw him out, the police will get me.”

The light bulb went on. “You're going to use me as bait. You're going to dangle me in front of Ramirez and expect me to extract information from him while he's coaching me on his torture techniques. Jesus, Morelli, I know you're pissed because I scored you with the Buick, but don't you think this is carrying revenge too far?”

“It's not revenge. The truth is . . . I like you.” His mouth softened into a seductive smile. “If circumstances were different, I might even try to right some past wrongs.”

“Oh boy.”

“I can see when this is all over, we're going to have to do something about that streak of cynicism you've acquired.”

“You're asking me to put my life on the line to help save your ass.”

“Your life is already on the line. You're being stalked by a very large man who rapes and mutilates women. If we can find my witness, we can link him to Ramirez and hopefully, put them both away for the rest of their unnatural lives.”

He had a point.

“I'll put a bug in your foyer and bedroom,” Morelli said, “and I'll be able to hear throughout your apartment, with the exception of the bathroom. If you close the bathroom door, I probably won't be able to hear. When you go out we'll hide a wire under your shirt, and I'll follow at a distance.”