Ten Big Ones (Stephanie Plum 10)

'More information than I need,' Lula said. 'I just watched a pack of dogs hump Stephanie. I about reached my humping limit for the day.'

Those must be Lowanda's dogs,' Beverly said. 'I don't know what the deal is with those dogs. I never seen anything like it. And three of them is female.'

'We're looking for an FTA,' I said to Beverly.

'Yeah, that's what you're always doing here,' Beverly said. 'But

I'm not FTA. I didn't do nothing wrong. Swear to God.'

'It's not you,' I said. I'm looking for Roger Banker.'

'Hunh,' Beverley said. That's inconvenient. You gonna arrest him?'

'We're going to take him to the station to get rebonded.'

Then what? Then you gonna let him go?'

'Do you want us to let him go?' Lula asked.

'Well, yeah.'

Then that's what we'll do,' Lula told her. 'He'll be in and out.

And on top of that, we'll give you a twenty if we get to take him in.'

Lowanda and Beverly would give their mother up for spare change.

'Okay, I guess I could tell you then,' Beverly said. 'He's the honey in the back room. And he might be a little indisposed.'

'Roger,' Beverly called out. I got a couple ladies out here want to see you.'

'Bring them back,' Roger said. `I can handle them. More is better when it comes to ladies.'

Lula and I looked at each other and did some eye rolling.

Tell him to get dressed and come out here to meet us, I said to

Beverly.

'You should put some pants on and come out here,' Beverly said.

They don't want to meet up with you in the back room.'

We could hear some rustling and fumbling, and Banker strolled out. He was wearing khaki pants and sneakers. No socks, no shirt.

I was betting on no underwear.

'Roger Banker,' Lula said. This here's your lucky day on account of we come to give you a free ride to the clink.'

Banker blinked once at Lula and once at me. And then he whirled around and ran for the kitchen door.

'Cover the crappy car in the front,' I yelled to Lula. 'It's probably

Banker's.' And I took off after Banker, pushing around Beverly, following Banker out the back door. Banker was running fast, long legs gobbling up ground. He jumped a section of chain-link arid disappeared around the end of the building. I scrambled to follow and got snagged on a piece of wire as I cleared the top of the fence.

I ripped myself free and kept going. Banker was maybe half a block ahead of me, but I had him in view. He was on the street, doubling back, running toward his car. And he was slowing down. Good thing, too, because I was dying. I really needed to do more aerobics. The only time I actually worked out was when I was in bed with Morelli. And even then I spent a lot of time on my back.

Lula was between Banker and the car. She was in the road, looking like a big pissed-off bull about to charge. If I was Banker I would have thought long and hard about getting around Lula, but