“Why?”
“I could like park my bus here, dude. There’s room. No garbage cans or crapola.”
He was right. The parking area was garbage free. Not normal for Stark Street. Stark Street was like the city dump. Beer cans, whiskey bottles, food wrappers, broken televisions, fire gutted mattresses, used and reused drug paraphernalia all collected here in gutters, doorways, against sides of buildings, and in alleys. A patch of debris-free rutted blacktop meant someone was working to keep the area clear.
“Try the back door,” I said to Mooner.
Mooner ambled over and opened the door. “It’s empty, man. Totally.”
I motioned for him to get back into the car. I drove past the other warehouse one last time and left the neighborhood.
“That was bold,” Mooner said. “What’s our next adventure?”
I didn’t have any more adventures, but I knew Connie would be disappointed if I brought him back too soon.
“I think we should go to Holy Cow for ice cream,” I said.
“Cool.”
I picked Holy Cow because it was in Hamilton Township, and it would use up almost an hour. I got a single dip of Jersey mud, and Mooner couldn’t make up his mind. He stood in front of the display case, eyes glazed, lips moving as he silently read the choices.
Morelli called me, and I stepped outside to talk.
“They found three of the other cars,” Morelli said. “They’re going in on foot tomorrow to look for the fourth.”
“Were there more bodies? Did they find anything inside the cars?”
“I’m told the cars were empty.”
“Did you know Nick Alpha is running cockfights?”
“I heard about the cockfights. I didn’t know Alpha was involved.” There was a beat of silence. “You aren’t getting involved in this, are you?”
“No. Of course not. Cockfighting is disgusting.”
“Next time I fall in love it’s going to be with someone who isn’t an expert at fibbing.”
“You’re in love with me?”
“You didn’t know that?”
“I did, but it’s nice to hear.”
“Scares the hell out of me,” Morelli said. And he hung up.
I finished my ice cream and went inside. Mooner was still standing transfixed in front of the counter.
“Give him a scoop of chocolate, a scoop of strawberry, a scoop of coffee, and a scoop of butter pecan,” I said to the girl.
“Fuckin’ A,” Mooner said, smiling wide, and rocked back on his heels.
• • •
Lula was in the bus when we got back.
“I had a abscess,” she said. “That’s why I thought my tooth was gr
owing. The dentist says it’s common to feel like that.”