“Babe,” Ranger said to me. “You working for a bonus?”
“I live to serve.”
“I’ll remind you of that when we drop her off and I take you home.”
Whoa. I got a rush that went from the pit of my stomach straight to my doodah. Best to ignore it, I told myself. Serving Ranger would come to no good. He was an amazing lover and friend but his journey was ultimately solitary. He had things in his past that were shaping his future. I didn’t know what they were but I knew they couldn’t be ignored.
We called the funeral director over and explained that Monica needed to leave.
“Is she sick?” he asked.
“Yes,” we said. “The emotional strain was just too much.”
He nodded. “This happens,” he said. “Unfortunately the deceased has no one else here. Who will greet the remaining people waiting to pay their condolences? Who will give last comfort to the deceased?”
“Grandma,” I said.
The funeral director looked alarmed. “Grandma? Surely you don’t mean Edna Mazur?”
“Yep,” I said. “Edna was very close to the family.”
“Oh dear,” he said. “She’s a nice lady, but I don’t think—”
I waved Grandma over to the casket.
“What’s up?” Grandma said.
“The widow needs to leave, and we thought since you were so close to the deceased you might be able to fill in.”
“Stand at the head of the casket?”
“Yes.”
“Hot damn. I’ll do a real good job.” She looked into the casket. “What was this guy’s name again?”
“Doug.”
“Don’t worry about a thing. Me and Doug are going to get along just fine.”
The funeral director bit into his lower lip, made the sign of the cross, and stepped back a couple paces.
Monica, Ranger, and I quietly slipped out the side door, and the Rangeman SUV pulled up.
“I don’t want to go in this,” Monica said. “I want the hot sports car.”
Ranger handed me the keys to his 911 Turbo. “Have fun.”
We buckled into the Porsche, and I turned the engine over.
“Anyplace special?” I asked her.
“Lotus.”
Lotus was known for being a big hook-up spot. I’d never been inside, but now that I didn’t have a boyfriend it seemed like something to investigate. The alternative was to allow my mother to fix me up with the butcher. I would prefer not to have this happen.
Lotus was on a side street in the center of the city. I took Hamilton to Broad and turned off Broad onto Merchant. I pulled into the small lot attached to Lotus and saw the Rangeman SUV cruise down Merchant and make a U-turn. Ranger was in protective mode.
“So tell me about your late husband’s friends,” I said to Monica. “I’m curious. Are you suspicious of any of them? Did he hang out with any gun enthusiasts?”