Twisted Twenty-Six (Stephanie Plum 26)

We left Darlene and returned to Lula’s car.

“Did you see how Darlene smiles at everything?” Lula asked. “Like she’s gracious, right? Real pleasant, even when she wants to stick a stake in your heart. That takes a certain talent. That’s how she got her honey. Always being nice.”

“Hard to believe someone like that.”

“You bet your ass. She was fibbing about not seeing Shine. That apartment reeked of old man.”

I hadn’t personally picked up any reeking, but it seemed logical that Shine was staying with or at least visiting Darlene.

I paged through Shine’s bond agreement. “He lists a house on Willet Street as his home address. Let’s take a look.”

Willet Street is on the edge of the Burg. I grew up in the Burg and I know a lot of people there, but I don’t know Charlie Shine or his wife.

Lula took State Street to Broad Street and left-turned into the Burg. “Do we know if there’s a Mrs. Shine?”

“There was a Mrs. Loretta Shine a year ago when this bond was written. She put her house up as security for her husband’s get-out-of-jail card.”

“So why doesn’t Vinnie take the house?” Lula asked.

“It’s not healthy to confiscate property owned by a high-ranking member of the mob.”

Lula followed her GPS instructions to Willet and parked in front of a small but neat two-story white clapboard house. The Rangeman SUV parked behind us.

“I’m starting to worry,” Lula said. “Ranger has these yokels following you around twenty-four seven. He must think you’re in a lot of danger. And since I’m sitting next to you, that could put me in danger. I wouldn’t be happy if I got killed ’cause I was sitting next to you.”

“And?”

“Just sayin’.”

“No one’s going to get killed. If anything bad goes down, I’ll get kidnapped and tortured while they try to extract information out of me about the keys.”

“Do you know anything about the keys?”

“No.”

“That’s not good. You’ll have to make something up and hope you die before they come back and torture you some more for telling a fib.”

“I’m glad you’ve thought this through for me.”

“I always try to be helpful. It’s one of my best qualities.”

Lula and I got out of her car and went to Shine’s front door. I rang the bell and an elderly woman answered. She was wearing tan walking shoes that looked orthopedic, tan slacks, and a pink floral-print shirt. Her hair was cut short and curled, and the color matched her shoes. She squinted at me over the top of her granny glasses.

“Yes?” she asked.

I introduced myself and gave her my business card. “I’m looking for Charles Shine. Are you his wife, Loretta?”

“Yes, and he’s not here. He’s probably with his honey.”

“You know about her?” Lula asked.

“I send her a fruit basket once a month,” Loretta said. “God knows, she deserves it.”

“Have you seen him lately?” I asked.

“He was here yesterday, getting clothes. He looked in the refrigerator, didn’t see anything he liked, and he left.”

“I’d appreciate a call if he returns,” I said.