“About that finger,” I said to Spiro.
“If you were doing your job he'd be locked up by now,” Spiro said. “I don't know why I ever hired you to find the caskets when you can't find Mancuso. How hard can it be? The guy's freaking nuts, leaving me notes, hacking up stiffs.”
“Haking up stiffs as in cutting off fingers?”
“Only one finger,” Spiro said.
“Have you called the police?”
“What, are you serious? I can't call the police. They'll go right to Con. Con finds out about any of this he'll go ape-shit.”
“I'm still sort of shaky on the finer points of the law, but it seems to me you have an obligation to report this stuff.”
“I'm reporting it to you.”
“Oh no, I'm not taking responsibility for this.”
“It's my business if I want to report a crime,” Spiro said. “There's no law says you have to tell the cops everything.”
Spiro's gaze settled on a spot over my left shoulder. I turned to see what had caught his attention and was unnerved to see Louie Moon standing just inches from me. He was easy to identify because his name was written in red thread just over the breast pocket of his white cotton jumpsuit. He was average height and average weight and probably in his thirties. His skin was very pale, and his eyes were flat and faded blue. His blond hair had started to recede. He gave me a fast glance, just enough to acknowledge my presence, and handed Spiro the putty.
“We have a fainter in here,” Spiro told him. “How about if you direct the ERT to the back door and then send them up here?”
Moon left without saying a word. Very mellow. Maybe working with dead people does that for you. I suppose it could be peaceful once you get over the body fluids stuff. Not much conversation going on, but probably good for the blood pressure.
“How about Moon?” I said to Spiro. “Did he ever have access to the locker key? Does he know about the caskets?”
“Moon doesn't know about anything. Moon has the IQ of a lizard.”
I didn't exactly know how to reply to this, since Spiro was so lizard-like himself.
“Let's go through this from the beginning,” I said. “When did you get the note?”
“I came in to make some phone calls and found the note on my desk. It must have been a few minutes before twelve.”
“How about the finger? When did you find out about the finger?”
“I always do a walk-through before viewings. I noticed old George was short a finger and gave him a patch-up job.”
“You should have told me.”
“It wasn't something I wanted to share. I didn't think anybody'd find out. I didn't count on Granny Disaster showing up.”
“You have any idea how Kenny got in?”
“Must have just walked in. When I leave at night I set the alarm. I shut it off when I open up in the morning. During the day the back door is always open for deliveries. Usually the front door's open too.”
I'd watched the front door for a good part of the morning and no one had used it. A florist had pulled around back. That was about it. Of course, Kenny could have waltzed in before I got there.
“You didn't hear anything?”
“Louie and I were working in the addition most of the morning. People know to use the intercom if they need us.”
“So who was in and out?”
“Clara does hair for us. She got here around nine-thirty to work on Mrs. Grasso. She left about an hour later. I guess you could talk to her. Just don't tell her anything. Sal Munoz delivered some flowers. I was up here when he came and left, so I know he won't be any help.”
“Maybe you should check around. Make sure you're not missing anything else.”