Look Alive Twenty-Five (Stephanie Plum 25)

Depending on the inflection, Babe could mean many things. Irritation, affection, desire, curiosity. Today it was without inflection. Today it was simply hello.

“My car is missing,” I said. “I parked it in front of Red River Deli, and now it’s gone.”

There was silence while he pulled my car up on his computer.

“It’s on lower Stark Street,” Ranger said. “Probably headed for the chop shop on the fourth block. I’ll send someone out to retrieve it.”

“It might have an elderly woman in the back seat.”

“Anyone I know?”

“Doubtful. I was returning her to the court.”

“Babe,” Ranger said. And he disconnected.

“Now what?” Lula asked.

“We wait,” I said.

Ranger keeps several mobile units constantly patrolling accounts throughout the city. He was going to send one of them to Stark to intercept my car, and I was hoping he’d send another to rescue me.

Five minutes passed and a shiny black SUV rolled down the street and stopped at the curb. A guy who looked like a Marine recruit got out and motioned us into the back seat. He was wearing black Nikes, black cargo pants, and a form-fitting black T-shirt. The T-shirt had a Rangeman logo on the short sleeve that spanned his bulging biceps.

“Hal has your car,” he said. “Did you know there’s a woman in the back seat?”

“Yes. Is she okay?”

“Hal said she was asleep.”

* * *

¦ ¦ ¦

My car was parked one block off Stark. A black Rangeman SUV was parked behind it, and Hal was standing between the two cars. Hal is an over-muscled giant who faints at the sight of blood. A couple of skinny teens were sitting on the curb. Their hands were cuffed behind their backs, and one looked like he’d smashed his face into Hal’s massive fist.

“Are you feeling all right?” I asked Hal.

“Yeah,” Hal said. “He’s only bleeding a little. It was an accident.”

“I bet. What are you going to do with them?”

“Turn them loose. They’re under the age limit.” Hal grinned. “They freaked out when I told them they kidnapped an old lady. They hadn’t noticed her in the back seat.”

I glanced in at Annie. She was still sleeping.

I thanked Hal, and I called Connie to tell her we would be turning Annie Gurky over to the court in about fifteen minutes, and she would want to get rebonded. Lula and I weren’t certified to write bond, so Connie or Vinnie would have to make a trip downtown.

Lula and I got into my Nova, and I drove to the police station. I pulled into the lot across from the municipal building, and Annie woke up.

“Are we here already?” she asked.

I walked her through the front door and left her with the desk lieutenant. I told him someone would be in shortly to bond her out so he shouldn’t misplace her.

“We gotta get back to the deli,” Lula said. “It’s almost noon and I want my free lunch.”

I wasn’t anxious to get back to the deli. Truth is, I was thinking about bailing on the deal. I was freaked by the manager disappearances and the fact that my car had been stolen the instant I stepped away from it.

“I think I might quit,” I told Lula. “Vinnie can find someone else to be manager.”