weren’t feeling any pain last night when you phoned.”
“Oh sorry, no, actually I was doing some computer stuff and was just a little preoccupied is all.”
“You always slur your words when you work on your computer?”
“Hey, Jill, I hope I didn’t goof up your night or anything. I didn’t realize you were with someone. I’m sorry if my call…”
“With someone ? Oh god, you idiot. I was visiting my grandfather, he’s in assisted living now. He sort of wanders you know, so when he’s having a good spell I want to make the best of it. Otherwise, I would have loved to get together.”
“How about sometime today?” I asked.
“Tonight would work better. I’ve gotta meet with the insurance people again, a couple of contractors. Free for dinner?”
“Yeah , but only if I buy. You know Shamrock’s?”
“Yeah,” she scoffed, like it was a stupid question.
“Seven?”
“I’m there . Look, I gotta run, I can see a contractor pulling up in front right now. See you tonight,” she said and hung up.
I phoned Manning, amazingly he answered.
“Yeah.”
“Detective Manning, Dev Haskell.”
“I can see that.”
“Any progress on Bernie Sneen. ”
“I really don’ t care to comment, that’s an ongoing investigation.”
“I might have something for you.”
“Such as ?”
“You interested in trading a little information?”
“Are you interested in being held without bail?”
“You aren’t going to do that , and we both know it. Look, just tell me, you mentioned a dog bite on Bernie Sneen. Was it a big dog, a Chihuahua, what?”
“We don’t know the breed, but I can tell you this much, it was big and damn vicious, tore a chuck of meat right out of your buddy’s ass. Your turn.”
“I went to see my former clients yesterday…”
“And their name is?”
“ Mister Softee. Actually I spoke with, what did you call her, Loretta?”
“ The girlfriend? Lucille.”
“Yeah, I know her as Lola . Anyway, talking with her yesterday, she mentioned Bernie getting hit by the train, then mentioned the duct tape. She said he taped himself to the train tracks after walking around barefoot. You’d told me you were keeping that quiet. Maybe you mentioned it to her, maybe not, just thought you should be aware.”
“How did she phrase it, exactly?”
“Exactly? She said, he never ever accomplished anything in his life. He wandered around barefoot and then taped himself to the train tracks, is what she said, or at least that’s how I remember it.”
“You react when she said that?”
“No, there were a couple of things going on at the time and…”
“Such as?”
“Not getting paid for starters. I sent that bastard an invoice. They wanted documentation, it’s all bullshit, they’re stalling.”
“You talking a lot of money?”
“Not really, certainly not to them. But it’s more the principle with me, you know?”
“Yeah, you’re a principled kind of guy . Anything else?” he asked.
“No, just though t you should know. Hope it helps.”
“Thanks, always nice to hear from a concerned citizen.”
“Yeah, well let me know if…” but he’d already hung up.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Jill appeared through the side door of Shamrock’s twenty minutes late in white linen slacks and a beige blouse. She looked worth the wait.
“Hey, sorry I’m late . I had to give Annie a lift,” she said giving me a kiss on the cheek.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah, just pain-in-the-butt stuff, brakes went out, she had to get there before seven to pick her car up. Her boyfriend had to work late, and she called me, last minute.”
“Sauvignon Blanc,” she said to the waitress , a frizzy red-headed girl, who had just barely stepped up to our table.
“Another beer, sir?”
“Please.”
“Hey, I spoke to that Jennifer here the other night, but I haven’t seen her yet. I wonder if she’s working?” I said absently looking around.
“Did you ask anyone?”
“Ask? No, not
“Oh sorry, no, actually I was doing some computer stuff and was just a little preoccupied is all.”
“You always slur your words when you work on your computer?”
“Hey, Jill, I hope I didn’t goof up your night or anything. I didn’t realize you were with someone. I’m sorry if my call…”
“With someone ? Oh god, you idiot. I was visiting my grandfather, he’s in assisted living now. He sort of wanders you know, so when he’s having a good spell I want to make the best of it. Otherwise, I would have loved to get together.”
“How about sometime today?” I asked.
“Tonight would work better. I’ve gotta meet with the insurance people again, a couple of contractors. Free for dinner?”
“Yeah , but only if I buy. You know Shamrock’s?”
“Yeah,” she scoffed, like it was a stupid question.
“Seven?”
“I’m there . Look, I gotta run, I can see a contractor pulling up in front right now. See you tonight,” she said and hung up.
I phoned Manning, amazingly he answered.
“Yeah.”
“Detective Manning, Dev Haskell.”
“I can see that.”
“Any progress on Bernie Sneen. ”
“I really don’ t care to comment, that’s an ongoing investigation.”
“I might have something for you.”
“Such as ?”
“You interested in trading a little information?”
“Are you interested in being held without bail?”
“You aren’t going to do that , and we both know it. Look, just tell me, you mentioned a dog bite on Bernie Sneen. Was it a big dog, a Chihuahua, what?”
“We don’t know the breed, but I can tell you this much, it was big and damn vicious, tore a chuck of meat right out of your buddy’s ass. Your turn.”
“I went to see my former clients yesterday…”
“And their name is?”
“ Mister Softee. Actually I spoke with, what did you call her, Loretta?”
“ The girlfriend? Lucille.”
“Yeah, I know her as Lola . Anyway, talking with her yesterday, she mentioned Bernie getting hit by the train, then mentioned the duct tape. She said he taped himself to the train tracks after walking around barefoot. You’d told me you were keeping that quiet. Maybe you mentioned it to her, maybe not, just thought you should be aware.”
“How did she phrase it, exactly?”
“Exactly? She said, he never ever accomplished anything in his life. He wandered around barefoot and then taped himself to the train tracks, is what she said, or at least that’s how I remember it.”
“You react when she said that?”
“No, there were a couple of things going on at the time and…”
“Such as?”
“Not getting paid for starters. I sent that bastard an invoice. They wanted documentation, it’s all bullshit, they’re stalling.”
“You talking a lot of money?”
“Not really, certainly not to them. But it’s more the principle with me, you know?”
“Yeah, you’re a principled kind of guy . Anything else?” he asked.
“No, just though t you should know. Hope it helps.”
“Thanks, always nice to hear from a concerned citizen.”
“Yeah, well let me know if…” but he’d already hung up.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Jill appeared through the side door of Shamrock’s twenty minutes late in white linen slacks and a beige blouse. She looked worth the wait.
“Hey, sorry I’m late . I had to give Annie a lift,” she said giving me a kiss on the cheek.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah, just pain-in-the-butt stuff, brakes went out, she had to get there before seven to pick her car up. Her boyfriend had to work late, and she called me, last minute.”
“Sauvignon Blanc,” she said to the waitress , a frizzy red-headed girl, who had just barely stepped up to our table.
“Another beer, sir?”
“Please.”
“Hey, I spoke to that Jennifer here the other night, but I haven’t seen her yet. I wonder if she’s working?” I said absently looking around.
“Did you ask anyone?”
“Ask? No, not
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