Barely Legal

54

Tommy Taperelli’s secretary knocked on the door. “Detective Kelly’s here to see you.”

Taperelli frowned. “Are you kidding me?”

“No, sir. He doesn’t have an appointment, but he’s most insistent.”

“Is there anyone else in the outer office?”

“No.”

“Good. Show him in.”

Taperelli scowled as Kelly came in. “You’ve got a lot of nerve coming here. A lawyer stood up in court and accused you of being on my payroll. It’s not the brightest time to pay me a call.”

“You expect me to just sit there and take it?”

“I expect you to respect the conventions. You don’t call on me, I don’t call on you. No one puts anyone’s job in jeopardy. You want to end your career in a police corruption scandal? Kind of a cushy job to be throwing out the window. Of course, some of those minimum security prisons are quite nice. I’m sure you’ll be very comfortable.”

“No one saw me come in.”

“That you know of. With that asshole lawyer making allegations in court, who knows who might be lurking around. A cop, or maybe a pain-in-the-ass reporter, which would almost be worse, some investigative journalist trying to make a name for himself. They’ll stick to you like glue.”

“I’m a cop, I know when I’m being watched. No one saw me.”

“What’s so all-fired important you had to see me in person?”

“I could use a little help. I’m on the witness stand all alone with people sniping at me. I’m giving all the right answers, but the questions are getting harder, and they’re asking about you. The judge knocked that down, but it doesn’t matter, it means they’re on the right track. It’s a little late to do something, but, lo and behold, the kid’s lawyer disappears. The lawyer simply doesn’t show up. The judge issues a bench warrant, and the lawyer still doesn’t show up.”

“So?”

“Did you kill the lawyer?”

“Oh, for Christ’s sake!”

“Did you?”

“No, I didn’t kill the fucking lawyer. Jesus Christ, if I did kill the lawyer, would you want to know?”

“No.”

“But you’re here asking.”

“I gotta know how deep the shit is I’m getting in.”

“I had nothing to do with the lawyer disappearing.”

“Yeah, well, I’m still on the stand. Now they’ll be asking about that.”

“It’s got nothing to do with you.”

“Oh, like that’s going to satisfy them.”

“It’s got nothing to do with me. I don’t know what happened, but it wasn’t us.”

“Of course not.”

“I mean it. I had nothing to do with it, I know nothing about it. The same goes for you. You answer the questions that way, no one can touch you. Now get out of here before someone comes in. I don’t want you meeting anyone in the waiting room.”

When Detective Kelly was gone, Taperelli started thinking. He had nothing to do with Herbie’s disappearance. He could say that with complete assurance. But he couldn’t be so sure that it had nothing to do with Detective Kelly. He was handling this case for Jules Kenworth because he was Jules Kenworth’s right-hand man. But if Kenworth didn’t think he was doing the job adequately, Kenworth wasn’t above getting someone else.

Taperelli called Mookie. “Did you find the girl?”

“Her name is Melanie Porter. According to her doorman, she works at Cornell Hospital. We followed her there earlier. Chico’s sitting on her now.”

“He won’t lose her?”

“Not a chance. He’s got a thing for girls in scrubs.”

“She’s a nurse?”

“An intern. Which is like a nurse, only different. It doesn’t matter. They all wear scrubs.”

“Just be careful you aren’t seen. And don’t lose her!”

“Don’t worry. We’ll grab her the minute she comes out the door.”

Fred Flicker, Stone’s factotum, was an unprepossessing man who doubled as a driver and bodyguard, though he seldom had to resort to weapons. A former member of the Royal Marines, Fred could barrel through larger opponents as if they weren’t even there. Driving Stone’s custom-made, armor-plated Bentley, he was invulnerable. Stone might as well have been riding in a tank.

Stone called Fred into his office. “I need you to pick up an intern at Cornell Hospital.”

“Oh?”

“A young lady by the name of Melanie Porter. She’s a friend of our house guest. Given the manner in which Herbie’s fiancée met her untimely end, I’d like you to be on your guard. Herbie likes this woman. I don’t want to overlook the obvious.”

Stone didn’t add that this particular girl was also the sister of the man Herbie was defending, but it was certainly on his mind.