Part 11 (1/2)
”I'm sure. I was polis.h.i.+ng his shoes. I always polish his shoes in the morning, after I iron his s.h.i.+rt and his jeans. Burt likes to look sharp when he goes out drinking with his buddies at night.”
Savannah reached for her arm and pulled her toward the door.
”Well, darlin', you've polished his shoes for the last time,” she told her. ”Where ol' Burt's going, he'll be wearing rubber slippers. If he figures they need a s.h.i.+ne, maybe he can get his cellmates, Rocco the Rat or the Southside Stabber, to do it.”
Chapter 10.
”We have good news and bad news,” Savannah told Tammy on the phone as she and Dirk traveled from Luna Bonita toward the Pacific coast on Interstate 10. ”First of all, Burt Ferris didn't kill Amelia. He was too busy beating up his girlfriend.”
”Is that the good news or the bad?” Tammy asked.
”Both. We have to rule him out for Amelia's murder, but his girlfriend is pressing charges against him, and it'll be his third strike.”
”Three times, he's out!” Tammy said.
”That's right.”
”That is awesome!”
Savannah decided not to remind Tammy of all the conversations they'd had about the pros and cons of California's controversial three-strikes law, where three felonies sent the offender to prison for life.
”I can't pretend I'm not happy about that,” Tammy said. ”He won't abuse anybody else.”
”Not girlfriends anyway. I don't know how he'll do with the other dudes in jail.”
”Well, it just so happens, I'm at your house. While Waycross and I are waiting for Granny to pack for the island, we've been doing some more research. We've got some news for you,” Tammy said. ”Don't know if it's good or bad, but it's interesting.”
”Okay, let 'er rip, kiddo. I'm putting you on speakerphone so Dirk can hear.”
Savannah punched some b.u.t.tons, then laid the phone on the Buick's dash.
”Hey, airhead,” Dirk said.
”Hey, doody face,” came the reply.
”Stop it!” Savannah nudged Dirk with her elbow. ”Act your ages, you couple of pee-pee puddles. Tams, tell us your news.”
After the giggling subsided on the other end, Tammy said, ”I ran a check on William Northrop.”
”Yes,” Savannah replied. ”And . . . ?”
”He's loaded.”
”We knew that already,” Dirk said as he pa.s.sed a female driver, who was undeniably driving far too slow.
He gave her the obligatory glare as he went around her, but she didn't notice. She was too busy texting.
”Northrop's a land developer,” Savannah said. ”If a guy's gonna go around buying huge tracts of land, clearing them off, and building office complexes, strip malls, and luxury apartment buildings, he's gotta have at least a few shekels in his pocket.”
They heard Tammy sigh. ”Well, if you two are such smarty-pants,” she said, ”you tell me where Mr. William Northrop has been for the past two weeks. And think 'interesting.' ”
Savannah took the bait. ”Okay, Miss Tamitha Hart, font of all knowledge. Where?”
”The hospital.”
”Hmmm.” Savannah turned and looked at Dirk. ”I suppose that could be interesting.”
Dirk said, ”What was he there for? Let me guess. Getting his tonsils taken out? A hangnail-ectomy?”
”No. It's better than that. Way better.” She paused far longer than she needed to for effect.
Everything but the d.a.m.ned drumroll and twenty-one gun salute, Savannah thought as she waited and fantasized about holding Tammy up by the heels and shaking the information out of her.
”No, it wasn't hangnail surgery. No liposuction or Botox treatments,” Tammy said finally. ”Nothing fun like that. And he wasn't getting his tonsils taken out either.” Another interminable pause, and then, ”He was getting the bullet taken out.”
” 'Bullet'?” Savannah and Dirk said in unison.
”That's right.” Tammy sounded insufferably self-satisfied. ”Someone shot him in the abdomen area. Nearly killed him.”
”Oh, wow!” Savannah said. ”No wonder you were so smug. That was actually worth your annoyingly long, pregnant pause that had me wanting to throttle you.”
”He's still in the hospital?” Dirk asked.
”Nope. He was released day before yesterday.”
”Do they know who shot him or why?” Savannah wanted to know.
”Ae on. I'm good, but I'm not that good! I know they haven't made any arrests for it. That's as far as I got.”
”Ya did good, kid,” Dirk told her.
Tammy giggled. ”You know, I could be arrested for what I do for you guys. Hacking personal medical files like that.”
”Shhh,” Dirk said. ”You can tell Savannah the nitty-gritty details, but not me. I'm still a law enforcement officer and-”
”And if they stretched him on a torture rack to get it out of him,” Savannah interjected, ”he'd fold like a cheap lawn chair.”
He shot her a dirty look. ”I was thinking more along the lines of me flunking a lie detector test. Sheez.”
”You guys are going by your house on your way to the island, aren't you?” Tammy asked.
”Yes,” Savannah said. ”I want to pick up a few things to take to the cottage. Why?”
”Because Granny just told me to tell you that she filled up a cooler with stuff from the refrigerator for you. It's on the table.”
”Tell her, 'Thank you,' and give her a hug for me.”