Part 38 (1/2)
”I need help,” I said. ”But it's a little strange.”
”It always is.”
”I'm here with Eddie DeChooch, and he doesn't want to be brought in by a girl.”
I could hear Ranger laughing softly at the other end.
”It's not funny,” I said.
”It's perfect.”
”Are you going to help me out here, or what?”
”Where are you?”
”My apartment.”
This wasn't the sort of help I'd antic.i.p.ated, and it didn't seem to me the bargain should hold. Still, you never knew with Ranger. For that matter, I wasn't entirely sure he'd ever been serious about the price for aid.
Twenty minutes later, Ranger was at the door. He was dressed in black fatigues, with a full utility belt. G.o.d only knows what I'd dragged him away from. He looked at me and grinned. ”Blond?”
”It was one of those impulse things.”
”Any other surprises?”
”Nothing I want to tell you about right now.”
He walked farther into the apartment and raised an eyebrow at DeChooch.
”I didn't do it,” I said.
”How bad is it?”
”I'll live,” DeChooch said, ”but it hurts like h.e.l.l.”
”Sophia showed up and shot his ear off,” I told Ranger.
”And she's where now?”
”Police custody.”