“Raking publicity off crime and tragedy,” Elwood said, pushing his goofy-looking felt hat down on his head. “It's the American way. All this media exposure, you can bet the donations will come rolling in.”
“She even hints what's going on here is connected to our witness, I can just bend over and grab my ankles,” Kovac groused. “The brass pricks will be lining up behind me.”
“Better make nice with her, Sam,” Liska suggested, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet to keep warm. “Or I could loan you a tube of K-Y Jelly.”
“Jeez, Tinks.” Distaste rippled across Kovac's face. He turned to Elwood. “What've we got in the basement? What's the story with that cellar door?”
“Door's locked from the inside. We've got what looks like some bloodstains on the floor. Not a lot. Urskine says it's nothing, that he cut himself working on the furnace a few nights ago.”
Kovac made a growling sound low in his throat and looked to Liska again. “What about your mutt, Vanlees?”
“Can't find him. I wanted to follow him from the meeting, but between the crowd and the traffic getting out there, I lost him.”
“He's not working tonight? He came to the meeting in his uniform.”
“I'll bet he sleeps in that uniform,” she said. “Ever ready to save the public from ticket scalpers and unruly basketball fans. He's got a cheap apartment over on Lyndale, but he's not in it. I finally talked to his soon-to-be ex-wife. She tells me he's house-sitting for someone. She doesn't know who and couldn't give a shit.”
“Hey, he wants to be a cop, he might as well start out with one divorce under his belt,” Tippen said.
“She give any indication he's into anything kinky?” Kovac asked.
“Oh, you'll love this,” she said, eyes brightening. “I asked her about that misdemeanor trespass conviction eighteen months ago. Quinn was right. Ol' Gil had the hots for some woman his wife works with. He got caught trying to sneak a peek at her in her panties.”
“And he's still working security?” Kovac said.
“He kept it quiet, pleaded down, no one paid attention. He claimed it was all a big misunderstanding anyway.”
“Yeah,” Tippen sneered. “‘It was all a big mistake, your honor. I was just driving along, minding my own business, when I was struck by an uncontrollable urge to play spank the monkey.'”
“I like this guy, Sam,” Liska said. “His wife had nothing but disdain for him. She hinted their sex life was nonexistent when they were together. If that's true, he could be an even better fit to Quinn's profile. A lot of these guys are sexually inadequate with their partners.”
“Is that the voice of experience?” Tippen dug.
“Well, I haven't been sleeping with you, so I guess not.”
“Fuck you, Tinker Bell.”
“What part of no don't you understand?”
“I'll put a car outside his apartment,” Kovac said. “I want him downtown ASAP. See if you can't track down this house he's sitting. Somebody's gotta know where he is. Call his boss, call the wife again. Tonight. Get the names of his friends. Call them.”
“I'll help with that,” Moss said.
“Annoy everybody who knows him,” Kovac said. “That'll get back to him and rattle him. Did you find out what he's driving?”
“A maroon GMC Jimmy.”
Kovac felt like someone had punched him in the diaphragm. “A bartender on Lake Street spotted our witness Sunday night getting into a dark-colored truck or SUV. This was the john she did in the park before she came across victim number three.”
“Did she name this john?” Adler asked.
“No.”
“Would Vanlees have had any way of knowing the girl was staying here?” Moss asked.
Liska shook her head. “I don't see how, unless he somehow managed to tail her here from downtown. Seems unlikely.”
“Who all did know the witness was here?” Adler asked.
“Us, Sabin, the vic/wit people, the brass cupcake out there”—Kovac hooked a thumb in Toni Urskine's direction—“and the husband. The mayor, Bondurant's people—”
“And a partridge in a pear tree,” Elwood finished.
“One of the other victims had a connection to this place,” Moss pointed out.
“And when she turned up croaked back when, we interviewed everybody at the house, checked records, alibis, known associates, yadda, yadda, yadda,” Kovac said. “I remember the body was found on a Friday. She'd been out of here six months or more. I make it over here on Sunday to see if she was still tight with anyone. The Urskines are gone to some cabin up north, so I can't talk to them, right? Monday morning, eight o'clock, Toni Urskine's on the horn to the lieutenant, demanding he ream me a new one because I hadn't called her yet.”
“Now we get to do it all again for a fresh batch of hookers.” Tippen groaned. “Like we need more fucking paperwork to do.”
“Hey, that's why they pay you slave wages and treat you like dirt,” Kovac said.
“Here I thought it was something personal.”
“Okay. Who wants to hit Lake Street?” Kovac asked. “See if you can find anyone who might have seen the DiMarco girl get in that truck Sunday night? If you can get a plate number, I'll kiss you full on the mouth.”
“That ain't no incentive, Kojak,” Adler said.
“Let Tippen do it,” Liska said. “He might find a girlfriend.”
“Send Charm,” Tippen said. “The hookers will pay him.”
“The two of you,” Kovac said, pointing to Yurek and Tippen both. “You're the perfect pair.”
“God's Gift and the Mercy Fuck,” Liska snickered.
Tippen jerked the end of the scarf around her throat. “You'll get it one of these days, Liska.”
“Not if I stay more than three inches away from you.”
“Hit the bricks,” Kovac ordered. “Time's a-wastin' and this case is starting to cook. No pun intended. Let's get this dirtbag before he lights someone else's fire.”
“THAT'S A HELL of a cat,” Quinn remarked, regarding Thor as Thor regarded him from the front hall table. “But I think I could take him.”
The cat had to be twenty pounds. Fantastic tufts of hair sprouted from his ears. His whiskers looked a foot long. He tucked his chin back into a great ruff of fur and made a sound like “hmmm” deep in his throat. He raised his hind leg up behind his ear in a yoga move and licked his butt.
Quinn made a face. “Guess I know what he thinks of me.”
“Don't take it personally,” Kate said. “Thor is above the petty considerations of mere humans.”
She hung her coat in the hall closet and nearly reached for a second empty hanger, but stopped herself.
“Thanks for your help tonight,” she said, closing the door and leaning back against it. “I was less than gracious about the offer, but I know it's not your job to investigate.”
“Or yours.”
“True, but I needed to do something proactive. You know I can't bear to just sit back and let things happen. What about you? It wasn't your job to go to the Phoenix with Kovac.”
“This case has been anything but normal.”
“Because of Peter Bondurant. I know.” She stroked a hand over Thor. The cat gave her a look of affront, hopped down, and trotted away, belly hanging low to the ground.
“Money changes all the rules,” Kate said. “There's not a politician in the Cities who wouldn't bend over backward to kiss Peter Bondurant's ass, then tell him it smells like a rose. Because he's got money and they want him to keep it here. Because of that his attorney can sit in on meetings with Sabin, and he can have the ear of the mayor, and of the director of the FBI, no less. I'll bet Lila White's parents couldn't get past Director Brewster's secretary. If it would even occur to them to try.”