I got dressed in sneakers and jeans and a stretchy white scoop-neck T-shirt. I swiped some mascara on my lashes, and I headed for the kitchen. I dropped a handful of Frosted Flakes into Rex's food dish, and I poured out a bowl for myself. I was late so I didn't take time to make coffee. I needed to stop at the office first thing. I'd get coffee there.

I unplugged my phone, grabbed my short denim jacket and shoulder bag, and locked up behind myself. I took the elevator to the garage, suffering through the moment of fear when the elevator doors parted and I was exposed. Even if I'd been discovered on camera, I wanted to delay confrontation as long as possible. No sense pushing the issue and jeopardizing my tenancy.

I needed a place to stay, and I was already in trouble with Ranger.

Might as well get the most out of it, right?

I looked out and saw no one. I stepped out, the doors closed behind me, and I heard voices in the stairwell.

Ranger's two cars were directly in front of me. There were three black SUVs to my right. And there was a blue Subaru SUV and a silver Audi sedan to my left. I made an instinctive choice and jumped behind the Subaru, crouching low, hoping I was out of sight. I didn't know who had access to the garage, but I figured Rangers men would belong to the black SUVs.

The door to the stairwell opened, and Tank and two other men came out. All three got into one of the black SUVs and left the garage. I waited a couple beats before I scuttled across the floor, remoted the gate open, and made my escape.

The bonds office was on Hamilton, in the middle of the block. A one-lane alley ran behind the office, servicing a rear entrance and parking for two cars. I parked Ranger's truck on a side street, and I entered the office through the back door… just in case Morelli was on the prowl. I was in a mood to avoid the unpleasant.

'Uh oh,' Lula said when she saw me. 'It's never good when you gotta sneak in through the back.'

I went straight for the coffeepot. 'I'm being careful.'

'I can appreciate that,' Lula said. 'What's the plan for the day?' I need a different car. I can't blend in when I drive Ranger's truck.' To be more specific, I can't blend in when I park the truck for the night. Rangers men were constantly traveling the streets around the Bat Garage. I didn't want to take a chance on one of them spotting the truck. I was hoping you could follow me to my parents' house. I'm going to leave the truck in their garage. And then we can go car shopping.'

'Car shopping! I love car shopping.'

I added creamer and sipped some coffee. 'You're not going to love this land of car shopping. I have no money. I'm looking for a wreck.' I turned to Connie. 'And while we're on the subject of no money, as I'm sure you already know… Pancek ran off with my only cuffs.'

'Lula told me. Take a pair from the S and M box in the back when you leave.'

There used to be a thriving sex shop on Carmen Street. Rumor had it they were the biggest supplier of dildos, whips, and body chains for the tristate area. Nine months ago, the owner decided he was tired of paying his insurance premium to the mob and told his collection agent to take a hike. Shortly after that, the store mysteriously burned to the ground. An entire crate of cuffs came out of the fire almost completely unscathed, and Vinnie bought the crate on the cheap.

'How come you're going to leave the truck at your parents' house?' Lula wanted to know. 'Why don't you just give it back?'

'I thought I'd keep it a while longer, just in case. You never know when you might need a truck.' And I can't get into Ranger's apartment if I hand the keys back to Tank.

'A couple new skips came in this morning,' Connie said. 'I'll get the paperwork together later today, and you can pick the files up tomorrow.'

'I suppose after you get your new car you're going to want to go looking for Harold Pancek,' Lula said.

'I suppose I am.'

'And I suppose I should go with you since he's so slippery.'

I looked at the stack of files on the filing cabinet. At least a month's worth. 'What about the filing?'

'I can do the filing any old time. It's not like filings a matter of life or death. I got good priorities. I take our friendship seriously. When you're going out on these dangerous manhunts I feel an obligation to ride along and protect your skinny ass. Just 'cause a man looks like SpongeBob doesn't mean he can't turn violent.'

'You're pathetic,' Connie said to Lula. 'You'll do anything to get out of filing.'

'Not anything,' Lula said.

Ten minutes later, I had Ranger's truck safely tucked away in my parents' garage. My dad had retrieved Uncle Sander's Buick from the police and the Buick and Ranger's truck were now locked up together.

'What a nice surprise,' Grandma said when she saw me at the kitchen door.

'I can't stay,' I told Grandma and my mother. 'I just wanted to tell you I'm leaving Ranger's truck in the garage.'

'What about our car?' my mother wanted to know. 'Where's your father going to park the LeSabre?'

'You never use the garage. The LeSabre is always parked in the driveway. Look outside. Where is the LeSabre? In the driveway. I had to drive around it to get to the garage.'

My mother was cutting vegetables for soup. She stopped cutting and looked over at me, wide-eyed. 'Holy mother. There's something wrong, isn't there? You're in trouble again.'

'Did you steal the truck?' Grandma asked hopefully.

'I'm not in trouble, and there's nothing wrong. I told Ranger I'd take care of his truck while he's out of town. I was going to use it, but I've changed my mind. It's too big.'

My mother didn't really want to know the truth, I told myself. The truth wasn't good.

'It is big.' Grandma said. 'And you know what they say about the size of a man's truck.'

'I'm off,' I said. 'Lula's waiting for me.'

Grandma trotted after me. She stopped at the front door and waved at Lula. 'What are you girls doing?' Grandma asked. 'Are you chasing down a killer?'

'Sorry,' I said. 'No killers today. I'm going car shopping. I need something to tide me over until I get the insurance check from the Escape.'

'I'd love to go car shopping,' Grandma said. 'Wait a minute while I tell your mother and get my purse.'

'Wo,' I said. But she was already running around the house, gathering her things.

'Hey,' Lula yelled from the curb. 'What's the holdup?'

'Grandma's coming with us.'

'The Three Musketeers ride again,' Lula said. Grandma bustled out of the house and climbed into the Firebird's back seat. 'What have you got?' Grandma asked Lula.

'You got 50 Cent? You got Eminem?'

Lula slid Eminem into the slot, punched up the sound system, and we motored off like distant thunder.

'I've been thinking about your car problem,' Lula said, 'and I know a guy who's got cars to sell. He don't ask a whole lot either.'

'I don't know,' I said. 'If you buy a used car at a lot you usually get a guarantee.'

'How much do you want to spend?' Lula asked.

'A couple hundred.'

Lula slanted a look at me. 'And you want a guarantee for that kind of money?'

She was right. A guarantee was unrealistic. In fact, it was unrealistic to think I could find a car that actually ran for that kind of money.

Lula hauled out her cell phone, scrolled through the phone book, and dialed a number. 'I have a friend who needs a car,' she said when the phone connected. 'Un huh,' she said. 'Un huh, un huh, un huh.' She turned to me. 'Do you need a registration?'

'Yes!'

'Yeah,' Lula said into the phone. 'She'd like one of those.'

Isn't this fun,' Grandma Mazur said from the back seat. 'I can't wait to see your new car.'

Lula disconnected, turned out of the Burg, and headed across town. When we got to Stark Street Lula hit the automatic door locks.