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“Same here. Guy likes to be in control and he reacts to stress by getting mad.”
I said, “Assuming it wasn’t just a reaction to terrible news, he’s definitely tightly wound.”
“Like you said, not good for the blood pressure. So what if he just lied to us and knew all along that Meagin was screwing Gio? What do rich people do to solve problems? More dough, a higher-quality hit. Problem is, deep pockets also means more layers to hide behind.”
He phoned Alicia.
She said, “Good news, Moe and Sean are back. It wasn’t a case that pulled them off, it was a seminar on sexual etiquette. Not exactly learning to bow and curtsy.”
“Must’ve missed the memo.”
“Lucky you. Two hours of PowerPoint from a consultant the department hired. If there’s another one scheduled, I’ll probably have to go.”
“Probably?”
“Well,” she said, “sometimes the cell towers just don’t catch the waves.”
He laughed. “I need deep digging on the victim’s husband.”
“I can do it, L.T., but I’m still checking out Aggiunta Shoes. Want to hear what I’ve got, so far?”
“Shoot.”
“Most of what’s posted is in Italian and you know internet translations. But from what I can gather, it’s a family enterprise, been around generations. You can go to Florence and they’ll make a pattern and fit you bespoke. That’s calledscarpe—let me get this right—scarpe personalizzate.Regular stuff, they export but not in any great quantity. I found high-end retailers in Singapore, Dubai, Monaco, and Paris. In the U.S., only three places: a fancy-shmancy boutique in New York—Soho—similar on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, and here at a place near Sunset Plaza.Veddyexpensive. I was about to go over there but if you’d rather, I’ll start deep-diving on Mr. March. Alternatively, I can call one of the boys in on that.”
“The boys,” he said. “I’m hearing sexually loaded language. Maybe you do need that seminar.”
“Ha! So what’s your choice, L.T.? Oops, I almost said, ‘What’s your pleasure.’ ”
“There’s a lot to learn about March so call both of the lads in before another memo pollutes the environment and go look at shoes.”
“Will do,” she said. “Got to be the most pleasant day I’ve had in Homicide.”
When he hung up, I said, “One boutique doesn’t require a full-time rep.”
“Like we said, a make-work job?”
“Or he actually got sent here to drum up business.”
When we reached the unmarked, he said, “Who’re you betting on as the prime target, him or her?”
“No strong feeling either way so I’m staying away from the table.”
“I think it’s her and I think Dougie arranged it. If that leads to a mundane case, sorry for wasting your time.”
His cell tooted abuse of Rossini. He picked up, listened for a few moments, muttered thanks, and clicked off shaking his head.
“The lab just I.D.’d the bullet pulled out of Meagin. No big challenge because it ain’t rare ammo. MKE 9.65 Normal, full metal jacket.”
It’s not like him to fall back on jargon.
I waited.
He said, “Yeah, yeah, standard for the S and W Police and Military. Like I said, millions of ’em out there. They’ll run it against prior shootings, fingers crossed.”
He opened his driver’s door, stood there grinding his jaws. “Pray it’s not gonna be another McKinney and Lynk.”
A couple of years ago, a pair of Sheriff’s deputies fired for ethics violations had sought new careers as hit men in Compton. Taking on jobs for the town’s biggest drug gang, only to be gunned down by an opposing group of thugs.
