Naked Prey

the Cash family and what that whole group does down there. You might want to chat. He told me a couple of things that I can’t use, because of libel problems, but it wouldn’t be a problem for you.”
    “Like tell me one thing.”
    “Like the whole Cash family—it’s really more like a clan, with aunts and uncles and nephews and all that—they started out in drugs, and then, when crack came in and all the killing started, they got out. Went into other stuff. Tom says some of the brothers down there went to business school at the University of Missouri, then came back to KC and diversified.”
    “Yeah?”
    “Yeah. One of their things now is that they steal a lot of cars. That’s the rumor. Low risk, high profit. And since Calb’s body shop up there is involved in this thing . . . ”
    “You think Calb’s is a chop shop?”
    “I don’t know. Doesn’t make sense, really. They could chop cars down there, no problem. I don’t know what Calb could do out here that they couldn’t do.”
    “Hmmp.” Lucas stood up and stretched. He thought he might be able to sleep. “All right. I’ll probably see you around tomorrow, one place or another. You still checking out?”
    “Shit, no.”
    “The desk clerk thinks you’re up to something. Being black, and all.”
    “I encourage him to think that,” Johnson said. “Sometimes I can’t help myself.”
    L UCAS SLEPT LIKE a baby.
    For almost five hours, until Del called. Lucas rolledover and picked up the phone, and Del said, “I can’t lay down anymore.”
    “Try harder,” Lucas said. Then: “I’ll get up.”
    “I’ll come over in fifteen minutes. We’ll go down to the Bird and get breakfast.”
    L UCAS BRUSHED HIS teeth and skipped shaving so he could stand in the shower for a few extra minutes. He was just pulling on a shirt when Del knocked. He let Del in, then sat on the bed and put on his shoes and socks, got his coat, tossed the car keys to Del. “You drive. I’ve got some calls to make.”
    He started by calling the sheriff’s comm center, where he got the phone number for the church in Broderick. He called the church, and asked for Ruth Lewis.
    “I’m calling to ask you to do something for me,” he said, when she came on.
    Wary: “What?”
    “I would like you to go down to the Cities and tell Letty that her mother’s dead. She knows it, but nobody’s come right out and said it, yet. You know her, and she likes you. It would be good if you could tell her.”
    “Oh, God,” Lewis said. Then, after a moment, “I could go this afternoon.”
    “Thanks. She’s at Hennepin General, and I’ll call down to make sure they let you through. If you go pretty soon, you could talk to her this evening.”
    T HE NEXT CALL went to Weather’s cell phone. She answered, after a moment: “I’m in the locker room cleaning up. I sat in on the operation—pretty neat stuff. The guy knows how to tie a square knot.”
    “Yeah, yeah. How is she?”
    “She’s gonna be pretty dopey the rest of the day, and they’re gonna put a cage around her hand.”
    “The hand gonna work?”
    “She’ll probably need more surgery, you know, to release the scar tissue as it builds up, but yes—she should be okay. She won’t be playing the piano for a while.”
    “How about her leg? How about the bullet wound?”
    “The bullet wound isn’t a problem. The guys up there cleaned it up, and should be okay—just took some skin off her rib cage and the inside of her arm. Her ankle is sprained, but it’s not too bad. Since it’s on the other side from the cast, she should be able to use a crutch for a couple of days, if she needs it.”
    “Nothing broken.”
    “Nothing broken.”
    “How’s Sam?”
    “He is just such a cutey. He’s so cheerful. And it’s pretty apparent that he’s really bright . . . no, I’m serious, he’s really bright. I don’t think . . . ”
    She got Lucas laughing, all the more because she was sincere. “Talk to you later.”
    H E TOLD D EL about Letty’s progress as he dialed a third number. A woman answered: “St. Anne’s, Department of Psychology.”
    “My name is Lucas Davenport. I’m a police officer and I need to talk with Sister Mary Joseph.”
    “Just a minute, please.”
    Elle Kruger came on a second later. “How’s the baby?” she asked.
    “Probably the most intelligent kid in the Twin Cities, if not the entire Midwest,” Lucas said. “I’ve got a question for you. Sort of a semiofficial