Shallow Graves

jewelry.“
    “Kind of.“
    I stretched my neck against the headrest. “Somebody told me tonight you’re a situation guy.“
    “Somebody was right.“
    “What does a situation guy do?“
    “What it sounds like. I go in, look around, let people know what’s what.“
    “You checked out the modeling agency before Mau Tim went to work there.“
    “Yeah, but lemme give you a tip, Cuddy.“
    “Sure.“
    “You’re around the family, her name wasn’t ‘Mau Tim.’ It was ‘Tina,’ right?“
    “Thanks.“
    “Don’t mention it.“
    Zuppone put on his turn signal and pulled out into the fast lane to go around a garbage truck. As soon as we were by it, he used the signal again and tiptoed back into the middle lane, reducing his speed.
    “You’re a careful guy, Primo.“
    “Pays to be.“
    “About the modeling agency?“
    “Yeah?“
    “What was your read of the situation?“
    Another migration of the toothpick. “Year ago they were clean. Otherwise, the family don’t let Tina work for them, I don’t care what she wants to do.“
    “How could the family stop her?“
    “Simple. I pay a visit to the agency, and they all of a sudden decide to call her and say, ‘Sorry. Turns out, we don’t need you after all.’ “
    “What did you think of the people there?“
    “I didn’t talk to them direct-like.“
    “What did you find out about them?“
    “The first name—Lind-something?“
    “Lindqvist.“
    “Yeah, that’s how somebody told me she says it. How do you spell that?“
    I went through it.
    “That’s not the usual thing, right? I mean, usually you put the ‘u’ after the ‘q,’ right?“
    “Usually in English. I don’t know much about Swedish.“
    “Swedish, huh? She don’t look good enough to be what I’d call Swedish.“
    “I thought you didn’t talk to them.“
    The half-smile. “I sat in my car outside there a coupla days. Watching the door, making sure it looked legit. Kinda surprised me how tall and plain the model broads were. Out of their war paint, I mean.“
    “What about Lindqvist?“
    “I got the impression she was the pants, with the guy— Yulin?“
    “Right.“
    “With the guy Yulin kind of a second banana.“
    “That’s how I read it, too.“ I stopped. “If it turns out one of them killed Tina, where does that leave you?“
    “Fucked, if I should of seen it.“ Zuppone pushed a button on his armrest that lowered his window. He spit the toothpick into the night air. “Kind of the pot calling the kettle black, ain’t it?“
    “What is?“
    “What you’re thinking. Guy like me calling Yulin a ‘second banana.’“
    “I hadn’t thought about it.“
    “Yeah, well, I am a second banana. Cuddy. I’m a guy used to not do so good in school there. You know why?“
    “No.“
    “I got dyslexia. You know, I see ‘24’ like it’s ‘42’ or ‘art’ like it’s ‘rat.’“
    “Makes the studying tough.“
    “Yeah. Only Sister Angelica back in the thir d grade there didn’t call it dyslexia.“
    “What did she call it?“
    “Being stupid. But, turns out, I’m not so stupid once I’m out of the books. Real world, I do okay because I ain’t got no ambitions.“
    “Run that by me again?“
    “Ambitions. Like to be something I ain’t. I’m good at situations, sizing things up, sizing people up. I’m not looking to run anything. Last thing you want to be in this business is the guy somebody in charge of an operation sees when he looks over his shoulder, get me?“
    “I think so. It doesn’t bother you, the organization you size things up for?“
    Zuppone looked my way sharply this time, having to swerve just a bit to get back in lane. He eased five miles per hour off the speedometer. “You’re a college man, right?“
    “Uh-huh.“
    “Holy Cross, a guy said.“
    “That’s right.“
    “Then you go in the Aimy, make—what, captain?“
    “Eventually.“
    “Guy like you, a corporation welcomes you with open arms. You got a resume reads like a guy they want to hire.“
    “I see your point.“
    “Good. ‘Cause this is the only corporation that thinks my resume is just fine. It ends after seventh grade, they don’t think that’s funny. I can’t spell for shit, they don’t think that’s stupid. I go into a thing, I scope it out, I get back to them with what’s what. That’s what they care about.“
    “How about their views on capital punishment?“
    “Whacking a guy out, you mean.“
    “That’s right.“
    “We don’t whack