Smokin' Seventeen: A Stephanie Plum Novel (Stephanie Plum Novels)

but I’m not sure how effective that’ll be.”
    “Do you think Nick was serious about killing you?”
    I nodded my head. “Yeah, I think he was serious. He had a lot of time in prison to work himself up over Jimmy’s death. Morelli will do what he can as a cop, but I need to go proactive. It occurred to me that Nick could have killed Dugan,Lucarelli, Beck, and Kulicki. If I can prove it, I can have him sent away forever, and I won’t have to worry about him killing me.”
    “He knew Dugan, Lucarelli, and Kulicki,” Connie said. “He could have had something against them. Timing is right. Alpha got out of prison just before the killings started.”
    “I broke into his apartment last night, but I couldn’t find any evidence.”
    “That doesn’t mean Alpha didn’t kill those people.”
    I helped myself to coffee and returned to my chair. “True, but Ranger doesn’t think Alpha feels right. He thinks Alpha is a shooter, and all the victims were strangled with their necks broken. So if Ranger’s right, I have to get something else on Nick Alpha. I’m sure he’s dirty. I just have to find out what he’s into right now.”
    “I’m sure I can get answers for you,” Connie said. “The difficulty will be proving it.”
    “If I can tell the police exactly where to look, they can set something up. After I get things in motion I can lock myself in my apartment and not go out until Alpha’s put away.”
    “What about Ranger? I’m sure he’d take care of Alpha for you.”
    “Ranger is working off enough bad karma. I don’t want to add to the burden.”
    Connie put her headset on. “Let me make some phone calls.”

THIRTY-FIVE
     
    I WENT TO THE BACK of the bus and watched
Jeopardy
reruns with Mooner for an hour while Connie researched crime.
    “I could like
do
this,” Mooner said. “I could
rule Jeopardy.
” He sat forward. “What is Sri Lanka! Ancient Greek history for $200.”
    I abandoned
Jeopardy
and looked in on Connie.
    “I have a couple leads,” Connie said. “Alpha was sent away for running numbers and extortion. Apparently he’s back in the extortion business and there are some Stark Street businessmen who aren’t happy about it.”
    “And they’re talking?”
    “Not to police, but in the community.”
    “Can I convince them to talk to the police?”
    “Not until you get Alpha taken off the street for something else. There’s a lot of fear. He came out of prison crazy angry.”
    “Is there something else?”
    “Cockfighting.”
    “Get out!”
    “Word is he’s running cockfights somewhere Monday and Thursday nights. And cockfights are a felony. My source didn’t know where the fights were taking place, but I ran property tax records and Nick Alpha owns five Stark Street properties.” Connie handed me a note card with the addresses. “One is under his name and four as NAA LLC.”
    The door to the bus opened, and Vinnie climbed the stairs and handed Connie a file. “Business is booming. I’m bonding out guys who are telling me they’re going FTA so the hooters girls will come get them.” He pointed his finger at me. “You’re gonna either need a boob job or a really serious push-up bra.”
    I looked down at myself. I liked my boobs just the way they were. They weren’t too big, and they weren’t too small. They were a perfect handful for Morelli.
    “You’re an idiot,” I said to Vinnie.
    “Yeah,” Vinnie said. “But I’m your idiot boss. What are you doing here? Don’t you have anything better to do? Why aren’t you out chasing bad guys?”
    “I caught all the bad guys.”
    “What about the flyers?”
    “We hung them all.”
    “I’ll give you five bucks if you wash my car,” Vinnie said.
    I was tempted to take it. I could use the money.
    “What is Queen Elizabeth!” Mooner yelled at the television.
    “Christ,” Vinnie said. “Is he watching
Jeopardy
again? Lock him in the can with Donkey Kong. I got work to do.”
    “Do you know anything about cockfights?” I asked Vinnie.
    “Like what do you want to know?”
    “I want to know if there are any around?”
    “Is the pope Catholic?”
    “Do you know where they’re held?”
    “No. They’re not my thing. I like the ponies. I imagine the cockfights move around. They’re illegal. What’s your interest? Not a lot of women into cockfighting. As your cousin I would advise you not to go alone. Even if you’re armed you don’t want to go alone. I hear it’s a rough crowd.”
    There was a