Fearless Fourteen - Janet Evanovich [72]
“Did he have a map or directions that led to the money?”
“No. He said it was in his head.”
“What about Victor or Benny? He used to hang with them. Would they take him in?”
“Are you kidding? Those guys are locked down. Their wives would kick their asses if they had anything to do with Dom.”
“Relatives?” I asked him.
“Maybe. He’s related to half the Burg. He used to be close to his cousin Bugger, but I don’t know about now.”
“Bugger Baronni?”
“Yeah, there’s only one Bugger.”
Thank heavens for that.
SEVENTEEN
I LEFT MOONER, Zook, and Gary home alone with detailed instructions. They were to wash my car. They were to stay close to Morelli’s house. They were not allowed to shoot anything. They were to stay away from Mooch.
We were in Lula’s Firebird, and Lula was in a mood. “First off, I never got no chicken. And now I’m driving you to check out some guy named Bugger. I don’t even want to know how he got that name.”
“Sixth grade,” I said. “On a class trip to a petting zoo.”
“What’s he doing now?”
“He’s a lawyer.”
“Figures,” Lula said.
Bugger lived a little north of Trenton, in an affluent neighborhood close to the river. He specialized in messy divorce cases, and the word on him was that everyone took it up the ass when he got involved. Literally and figuratively.
I thought chances were slim that Dom was here, but no stone unturned. Bugger was a relative and sometimes that meant something. As would the possibility of getting cut in on nine million dollars. There was no Mrs. Bugger. No Mr. Bugger, either. Just Bugger and a big dog named Lover.
Lula drove by the house and gave a low whistle. “This guy does okay.”
The house was a redbrick colonial that looked like about ten thousand square feet under roof. It was on a large landscaped lot with a gated drive. Much of the house and yard was obscured by a privacy hedge.
The house was impressive but felt excessively large for one person. I guess you have a big house like that, you get used to living in it, but all I could think of was keeping toilet paper in all those bathrooms.
“What’s this guy look like?” Lula wanted to know.
“I only met him once when I was at a party years ago, but I remember him as a slim Dom.”
If my life wasn’t so complicated, I’d stake out the house. It was as good a place as any for Dom to hide. He’d be relatively safe behind the gates. Bugger obviously had guest rooms and probably had a couple cars. Plus, Bugger had no scruples and loved money. It was a match made in heaven.
“I don’t suppose you’d want to do a stakeout for me?” I asked Lula.
“Don’t suppose I would,” Lula said. “Who you want to stake out?”
“Bugger.”
Lula looked up and down the street. “How are you gonna do a stakeout here? Everyone parks their car in their garage. I don’t even see any cars in driveways. We’re sitting here looking like we’re planning a robbery.”
She was right. A car parked at the side of the road was painfully obvious.
I had my hand on the door handle. “I’m going to sneak around in the bushes and look in some windows. You can circle the block and pick me up when I’m done.”
“Better you than me,” Lula said. “This is one of them snooty neighborhoods, and they probably got all kinds of dogs and alarms and shit like that.”
“I’ve heard rumors about Bugger’s dog, and as long as I don’t bend over, I think I’ll be okay.”
I was out of the car and about to cross the street when the gates to Bugger’s driveway swung open. A silver Lexus rolled from behind the hedge, through the open gate, and turned left. Only one person in the car. Dom. We locked eyes, and Dom floored it.
I ran around and