He Had A Body Like Batman

Excuse Me?" I Said, Palms Down On The Formica Tabletop. "coffee? I Thought We Came Here For Pie." "i Don't Eat The Kind Of Pie They Serve Here." I Felt A Flash Of Heat Go Through My Stomach. I Knew Firsthand The Kind Of Pie Ranger Liked.

The Note Said The First Clue Was "in The Big One." I Looked At The Jumble Of Letters That Followed, And I Saw No Pattern. Not Such A Surprise, Since I Was Missing The Puzzle Chromosome And Couldn't Do Puzzles Designed For Nine-year-olds.

My Father Was In The Kitchen Putting A New Washer In The Kitchen Faucet. He Looked Relieved To See Morelli Standing In The Hallway. He'd Probably Prefer I Bring Home Someone Useful, Like A Butcher Or A Car Mechanic, But I Guess Cops Are A Step Up From Undertakers.

He’s Sort Of A Homeless Horse,” I Said. “i’m Leaving For The Airport In Two Seconds, And I Won’t Be Back For A Couple Days. You Can Put The Horse In The Garage, But I Don’t Want That Horse In My Apartment.” “who Would Put A Horse In An Apartment? That’s Dumb.” “where’s The Horse Staying Now?” “my Apartment.” “i Can Always Count On You To Brighten My Day,” Ranger Said. And He Disconnected.

You Have The Super Soaker Filled With Holy Water?” “yeah. I Sucked It Out Of The Church. You Know That Bird-bath Thing They Got Right Up Front?” “the Baptismal Font?” “that’s It. They Got It Filled With Holy Water, Free For The Taking.” “brilliant,” I Said To Lula. She Tapped Her Head With Her Finger. “no Grass Growin’ Here.