Fortune and Glory (Stephanie Plum #27)(56)

“Thank God you’re okay,” he said. “I saw that car go up in flames and my heart stopped.”

I was beyond words. I had my eyes closed and I was pressed against his chest.

“I have to tell you, I was surprised to find Grandma behind the wheel,” Morelli said.

“I’ll tell you about it when we do the thank-you dinner,” I said. “Right now, I’m trying to erase the last five minutes from my brain. Why do these things keep happening to me?”

“You have a knack,” Morelli said.

Ranger walked through the smoke, tugging Salgusta after him. He turned him over to the plainclothes guys and joined Morelli and me. He did a guy fist-bump thing with Morelli and turned his attention to what was left of the Porsche. Mostly a smoldering lump of blackened twisted metal and charred, melted car guts.

“Babe,” Ranger said. “You never disappoint.”

I blew out a sigh. “Sorry about your car.”

“This might rival the time you got my Porsche flattened by a garbage truck.”

I nodded. “Hard to top that one.”

“While you two are walking down memory lane I’m going to check on Salgusta,” Morelli said.

I looked over at Grandma, waiting in Morelli’s SUV. “And then we need to get to the reception,” I said to Morelli.



* * *




Grandma had a few black smudges on her dress, but aside from that she was fine. I’d exited the car through fire and smoke. I had some singed hair, and soot smudges everywhere. Fortunately, I had no burns.

Morelli dropped us off at the house and went in search of parking. Grandma and I worked our way through the crush of people and found Benny hiding in his den.

“Get in,” he said. “Close the door behind you. It’s a mob scene out there. I got some meatballs in red sauce and pasta, and I got a couple casseroles in here. I don’t know what’s in them. And there’s potato salad and those little hot dogs in tiny dough wrappers. They didn’t fit on the dining room table, so they stuck them in here. Help yourself.”

Grandma held back but I went for the hot dogs.

“You smell smoky,” he said. “What’s up?”

“Lou set Stephanie’s car on fire,” Grandma told him. “He was hanging out in the cemetery and we chased him down and he flamethrowered our car. We were lucky to get out.”

Benny’s eyes got wide. “Are you shitting me? He was in the cemetery? Where is he now?”

“In police custody,” I said.

“Well, at least he made an effort to come to the cemetery,” Benny said. “I appreciate that.”

“He tried to kill us,” I said.

“Yeah,” Benny said. “He shouldn’t have done that, but you know how it is—old habits die hard.”

“Have you thought any more about where the treasure might be?” I asked him.

“Jimmy was a shore guy. He liked the salt air. And he could sit on a bench on the boardwalk and look at the waves for hours. If he didn’t hide the stuff in Trenton, I’m guessing it’s somewhere in south Jersey. One of the shore towns.”

“The stuff,” I said. “What exactly is the stuff?”

“I might as well tell you,” Benny said. “You should know what you’re looking for, right?” He closed his eyes. “Just give me a minute. I’m not feeling so good. Something I ate.”

“Maybe everything you ate,” Grandma said. “There’s only three meatballs left, and half of the casseroles are gone. Did you eat all that?”

“I’m a big guy,” Benny said. “It takes a lot to keep me going. And the funeral was a downer. I’m one of them comfort eaters.”

“You don’t look good,” Grandma said to him. “You’re pale as a ghost and you’re sweating.”

“It’s gas,” he said. “I get indigestion. Jeez, I feel like there’s an elephant sitting on my chest.”

I grabbed my phone and called for an EMT. I went out of the den into the main part of the house and yelled for a doctor or nurse. Two first responders and a nurse came forward. I sent them in to Benny. Grandma stayed with Benny and I guarded the door to keep the curious out. A fire truck and an EMT angle-parked in front of the house. I let them into the den, and Grandma came out.

“How is he?” I asked.

“Dead,” Grandma said.

My heart contracted. “Dead? Are you sure?”

“Trust me, I know dead when I see it, and he’s dead. I don’t know where they’re going to get a casket to fit that man. It’s going to have to be a custom.”

I took a step back, away from the door, and I bumped into Ranger.

“Benny’s dead,” I said to Ranger. “Most likely a heart attack. Grandma and I were with him when it happened.”

“Are you okay?”

“I think my hair got burned in the car fire.”

“Is that all?”

“Yes,” I said, and a tear leaked out of my eye.

Ranger wiped the tear away. “We need to get out of here. Can you leave?”

“Yes.” I turned to Grandma. “Are you okay with leaving now?”

“I am,” Grandma said. “I want to go home and watch some television. I’m worn out.”