Foreign Relations by Rebecca Forster

Author:Rebecca Forster [Forster, Rebecca]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-06-30T22:00:00+00:00

***

"Anderson?"

Cori looked up, annoyed to be interrupted just as she was getting the grandmother's statement in order. She was hungry and tired and in need of a Tucker baby hug, but she tamped down the attitude when she saw that it was Bob Fowler hailing her. He had his jacket on and his briefcase in hand, but he wasn't there to tell her to knock off after a good day's work.

"Aman Jember Mambo has lawyered up," Fowler said.

"Really, now," Cori said. "I just saw him. He didn't ask for a call."

"He didn't have to," Bob Fowler said. "It's the guy who came in with you. He bailed the guy."

"Lapinski? What a busy little bee." Cori tossed her pen and pushed back her chair. "Where is he?"

"In the lobby waiting for his client. He's got the older lady with him, too."

"Do you think she's okay with this?" Cori asked.

"Hard to tell." Fowler shrugged. "She's sort of in her own world. Lots of mumbling going on there."

"Yeah. I know. We didn't get much out of her even with the interpreter. If that guy spoke Ethiopian, then I'm channeling Marilyn Monroe." Cori stood up and flipped her collar. "I'll take it from here with Lapinski."

Fowler stepped aside for her. "He's a piece of work, that guy."

"Preachin' to the choir, captain," Cori answered.

They went down the hall together. Bob Fowler opened the door for her but they split off in the lobby: Fowler going home to his lovely wife, Cori to Thomas Lapinski, Attorney at Law, LLC who was sitting next to the grandmother on the wooden bench, patting her shoulder while she gently swayed and muttered.

"Lapinski." Cori summoned him with a crook of her finger. "Could I have a word?"

"Okay, okay. Absolutely, Detective Anderson."

He stood up, turned toward the grandmother. He held his hands out indicating she should stay put. When he looked back at Cori his smile was electric but she turned on her heel and walked away without returning one of her own. She waited by the memorial wall, her arms crossed, refusing to be charmed, cutting him off before a word came out of his mouth.

"What are you doing, Lapinski?" she asked.

"Helping?"

"And how, pray tell, are you helping exactly?" Cori asked. "This isn't a personal injury gig, so there's no money in it for you."

"I understand that. Yes, I do. I do, of course." Thomas nodded like a bobble head doll.

"And they are probably so poor their Sunday dinner is fried water, so there's no bucks for a defense if Aman goes down for Takrit's murder. You get that, right?"

"Yep, yep, yep. Yes, I do, indeed." Up and down that head went.

"Not to mention that Aman almost killed O'Brien—"

"Except?"

Thomas flashed her a devilish smile and wiggled his fingers to coax the truth out of her. Cori rolled her eyes. She didn't want to say it but she knew she had to give him his due.

"Except for you, Lapinski. You saved the day," Cori admitted.

"That is so correct, Detective Anderson. I was there just when Detective O'Brien needed me because that's what I do.

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