Now you know one reason my daughter’s picture is here. But wait, there is more.
So, did you guess? My Mom and my Grand Pop wanted the perfect name for the bad girl in this story. So they picked one of my nick-names, Peaches.
Oh, yes. I have other nick-names, but one will do for now.
Collar’s bellow brought everyone and everything to a quick stop filled with silence.
“MORgan. DEla VERa.”
Nothing moved. Every eye in the room fixed on Collars. Including Morgan and Delavera.
Collars held a piece of paper out to his side at arm’s length as though it were a starting flag to be waved.
“Your murder suspect rented a car this morning. Find the car. And her. And try not to blow it this time.”
The only sound in the room was Morgan and Delavera putting things down, getting up, and moving to the door of the squad room, pas Collars. Morgan grabbed the paper out of Collars hand, as rudely as he dared. Delavera blew Collars a squared lipped kiss as she passed.
As the door closed behind them they could hear Collars bellow, “Get back to work.”
Morgan read the paper and passed it to Delavera. She waited until she was in the car before reading it. She wrinkled her brow. “How does he expect us to find her?”
“I don’t think he does. I think he wants us to fail.”
“But you don’t think we will. Why?”
“I know something either Collars does not know, or thinks I won’t know.”
“Which is?”
“Watch,” Morgan said with a smile as they pulled into the car lot.
The man came out of the small building. He managed to look like exactly what he was. A used car salesman who not only sold used cars but rented them.
“What can I do for the city’s finest?” the used car salesman asked.
“You can point them out to us,” replied Morgan, “So we can arrest them. We hate competition.”
The man laughed. The laugh appeared to be genuine and not simply a salesman’s ploy. Either he was a better actor than average or he had a real sense of humor.
“You rented a car to a Miss Davenport this morning?”
“Sure did. Only business I’ve had all day.”
“Can we see your paper work? Was she alone?”
“She wanted me to think she was.”
“Okay. So what happened?”
“I don’t have a lot to do but stare out the window all day until somebody shows up. I see this man and woman walk up to the corner,” he pointed to the corner he was referring to. “At first I thought it was a working girl and her pimp but when they talked it looked more like she was in command. “He stayed at the corner and she came on in alone.”
“When she left did she pick him up?”
“Can’t swear to it. He stayed over there and watched until she got in the car she rented, the cheapest one I had. Then he turned and walked that way, out of sight. She looked class but he looked like a druggie coming down after a high. What I could see of him from here.”
“Could you identify him if you see him again.”
“Possible. Lot of that kind around here though. I’d give it a try.”
“We need to find the car. And her.”
“Like I said, she went that way.”
“Give us the GPS on it.”
“How would you know if I got a GPS on it? I don’t exactly hang a sign out saying so.”
“Because you are not stupid. You are in a low rent business that caters to low rent people. Even if your customer is Mr. Honest more cars are stolen in this area of town than anywhere else in the county. So show me where the car is right now.”
“I would appreciate it if you didn’t noise it around. A lot of my customers would be spooked if they thought I knew where they were and could guess what they might be doing.”
“I promise you. If I tell anybody my partner will shoot me for you on sight.”
Delavera nodded and patted her holster meaningfully.
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The Homewrecker Series (tm) 
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