Free Too Darn Hot by Sandra Scoppettone Page A

him?”
    “Look, Miss Quick. I didn’t pay much attention to him. I didn’t even know him. Charlie’s my friend and I hadn’t seen him in a while.”
    “So ya were more focused on him.”
    “That’s right.”
    “Anything ya could tell me about Cooper would be helpful.”
    “Such as?”
    “Color of hair, his eyes, anything?”
    “I think he had dark hair. Yes, it was dark. But I can’t remember anything else about him. The uniform tends to make everyone look alike.”
    “If ya saw him again, would ya recognize him?”
    “Oh, yes. I’m sure I would.”
    “Then I’d like ya to do somethin, George. When ya get back to work, I’d like ya to call this number and ask for Detective Powell. Tell him ya might be able to identify the body found at the Commodore Hotel.”
    “Body?”
    “Yeah. It’s not Charlie, so don’t worry. But the body was found in Charlie’s room.”
    “This is incredible.”
    “Good word for it.”
    “And you don’t know whose body it is?”
    “That’s right. Claire saw him and didn’t know him.”
    “You think it might be Cooper?”
    “I have no idea. Could be. But it might be somebody else altogether.”
    “I don’t think I can do this. I can’t tell them at work that I have to leave to identify a body.”
    “I said to call the detective. I didn’t say ya had to go to the morgue during work hours.”
    “The morgue?”
    “That’s where they keep unidentified bodies, George.” I finished off my Danish.
    “I have to go.” He started to slide outta the booth.
    I reached over and laid my hand on his. “Ya can be subpoenaed to do this, ya know.” I didn’t think that was true, but I didn’t think he’d know, either.
    “I’ve never done anything like this.”
    “Most people haven’t. If ya can ID this guy, it’ll be a big help.”
    “All right.”
    “You’ll call Powell?”
    “Yes. You have my word.”
    “You sure.”
    “Miss Quick, I’ve given you my word.”
    I caught the drift. Word and honor. “Okay. You have nothin to be afraid of, George. There’s nothin gory to look at.”
    “I’m
not
afraid, Miss Quick. It’s just damn inconvenient.” He stood up and threw some money on the table.
    The waitress watched him leave and made a beeline to our booth. When she saw he’d left money she settled down to her annoying self.
    “Ya want anything else?”
    “Now that ya ask, I think I’ll have another Danish. And give me another cup a joe, too.”
    After my snack I went up to the Village to my apartment. Dolores was on the steps. Her wig was particularly cockeyed and it was hard not to say anything, but I kept my trap shut.
    “Well, bubele, yer home early.”
    “Not stayin. I need to look somethin up.”
    “For yer case?”
    “Yeah.”
    “I dunno how ya can stand rushing around in this heat.”
    “I can’t stand it, but I don’t have a choice. I’d love to stay and chew the fat with ya, Dolores, but I’m in an awful hurry.”
    “Sure, darling. You go.”
    “I’ll see ya later.”
    “You’ll see me when ya come out. I’ll be here all day.”
    “Swell.”
    Inside, I went straight to the telephone table and took out the book. Zach was sleeping on the couch and couldna cared less about me cause it wasn’t feeding time.
    I opened the phone book to the C’s, turning pages until I finally came to the right name. There were all kinds of them. On the next page I found the I’s. Not too many of those. I found what I was looking for and wrote down the phone and address. She didn’t live far from me. I wondered if I should call first. Better to take her off guard.
    Then I talked to Marty and told him John Doe’s possible name. Marty was gonna run a check in the hotel, see if he could find Cooper. I don’t know why but I was getting a feeling more and more that Cooper was making the morgue home.
    Outside, Dolores said, “See. Here I am. Here I stay.”
    “I’m off,” I said.
    I went down the steps and headed west. Ida Collier lived off