Free Hardcore Twenty-Four by Janet Evanovich Page A

wedding.”
    â€œLooks more like a crime scene. There’s a CSI truck and the ME’s truck stuck in with the cruisers. And it looks like Morelli’s SUV is parked off to the side.”
    I pulled to the curb, Lula and I got out, and walked to the church. A couple uniforms were standing hands-on-hips by the cars, but most of the activity was in the back alley. I could see yellow crime scene tape cordoning off an area. Morelli was there, watching the CSI techs work around what I suspected was a body. I ducked under the tape and walked over to Morelli, standing with my back to the body, not anxious to see the victim.
    â€œWhat’s going on?” I asked him.
    â€œOne of the church volunteers came out with trash from lunch and found a homeless man stretched out next to the dumpster. He was one of the regulars who lived on the street.”
    â€œDead?”
    â€œYep.”
    I was afraid to ask. “Headless?”
    â€œNo,” Morelli said. “He still had his head, but someone drilled a hole in the skull, and it appears that the brain might have gotten sucked out. Won’t know for sure until the autopsy.”
    A wave of nausea slid through my stomach, and I went light-headed for a moment.
    â€œAre you okay?” Morelli asked.
    â€œNo. I’m not okay. That’s horrible.”
    â€œAt least they left the head this time. Makes my job easier.”
    â€œDo you have any leads on this?”
    â€œNot a one,” Morelli said.
    â€œLula thinks it’s zombies.”
    â€œOkay, so now I have one lead. Does she have an address for the zombies?”
    â€œThey originally came from the cemetery on Morley Street, but I’m not sure where they’re hanging out now.”
    â€œWell, that’s a start. I’ll check out Morley Street.”
    I grimaced and looked at him. “You’re kidding, right?”
    â€œYes. I’m kidding. There’s some psycho nutjob out there collecting cadaver brains.”
    â€œSo I’m safe as long as I’m not dead?”
    â€œLooks that way.”
    â€œI guess that’s comforting.”
    â€œNot to me. The department is working overtime to keep this out of the press, and the mayor is on everyone’s ass to find the idiot who’s doing it.” His expression softened, and he gently touched my cheek with his fingertip. “Your eye looks awful.”
    â€œZero Slick hit me with his protest sign.”
    â€œHe’s an asshole. Do you want me to bring him in and charge him?”
    â€œNo. I’ll take care of it. You have your own problems.”
    â€œCupcake,
you’re
my problem.”
    â€œI don’t want to be your problem. I want to be your sex goddess.”
    This got a smile out of Morelli. “You’re all that and more.”
    I gave him a small kiss and a smile. “Gotta go. Probably I won’t see you tonight?”
    â€œNot likely.”
    â€œOkeydokey then,” I said, relieved that I didn’t have to address the Diesel issue.
    Lula was waiting on the other side of the crime scene tape. “What’s up?” she asked.
    â€œHomeless man is dead.”
    â€œAnd? There’s a lot going on for a dead homeless man.”
    â€œHe might be missing his brain.”
    â€œSay what? Holy crapola. It’s the zombies, isn’t it? They came and sucked out his brain. I knew it. I could feel something was happening. I told you, right? I was creeped out. I knew they were roaming around. I bet they wanted my brain, but it wasn’t available, so they went somewhere else.”
    â€œZombies aren’t on the short list for the police. They’re thinking more lunatic.”
    â€œThey don’t know nothing. This here’s the work of zombies. Anybody could see that.”
    I didn’t know which was worse . . . a criminally insane cannibal or a hungry zombie. Hard to believe that either existed.
    â€œThis neighborhood seems