Ranger screwed the panel back in place. “I’m sure there’s access to the roof from inside. There are water-cooling towers there for the air conditioners, and those units need maintenance. So there has to be a stairwell going to the roof from the tenth floor, and it would be part of the behind-the-scenes service network.”
“So Vlatko could be avoiding cameras by using the outside ladder to get to the roof and hook up with the service stairwell there.”
“Looks like it. He’s also more difficult to spot without the eye patch.”
We left the ninth floor, rode the elevator to the lobby, and Morelli called.
“You’re not coming home, are you?” he asked.
“It’s doubtful. We know he’s here. He gets picked up on the hotel security feed once in a while, but we can’t get to him fast enough.”
“I’d be happy to help, but I suspect you’ve got a small army there.”
“I’m not sure what we have here. I’m not totally in the loop. And I think you don’t want to be either. It sounds like you survived the party.”
“Barely. And Bob chipped a tooth off Momo’s uppers. It’s going to cost me a fortune. So what are you doing right now?”
“Ranger and I are in the lobby. We came down for gelato.”
Silence on Morelli’s end.
“But before this we examined the air handler on the ninth floor,” I said.
“You aren’t sleeping with him, are you?”
“Of course not.”
“Good to know,” Morelli said.
“You trust me.”
“I do. But I don’t trust him.”
“You’re pretty smart for a Trenton cop.”
“I finished the Jumble today.”
“Impressive.”
I said good night, and looked over the list of gelato flavors.
“There are so many,” I said to Ranger. “I can’t choose.”
“Do you want me to choose for you?”
“No!”
He looked at his watch. “You have thirty seconds.”
“I want Tiramisu. No, wait, Strawberry. Maybe Caramel Swirl.”
“Ten seconds.”
“Mango, Coffee, Chocolate Marshmallow …”
“She’ll have Tiramisu,” he said to the girl at the counter. “And a large Banana Sunrise.” He turned to me. “Always go with your first instinct.”
“You’re not having any?”
“My first instinct is to pass.”