It was past time to have heard from Lester. If he’d struck out, Ted needed to follow up on the bits and pieces he had. He was about to punch the buttons to call him when the cell phone buzzed in his hand.

Cheryl. He gritted his teeth and answered. “Molloy.”

“I’m payin’ you, and I expect updates. Did I tell you that? Every day I want to hear what you’re doing.”

“Cheryl. Good to hear from you.”

“Don’t give me that. Where are you?” She paused in her attack for a nanosecond. “And what the hell are you listening to?”

“I’m working, Cheryl. In fact, I can’t talk long. I’m expecting to hear from one of my investigators on a good lead.”

“Do you know who shot my Richie?”

“No. I don’t know. I told you, let the damn cops handle that. That’s what they do. Meanwhile, I am following up on that surplus-money case.”

“This thing Richie and you were doin’ together?”

Ted decided not to argue the point. “Yeah. That thing.”

“Yeah? And?”

“And I’ve discovered some interesting anomalies.”

“Say what?”

“Some weird stuff.”

“I know what anomalies are, asshole. I want to know what you’ve found.”

“I’m waiting on a callback. Could we talk about this later?”

“Give me a taste.”

“I have no way of knowing if somebody else is working this one, but the money is real. I need to find a lady named Barbara Miller. She’s in her nineties and owns a few buildings. If I can cut a deal with her, we’re set.”

“That doesn’t sound complicated. Or weird.”

“There are other people involved. I don’t want to go into it.”

“Is that what’s taking you so long?”

“Do you know how many Barbara Millers there are in Queens?”

“You just need one, don’t you?”

“I’d like to find the right Barbara Miller, if it’s okay with you.” Ted’s phone beeped with an incoming call. “I’ve got to go. This might be the call I’ve been waiting for.”

“I want to know who killed Richie. Meet me at the Korean barbecue place on Northern Boulevard at eight o’clock. I’ve got a business meeting, but I should be done by then.”

Ted’s inclination was to avoid all unnecessary contact with this woman—he didn’t trust her. But it occurred to him that he had questions about Richie that only she could answer, and he needed to see her face when he asked. If she was going to lie to him, he would at least make it a little more difficult for her. And he could fit in a quick meeting and still make the game before first pitch. “How about before your meeting? I’ve got Mets tickets.”

“Fine. Six o’clock.”