“Joe, your front door was open…”

Tori stopped in the kitchen doorway, her arms full of groceries.

“Oh I’m sorry am I interrupting?” she asked.

Vinnie let go of Joe who slumped to the kitchen floor. He advanced on the girl but stopped when she dropped the bags and pulled a small, black pistol from the back of her jeans.

“You know, you guys should really lay off my brother,” she said.

“Hey, now, there’s no need for this to get ugly,” Vinnie said. “I’m just the messenger. And you know what they say about messengers.”

“You all right Joe?” Tori asked, looking past the big man.

“Peachy,” came the slightly muffled reply.

Tori looked Vinnie in the eye. It was a look that left him in no doubt that she would shoot him if he gave her the chance.

“Get out. And close the door behind you. It’s letting in a draught.”

Vinnie was gone in an instant.

Tori sighed. She helped her brother on to a chair and applied a bag of frozen peas to his fast swelling face.

“What have you gotten yourself into this time Joe?”