“Nice Beretta,” I said, conversationally.

He whirled around and disappeared through the French doors, taking the light with him. His heavy footsteps crossed the deck and he hit the boardwalk running. I couldn’t let him get away with breaking and entering so I started across the office to go after him before common sense kicked in. The body I tripped over might have had something to do with it too.

---

“Tell me again Charlie,” Jeff’s voice was patient but the strain was beginning to show around his eyes. He had warm chocolate brown eyes and a thick head of hair that was a shade lighter. It was messy because he’d been running his hand through it off an on for the last half hour.

“Come on Jeff, I’ve told you six times already!” I couldn’t help the whiney tone that crept into my voice. It was almost two in the morning after all, and there was a dead body in my office! Well, okay, the body was gone now, but the outline still remained damn it. My carpet would never be the same.