Sweet Fortune

there's somebody out there.”
    He yawned. “Probably some guest getting back late from dinner. Come back to bed, honey.”
    “No, I think he's trying to break into your car.”
    “ The hell he is .” Hatch shoved back the covers and came off the bed in one swift movement. A split second later he was at the window, following Jessie's gaze. She was right. A lone figure was hovering near the passenger door of the Mercedes. There was just enough light coming from the weak yellow porch lamp to reveal an object in the man's hand. Even as they watched, the figure raised his arm.
    “He's going to smash the window,” Jessie said in horror.
    “Sonofabitch.” Hatch unlatched the bedroom window. He vaulted up onto the sill and stepped out on the ledge.
    “No, wait, what are you doing? Hatch, come back here. You're in your shorts, for heaven's sake. Wait until I call the police. For goodness' sake, Hatch .”
    Hatch swore softly as he saw the figure near the car look up at the sound of Jessie's voice. The man was wearing a stocking mask. “Dammit, Jessie, he heard you. He'll get away.”
    Hatch stepped down onto the porch roof and in two strides reached the edge. Crouching low, he took a firm grip, swung himself over the side, and lowered himself down onto the porch railing. His bare feet touched the wooden surface and he was grateful there were no splinters.
    But he was too late. Light, rapid footsteps sounded on the pavement of the small parking lot. Hatch knew he had lost his quarry even as he leapt from the railing onto the ground. He winced as he felt a pebble dig into his sole. He caught a glimpse of the black-clad figure disappearing around the corner of the inn.
    “ Shit .”
    Hatch started after the dark figure but gave up when he realized he was running on sharp gravel. Pursuit was useless. His bare feet would be torn to shreds. His only chance of getting his hands on the jerk had been the element of surprise, which Jessie had ruined.
    Hatch swore again as he limped back to examine the Mercedes. He surveyed the windows anxiously and ran a questing hand along the pristine silver-gray fender. He relaxed a little when he realized that no damage had been done.
    The dealer had told him the new state-of-the-art alarm system Hatch had ordered would be available for installation at the end of the month. Hatch decided he'd call when he got back to Seattle and see if he could speed up the delivery date. No place was crime-free these days. It was a damned disgrace when a man could not even park his car out in the open on a quiet little island.
    “Hatch. Hatch . For heaven's sake, Hatch.”
    He glanced up to see Jessie leaning out the window. She was clutching his trousers. He opened his mouth to chew her out for having caused the commotion that enabled the man to get away. Then he promptly closed it again as it occurred to him that he was standing around in his briefs in a public parking lot.
    “Shit.” Hatch grimly held up one hand. Jessie bundled up the trousers and pitched them down to him.
    Hatch was adjusting his zipper when a light went on in the room next to the one he and Jessie were using. A plump bald man wearing a T-shirt stuck his head out and glowered down at Hatch.
    “What the hell's going on down there? We're trying to sleep up here. You want to get drunk and cause trouble, go somewhere else, you bum.”
    “I'll do that,” Hatch said.
    He went up the porch steps, found the front-door key in the pocket of his trousers, and let himself into the darkened lobby.
    Jessie was waiting anxiously inside the room. She had put on her robe but her hair was still pleasantly tousled from sleep. Her obvious concern for him was gratifying. Almost gratifying enough to make him forget that she had been the reason the would-be vandal had gotten away.
    “Are you all right?” She fussed around him as he lowered himself into the chair.
    “Hell, yes.”
    She frowned as she sank down onto the bed across from him. “Is something wrong?”
    “Dammit, Jessie, I nearly had him. If you hadn't started yelling about calling the cops, I would have had him.”
    “Hatch, it's only a car.”
    “Only a car? Only a car ? Do you know what that model costs? Do you know how long I waited for it to be delivered? Maybe you come from the kind of background where beautiful things like that get taken for granted, but I don't.”
    “Hatch, calm down. Believe me, I appreciate the value of your car. But I value you more than I do your