The Private Eye

couple more questions for you.”
    “Want me to check out a few more aging gangsters?”
    “Forget the gangsters.” Josh stripped off his tie and tossed it over the back of the nearest chair. “Try a guy named Dwight Wilcox. He's apparently lived in Peregrine Point for a couple of years. He's the regular handyman here at the manor-I doubt you'll find anything, but it's worth a shot.”
    “Should be easy. I'll have Carol get on the computer for you tomorrow morning.”
    “Right. Phone me as soon as you've got the report.”
    “This case turning into something?” McCray sounded interested.
    Josh thought of the water-pipe incident. “Looks like it. Probably just a malicious-mischief situation. Any word on that Lucky, Inc. stock?”
    “Company went bankrupt years ago. Looks like it was a scam from the beginning. The mine's a worthless pit.”
    “So much for any possibility that someone's after Mrs. Hawkins's stock,” Josh mused. “I was fairly certain that was a dead end. Just wanted to check it out. By the way, McCray?”
    “Yeah?”
    “There are a couple of things I want you to put into the mail for me tomorrow morning.”
    McCray listened as Josh told him what he wanted. Then McCray howled with laughter. “You're kidding. You want me to put together a file on you? What the hell for?”
    “Just do it, okay?”
    “You got it. I'll have it in the mail tomorrow morning. Should reach you in a day or two. Mind telling me why you want to know your own credit rating, blood type and marital status?”
    “None of your damn business, McCray.”
    “Wait a second. Let me guess. You've fallen for the client, haven't you? Ever since you told me she wasn't exactly elderly, I've been suspicious. Well. I'll be damned. You want some advice, January?”
    “No.”
    McCray ignored him. “If I were you, I'd give her flowers rather than a file on yourself. Much more romantic, you know? I've been meaning to talk to you about the way you deal with women. I hate to hurt your feelings, pal, but the bottom line is that you're not all that good with them. You don't understand how they think. As evidence, I submit the fact that you spend far too much time working.”
    “McCray, I urge you to keep in mind that I am the senior partner at BIS.”
    “Yes, sir.” McCray was still chortling as he hung up the phone.
    Josh replaced the receiver and sat quietly for a long moment. Then he got up and shrugged out of his dress shirt. He took off his shoes and trousers and padded barefoot across the room to the closet. He found his jeans, stepped into them, then went over to his portable computer. He opened the case and locked the screen into the upright position. Then he sat down and went to work.
    As had been happening more and more frequently of late. Josh was soon lost in the story he was creating. The mystery flowed for him in a way that real life never did. He was in the process of having his lead character, Adam Carlisle, walk into a trap while checking out a suspect, when the knock came on the door.
    “Josh?”
    The sound of Maggie's voice, soft and tentative, brought Josh back to the real world as nothing else could have done at that moment. Something was wrong.
    He got to his feet and crossed the room in two long strides that sent only a few twinges through his left ankle. He yanked open the door and found Maggie on the other side. She was dressed for bed and wearing the quilted robe she had worn that first night. She looked nervous but determined.
    “What's wrong?” Josh demanded, automatically glancing down the halt behind her. All was quiet.
    “Nothing's wrong. I just, well, I was wondering if you'd like to kiss me good-night. That's all.” She smiled tremulously and clasped the lapels of her robe more tightly together.
    Relief poured through him and with it a shot of anger for the moment of alarm she had obliged him to endure.
    “Kiss you good-night? Hell, lady, I thought something had happened. Don't ever do that to me again.”
    She winced and took a step back. “Look, if it's too much trouble, forget it. Damn, this is embarrassing. I was afraid it would be. I should have talked myself out of it.” She gave him a bright, brittle little smile as she took another step back. “Sorry about this. I'll see you in the morning.”
    Josh scowled as Maggie turned and fairly leaped toward the door of her own room.

Chapter 7

    MAGGIE HAD HER HAND on the doorknob when Josh's fingers closed forcefully around her