I dont believe it. And you think Tubbys going to talk to Bulldog? Well, youre probably right. Thats just perfect. I dont see any problem there except that Bulldog will know you and probably me as well, were involved in your stupid little robbery. After he gets done denying everything hes going to come after the both of us.

Oh yeah, well hes not going to find me. Ill be like a ghost, man. Yeah, you know maybe thats it, a new sort of persona, my new brand. Theyll call me The Phantom or Mr. Mysterious, get it?

No, Freddy, I dont get it. I do know you just paid Tubby nine hundred bucks. Bulldog will deny everything and convince Tubby youre the liar. What about me, Freddy? You think I want that psychotic nut job Bulldog looking for me, where the h.e.l.l am I going to go?

Why would he be looking for you?

Because you made me drive you around, Freddy. h.e.l.l think were partners. h.e.l.l think I was in on the whole thing.

Cant you just explain it to him? Tell him it wasnt your idea.

Yeah, thatll work, gee, now why didnt I think of that? Explain it to Bulldog? Hes nuts, Freddy, a whacko, I keep telling you. You said it yourself, hes the one who a.s.saulted you, did that to your face, took black beauty and after he smashed it up trying to kill Casey, he set it on fire.

Oh, yeah, Freddy said suddenly sounding deep in thought. You could see the wheels slowly beginning to turn in his mind. Think this could be a problem?

I drove back to my office, climbed out of the truck and Freddy took off. We hadnt come up with any sort of plan. I quickly came to the conclusion things would work out a lot better for me if I could just get some distance between me and Freddy. I spent the afternoon at the window, looking up and down the street when I wasnt watching the front door to the building. Bulldog never showed up.

Chapter Forty-One.

I spent the next three days looking over my shoulder and sleeping behind the couch in Caseys front room. I expected Bulldog to arrive at any moment. I hadnt heard a word from Fat Freddy, and Casey had phoned the last two days wondering when she could come home.

I was convinced it was just a matter of time before Bulldog made a play, but time seemed to be dragging. About the only positive thing that had happened was the contractors had finished, packed up all their tools and were gone.

Now Caseys home was too nice for the likes of me. The rooms were freshly painted, the light fixtures were wired and actually working, the kitchen cabinet doors were on, granite countertops had replaced the sheets of plywood painted black and the bathroom fixtures were all new and sparkling.

After two more days and four phone calls from Casey, I was starting to dial down. Maybe Bulldog had turned his attention into finding Fat Freddy and those two could just work out whatever the final solution would be.

My phone rang late in the afternoon.

Haskell Investigations.

Dev, Casey.

Id already spoken to her twice today. This wasnt going to be good.

Promise me you wont get mad?

I dont know what youre going to tell me, Casey. So, how can I promise if I dont know?

I want to come home.

Weve had this conversation before, I think the last one was about ninety minutes ago.

Dont get mad, I dont need that right now.

Im not mad, yet.

Im going crazy down here, its been fun and everything, but I need to come home. Im tired of running, Dev.

Running? What do you mean running? From what I can tell youve been having a blast, which is more than I can say for some of us up here.

Im going stir crazy.

And youre safe.

I dont care about that, Dev.

I do, just hold on for a little longer. If its about money, dont worry I can send you some. How much do you need?

Its not about money, Dev. Right now its about my sanity. I need to get back up there.

No, Casey.

I already booked a flight.

What?

You heard me, I booked a flight. Ill be back up there two days from now. Ill call you from the airport for a ride. Dev?

Casey, if you come back up here, I dont know that I can protect you. The guy I think murdered Dermot is still out there. Ive no idea where he is or what his plans are. I only know it cant be good.

I dont care, she said and meant it.

And I cant talk you out of this?

No, you cant.

Its a bad idea, Casey.

Well see, she said and hung up.

I went down to The Spot, it had been close to a week since Id darkened the door. I spent the entire night telling lies and buying most of the rounds. I closed the place and took the back streets home. I pulled into the garage then walked through the backyard to the deck. I was halfway up the steps when I saw the back door. It was partially open and from the looks of the frame, the door had been kicked in. Splinters and bits of the frame lay on the floor of the back room and the area around the lock on the door looked cracked. Whoever did this must have had a pretty heavy boot.

I went back to the garage and got a pistol out of the glove compartment then cautiously returned to the house. I carefully stepped into the back room, quietly pushed the damaged door closed then listened for any telltale noise.

I couldnt hear anything, but just to play it safe I slipped off my shoes before I quietly started going through, searching the entire first floor room by room in the dark. I didnt want to turn on a light for fear it would alert any intruder still here.

The odds of some random knucklehead deciding to kick in the door were slim to nonexistent. There was only one name rattling around in my brain, Bulldog. I cautiously crept up the stairs to the second floor then started the process all over again, searching the place room by room in the dark.

The pounding of my heart was getting louder as I worked my way down the hall. The door to the back bedroom was closed. I waited in the hall for a good five minutes, positive Bulldog was in there and just waiting for me.

I finally pushed the door only to find it was closed, firmly. I crouched down and slowly turned the k.n.o.b, after a long moment the k.n.o.b clicked and I leapt forward into the room rolling on the floor with my pistol up ready to fire. The adrenaline was rushing through my veins and my entire system was on high alert. Thankfully, the room was empty.

I approached the closet where the cabinet with the secret panel was, the absolute last place in the house to search.

Ill give you till the count of five to come out or Im going to shoot, I said.

I counted slowly, One, two. At three I went in, finger on the trigger ready to fire. The room was empty, I was breathing heavily, sweating and now stone cold sober. I turned on the light.

The drawers were haphazardly thrown off to the side and the panel at the back of the cabinet was wide open. I was willing to bet whoever was here, and my educated guess was Bulldog, was probably in the house for no more than two minutes. He most likely stormed up here, tossed the drawers to the side and then got the disappointment of his life.

I closed the panel, set the drawers back in the cabinet then turned on the lights as I walked back downstairs. I carried an upholstered chair from the front room through the kitchen and wedged it against the back door, then placed a couple of beer bottles against the door so if someone did happen to come back during the night theyd tip over the bottles and hopefully alert me.

I went through the first floor, this time with the lights on. As near as I could determine nothing had been damaged. As I settled in to sleep on the floor behind the couch in the front room I was positive it had been Bulldog, the nagging concern was, now what?

I think I slept for maybe a total of twenty minutes the rest of the night, and not all at once. What was Bulldogs next move? Would he think the money was stolen by one of the renters while he was serving time? Would he blame Dermot and Casey? The only thing I was sure about was that Bulldog was not the sort of psychopath to just give up.

My thoughts became more positive with the sunrise. I called the contractor first thing that morning and explained the break-in damage to the back door. They were there by midmorning making the necessary repairs. By noon Id calmed down substantially, although it was a fairly warm day I was wearing a sport coat over my T-shirt to cover the shoulder holster.

The rest of the day was mercifully uneventful and I was back at Caseys place before dinner. As calm as I thought I was, I did do another search of the house with my pistol drawn ready to shoot. The only thing I found out of order was a coffee mug one of the contractors had left in the back room.

Chapter Forty-Two.

My phone rang about a half hour later. I had my shoes off, feet up on the coffee table, and I was beginning to relax.

Haskell Investigations.

Dev, are you busy? It was Heidi and she sounded frantic.

You okay?

G.o.d, I saw a mouse in the kitchen.

You should probably go get some traps at the hardware store.

Traps? Cant you come over here and get him.

Maybe h.e.l.l just go away.

Dev!

Okay, okay, just relax.

Relax? Are you kidding? You know what they say if you see one youve got a hundred or something.

I dont think you have a hundred. What could they live on? You never cook.

Could you please just come over, please, please? I promise I will be very grateful. she said.

That last part sounded pretty good. Ill be there in about twenty minutes.

Dont take any longer, the thing could be breeding right now. And bring your gun, maybe two guns.

I took my time. I showered, shaved, brushed my teeth, put on some clean clothes and picked up a bottle of wine at Solo Vino. Then I went to the hardware store and got some traps and poison. When I pulled up in front of her house, Heidi was sitting out on her front steps. She almost ran to the car.

What took you so long?

Im sorry, I was in the middle of something when you called.

Probably a beer.

You want this taken care of? Or, are you just going to b.i.t.c.h me out?

G.o.d, Im afraid to go back into my own house. He ran right along the kitchen wall, the little b.a.s.t.a.r.d.

The thing is about this big, I made a two inch gap between my thumb and forefinger.

Just get him out of there.

Here, I brought you a bottle of wine, I said and handed her the bottle.

Believe me this isnt enough, she said. Whats in the bag?

Some traps and poison and I dont want you to catch him, I want the thing killed and out of my house, isnt that what you do for a living?

No, not exactly. I tell you what, why dont you go pick up some dinner, heres some cash, I said and pulled out two twenties from my front pocket. Ill deal with this.

Okay, my car keys are on the kitchen counter, I think.

I gave her a look.

Im not going back in there, Dev.

All right, let me get them for you, princess.

I got her car keys and handed them to her out in the front yard. Did you see him?

Yeah, he told me his name was Mickey.

This isnt funny, Dev, she said and hit me on the shoulder, then suddenly she looked like she was on the verge of crying.

Ill deal with it, Heidi. You go pick up some dinner and take your time.

She nodded and half ran to her car. I retreated to her kitchen. As usual there was virtually no food in the house except for some crackers and rice cakes in a cupboard above the stove. Everything else was in a can. There were two take out Styrofoam containers in the refrigerator which I didnt have the courage to open and a bottle of mineral water. I found a jar of peanut b.u.t.ter in another cupboard. I baited the traps with peanut b.u.t.ter and some of the puffed rice cake. I figured hed either get caught in the trap or once he saw what there was food-wise he would just take off and go to another house.

Heidi returned a good hour later. She rang the doorbell.