“More like seconds. The buttons don’t open. They’re just for appearance. There’s a zipper underneath. Actually, the blouse and the skirt are all one piece. I had it made that way because I’m always late. Clever, huh?”

“Clever doesn’t even come close.”

Kate acknowledged his appreciation of her easy-to-get-out-of dress with a grim smile. Like Elsie said—the man had plans. The fact that she found those plans appealing was a little frightening. She locked eyes briefly with Dave in a mutual, silent admission of attraction, then she followed Elsie into the house.

Dave trailed Kate into the kitchen. “So what’s this business about someone on the roof?”

Elsie took a seat opposite the portable television on the kitchen table. “It must have been about five-thirty because it was just dark out, and I was putting my stuff away when I heard footsteps up there. They were soft. Someone was being real careful, but I got ears like an elephant. I hear everything. So I went up to the third floor, and sure enough, someone was sliding that piece of fence back. I said, ‘Hold it right there, or I’ll blow your damn brains out,’ then I decided I didn’t like the way he looked, so I blasted him one.”

Kate felt the blood drain from her face. “My Lord, did you kill him?”

“Nah, he jumped back. Besides, I never shoot to kill. It’s better if you get them in the privates. Nobody bothers you once you shoot someone in the privates. Word gets out.”

Dave crossed his arms loosely over his chest and tried not to smile. “It’d slow me down.”

“I looked out the back window, and there was another one, standing in the yard,” Elsie said. “Soon as he saw me he took off.”

“You didn’t shoot at him?” Dave asked.

“Well, yeah, I did. Dug up a little ground about six inches in front of his shoe. I was aiming for his foot, but I missed. You see, it’s one thing to shoot people in the privates when they’re breaking into your house, but you gotta be careful about people that’re just in your yard. The police don’t like it.”

Dave’s mouth twitched at the corners. “How’d the guy on the roof escape?”

“He hopped from house to house, and I lost sight of him. This sort of thing happen a lot?” Elsie demanded, looking at Kate.

Kate groaned. “I need a cup of tea.”

“I think it’s got something to do with the helicopter part,” Elsie said. “Those two were looking for something.”

Kate put a pot of water on to boil. “Why do you say that?”

“I’ve seen homeless people with more stuff than you. You’d have to be nuts to try to rob this house.”

“Maybe they thought I sold all my furniture to buy drugs, and they were after the drugs.”