“Why, sure.” He gave her a quick, intimate squeeze. “We got this breakage insurance. So I’ll just have old Bobby there put down like one got busted. That’s all there is to it.”

“Really?” She tossed her head, moving just far enough out of reach that she could easily slip a hand into her bag. “That’s great, Eddie. But it looks to me like you’re the one who’s busted.”

She pulled out a nickel-plated 38.

“A cop!” Bobby nearly screeched the words, while Eddie’s face settled into a thoughtful frown. “Jeez, Eddie, she’s a cop!”

“There you go. Don’t,” she warned as Bobby edged to the door. “Just have a seat, Bobby. On the floor there. And sit on your hands, will you?”

“You bitch,” Eddie said, in a considering voice that put Mel on guard. “I should’ve smelled cop.”

“I’m private,” she told him. “That might be the reason.” She gestured with the gun. “Let’s take it outside, Eddie.”

“No woman’s going to double-cross me—gun or no gun.”

He lunged.

She didn’t want to shoot him. She really didn’t. He wasn’t anything more than a fat, second-rate thief, and he didn’t deserve a bullet. Instead, she twisted, veering left and counting on her speed and agility and his beer-induced sluggishness.

He missed and rammed headlong into a twenty-five-inch screen. Mel wasn’t sure who was the victor, but the screen cracked like an egg, and Eddie went down hard.

There was a sound behind her. When she whirled she had time to see Sebastian wrap an arm around Bobby’s throat. One quick squeeze had him dropping the hammer he’d been lifting over Mel’s head.

“It probably wouldn’t have made a dent,” Sebastian said between his teeth as Bobby crumpled bonelessly to the concrete floor. “You didn’t tell me you had a gun.”

“I didn’t think I had to. You’re supposed to be psychic.”

Sebastian picked up the hammer, tapping it gently against his palm. “Keep it up, Sutherland.”

She merely shrugged and took another look at the loot. “Nice haul. Why don’t you go call the cops? I’ll keep an eye on these two.”

“Fine.” He was sure it was too much to expect her to thank him for saving her from a concussion, or worse. The best he could do was slam the door behind him.

*  *  *

It was nearly an hour later when Sebastian stood by and watched Mel sitting on the hood of her car. She was going over the fine details with what appeared to be a very disgruntled detective.

Haverman, Sebastian remembered. He’d run into him once or twice.

Then he dismissed the cop and concentrated on Mel.