Fast Crimes by Simon Wood

Author:Simon Wood
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dark Wood Books

The Polite Intruder

The bang came from downstairs. Merlin and Willow barked and Patricia froze. The dogs could have been barking at someone walking by, as usual, but she knew they weren’t. Someone had broken into the house. She stood back from the bathtub, dried her hands on a towel and went downstairs.

A smart woman in her advanced years would have stayed upstairs and called 911. But Merlin and Willow were dachshunds and no match for the feeblest of housebreakers. She descended the stairs knowing full well that she might have to fight for her life.

Patricia’s fears of being harmed dissolved when she opened the kitchen door, the towel still in hand. Merlin and Willow had a frightened looking youth, no older than twenty, pinned against the wall with their growls. The kid was most at risk here, not her. She snapped the towel taut in her hands, garrote style. Intimidation did wonders.

“How did you get in here?” The authority in Patricia’s voice surprised her.

“Over the back fence, ma’am,” he replied.

Patricia liked the “ma’am.”

“And what do you want?”

“Nothing.”

Patricia frowned. “No one breaks into a house for nothing.”

“Okay, I was hiding.”

That put Patricia off her stroke. It was the last thing she was expecting to hear. She softened, sympathizing with the boy.

“From whom?”

“Two guys.” He took a step forward, but Merlin’s growl stopped him.

“Stay right there. What guys?”

“I don’t know. They chased me. I think they were after my wallet. I outran them, but I wanted to lie low for a few, just to make sure. I didn’t mean to scare you. Sorry. Can I have some tea?”

Cheeky, Patricia thought, but tea was a good idea—it would calm her nerves. “No, you can’t.”

Putting the water on to boil for herself, Patricia eyed her fugitive. His clothes were ruffled and sweat streaked his forehead. He seemed to be telling the truth. He’d certainly been running, but from whom was another question.

“So let me get this straight. Two guys you don’t know chased after you for no reason?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Patricia smiled. She’d never get tired of hearing that. Maybe she’d adopt him. No one else ever showed her that kind of respect.

“Sit down there.” She pointed to the stools by the breakfast bar. “Merlin, Willow, leave him alone.”

The dogs parted. He smiled and sat. “Thanks.”

“Hands on the bar where I can see them,” she commanded. “Now, what’s your name?”

“David.”

“David, are you telling me the truth?”

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”

He was offended. But even she could look offended with the best of them when her bluff had been called. It didn’t mean she was telling the truth.

“David, consider how this looks to me. A stranger bursts into my home on a weekday afternoon and tries to sell me some sob story about urban bandits, when the stranger actually is an opportunistic burglar. How’s that sound?”

“Lady, you’re wrong.”

Lady! What happened to ma’am? She knocked off two points for that.

“Honest! I was being chased.” He jumped off the stool, which tumbled back.

“Sit back down.” Patricia retreated to the knife block and let her hand hover over the array of handles.

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