Law and Disorder Read Online Free Page A

of delaying Brugel’s trial that little bit more.”

    The blanket of humidity actually seemed to lift when the thunderstorm broke at around ten that evening. Lightning lit up the sky, rain slashed down in sheets, thunder boomed. I counted, one two three seconds. Not so very far away. It finally occurred to me that some of the booms were coming from the front door.
    Gussie, the purely temporary dog in my household, lay snoring on the sofa. He managed to continue sleeping through thunderstorm and banging.
    When I whipped open the door, preparing to snarl, Bunny Mayhew stood there, shivering. Tonight the golden burglar boy had lost his lustre. His sandy hair was dark and stringy.
    He glanced over his shoulder, then turned those puppy dog eyes on me. “Aren’t you going to let me in, Camilla? It’s horrible out here.”
    I stood back. “I thought you were going to wait for me outside the courthouse. How did you find out where I live?”
    A look of hurt flickered across his movie star features. Even rivulets of rain and hair hanging in damp strands can’t take anything away from our Bunny. “I’m a burglar, not an idiot.”
    “In that case, there’s no keeping you out, I suppose.” I gestured for him to follow me.
    “It’s a terrible thing,” he said, as he stood and shook in the hallway. “I don’t know what to do. Or what to think. It’s like a nightmare.”
    I rubbed my temple. “I’m beginning to get the nightmare part.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “Forget that. Just tell me what exactly the terrible thing is, and we can all get on with our lives.”
    “That’s why I’m here.”
    “You’re dripping wet and you’re shivering. Let me get you a cup of tea.” I always end up feeling sorry for Bunny, even though it took me a while to let him come in out of the pouring rain. “While I’m getting it, just tell me what the problem is. Succinctly.”
    Alvin took that moment to stick his beaky nose around the corner. “What’s going on? Oh, hello, Bunny. Do you need a towel?”
    “Hey, Alvin.” Bunny’s smile, the one that Elaine refers to as “the beatific burglar”, spread across his face.
    Damn. I hoped they wouldn’t get into a long chinwag. Between Bunny and Alvin, the world could grind to a halt.
    Alvin was already halfway up the stairs.. There was no point in hanging around waiting for him to come down. He could get distracted in an infinite number of ways. I headed toward the kitchen. Bunny followed, dripping water in small well-formed puddles.
    “What is the terrible situation you need to talk about, Bunny?” I said as I reached for the kettle.
    From the covered bird cage in the corner, Lester, or possibly Pierre, gave a disgruntled chirp.
    “You know, the thing with Rollie Thorsten.”
    Alvin called down the stairs, “Do you mind if I bring one of your towels, Camilla? They’re nice and they’re clean.”
    As if it mattered what I said. I plugged in the kettle and kept cool. “Whatever.”
    Bunny said, “He always seems very nice.”
    I stopped and turned around. “Have a seat, Bunny. And don’t let yourself be fooled by Alvin. Stay on topic. What about the thing with Rollie Thorsten?”
    Bunny settled damply at the smart little bistro set by the side wall of the kitchen, in front of an exuberant faux grapevine which curled around a couple of Corinthian columns. He was looking perplexed.
    “He’s a bit young for you, though. And I’m not sure about the ponytail and the earrings. I would have thought you’d be more likely to go out with some kind of NDP speech writer or—”
    “Earth to Bunny, Alvin is my office assistant.”
    “But this is your home and it’s ten at night and he’s here.”
    “He has accommodation issues. So Rollie Thorsten? What about him? Are you looking for details about his death? Because I don’t have any.”
    Bunny’s voice went up an octave. “Of course, his death. What else would I… What’s that on your ceiling?”
    “Grapes,” I said.