Chapter One
- Trouble Walks Through the Door-
Of all the detective agencies on all the worlds in the galaxy, she had to walk into mine.
I knew she was trouble the minute she came through my door. Her dark, almost black hair was perfectly coiffed into a long page boy parted on the side so that the wave on the right almost covered that side of her face. I knew coy when I saw it. Her plum colored hat sat at an angle on her head, the single feather sweeping backward and the mesh veil covered the top of her face down to the nose. I could not see her eyes from this distance. but her eyes were not what she had put on display.
The cut of her matching plum suit was expensive, tailor made for sure, her silk blouse was buttoned up to the bottom of her long neck and ended in rows of lace indicating demureness and purity. Everything else about her denied those perceptions. A single platinum and pearl brooch adorned her lapel and I could see the hint of matching earrings peak out from under her hair when she turned her head. Black leather gloves covered her hands and her black ankle strap heels were the perfect height to accentuate the muscles in her calves where they showed under her 3/4 length skirt. She grasped a small black clutch with a diamond clasp in her left hand.
I have a nose for money and she was old money through and through. New money was loud and transparent, old money was quiet, and hid their secrets well.
I stood up behind my desk and motioned for her to take the seat across from me. She walked slowly from the door, testing the effect her motion had, reading my eyes. She had legs that went all the way to heaven and hips that could birth nations, she used all of it as she came to a stop and extended a gloved hand.
The faintest scent of Corellian orchids reached my nostrils as I took her hand in mine, her grip was stronger than I had imagined. It was the grip of someone who had held a blaster and knew how to use it. Oh, yeah, she was trouble with a capital T.
"Detective Deklinn, my name is Mrs. Coreena Del'Moor and I am in need of your help."
"Please have a seat, Mrs. Del'Moor and tell me what I can do for you."
Dames in need of help were a particular weakness of mine, and this was no ordinary dame.
I finally had a close look at her face. Her skin was flawless, her ice blue eyes could foster dreams or break hearts equally and her lips promised more uses than just an avenue for words. She was perfection and danger all locked up in a tight package that only the foolhardy would want to unwrap and I was already reaching for the ribbons