Chapter 1

"Bloody cats!" Don Flack sneezed again. Jo Danville arched an eyebrow and smiled sympathetically at Don. "Why do I always get the call when a cat's involved? I swear they do it on purpose." he grumbled. Jo shook her head and tried not to laugh as she scooped some cat hair from the body lying in front of her. It was obvious what it was given Don's sneezing but it had to be tested anyway. Jo sighed as she pushed the hair into a bag with tweezers and continued to examine the man in front of her.

"So what do you reckon?" asked Don. "Robbery gone bad?"

"Certainly looks that way." answered Jo. "The perp breaks in via the back door." She glanced over at Adam who was dusting the broken glass on the back door for prints. She watched him check the clarity of the print he had just lifted and place it on the mobile fingerprint scanner before placing the device on the kitchen table hoping for a result.

Adam bent to examine the floor. "J.D. I think there are boot prints. I'm going to get the electro-static print lifter."

Jo raised her hand in acknowledgement before turning back to Don. "They were searching the bureau when our vic must have entered the apartment and challenged him ... or her! They struggle... " Jo stood trying to visualise the two combatants. "... they knock over the lamp, scattering the books, scaring the cat ..." Don looked at Jo in disbelief who merely grinned. "...okay I just added that in for a little extra drama! ... The perp pushes the vic backwards and he falls, banging his head on that coffee table. " Jo pointed to the blood stain on the corner of a low, glass-topped table.

"You think that our perp didn't mean to kill him?" questioned Don.

"Possibly not! There's no evidence that it was premeditated and no evidence that it wasn't. Let's get the vic back to Sid and see what he'd got to say." Jo turned to see Adam enter the room just as the mobile fingerprint scanner bleeped with a result.

Adam grabbed the device from the table and looked at the screen. "Huh!" he frowned and approached Jo and Don. "Fingerprints from the back door indicate a Philip Reynolds. Doesn't the apartment..."

"...belong to Patricia Reynolds? Yeah it does!" Don finished.

Jo looked confused. "What's the relation?"

"Dunno!" replied Adam. "says here that Philip has a D.U.I. Nothing about robbery or B&E!"

"Let me see." demanded Jo comparing the photograph on the hand-held device to the body lying on the floor. "Well it's definitely not Philip Reynolds and it certainly isn't Patricia..." She looked at the gloved hands and the black clothing. "Could this be the burglar?"

"Let's see if we can get a print." Jo handed the device back to Adam and bent to down to remove one of the vic's gloves. She carefully inked a thumb and, taking a transparent film from her kit, transferred the print to the film, smoothing the protective seal down as she checked the clarity, just as Adam had done. Jo handed Adam the print and he placed it on the scanner, and glanced around for Don.

While she was checking the prints, Don had left and come back with a young woman. "Alicia, this is Detective Jo Danville and Adam Ross." They both acknowledged the young woman with a smile. Don encouraged her to move closer. "Alicia lives next door and noticed that the back door was open and alerted the police. Alicia, I know this isn't easy but do you recognize this man?" Don's voice was gentle as he coaxed the young woman to move closer and identify the body.

Alicia swallowed and glanced at the man lying at her feet. "No, I ... wait ..." She leaned a little closer. Her face screwed up as she fought to remember where she had seen him before. "Yes. It's him. I mean ... he came round a week or so ago saying he was from the fire prevention service. He wanted to check the electrical installations. I didn't let him in. My husband says I should never let anyone in when I'm on my own ... Oh! ... Do you think Patricia let him in? ... Oh dear. I do hope she's all right. I mean she's almost 80 and ... not altogether with it, if you know what I mean..." She looked at Don with a worried expression.

"Don't worry Alicia. We'll find her. Let me accompany you home ..." Don escorted her from the room. Jo watched them leave and jumped slightly as Adam's print scanner bleeped.

Adam scowled as he read the summary. "Orville White. Conman. Petty thief. Did 4 years for breaking and entering." Adam showed Jo the picture. "Definitely him!"

Jo looked at Adam. "So ..." Jo's head bounced slightly from side to side as she tried to turn her scenario around in her head. She sensed Don approach behind her. " Orville White cases the place posing as a fire prevention officer, comes back to rob Mrs Reynolds. Philip Reynolds ..."

"...her nephew!" added Don. "Just asked Alicia. He visits every Saturday evening to ensure his aunt is okay."

Jo nodded as she took in the new information. "Philip Reynolds ... her nephew comes home, catches him in the apartment trying to rob his aunt. They struggle..."

"... they knock over the lamp, scattering the books, scaring the cat ..." Don grinned at Jo as he reiterated her earlier words "...and Philip pushes Orville backwards so he falls banging his head on that coffee table. "

Adam looked confused as Jo smirked at Don over their private joke. "So where is Mrs Reynolds and her nephew?"

"Good question!" Jo looked around the empty apartment as though it would provide some answers. She shook her head and signalled for the ME's assistants to take the body. As she did so, she heard Don's phone ring.

Don glanced at the screen surprised and lifted his phone to his ear. "Stella! Hey!." His smile turned to a frown. "You're what? ... You're where? ... He's WHAT? ... Oh you have got to be kidding me ...!"