I yawned and tipped back a cup of coffee. Ever since my meeting with Tres Gunn, I'd been trying to piece together all the information I'd gotten so it would make sense. A real P.I. coming to see me? I still couldn't believe it. But he only wanted to know about my access to the Velveteen. I started to make a list of the things I knew about that could be related to the murder.

1. There was a partially-eaten muffin beside Shamus. That could point to poisoning.

2. Shamus has a widow: Louise. But Louise didn't kill Shamus. (According to Billy.)

3. Bruce Buchanan worked for Shamus. He and Shamus argued about money. Probably Shamus's money since he's the mob boss.

4. Buck Buchanan was over in NoLuk territory a few nights after Shamus was killed. (But he didn't remember until I mentioned it to him.)

Just from that list, it seemed as though Bruce Buchanan had a pretty good motive for killing Shamus. But then there was Louise. Billy had been so adamant that she wasn't the killer. I had a hard time picturing that sheba killing anyone. In the stories, it's always love or money that motivates the killer.

"But this isn't a story," I muttered, staring down at the newspaper on my lap. I'd flipped through the paper, trying to find anything that could help me. There wasn't anything helpful, but there was a tiny article about how Tres Gunn had been mugged.

"What's not a story?" Billy's voice came from right behind me and he snatched the sheet of paper I'd been writing on. I knew I should have locked the door.

I stood up and whirled around so fast that my hair got stuck on the wrong side of my face. "Why are you sneaking up on me like I'm a criminal? I could have stabbed you with a pencil!"

He brushed my hair away, moved very close, and whispered in my ear, "You are a criminal, Miss O'Cappella. I've got to keep a close eye on you because I'm still very much in danger of you stealing my affections...so deal with it."

I crossed my arms and tried not to show how his presence and words made my mind go to mush. "I am dealing with it, Officer McCarty. Unless you'd like to find yourself on the way to the hospital with a pencil wound and a case of lead poisoning, I suggest you move away."

He wrapped one arm around my waist and my eyes got big. "You've heard of the long arm of the law, haven't you, Doll? There's no getting away for you." He clicked his tongue and grinned. "You know what? That's one more thing to add to your rap sheet: pre-mediated assault." He scanned the list I had made and pretended to scribble my next offense on the paper before tucking it in his pocket.

I sighed and rested my head on his shoulder. Like he said, there was no getting away, and...well, it felt so nice to have someone to lean on. "You always come out on top, don't you, Officer? It doesn't take anything more than a mention of that badge to shut me up." I directed a glare at the badge.

Billy's hand tipped my chin upwards so I was looking into his eyes. "I'd try other means, but someone told me I had to earn the privilege. You haven't reconsidered, have you?"

Oh, if you only knew. I grinned and answered impudently, "I didn't say that, you did. And...you know, I think you're not as bad as you seem."

"Is...that so?" He asked slowly, winding my curls around his fingers. "I still want to earn that privilege, Annie. This is one thing I won't coerce you into doing. If you kiss me, there'll be no excuses. It'll be only because you wanted to."

That was different. I'd gotten used to Neil's friends, who never asked. "Who needs excuses?" I gulped, then leaned up to kiss him. It was as quick and soft as a dusting of powdered sugar over a muffin, but the kiss felt perfect. "I don't."

"Now who's come out on top?" Billy smiled, but I couldn't see beyond the smile. Was he happy? Confused?

I sure was confused. "How am I on top? You're still holding all the cards, Billy." And he was. Wasn't he?

"You're not ready for that answer, Annie girl."

I stuck out my lower lip. "Oh, fine...if you don't trust me..." I let my sentence trail off as I gazed up at him expectantly.

"It's not that." Billy looked down gravely at me. "It might put you in an even more precarious position, don't you think?"

I leaned back a little and wobbled in my high heels. "I'm already in a precarious position, aren't I? I'm running all over God's grey city to find information for you." I stuck a finger on his badge and pushed. "Why, I even tracked someone all the way to the Dancing Duck!" And what a waste of time that turned out to be.

Billy drew me in closer again. "The Dancing Duck! Have you lost your mind, woman?"

For no reason at all, I giggled. "Maybe...maybe I lost it over you. But why is that so upsetting? If it bothers you so much, you shouldn't have told me to go looking for information!"

He heaved an exasperated sigh, one like I'd heard thousands of times from Neil. "I wanted you to continue what you were already doing. Go to the speakeasies and clubs and tell me anything you might have learned. I didn't tell you to go snooping around NoLuk territory or other places you could get killed!"

Snooping? My snooping had taken me countless miles on foot over the last few days. I was tired, and I didn't care about what McCarty had said or not said. I drew myself up and replied angrily. "Well, your little police raid on the Velveteen hasn't made my job any easier! Everyone's afraid now! I have to remember who I've seen in the speakeasies that might know something, then track them down. If I'm so much trouble, why did you even make this deal with me in the first place?"

"I don't know, Miss O'Cappella! I don't know why I didn't just take you to jail in the first place!"

My heart leaped into my mouth. It wasn't just the thought of jail, it was the thought that Billy McCarty wouldn't be around anymore. "I'm sorry!" I apologized. "Don't go back on the deal, please, Billy!"

"I'm sorry too, Annie. Tres told me something that's got me questioning everything." Billy ran a hand through his hair. "Look, you're off the hook. I'll find another way to get information. Thanks for trying...and good luck with your book."

"What?" I suddenly had trouble breathing. "You mean I don't have to help you anymore? And you won't turn me in?"

"That's right." Billy shoved his hands in his pockets with something between a smile and a grimace.

"B-but...why?" I blinked several times, feeling tears in my eyes.

"Why?" Billy's eyebrows shot up. "You're one of the most confusing dames I've ever met! You fuss about me sending you to the cooler, then when I let you off the hook, you ask me why?"

"I'm the one who should be confused!" I gulped. "You asked for my help and acted like...like you were in love with me...and now you're just walking away?"

Billy laughed and the sound grated on my ears. "Love? Annie, this isn't one of your stories." He tucked my hair behind my ear, put his hand on the doorknob, and turned back to me. "Just promise me you'll stay out of this from now on."

"I...I promise." I could barely get the words out, but I hid my hand behind my back and crossed my fingers. I've never stayed out of anything in my life!

Billy flashed a quick, tired smile at me. The door opened and closed and Billy McCarty was gone. I leaned my forehead against the door and tried not to cry. I need fresh air. I pulled on my coat and headed outside, making sure to take a different direction than Billy had. I brushed past several people, including a heavy-set policeman who huffed as I went by and stared after me with a frown on his face. I stomped through every puddle, hugging my arms to my chest. He tricked me! Made me think he could actually care about me...and then he leaves! He's just like the men in Shamus's gang! At least he got what he wanted...information about the murder. Maybe if I'd played my cards right, I could have gotten him to stay longer so we could talk things out.

I didn't pay any attention to where I was going until my foot bumped against a decorative lion statue. I looked up and found myself on NoLuk territory again. I shook my head angrily and blinked back tears. I'd always wondered why Neil had picked a flat so close to the NoLuks...until the first night he came back from a fight. He'd let me watch a few fights, but my presence distracted him, so he asked me to stay at home.

That was how I'd gotten involved with Shamus's gang. Neil had to find some way to keep me occupied so I wouldn't follow him, so he introduced me to some of his friends in the gang. They were wild about me, so it wasn't long before I had a string of eager mobsters waiting outside my door to keep me company on fight nights.

"Stupid, stupid, Annie O'Cappella!" I choked out the words at the lion. "Why didn't you just stay at home and find a dumb accountant to settle down with?" The lion didn't answer. I sniffed and turned away.

"Annie O'Cappella?" My way was blocked by several Chinese men. I gulped and glanced behind me, hoping to see Billy coming after me. Instead, I saw a figure who was definitely not Billy duck behind a wall. I don't even have any pencils...as if those would be of any use. "We're looking for Neil O'Cappella."

I took a step backwards. "Neil is dead." The words hurt every time I said them, but this time it was all I could do to speak.

"I don't believe you. If he isn't yet, he will be soon." One of the men cracked his knuckles and took me by the arm. "If you don't want to be fitted for a BG overcoat, you'll tell us where he is."