The Private Eye by Unknown Page B

woman's passion that he could forgo his own without resentment. All Josh wanted in that moment was
    for Maggie to be happy and to know that he was the one who had made her so.
    Maggie eventually collapsed into a soft, warm heap beneath Josh and for a long time he was content to just lie
    there on top of her, savouring the scent and reel of her. The minutes slipped past.
    Maggie shifted slightly at last. “Josh?” she whispered.
    “Mmm?”
    “Josh, that was… quite wonderful.”
    He grinned to himself in the darkness. “Yeah, it was. Never seen anything like it.”
    She laughed softly. “You're teasing me.”
    “No, I'm deadly serious-It was wonderful.” He finally raised his head and kissed the tip of her nose.
    “Oh, dear. I didn't realize. I wasn't thinking. I mean, you didn't – ” She broke off as he silenced her by kissing her
    mouth.
    “No, I didn't. But that's okay, too,” he assured her. “When it happens for me, I want to be deep inside you, Maggie.
    And it's a little too soon for that. You need time to get to know me better. I want you to be sure of me, sweetheart.”
    She shook her head in wonder. “You're playing the noble hero again, aren't you?”
    He frowned. “I've told you, I gave that role up a long time ago.”
    “I don't believe you.” She traced the line of his nose with a soft fingertip.
    Josh opened his mouth to tell her not to get the wrong idea about him, but something stopped him. A tiny sound
    from somewhere in the house. A sound that was not quite normal.
    “Josh? What is it?” Maggie looked up at him. “Is something wrong?”
    “Hush.” He touched her mouth with his fingers, silently warning her. When he knew she had gotten the message,
    he sat up slowly on the sofa.
    The sound came softly down the front hall – a small, muted click that could have been metal on metal. Maggie sat
    up beside Josh, fumbling with the buttons of her dress. He could feel her watching him and knew she wanted to ask
    questions. But she obviously knew when to follow instructions. She kept silent.
    Josh touched her shoulder and put his mouth to her ear. “Stay here. Don't move.”
    She nodded and then put her lips next to his ear. “Call police?”
    “No. Not yet. But be ready.” He stood and moved to the door of the parlour. He listened intently, straining to hear
    the soft clinking sound before he stepped out into the hall. He caught it echoing faintly and knew for certain, now, that
    it was coming from the basement.
    Josh limped forward and silently cursed the weakness of his still-healing left foot. He went quietly down the
    darkened hall, his bare feet making no sound on the carpet. When he reached the door that opened on the basement
    stairs he hesitated once more.
    Silence .
    Josh unlocked the door and opened it. The hinges made only the faintest whisper of sound. The stairs to the
    basement descended into an inky darkness. If there was anyone down there, Josh thought, he had the eyes of a cat.
    But his instincts told him the basement was empty.
    Josh waited another moment and then decided to chance the light. He flattened himself against the wall and
    crouched low. There was no need to make a target out of himself, just in case someone was hiding among the wine
    bins and filing cabinets. He reached up over his head to flip the light switch.
    The lights came on and Josh swept the large room below in a single glance. The basement was empty. He
    straightened slowly. “Maggie?” he called softly over his shoulder.
    “Right here.” She hurried barefoot down the hall. “Is everything all right?”
    “Yeah, I think so, I was sure I heard something, though. I'm going to go on down and take a closer look.” He
    started down the stairs, using the handrail to take the weight off his bad foot. Maggie floated along behind him like a
    nervous little ghost.
    The cold draft that swept the room caught Josh's attention first. He glanced toward the two narrow, ground-level
    windows near the basement