[Colleens_Husband]

The rain was pounding on the windows of the Jim Rockhead Detective Agency's second story office on the corner of Murray Boulevard and 1st Avenue. Jim Rockhead was sitting behind his shabby desk in his soaked and shabby suit coat. He glanced at the Santa Cruz Gazette and saw the headlines, "Body Found Under The Boardwalk Believed to be Danny Vavoom".

"That's tough luck for Danny, " thought Jim, "he was the only decent member of the Vavoom family other than the old man, but he had worked himself into the hospital."

"Oh well," he sighed, "I've got other fish to fry."

By 'other fish', what he really meant was a 500 dollar reward for finding Mrs. Ellingfish's pomeranian. "Where can that pampered mutt be?" he wondered aloud. He had already exhausted all his leads and he was sick and tired of sniffing fire hydrants.

Jim thoughtlessly sifted through the pile of unpaid bills and last notices on his desk when something which was beginning to happen all too infrequently happened, a knock on the door.

"Come in" growled Jim.

The door flew open and outlined in the light from the naked bulb in the hallway was her. "Oh no." groaned Jim.

It was none other than that socialite gadfly, Valerie Vavoom. She looked as if she was poured into her dark red cocktail dress and someone forgot to say when. She was meticulously groomed to not look meticulous from her red stiletto heals to her crimson pillbox hat. She was trouble with a capital 'RUBBLE', as in the social and emotional rubble of her spoiled trifling of young mens hearts. It couldn't be coincidence that Danny Vavoom was missing and Valerie Vavoom was in my office.

"I'm sorry miss, but I'm not taking any appointments today" said Jim gruffly.

Valerie opened her mouth to speak, reached for an embroidered handkerchief and started to openly sob.

"What's with dames and the waterworks?" Jim wondered to himself. "I'm in over my head on this one and I haven' even figured out what she wants me for. I should throw her out of my office. My office? The rent is due tomorrow and it won't be my office anymore. No more Jim Rockhead Detective Agency, no more hunting for Mrs. Ellingfish's dogs, back to work at the spray cheese factory, and no more second story window overlooking the bathing suit optional beach. His mind was made up!

"Ms. Vavoom, how may I help you?" ............