CHAPTER ONE

      ‘I JUST DO not believe it!’ muttered Christa Lennox. ‘What the hell is that man doing?’

      Titan, the Border terrier, lying at the foot of Christa’s desk, sprang up and looked at her enquiringly with head cocked to one side.

      ‘Don’t bark, Titan!’ she warned him sternly.

      She opened the window and leaned forward to get a better view of the opposite wall, squinting through the dancing shadows of the trees nearby. Her gaze was riveted on a man perched precariously at the top of a ladder, hacking away at the guttering and filling a sack suspended from a rung.

      Yet another thieving toerag trying to take what he could—and in broad daylight too! Well, she’d darned well show him he wasn’t going to get away with it—two burglaries in a fortnight were two too many! On top of the tragedy of dear Isobel dying so suddenly three weeks ago, it was just all too much...

      Christa swung away from the surgery window and raced through Reception, closely followed by Titan. She ran towards the ladder at the side of the car park, her auburn hair escaping from its clips and springing out in a mad bob. No point in ringing the police on a Sunday—it would take hours for them to come.

      She and Titan skidded to a halt at the bottom of the ladder.

      ‘If you’re trying to nick lead from the roof, you’re too late—it’s all gone!’ she yelled up at the man. ‘Get down now, or I’ll call the police!’

      Titan joined in by barking ferociously and adding an extra growl or two for good measure. The man twisted round and looked down, frowning. He had tied a large handkerchief round his lower face so that only his eyes were visible. Trying to remain anonymous, thought Christa scornfully. ‘Titan! Titan! Be quiet!’ she commanded.

      The dog lay down, panting with its tongue lolling out, and watched her adoringly. The man’s glance flicked over to Christa, slowly taking in her angry upturned face and sweeping over her indignant figure.

      There was a pause before he said rather irritably, ‘Well—what is it?’

      Christa, put her hands on her hips. ‘I want to know what on earth you’re doing up there!’

      He raised an eyebrow. ‘Excuse me?’

      ‘Could you tell me why you’re on the roof?’

      The man leaned on the ladder, a flash of annoyance in the clear blue eyes that met hers, then whipped the handkerchief from his face, revealing tanned good looks and an irritated expression.

      ‘Not that it’s anything to do with you, but I’m examining the guttering—it looks as if it’s on its last legs.’

      Christa wasn’t to be put off. ‘Examining the guttering, my foot!’ she said angrily. ‘Come down now!’ she ordered. ‘I can’t carry on a conversation when you’re up there!’

      He shrugged, half-amused. ‘Oh, for God’s sake...of all the bossy women...’ He descended the ladder, leaping lightly down the last three rungs, and the little dog sprang up and would have thrown himself at the man’s legs if Christa hadn’t grabbed his collar.

      ‘Don’t worry, Titan—I can handle this...’

      Titan sank back unwillingly and Christa turned back to the man and demanded peremptorily, ‘Well? What have you got to say for yourself?’

      He leaned against the wall in front of her with hands stuffed into his pockets, his eyes narrowed, ranging coolly over her. ‘Do you always sound like a headmistress? Now just what’s bugging you?’

      A moment’s doubt—could this guy really be a thief? He seemed so assured, so...brazen. Surely a thief would have taken off by now? He stared at her boldly, and she