Unraveling was the only word that Cole could come up with for the situation. First this over-sized oaf had the gall to desecrate his sanctum. Then the impetuous girl had to show up uninvited, though on a different night perhaps not unwelcome. Now some octogenarian had wild ideas and two loads of buckshot to back them up.

Truths, lies, and misdirections flitted about his agile brain like magnificent butterflies. All he had to do was net the correct one for the moment, open his mouth, and present it in all its alluring beauty. Bad as it seemed, the situation could be salvaged and the coincidences explained, as long as…

A faint grind of metal, and the clunk of a locking mechanism disrupted Cole’s mercurial thought process. Had anyone else heard? Was that locking or unlocking? Could the ogre be that stupid?

Agent Lefleur answered that question as he whipped around and barked, “Freeze!” over Cole’s right shoulder into the semi-darkness of the house.

Chaos would come of this, but chaos meant opportunity.