And I take it you’re Josh? I’m Mike. Come on in.”We conversed for a little while. I started to paw around for some food, and Mike noticed.“Hey... you’re hungry right? Let’s go find my little sister; she was supposed to cook up some lunch. She’s probably by the pool, let’s go.”Awww man, I thought. Now I have to spend the weekend with some 12 year old, probably. I almost wanted to stay home, but my hunger drove me to find her. I walked with Mike, conversing about school, sports, and somehow, girls.. He changed the subject and when Rona returned they decided they had to go. We exchanged phone numbers and wished each other goodnight.~~~~~The next morning I was lounging by the pool, too lazy to walk the few hundred yards to the beach, when a text message arrived. It was from Gerard: “Lunch?” We arranged to meet in the beachside restaurant of their hotel at 1pm.We had a cocktail each and then Gerard stood up and excused himself.“Golf,” he said. “I’ve got a deal on the boil and we’re going to. ..***"Now where, Joe?" Back to the station," said I. "I want to check the records for other similar robberies."***Two hours later Steve showed up at my desk with a huge pile of papers. "You were right, Joe," he said. "There's a series of these heists all across the country. The last one was in Los Angeles, California in 1998... the thieves hit a Frederick's and, three days later, they cleaned out a Victoria's Secret."My eyes narrowed. "So!" I said, triumphantly. "I was right!"Steve gave me a. She would do it much harder, Shemust be an expert. I bring the crop down as hard as I can across the insideof my forearm, catching it with the shaft just below the little leather flap.As the crack reaches my ears the pain sears across my arm. It can only be describedas horrific. I hop around the room with my arm clutched between my thighs trying hardnot to swear. The crop lies where I dropped it. I kneel, rocking back and forwardsfor a few minutes, trying to recover my composure. I realise the.