Chapter One

Gretelat Play

The woman in the frumpy tweed overcoat, black wig, and sunglasses leaned forward from her back seat in the black Lincoln. “Stop here, Bruiser.”

The driver, Brewster Blunden, couldn’t shake his Velcro-like nickname nor the woman’s dominance. He pulled over but pointed to the “No Parking” sign on one of the busiest streets in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Because of his six-four frame, his chauffeur’s cap almost touched the ceiling of the Lincoln when he turned to face her. “Sure, you’ll take a chance, Ms. Fox, when my butt is on the line.”

“Now, Bruiser,” she taunted, “a parking ticket would hardly be considered a parole violation. Do as I say or maybe Mr. Schisslinger might find out about your background. Then you’ll be unemployed again. It’s your choice.” She was a full foot shorter than he and relished bossing him around.

Bruiser pulled within inches of the curb. “How’s this, Ms. Fox?”

“See? That wasn’t so hard,” she cooed. “And you don’t have to call me ‘Ms. Fox’ all the time.” He turned to look at her quizzically. “You may call me Boss,” she said.

Ignoring her dig, he returned to his main concern. “You don’t know how policemen think,” Bruiser said. “I was on the force. They’d start with a parking ticket. Then they’d ding me for driving you around without a chauffeur’s license. After that, God knows what. But they’d be on me like stink on—”

“Just use your head,” she interrupted him.

“I’d like to use something else,” he muttered.

“I’d wear you out.” She flipped open her cell phone and dialed. An oily, male voice came on the line. “Sidney Schisslinger. What’s up, Gretel?”

“I’m at the Inner Harbor now. Going to visit Casper Waverly, like you told me. Think I can persuade him to fire Kurt Merchant?”

“Sure. Then we’ll hire Kurt. At half his current salary.”

“You were brilliant to think of this scheme,” she gushed.

“Really?” Sidney’s voice wavered. “Wasn’t it your idea?”

“Don’t be so modest!” she persisted. “Anyway, we’ll get what we want.”

“You always do,” he said dryly.

“Speaking of what we want, has Percy Meeks signed on with us?”

“Tough sell.” Sidney said. “His educational DVDs are great. So he doesn’t think Chimera can improve his public relations.”

“Let me do my number on him,” she rasped.

“Give him a fighting chance!” Sidney ch