David let go of her arm, and they gave each other a polite nod. Alex took the bag from her partner, and solemnly winked. He gave her an embarrassed shrug, then concentrated on his camera.

Teren motioned to Alex with her head. “Let’s go.” She started across the street, Alex at her heels.

The front door of the house couldn’t actually be seen from the street. It was hidden behind an iron gate set into a brick wall that ran around the front patio. Teren was glad for the privacy the wall provided, but was worried about it for the same reason. It meant that she and Alex would be out of David’s sight for at least the time it took to get the door open. She thought again about using a window, but decided against it.

They approached the front door, Teren in front, with Alex a step or two behind.

“Alex, stay put by the gate. I want you to be able to see David.”

“Do you really think there are traps in here?”

“I don’t know. I kind of doubt it, but George was a sick son-of-a-bitch. I wouldn’t put it past him to have rigged a shotgun to the door.”

“How would you disable something like that?”

“Depends on how it’s rigged.” Teren dropped to her knees by the front door, examining the lock. She pulled out a small black case from her inner jacket pocket and opened it. “Most of the time it’s easier to just get out of the way.”

Alex watched as Teren placed a small flashlight in her mouth, training the beam on the door lock. She concentrated on the lock, while Alex divided her attention between the door, and her partner back beside the car.

“So, that’s your partner, huh?”

“Yeah. A little rough, but a good guy.”

“I think I intimidate him.”

Alex smiled. “You could be right.”

Teren looked up at Alex. “But he’s got balls, I’ll give him that.” She grinned, then looked back at the door.

There was a soft click, and Teren pocketed her set of lock picks. She took the flashlight and shone it around the door frame, looking especially close at the hinges. She nodded once, and muttered something.

“Alex, step outside the wall, okay? I think there’s something rigged, but I can’t tell what or where it’s directed.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to wait until you’re on the other side of the wall, and then I’m going to open the door.”

Alex started to protest, but was stopped by a look from the taller woman.

“Right, outside the wall, gotcha.” She ducked outside.

Teren took another look at the frame and then flattened her back to the wall beside the door. She drew a .45 from her waistband, and gripped the door handle, turning it ever so slowly. When it had gone as far as it would, she shoved the door inward, making sure to pull her arm back and stay well away from the opening.

For a second she thought she was wrong, but then she heard two tell-tale clicks and a high-pitched whine, followed by a soft thump-thump from the wall across from her. She waited a moment longer, and stepped away from the wall, peering into the darkness of the room. She could see the shine of her flashlight off the metal of the two suppressed handguns that had each been taped to a tripod. She entered the room cautiously, looking for evidence of further traps.

“Teren?” Alex’s voice came from the gate behind Teren.

“Stay put for a minute, Alex.”

Alex waited, as patiently as she could. Her hand drifted into her jacket, resting on the butt of her gun in its holster.

Finally, there was a flood of light from the inside of the house, and Teren called softly that Alex could join her. Alex moved quietly to the doorway, and stared at the guns, which were aimed directly at her.

“Teren, did they —”

“Fire? Yeah. If it was light we could probably find the slugs in the walls. I’ll leave it for your forensic guys.”

Alex nodded. “Is it safe to call David in?”

“Sure, give him a wave. Just remind him to be careful.”

“Right.” Alex ducked back outside, slipping through the gate and waving to David. He saw her, and crossed the street and lawn at a trot.

“Everything go okay? I saw you standing outside the wall here.”

“Yeah, everything went fine. Teren picked the lock, then opened the door, and got out of the way of the bullets.”

David stopped in his tracks. “Bullets?”

“Yeah. Come on. And don’t touch anything ‘til Teren says you can.”

“Right. No touching. Why do I feel like a kid in a china shop?”

*******************************************************

It may not have been a china shop, but it wasn’t exactly safe either. It didn’t take long for David to provide them all with a graphic demonstration of this fact.

He reached for the doorknob of what presumably was a bedroom.

“I wouldn’t do that, David.”

“Why not? It’s just a door.” David turned the handle and pushed the door open. He turned away from Teren in time to see the blade of an axe swinging down from the ceiling, directly at his head.

It was stopped less than three inches from his nose. When David could breathe again, he turned and looked at Teren, who was holding the axe just above the blade.

“Thanks. I think I’ll just find a corner and sit still until you’re ready.”

“Good idea.”

It took another half hour before Teren decided it was safe. By that time she had discovered and dismantled half a dozen traps, not including the ones on the front door, and the bedroom door.

“Okay. I think we’re clear. But, please, be careful if you want to open something. I’m telling you, George was insane, and he’d rig a trap just for the hell of it. If you even think there’s something wrong, don’t touch it, don’t move, just call me.”

The house was aone level ranch style, with the living room to the left of the front door. The dining room was connected to the living room, there being no walls between the two. The kitchen was to the left of the dining room, with an open doorway allowing access between the rooms. To the right of the main area, a short corridor led to a linen closet. Down that hall were two bedrooms, and a bathroom. It had been Mather’s bedroom door that David had nearly lost his head in.

David began photographing each room, from several angles. Teren disappeared into what had been Mather’s bedroom. Alex, trying not to disturb things, began going through a stack of papers on the dining room table.

“It appears our crispy critters were leasing this place. There are receipts here for their rent, which they paid in cash.”

“These guys did everything with cash. I guess that’s the best way to not leave a trail.”

“Yeah, but only if you destroy the receipts. These guys kept them. There are receipts here for everything from gas and food, to the guns that Darryl bought. There’s even something from a pawnshop .”

“Wonder what they were trying to pawn.”

“And I’m wondering why they were trying to pawn anything. It’s not like they needed the money.”

“Is it a pawn ticket, or a receipt from a sale?”

Alex looked at the sheet carefully. “Neither. It’s actually an offer, in writing, to buy a silver chalice.”

“A chalice, you mean like a cup?”

“Yes.”

“Who would want to buy that?”

“I don’t know, but the offer sheet is made out Perry Watson, listing him as the owner. And the offer is over five thousand dollars for this cup.”

David stopped and turned to Alex. “Five grand?”

“Un-huh.”

“And its made out to Watson?”

“What’s made out to Watson?” Teren returned carrying a grey case.

“This offer sheet. It has Watson listed as the owner of a silver chalice worth five grand. It’s dated about six weeks ago.”

Teren put the small suitcase down, and took the paper from Alex. “Damn. That son-of-a-bitch was using Perry’s name for everything.”

“Looks like it.” Alex glanced at the case by Teren’s feet. “What’s with the briefcase?”

“Oh. I thought you might want this.” She picked up the case and set it on the table, opening it. Inside was a rifle and scope, broken down into its parts.