BNB inc A single

BNB inc

A single, aluminum-framed window was blocked by cheap, white mini-blinds.The slats tilted to the left, left a triangle of peep-space. Milotook advantage, shading his eyes with his hands and peering in.
“Looks like one room…and a bathroom with the light on.” He straightened.“Some guy’s in there peeing, let’s give him time to zip up.”
Another plane took off.
“That one’s Aspenfor sure,” he said.
“How can you tell?”
“Happy sound from the engines.” He knocked and opened the door.
A man stood by a cheap, wooden desk staring at us. He’d forgotten to zip thefly of his khaki Dockers and a corner of blue shirt peeked out. The shirt wassilk, oversized and baggy, a stone-washed texture that had been fashionable adecade ago. The khakis sagged on his skinny frame. No belt. Scuffed brown pennyloafers, white socks.
He was short—five five or six—looked to be around fifty, with down-slantedmedium brown eyes and curly gray hair cut in a tight Caesar cap. White fuzz onthe back of his neck said it was time for a trim. Same for a two-day growth ofsalt-and-pepper beard. Hollow cheeks, angular features, except for his nose.
Shiny little button that gave his face an elfin cast. Either he’d used thesame surgeon as his sister or stingy nasal endowment was a dominant Dowd trait.
Milo said, “Mr. Dowd?”
Shy smile. “I’m Billy.” The badge made him blink. His hand brushed thecorner of shirttail and he stiffened. Zipped his fly,Replica Designer Handbags. “Oops.”
Billy Dowd breathed into his hand. “Need my Altoids…where did I put them?”
Turning four pockets inside out, he produced nothing but lint that landed onthin, gray carpet. A check of his shirt pocket finally located the mints.Popping one in his mouth and chewing, he held out the tin. “Want some?”
“No, thanks, sir.”
Billy Dowd perched on the edge of his desk. Across the room was a larger,more substantial work station: carved oak replica of a rolltop, flat-screencomputer monitor, the rest of the components tucked out of view.
Brown walls. The only thing hanging a Humane Society calendar. Trio of tabbykittens staking a claim on ultimate cute.
Billy Dowd chewed another mint. “So…what’s happening?”
“You don’t seem surprised we’re here, Mr. Dowd.”
Billy blinked some more. “It’s not the only time.”
“That you’ve spoken to police?”
“Yup.”
“When were the others?”
Billy’s brow creased. “The second I’d have to say was last year? One of thetenants—we’ve got a lot of tenants, my brother and sister and me, and last yearone of them was stealing computer stuff. A policeman from Pasadena came over and talked to us. We saidokay, arrest him,link, he pays late anyway.”
“Did they?”
“Uh-uh. He ran away and escaped. Took the lightbulbs, messed the place up,Brad wasn’t happy. But then we got another tenant pretty soon and he got happy.Real nice people. Insurance agents, Mr. and Mrs. Rose,Fake Designer Handbags, they pay on time.”
“What was the name of the dishonest tenant?”
“I’d have to say…” Slowly spreading smile. “I’d have to say I don’t know.You can ask my brother, he’ll be here soon.”
“What was the other time the police visited,LINK?” said Milo.