A Nose For Murder: Pearls Before Swine (A Phantomstein Mystery)

Chapter 1

Erik sat at his desk, tapping his pen thoughtfully on a piece of paper. He was supposed to write a mystery novel by October, but in early July, he still had nothing. He huffed crossly and started twirling the pen in his fingers.

A knock at the door caught his attention. He looked up, his short, neatly slicked golden hair catching the sunlight and shining softly. His green eyes flashed emerald as he stood, "Ms. Josephine." He greeted the tall woman with long black hair. He took her hand and kissed it, then pulled the guest chair out for her, "What can I do for you today, my Lady?"

"The agency wants you to find a man who went missing a week ago." Ms. Josephine said, taking a picture out of her purse, "His name is Thomas Jameson."

"Jameson." Erik repeated, "Like the Irish Whiskey, Jameson?"

"I didn't take you for a whiskey man, Erik." Ms. Josephine said with a flirtatious smile. As Erik's secretary, Ms. Josephine spent any moment she could with the tall, elegant man. She absolutely adored him, but found it frustrating when he never seemed to notice her attempts to know him better.

"I'm not a whiskey man at all." Erik replied, looking up from the picture, his green eyes flashing above his square black glasses, "My father was."

"Oh." She said, her cheeks coloring for a moment.

Erik gestured to the picture, "Family? Friends?"

"One sister named Amie and a girlfriend named Shawny."

"Last names?" Erik pressed patiently.

Ms. Josephine passed a paper over the mahogany desk, Erik's elegantly long fingers taking the paper gently, "Names and addresses are listed below."

Erik nodded in satisfaction, his high cheek-bones and prominently narrow jaw accenting the clever gleam in his emerald eyes, "Thank you, Ms. Josephine. That will be all."

She looked slightly put-off, and Erik tilted his head curiously, "Is there something you wish to add, Ms. Josephine?"

"Do you have a dinner date?" She asked.

"Ahh. Right to the point I see." Erik said, folding his fingers on his desk, "No, Ms. Josephine. I do not. Nor do I desire one."

"Why not?" She pouted.

"Due to the fact that you are sexually frustrated, from the way you're fiddling with your dress and how dark your makeup is, you are seeking a mate with a powerful sex-drive." Erik stated calmly as his secretary gaped at him, "I am not a candidate for fulfilling your sexual need. You are dismissed."

Ms. Josephine stood, looking albeit very miffed, and walked out. Erik watched her go, one eyebrow arched, then shook his head and studied the picture again. He reached for his cell phone to make a quick call to an old friend...

..........

A medium sized man waded through the crowd and crossed the street to the coffee shop. A taller man with slicked golden hair in a neat suit and tie greeted him.

"You never change, Phantomhive." The medium man said.

Erik smiled, "Phantomstein. And you've not changed much either, Nathan."

"Sage." He corrected with a grin as he ran his fingers through his thick black hair, "Whatcha got for me?"

"I need you to come and do a profile for me." Erik said.