Perhaps I should start at the beginning.  My long-time friend, Stephen Powers, is not a policeman, detective nor security guard.  In fact, he says the closest he ever came to any of those professions was the time he chased some punks around Midnight one hot, mucky August evening.  Six young thugs had broken the front window to a TV store and were helping themselves to all they could grab.  To this day, Stephen doesn't know whatever possessed him to chase after them; but, in a way, he's glad they escaped.  How was he going to win a fight with six-to-one odds?  Anyway, despite never being employed in the field of police work, Stephen Powers now finds himself in great demand at Columbus Police Headquarters.

    "Mr. Powers," the commissioner inquired, "would you be willing to help us once again?  We have been butting our heads against the wall for weeks now and we're no farther ahead.  This is without a doubt one of the most perplexing cases I've seen in all my twenty-seven years on the force."

    "Well, Commissioner Bell," Powers responded, "I must admit that just reading about this case in the papers has peaked my curiosity.  There is something mystical about a crime when it's perpetrated by a lady."

    "A lady?" interjected the commissioner.  "First off, Mr. Powers, you have concluded that this crime was committed by a woman, based on what evidence?"

    "Oh, just on what I've read in the newspapers."

    "Strictly a prima facie conclusion," continued Bell, "and, even if you are correct, I fail to see how one could categorize her as a lady.  A lady wouldn't..."

    "A lady," Powers interrupted, "wouldn't find it difficult to baffle the entire Columbus Police Force.  And that appears to be exactly what has happened in this case."

    Commissioner Bell gave Powers a somewhat distasteful leer, then turned his back to us and peered out the window.  There was a long period of silence which was very uncomfortable for me but seemingly failed to phase Powers.  Just when I thought I would need to clear my throat to break up the awkward moment, the Commissioner began to speak, softly.

        "Okay, Stephen, you got your little dig in; now, we need to concentrate on finding the person - be that a woman or a man - who's responsible for such a strange and devious crime.  I've assembled all the facts as we know them, along with all the newspaper articles published to-date.  I'd appreciate your views after you've had time to go over all the material.  Needless to say, the sooner the better.  I'm being bombarded with phone calls from the mayor, the press, and even my own mother.  Let's get this thing wrapped up asap."

    "All right Commissioner, I'll give it a shot.  No promises, mind you, but I'll see what I can do.  Let's go Jimmy!"

    "Thanks," the commissioner responded, turning again to stare out the window.  Then, almost under his breath, I heard him mutter, "Why I put my faith in that guy, I'll never know."