[Alan Bernhardt 03] • Except for the Bones

A murder witness flees to California for protection, taking refuge in the theater

Diane Cutler is half drunk and half stoned when she sees her stepfather carrying the body out of the house. She and her boyfriend look on, horrified, as real estate tycoon Preston Daniels loads his dead mistress into the car. Unable to resist their curiosity, they follow him, and watch as he dumps the poor woman's body in the rocks and sand of the Cape Cod landfill. Diane doesn't know what to do with this dark knowledge, but her boyfriend sees it as an opportunity for blackmail--and is nearly beaten to death for it.

Terrified of her stepfather, Diane flees to the West Coast to ask theater director and sometimes private detective Alan Bernhardt for help. Alan is unavailable, but recommends his girlfriend and protege, Paula, for the job. Paula may be an excellent actress, but playing PI will prove to be one of the most dangerous performances of her career.