私家侦探杰米的细高跟鞋在楼梯上发出咔哒咔哒的声音，她正走向臭名昭著的“天鹅绒耳朵俱乐部”老板的办公室。她深蓝色的缎面兔子装紧贴着楼梯的每一处曲线，白色的棉布尾巴随着她每一步的步伐摆动。她的手指微微颤抖，握住了藏在一堆账簿下面的光滑黑色硬盘。突如其来的昂贵古龙水气味是她唯一的警示，随后一双长满老茧的手抓住了她的肩膀，那对滑稽的兔耳朵从她赤褐色的卷发上掉落下来。二十分钟后，杰米的手腕被粗麻绳狠狠地绑在身后，火辣辣的疼痛难忍，更多的绳圈勒住了她的手肘，几乎要碰到一起。缠绕在她膝盖和脚踝上的绳子勒进了她的肉里，在她苍白的皮肤上留下一道道红肿的痕迹。透过她用牙齿咬住并紧紧绑在脑后的棉手帕，她的口水流到了嘴唇上。办公室昏暗的灯光下，杰米独自一人挣扎着挣脱束缚，睫毛膏斑驳的脸庞因坚定而扭曲，汗湿的头发在她眼前挥舞。漆皮高跟鞋一双接一双地在硬木地板上发出咔哒咔哒的声音，她穿着袜子的双脚无力地在空中踢动。每一次艰难的呼吸都提醒着她时间紧迫——而这桩案子可能是她的最后一桩了。Private eye Jayme stiletto heels clicked against the staircase as she ascended toward the office of the owner of the notorious Velvet Ears Club. The satin of her midnight-blue bunny costume clung to every curve, the white cotton tail bobbing with each deliberate step. Her fingers trembled slightly as they closed around the sleek black hard drive hidden beneath a stack of ledgers. The sudden scent of expensive cologne was her only warning before calloused hands seized her shoulders, sending the ridiculous bunny ears tumbling from her auburn curls. Twenty minutes later, Jayme's wrists burned against the coarse hemp rope that bound them cruelly behind her back, additional loops cinching her elbows until they nearly touched. The ropes around her knees and ankles bit into her flesh, leaving angry red welts on her pale skin. Through the cotton handkerchief wedged between her teeth and tied tightly behind her head, she could drool on her lips. Alone in the office's dim light, Jayme thrashed against her bonds, her mascara-streaked face contorted with determination as sweat-dampened hair whipped across her vision. One patent leather pump, then another, clattered across the hardwood floor as her stockinged feet kicked uselessly at the air. Each labored breath through her nostrils reminded her that the clock was ticking—and that this case might be her last.