by Maria Pease
By the time we headed to our cars, the rain had stopped and after confirmation I’d meet her at the paper in the morning, we parted ways. I drove slowly through the back roads and couldn’t help but swing past Chanel Pinkay’s place.
Soft lights filled the front rooms and it looked elegant and grown up. I scanned for security cameras and wondered if they were watching. I wanted to get a look inside but thought better of it and headed home instead.
Jake’s car was parked out front and I found him lying on my couch watching a football game when I walked in. He had started a fire and had lit my candles. It was cozy and romantic.
Once I’d hung up my coat and put down my files, I leaned in to give him a kiss.
“You used the key,” I said.
“I wasn’t sure when you’d be back and I didn’t want to miss the game.”
“You look comfortable.”
“I am, but I’ve missed you.” He pulled me close.
“I haven’t gone anywhere.”
“You’ve been distracted.”
“Well, I’m not anymore. Actually, I shouldn’t say that. You’re definitely distracting me.”
“Oh, you just wait, Miss Parker. I plan to keep you very busy this evening. But first, how about some dinner?”
“That sounds great. I’m ready to relax tonight.”
Jake sat up and kissed me. “Stay here. I’ll see what you’ve got for dinner.”
I leaned back on the couch, took off my boots and closed my eyes. I could hear Jake opening and closing cabinets and moving between the refrigerator and freezer.
“Sam, we need to order out. I did find some chardonnay. Are you ready for a glass?”
“Yes, please.”
Jake brought in two glasses of wine and we sat and talked with the game buzzing in the background. We ordered a pizza and I promised I’d get to the store soon. Once the game was over, we turned on the movie White House Down and cuddled up with a blanket, enjoying our pepperoni pizza. After the movie, I blew out the candles and we headed upstairs.
He pulled my sweater gently over my head and tossed it on the floor then pulled me to him, kissing me as I reached for his handcuffs. He smiled as I continued to undress him. We managed to continue enjoying each other until dawn.
Jake was gone when I woke up, so I dragged myself out of bed, brushed my teeth and went downstairs to find a pot of hot coffee waiting for me. I smiled, poured a cup and sat at my kitchen table looking outside as the sun peeked through the clouds. I poured a second cup and headed for the shower. Despite no sleep, I felt pretty good and I turned on music as I put the finishing touches on my hair and make-up.
While I warmed up the Jeep, I dialed Frank and filled him in on my plan to go undercover as a reporter. I gave him the name of Jan’s editor in case he needed to verify the fact that I was on the job; I didn’t want Frank to be caught off guard. He gave me the go-ahead and told me to stop at the office to go over procedure after I met with Jan and her editor, Roger.
When I arrived at the paper, the receptionist told me Jan had been called out on a story but had set up an appointment for me to meet with Roger at 10:00 AM. It was 9:50 AM, so I sat down and browsed through Healthy Eating Magazine. At exactly 10:00, the receptionist led me through the newsroom. I was enthralled by all the activity. Reporters rushed around, phones rang, and the sound of fingers typing on keyboards filled the room. The receptionist introduced me to Roger then disappeared.
“Come on in. Have a seat.” To call his office cluttered would be an understatement and although I wanted to sit down as requested, I just didn’t know where to sit.
“That’s okay. I don’t want to take up too much of your time. I see you’re very busy.”
Roger looked at the chair, nodded, then moved around his desk, removing a pile of who knows what. He was just a bit taller than me, so I put him at about 5’6”. He was round in the middle and had a full head of greying hair that he wore slicked back with hair gel. His goatee was pointed and looked small on his chubby cheeks. He wore a white shirt, black pants and I pegged him as a single man, probably because his white button-down shirt looked like he’d slept in it. That and his socks were two different colors.
I glanced down at the chair and, after removing a pencil, sat down.
Roger looked at me, leaned back in his oversized chair, and rested his hands on his belly. “So, Jan tells me you’re a PI.”
“Yes, I am.”
“And you want to go undercover as a reporter?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I’m working a case that has a lot of moving parts and I need to be able to get close to the players. I can’t do that as a PI.”
“Look, I’d like to help, but I can’t hand out credentials to just anyone.”
“I’m not going to do anything to jeopardize the paper if that’s what you’re worried about. Here is my boss’ card. Please give him a call before you make your decision.” I sat Frank’s card in front of him.
Roger punched in Frank’s number and sat back again, eyeing me. The conversation was short and uneventful. Without another word, he got up and left.
I was confused and wondered if I should follow him but decided to stay put. I scanned the mess and then noticed the awards hanging on the wall. It seemed that Roger had been quite the reporter in his day.
As fast as he’d disappeared, he returned, this time with an envelope. He handed it to me. “Make sure you return everything to me.”
“I will.”
“Now, get out of here. I’ve got a paper to run.”
As I left the office, I turned. “Thank you.”
“Yeah, yeah.” He waved me off.
I walked slowly through the newsroom and took in the atmosphere. I wasn’t sure what it was, but it all felt so exciting.
Inside the Jeep, I opened the envelope and took out the contents, including an ID card with Laci Connor’s name and my photo, a press pass, a couple of special event passes and several invitations to private parties. I wasn’t sure how Roger had arranged all this so quickly, but I was pretty sure Jan had put it all in motion before I’d arrived. After all, who else would’ve known to give him a photo of me?
Just as I was heading out of the lot, Jan called to make sure I’d met with Roger and had everything I needed. She said that she had Chanel Pinkay’s social schedule and would forward it to my email.
Finally, it was time to find out what she was all about.
Chapter 33
I took the stairs two-by-two and pushed the door open as the bells sounded. Frank was on the phone, so I went straight to my computer and logged on, eager to see that schedule.
As my computer came to life, Frank hung up and stood to stretch. “Did you get everything you need?”
“Yes. I’ve got an ID, some press passes and even a few invitations to private parties.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Uh, huh,” I said, browsing through my email.
“What about Alana?”
“What do you mean?”
“Is she involved in this undercover operation?”
“I, um … yes. Of course.” I gave myself a mental head slap.
“Okay. Just checking.” He poured himself some coffee.
I scrolled through my email and found the message from Jan was at the top. I opened the attachment and printed it out. As I looked it over, I noticed a charity fundraiser later in the day at Temecula City Hall. I mentally scanned my closet and remembered the new black dress that I’d bought for an event I’d never attended. My wardrobe was covered but unfortunately, my fingernails looked like I was a construction worker, so I’d have to do something about that.
I sent a quick email to Jan, thanking her for all her help and asking if she’d be covering the event. Then, I went online and did a quick search for a nail salon. My phone buzzed. It was Jan. We decided to meet at Public House at 6:30 PM so we could walk up to City Hall together. She also recommended Athena Nail Salo
n on Temecula Parkway for what she called an amazing experience.
When Alana arrived, I told her to leave her coat on. We jumped in the Jeep and I filled her in on my new plan, leaving out the details about getting caught at Wally’s and the need to stay out of sight.
“You’ll be playing the part of a student reporter. Do you have anything nice to wear to a fundraiser?” I asked, pulling into the salon.
“I have a few dresses that would work.”
“Great. We’re meeting Jan, my reporter friend, at 6:30 PM at Public House. Want me to pick you up?”
“Sure. That would be great.”
“By the way, this is on Frank.” I smiled and headed into the salon. Since Frank was treating, I decided we should go for the full treatment and get both a manicure and pedicure and I must say, it was completely delightful. Okay, who was I kidding? It was absolutely amazing! As I sat with my feet in the warm jacuzzi water, I felt more relaxed than I had in forever. There was nothing like a little pampering to make a person feel like a new woman, and both Alana and I agreed Jan had definitely not oversold it. I used the company credit card to pay and left a nice tip.
Feeling energized, we headed back to the office to prepare for the night. I advised Alana to look up the classes required for a journalism student, just in case she was questioned, while I went back to the file on Chanel Pinkay. I read and reread every word then searched for anything I could find about her online. I also studied all the photos I’d taken, the text messages, and the Facebook postings, and made notes of anything that stood out along with any connections I could identify between her and Wally, Archie or Montgomery.
“Anything standing out?” Frank asked as he moved to the filing cabinet.
“I can’t find anything to connect them. I have to be missing something.”
“Keep digging, Sam. Something will surface.”
I knew he was right. You dig long enough, and something is bound to shift. It could be the smallest movement that could put a crack in a case and start a flood. I just had to keep going and allow it to happen.
“Have you done this type of surveillance before?” he asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Sam, you aren’t going to be sitting in a car with a camera or peeping through windows.”
Alana shot me a look.
“I know.”
“Certain situations need special tools.” He retrieved a remote from the locked drawer in his desk and moved down the hall, just past the conference room. I watched him, wondering what he was doing.
He pushed a button on the remote control and I heard something slide. “Do you need an invitation?”
We moved to Frank’s side as the door slid back. He glanced at us, smiling. I looked inside and my jaw dropped. Behind the wall was a secret room that held everything a Private Investigator could ever want or need – listening devices, hidden camera equipment, night vision binoculars, nanny cams, disguises, tasers and more.
“Holy shit, Frank!
“Cool, huh?”
“I – I didn’t know …”
“I had to wait until you were ready. This stuff isn’t for amateurs.”
We both glanced at Alana who, it seemed, wasn’t listening; she was completely focused on the new toys.
“Why now?” I asked.
“This case.”
I nodded. “Enough said.”
We stepped inside and Frank briefly explained the various devices – what they were used for and the situations in which they’d be beneficial. Then, he chose a pair of eyeglasses and a pen from the shelf.
“This should be all you need for tonight. Try these on.” He handed me a pair of stylish-looking square glasses.
I put them on and checked myself in the hallway mirror.
“You totally look like a reporter!” Alana said.
I wasn’t used to seeing myself in glasses, but I had to agree. I did look smarter.
“You’ll have to keep them on when you get to the fundraiser,” Frank told me, removing the glasses. “The camera is right here.” He pointed to the small area of the frame right next to the lens.
“That’s incredible!” I said.
“I’ll set up the surveillance equipment at my place and keep watch. When the glasses are on, I’ll see what you’re seeing.”
“Great. And the pen?”
“Believe it or not, it’s a real pen but it also has a microphone in it.”
I inspected it without finding the mic. “I don’t see it.”
“That’s the point,” he said.
“And I can write with it?”
“Yeah. Pretty cool, huh?”
“Very cool.”
Alana watched eagerly but said nothing.
I looked at her and smiled. Frank must’ve read my mind because before I knew it, he handed Alana a pen of her own.
“Don’t lose these, ladies. They aren’t cheap. Oh, and one more thing.”
Frank handed us each an earpiece and a cell phone, explaining they were wireless communication devices. He said not only would Alana and I be able to talk with each other, but we’d also be able to speak to and hear Frank. I didn’t want to admit it but having it made me feel a little less freaked out.
Making sure we had enough time to get ready, we bid Frank farewell and Alana and I headed our separate ways.
Opening my door, I dropped my keys on the table, slipped out of my coat and headed for the kitchen to make a tuna sandwich on rye toast. I knew the event would have food and drinks, but my focus would be purely on Chanel Pinkay.
Taking out the invitations, I noticed that ID was required at the door. I took out my press pass and panicked since I hadn’t arranged for a photo ID to match my reporter credentials. I took the envelope and dumped it out on my table. As I sifted through the invitations, press credentials, VIP passes and tickets, a plastic card dropped out. I gazed at it relieved. It was a photo ID with all my vital information on it. Height, weight, hair and eye color, all matching my own with the exception of my name, which now read Laci Connor.
I took out the surveillance glasses and put them on. I wasn’t used to wearing them, so I wanted to give them a dry run. I called Alana and reminded her to bring her student ID, and confirmed I’d pick her up at 6:00 PM. Then, I dialed Jan and let her know about Alana, and asked if she could get me a press pass in her name. I apologized for the last-minute notice, but she said it wouldn’t be a problem.
Heading upstairs, I undressed and got into a steaming hot shower which melted away some of my stress. Wrapping my towel around me, I found my dress hanging in the back of my closet. I stuffed myself into some black stockings, dusted off my black shoes, styled my hair, put on make-up, sprayed on some perfume and found my one and only black clutch bag. Checking myself in the mirror, I put on the glasses and was ready to go. The ringing of my cell drew me downstairs.
Before I could even utter a greeting, a voice sounded. “You’re looking great, Sam. Keeping up with those workouts, I see.”
“Frank?”
“Yes.”
“What are you talking a –” Then it hit me. “Really, Frank?”
“Hey, I was just setting up my equipment and what do I see? As luck would have it, I was able to see everything was working fine under the most glorious of circumstances.”
“You mean …” I took a breath. “What exactly did you see?”
“Like I said, you’re looking really good.”
I hung up and gave myself a mental thump on the head to remind myself these glasses could be dangerous.
Chapter 34
It was exactly 6:00 PM when I pulled up in front of Alana’s house. I sat in the Jeep, waiting for her to come out, but after five minutes I decided I’d better go see if she was ready. Her mom answered the door and invited me in. I stepped inside and immediately regretted the decision; she began probing me with questions. When Alana came around the corner, I turned on my heels and mumbled something about being late.
Alana was
dressed perfectly for the occasion. She wore a white blouse, black swirl skirt and simple jewelry. She wore her long hair in an up-do and her shoes and purse matched the ensemble. As we headed to Public House, she made sure she had her ID, a notepad, and the pen Frank had given her.
“Are you nervous?” I watched as she wiggled her foot.
“Yeah. Is that bad?”
“No, of course not. Believe me, even after doing this job for a while, I still feel nervous.”
“So, what’s the plan?”
“Well, first of all, Jan is bringing you a press pass. You’ll use your real name, making sure to say that you’re a journalism student. No matter what goes down or who asks you, that’s your cover. Got it?”
“Got it.”
“Great. I’m undercover using the name Laci Connor. I’m a reporter for The Californian Newspaper, which is the same paper Jan works for. She’s going to make introductions and then she’ll be heading out to cover another story, so we’ll be on our own.”
We both turned on our cell phone walkie-talkies, put in our earpieces and checked to be sure everything was working. Once we were all squared away, we headed into Public House, spotting Jan at the bar.
“Nice touch,” she said, pointing to the glasses.
“Thanks. Did you want to say hello to Frank?” I smiled.
She blew a kiss.
I took off the glasses and rested them on the bar.
“May I remind you she’s still pissed at me, Sam?” Frank said into my earpiece.
“No need.” I grinned.
I made introductions and in usual reporter form, Jan began asking questions. At first, Alana looked at me for guidance, but I reminded her Jan knew that she was working with me and her role as a journalism student would begin when we walked into the fundraiser. This eased her mind, so she filled Jan in on her educational and career goals, adding that she was really enjoying her internship.
As part of the press, we were allowed to show up early so we could see the guests as they arrived. This would certainly make it easier to spot Chanel Pinkay and to keep tabs on her. I put on the glasses and adjusted my earpiece as we walked up to City Hall. We’d arrived about fifteen minutes before the guests, and Jan led us to the press entrance where a security guard made small talk with Jan as Alana and I showed him our IDs.