“Yes, but two floors down. I moved in there when he broke up with me... to be with you.”
“You two had been living together when we met?”
Shay smiled as she placed the car in reverse.
“I told you that you didn’t want to know the truth.”
And then Shay backed her car out onto the street and drove away.
***
“I didn’t lie,” Brady said. “You never asked me if I had a girlfriend and I just never volunteered that I did.”
Mary laughed without humor.
“Are you seriously going to hide behind that? You and Shay were living together, if I had known that I never would have gone out with you.”
“Are you saying that you’re sorry you did?”
“No, maybe, I mean, I don’t know what I mean, but it’s like I stole you away from her. It’s no wonder she doesn’t like me. I also feel like a homewrecker.”
Brady took Mary in his arms. They were in his apartment after having left Jake and Lindy’s house, and once they were settled on the sofa with drinks, Mary told Brady what Shay had told her.
“You’re not a homewrecker, Mary. Yes, I was living with Shay when we met, but once I saw you I knew that I had to keep seeing you, and I didn’t do it behind Shay’s back, at least not for long. I told her about you right after our first date.”
Mary freed herself from his embrace and walked over to stand in front of the dormant fireplace. It had been a cool spring so far, but the temperature had been warm earlier that day and flowers were in bloom
“But there shouldn’t have even been a date, don’t you see that?”
Brady stood, and then spread his arms in helplessness.
“I fell in love with you, what else could I do?”
“It’s just that I feel so bad for Shay; I also don’t like it that you two still see each other all the time, and did she have to take an apartment in the same building?”
“She did that hoping that I would take her back, but now she knows that it will never happen, and in a couple of weeks, you and I will be together almost full time at your house.”
“Almost?”
“Yeah, I mean, the construction company and all my friends are still here in Boston, so I’ll have to come back sometime.”
“And Shay is here too, in fact, she’s right in this building.”
“Shay and I are friends now, that’s all.”
Mary turned from the fireplace and stared up into Brady’s eyes.
“What else aren’t you telling me? Are there other secrets that I should know?”
Brady opened his mouth, but then closed it again.
“There is something else, isn’t there?”
Brady took her by the hand and led her back to the sofa, and after downing his drink in a single gulp, he spoke, and attempted to give Mary just enough truth to appease her curiosity.
“I have a criminal record.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, I was a little wild when I was a teenager, but Mitch took me under his wing and straightened me out.”
“Did you go to Jail?”
“Juvenile, yes, but not as an adult,”
“What did you do?”
“I stole several cars, broke into homes, and I’m not proud of it.”
“Why did you do it... was it drugs?”
“No, I’ve never been into drugs, I did it to eat. I was homeless after my mom died when I was sixteen.”
“But you told me that you went to live with an aunt after your mother died.”
“That was a lie, and I’m sorry, but now you know the truth.”
Mary stared off into space.
“I began driving down here every weekend to get closer to you, and I certainly have learned more about you this weekend.”
“I’m sorry that none of it was good, but Mary I love you, and I hope that you’ll give me a second chance.”
Mary nodded.
“I just need to think about things, okay, Brady?”
“I understand that.”
Mary stayed with Brady the rest of the weekend, but the two of them didn’t make love.
CHAPTER 29
On Monday morning, Mary said goodbye to Brady with plans to be back home in time to watch Bobby after school let out.
Their goodbyes had seemed awkward, and Mary wondered if she even trusted Brady anymore. His admitted criminal activity was something that didn’t upset her because it had purportedly happened years ago, and he had apparently turned his life around, but Shay, his lies about Shay ate at her like acid.
Mary was stopped at a red light when she saw the gold lettering listing the tenants of an office building, and after driving along for a block after the light changed, she pulled to the curb just as a car drove out of a parking space, and walked back to where she’d seen the sign.
It was a nice building and it was home to a dentist, two accountants, and the man she had come to see.
He was on the third floor, and when the elevator doors opened, Mary saw the same words that had been on the sign downstairs.
DRAKE INVESTIGATIONS – DISCREET AND FAST, BECAUSE YOU NEED TO KNOW NOW
Mary opened the door and a tall man in a suit turned from the window and smiled at her.
“Hello there, I’m Harry Drake, and how may I help you?”
Mary took a seat in front of Harry’s desk and spoke in a low voice.
“It’s about my boyfriend.”
***
Shay opened her apartment door a crack and peeked her head out to see Brady staring at her with an angry expression.
“I thought that you weren’t going to try to break up Mary and me.”
“She came outside and talked to me as I was getting into my car. It’s not my fault that she’s too smart to keep believing your lies.”
Brady looked left and right.
“I don’t want to talk in the hall.”
Shay stepped back and Brady entered. When the door closed, he saw that she was only dressed in her underwear, a red lace bra and matching panties.
She followed Brady’s gaze and looked down at herself.
“I was in the middle of getting dressed; follow me back into the bedroom while you talk.”
“Has Avery bothered you again?”
“He’s left a few drunken messages on my phone, but that’s all.”
“I don’t know why you ever went out with that punk, and I’m glad we’re only doing one more job together, otherwise I’d have to kick him off the crew.”
“I went out with Avery to make you jealous.”
“Really?”
“Yes, and I never should have used him that way, but I was desperate.”
As Shay talked, she looked through her closet, and came out carrying a green dress.
“What do you think?”
“You wore that the last time we went out to dinner.”
“You remembered.”
“I remember that every guy in the restaurant was staring at you.”
“And does that ever happen when you’re with Mary?”
“No, but then, she’s not the flashy type.”
“Why did you come here, Brady?”
“To tell you to stay away from Mary.”
“You could have called and told me that.”
“I wanted you to know that I was serious.”
Shay tossed the dress aside and lay atop the bed.
“Let’s see just how serious you are.”
“What are you doing, Shay?”
Shay smiled as she lowered the straps on her bra.
“I’m inviting you to my bed, and I promise that I won’t tell Mary about it.”
Brady stared down at her, mesmerized by the expanding view of her breasts.
“I can’t. I’m with Mary.”
“You said that the last three times.”
Brady hung his head as Shay’s words stung him, and it was true that he had been with her more than once since Thanksgiving, and always with
the pretext that he, “Just wanted to talk.”
Shay stared up at him.
“You know that I won’t tell her a thing and it can just stay between us.”
Brady backed up towards the bedroom doorway.
“I really did just come here to talk this time.”
He stepped into the hall and Shay could hear his footfalls upon the carpet, but they grew softer as he neared her apartment door.
When she heard it open and close, she let out a sigh and pulled her bra up, as a tear ran down her right cheek.
The footfalls returned, this time growing louder, and Brady appeared and stood over the bed.
“Why do you let me use you this way?”
“Because I love you, Brady, and I don’t know how to live without you.”
Brady crawled atop the bed and wondered if it was possible to love two women at the same time.
CHAPTER 30
Clay could tell that something was bothering Mary, and after dinner, he got her to open up while Bobby slept on the sofa.
Clay asked no questions while she talked, and when she was finished, he remained silent.
Mary tilted her head and sent Clay a little smile.
“You’re not saying anything.”
“That’s because I’m not sure it’s my place to speak out on the subject.”
“We’re friends, and I value your opinion, so just say what’s on your mind.”
“Alright then, you can do better than a man like Brady Ross.”
Mary nearly opened her mouth to tell Clay that she thought that he was a better man, but that would be too bold, and could lead them to a place she wasn’t ready to go to yet, if ever.
“I thought that you liked Brady?”
“I did until now, but Mary, the man cheated on his girlfriend with you, so what’s to stop him from cheating on you with some other woman?”
“I see what you’re saying, but Brady isn’t a bad person. We just fell in love and Shay was caught in the middle.”
“I wasn’t saying that he was bad; I was saying that he had no integrity. I met women while I was married and I never would have looked at any of them twice, because I was married. Call me old-fashioned if you want, but there are certain things that a man just doesn’t do.”
Mary grinned.
“Why the smile?” Clay asked.
“You are old-fashioned, the most old-fashioned man I’ve ever met, and I love that about you.”
“Well thank you, it’s nice to be appreciated,” Clay said, and then he kept staring at Mary. When the silence between them became uncomfortable, he spoke again. “You should also be appreciated, and by a man who you don’t have to worry will run around behind your back.”
Mary leaned a little closer.
“Do you know someone like that?”
Clay touched her on the cheek.
“Mary, I—”
“Daddy?” Bobby said from the sofa. He was lying on his stomach and his eyes were half-open.
Clay rose from the sofa and went to him.
“How are you doing, tiger?”
“I’m sleepy, can I go to bed?”
Clay checked his watch and saw that it had grown late.
“Yeah, buddy, I think it’s time we left Mary. She and I both have to get to work in the morning and you have school.”
Mary walked over and kissed Bobby, then noticed that the boy had fallen asleep again.
Clay slung Bobby atop a shoulder, and when they reached the door to leave, Mary kissed Clay on the cheek.
“Call me later and we’ll talk some more.”
Clay shook his head.
“I don’t think that I’ll be doing that.”
“Why not? I enjoy our talks.”
“So do I, and along with seeing you here, it’s the best part of my day, and that isn’t right... not while you’re with Brady.”
“Clay... are you saying that you’re ready to move on with your life?”
“I loved Patty, still love her, but, she’s gone, and I’m still here.”
Mary felt her heart soar at the possibilities, but then a feeling of guilt accompanied it as she thought of Brady.
“Clay, I don’t know what to say.”
He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.
“Say that no matter what happens you’ll always be my friend.”
Mary smiled.
“That goes without saying; you’re the only fellow Civil War nerd I know.”
Clay opened the door.
“Goodnight Mary, and I would say good luck with Brady, but I think we both know that I wouldn’t mean it.”
Mary shut the door and leaned back against it, as her heart and mind struggled to know what to do.
CHAPTER 31
The first thing Harry noticed about Brady was that he looked familiar, and after following the man around Boston for a day he finally remembered why that was so.
Brady was the man that Harry had seen coming out of Stu Tate’s pawnshop back in October, and that told Harry that there was a better than even chance that Brady was no good.
However, the client didn’t want to know if Brady was a crook; she only wanted to know if he was doing the deed with anyone else, and in particular, Shay Vicenti.
Harry thought Mary was beautiful, but when he saw Shay, he thought that Brady was a fool for trading her for Mary.
Mary was good looking, no doubt about that, but Shay was the stuff of fantasies, centerfold material, and Harry was looking forward to spying on her.
And to do that, he first had to find a place from which to watch her.
***
Emma Watts was seventy-six, divorced since she was thirty, and knew a thing or two about the way the world worked. When she opened her door and saw Harry standing before her, she had only one question.
“What are you selling?”
Harry held up a hundred dollar bill.
“I’m actually buying.”
Ten minutes later, he was sitting on the side of Emma’s bed and staring through a telephoto lens at Shay’s fifth-floor apartment.
“So, you track down cheaters? I hired one of your kind years ago when I divorced my husband, and the man found out that he was cheating on me with not one, but three women.”
“That doesn’t surprise me, Emma; I’ve seen it all.”
There was a gap between Shay’s curtains that showed her bed and the doorway beyond it. Harry aimed his camera at that spot and hoped that the action would begin soon.
To Harry’s surprise, he got along well with Emma, who was also a fine cook, but when she brought out a bottle of whiskey, he knew that they were kindred spirits.
He stayed until around midnight and was rewarded with seeing Shay in the nude as she changed into a nightgown, but after she went to bed alone, Harry called it a night.
“I’ll be here again tomorrow evening, Emma.”
“Only if you pay me another hundred,”
Harry laughed.
“I like you, and you’ll get the money, don’t worry; I just know that my guy will show.”
***
Harry grabbed a few hours of sleep and was back in front of Brady’s building by six a.m.
To his surprise, Brady appeared right away, and was soon joined by three guys in a pickup truck,
The truck had the name of their construction company on the side, and given the early hour, Harry assumed that they were headed to a jobsite for the day.
He was wrong.
Harry followed them onto I-93 North and stayed with them. When they entered Vermont, he was sure that Brady was going to visit his client, since Mary had told him that she lived in the town of Destination.
When the pickup truck sped past the exit for the town, Harry’s empty stomach growled, and he began wishing that he had brought more than a thermos of coffee along with him.
Twenty minutes later, the pickup truck turned right and went down a two-lane road, and after giving the truck time to make a little progress, Harry fol
lowed.
When he came upon the truck again, it was parked on the shoulder and he saw that it was empty, but as he drove past it, he spotted Brady and his friends walking through the trees on the right side of the road, while on the left was a narrow river.
Harry drove on a little ways, parked on the shoulder, and walked back to see what Brady was up to.
After cresting a rise, he saw the men standing by a large tree and gesturing at a vast field.
Harry remembered passing a billboard that advertised the coming County Fair. If this was the land where it would be held, that meant that soon, there would be people busy erecting tents and carnival rides on it, to prepare for the crowds.
Harry had done that type of work as a teenager one summer, and it occurred to him that those businesses took in large amounts of cash.
Are they planning a job?
Brady said something then, and the other men laughed, all but one that is, as the youngest of the men looked sullen.
When the group walked back towards their truck, Harry thought that they were getting ready to leave, but instead, they crossed over to stare at the river on the other side of the road.
Harry thought the behavior odd, but assumed it was part of the plan they had devised, and he managed to stay hidden from their view.
Once that was done, the men took off, but only drove a few miles, entered Destination, and drove up into the hills towards the lake.
***
Brady took his first look at Destination Lake since he had walked its circumference in the fall, and boggled at how different it looked now that it had water.
“Wow, they actually did it. They built a freaking lake.”
Jake put an arm around his shoulders.
“And we’re going to build houses around it.”
The lake was beautiful, and the water feeding it from the nearby springs was clear and clean.
Even Avery looked impressed by the sight of it, as he shielded his eyes to take in the opposite shore.
“This lake is huge, but show us where we’re going to hide the car.”
Craig sighed.
“There’s been a change of plans there.”
“What’s that mean,” Avery asked, and he was nervous that perhaps they knew that he was planning to double-cross them.
Craig gestured at the surrounding area.
“Look around, there are people up here, some are fishing and some are just relaxing, but this isn’t the secluded jobsite that we were thinking it would be. If we tried burying a car up here on Memorial Day weekend, we’d have a dozen witnesses. Fortunately, Brady has a Plan B.”
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