“It’s not on the top of my to-do list, even though the company is good.”
“Good? I’m the perfect company,” Derek replied with feigned dismay. “I’m friendly and can hold a decent conversation. I don’t smoke, so the car doesn’t smell like the back room of sleazy club. I love animals. I…umm…”
Joe broke out laughing. “Okay, okay, I get the picture. You’re the ideal male.” Unfortunately, damn it.
“Close. I do snore.”
“Damn, Derek. That’s a deal-breaker for sure.”
“Is it?” Derek replied, looking intently at him.
Flustered, Joe quickly changed the subject, asking, “How long do those parties last, do you know?”
Derek shrugged, glancing out the window. “It’s Monday, most of the people probably have to be at work tomorrow, so it should be breaking up fairly soon.”
“I hope, because this is boring.”
“I think you’ve said that before, like half an hour after we got here the first time.”
“Well, it still holds,” Joe retorted. “We should have brought along a deck of cards.”
“Check the glove compartment.”
“You’re serious?” Joe did, and found a battered deck wrapped in a rubber band. “Poker?”
“Sure. Five card draw. Do you have any change?”
Joe dug into his pocket, coming up with a couple of dimes and nickels and a lot of pennies. “Guess it’ll be penny ante. You deal.”
They were deep into the game, while keeping an eye on any cars coming down the street, when the one they’d seen earlier picking Irene up pulled into her driveway. She got out, went to her front door, and gave a wave to the driver before going inside.
It was ten-twenty, according to the clock on the dashboard. “Time to call it quits,” Derek said.
“Uh-uh.” Joe laid out his hand. “Read ‘em and weep.” He had a straight flush.
“Damn.” Derek put down his cards, a full house. “Next time…”
Joe just grinned as he gathered up the cards and pocketed the pot, while Derek started the car.
Chapter 7
Monday evening’s snow turned out to be a tease. By mid-morning Tuesday the sun was out, the streets were dry for the most part, and pedestrians were swearing at the slush in the crosswalks.
Derek left to meet with a client soon after they got to the office, leaving Joe to man the agency—and do a set of background checks. He returned around noon, bringing lunch for both of them, then left again with what he needed to set up security on a client’s new home. When he finished, he made a pass by Irene Foster’s home. He could see her moving around inside with no evidence that she had company.
He knew—because he’d delved into the catering company’s schedules—that she wasn’t working that evening. Joe had been fascinated as he watched how Derek had gotten into them, deeming him a great hacker.
“A passable one,” Derek had protested. “They have zilch for security on this, which doesn’t really surprise me. It’s password protected, but I bet every employee knows what it is so they can check to see when they’re working. I suspect the company is much more interested in keeping personal information on their employees secure. And no,” he added when it seemed as if Joe was going to ask, “I have no intention of finding out.”
“Well, damn.”
As soon as they left work, they set up another stakeout at Irene’s house, using the parking lot of a high-rise apartment building across the street. At six-thirty a car pulled into her driveway and a man Derek recognized as Mr. Burns got out. She greeted him with a kiss after opening the front door, he went inside—and didn’t leave until nearly ten-thirty.
* * * *
Wednesday for Joe and Derek went much the same as Tuesday—different clients needing Derek’s help while Joe remained at the office to man the phone, take messages—and that afternoon, talk with a man who came in rather than calling. He wanted to hire Derek to follow his wife, who he was certain was having an affair.
“You do that kind of thing,” Joe asked when he called Derek to let him know.
“Yes. I don’t take pictures of them in flagrante delicto through sleazy motel windows. I will follow the subject to see who they’re meeting. If it’s the same person on a regular basis and they’re obviously trying to be clandestine, I let the husband, or wife, know they might have been right. At that point it’s up to them how they want to deal with the problem, using the information I gathered.”
Of course Joe wanted to know what in flagrante delicto meant, so Derek explained. “I knew that,” Joe said when he finished. “Why not just say fucking?”
“Because it’s classier.”
“Uh-huh. If you say so. I got the man’s name and address so you can call to set up an appointment.”
Derek did. The man, Mr. Sullivan, said he was available to come by Friday morning and the appointment was set for ten A.M.
Since he knew that Irene Foster would be working during the day on Wednesday, Derek, with Joe ‘along for the ride’ as he put it, set up surveillance at six that evening in the same apartment building lot they’d used before. She arrived home a few minutes later. At seven a car pulled up in front of her house. Derek could see two women in the front seat. Moments later, Irene joined them.
Derek and Joe followed them to a restaurant and from there to a movie theater.
“Girls night out,” Joe commented. “Are we going to sit around until they leave?”
“Nope. Right now I’m as bored as you are. I think I can safely report to Mrs. Burns that Ms. Foster isn’t dealing or using drugs, kicking dogs, or picking up strange men when Mr. Burns isn’t around.”
“She’s going to hate that.”
“True, but that’s her problem, not ours. I’ll email her my report and the bill and that’ll be it.”
Derek had been correct. Mrs. Burns was not happy, and she let him know it when she called him Thursday afternoon.
“Feel free to hire someone else,” he suggested when she finished berating him. “They’re going to find the same thing. Ms. Foster is a nice young woman and your husband is lucky to have found her.” He knew he was being snarky but it was the truth as far as he was concerned. “If I were you, I’d drop your attempt to deny him shared custody of your children. If you don’t, he might sue for full custody, and win.”
When the call ended, he said dryly, “How to win friends and keep clients.”
“In her case, be glad if you never hear from her again,” Joe replied, rolling his eyes.
“Believe me, I will be.”
* * * *
The Friday morning meeting with Mr. Sullivan went much as Derek expected. The man was distraught at the idea his wife might have a lover on the side.
“I work long, hard hours to give her everything she needs and this is how she repays me?” Mr. Sullivan said, his dismay turning to anger.
“What makes you think she’s seeing someone else?” Derek asked.
“She’s not interested in sex anymore, for one thing. Sometimes, when I call her from work, she doesn’t want to talk because, she says, she’s doing something with her friends. A couple of weeks ago I got home early from work. She wasn’t there but twenty minutes later she showed up, wearing a dress and jewelry I’d never seen before. She claimed she’d just bought them and was going to surprise me. I might have believed her if the purchases had shown up on her credit card bill, but when I checked it online they didn’t.” His mouth tightened. “That evening after she was asleep I went through her closet. There were two more outfits I’d never seen before.”
“All possible clues that she’s being unfaithful. The clothes may have come from whomever she’s seeing.” Derek agreed. “Did you ask her about them?”
“No. I decided why bother. She’d only lie to me.”
“Do you want to hire me to find out if she is seeing someone else?”
“Yes. That’s why I’m here, damn it.” Mr. Sullivan immediately apologized fo
r swearing. “I’m upset. I love her. I don’t understand why she’s doing this.”
Joe had been listening, as he usually did when Derek met with a client at the office. Now he asked, “Do you come home late from work a lot?”
Mr. Sullivan seemed startled for a moment, turning to look at Joe as if he hadn’t been aware he was there. Then he replied, “Yes, but that’s always been the case. I make good overtime which helps pay the bills. It never seemed to be a problem for her because it means we’re able to live in a nice neighborhood and have nice things.”
“She might resent the fact you’re not there at the end of the day,” Joe said.
“Then she should have said something instead of taking a lover,” Mr. Sullivan replied angrily.
Derek had gotten out the forms he needed while Joe and Mr. Sullivan were talking. He handed them to the man, saying, “This is our contract. The other one is for your, and her, personal information.” He explained what it would cost for him to do surveillance on Mrs. Sullivan, and that he required a retainer. Mr. Sullivan had no problem with any of that. He filled out the forms, the contract was signed by both of them, and he paid the retainer.
“Thank you for taking my case,” Mr. Sullivan said as he got ready to leave. “Honestly, I hope I’m wrong about her, but realistically I don’t think I am.”
“I’ll do my best to find out one way or the other,” Derek promised.
The last thing Derek did before he and Joe left for the day was go to the bank to deposit checks he’d received for the background checks Joe had done for regular clients. When he returned, he handed Joe an envelope, saying, “Your first week’s pay.”
Joe opened it, his eyes widening in surprise. “This much, and why cash?”
“It’s not all that much, I’m afraid,” Derek protested. “It’s in cash so you don’t lose anything to taxes. Besides, if it was a check then, as my employee of record, you’d have to fill out paperwork for the government. Not a smart idea, even if the men who kept you a prisoner are all in prison, now.”
Joe sucked in a breath. “You think they might have people looking for me, even though it’s been a couple of years since I got away?”
“Probably not, but I figure why take chances.”
Joe frowned as he put the cash in his wallet. “You’re the first person since I ran who knows who I am, so I guess I’m safe enough.”
“I’m sure you are, but there’s no reason to tempt fate, right?”
“Right,” Joe replied with a decisive nod. He finally grinned. “I’m going to go wild, spending this.”
“Save half for the future.”
“Yeah, I should. Not in a bank, though. I’d have to give them my name and all that.”
“Yep. If you trust me, I’ll keep it in the safe here at work.”
“I’d trust you with my life, so, yeah, here.” Joe counted out half, putting it back in the envelope. Derek wrote Joe’s name and the amount on the outside then stashed it in the small safe which was in the cabinet under the windows.
“In a couple of months, you’ll have enough for an apartment,” Derek said as he closed the safe. Not an idea that sat well with him.
“An apartment, a car, the world,” Joe replied. He laughed. “I dream big.”
“Not a damned thing wrong with that.”
* * * *
With the Burns’ case closed, and since there was no sense in beginning his surveillance of Mrs. Sullivan until the following Monday after her husband went to work, Derek and Joe had the weekend for themselves.
That was fine as far as Joe was concerned. “This detecting business is neat,” he said to Derek as they fixed supper Friday evening. “But it sure takes up our free time.”
Derek laughed. “It’s not always as bad as it was this week. Normally my day ends at six. The first thing I’m going to do Monday morning, before I leave, is show you how to make out bills and do deeper searches for background checks. That’ll keep you busy while I’m following Mrs. Sullivan, among other things.”
Joe twirled a finger, but in truth he was happy to learn everything he could—and deal with bills and all the background checks when he had. It would free Derek up to take on more clients and do everything he needed to for them.
The ‘other things’ Derek had to do the following Monday included staking out a man for an insurance company that was one of Derek’s regular clients. He had claimed he’d been injured in a fall at the business of one of the insurance company’s policy holders. It was up to Derek to prove one way or the other if he was telling the truth.
“I’m going to be spending all day in my car,” Derek had grumbled when he told Joe about the second job.
“We can trade,” Joe had replied with a grin.
“Uh-huh. First off, you don’t have a driver’s license, you said. Secondly, you get bored easily, so sitting in a car from ten to six would make you crazy.”
“I’m already crazy,” Joe countered.
“Okay, crazier.”
“I could take Sherwat with me.” Joe reached down to pat the dog’s head since he was sitting right beside him.
“Joe…” Derek shook his head.
“It was just a thought.”
After supper, they settled in the living room to watch TV, and then a movie when they found the programs boring. They ended the evening by taking Sherwat for a long walk.
“How can he have so much energy?” Joe asked when Derek let the dog off his leash at the park so he could run. “I’m about to fall on my face.”
“He’s been cooped up inside all day, so I’m not surprised,” Derek replied.
“I was cooped up in the office,” Joe pointed out.
“Poor you.” Derek smirked, and then dodged when Joe took a swipe at him before taking off at a run. Laughing, Joe went after him with Sherwat joining in the chase.
It ended when Joe collapsed on one of the benches, panting for breath.
“Wuss,” Derek said from behind him, putting his hands on Joe’s shoulders.
Joe almost pulled away before he decided he liked the contact, even if it wasn’t terribly personal. A friend, feeling sorry for me, showing he cares. On one level he was certain that was the truth. On another, much to his dismay, he thought it was more. Don’t do this to me, Derek. I’m not ready. I might never be ready if you’re looking for more than friendship. I’m damaged. You don’t need that…me in your life. You could find someone who’s worthy of you, if you try.
“Hey, are you all right?” Derek asked, coming around the bench to sit beside Joe.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Like I said earlier, I’m tired. We should go home. Or I should if you want to keep playing with Sherwat.”
“I think we’re all ready for bed,” Derek replied. Getting up, he offered his hand to Joe.
Joe hesitated before taking it, letting Derek pull him to his feet. Sherwat must have known the walk was over because he stood placidly while Derek hooked the leash to his collar.
* * * *
Derek had sensed there was something more going on with Joe that he wasn’t saying. It bothered him because he thought Joe trusted him. He wanted him to because he was beginning to have feelings for the younger man. Ones that had nothing to do with friendship and more to do with the fact that he was attracted to Joe, despite the fact they’d known each other for less than two weeks.
Am I being stupid, thinking he could feel the same someday? Right now he sees me as his savior, helping him get his life together. When he does, he’s probably going to move out, meaning I’ll only see him at work. If that happens I guess I’ll have to deal with it. An idea he wasn’t happy about, but there was nothing he could do to change things if Joe couldn’t see him as more than a friend.
* * * *
“Chores today?” Joe asked when he came into the kitchen Saturday morning.
“Yes, after breakfast,” Derek replied as he broke four eggs into a bowl before scrambling them.
“How about we trade off this week. I�
��ll vacuum and dust, you get to clean the kitchen and bathrooms.”
Derek was smiling as he turned to look at him, saying, “Sure, why not?” Then he frowned. “Are you feeling okay? You look pale.”
Joe hedged. “I haven’t been out in the sun as much as I used to be. It’s my winter look, I guess.”
“Right.” Derek took the frying pan off the burner and came over, pressing the back of his hand to Joe’s forehead. “Does your winter look usually include a fever?”
“No.” Joe let out a sigh. “I didn’t sleep well. First I was hot, then cold, then hot again. I did take a couple of aspirin from the bottle I found in the medicine cabinet, which helped, but I guess they wore off.” He leaned against the counter, shaking his head. “I never get sick.”
“Well, you are now,” Derek told him. “Probably just the start of a cold, which isn’t too surprising. You’ve been around a lot of people in the last couple of weeks. More than I’m sure you usually are. We’re not taking any chances, though. Go sit down. I can handle finishing breakfast.” He took a pitcher of orange juice from the fridge, pouring a glass for Joe. “Drink this. I’ll get you more aspirin, or better yet…”
He headed upstairs while Joe did as he’d asked, sitting at the dining room table. He did feel pretty awful, and now he was sniffling and his throat was sore. He sipped the juice, which helped his throat.
“Take these,” Derek said, giving Joe two pills, as well as setting a box of tissues on the table. “They’re supposed to help cold symptoms.” He studied Joe. “Are you achy?”
“No.” Joe popped the pills, drinking more juice to wash them down.
“That’s a good sign, from what I know about things. If you were it could be the flu.”
“Ugh.”
Derek chuckled. “Yeah, ugh. Okay, I’ll be back as soon as I get breakfast made. Are you hungry?”
Joe waggled a hand. “Sort of, I guess.”
“Good, then I’ll make bacon, too.”
A couple of minutes later, Joe said, “I thought you were cooking bacon.”
“I am.”
Joe sniffed, which turned into a snuffle, so he blew his nose and tried again. “I can barely smell it.”
The Detective’s Apprentice Page 7