David took in a deep breath and couldn’t help but feel exhausted. He disliked going from one extreme to another. Maybe he was experiencing burnout. He had just finished up three cases he had worked concurrently, nonstop it seemed. Now he had just one open case and it had only come in the day before. Emily, his assistant, had taken the information and passed it to him for review to see if he would accept it.
Opening the manila folder that Emily had placed next to the phone, he saw a name printed across the top. It was a name he knew personally and it spiked his interest immediately. Eagerly, he began reading through the report.
Client’s Name: Sasha Link-Hawkins
D.O.B.: December 17, 1984
Reason: Mrs. Link-Hawkins wanted to utilize our services because she suspects her husband, Mr. Martin Hawkins, is having an affair. Her husband has been exhibiting strange behaviors, and one of the most recurrent behaviors being an outburst of violence towards her.
Picking up the file, David got to his feet and started walking to the door. As he opened it he saw the waiting area was empty except for his assistant, Emily, sitting behind her desk. She was wearing only one ear bud, so she was able to hear him coming. She quickly yanked the other ear bud out and appeared guilty. During eighteen months of working with one another, he had hoped that she wouldn’t insist on doing that. She knew by now that she wouldn’t get in trouble for it, yet she continued acting like listening to music was a crime.
“Yes, boss?” she asked. Her tablet was out and she was unlocking it. She was one of those people who kept everything on her tablet, and while he felt it was silly, she was able to do her job so his views on her technological preferences was irrelevant.
“You spoke with a Mrs. Link-Hawkins yesterday, and the reason you have on file is that she believes her husband is cheating.”
“Yes, that along with the abuse she is receiving. His behavior is abnormal and she isn’t sure if he is cheating on her, or if there is something else entirely going on.”
“Could you give her a call and have her come over. I would like to speak with her.”
Emily nodded and quickly pulled up the client’s information on the screen. Turning away from her, he walked back into his office. He was curious to know what had gone wrong in their relationship. Closing his door behind him, he walked over to the shelf where there was a picture of him and his friends from three years ago. David was on the far left; next to him was Rodney; beside Rodney was his sister, Sasha, and she was on Martin’s arm. He remembered that Sasha and Martin had been together since their junior year of high school and the Martin he knew was not a cheater.
Taking in a deep breath, he reflected that this case was going to be much different than the others he had worked on, but this was still not the type of case he sought. There was supposed to be something more to this, there just had to be, but there wasn’t so far. After this case, he wasn’t sure if he would continue or if he would go on to doing something else. Regardless of what was going to happen down the line, he knew he had to focus on what was happening now.
###
Sasha arrived two hours later. Her strawberry blonde hair was braided back neatly and she was dressed conservatively, as always. He had not seen her in several years, and she looked different, more so than he had expected. She was much thinner, an almost sickly thin. Her brown eyes were sad, and as she walked toward him he could see a slight swelling on her right eye. There was no amount of make-up that could hide what was there and she seemed to realize he was watching.
“Sasha,” David began. “Please come in and take a seat.”
She moved into the office and he gently shut the door behind her. He then strode to his own chair and he too took a seat. He realized she was uncomfortable, and he wondered why. “So,” he said, as he picked up the file. “You told Emily you suspect that Martin is cheating on you.”
“Yes,” she said, avoiding eye contact. She was clasping her hands together on her lap, and she would not square up her shoulders to face him.
“Why do you suspect Martin of cheating?”
“His behavior is different, and it seems as if the spark has gone out between us. I have been with him since I was sixteen! I have loved him and I have been there for him through it all.”
“When did the two of you start having issues?”
“It was two years ago when we started having trouble,” she said softly. “We were trying to have a baby, and found out that I will never be able to. It took a toll on both of us, and since he learned that I cannot have children, we started drifting apart.”
David was at a loss for words. How do you comfort someone in this situation? Usually it was alright to be cold and distant, because he didn’t know his clients personally, but now he felt as if he should say something. He took a sip of coffee and finally found his words.
“Did he come forward and tell you it was a deal breaker?”
“No. Why would he? I mean, I understand what you are asking me, but no, he never made mention of it. But I know him. We both talked about wanting children, and now it is not a possibility. We could adopt, sure, but it would not be the same for him.”
“Does Martin drink?”
“Not the way he did in college,” she said. “After we started our careers he changed some of his habits, me too really, you know… we grew up. But after his mother passed away at the beginning of the year, he starting drinking more. I mean, he is a psychologist and all, and he should know that what he is doing is not good by any means. But he refuses to talk to me.”
“Is there anything else going on in his life?”
“Not that he has disclosed to me. He is a lot more elusive lately, and when I ask him something, anything really, he is easily angered.”
“There seems to be something else on your mind,” David said. He didn’t like this approach, but he needed her to tell him everything. It made his job so much easier when people told him everything. He needed every detail and he knew it would be difficult to get it out of her. Her answer was not what he expected.
“I followed him one night. I know it sounds crazy, but I needed to know. So I followed his car from work and he went to… to a strip club. Of course I was upset, but I couldn’t say anything about it. If he knew I had followed him it would only just make matters worse.”David nodded. He remembered how Martin was in college, and for him to go to a strip club seemed peculiar. As David recalled, Martin had always said that Sasha was the only girl for him and that he wasn’t interested in other women. Of course, as college students, they teased him about it and he stayed behind, avoiding some of their adventures. So, he would never have suspected that Martin would change his views so drastically.
“Okay Sasha, I will find out what’s going on for you, okay. Are you positive you want to know?” After seeing her nod, he continued. “There is one last question I have for you,” he began, then hesitated for a moment. “Sasha, does Martin beat you?”
He watched as her entire body went rigid. She got up to her feet, obviously flustered, and she shook her head. “Martin would never lay a hand on me.”
“Sasha, you need to tell me everything. That black eye is obvious even with all the make-up on your face. Listen, if you don’t want Rod to know, I won’t tell him, alright?”
He saw she was attempting not to cry and wasn’t sure how to comfort her. This was something he had never been good at. This was probably the reason he was unable to continue a relationship with a woman. He missed queues they would give to let him know they needed to be comforted. She wiped her eyes and tried to pull herself together.
“Just, just find out if he is cheating on me or not.”
“Of course,” he said, “and since I am taking on the case, I will assure you that everything is confidential.”
“Thank you,” she said, as she was getting up. “How would you like me to pay?”
Pay? He wasn’t sure if he should be charging Sasha. “I don’t think I can take your m
oney, Sasha.”
She shook her head. “Look, we knew one another back in college and it was brief,” she began. “Despite having known one another, I will still pay you. You are performing your services after all, as a professional and not as a friend.”
David finally just nodded. He could not come up with an effective retort. Granted, he wanted to, but he was no good at arguing, that was why he’d never become a lawyer. Even if he had a point to make, he was unable to make it. He always stammered and lost focus, and ended up frustrated and embarrassed. He realized she was still waiting for an answer.
“Emily handles all of the payments,” he said.
He watched as she nodded and walked out of his office. Once the door was closed, he slumped back in his chair and he couldn’t help but feel drained again. He hated this part of it. He thought that by becoming a private investigator he would have been helping solve murders, or finding people who were trying to be ghosts and disappear in society. He never would have thought he would be helping so many people find and gather dirt on their spouses, and then subsequently get divorced because of the results of his work.
Looking around his office, he was still frustrated. He got to his feet and paced around for a moment. He had not spoken to Martin for a while, and he wasn’t too sure if he even had the same phone number. If he didn’t, he would need to find another means of contact. As he paced, he knew he would be able to approach this one differently than any other investigation. He could use his personal relationship with Martin to get information.
Finally, he stopped pacing and looked out the window with a sense of yearning. He knew there had to be more than this out there for him. There just had to be, yet he hadn’t found it so far. However, he could no longer be patient about it. After this case he might just close up shop and try to finagle a living some other way. Hearing a knock on the door and assuming it to be Emily, he replied.
“Come in,” he said.
He glanced over his shoulder and saw Emily standing there. She had her tablet in her hand and she seemed to be feeling awkward. It was as if he made her uncomfortable somehow.
“Boss, I was just checking in with you. This past month you have been—well, you haven’t been yourself. I was hoping maybe we could go get a bite to eat and talk or something. You know, only if you like.”
That was one of the things about Emily. She cared too much. It seemed that she took actions based on her feelings sometimes, versus thinking everything through and being rational. It was not a bad quality, but it sure as hell could create havoc if she wasn’t careful. If the wrong person ever got close enough to her, she would be easily manipulated.
“No thanks, I’m good. Thank you though. And Emily, you don’t need to call me ‘boss,’ and David suits me just fine.”
“I know. It’s just a habit I suppose,” she said, as she was walking out. David remembered interviewing her. She was fresh out of college and just as optimistic as he was. Compared to others who had applied, she had much less work experience, but she just seemed to fit in with what he wanted to do—being a PI and all. He was not too sure how else to explain it.
Alone in his office after she left, he was thinking about everything. He needed to get in contact with Martin. That was the first thing on his agenda, and the sooner he closed this, the sooner he could see about doing something else, being something more.
Chapter 2
Two Days Later
It had been snowing all through that morning and as he walked down the street he could feel the cold air on his face. His nose was beginning to run, but he did not want to take his hands out of his pockets. He knew he was nearing his destination. The restaurant he was headed to was one he had never been to before, largely because he never fancied the more luxurious eateries that had dishes smaller than your palm that were unreasonably priced. He cheered a bit as he reached his destination, happy to be getting out of the weather.
Pulling open the door, he felt the temperature difference and it was wonderful. He saw the hostess looking at him and recognized the look. She knew this was not his scene and that he did not belong here. Faking a smile, she walked over to him.
“Welcome, how many?”
“Just me,” he said, somewhat awkwardly. “I — I am meeting with Martin Hawkins.”
Her expression changed as if he, David, was now suddenly suitable to fit into this place. He did not like how these things worked, but she smiled a real smile. “Follow me then,” she said as she began to walk away.
Following behind her, he realized how high the ceilings were and that the décor here was ostentatious. Yes her first impression was correct, this was not somewhere he belonged, and he did not want to be here any longer than necessary. They were entering the main dining room now. There were large windows that were frosted due to the weather, and a bar located in the back. Everyone here was well dressed, at a level far beyond anything his attire, despite the fact that he was wearing one of his finest suits. As they walked between the tables, he noticed the men all wore fancy watches and rings of some sort, and he wore or owned nothing of the sort.
Approaching Martin now, David could see that he was absorbed with something on his phone. He was not too sure what was going on, and what it was that he was hoping to accomplish today with this meeting. He needed to know that this man—someone he had admired for his morals —had not turned his back on everything he believed in.
He was now at the table and Martin looked up and smiled. “David, it has been a while. How have you been?”
“I have been busy,” David said, as he sat down. “How about you? What have you been up to lately?”
Martin took his phone and turned it off. He shrugged and David was able to see how exhausted he was. “I wish I was back in college again,” he chuckled. “How crazy does that sound?”
“Very, especially considering how crazy things were on campus.”
“I know, but things—things have not been going too well with me and Sasha. I love her to death, but she can’t have children. That was the one thing my mother wanted, for me to give her a grandchild before the cancer finished her off, and now, now it’s too late—she’s gone, and I will never be able to give her that.”
“Well, uh…” David began. He was no good at this—at comforting people. It was something he was never good at and he never would be. “Look, a lot of people would say they are sorry, and I am, but I don’t know how to phrase it.”
Martin looked up from the table and met his eyes for a moment and he nodded. “You always were a little odd when it came to expressing emotions. Which is fine. Thank you anyway. I don’t know, I just have no idea what I am going to do with my life anymore. I don’t even know if Sasha wants me anymore.”
“Why on earth would you say that?”
Martin swallowed hard and shook his head. “I’m not a good man when I get to drinking. I have been sinning, and I feel that what I’m doing now is pushing Sasha away from me.”
“But it’s not like you’ve been cheating on her, right?” David said, nervously. He’d never gotten to confront the object of his investigation directly like this before. He usually would hide in the shadows, essentially stalking them until he got all the information he needed.
“But I have cheated,” Martin finally said. “Her name is Carly and she works in my office.”
David felt as if a truck had just run over him. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. This couldn’t be true. No! Martin was the one always sticking to his guns about being with one person forever. He was totally committed to Sasha and he always preached it to the rest of them.
“I know, I know,” he began. “It is shocking for me to do that, and it kills me. I am filled with so much guilt! I mean Carly is young and beautiful, and she clearly knows what she is doing; but after it’s all over, I remember I am a married man and feel terrible.”
“Does Sasha know?”
“I assume she suspects. I wanted to end this aff
air with Carly, but I think I am going to have to leave Sasha for her.”
“Why? You and Sasha have been together for years. In college you always told us how lucky you were to have her, and now you’re throwing it all away… and for some stranger? I mean, earlier you were saying you were afraid of losing her, and now you’re just pushing her away!”
“Yes, and I know it doesn’t make sense, but Carly is able to give me what I want and that is children. She’s pregnant,” he said. He took a swig of bourbon and David felt as if he was going to be sick. He was filled with a torrent of emotions and he mostly wanted to deck Martin, but he refrained. He had to be civil, but he just didn’t like this turn of events. He had hoped that somehow Sasha had been mistaken.
“You will be divorcing Sasha then?”
“Yes, but not until I am one hundred percent sure that Carly is pregnant.”
“Are you only divorcing Sasha because this girl might be pregnant?”
“No, I am doing it because Carly and I just click. I have a connection with her, like I used to have with Sasha, and it is just gone now. Besides, she is still young enough, maybe she will be able to find a man who does not want children.”
“So you are willing to throw everything the two of you had away, as if it was nothing.”
Martin was silent for a moment and he shook his head. “I will not deny that we definitely had something, but just don’t anymore. This will be the best thing for the both of us.”
“When will you know if Carly is officially pregnant?”
“In two weeks,” he said. “Please do me a favor and not tell Rod any of this.”
“Why would I say anything?”
“You have always been a good friend,” Martin said. “So what took you so long to reach out to me?”
“The business has been lucrative, and to be completely honest, as busy as I get at times, I barely have time to see my parents.”
“Well, I’m glad. I remember how nervous you were about becoming an investigator. It seems to have worked out quite nicely for you.”
Promised Box Set Page 54
