by M. S. Parker
“Sure.” He pulled out his phone, tapped the screen, then held it out.
I should’ve anticipated that the picture of his wife was going to be naked, but I didn’t. I managed not to react as I made a mental list of her appearance. Mid-forties, blonde hair that was obviously dyed. Brown or hazel eyes. Pretty, but worn.
“Thank you,” I said as I handed him his phone back. “Now, if I can get some information from you, I can come up with a plan of action.”
Two hours later, I was standing in front of the giant whiteboard, looking at the plan I’d come up with. He’d given me his address, as well as the address of where his wife worked, along with her schedule. Jessica worked as a receptionist for a doctor, which meant there was a possibility that she was cheating with someone at work. I’d need to research the doctor and the employees a bit, see how viable that particular avenue might be.
I’d start simple, the obvious places, following her when she left work or home. Once I figured out–
My phone rang, cutting into my concentration. I answered it without looking at the screen.
“Hello?”
“You have a collect call from Indiana State Prison.”
I yanked the phone away from my ear and let out a string of curses. What the hell was he thinking?! I didn’t want anything to do with him. I hadn’t answered the last three calls. Why did he think I would answer this one?
I threw my pen across the room.
This needed to stop.
Thirteen
This was weird.
Like ‘I couldn’t believe I was doing this’ weird.
I was in a new dress. Something nice, but not too fancy. Three-quarter sleeves. A neckline that almost showed a hint of my scar. It hugged my curves, and the royal blue color set off my eyes. It was probably the sexiest dress I’d ever owned, and one that I probably wouldn’t ever wear in the general public. We’d been told that we’d have a private room in the restaurant, which meant it was the perfect place to debut the dress. Here, I’d be seen by a lot of people for a short amount of time.
The people I’d be spending most of my time with weren’t ones I’d need to worry about if my dress shifted and revealed my scar. I didn’t know if Jenna had told Rylan about it, but he was married to her, and after what she’d been through, I doubted he’d even blink. Besides, the chances he’d be looking in the general direction of my scar were low anyway.
“Have I told you how gorgeous you look tonight?” Jalen’s voice was low in my ear as he placed his hand on the small of my back.
“You have.” I smiled at him. “And you’re not so bad yourself.”
He was in a casual suit, one without a tie and the top button of his dress shirt was undone. This was the sort of place where the people who could afford to rent a private room also received discretion and the bending of some rules. Rules like the one that had every other man in the place wearing a tie.
The hostess gave us both the same polite smile, not lingering on one of us longer than the other, and when we followed her into the private room, she did the same for Jenna and Rylan. Her professionalism set the last of my nerves to rest, and I was smiling as I sat down at the table.
“This place is amazing,” I said as I looked around the sleek, black room.
The color should’ve made things dreary, but all of the surfaces gleamed, reflecting the soft light that came from the brass fixtures all around the room. The size worked for it too. Big enough to fit half a dozen people in it comfortably, but not so large that a small foursome like ours felt out-of-place. The music was soft
“A friend of mine owns it,” Rylan said. “But it deserves its stellar reputation. The food is amazing, and the staff is wonderful.”
“He’ll even have someone deliver it to us sometimes,” Jenna said. She laughed. “The kids prefer pizza though.”
“Do you have a regular sitter for them?” I asked.
Rylan chuckled. “It depends on who you ask.”
“We usually have Rylan’s sister, Suzette, stay with the kids, but sometimes we ask Zeke,” Jenna explained with a laugh. “He’s one of Rylan’s oldest friends, but it’s debatable whether or not he’s an entirely good influence on our kids.”
“Are you looking for someone?” Rylan asked as he leaned back to let the waiter fill his glass of wine. “I never asked if you had kids.”
“Just curious,” I quickly said. The last thing I needed was Jalen thinking I was hiding a kid or a pregnancy. “No kids.”
“Do you want–” Rylan jumped as if something had shocked him…or someone had kicked him. He gave Jenna a surprised look, and she raised an eyebrow. “I wasn’t going to ask about kids,” he said. “I was just going to ask if they wanted something other than the Cabernet Sauvignon to drink.”
Jenna flushed. “Sorry.”
He laughed and leaned over to kiss her temple. “Wouldn’t be the first time you’ve kicked me for no reason.”
“I always have a reason,” she countered. “My reasons just aren’t always right.”
Rylan glanced at Jalen and me. “You two are my witnesses. She admitted that she’s not always right.”
I held up my hands. “I heard nothing.”
We all looked at Jalen, who shook his head. “Oh, no. I’m not getting involved in this. There’s no good answer.”
“It’s a good thing you’re not looking for a babysitter,” Rylan said, steering us back a bit. “I wouldn’t recommend Suzette to anyone with small children. She tried babysitting once when she was fifteen, and she hasn’t touched a kid since. Diana and Jeremiah are pretty much her only exceptions.”
“What happened?” I asked.
“Let’s just say it involved projectile vomiting and an attempt to flush her coat down the toilet.”
“Yikes,” I said as we all laughed.
I’d never really given much thought to having kids. I’d seen how hard being a single parent had been on Anton, and I knew he’d never regretted taking me in or resented me for a change in his life that he hadn’t asked for. I would never intentionally become a single parent. It might be great for other people, but I couldn’t handle it. Since I’d never let myself think about marriage, the kid question hadn’t really come up.
Besides, it wasn’t like I had the best example of a family to fall back on. I’d be worried I’d fuck a kid up if they had to rely on me for anything.
It really said something about Jenna’s strength and determination that she had two kids, especially since talking about the things they’d gone through would probably trigger memories of her own past. She and Rylan were amazing people, and for the first time in a long time, I liked the idea of having friends. Of having them for friends.
The conversation became little snippets here and there as we focused on our food.
I’d gotten the sea bass, and the first bite was divine. I didn’t eat fish often because I’d never learned to prepare it myself and I rarely wanted to trust a chef I didn’t know. Rylan’s and Jenna’s praise had prompted my order, and I was glad that I could give a positive report.
This was nice, being here with them. I didn’t need to worry about hiding my past or worrying that they’d see right through me. I could be myself. If I mentioned my father being in prison, it wouldn’t silence the room. I could talk about my mother without being afraid of the questions that would come. If they did ask questions, they wouldn’t be offended if I didn’t answer.
I felt the prick of tears and took a slow breath to steady myself. After everything that had gone on these past few weeks, my emotions were closer to the surface than they’d ever been. At least these would be good tears. I’d never had much occasion for those in my life.
Jalen put his hand on my knee and gave a gentle squeeze. When I looked at him, his expression was soft. “You okay?” It was barely a whisper, and I appreciated him trying to keep the question private.
“I’m great,” I said, giving him a smile.
“Jalen, I have a business-relate
d question for you,” Rylan interrupted the moment.
“I thought we agreed no business tonight,” Jenna said.
“Just one question.” He gave Jenna an impossibly charming smile. “I promise it’ll only be one and then I’ll be good the rest of the night.”
“Doubtful,” she said. The love shining in her eyes took away any bite their banter might have had.
“Thanks.” Rylan turned to Jalen. “Do you have any experience with the latest software update for the Guardian security system? I’m thinking about upgrading Archer Enterprises, but I’ve heard some people say that it’s not all it’s promised to be.”
Jalen nodded. “I’ve heard that too. They wanted me to look at their specs before they went to market, but they refused to give me consultant credit because they didn’t want people thinking that my company was involved in the production.”
Jenna sighed and looked over at me, shaking her head. “We’ve lost them. Once he gets talking tech, it’s all over. I bet Jalen’s the same way.”
I didn’t tell her that I didn’t know Jalen well enough to know if that was his tendency or not. Maybe, in a few months, I’d be able to contribute something to the conversation. Right now, I just laughed and let myself enjoy the rest of the evening. The future would get here when it got here.
Fourteen
Going incognito in November was easier than it would have been in the summer. It’d started snowing sometime before dawn, a dry sort of snow that whipped across my skin with an almost brutal wind. In a way, I was thankful for it though. It meant I was able to bundle myself up with a coat, hat, and scarf, and not look out of place at all. It also meant that people weren’t going to be paying much attention to whether or not they were being followed.
The downside, however, was that I knew it would be difficult to recognize my target if she was bundled up like me. If she even left the office today. It would be just my luck if this snow turned into a storm and kept Jessica Lee inside for weeks.
As it grew closer to lunchtime, I decided to take a risk. I bundled back up and got out of my car. The doctor Jessica worked for was a general practitioner, which meant I could probably slip inside unobtrusively and watch when Jessica left. It was risky, but my choices were on the limited side. I had no way of knowing if I’d be able to spot her, which meant I could spend hours in my car or pacing outside, wasting time.
I hadn’t taken that into consideration when I’d decided to take this case. I didn’t really have a problem with infidelity cases but working with Jenna had given me a taste of being part of something bigger, and it was that thought that kept nagging at me.
“Focus,” I muttered as I bent my head against the wind. “Solve the case, move on to the next one.”
When I opened the door, the gust of warm air made me sigh. I always needed a few days to make the adjustment between seasons. By next week, I wouldn’t notice the cold until we were under three feet of snow.
Snow in the mountains. I had to admit, I was looking forward to it. It’d be beautiful.
As I stepped through the second set of doors, I saw Jessica right away. She looked up from where she was working at her computer, and I nodded at her without taking off my hat or scarf.
“Can I help you, hon?” She had a slight Southern accent, making me wonder where she’d moved from.
“Just waiting for someone.” The scarf muffled my voice, but I counted that as a positive thing. I went over to a seat across from her desk and picked up a magazine. I figured I’d have about ten minutes before I started looking suspicious for not taking off my hat and coat.
Fortunately, I’d only been there for six minutes when she stood up and announced that she was taking an early lunch. I waited until she left to get up. I forced myself not to rush as I pulled my phone out of my pocket and looked at it. The worst thing a person could do when doing something like this was overreact. I needed to pretend that I really had just gotten a message from someone.
By the time I was outside again, I worried that I’d moved too slow, but then I saw a familiar hot pink coat a few feet away. I started after her, my phone still out. If she looked behind her, she’d hopefully just see someone engrossed in her phone.
I kept glancing around as we went, trying to figure out where she was going. We’d bypassed the parking lot to the office, and she didn’t seem to be stopping at any of the cars on the street either. The wind was dying down, but I couldn’t see her wanting to go anywhere that would necessitate a long walk, especially with that teased hairdo.
She paused, and I went a couple more steps before I slowed, frowning at my phone as if I was looking at something important. She looked around, and I sighed. She was attempting to be stealthy and was really bad at it. Which meant she was either about to go on a shopping spree…or she was meeting someone in secret.
When she walked into the Holiday Inn, I knew which it was about to be. My background check on Evan had come back with exactly what he’d said I’d find. Which meant she probably wasn’t cheating on him because he was abusive. I understood how some women couldn’t leave their abusers, but if she just didn’t want to be with him anymore, she should just walk out instead of just sneaking around. But, hey, it was her choice to make.
I followed her into the lobby, lingering by the door and rubbing my hands together to warm them. I kept track of her via her reflection, then made my way up to the counter.
“How can I help you?” The kid behind the desk barely looked old enough to be out of high school.
I pulled off my hat and scarf, giving him a warm smile. “I’d really like to know what room my friend just rented.”
“Your friend?” He sounded skeptical but didn’t threaten to kick me out, so I’d take it.
I let my smile fade and my bottom lip tremble. “I thought she was my friend, but now I think she’s meeting my husband. It’ll just kill me if he’s cheating on me, especially with her.”
He leaned across the counter, a concerned look on his face. “She’s not sleeping with your husband.”
I sniffled. “How do you know?”
“Because she’s meeting a woman.”
Oh.
I hadn’t seen that coming.
Now what?
I made a silent apology to the kid and then scowled at him. Eyes narrowed, I hardened my voice. “How do I know you’re not lying? He could’ve paid you to tell me that. Or she could have.”
He looked a little freaked out. “No one paid me anything, ma’am.”
I pointed at him, honestly a little annoyed at the ma’am. “Then you’re lying to get me out of here. Just let me see for myself, and then I’ll go, I promise. Give me a key, and I’ll pretend that I stole it. I’ll open the door and see for myself, and then I’ll leave. I promise.”
I let a hysterical edge creep into the last couple words and watched the panic fill his face.
“Okay, okay!” He grabbed a keycard and shoved it across the desk.
“Thank you.” I sniffled again and headed for the elevator, unable to believe that shit had worked.
Mrs. Lee was on the second floor, and I doubted she’d have her curtains pulled back so my best chance at getting a picture of her in a compromising position would be when I opened the door. A picture would be nearly impossible. A video, however…
I took out my phone and quickly set it up before using my scarf to hold it in place. It wasn’t the most secure or practical thing, but it’d work for what I needed it to do.
I waited until I got right to the door before starting the phone recording. Then I swiped the card and pushed the door open, an accusation already on my lips.
“Roger, you dirty, rotten, bast–”
The last of my doubt regarding the desk clerk’s truthfulness disappeared as Jessica Lee looked up from where she’d had her face buried between a brunette’s legs only seconds before.
That hadn’t taken them long.
The brunette pushed her skirt down as she sat up. “Excuse me?”
Jessica flushed, wiping at her mouth with her hands. “You were at the doctor’s office.”
“I’m so sorry,” I stammered. “I thought my husband, Roger…I think he’s cheating on me…”
I held up my hand and slowly backed out of the room. As I pulled the door shut, I heard them talking.
“Jess, it’s okay.”
“Moira, what if Evan knows?”
“You heard her. She thought her husband was cheating. Besides, we both know Evan’s too stupid to think either of us are stepping out on him.”
Either of them?
I frowned as I turned off the video, and I was still frowning when I handed back the keycard. The clerk asked me something, but I ignored him. I had my footage, but I wouldn’t consider my job finished until I knew who the brunette was, and how they were both connected to Evan.
I needed to think on things for a while. My stomach growled, and I looked at my phone. It was closing in on noon, and lunch sounded good. If I got something and took it back to the office to eat, I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from chewing over the problem. Eventually, I needed to get there, but I needed a break from it first.
Maybe I could get some company for lunch.
I looked up at the street signs. I’d spent a little time in this part of the city, and if I remembered correctly, Sylph Industries was only a couple blocks away. Jalen usually took his lunch about now.
I decided to drive over, and by the time I got there, I was looking forward to a nice meal and good conversation. We hadn’t made any plans for the weekend, so maybe that would be something we’d talk about.
I stepped into the lobby and heard him before I saw him.
“Thank you for coming.”
I turned toward his voice, preparing a snarky comment for his odd statement. The words died in my mouth as I saw he wasn’t talking to me. He was focused on a too-familiar figure who already had her hand on his arm.
Elise.
I wasn’t going to jump to conclusions, but I wasn’t going to cause a scene here either. When we talked about this, we’d do it privately. Besides, I refused to give Elise the satisfaction of knowing how much I hated seeing her with Jalen. And no matter how much it pissed me off, I would trust him to tell me when he was ready.
