by Diana Orgain
I continued my search for crackers.
Maybe I could make a little appetizer plate for Jim and mecheese, crackers, nuts, and fruit . . .
My daydream was cut short with the discovery that we didnt have any crackers, nuts, or fruit.
Man! I had to get to the store.
I took a sip of wine, sliced another piece of cheese, and ate it anyway. Didnt wine count for fruit?
I cracked open the file from Gary. It was a transcript of Inspectors Jones and McNearny questioning Bruce. Only they hadnt been able to ask him much. Gary had coached Bruce and hed only made a small statement about being grieved over his wife and shocked about the incident at his house. He repeated the same statement to most of the questions until Gary put a sudden stop to the questioning by quoting a statute and ending the interview.
Short and simple, they needed to officially charge him if they were going to get any answers. And without evidence, they couldnt charge him.
I grabbed the phone and dialed Margaret. I got no answer but left her a second message. Where was she? She was supposed to be at her mothers but there was no answer there either.
What kind of investigator cant get in touch with her client?
I heard the front door creak open and knew my time for dinner prep had run out.
Im a failure as a housewife.
Jim clunked down the hallway and peered into the kitchen. He inhaled deeply. Hi, honey.
Whats wrong?
He let out his breath and dropped his briefcase on the floor. My client put a hold on the project.
What does that mean?
Did you watch the news today?
I shook my head.
The markets crashed. People are kind of freaking out. So, Dirk wasnt able to secure funding for the project.
My mind flashed on Bruce Chambers. His clients would be scared, too.
What does it mean for us? I asked.
Jim shrugged. Well, we dont have much in the market, so in that regard were fine. But if they dont get funding for my project, that means Im out of work again.
During my maternity leave from my corporate job, Jim had been let go from his. Hed been able to land a freelance client and the income had been large enough, or so we thought, to last us awhile so I had left my corporate gig.
I felt my heart constrict. They gave you a retainer, though.
Jim closed his eyes. Thats not a guarantee. My contract states that if the project moves forward, I apply it to the cost of the project. If they back out in the first sixty days, I have to return fifty percent.
I grabbed the stovetop for support.
He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me into him. Dont worry, honey. Things will be okay. If this falls through, Ill find something else.
I wanted to say that I would go back to my secure corporate income, but I choked on the words.
There was no way. I couldnt go back now. I had tasted the freedom and excitement of entrepreneurship. Even with doubts surrounding a steady income stream, nothing could bring me to sacrifice myself to the doldrums of my office job again.
Could it?
Laurie squeaked from the nursery. She had been asleep for about an hour in the crib and that was the maximum she had ever slept at the dinnertime hour, what Jim and I were beginning to call the witching hour.
Ill get the squirrel, Jim said. As he left the kitchen, he asked the inevitable, Whats for dinner?
Nothing, I called after him.
Jim laughed. Okay, open a can of soup. Were on austerity anyway.
I groaned. But Im nursing and Im really hungry.
Jim returned to the kitchen with Laurie bundled in his arms. Okay, screw it. Lets order a pizza.
I squinted at him and bit my lip. I may have good news.
Jim raised an eyebrow. Good. Something to celebrate. What is it?
I got a pseudo-job offer today. I think it will keep up our income stream anyway.
Jim held Laurie out to look into her face. Mommy got a job offer, he said.
Laurie was holding her head so well these days we no longer cradled it. Yet as Jim was holding her up and she was looking at him happily and gurgling, her head started to wobble and she suddenly pitched herself headfirst into Jims chest.
Whoa, Jim said. Shes excited.
We laughed.
What kind of offer? he asked.
I filled him in on the details.
His face displayed an array of emotions as I recounted Garys offer. I left out the girdle-popping incidentno need to sound like a complete moron in front of my number one fan.
When Id finished talking, he was silent for a moment.
Finally I asked, So do you approve? Can I take him up on it?
He shuffled Laurie from one shoulder to the other. Kate, I dont ever want to keep you from doing something you want to do. He wrapped his free arm around me. I just want you to be safe. Promise me youll be careful.
I kissed him. I promise.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Watchful
To Do:
1. ?
2. Throw out stupid girdle and exercisethere is no substitute.
3. Find Margaretwhy isnt she calling me back?
4. Get Laurie outfit for Thanksgiving.
5. Groceries!!!
In the morning I looked out my front window and saw our neighbor Kenny washing his van. It was an old white van with tinted windows.
A van?
His van would be perfect for a stakeout!
I rapped on the window. He looked up and waved when he saw me. I picked Laurie up, wrapped her in a blanket, then ran down the stairs.
Hi, Kenny, can I use your van? I want to check something out.
Sure. Is your car in the shop?
No. I need to go on a stakeout, I said proudly.
Kenny bobbed his head up and down. Cool.
I observed Celias midwife center from inside Kennys van. There was no activity.
Wow. I was on a stakeout.
Id done a stakeout on my first case, but Jim had been with me, so it felt more like I was hanging out with my husbandwhich I wasinstead of a stakeout. And following Alan last week didnt count because that was really only followingso now it was officialmy first stakeout.
And I actually felt prepared. I had stopped by Moms to water her plants and borrowed her binoculars, then Id bought lunch.
Practically a legitimate PI.
And with two paying clients no less!
Where was Margaret?
I unwrapped the bagel Id purchased from the shop up the street. Cream cheese dripped over the side but the tomatoes and spinach were still crisp. If I waited any longer to eat it, the veggies would start to wilt.
Oh, well, better eat it now. If Celia kept me waiting too long, I could always get something else from the shop.
Wait. What if I missed her leaving?
I used my binoculars to check out the shop.
Binoculars! A real PI tool.
Oh, I was growing, growing, growing!
Never mind the fact that I had borrowed them from Mom.
The shop was within view, but if I went inside and, say, I was at the counter ordering, then I wouldnt be able to see the entrance of Celias midwife center. I couldnt risk missing her.
Darn.
I bit into the bagel anyway. It was absolutely divine. Either that or I was extremely hungrywhich I was. After a few bites the bagel was gone.
Now I was out of food but still hungry.
I sipped on my latte. It was too bitter to drink fast.
Good. That would give me something to do and maybe curb my appetite a bit if I drank it slowly.
I tapped my foot and waited.
What was the deal with stakeouts? Why had I been so excited? This was boring. How
long would I have to wait for some action?
What was I hoping for anyway?
Wait.
A car just turned the corner.
Yippee! Action.
Maybe someone was coming to see Celia. I strained to identify the car. It didnt look like Alans Lexus.
It was a Toyota. It drove right past me.
Darn!
I fidgeted around the van. Kenny had some pretty good gear in here. I picked up a trombone. Man, it was heavy. My cell phone rang and I dropped the instrument as though Id been caught in the act of stealing it.
I fished my cell phone out of my purse. Yes.
Kate! Hows the stakeout?
It was Kenny.
Boring. How do you play this thing? Its really heavy.
Are you messing with my stuff? Kenny laughed. Why is it boring?
I ate all my food and nothing is happening.
Whatd you bring with you?
A bagel.
That is boring.
I laughed. So, whats up? Do you need your van back?
Youve only been gone thirty minutes.
Is that it?
Do you want some company? Kenny asked.
Not yours.
Kenny laughed. I can bring you some chips or something.
Hmmm.
Catering ŕ la seventeen-year-old.
Chips sound good, I said.
I cant bring beer or anything. Im not drinking age, Kenny said.
Im on a stakeout! This is serious business. Im not here to drink beer.
You have to have something to drink with chips.
Im drinking coffee, I said.
Coffee doesnt go with chips.
Okay, bring some soda then. Something with caffeine, I said.
Okay, Kenny said cheerfully.
All right, see you soon.
Uh, Kate?
What.
Uh, are you going to come pick me up or what? Because you have my van.
Christ.
I cant leave the site, Kenny.
Bummer.
Three hours had passed since Id first parked the van and now I had a more serious problem than hunger and boredom. I needed a hospitality break.
Should I risk going down the street to the shop and use the restroom?
I thought about Laurie. Surely shed be hungry by now and my breasts were starting to burn. Before leaving home, Id examined my breast pump. It had a car attachment for power that plugged into a standard car charger. But who wanted to pump in the car?
After all, it wasnt like there was any kind of privacy in a car. What did other moms do? Use a nursing wrap?
I recalled a news item about one mom getting pulled over because she was breastfeeding while driving. Now that was taking multitasking to a whole new level.
Id tried distracting myself from my bodily needs by killing the time on the phone. I called Jim to check on Laurie; he reported that Laurie was watching him from across the room and making coo-coo eyes at him.
I dialed Paula and caught up with a few friends I hadnt spoken to in a while. I called my brother long-distance; he had moved cross-country for work and this would be the first Thanksgiving we wouldnt be together. I chatted with Kiku. my future sister-in-law. She filled me in on some planning details for her wedding with Jims brother, George. Considering George was on probation due to his antics during my first case, things were going relatively well for them and their new baby. I even called Kenny back a few times.
As soon as I decided that I simply had to go down the street to that shop, the door to the midwife center swung open.
Oh yes!
Action.
I grabbed the binoculars and put them to my eyes, only I was so excited that I did it backward and the effect was that Celia looked miles away. I quickly switched them around and Celia zoomed right up to me, giving me the impression that she could reach out and touch me. I pulled away from the binoculars to verify Celias distance.
She was half a block away and hadnt bothered to notice the van at all.
She was dressed in a track suit with running shoes. I watched as she reached her car, a yellow VW bug, and got in.
I jumped into the drivers seat of the van and started the engine.
Please, Celia, bring me a clue.
It could blow the case wide open if she drove straight to Alans clinic and engaged him in a juicy kiss.
Either that or maybe shed be going to see a client. Then I could at least get a trail on her activities, find out more about her from someone outside Roo amp; You.
I followed her car to a local gym. She parked and went inside.
There was no way I could wait here for her to finish a workout. Nothing for me to do, but go home to Laurie and Jim empty handed, or empty headedwhatever the case may be.
As I started home, I found myself driving right back to the midwife center.
Why was I here?
I parked in front and walked up to the entrance. With Celia gone, perhaps I could get a look inside. I peeked through the glass window.
The floor was a blue-green marble, and on the reception console matching tile had been laid in a wave pattern across the front. On top of the reception console was a stack of pamphlets and a vase of red roses.
Who had given her the roses?
The center looked freshly remodeled. Where did Celia get the money to have her own center? How much did midwives charge anyway? Was she billing back to the insurance companies? I couldnt imagine she was bringing in enough money to own the building, but if she rented the center, the lease payment had to be considerable.
If she was having an affair with Alan, maybe he was helping her with the payments. Doctors made pretty good dough. He had a private practice and he lived in a nice neighborhood, big house.
By far the nicest home Id been in lately was Bruces, though, with the rooftop access and incredible view. Suddenly a thought hit me. Everything that was true for Alan could be true for Bruce.
Bruce had great income as an investment banker. And there were those odd moments Id witnessed between Bruce and Celia, at the service and then again at his house.
Maybe Bruce had killed Helene to get her out of the way so he could be with Celia, but then somehow things went wrong with Celia.
Could I run a search on his credit card? Find out where he was spending time and money? Had he bought those roses on the counter?
I made a mental note to ask Galigani about background and credit checks. Now that I was officially under his wing, he could give me database access to some specialized data providers for licensed private investigators.
From down the street, I heard a car engine. Out of reflex, I turned to look and nearly passed out. It was a yellow VW bug, Celias car.
Shoot!
What was she doing back so fast?
She parked in front of the center and hopped out of the car.
Had she forgotten something? Did she know I had been outside watching her? Had she returned to catch me red-handed?
As she walked up to the building, she said, Hello, Kate.
What do I say? What do I say? What do I say?
I smiled. Hi!
She nodded at me expectantly.
Uh . . . hi! I said again, adding a wave this time and smiling bigger.
Have you been here long? she asked.
How could I be here long, you just left!
Uh . . . no.
She reached into her gym bag and pulled out keys. What are you doing here?
I was in the neighborhood. I was curious about your birthing center.
