Acquaintances, Bygones, Ethics, and Life

"Can you send me some proof you aren't in a spider hole somewhere here, perpetrating insurance fraud on the back end of all of this?" I promised to do just that, hung up, and finished the text to Tomlin. The next time the waitress came by to check on me, I held up my phone, asked if she would take a picture of me. That was apparently a common enough request, although she was a little puzzled when I held up the copy of USA Today I had been reading along with their menu: Kitchenette Robles. The only thing that would have been better was if the Pacific ocean was sparkling behind me. I thanked her, snapped an additional photo of the back of the menu including their address, and sent it all off to Marie. I finished my orange juice, dropped cash on the countertop, hefted the duffle I had to carry everywhere I went for a few days more, and headed out to the car.

I had traded the truck for a used Toyota FJ... I guess used is unnecessary, since they haven't made them since like 2014 or 2015. And this was not one of those late models, but the tires were new, and it had all the bells and whistles. I looked much less out of place driving down the 101 than I had getting to Oregon.

But that was August, when it was what had happened was still fresh. I had since tried some of the Drive Ins, Diners and Dives sites in Nevada and Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. I had arrived in what I guess is going to be home maybe two weeks after assuring IA in the Gateway city I was not on hand burning my house down or tossing my business.

The new place cost more than I expected, but when it's got an ocean view, I'm not about to complain. There's affordable high speed internet. There's good places to eat, and my new loft sits atop the shop. I had to have some renovation work done. My own private handiwork looks much better this time, and when the time comes to leave there won't be a tell tale communication cable. But this time there is a shielded outlet. And once the posters and shotgun were 'installed,' it feels like home... like my last office. .

I'm still deciding how to decorate the loft, so as often as not I just sack out on the couch.

I'm also still looking for more help. Tomlin is a great business partner and I trust his instincts with the installers and staff to monitor that we need up there. Really I just need one person, to bounce ideas off of and to make sure I'm not missing something.

The e-classifieds worked last time, although I confess this time I was a little more demanding.

WANTED: Front office staff for secretarial services, critical thinking, and discretion. Must speak fluent sarcasm. Tolerance of nonironic throwback anachronism a plus. Odd hours. Odd clients. Regular paycheck. Prior experience necessary, ending sabbatical preferred..

It is almost perfect. And I do not worry about what tomorrow will bring. Some days I sit in my office chair and spend an hour watching the wind endlessly reshaping the ocean. Lately I have wondered about getting a boat.

The bell over the front door rings and I kick my feet of f of the wide wooden desktop. There is a blotter now, I am not a total savage.

"Secretary is out," I shout through the open door, "C'mon back." I reach into my desk, pulling out a pad and pen, pull out the keyboard drawer and glance at the ipad screen to make sure there are no surprises waiting for me in the front office. I see the bird's eye view of my visitor as they come through the office door.

"I'm Constance, I'm here about the opening." I blink, closing the keyboard drawer as my brain registers I am hearing a voice I have been dreaming about. I find I am looking at the angel I see when I close my eyes. She is standing in my office, wearing a completely unnecessary London Fog trench coat, holding the paper open to the classifieds.

"I'm glad," I manage, "But you must be very hot in that coat. Just what opening are you talking about..."

===

Cast:

Steve Abel our hero

Thomas Caneformer partner

Tamara Canewife, former wife of Abel

Lacey Killiansecretary

Dwayne Tomlinfellow PI

Dawn HoffmanIA PD spokesperson

Marie LyndIA investigator

Woody Mooreowner of Lou's

===

I do work from a rough outline... there are always changes and shifts. But here is what this grew from.

Hope you enjoyed it. Never fear, fans of Sharon and Ann, their stories are not done, life just keeps me busy.

Abel Security Services

***outline***

open in dingy PI office, giving oral sex to secretary

interrupted by unknown

former partner, animosity clear

need help with wife

busy

youre not busy, those ads are trash

thought you'd want to help

you seem to be attracted to a type.

am calls

4 corporate sponsers firing.

'told by officials in the pd you might be a risk'

look at computer... half business gone in a day.

make me appointments with these 4,

calls former partner, gives in

meeting in office

'she's cheating, need evidence'

? why it's a no fault state... another cop? alienaiton of affection isn't a real goal'(Hawaii, Illinois, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Dakota, and Utah)

no, but a pre-nup states if evidence, she gets none of my retirement.

'she's cheating?'

'that what you're going to find out.'

'and when she sees me tailing her?'

'don't get seen'

explain won't work, need photographic proof of the act, not leaving a hotel, sharing a car ride.

lost a case where woman claimed she was napping in lover's lap.

what are you suggesting?

cameras in your house... with microphone

ok,

need to be where sex could happen.

ok, not like i'm having any sex.

insists on being present.

'better do your den.

f off

'if she's cheating at home she wants to hurt you. even if you don't know she's doing it.

she wouldn't do it on my desk.

'are you really goign to make me argue about that?

'nothing from behind the desk'

2 at angles up high .

wait.

bursts in to ofice

sex on the desk

bastard

?!?

IA is coming to get me

how am i involved?

you were in my den!

nothing behind your desk, you remember? what did you do?

give me your laptop and the back ups.

there aren't back ups, this was off the books, it's on that ipad.

takes both, and cell phone and secretary's laptop on the way out.

i guess this will have to wait...

why? do you have the numbersI gave you? she tucks them in loose bra top.

he won't get through the security on those, and they don't have those numbers, anyway.

continues.

later

phone to former detective with PI service.

they'll be calling you. I get 5%

call to office.

3 down 1 to go, then I'll be back at the office.

getting business back from the lie told by 'official sources'

getting business from big sites the PD recommended in light of new information.

former partner indicted on drug and racketeering.

2 mob bosses arrested.

his bank account, though was mysteriously empty when he was caught, and he claimed to know nothing about it.

back at office.

? wanna go to lunch or eat in?

I'll be leaving... and I quit.

produces gun

wtf?

thanks for your help, but we're taking it all.

wtf?

she wanted to kill you, when she found out we... well

i didn't force you to do anything!!

oh, no, and i enjoyed it. and you can't very well out us, so go to the bar, have a drink to celebrate getting your name back. even if you didn't get rich doing it.

one for the road?

later in the bar. buying rounds, but giving them away

back to the office. waits... ring a magnetic key, behind the shawshank poster a fireproof safe.

opened it... a black ibook and a panasonic tough book.

different cell phone, program

she'll get the retirement... they only needed 50% of the take to think they had everything

.. ..