Hard Choices, Pt. 6

As I was finally finishing with the silverware arrangements, I heard a knock on the door.

“Sara, would you get that please? I’m expecting someone.”

She nodded amiably and proceeded to do so.

I turned away from my now abandoned workstation and looked up as Dan entered the room.

“Well, well, look what the cat dragged in. It’s already 3 o’clock, ya know.” I remarked, trying valiantly but failing to conceal my impish grin.

He shook his head with a small smile as he walked towards me.

“Oh boy, Joshie said you were a stickler for punctuality.”

“He spoke true.” I toss back. “But honestly I care more about what you have to say, then when you say it… What did Gino tell you?”

Dan opened his mouth, then hesitated.

“Perhaps… That would be a conversation better had in privacy.”

I frowned, studying him for a minute.

“Ok,” I shrugged, “but you gotta make yourself useful in the meantime.”

He chuckled.

“Deal.”

At that moment, Marcia was walking past me, so I snagged her attention.

“Would you be a dear and put this man to work please?”

“Gladly.” Her grin was contagious.

As I watched her show him how to wash the windows, I couldn’t help but notice how he seemed so… Different.

When we’re working on the case, or at his trailer, he’s Dan Rodrigo, private eye. But here on my turf? He honestly reminded me of a little foal learning how to walk.

I laughed a little and shook my head at the thought of it.

***

My phone alarm had gone off a few hours ago, signalling the time of 6:30, when I generally tell my crew to clock off and go home. But they’d decided to stay.

Now, though, seeing them all yawning and checking their watches, I finally had the thought to do the same.

Yikes! It was almost 11pm.

I gave a short whistle to get their attention.

“Guys, I’m so sorry you all had to stay so late. I wasn’t watching the clock. Go on home, I need you rested for tomorrow.”

As they slowly filed out of the room, Marcia came up to me.

“They can leave, but I’m not going anywhere. I know you’re not planning on leaving anytime soon, and I can’t leave you here working alone.”

“I’m not alone.” I replied with a small smile. “Dan’s here. Go home, Marcia. I already know it’ll be a miracle if I’m not a zombie tomorrow, I don’t need you to be one too. I need you to be able to pull everything together if I’m down for the count or have to leave. Please go on and rest up. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Are you sure Mads?” Her brow creased with worry.

“Yes.” I chuckled.

“Alright… But only if you promise to get some sleep too.”

“I promise.” I only said this to mollify her, because I had no intention of actually doing so. Sleep was a luxury I couldn’t afford. Not tonight, anyway.

After a hug and a last goodbye, I saw Marcia to the door, and went to find Dan, to whom Marcia had given the unfortunate task of taking out all the trash and getting the bathrooms presentable for the guests.

I found him in the kitchen, replacing the trash bag in there.

“Thanks.” I began. “For helping out like this… I know Marcia’s been giving you most of the manual labor.”

“Not a problem. Besides, it’s fun to have a break from the everyday stuff once in a while, you know?”

I knew that feeling all too well… But I wasn’t about to tell him so… not yet, anyway.

“So… What did Gino dig up?”

He remained silent for a moment, closing the trash can and putting it back into its corner.

“Vinnie says that Bowing has been involved with the Bloods in one way or another for years. It started when he began working for Thompson Investments as an intern.”

He drummed his fingers on the counter he was leaning on.

“I guess that since day one, he’d been embezzling from the company to line his own pockets. One day, he stole from the wrong man. De Vicci put about 75 grand into some stocks, and only about 50 made it. It was his biggest steal yet. And his last.

“You see, De Vicci didn’t like his money being taken. When he found out, he threatened Bowing. Made him pay back three times what he took in return for keeping his life.

“After that, they became… partners, in a sense. Bowing wasn’t allowed to steal for himself anymore. He was to steal for De Vicci, and De Vicci alone. His payment: not getting turned in to the police.

“This went on for years, until he started his own agency. Now he does all of De Vicci’s dirty work, monetarily. Money laundering, embezzlement, printing money even… De Vicci names it, Bowing does it.” He frowned slightly before continuing. “And Vinnie said there’s even rumors that he’s begun to do… more than just things that concern money. That he’s working outside the office now.”

“Hold on, you mean like… starting to work like one of De Vicci’s goons?”

He nodded.

Huh.

“You know… strangely enough, none of this surprises me. I kinda got the ick from him the minute we met.”

“Then you have good instincts… Perfect for this line of work.” He winked, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

I rolled my eyes.

“So what’s our next move?”

He put on a catlike smile.

“We get proof, and we put Bowing away.”

I grinned.

“Sounds like a plan to me.”

***

I hadn’t planned to come home… But Dan had finally convinced me to do so. There had been enough work done for one night, and the earlier I got to sleep the easier it would be to get there in the morning.

After Dan and I had parted ways, my brain had kicked into overdrive again, thinking about how my life had changed so much over the last few days. Well, more like over the last week and a half.

As I changed into my pajamas, I shook my head, knowing that even if I laid down, my mind still wouldn’t let me fall asleep.

But as soon as my head hit the pillow, I was proved wrong.

I was dead to the world in seconds.

***

Dan had wanted to come to the reception, to see if Maddie and her team could use an extra set of hands, but she’d told him they had everything under control. There wasn’t as much to do today as she had originally thought, so he could go start watching Randall again while she was there.

He was going to go pick her up as soon as it was over.

***

As the guests finally started leaving, I moved into the parlor and got my phone out of my purse.

“Y’ello.” Dan picked up on the first ring.

“Hey, I’m ready whenever you are.”

“Sounds good. I’ll be there in ten.”

***

We rode in comfortable silence for a bit, until Dan made a turn that went in the opposite direction from where I thought we were going.

“Aren’t we going to his office?” I asked, frowning.

“Eventually, yes. That’s where I was until you called me. First, we’re gonna go check out his place.”

“Isn’t his wife gonna be there?”

“Well, yes, but that shouldn’t be too difficult. You distract her with women talk while I” He made a quote unquote motion with one of his hands. “Take a trip to the men’s room. Besides… Her letting us in is the only legal way we can get in the place.”

I grinned.

“Sneaky. This sounds like fun.”

He side-eyed me while smiling like the Cheshire cat.

“Oh, it’s very fun, my dear.”

We pulled into the driveway, and after Dan came around to open my door, we headed up the porch steps.

Dan knocked on the door.

I heard footsteps.

Shirley Bowing answered the door, a bright smile on her face, though confusion shone in her emerald eyes. She was a beautiful woman, with red hair and fair skin.

“May I help you?” She asked.

“Hello, Mrs. Bowing. My name is Daniel, and this is my fiancé, Maddie.” I tried to conceal my surprise at his words, hoping she didn’t notice. “And we’re going around the neighborhood, wondering if this is going to be the place we’ll settle down. You know, scoping things out, so to speak.”

He reached for my hand and held it as he spoke.

“May we come in and speak with you for a bit? Get your opinion on the place?”

I put on what I hoped was a convincing smile.

Shirley gave a slightly bemused frown, but smiled pleasantly and said, “Of course. Come on in.”

With a chuckle, she opened the door wider, and allowed us by.

I gave Dan a sideways glance and mouthed, “You could have warned me.”

He gave an impish shrug and turned his attention back to our hostess as she addressed us.

“This is… quite unorthodox, but please, make yourselves to home.” She gestured to the couch for us to sit. “Can I get you anything? Water, coffee, tea?”

“I’ll have whatever she’s having.” Dan replied, looking to me.

I blushed at being put on the spot so. “Oh, I don’t need anything, thank you.”

“Are you sure? Really, it’s no bother at all.” She smiled in a way that made it hard to say no.

“Alright,” I chuckled, “a cup of coffee would be superb, then.”

“Two coffees, coming right up.” She beamed. “Cream and sugar?”

“Black is perfect, thanks.”

Dan nodded in agreement.

“Alright, I’ll be right back.”

She scurried away into the kitchen.

“I wish you would have told me our cover story before we got here.” I hissed to Dan when she was out of earshot.

“That wouldn’t have been as fun. Besides, you were great. I think you do best with spur of the moment stuff.”

I huffed.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. You’re lucky I thought fast enough to play along.”

He nudged me playfully with his elbow. “I knew you would.”

I smiled a little, in spite of myself.

As Shirley came back with the coffees, Dan began to pester her with questions about the neighbors, the local crime rate, the nearby schools… Gee, he almost made even me believe our story.

Little by little, Shirley relaxed with us, and became so friendly that I couldn’t believe she was the wife of such a man as Randall. She was so sweet and wonderful… And he was such a snake. It flabbergasted me.

***

Dan waited for about half an hour before he decided to make his getaway.

He set his coffee on the end table and stood.

“May I use your bathroom, by chance?”

“Oh, of course. Down the hall, second door on your right.”

“Thank you.”

He made his way down the hall after exchanging a knowing glance with Maddie.

She winked.

As he turned away, he couldn’t suppress another grin.

Purposefully avoiding the second door on the right, he decided to enter the first one.

Lucky him, that looked to be Bowing’s home office.

After doing a double take to make sure Shirley couldn’t see him, he ducked into the room.

Moving to the desk, he began searching through drawers and riffling through papers, being sure to leave everything just as he’d found it.

He noticed a key sitting on the edge of the desk.

Odd… I wonder why that’s out in the open like that.

He picked it up and searched the room for what it might open, knowing he didn’t have much time left.

Then he saw it.

A book on the bookshelf looked different from all the rest… Newer.

It might not be anything, but… He had to check it out.

Quietly pulling it from the shelf, he inspected it.

It had a small latch that held it closed. A latch with a keyhole.

He tried the key. It worked.

He opened the book and found that it had been hollowed out, and inside… Inside there was another book. A small, pocket-sized black book.

He flipped through it, looking inside.

Grabbing his phone out of his pocket, and beginning to snap pictures, he grinned like a little boy on Christmas Day

He’d hit the jackpot.

***

“Oh, Shirley, that sounds absolutely divine! You must share that recipe with me.”

“Of course, dear. First, you butter the pan, and set the oven to three hundred and fifty degrees, and—”

At that moment, Dan came bursting into the room.

“Maddie honey, I totally forgot, we were supposed to meet the caterer 20 minutes ago!”

I gasped.

“Oh my golly goodness, you’re right!” I turned to Shirley.

“I’m so sorry, but we really must go.”

“Oh, yes of course, don’t worry about it. It was wonderful meeting you both. And congratulations!”

I smiled. “Thank you. And thank you for your hospitality, it really was more than we expected.”

She smiled warmly.

“You don’t have to thank me for being human. Now go, before you’re even later!”

Dan ushered me quickly to the car, and we began driving.

“What happened?” I asked, very confused.

As he pulled out of the driveway and turned on to the main road, he handed me his phone, which had been opened to his gallery. He clicked on a specific album of pictures.

“Read this.”

I swiped through the pictures, seeing names and numbers. Amounts, dates, dollar signs.

“Is this…”

He side-eyed me and grinned.

“Yes Maddison. It is.”