Bang, You're Dead

The next day he turned his gas and food expenses into Angie and told Bob what he'd found but didn't mention his suspicions of foul play in Julia's death. He really didn't need another lecture from his partner about working for free.

As much as he hated to, Troy called Andrea into his office for a briefing. He thought about meeting her in a restaurant but knew she would take the news hard and wanted to give her a place where she could let go.

Andrea took a tissue from the box Troy was offering and wiped her eyes. "Are...are you sure it was my mother?"

"Yeah, I am; I'm so sorry."

"What about my real father? Do you have anything on him yet?"

"Not really; I am sure he spent some time in that same town as your mother but the trail runs pretty cold from there." Troy looked into her tortured face. "Look, I'm not giving up. I plan on going back to do some more digging. What about your adopted dad, is he still being so hard-nosed?"

"Not as much as he was," she answered. "He originally told me I had to move out of the house after I told him I wanted to find my biological parents. He gave me a deadline but it's come and gone and so far he hasn't said anything."

"Is he still not talking to you?"

"He talks a little—when he has to."

"Does he know we're still on the case?"

"No; I told him when I ran out of money and that I couldn't pay anymore for a private detective. I didn't know you'd stay on the case until the following week and I didn't say anything to him so I'm sure he figures it's over."

Troy told her again and emphasized that he was not giving up his search for her dad.

"Thank you, Mr. Englander. This really means a lot to me."

Troy escorted the young lady through the outer office and all the way to her car. She thanked him again before leaving.

Over the next couple weeks work picked up for Bob and Troy. They were just about to close out the Bracken case but Mrs. Bracken wanted more photos of her husband with his bimbo, as she called her. That was fine with them. Not only did it give them more billable hours but it gave their associate more time to dig into the Mr. Bracken's finances.

They were also being asked to assist the police in their search for Harry Lindsburg, the felon Troy had discovered while doing the employee background check a couple weeks prior. He had disappeared again before the cops could grab him.

In addition, they had taken on several other cases. It was busy, just the way Bob liked it; not only because of the financial remuneration but it meant that he was out of the office more than he was in and it gave him the opportunity to sneak out without anyone being the wiser.

***

Can you get away this Thursday?

As much as she hated herself for it, Morgan was excited when she read the text.

Yes.

Okay. I'll text you early with the info on the car and hotel.

They had gone through the same routine so many times the short texts were all that was necessary. Morgan would check her secret phone right after the kids left for school Thursday morning. Ian would be at the office by that time. Robert would text her with which car and where it would be parked. He would tell her which motel and the time. He would text her the room number after checking in. She would be in the mall changing clothes by that time.

It was about ten-twenty, Thursday morning. "What the? Call office," Troy directed his hands free car phone.

"Sander's and Englander's Investigations."

"Morning, Angie."

"Good morning, Troy. Are you in Glendale Heights?"

"I was but that address we got turned out to be an empty lot. I'm on my way back into the office. Is Bob around?"

"No, he's out somewhere."

"Okay, maybe you can answer my question. Do we have a new female operative?"

"No, of course not," she answered with a chuckle. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, I was sitting at the light by the mall and one of our cars pulled out of the parking lot. There's a woman driving—thirtyish, long dark hair—any idea who that would be driving our car?"

"No, Troy, none at all. Bob wouldn't hire anyone without telling me. She'd have to sign the confidential disclosure agreement before going out on any assignments. Maybe he just loaned one of the cars to a friend."

"Yeah, that must be it. She pulled out just as the light was turning so she's right in front of me. I think I'll follow her for a little bit just to see where she goes. I'll be in the office after I find out where she's taking our car," he laughed.

"Do you want me to ask Bob if he calls in?"

"Nah, I'm sure you're right. He probably loaned it to someone whose car broke down or something. I don't want him to think I'm checking up on him."

"Okay, I'll see you when you get in."

Completely unaware of her tail, Morgan drove straight to the Starlight Motel, one of Bob's out of the way and clandestine meeting places with no closed circuit TV cameras. Troy passed by as she pulled into the parking lot and drove around the block. After giving her a few minutes he pulled in and started looking for the car.

"Ah, no...no," he said out loud as he started to feel depressed. "Please, Bob, please tell me this isn't what it looks like," he beseeched his non-present partner. He found their surveillance vehicle parked a few spaces from Bob's personal Caddy.

Troy sat there, fuming. He'd seen this situation way too many times to seriously think it was anything but what it looked like. He knew Cindy, Bob's wife and he knew the kids. They were a wonderful family. How the hell could he do this to them? Him, of all people; hell, he's busted a couple hundred unfaithful spouses himself, he knows better.

Troy thought of finding out what room they were in and breaking in on them. "Shit," he cursed out loud. With all the new business they had just acquired, maybe it was something work related. If that was the case he'd look pretty silly breaking in. He decided to give Bob the benefit of the doubt and wait it out.

He reached in to pull his Nikon out of its case and grabbed a couple shots of the parking lot showing both cars with a time stamp then settled back to wait. Almost an hour had passed when his phone rang.

"Yeah, Ang?"

"I was just calling to see if you're okay. I was expecting you in before now. Did you find out who was driving our car?"

"Sorry, Angie; I should have called." He didn't want to tell her what he suspected. "I think you're right about Bob loaning it out. She pulled into another shopping mall; from one to another. Don't say anything to Bob about it. He and I had some words over me continuing the Murphy case pro-bono and I don't want him to think I'm checking up or trying to catch him at something to get even."

"Okay, I won't say anything. I checked on that address from this morning and have a different address. Do you still have time to check it out?"

"Ah, yeah. I'm doing a couple personal errands but give me the address and I'll head back there in a little bit."

Troy took down the new address then continued to sit and watch the row of motel room doors, poised with his camera in hand. It was another hour before the door to room 115 opened and Troy zoomed his telephoto lens in on his partner standing just inside. Suddenly a woman with short blond hair appeared in nothing more than her bra and panties, pressed her semi-nude body into the man Troy thought he knew and gave him a big kiss.

Bob stood in the open doorway holding the knob while he and the blond had a brief conversation then he kissed her once more before he left, closing the door behind him. He jumped into his Caddy and took off in the direction of the office.

Troy had it all down in living color. There was no more room for doubt; his partner was having an affair. He sat in his car for a few minutes wondering how he was going to handle the situation. He decided he needed more information on the woman before doing anything. With camera in hand he sat for another twenty minutes before a female exited the room. This time she was back to being a brunette. He got some more shots of her getting into their surveillance car then followed her out of the parking lot. After a few blocks he realized she was going back to where he first saw her so he backed off a little to make sure she didn't spot him.

Troy watched from a distance as she parked the car and walked back into the mall. He followed her in then waited outside the women's washroom. If he hadn't already seen her with short blond hair he'd have missed her as she exited.

He had done this kind of thing a thousand times in the past but never with the sorrow he felt as he witnessed Morgan stashing her bag in one of the lockers then tossing the key in her purse.

Morgan was completely oblivious to being followed as she climbed back into her own car and pulled away heading for home. Troy wrote down her license. That was all he needed. As he drove off to check out the new address Angie had given him, Troy's anger grew; not only was the affair an affront to Bob's family but it was a breach of professional ethics. Was she a former client? That would make it even worse. He hadn't recognized her but they didn't always meet each other's clients. By the time Troy got back to the office his foul mood wasn't easily hidden.

"Wow, who pissed in your cereal?" asked Angie as soon as he walked in the door.

"What? No one, why?"

"You look like you're mad at the world. Was it the wrong address again?"

"No, it was the right place. Our client...what's his name again?"

"Vanderhosen," she answered.

"Yeah, he's right; his daughter in law is living in the house. I don't get it. She's obviously living there without permission. Why didn't he just call the cops and get her booted out of there? Why hire us?"

"I asked him that over the phone but he was very evasive. I think there might be drugs involved some way. Either they're in the house or the girl is a user or something because he didn't want to get the cops involved."

"I see. Well, you can give him a call and tell him she's definitely living there. It looked like she was there with a boyfriend too; some guy with a Harley."

"I'll let him know, Troy. Where are you off to now?"

"I have some things to run down on the computer so I'll be in my office for a while."

"Okay, anything I can help with?"

"No thanks, Ang. I can take care of it. Where's Bob?"

"Ah, he came into the office a while ago but left again. He said he had some leg work to do. Jimmy's out on surveillance."

"Okay," he said while pouring himself a cup of coffee before disappearing into his office. Troy immediately sat down in front of his laptop and started the investigation into his partner's girlfriend.

Morgan Anderson; lives at 1358 Prospect, Arlington Hills, Il; married to Ian Anderson, city editor at The Times; two children, Adam and Landen.

"God damn it," he mumbled. He grabbed his phone and sent Bob a text.

You need to come into the office around closing. We have to talk but after Angie goes home.

A couple minutes later his phone buzzed with a reply.

What's it about?

It's personal. Just be here.

Okay; I'll be in a little after five.

Troy took the CF card from his camera and stuck it in his printer's card reader. Seeing the physical proof of his friend's infidelity only made him even more angry. He was still in his office when he heard Angie say goodnight. He returned the farewell, waited a few minutes to make sure she was gone, then grabbed another cup of coffee before sitting down at her desk to wait for the showdown. It was almost five-thirty when Bob strolled in.

"Okay, what's so urgent?" he growled. "I really wasn't planning on coming back in here tonight."

"Oh? Did you have another date with Morgan?"

Bob froze in his tracks. It suddenly felt as if ice water was rushing through his veins. He looked into his partner's angry face and knew beyond the shadow of a doubt the jig was up. There was no need to try and deny it. Troy was a pro, he wouldn't have said anything if he didn't have the proof.

He stepped closer to the desk and saw the pictures Troy had spread out. "You've been spying on me?"

"No," Troy indignantly answered, "I haven't been spying on you. She pulled out of the mall right in front of me. I recognized the car and followed her. I couldn't believe it when I saw your Caddy in the motel parking lot."

Now Bob knew just how all those cheating spouses felt when they were caught-- like a trapped animal. "Yeah, well just forget it," he snapped. "It's none of your damn business." He turned to leave but Troy stood and reached across the desk to grab his arm.

"Where are you going? We're not done talking," he barked.

Bob reacted by turning and angrily throwing his arm in the air to dislodge his partner's grip. The college graduation ring he wore on his right hand accidently smashed into the side of Troy's face, making a deep gash.

Surprised, Troy reached for the side of his face then brought his hand away covered in blood. There was a moment of silence while they both stood facing each other.

"Damn it, Bob, what the hell is the matter with you?"

"I...I'm sorry, man. I didn't mean to hit you," he sheepishly declared.

Troy reached for some paper towels in the coffee nook behind him and pressed them against his wound. "Never mind me; how can you do this to Cindy and the kids? Are there others?"

"Others; other women? No, she's the only one, I swear. Troy, it's not a hot a heavy thing. We get together five or six times a year, that's all. We just...I don't know; we met a couple years ago and made an instant connection. Look, I took precautions to make sure we wouldn't be discovered. I..."

"Yeah, I know—giving her our car so hers wouldn't be seen at a motel; the wig, the clothes, the whole ball of wax. Damn it, Bob, you know as well as I do there's always a risk."

Bob could feel his heart pounding. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm not going to do anything, Bob. YOU'RE going to break it off with her—NOW! I mean it. If you continue seeing her, partner or no partner, I won't stand by and watch you dishonor your family."

Maybe it was for the best. It was better Troy found out than someone else. He knew Troy meant what he said. As long as he called it off with Morgan, Troy wouldn't say anything. "Alright," surrendered Bob. "We have burner phones for communication. I'll texted her."

"Please, Bob; please do." With that Troy threw the bloody paper towels in the trash and walked out of the office. He left the photos behind on Angie's desk but had the CF card in his sport coat pocket.

Bob took the photos, ripped them up in small pieces and flushed them down the toilet. He went into his office, unlocked the lower left drawer of his desk, and removed the phone.

We have to talk. Call me during the day.

***

As usual after seeing Robert, Morgan was on pins and needles around her husband that evening. Evidently she'd learned to hide her nervous guilt well because Ian seemed not to notice. After dinner he sat at the kitchen table helping the boys with their homework. A small bolt of fear raced down her spine as Morgan watched her family. How could she possibly be so selfish and self-absorbed as to risk the happiness of the people she loved most in life? Her eyes glistened over with shame as she inwardly chastised herself.

Without a word, she hurried upstairs and locked herself in the bathroom. As she lowered the toilet lid and sat down the tears began to fall. This was it. She had hit rock bottom and was no longer willing to risk her family over her affair with Robert.

For the first time in a long while a joy overtook her. She looked back over her time with Robert with fondness but it was over. She took a deep breath and dried her eyes. Tomorrow, she decided, she would text Robert on her burner and let him know.

She washed her face then looked into the mirror and smiled. She suddenly recognized her old self looking back at her. There was a new bounce in her step as she descended the stairs and rejoined her family.

"There you are," said Ian. "Are you okay? I was just about to go looking for you."

"No, I'm fine. I had a little rush call, that's all."

"Everything come out okay?" Adam snickered.

A mock disapproving tap to the back of his head by his mother gave everyone a giggle.

"Well you're right on time. Smart-aleck here needs some help with his math," Ian said with nod of his head toward Adam. "You're better at that than I am."

"Yeah, mom. This time it's dividing fractions. Do you know how to do that?"

"Invert the divisor and multiply."

"Yeah, that's what the teacher said. What does it mean?"

Morgan felt a sense of freedom as she sat down next to her son. It was almost as if she'd been released from shackles as she demonstrated her mathematical skills for her oldest.

Later that night, as she and Ian lay in bed, Morgan felt a deep desire to give herself to her husband but she knew he was tired. Instead she cuddled into him, nestling her head into the nook of his shoulder. She rested her hand on his chest and looked into his eyes. "I love you," she told him.

"I love you too, babe."

***

The next morning Angie had a concerned expression when Bob walked in. "Good morning, Bob."

"Moring, Ang."

"Hey, do you know anything about these bloody paper towels in my waste basket? They were there when I came in this morning."

"Ah, yeah but don't worry about it. Everything's fine."

"Are they yours?"

"Angie, please," he said while pouring his morning coffee. "It's nothing, just forget it."

Angie hated it when Bob talked down to her like that. She'd been with them since they became partners and started the business. She didn't like being left out of the loop but she'd say no more.

Bob disappeared into his office and had been in there for a good half an hour before Troy walked in with a bandage on his cheek. "Good morning, Ang."

She looked up to greet him. "What happened to you?"

"Oh Bob and I had a little argument last night. He started waving his hands in the air and caught me with his ring, that's all. It's no big deal."

"So this is your blood in my waste basket."

"Huh, oh yeah—sorry, I should have emptied that."

"What's going on, Troy? I've never known you guys to fight before. What was it about?"

"Just something between Bob and me; it's personal, Angie. I don't want to talk about it. Is he in?"

"Yeah, he's in his office."

"Okay, Thanks." Troy walked over and lightly knocked on Bob's door.

Well, thought Angie, at least she knew more than she did before but she still hated it when they kept things from her.

Troy took a seat in Bob's office.

"I already sent her a text, Troy. She hasn't responded yet but..."

"I'm not here about that, Bob. I know you'll do the right thing. I wanted to let you know I'm going to Indiana again tomorrow. This case is really screwy."

"Why? I thought all you had to do was run the father down."

"Yeah, well I've been making some calls. Andrea's real mother, Julia, had a boyfriend at the time of her pregnancy. I've been working under the assumption that he was Andrea's father but nothing really fits. I finally came up with his name but as near as I can figure out he was in jail on a drug charge around the time Andrea would have been conceived.

"Once I knew her mother's real name I was able to get a copy of Andrea's birth certificate but the father is listed as John Doe. I need to get her boyfriend's DNA or at least his blood type to be sure but I don't think Andrea is his. This whole case has more loose ends than a bowl of spaghetti.

"There's something else too. I don't think Julia died in an accident, I think she was murdered. I don't really have any proof of that yet but I've talked to several people in that little town and things just don't line up right. Part of the problem is that I don't know who I can trust in Lincoln Valley. I'm not even sure about the sheriff. When I asked him about Julia's accident he wasn't very forthcoming."