Chapter 3-5
257 Words
The woman looked up, startled. “What was
that?”
“Go check on it,” Ilene told her. “I can find
my way back to my room.”
The housekeeper nodded and went off. Ilene
waited until she was out of sight, then quietly ascended the stairs
and tiptoed to the door Michael had closed behind her moments
before.
She got there in time to hear him say,
insistently, in a tone that suggested it wasn’t the first time he’d
asked, “Who sent you to spy on me?”
“They didn’t.” Jim drew a couple of gasping
breaths. “I mean, I don’t know.”
“How can you not know?” Michael asked. “It’s
a simple transaction. Someone pays you and tells you what to do. I
just want a name. Or names.”
“Not that simple.” Jim sounded odd, as though
he squeezed the words out through clenched teeth. “You should know
it’s not that simple.”
“Tell me.”
“I’m a PI. Outside of D.C. Guy came in and
hired me. Said you were a long-lost nephew, his only relative. He
wanted me to check you out, see what kind of person you were, what
you did with your time, things like that. Said he wanted to make
you his heir, seeing he had no other kids or nephews or whatever,
but not if you were no good.”
“How long have you been a PI?”
Ilene smiled at the note of sarcasm in
Michael’s voice.
The man laughed. “No, I didn’t buy it either.
But it’s not my job to question my clients’ reasons. Anyway, I’ve
got child support to pay.”
“You took the job. What specifically—?”
Michael stopped abruptly and was silent a moment, before he said,
louder, “Why don’t you come in and join us, Ilene. Might as well
have all the spies in the room at once.”
- Writer
