Fae Second Chance

Chapter 17 - Unexpected Guest

Chapter 17

Jordan calls Monday morning to ask how my holiday went.  I tell her about the drama at dinner and then ask how her went.  I am embarrassed to tell her about Jessica.  So, I leave that portion out of the conversation.   She laughs and tells me that no holiday is complete until someone gets mad at someone else.  She then tells me about going to her parents and then Peter’s parents making sure they both get the same exact amount of time and the kids eating so much then nearly exploded.  Actually, the smallest one did explode and threw up all over the car on their way home.

I chuckle.  I always wanted kids, but I can’t have them, and John never wants to discuss adoption.  Apparently, they would hamper any political ambitions he has.  Listening to Jordan tell me about the very ordinary and messy holiday makes my heart hurt.

Before I hang up with Jordan I ask if she has ever heard of a William Craddick.  I can hear a pause on the line and then she asks how I know him.  I explain he is one of John’s fraternity brothers and they hung out a couple nights while we were in Boston.

“He is bad news, Amelia.  You need to stay away from him.”

“How?”

“Let’s just say if he knew you are Magic.  He would try to arrest you as soon as you crossed the border from Border City.  I have heard from colleagues that have had runs in with him in some of the international offices where the humans and Magic interact more freely, and he is always causing issues and getting people fired.”

“Oh my God, why is John friends with someone like that?”

“You do know that your husband does not like Magic people?”  Jordan asked skeptically.

“Yes, but to actively go after their livelihood and get people fired.  That is extreme.”

“Well, I would just avoid him if you can.”

I agree and then we discuss meeting for lunch in the next few days depending on how much work we must catch up on.  I hang up with Jordan and get back to work.  I can’t believe that William is more of a scum bag than I remembered.  I definitely will be keeping my distance from him.

On my way home I get a text from John staying he is going to be late tonight.  I decide to use this time to snoop around the apartment and see if I can find anything out about Jessica.  After an hour of search for any signs that he has been up to anything, I have realized that either he is telling me the truth, or he is very good at hiding thing.  There are no lip stick stains on collars or secret love notes.  Nothing.  I guess he could be with her during all these late nights, and I wouldn’t be the wiser.

I start to question my thought that he is cheating on me.  Jessica could very well be who he says she is.  She may be one of Clarks staff assigned to keep Clark updated on Border City.  Clark is not one to keep up with things on his own.  He very well may be using her as a conduit, so he does not have to speak to John himself.  I really can’t blame him for that.

But the idea that John is lying to me, and that Jessica is something more keeps nagging at me and I can’t just dismiss the idea.  I huff and drop onto the couch.  There has to be something I am missing.  I go back to the locked closet and wonder is there any way I can get into it.  I wish I knew how to pick a locks.  The television shows make it look so easy, but I know there is a lot more to it. 

I wish I took note of Jessica’s phone number when I answered it.  But I was so mad at John that I didn’t think I needed evidence, I just exploded.  The only thing I can think to do is to follow John and see where he goes.  A plan starts to form in my head.  I will call John one night and tell him I am working late.  Then I will wait by the city government building till he comes out and follow him to wherever he goes.

But what if he gets into a car, what will I do.  Do I jump into a taxi and yell follow him like they do in the movies?  Does that actually work?  How do I make sure John doesn’t notice me following him?  Ugh, I am such a bad spy.  I could hire a private investigator.  But where do you find those?  I look down on my phone and think about googling it.  I decide against that in case John is watching my phone.  Maybe I can look it up at work?  I could ask Jordan, but then I have to admit that I think my husband is cheating on me and I am too big of a chicken to leave him.  The PI seems to be my best choice.  I just have to figure out how to hire the best one without John finding out.

The next day at work I scroll through private investigators located in Border City. I am reading the reviews and seeing who does what and what past clients have said about them.  One name catches my interest, J. Johnson.  Maybe it is the alliteration of the name or the fact he specializes in relationship recon.  I chuckle at the diplomatic turn of phrase. Not all the reviews are positive, but as I read them, I realize a lot of them negative reviews are from the spouses of his clients.  But he is accredited and has some recommendations from the local police force.  I jot down his information on a scrap of paper and put it into my desk drawer.  I need to figure out a way to meet with him without John finding out.  His office is not located anywhere near our apartment or my office and the idea of trusting someone without meeting them in person first does not sit well with me.

I decide my first step is to set up a personal email address on one of those free search engines.  I start to fill out the registration information and pause.  I need a name that is not associated with me.  Something that John would not recognize. It dawns on me, Angelia Rose. It was what I was going to name my daughter when I thought there may be a chance in the future to have a child.  I never told John the name and it is not written down anywhere, but I’ll remember it.  I fill out the rest of the information using my real data expect for the birthdate, I change that up by a couple of days.  I know this is all crazy and there is no way that John will figure it out, but I want to be safe.

I also look up how much it normally cost to hire a PI.  I decide to pull out a little money from my personal account a day.  Nothing too much to make John question it.  Once I have enough of a down payment, I can contact the PI and start.  I know I want him to look into Jessica, but do I want him to look into anything else?  I want to know about what John and his father were arguing about.  But can a PI find out that kind of information or should I just be happy with finding out if he is cheating.

A few minutes later I get a text from John.  He wants to meet at a restaurant near our apartment for dinner.  His friend from college William is in town and would like to have dinner with us.  My stomach drops out.  Jordan said William was dangerous, but I can’t just cancel and not go.  John would be furious, and I am sure that will not help me getting information on his side activities or Jessica. I text back sure and asked when we are meeting.  He tells me to just meet him at the apartment after work and we will go together.  He wants to present a united front.  I do not know what we need to be untied about if it is just dinner with a friend, but I agree.

The rest of the day goes by in a whirl with thoughts about what is going on running through my head.  I am glad my work doesn’t suffer, and I manage to get some projects completed and turned in.  As I am walking back to the apartment I wonder if I should have told Jordan about this.  I decided it was probably best I didn’t mention it to her, she would worry.  If anything, interesting happens I will let her know tomorrow.

Dinner was not remotely exciting.  John talked about himself and his job for most of the meal and William keep staring at me.  Not in the I know something about you, kind of way but in that creepy I want to see you naked kind of way.  I shift uncomfortably in my chair and scooted closer to John.  John for his part either was ignoring Williams stares or was oblivious to it.  I am not really sure which one.

After dinner, the men walked me back to our apartment.  I really did not want William anywhere near me so I told John that I was really tired and that he and William should head to the corner bar for a night cap.  William protested a bit, but John thought it was a wonderful idea.  Finally, William agreed, and they saunter off in the direction of the bar.  I breathed a deep sigh of relief and let myself into the apartment building.

A couple of hours later John comes back to the apartment.  It was the happiest I had seen him in a while.  He told me that William was really impressed with us.    John told me that he was happy with the way I had presented myself and encouraging them to go out afterward.  That many wives would not understand that is where deals are made, and it made me appear to be a team player.  He said that William was in town for the week, and he had invited him for a home cook dinner tomorrow night. 

“You should wear that blue slip dress that I love, with the pearls.  Not much makeup and wear your hair down.”  He paces the room and stops to look at me.  “You need to make the roast with all the fixing.”

“John that is a time-consuming meal.  I have to work tomorrow.”

“This is more important than your job, call out sick.”  He waves his hands around and then states, “That’ll work perfectly, this entire place needs to be spotless.  You can take the day to make this apartment seem like the perfect home.”

He happily walks into the bathroom and closes the door.  I am fuming.  He seriously wants me to take a day off work to create the ‘perfect home’ for him.  I am now trying to decide what to do.  I either take the time off work or listen to John fume for embarrassing him.  I decide to compromise and take half a day off tomorrow.  I can get the roast in the oven and then clean the apartment.   Hopefully the men will be a little late and if they are not, I can liquor them up and finish up the meal.

As expected, John and William arrive later than what John told me.  I am not worried the apartment is spotless and decorated with tasteful classics holiday decoration.  The table is set with our plain white plates and crystal glasses.  The dark blue cloth napkins add a pop of color.  John walks in and surveys the room and looks to the table.  He walks up to me a whisper, “Where is dinner?”

“In the oven staying warm.”  I whisper back to him.  I then direct the men to the living room where I have set up multiple types of alcohol on the sideboard and ask if they would like a drink.  I prepare the drinks and escape back into the kitchen to finish up the meal and get it on the table.

The majority of dinner John and William talk about Border City and reminisce about college.  About halfway through John gets a phone call and excuses himself and takes it in his office.  William gazes over to me.

“You look beautiful tonight.” William reaches his hand over the table to touch mine.  I pull back and place my hand folded in my lap.

“T-thank you,” I stammer back.

William folds his arms on the table and leans towards me.  “You know you are too good for him, right?”

“Uhm,” I start looking around the room for John.  “I thought you two were friends?  Why are you saying this to me?”

William leans back in his chair and waves his hand in the direction of the bedroom, “We were never friends.  We are colleagues working on the same project and contrary to what John think he is only a small piece of the overall project, not important at all.”  William pauses and stares at me with such an intensity, “But you on the other hand, you deserve so much better than him.  You need a man who can spoil you and take you to exotic locations.  John is small potatoes.  He can never give you what you need.”

I abruptly stand from the table and state, “He is my husband.”  I turn to walk into the kitchen.  John decides at that moment to rejoin us in the dining room.

“Where are you going?” he asks me.

“We need more wine.”  I tell him and escape into the kitchen.  I can hear them talking.  William is complementing John on the meal and his lovely wife.  I know that John wants something from William and apparently William wants me.  I just need to make sure John doesn’t get it into his head to trade me for whatever he wants.  I hope he wouldn’t, but lately I never know what is going through his mind and he seems obsessed with this project he is working on.  He thinks it will lead him to greater things, higher positions.

I manage to never be alone with William for the rest of the night and finally the men call it an evening and William takes his leave.  He shakes John hand and tells him he will get back to him soon about their venture.  John is excited and slaps William on the back.  William just glares at this hand on his back and John pulls it away.  William then reaches over and takes my hand and bows over it and kisses my knuckles. 

“Thank you for a lovely meal, Amelia.”  He purrs my name and then turns and leaves. 

I breathe a huge sigh of relief.  John then stands smiling with his hands on his hips surveying the dining room.

“That went great.” He smiles.  “You did well.”  He then walks to his office and shuts himself inside.  I spend the rest of the night cleaning up the apartment and then go to bed.  John is still working on something in his office and leaves me in blessed peace.  I am left questioning should I tell John what William said or just let sleeping dogs lie.