Detective Mike

Chapter 3

"I thought Julie had decided to wait until she was older?"

"We were just necking, making out, you know."

"I'm surprised you haven't been in the trailer here?" Rick glances up at him and Mike nods, "Oh, you have." Rick nods. "It sounds like you two have been pretty busy. All the same I'll ask Sadie about her coming out with us."

"You better not let Mom or Trudy catch you talking to her Mom. I heard them talking about her and they don't like you being around her. Is that because her Mom's a stripper?"

"Maybe, I better just call her then."

"I think that'd be best, Dad." They grin at each other.

"Don't you be letting your sisters find out about you and Julie; I don't want Shelly thinking she has to keep up with you."

"Don't worry Dad, I don't tell them anything."

"Okay, we better go in now. I guess you have homework and Trudy will be wanting to see me." They close up the trailer and head into the house.

Trudy and Marlene have a catalogue out on the counter and are poring over it. Mike inquires, "Where are the babies?" Marlene points into the living room and Trudy beckons him closer.

"Which booties do you like best, Mike?"

"For which one?"

"Emma, of course!"

"I'd prefer doeskin moccasins or leggings."

"Oh Mike!" she swats his shoulder, "You would!"

As he chucks Trudy under the chin Marlene murmurs, "I knew he was going to say that."

Mike asks Trudy, "How's Lily making out?"

Trudy is enthused, "She's doing terrific! She catches on so fast. I guess its all that training she got in the orient before coming to Canada." Lily worked undercover for the police in Singapore and Hong Kong on the drug squad so she has a good grounding in security. "I only had to explain the methods I use for skip tracing once to her and she grasped the ideas and even improved on a couple techniques I use. I'm dying to try them out myself."

"Have you got much right now?"

"I'm pretty well caught up but there will be more next Monday, I'm sure."

"How are your new people working out?"

"The one from the MP's at the base, that's Werner, he's excellent. I'm not too sure on the other one, he may be too young."

"Attitude?"

"Uh huh."

"He knows he's on probation?" She nods. Mike shrugs, "You call the shots. You have to work with him." He winks at her, "Any other problems?"

"We have competition in Langley... stiff competition."

"New people?"

"Old company, Spartacus from New Westminster, they've added quite a few people to their Langley operation and they are advertising heavy. I have some of their ads."

"They're just uniform guards."

"Not any more." She produces two ads from her purse, "See, Spartacus Protective Services, uniformed guards, home security systems and undercover investigations. The investigations are new."

Mike studies the ads. "Well, we'll have to keep an eye on them."

"That's what I told Lily."

"What about The Commissionaires from Vancouver? I understand they have some clients in Langley."

"They're not pushy like these guys." She taps the ads. "Most of these are kids! The Commissionaires are retired cops and veterans, real gentlemen and pretty tough. Pricey like us, though. I've worked with them out at the base in Chilliwack."

"They're at the airport here in Abbotsford, too." He thinks a moment. "And CPX has them in our yard down at Poco. So far they're not into investigations, just security."

She asks quietly, "You coming down soon?"

"I'll try." He glances at Marlene who lets on she is really interested in the catalogue but he knows she's listening. "If I don't get a call for a run tomorrow I'll come down for the night. How's that?"

Trudy is all smiles. "I'll call that Jerry and tell him to stick any runs where the sun don't shine." She giggles and Mike shakes his head. She looks contrite, "You know I wouldn't."

"It's only Wednesday though," he cautions. "One other thing, would you like to go out to the club this weekend? I was thinking of taking the trailer out there and Marlene doesn't think it's wise to take Emma out there yet."

"Oh, that's better than tomorrow night! You bet!"

"Okay, so I'll stay here until Friday then take the trailer out Friday night. We'll have to come home Sunday night because the kids have to be in school Monday morning." He looks again to Marlene and asks, "Does that sound fair to you, love?" Tight lipped she nods.

Trudy gets the kids around and leaves for home in Chilliwack with the promise that Mike will see her at the club Friday night. Marlene and Mike wave to her as she leaves in her '86 Chevy 'Sprint' with Crystal holding the baby in the passenger seat. Mike wanders over to the trailer and Marlene paces him close behind.

"You know why he's been cleaning it up, don't you?"

Marlene mutters, "Julie?" When Mike nods she continues, "I saw them come out of the trailer the other night. He hinted she was helping him with the cleaning. I gather there was more to it than that." He nods again. She looks worried now, "She's not... she's okay, isn't she?"

Mike reassures her, "Oh yes."

Noticeably relieved Marlene retorts, "I guess she's got her hands full with two girls that age and her having to work half the night." Pensively she asks, "When are you going to take me to see her act?"

Mike shies away from the question, "Rick feels they have no privacy at her place or here. I don't advocate they experiment but kids will be kids and they have to find their own way. I'm sure he won't do anything to harm her..."

"We did it, didn't we? Of course we were older." She looks thoughtful, "Was I sixteen?"

"I think you were seventeen. But I wasn't the first, was I?"

"You know who was the first."

"Yeah, Ken. How old were you?"

"Fifteen, it was my freshman year in high school. Ken was two years ahead of me and was the 'catch' for the seniors. I thought I had to go all the way with him to get his attention and hold it." She giggles, "It worked until you came along and then I didn't care anymore."

Mike says softly, "Do you still have a thing for him?"

Marlene laughs mischievously, "Wouldn't you like to know." She follows that comment up with, "You and Trudy have both hinted that I might be seeing Ken for six months now. I think she even thinks I might be seeing Jeff." She laughs outright now.

"I know Jeff's in Toronto. That's ridiculous!"

"Is he?"

"Of course he is... or he was the other day when he called. Is he out here?"

Marlene looks contrite, "He's in Vancouver, if you must know. He has been for about three months now." She glares at Mike, "Yes, he wanted me to come to him but I told him a long time ago it was over and I meant it."

"I see." Mike thinks this through. "He's had all his calls to our place routed through his office phone in Toronto, eh?" Marlene bites her lip. "Why would he do that?"

"You know why. He wants me to go back east with him."

"He can't accept a 'no'? He has to keep calling?"

"He's persistent."

"I'd call it obnoxious!" He lifts her chin, "You're enjoying the attention!" he accuses. She shrugs. Mike adds, "And what about Ken?"

She snaps, "None of your business!" She turns her back on him and starts to leave. He catches her arm and turns her back to face him.

"Why is it none of my business?"

"Do you level with me?" She pushes her face right up to his. "Are you gonna be with Sadie tomorrow night or maybe Janine? Who did you sleep with last night? How many more that I don't even know about? You can just f*****g worry about Ken, for all I care! That's why it's none of your business!"

Mike backs down and shrugs, "So I am what I am."

"I know that Mike, I accepted that a long time ago. I don't want to fight with you when we could be enjoying each other's company. Let's just leave it alone."

Mike agrees and they go into the house.

Shelly is rocking a cranky Emma so Marlene takes her and paces rubbing her back gently. Shelly watches her Mom. Finally Marlene decides she will have to give her some more nurse or she isn't going to settle down. She's been trying to get her to wait up to four hours between feedings but so far without much success. Mike watches Shelly help her mother get settled on the couch. He says he is going down to do some work in the office.

"I won't be long, I'll bring you down coffee when I'm done feeding her."

"Thank you." He heads downstairs where he checks his fax machine and 'in' box. Quite a pile so he sets to work on it. It's nearly eight when the phone rings.

"Hello."

"Mike?"

"Yes, it's me."

"When did you get in?"

"Just after lunch to the yard, home by three I guess." He can hear the noisy crowd in the background. "Busy tonight, are you?"

"Really a good crowd for a Wednesday. What are you doing?"

"Just into paper work. There's a pile of it. Same thing every time I go on a run. Why do you ask?"

"Is Marlene there?"

"Not right here but not far away."

"Oh."

"She's not in earshot, if that's what you mean?"

There's quiet on the line with just background noise then, "Mike, Rick wouldn't run off with Julie, would he?"

"Huh? No, I don't think so. Sadie, they are just kids!"

She waits a long time again, "I guess I scared them the other night. I came home early and they were making out on the coach. It caught me off guard, I thought they had called it quits and agreed not to do that any more."

"What did you say to them?"

"Mike, I didn't say anything. I just stood there and watched them."