Walt Murphy – Part Two – 14

Ricky managed—quite valiantly I thought—to refrain from quizzing me about my day until after dinner. But as soon as we settled down in the living room with our coffees he asked, "So is Mr Donati the bad guy in this scenario?"

"Not even close. He took Ben when Ms Engel gave him up to be adopted. Of course she doesn't know this."

"And you're not going to tell her."

"Hell no. Even if I did, and I'm not that much of an ass, I couldn't tell her where he is, or what name he's using, because Carlo wasn't about to give me that information."

"Smart man."

I shot him an indignant look. "Meaning I wouldn't keep my mouth shut?"

"Not at all," he replied, leaning over to give me a hug. "I only meant the less people who know, all things considered, the better. Did he have any idea what's behind her looking for Ben?"

"No We did come up with one possibility, although it's sort of far fetched. Carlo's father died six months ago. According to his will, his estate was to be divided between his wife, Carlo, and any children Carlo might have at that point."

"A large estate?"

"Carlo didn't go into specifics, but I suspect it's more than you or I will see in our lifetime."

"There was no mention of Carlo's wife, if he had one, getting part of the inheritance?"

"Apparently not," I replied.

"So if Ms Engel happened to find out about the will, she'd figure the only way to get her slimy hands on some of the money would be through Ben."

"Slimy hands?" I chuckled.

"Yeah. Ms Touchy-Feely, from what you told me about your first meeting with her. Ergo, she's got slimy hands as far as I'm concerned. Speaking of which, what are you going to tell her now?"

"I already talked to her and severed our contract, on the basis that there was no way I would be able to find Ben, given the adoption laws."

"Good. Then she's out of your life."

"Possibly."

"Possibly?"

"Carlo wants to hire me and the only reason I can see for that is, either he wants me to be certain she doesn't find Ben on her own, although that's not possible. If it was, she wouldn't have hired me in the first place. Or he wants to find out something about her. Like what prompted her search in the first place."  

"Something you'd like to know too."

"Big time. I don't enjoy being played. And, she's"—I thought about her offer of passes to the gym—"very good at that."

"Meaning?" Ricky gave me his 'tell me or else' look.

I grimaced. "She told me to stop by the gym where she works and she'd give me some free passes."

Ricky huffed. Something he's quite good at when he gets annoyed, but not at me. "I hope you told her no deal."

"Actually, I just thanked her since she was on her way out at that point."

"Never to be seen again."

I shrugged. "Depending on why Carlo's interested in hiring me."

I found that out the next morning.

Walt Murphy – Part Two – 13

"As I said, there's really is nothing more I can do. I'll have my secretary make up your bill."

Ms Engel hissed in what I presume was frustration then asked snidely, "Can you recommend another investigator who might be better trained at finding missing persons?"

"It has nothing to do with training," I snapped before reining in my anger. "There are laws surrounding adoptions."

She paused then looked at me slyly. "What if you found his father so both of us could approach the agency together?"

I resisted the urge to tell her to get out. Instead I replied calmly, "Since I don't know his name that would be difficult. I doubt, even if I did locate him, and you were able to convince him to help you, that it would make a difference. As I said…"

"Yeah, laws are laws. Still, his name is Giancarlo Donati. Just…in case." She sighed. "I'm sorry; I shouldn't have said what I did about training and all."

"It's okay. You're upset right now. If there was anything more I could have done, I would have."

"I know. Thank you for trying." She rested her fingers on my arm, stroking it gently. "You're a good man."

I wasn't sure what she based that on, but I didn't say so. I figured I probably didn't want to know where her thoughts were heading. Instead, I smiled. "I was just doing my job. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get ready for another client."

She stood, headed to the door then paused, looking back. "This is way off… everything, but you look like you must work out. If you want, I can get you a couple of free passes to the gym where I'm a personal trainer. Just come by any time."

What could I say to that other than thank you?

She smiled and left. Hopefully she remembered to get her bill from Chelsea. If not, it would be mailed to her.

With that bit of business concluded, I called Carlo---despite the fact we'd left it that he would call me when he'd made a decision about hiring me. He was surprised to hear from me.

"Still, I'm glad you called," he said. "It didn't take as long as I thought it would to make up my mind about things. I'll be coming back through the city tomorrow morning. If possible, can I make an appointment for around ten? That is if you work on Saturdays."

"I generally do, at least during the morning, so that would be fine. I'll see you then," I replied. We hung up and I got back to what was next on my agenda—the meeting with another client. About that at least, I hadn't lied to Ms Engel.

Cover reveal for 'Dylan's Dilemma'

Coming October 18th from JMS Books

Unofficial blurb:

When Dylan Russell unintentionally murders his ex lover, Tommy, he knows he's in trouble. Then he meets a man, Mars Marsden, who offers him a solution—join the covert organization, C21. After meeting Mars' handler, Dylan learns that Tommy was an arms trafficker. Dylan, somewhat reluctantly agrees to go undercover to help bring down the rest of Tommy's gang. From there, things get interesting as Dylan becomes involved with both C21 and Mars. Can he and Mars survive the jobs they're sent on? And, more importantly, can their relationship—which is purely sexual—deepen into something more before the work they do tears them apart?

Walt Murphy – Part Two – 12

As soon as Carlo left I phoned Ms Engel, asking when she could come to my office. She replied that she'd be free in an hour, which worked for me. I used the time to go get lunch. Without Ricky, unfortunately. When I called to see if he could get away he groaned dramatically and told me "Not in this lifetime." It was tax season and the end of his company's fiscal year so he was up to his neck in work.

Then I offered to pick up something and bring it over to him.

His immediate response was, "I'll love you forever if you do."

"I thought you already did," I pointed out with a laugh.

"Well yeah. And tonight I'll show how much, if you bring me sustenance now." I could picture him leering.

That was an offer no sane man in love could refuse. So I ate lunch then picked up something for him. When I got to his company, he dragged me—well not literally—into his office and thanked me with a kiss that bordered on the erotic, to put it mildly.

When we broke apart I said, "You must have been starving."

"Still am," he said, opening the bag I'd managed to set down on his desk. "Sandwiches out of a machine…? Well I wasn't that desperate." He took out the Styrofoam container, opened it and moaned, "I think I've died and gone to heaven."

"Dramatic much?"

He grinned. "Sometimes."

He kissed me again and then I left. I had my appointment with Ms Engel, and he needed to eat and return to his spreadsheets. Or do both at the same time knowing him.

I made it back to the office five minutes before Ms Engel appeared.

The look on her face when she sat down beside my desk was hopeful. "You found him?"

"No. I don't think that will be possible. I'm sorry. I've tried every route but, as I think I warned you to begin with, adoption records are sealed." Then I lied with a straight face. "I contacted the Spears-Clemens agency. They let me know in no uncertain terms that they could not, and would not, tell me anything about any child they had had in their system. Nor would they tell you."

"There must be something more you can do," she said, gripping my hand. "Please tell me there is. I so want to make things up to him for what I did." She looked at me beseechingly. Damn she was good. I almost believed her. Almost.

Walt Murphy – Part Two – 11

Carlo's mouth tightened in disgust. "Another lie. She was supposedly on the pill when I met her. And maybe she was until she decided I would be a good catch because my parents were well-off."

"Were?" I asked.

"My father died about six months ago from a heart attack. His will divided everything equally between mom, me and any children I might have." He frowned. "If Coleen found that out…"

"If she learned of his death then she might have looked at the probate records. He didn't name Ben specifically?"

"No. He made out his will while I was still in high school, according to his lawyer, and never revised it." Carlo smiled. "That was dad. Do it once, do it right, then leave well enough alone."

"Not to put too find a point on it, but is Ben's third of the inheritance enough that she'd think it was worth her while to find him?"

"Yes. But to what end?"

"She undoubted believes she can pull off being the repentant mother who has always regretted giving him up, and wants to make it up to him. Convincing him that's the truth because it's her saying it." I chuckled wryly. "Hell, she almost had me believing she truly was remorseful for what she'd done. I probably still would if she'd done things a bit differently. Somehow her coming on to me, in the middle of everything else, sort of made me wonder at the validity of her…emotions."

Carlo snorted. "That's Coleen. To paraphrase—any man in a storm. But that's beside the point. If we're right and she does know about my dad's will—and if you had found Ben and told her—what then? Does she think she can show up at his door, tell him who she is then say "Oh, and by the way, you've inherited a great deal of money"?"

I almost laughed. "I suspect she'd be a little more subtle. She didn't strike me as stupid."

Carlo cocked an eyebrow at that. "You figured out what was going on."

"True, but I have no emotional involvement. If Ben actually had been placed with a family through the adoption agency, or into foster care, and she suddenly came back into his life…"

"He'd probably be pissed as hell that she gave him up."

"That or very happy that she went to great lengths to find him again. You better believe she's come up with some story about why she had to give him up. Something that paints her in a very good light."

"Like what she told you," Carlo commented tightly.

"Exactly."

He tented his fingers, tapping them together. Finally he said, "Would you be willing to let me hire you, or would that be considered a conflict of interest?"

"Not after I let her know I wasn't able to find Ben, and terminate our contract. What do you want me to do?"

"I'm not certain. I need to give it a bit more thought. I'm just... No, I'll tell you when I make up my mind if it's worth it. I'll call you either way, if that's all right with you."

"Of course." Smiling, I told him, "Now you've piqued my curiosity."

He chuckled. "Sorry, but I'm not someone who rushes into things until I'm certain they'll work." He stood, holding out his hand. "It was good to meet you."

We shook, and then I escorted him to the door, telling him, "I'll be waiting for your call."