First some blatant advertising. I wrote most of this eight book series in the early 2000s. Publishers found it too racy for them to handle so I sought out an online publisher. You see, I already had built up an online fan base of a few hundred readers, so I came across the German publisher, BookRix. They were expanding into a worldwide market of online books with assorted authors and welcomed eroticism as a genre.
With them I have done moderately well since they make my books available through Amazon, Apple iBookstore, Beam, Google, Libri, Thailia and other lesser known online book stores.
So if you like what I write you will find my series under Mike Claymore Mystery series at the above web sites. Without further ado, here’s Mike…
CHAPTER NINETEEN
5TH SATURDAY
It’s an overcast morning as Mike calls Mr. Clive Reynolds. He explains he’s investigating the auto accident in which Mr. Reynolds was involved for ICBC. He asks if he might come around and have a word with him.
Mike drives to an area of new luxury homes built on the mountainside near the clay mines. He pulls in a long drive and proceeds past gates, lawns and shrubbery to a large stylish home. Two Dalmatians frolicking and playing in the yard near the house greet him. A tall balding man of about forty comes out to meet him.
“You must be Mr. Claymore. I’m Clive Reynolds, but everyone calls me CJ. Please come around on the terrace. It’s covered and so much more comfortable.”
“I’ll try not to take too much of your time. It does feel like rain, this morning.”
“Yes. A certain chill in the air. Please make yourself comfortable.” He has a tall pole with a cap and radiant gas heater operating near the patio table. “Would you care for a drink?”
“No, I don’t think so.” Mike puts his briefcase on the table and opens it as he says, “You certainly have a beautiful home and grounds here. I wish I could afford something like this. It must have cost a fortune to complete.”
“Well, It has cost a bit, but I have a thriving business and my good fortune was to have a large sum left to me by my mother. I think she would be pleased to see how I’ve put it to good use.
“Indeed. As a matter of fact I have a confidential report here of your financial position and I find your company has reported heavy losses for the last three years. You must be hiding your good fortune well, perhaps from the tax man?”
“Well, your sources must be reporting to you incorrectly. I certainly would dispute any such claim.”
“Yes. I suppose you would. I’m not so sure about your creditors, though. Did your major supporter, the Bank of Canada, not turn you down for a loan two months ago? I believe they have put you on notice that your loans could be called on thirty days. I also see in this report that two of your suppliers have cut you off, due to none payment. Not at all the rosy picture you first portrayed for me, is it?”
“I categorically deny any such dealings. I’m flabbergasted! Such lies! They make me sound like a man desperate for funds. How despicable!”
Mike pulls out his cell phone and says, “Let’s just call the bank manager and straighten out this affair once and for all. I have his number here in the report.” He starts to dial and Mr. Reynolds says to stop.
“What is it you want from me, Mr. Claymore?”
Mike puts the cell phone away. “Why CJ, I’m surprised you don’t know. I want the names and numbers of the men who helped you stage the phony auto accident. That should be easy. Just give me that and I’m out of your hair.”
Clive’s shoulders droop and he says, “So you know. He only told me his first name. It was Iilya. He sounded Greek on the phone. He gave me his number but told me to destroy it after the accident. I burned it.”
“And what were the names of the men who appeared on the scene to kindle the blaze?”
“I don’t know their names. They were waiting on the corner in a plain black van. I think the one called the other Carl, but I’m not sure. They hustled us out of our cars and were gone so quickly. All we had to do was follow the instructions given to us by Iilya.”
“Would you recognize those two men if you saw them again?”
“Most certainly, but I don’t ever plan to see them again.”
“You will likely be asked to identify them in court, Mr. Reynolds. I suggest it might be in your best interests to make a full statement to the police at this time. ICBC and the District Attorney may look favorably on your cooperation. The charges of Attempted Fraud may even be dropped if you cooperate.”
“Charges? Me? Oh God, I just followed what they told me to do. I didn’t commit any crime? It was my car.”
“And you tried to get money out of ICBC for it.”
“Fraud?” He breaks down. “My wife will divorce me. I’ll lose my business. I’ll lose everything. I just needed some cash to pay out some loans.”
“Take my advise, work with the police on this and you will come out a lot better than if you wait and are picked up when the crooks are. I’ll give you a number.”
On his business card, one of the new ones supplied by Trudy, he writes Ken’s number. He hands it to Reynolds.
“Don’t think about it too long. You’ll put it off until it’s too late. I expect to have these crooks in jail before the week is out. I’d advise you to call today.”
Reynolds picks up the card from the table. He looks defeated and cornered. He straightens himself up and says, “Thank you for your advice. I’ll call them. Whom should I ask for?”
“Ken Drydon. He’s with the Matsqui Police Department. He’ll give you a fair shake if you’re serious about cooperating. He’ll tell the DA just how much help you’ve been.”
“I’ll call him straight off this morning.”
“Good. I’ll have to be off now and catch those bad guys. You go ahead and make your call, I can find my way out. Good day, sir.”
Mike leaves and immediately calls Ken. He tells him about the call that will come from Reynolds. He leaves his cell number so Ken can get him when Reynolds makes his commitment. Then he calls Trudy and puts her into the picture.
Trudy says, “Your lucky you got through. The phone has been busy all morning and yesterday, too. I could start my own business on skip tracing alone. It seems to be in answer to a flyer I sent out to all the businesses and Government offices. You may have to hire another investigator.”
“Trudy, I’d like to see one of those flyers. I’ll try to get over sometime today. Now that you have me so busy, how am I going to find time to work on the POCO murder case?”
“I don’t know, but you better take me with you if you’re going to work on that one.”
“Who will answer the phone in our Chilliwack branch?”
“I’ll train Cookie! She’d love it!”
“You have the answers for everything, don’t you? I’ll see you later. Take care now.”
“You take care. I need you big time now, and not just to sign the cheques. I love you. Bye.”
Next Mike calls Samuel Rogers.
“Hello, Mr. Rogers, it’s Mike Claymore. I’m working with the ICBC on the claim your son, Vincent, made when he had his car crash. Is he home, by any chance?”
“Yes, I believe he’s resting. The neck injury and all, you know.”
“Perhaps I could come by and speak with him this morning. Some inquiries have come up over his claim and they need clarification. Do you suppose that would be possible?”
“Well, I don’t know. We have plans for later in the day. I suppose it wouldn’t hurt for him to answer a few questions for you this morning. I’ll get him up. When may we expect you?”
Mike is sitting across the street from the impressive old family home in the better district of Abbotsford. He says, “Oh, within an hour, I suppose.”
“Very well, we’ll see you then.”
“Mike watches two young tennis players in the back lawn and tries to picture himself in shorts and a T, hitting the ball over the net. He shakes his head. Presently he hears a man’s voice call, “Vincent! Vincent, come here a moment.”
One of the tennis players swings his racket, walks to the fence and picks up a towel along with a neck brace. He heads behind the house. Mike just grins. “Some neck injury!” he mutters to himself.
He takes ten minutes to go through the file again then gets out of the car, briefcase in hand. He walks past ornamental shrubbery and statuettes to the front door. He pulls a bell cord and hears a distant chime. A maid answers the door and takes him into the library, where a thin haired portly man in his fifties comes forward to meet him. Mike apologizes for coming so soon, but says no one was home when he went to see someone else.
“If your questions are just for Vincent, I’ll take you up to his room. I had nurse awaken him, so he is expecting you.”
“I hope you plan to join us, Mr. Rogers. Some of the questions he may not be able to answer and may need your help.”
“Please, Mr. Claymore, call me Sam. It was a shock when young Vincent was brought home after the accident. I saw the car and couldn’t believe my eyes. I’ve been in the odd scrape, but never seen a car go up in smoke like that one did. How long will it take for this claim thing?”
“Oh, I think we’ll be able to clear up this claim thing today, sir.” They go up a wide staircase to the second floor and Sam raps on a door. A voice calls, “Come on in.”
As they enter they find Vincent in boxing shorts beating away at a punching bag hanging from a low platform on one side of the room. He sees Mike and stops, looking enraged.
“I thought you said he wouldn’t be here for an hour!?”
He stomps through a door into what appears to be a bathroom. When he comes out he has his neck brace on, but gives a crooked grin at Mike and takes it off, throwing it on the bed. “So, what do you want?”
Mike looks at his father and says, “I think the first order of business is to forget about any claim for whiplash. I was driving by here just after I called and saw you on the tennis court. It was him I saw, wasn’t it?”
Sam sighs and shrugs, “Your right, young fellow, you caught him cold.” Vincent just glares at them.
“Sam, I understand your son works for you in your accounts office?”
“Yes. He’s in charge of our accounts office. He does a good job, too. He should after what I paid for his education. He’s a good boy.”
Mike puts his briefcase down on a low table and takes out a file. He glances at it and says, “His education was expensive in more ways that one. I see you had to clear up some gambling debts.”
Vincent explodes, “That was supposed to be confidential! Where the hell did you get that?” He comes at Mike and puts his face close to Mike’s. Mike looks around him at Sam and says, “Does he still have a gambling problem?”
Vincent rounds on his father. “Get out of here, old man!” He turns back to Mike. “That’s none of your damn business! When do I get my fucking money for the car?”
Sam comes between them and says, “Vincent, calm down. That’s no way to talk to someone. He hasn’t said you’ve done anything wrong.”
Mike speaks up, “Sorry, Sam. That comes next. I’m calling in the auditors this coming week. Your son has been skimming to pay off gambling debts. Your company’s accounts are short eighteen grand. If your son could get the thirty six grand for his sports car from ICBC he could have put it back in and had money to gamble with.”
Sam turns and looks at his son who has turned his back and crossed the room. “Is that right, son? Answer me!” His son says nothing.
Mike goes on. “Vincent. If you cooperate and help us catch Iilya and his cronies, we may be able to get charges lightened against you. You know how it works, Sam. We really want to catch the crooks who set up the phony car crash. Your son didn’t have an accident. It was set up, but he can be charged with collusion in the crime and attempting to defraud ICBC. Talk him into cooperating. It will be better for him. Here’s the officer he should talk to. I’ll put his name and number on the back of my card.
Sam walks downstairs with Mike. He looks downhearted. “Ever since my wife died while he was in college, I’ve had nothing but trouble with him. I don’t understand it. I bought him that car because he wanted it and I thought he was doing so well at the business, he deserved it. I just don’t know what to think. I’ll have our bookkeepers check the accounts. I know you don’t have the authority to call in auditors, but I guess my son doesn’t.” He grins slightly. “Your job is a tough one. I wouldn’t want it. You’re good at it though. I’ll try to get him to cooperate with the police.
Mike shakes his hand at the door. “For his sake, I hope he does. Good day, Sam.”
Mike goes back to the car and calls Ken. Next he calls Trudy so she’s up to date. It’s noon so he drives home for lunch. Marlene has already fed the kids and is just sitting down to a bite herself. She fixes Mike a plate and they eat together. Mike tells her about the morning’s activities and explains that he’s thinking of opening a Chilliwack office. He says he may be able to double his security business and be on the road less. “Then we can have lunch together like this more often.”
“And you’ll be home nights more often. I like it. What will you need over there?”
“I’ve been thinking about that. I think someone to take messages with a phone should do the trick. I’ll go over early in the morning and scout around. Who knows, I may come up with someone in the Cottonwood Mall. It won’t hurt to put the word around. Well, I guess I better go over these files and see what I can get done this afternoon. I’ll be down in the office.”
Marlene comes around the table and attempts to sit in his lap. “Are you sure you want to work this afternoon? I got something you could work on.” She leans down to kiss him. Mike kisses her and slaps her bottom as he gets up.
“Sorry, dear. Work first; play later. I’ll be downstairs.”
He studies the stolen stereo case but can’t come up with any ideas. Finally, he sighs and gets up. He flips the chair upside down. Working the panel he lifts it out and removes the RCMP documents. He rights the chair and lays the file out in front of him. There is one row of photos, a pile of reports on his right and a pile of statements on his left. He adds his own personal log to the pile.
He has the crime scene photo and Flo’s personal workup in front of him studying both when Marlene comes in. She looks down at the photos and files.
“So that’s the missing RCMP files? Oh God, are those grisly! She was a rather pretty girl, wasn’t she?”
“Yes, she was. She made one mistake and paid for it with her life. But what mistake did she make? It’s here, somewhere. I know the answer is staring me in the face.”
“How can you look at that? She looks so obscene, lying like that. And these close ups must have been done by someone with a twisted mind. He should be prosecuted!”
“If they bother you so much, don’t look at them.”
“I came down here in a romantic mood, but now I think I’m going to be sick. I’m going upstairs.” She leaves as the phone rings.
Mike calls, “It’s okay dear, I’ve got it.” He picks up the phone and says, “Hello, It’s Mike.”
“Mike, it’s Nina. Would you guys like to come over for a hot tub this evening? Jeff suggested it and I agreed to call. How about it?”
“I’d love to, but it’s our turn to entertain, isn’t it?”
“Who’s keeping track. Ask Marlene.”
“Hang on, she’s right here.” Marlene has come back inside the office door and steps over to take the phone. She mouths ‘Who is it?’ and Mike nods next door and mouths back ‘Nina’. “Hi! Nina? What’s up?”
“I called to invite you guys over for the evening. Cards and a hot tub, no suit’s required.” She giggles.
Marlene grins and says, “What did Mike say?”
“It’s up to you.”
“Okay, what time?”
“Around eight.”
“See you later then.”
She hangs up the phone. “I suppose your dying to catch her in the hot tub again?”
“No more than you are dying to get Jeff into that water bed of his.”
“Oh Mike, why are we fooling around on each other. I would just as soon stay home and curl up with you. You’re going out tomorrow to find a way to start an office in Chilliwack, so I won’t see you all day. Tonight I just want to be with you. Why not call them back and cancel out?”
“I will if you want.”
“Oh, I guess not. It would be nice to go out with friends. I still regard them both as friends. Are you still screwing her?”
“Do you want me to cancel or not?”
“No. Let’s go over. Maybe it’ll be fun. I’ll call a baby sitter.”
Mike goes back to studying the files. Marlene goes to call for a baby sitter. An hour later he hears the kids upstairs so he puts the RCMP files away in the chair and secures them again. The rest of his files he secures in the briefcase and goes upstairs to horse around with the kids until suppertime.
At eight they appear at the door and Nina opens it for them. She and Marlene hug and Jeff shakes Mike’s hand. They go into the kitchen and Jeff passes martinis all around. He lifts his glass and says, “A toast to one of the best damn skip tracers in the land. Someday you’ll have to tell me how you did it, Mike.”
The women look surprised and Mike takes a bow. He smiles and says, “To our host. The best damn friend a man could ask for. Someday you’ll have to tell me how you do it, Jeff.” Everyone laughs and Jeff winks at Marlene.
Mike goes on, “Maybe it’s because of our fine women.” He sweeps Nina off her feet and kisses her as he holds her in his arms. He sits her down again and says, “Let’s play cards.” Everyone laughs and drinks their booze, as Jeff gets cards and Mike carries the card table out to the patio. Jeff says when they are out of earshot of the women who are mixing more drinks, “You know; I’d get jealous if you were home more often. You’re on the road so much you don’t have time to fool around with Nina.” He chuckles and Mike nods agreement.
Before the night is out they all end up naked in the hot tub together, but nobody fools around with anybody else so when they go home Mike and Marlene tumble into bed together and Marlene has her wish. She has Mike all to herself for the night and enjoys it.
Mike spends Sunday with Trudy and Crystal, but only agrees to watch Trudy and Christine bat the ball back and forth, over the net. They discuss business after lunch and when Crystal goes for a nap, they romp in the bedroom. Mike leaves before suppertime and takes a few flyers with him. When he gets home he shows then to Marlene.
“How did you set things up so quickly?”
“It was the strangest thing. I met this lady in the mall and she said she had a roommate who was a single mother and was looking for work out of her home. She took me down to meet the gal and we struck up a deal. I use her phone number and box number, she takes my calls and I check in with her for Chilliwack business. She ran off these flyers on her computer. She’s going to send them to businesses and government offices in the area. It will cost a bit to get started but soon should be paying for itself. What do you think?”
“It looks good, the flyer I mean, and the deal sounds good. How much do you have to pay her?”
“All right, it sounds expensive to start, but I have faith it will work out. I gave her five hundred. Over a hundred of that will go for postage alone, and we are using her phone and mailbox. She’ll take messages and pass the business to me.”
“How old is this lady?” Marlene has a suspicious look in her eye.
“God, Cookie must be forty, maybe forty five. I never asked her.”
“She’s a single mom?”
“Yep. I guess I’ll put these down in the office.”
Mike ducks downstairs before she can think of any more questions. He’s very attentive to her this night and she happily accepts the situation as it appears on the surface.
It’s June and the lazy days go by with Mike on the road a total of two days during the next week and one at Trudy’s. Of course Marlene thinks his trip took three days, but that is as he plans it.
Trudy is busy with skip tracing and scheduling for Mike. The stolen stereo case goes unanswered and is returned to ICBC for a payout. You can’t catch them all. Mike does run down another stolen car fraud case and the police catch Iilya, Carl and Bart. They set up a sting operation and catch them trying to collect their fee for burning the two vehicles involved in the accident. Mike’s fee from ICBC on this case alone is ten percent of what they save or a little over seven grand. Ten percent of that goes to ABC Security Services but Mike is happy with their share.
Nina is happy and very lustful during their nooners, almost insatiable. She is so certain she is pregnant now that she takes the test only to prove it to Mike. He’s with her when she sees the results and she cries out for joy when it’s positive. She says she’ll tell Jeff this weekend. In fact she says she would like to announce it to both Jeff and Marlene on Friday night in the hot tub. Mike figures she just wants to have him near when she tells Jeff for support.
Friday night rolls around and their baby sitter arrives. Mike and Marlene stroll over to the neighbors to enjoy another evening with friends. They are welcomed with drinks and a hostess who is bubbling over with gaiety. Jeff just shrugs and smiles as they all head out to start off in the hot tub.
Drinks in hand, they settle back to soak, Marlene by Jeff and Nina close at hand to Mike. Nina stands up in the tub, raises her glass and says, “I have an announcement to make.” Everyone quiets down and she giggles. She looks at Mike and giggles some more. Everyone starts to chuckle and laugh at her antics but she holds up her glass and says, “Attention, everyone!”
A hush comes over the group as they watch her. She takes her glass and tips it back, drinking the whole martini in one gulp. She sighs and wipes her mouth with the back of her hand and says, “Mike, can you tell them.” She collapses back into his arms.
Marlene and Jeff look questioningly at Mike. He looks back and with a smile says, “She’s pregnant.”
Marlene is the first to react. She turns to Jeff and says, “Congratulations, daddy. I didn’t know you had it in you.” She laughs then notices he’s not laughing.
Jeff says, “Pregnant?”
Marlene says, “Oh oh.” She looks back towards Nina but she’s busy kissing Mike and she looks like she may be busy for a while. She looks back at Jeff who is staring at them.
“She’s pregnant? Damn you, Michael Claymore, you fucked my wife and knocked her up, you bastard! Say something … and stop kissing her!
Nina raises one hand off Mike’s shoulder and twiddles her fingers at her husband as they continue to kiss. She bobs up and down in the water then breaks with Mike laughing. She jumps up and says; “You thought we were doing it again just now, didn’t you. Ha ha, I fooled you.” She jumps out of the tub and runs into the house. Mike just lets himself float and soon lays on the surface.
Jeff says, “What have you to say for yourself? How does this happen?”
Mike chuckles and says, “Must have happened when we had sex. So, old buddy, it looks like your going to have a family after all. You did tell me you thought it was time you started one.”
“Yes, but, but, … I didn’t mean for you, oh shit!”
Marlene finally says something. “You mean it’s Michael’s baby?”
Mike and Jeff both look at her then at each other and grin. Mike shakes his head and says, “It takes her a minute but I think she’s got it.” They both laugh and Marlene gets out of the tub and goes into the house with Nina. Mike tries to explain to Jeff that he never meant to have an affair with Nina; it had come about when he learned of Jeff and Marlene’s affair.
Jeff also tries to explain to Mike that he has known for a few years that he was nearly sterile. He had never told Nina but his doctor had told him that his sperm count was so low that it would be highly unlikely he would ever impregnate his wife. “If we had discussed it, we would have chosen you as a sperm donor anyway, if you would have been willing, I suppose. Would you have been willing?”
“I don’t know. After discussing it with Marlene, I suppose I would have said, ‘Why not’. Nina is a woman who loves children. She has wanted to have a family since we first met you folks. She should have that chance. I would have agreed to, I’m sure.”
“Thanks, Mike. I’ll raise it like it was my own. No one will know.”
“Uh, I think you better discuss that with Nina. She wants me to sign the Birth Certificate.”
“What! No way! Is she crazy? The kid will know.”
“Discuss it with her. It wasn’t my idea.”
“Huh! I’ll do that.”
The women come out and join them in the tub. They are laughing together and stay by themselves on the one side of the tub. Nina has quit drinking and says she won’t touch alcohol again until after the baby is born.
The party breaks up early. Mike and Marlene are home by eleven. Marlene is too tipsy to have many thoughts on the situation but Mike knows he’ll hear about it tomorrow.