“It’s all good.”
“Looks like you could use a touch-up.”
“I’ll be by.”
He went down the sidewalk and looked up at the logo on the sign hung over his place: Strange Investigations. There were a few dirt streaks on the light box, going across the magnifying glass. He’d have to get Lamar on that today.
Strange was buzzed into his storefront business. Janine was on her computer, her eyes locked on the screen. Ron Lattimer sat behind his desk, a porkpie hat angled cockily on his head. The color of the hat picked up the brown horizontals of his hand-painted tie. Strange stopped by his desk and listened to Lattimer’s musical selection for the day, a familiar-sounding horn against a slamming rhythm section.
“Boss.”
“Ron. This here is Miles, right?”
Lattimer looked up and nodded. “
“See, I’m not all that out of touch.” Strange looked at the paperwork on Lattimer’s desk. “You finishin’ up on that Thirty-five Hundred Crew thing?”
“I’ll be delivering the whole package to the attorneys next week. Major receivables on this one, boss.”
“Nice work.”
“By the way, Sears phoned in. They said your suit’s been altered and you can pick it up any time.”
“Funny.”
“Serious business. The cleaner down the street called, said your suit and shirts are done.”
“Thank you. I got a wedding to go to this weekend. You remember George Hastings, don’t you? His little girl’s.”
“The dress I’m wearing is down there, too, Derek,” said Janine, not taking her eyes off the screen. “Could you pick it up for me?”
“Sure.”
“You don’t mind my saying so,” said Lattimer, “you goin’ to a wedding, you
“Yeah,” said Strange, patting his head. “I do need to get correct.”
Strange passed Quinn’s desk, littered with old papers and gum wrappers, and stopped at Janine’s.
“Any messages?”
“No. You’ve got an appointment down at the jail, though.”
“I’m on my way. Just stopped in to check up on y’all.”
“We’re doing fine.”
“You comin’ to the game this afternoon? It’s a playoff game, y’know. Second round.”
Janine’s eyes broke from her screen, and she leaned back in her seat. “I’ll be there if you want me to.”
“I do.”
“I was thinking I’d bring Lionel.”
“Perfect.”
Janine reached into her desk drawer and removed a PayDay bar. She handed it to Strange.
“In case you’re too busy for lunch today.”
Strange looked at the wrapper and the little red heart Janine had drawn above the logo. He glanced over at Ron, busy with his work, and back to Janine. He lowered his voice and said, “Thank you, baby.”
Janine’s eyes smiled. Strange went back to his office and closed the door.
Lamar Williams was behind Strange’s desk, reaching for the wastebasket as Strange walked in. Strange came around and took a seat as Lamar stepped aside. Lamar stood behind the chair, looking over Strange’s shoulder as he logged on to his computer.
“You getting into that People Finder thing?” said Lamar.
“Was just gonna check my e-mails before I go off to an appointment. Why, you want to know how to use the program?”
“I already know a little. Janine and Ron been showin’ me some.”
“You want to know more, I’ll sit with you sometime. You and me’ll get deep into it, you want.”
“I wouldn’t mind.”
Strange swiveled his chair so that he faced Lamar. “You know, Lamar, Ron’s not gonna be here forever. I know this. I mean, good people don’t stay on in a small business like this one, and a fair boss wouldn’t expect them to. I’m gonna need some young man to replace him someday.”
“Ron’s a pro.”
“Yeah, but when he first came here, he was green.”
