When they?d finished, I said, ?Even though I think you two should really get out a bit more, I can?t let you do this.?
?What?? Mom exclaimed. ?Why not? We?re the perfect undercover team! No one will suspect a thing!?
?You have no training or experience,? I said.
This comment launched them into hysterics. Paula could barely breathe as she grabbed my copy of
Jim appeared, freshly showered and looking relaxed. ?If there?s going to be more singing and dancing here, I?ll have to leave immediately,? he said.
?Don?t worry!? Paula patted his shoulder. ?Mom and I are on a mission. We?ll be out of here shortly!?
I pressed the bridge of my nose. ?Are you sure about this, guys??
Mom and Paula nodded emphatically. Jim simply looked from one to the other then back at me.
?You both have good pretexts. I learned that this morning,? I said, pointing to the book Paula still had in her hand.
?I don?t know what that is,? Mom said, ?but don?t worry, darling, we?ll do it for free.?
?Don?t you have to get back to Danny?? I asked Paula.
?My in-laws took Danny to the lake cabin last night and David?s at work. So, I have nothing better to do.?
?If you?re bored, you can always stay here and do laundry,? I said.
Paula and Mom both shook their heads.
?All right,? I said reluctantly. ?Honey, can you run down to Radio Shack for us? I need you to buy some stuff for a tap.?
?A what?? Jim asked.
?Gary wants all my interviews to be recorded and this book I?m reading has a chapter on how to do it.?
?I can record mine on my phone! It?s got a cool voice recording feature,? Paula said.
?No. You can?t do that. What are you going to do?? I imitated Paula voice: ?Celia, tell me if you?re having an affair with Alan. Clunk.? I pantomimed putting down the phone on the table. ?Pretty conspicuous.?
?I wouldn?t do it like that,? Paula said.
?I thought you couldn?t record anybody without their permission. It?s illegal,? Jim said.
?Technically yes, that?s true. But I?m not going to submit it as evidence or anything. If we get any information relevant to the case, then Gary would have to depose them.?
?Depose, ooh. You?re using fancy words now,? Paula said.
?Can you tell I?ve been studying? Anyway, I just want to feel like I was there or you two will end up having to repeat the entire conversation for me and it?s very likely we could miss something.?
?Yeah. I?m ready to be wired!? Mom said.
Jim patted her arm. ?Don?t worry, Mom, you already are.?
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
We sent Jim with a list of items to our neighborhood Radio Shack. Then Mom proceeded to dial Dr. Alan Lipe?s office looking for an appointment. I warned her that he was booked up for a month and I?d only gotten my appointment because of a cancellation. She ignored me and dialed.
Paula, wanting to appear convincing, was at my computer researching midwives and the benefits of home births. With my primary PI tools in use, the computer and the phone, I reclined on the couch with Laurie in one arm and the
I put Laurie in her bouncy chair and answered the door. It was Galigani.
?Hey, what are you doing here?? I asked, motioning him inside.
?I got your e-mail. I figured I could help you set up some accounts and . . .? He spotted Mom and Paula. ?I didn?t know you were having a party??
Mom hung up and practically bounded over in her Converse. ?Albert!?
He gave her a warm hug and kiss on the cheek.
?How was your cruise, Vera?? he asked Mom.
As far as I knew, Mom had told him that she was going with friends and I cringed to see how she would answer, but fortunately for Mom, Paula saved her by joining us and introducing herself.
Laurie began to cry from the bouncy chair.
?She?s hungry.? I picked her and headed to the bedroom to nurse her. Paula and Mom stayed in the living room with Galigani and filled him in.
By the time I?d finished with Laurie and laid her down for a nap, Jim had returned with the purchases. In addition to getting all the items on the list, he bought Laurie a stuffed purple puppy that had an imbedded digital recorder. He placed it next to Laurie in the crib to record her cute little coos.
