address on Piedmont in a small shopping center near the corner of East Paces Ferry Road. It was no cooler in Atlanta. When I got out of the car, the heat felt like it could be cut into squares and used to build a wall.
The little shopping center had a bookstore, a Thai restaurant, a hair salon, a place that sold bed linens and bath accessories, and a storefront office with a sign on the front window that read, 'Bella's Business Services.' The more I looked, the more I didn't see Security South. My best bet seemed to be Bella's, so I went in.
The room was cool and small and empty except for a switchboard, a few office machines, two file cabinets, a desk, a chair, and a woman. The woman was in the chair behind the desk. She was black, with very short hair and good shoulders.
'Bella?' I said.
'Denise,' she said. 'I bought the place from Bella.'
'I'm looking for an outfit called Security South,' I said. 'Which is listed at this address but does not seem to be here.'
'Right here,' Denise said.
She was wearing a maroon linen dress with no sleeves and her arms were strong-looking.
'Here?' I said.
'Yes, sir. If you'd like to leave a message, I can have Mr. Delroy call you back.'
'This is a mail drop,' I said.
'And a phone service. We also do billing.'
'Ah hah,' I said.
'Ah hah?'
'Detectives say that when we come across a clue.'
'Are you a detective?'
'I was beginning to wonder,' I said. 'I don't suppose you could tell me who their clients are.'
'No, sir, I'm sorry,' Denise said. 'But you can see why we'd have to remain confidential about our customers.'
'Sure,' I said.
'You really a detective?' she said.
'Yep.'
'Atlanta Police?'
'Boston. Private.'
'A private eye?' she said. There was delight in her voice. 'From Bahston?'
'Hey, do I make fun of your accent?' I said.
She smiled.
'Why, honey,' she said, 'we don't have no accent down here.'
'Sho' 'nuff,' I said.
I looked around the office. In the back, behind Denise's desk, was a window that opened onto a parking area. I could see the nose of what might have been a Honda Prelude parked behind the office. I smiled my aluminum- siding-salesman smile.
'While I'm here,' I said, 'you want me to check your security? I can give you a nice price on a beautiful system.'
'No, thank you,' she said. 'I feel perfectly safe here.'
'I meant an alarm system,' I said. 'Protect the office at night.'
'From what? Somebody want to sneak in here and steal paper clips?'
'Well,' I said, 'I just assumed you had an alarm system. I could update it for you for cost, just cover the expense of my trip here.'
'I don't have an alarm system,' she said.
'I could put one in,' I said. Always a plugger.
'Well, aren't you a hustler,' Denise said.
'Well, you can't blame me for trying to salvage something,' I said. 'I don't find Security South, I don't get paid.'
Denise smiled. She looked great when she smiled.
'No, I don't blame you, but I don't want anything you've got to sell.'
'You're not the first woman to make that point,' I said.
'I'm sure I'm not,' Denise said. 'You wish to leave a message for Mr. Delroy, I'll see that he gets it.'
'Mr. Delroy?'
'Yessir, the CEO. Do you wish to leave a message for someone else?'
