The street was quiet; too quiet. It was the kind of neighborhood where a stranger stuck out like a sore thumb. Wary of setting off alarms before he was ready to make his move, Earl walked by a second time, then left. He’d learned all he was going to learn tonight. Tomorrow morning, when Doherty left the house, he’d get his chance to talk to Suzanna.
With an evening to kill and nothing else to do, Earl returned to the bar where he’d spent the night before. He had two beers and a burger, then left and went back to the motel. He snapped on the TV, then stretched out on the bed and tried to relax but it was impossible. His thoughts kept jumping over to Suzanna. He could picture her a dozen different ways, feel the weight of her lying in the bed beside him. He could even hear her laugh, but the one thing he couldn’t quite catch hold of was her face. It seemed blurry, out of focus maybe.
It’s been too long, he told himself. Once they were together, everything would fall into place, for both him and her.
Throughout most of the night, he tossed and turned, and finally when the first light of morning was in the sky he climbed from the bed, showered, and dressed. He pulled a clean shirt from his bag, slicked his hair back, and checked himself in the mirror. Satisfied with what he saw, he got in his car and drove to Doherty’s house. Most lawyers didn’t start work until nine and it was not yet eight, so he had plenty of time. He parked three doors down and waited.
At 8:40 the Lincoln backed out of the driveway and drove off. As soon as the taillights were gone from sight, Earl got out of his car, walked up to the front door, and rang the bell. He’d expected Suzanna to answer, but when the door swung open it was a dark-haired woman who looked nothing like Suzanna. He stood there, his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open.
She was first to speak. “Were you looking for my husband?”
Earl shook his head. “Suzanna Duff. I’m looking for Suzanna Duff.”
“Duff.” The woman hesitated a moment then said, “Sorry, I don’t think anyone by that name lives on this block.”
“Tall, blond hair. She’s got a daughter name of Annie.”
The woman smiled. “No, now I’m certain. No one of that description lives anywhere in this neighborhood.”
“Maybe I got the name wrong. She would’ve come here about nine months ago…”
“Sorry, I can’t help you. If anyone like that moved into the neighborhood, I’d know. My husband and I are chairing this year’s Welcome Wagon.”
“What’s your name?” Earl asked.
“Brenda. Brenda Doherty.”
“And Bobby’s your husband?”
A look of surprise lit Brenda’s eyes. “Why, yes, he is. Do you know Bobby?”
“Not actually know him but know of him.”
She laughed. “That’s Bobby. I guess most everyone in town knows him.”
“Further even,” Earl muttered; then he thanked her for her time and left.
Feeling a bit flabbergasted, he got back in his car and sat there for several minutes. That’s when it dawned on him. Bobby was seeing Suzanna on the side, hiding her from his wife. The thought of it made Earl’s blood boil.
“Well, you’re not getting away with it this time,” he grumbled. He gunned the motor and headed back to the Greene & Garrett building.
This time he had no reservations about walking into Doherty’s office and confronting him face to face. There’d be no more sneaking around. He’d come right out and ask, Where’s Suzanna, and he’d demand an answer.
Earl parked the car, stepped into the lobby, and looked up at the directory. There it was: Greene & Garrett, 3rd Floor. He walked over to the elevator, pressed the UP button, and waited. Lost in his thoughts of what he was going to say, Earl almost missed seeing Bobby step out when the elevator doors opened.
He did a double take, then turned and yelled, “Hey, Doherty!”
Bobby looked back. “Are you talking to me?”
“You bet your sweet ass I am! I wanna know where Suzanna is!”
Bobby’s eyes widened. He hurried across the lobby and spoke to Earl in a hushed tone.
“Suzanna who?” he asked.
Earl didn’t lower his voice one iota. “You know who! Suzanna Duff.”
He moved in and stood nose to nose with Bobby. Earl wasn’t any taller than Bobby, but he was half again as wide, red-faced, and fuming. “I know you’re the daddy of her kid, and she came here to be with you. Now either you start talking to me, or I start talking to your wife!”
“Who the hell…” Bobby suddenly smacked his hand to his forehead. “Oh, I get it. You’re Earl, right? Suzanna told me about you.”
“Yeah, I’m Earl. She tell you I been taking care of her and the kid ever since she was born? Suzanna owes me; she owes me big time.”
With a sly grin creeping onto his face, Bobby gave a knowing nod. “I hear you, pal, loud and clear. I’ve had dealings with Suzanna too.” He wrapped an arm around Earl’s shoulder and said, “Let’s go someplace and talk.”
They went to a gin mill several blocks away and sat side by side at the bar. It wasn’t yet noon, but Bobby ordered a martini straight up. Earl, who was beginning to feel wary of the whole situation, ordered a double whiskey and beer chaser.
“So, Suzanna told you about me, huh? What’d she say?”
“She told me how you’d been so good to her and Annie. Said she felt guilty running off the way she did.”
“So why’d she do it? To come here and be with you?”
With an almost forced look of sorrow stuck to his face, Bobby shook his head. “Sorry, pal, it wasn’t me. Sure, I’m the kid’s daddy, but Suzanna
