I Spy

She saw me looking at her and said-

"Okay Donnie Ray, you can stop drooling...Put your tongue back in your mouth....We've got somewhere to be.." she said as she touched up her hair in the mirror.

I smiled...I adjusted my tie in the mirror...Olivia came over and gave it one final tug...

"You smell good.."I said.

"Thank you dear..and you look very handsome today.."she said..

There came a knock on the door...It was Beverly...

"Hey guys..we ready?" she said.
I tossed her the keys...

"Yup...Let's rock and roll...We can get some breakfast on the way." I said.

We were headed to the McGarry-Edelman Pharmaceutical company to get some answers about the late John Pryor who we had known as Jake Robinson for a year or so. This had been his last place of employment...So it was logical that we start our investigation here.

II-

The company was massive and actually outside of West Chester,Pennsylvania.....but close enough...I understood why Olivia dressed the way she did...

When she and Beverly appeared at the gate saying that they were attorneys and smiling and showing their credentials...The male guards were putty in their hands and they were let inside and given the royal treatment...I on the other hand would have had a rougher time getting access if I got any at all..

The three of us got an audience with the Deputy CEO of the company... A portly white man who at first glance reminded me of a department store santa claus..His name was Bert Perkins

He was all smiles as we sat down...

"Hi...I'm Bert Perkins....That's uh...Mrs. Alexander right?" he asked..

"Yes...We are from Philadelphia...We worked with a former employee of yours...John Pryor , who we knew as "Jake Robinson for close to six months...I defended him and his company in a recent case..."said Olivia.

"I know you did...We had people in court monitoring the entire thing." he said.

"What are you talking about?" asked Beverly..

He looked at her with a little un ease...Olivia raised her hand...

"This is my second Attorney, Ms. Beverly West..." she said.

He smiled...

"She looks like she could be your sister." he said checking her out..

"Actually, she's my niece...and that is Mr. Alexander...He's my firm's investigator and my husband."she said.

He looked at us and smiled..

"I like that...A family business....Well, Since poor John is dead, I might as well explain what he was to you...He was in fact...Still working for us..He was an industrial spy!!" he said.

"What?" said Olivia..

"Yes...A year ago, he was caught in the bed with an official's wife...They wanted me to fire him, but I figured anybody who could talk their way into that woman's bed would serve a better purpose...We pretended to fire him, but we built a new identity for him and fished him into our competitor's company in Philadelphia..See, their CEO used to work for us...He broke off and started that company,complete with all he learned here and for awhile was killing us in profits....We gave him a new identity and false references....Several different phone numbers that were owned and paid for by us in case they checked."he said.

"And you put John there as Jake  to spy and give you information....Information you couldn't get otherwise."I said.

"Yes...Yes...As immoral as it may look, it's not against the law." he said.

I grimaced...He was after all right...

"So He got a paycheck from you guys...under the table right?" I asked.

"Yes...He was listed only as a Research Operative ..We gave him a new car,paid his living expenses and allowed him to take a check from them...He did great work...Got us good information...Our profits are up and we are closing in on them because of the work he did..Then all of a sudden, his information wasn't panning out...It was off or wrong and we wondered if he'd been compromised...We were going to pull him,when we were told that he died." said the Deputy CEO..

"His wife never knew?" asked Olivia.

"No....but that was his choice...not ours... She thought he had taken a new job in Philly...He stayed there Monday -Friday and came home ,here on the weekends and holidays...She never knew he was someone else..And we told him to avoid going to any part of the city where he might be recognized by family or friends...That meant Center City,West Philly and South Philly." he said.

"Did you know he was engaged to be married?" asked Beverly, very upset.

"The girl..Her name was Gretchen Carter right? She was the executive secretary to the CEO of that company....John talked his way into her heart and later her bedroom and had her passing him the most sensitive of information...Only thing was...I think he was starting to really get hooked on her..I think he forgot that this was a job...and he was playing a role...He really fell for her...I told him he was walking a thin line, but he said he could handle it...I was thinking of pulling him out, for his own sake...but I suppose his recklessness did that for me..I had no idea..He was using Coke and Heroin." he said.

"Wow!  This is crazy."I said.

"It's a very competitive world Mr. Alexander...anything one can do to get an edge, one will do." he said.'Uh Mrs. Alexander..do you still represent that company?" he asked.

"No...I was representing him...My dealings with that company are over..."she said.

"I would pleased if you kept what I disclosed to you confidential...I will deny that this conversation ever took place."he said with a sardonic smile..

"But of course....Your secret is safe with us...I just wanted to know who I was working with." she said.

"Mrs. Alexander...Sometimes ,you never really know a person and they never really know you."he said.

Olivia and Beverly stood up... I stood up and shook his hand..

"Thank you for your time sir."I said as we left..

As the three of us walked towards the car I turned to Olivia and Beverly and said.

"I feel like I need a shower."

Beverly laughed...Olivia looked at me and said-"Me too Donnie Ray, Me too!"

III-

As we prepared to drive out of town...We passed a church and saw Black people assembled...I looked up and saw, Juanita Pryor walking down the church steps..I parked the car and the three of us got out...

Surprisingly, She smiled when she saw us...

"Heyyy, how are you guys?..I didn't think I'd see you again.."she said.

"We were in town, investigating McGarry_Edelman, where John worked last." said Olivia..

"You mean where he still worked.."she said.

"You knew didn't you?" said Beverly.

"Someone inside the company told me...They thought I should know...I know that he was fished into that company to get them information...and that he cozied up to that trollip in Philly because she was close to the boss...In the end he was true to me...He was only using her....And to think, she thought she was his fiance.."she said ,laughing...

I smiled weakly....

"Yeah, Imagine that?" I said.

The pall bearers placed the casket in the hearse...Juanita looked at us and smiled..

"Well...I gotta go...I may run into you guys soon...I've put this house up for sale...I'm moving back to Philly...Start over again...John left me well taken care of financially...He was a good man..such a good man."she said.

Olivia and Beverly hugged her...I waited by the car..

IV-

I drove on the way back...Olivia sat next to me with her head on my shoulders...Beverly was in the back seat looking out the window...

"Hey D.R." asked Beverly..

"Yeah Bev?" I answered..

"You think Juanita really believed what she told us ? That John was a good man...That he didn't cheat on her? I mean we know different..."she said.

''Sometimes People believe what they need to believe Bev."I said.

Olivia looked up at me and smiled and then laid her head back on my shoulder and drifted off to sleep eventually...

Soon, Beverly was asleep in the back seat also....

I turned the radio on low...and cruised back to Philadelphia.

(CONCLUSION NEXT)