Someone to Watch Over Me
Chapter 11Almost three weeks later Stu returned to the Cumberland Insurance Offices for an appointment with Lucien St. John. Gerry Fox and her sometimes lover Stan Aubrey had been arrested that morning at Stan's townhouse, where the police found all the missing items inside the safe hidden in Stan's closet. Stu checked in with Lucien to be sure the police had informed him of the arrests and the recovery of the stolen merchandise, and a face-to-face meeting was requested by the insurance executive.
"I was beginning to worry." Lucien told Stu when they sat down in Lucien's office. "The last time we heard from you was two weeks ago. I didn't want to be responsible for sending a man inside just to get him killed."
"Sorry, it took longer than I thought to prove I was trustworthy and just as dishonest as our two suspects. I would definitely say this was a case of all's well that ends well . . . unless you're Gerry Fox or Stan Aubrey."
"What's going to be done with the jewelry store?" the insurance man asked.
"Before this all came down around her ears, Gerry was thinking of selling the business to her late husband's brother, Clifford. If she's smart she'll do just that. She's going to need the money for a good attorney."
"Needless to say, Stu, I'm quite pleased with the outcome of the case, and you saving us a boatload of money. Give us a bill for your work and expenses, and I'll make sure we pay it right away. And I'd like to discuss that retainer with you. Right now, however, you look like you could use a nice, long nap." Lucien chuckled as he said it, but it was the god's honest truth.
"I wouldn't object to one of those at all, Mr. St. John. I'm not sure when I slept last."
"Stu, please, I insist you call me Lucien."
Stuart nodded. "Sorry, I keep forgetting. Anything else you need me to do right now?"
"Not at the moment. But here's that five-hundred-dollar retainer we talked about. Your work was outstanding." He handed the retainer check to Stu.
Lucien St. John had no idea what the retainer and the check for solving the case would mean to Stu. An apartment, for sure. Maybe even a car, if he could find one at the right price. "I didn't cash the paychecks Gerry gave me, by the way. Should I turn them over to you?"
St. John shook his head. He never expected to find a private investigator this efficient – and honest. "Cash them, Stu. You earned the money. Consider it a bonus, from Gerry's Family Jewelry."
Stuart was overwhelmed. That was over two hundred dollars more than he expected. He could never properly express his gratitude – it seemed better not to try. "Thank you, Lucien. I'll take care of that today. And now, if you don't mind, I want to go catch up on that nap." Stu rose, as did Lucien, and the two men shook hands. "I'll be by later with that invoice for you."
"I look forward to working with you, Stu. I'll be sure and stay in touch."
Stu left the offices of the insurance company feeling like a rich man. It had been a long time since he'd had so much money to his name, much less money that was his to do with as he wished. He drove carefully back to the office and locked the door behind him. With any luck at all, his days of sleeping on the couch and showering at his parents' house were almost over.
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Two days later, armed with his newfound wealth, he stopped by the management office and paid three-months' rent on his office. Then he went to see an apartment that had been advertised in the local paper. It was only two blocks from his office and would be easy to get to until he could manage to get a car.
It was a nice enough place, certainly not bad for the money, and came furnished. He took it on the spot, paid the first two months' rent, and received the keys. Once the rental agent was gone, Stu sat on the couch and looked around. Much nicer than the little place he'd rented in New York; he almost wept at the idea of sleeping in his own bed again. So far things were progressing much faster than he'd expected and hoped the upward trend continued.
He moved his belongings from the office to the apartment and was pleased with the result. He debated bringing the coffee pot home but decided it would serve a better purpose where it was. Once the moving was finished he returned to the office to see if he had any messages, and much to his surprise, he did. Lynn Jessup had called from Pacific Western Life and wanted to speak to Mr. Bailey. Stu sat behind his desk and returned the call.
"Mr. Bailey, this is Mr. Jessup's secretary, Shelia. Mr. Jessup is out of the office right now but would like to meet with you if at all possible. Say, ten o'clock tomorrow morning?"
"Ten o'clock is fine, Shelia. Please tell Mr. Jessup I look forward to it."
"Good. Mr. Jessup will be pleased. We'll see you then."
Stu looked up Pacific Western's location. He was going to have to borrow his mother's car again. He called her and caught her just as she was coming in the door. "Stuart, what a pleasant surprise. What can I do for you?"
"Mother, I've got another appointment tomorrow at ten o'clock and I need to borrow your car to get there. Is that at all possible?"
"Of course, darling. What are you doing for dinner tonight?"
"Dad – " he started.
"Your father has a late meeting. He won't be here. We can have a nice quiet dinner, just the two of us, and you can take the car back to the office with you. Bring your things and you can shower here. Can you be ready by four?"
"Mother, I won't need to spend the night. I'll explain when I see you, and four o'clock is fine. I'll meet you out front. And Mom, thank you."
"You're welcome, darling. See you then."
He had so many things to tell her . . . relations between mother and son had improved tremendously since he'd taken his case with Cumberland. It helped that he hadn't seen his father during that time period at all, and as far as Stuart was concerned, it could stay that way . . . forever.
She was right on time, and Stu got in the car and leaned over to kiss her cheek. "Thank you for doing this, Mother. I intend to go looking for a car but I haven't had time. And I have another appointment tomorrow morning."
"With that insurance company again?"
Stu shook his head. "No, with another insurance company, as a matter of fact. Keep your fingers crossed that I pick up another case."
"Stuart, I just realized what you said. You're going to go car shopping. Do you have enough money?"
"Let's wait till we get back to the house. I have a lot to tell you."
They chatted about his mother's garden club and his sister's job all the way back to the house. When they got inside Helen noticed Stu didn't have any clothes with him and began to ask him about that, but he went looking in the refrigerator before she could continue. "Do you have any iced tea already made?"
"I do, in the back of the top shelf. I made it fresh this morning. Now quit stalling and answer my questions. Where are your clothes? And how are you going to go shopping for a car?"
"Do you want some tea?"
"Stuart!"
He poured two glasses and took them both to the table, then sat down. He waited until his mother was seated before he began. "I didn't bring any clothes because I'm not showering here tonight. And I'm not sleeping here, either. I rented an apartment, Mother, and I'm already moved in. I just have to get the phone connected."
Helen took a big swallow of tea before she asked any more questions. "And the car?"
"I made enough from the insurance company to go looking for a car. I'm not sure what I can afford, but I'll find something." Stu waited for her reaction, but there was none forthcoming. "Mother?"
"You've ruined my surprise, Stuart."
"I have? I'm sorry, Mother. What was your surprise?" Lord, what had she bought him this time that he didn't want, or need?
"Your father bought me a new car. We're going to pick it up tomorrow."
Every once in a while his father did something unexpected. This was one of those times. "Well, good, I'm glad for you. Are you trading yours in?"
"That's the surprise. I'm giving it to you."
"You what?" he managed to get out. Surely he hadn't heard her right. His father would never agree to such a thing. "Say that again, please."
"You heard me right the first time. I'm giving it to you."
"Does Dad know that?"
"He does, and he doesn't have a problem with it."
It was the second time in a week that Stuart had been stunned into silence. He didn't know what to say, and he couldn't begin to imagine what his mother had done to convince his father the car giveaway was a good idea. After a minute or two, he finally asked her, "What did you have to promise him?"
"Nothing, Stuart. I didn't have to promise a thing. We'd been talking about getting a new car, and when your father told me what the dealership was offering on a trade-in, I suggested we give you the car instead. Your father agreed."
"What's changed, Mother? This is the man that thought of me as an abject failure just a few short weeks ago. I remember his exact words – 'Told your mother you'd come running back to California with your tail between your legs.' What made him willing to give me your car rather than trade it in? Because I don't believe he came to that decision all by himself."
"Contrary to your belief, Stuart, your father does love you. I know, he has a strange way of showing it, and it takes him twice as long to see the good in anything as it does the average person. But he gets there, eventually."
"Then why does he have to disparage everything? Particularly me? You know why I came back to California, and it has nothing to do with my failing at business. Yet he persists in running me into the ground. Does he do that to Elizabeth? Is that why she married so young? Just to get away from dad?"
Helen shook her head. "I don't know, Stuart. You have to ask Elizabeth that question."
"Maybe someday I will." Stu drank the last of his tea. "Let's get back to something more pleasant. Why don't I come get you tomorrow after my meeting and show you the new apartment?"
Helen reached over and patted her son's hand. "I'd like that, Stuart."