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The next morning I worked as usual. Around noon,I went to Alan's office with some Chinese lunch. Don was there. He had already gotten lunch for his Dad. Looks like he was doing damage control.

"Hello Natalie" Don said evenly.

"Hey Don!" I answered. He sat around his father's desk eating a steak sandwhich.

"I guess you're not gonna be needing lunch" I said lamely to Alan.

"I'll just put it in the mini fridge Stan got,and eat it tommorow" Alan suggested

"Okay" I agreed.

"Is it busy at the clinic?" Don asked

"Not really" I told him, while taking out my own lunch. You could cut the tension and strain with a knife.

"Don was just telling me that he was going to check out the lead you gave him" Alan said.

"Thanks!" I wasn't fooled. Don did this to appease his dad.

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Why did Natalie have to come? Oh well.Looks she decided to do something about her guilt by buying Dad lunch. Man, I am glad I got here first!

"I got this new dish that they added to the menu" Natalie told Dad, then offered"Wanna tryit, babe?"

"Sure" Dad tasted it,and nodded "It's good"

"Why don't you come with me to check it out the lead?" I offered.

"Well, I could join you after my last appointment of the day" Natalie looked puzzled.

"See, I told you that Don would help" Dad told her.

"I'll pick you up from your place" I said.

"Sure. Thanks" she told me.

Soon, I had to go. After work as promised, she was waiting for me at the yard, wearnig jeans and her desperate housecats shirt.

"So does this thing fit in your parking space?" Natalie teased when she got into my SUV.

"Fits fine" I said as she put on her seat belt.Then, I continued. "I was thinking we could talk to the guy's wife. Promise her that you won't tell the cops."

"You've changed your mind?"

"I'm willing to look into other possibilities,and I promised Dad" I told her.

The drive there was silent. We arrived, got out of the car and knocked a few times, but no one answered. Annoyed, we returned to the car.

"Maybe she's still at work?" Natalie shrugged.

"We can wait for a while" I said.

"Okay."

After an hour, Nat suggested

"We could try tommorow?"

"Let's wait a while longer" I said. Years at the F.B.I had taught me the advantage of waiting just a little longer.

"The wife's a P.I. She's probably following some cheating heart as we speak."

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After waiting some more, Don took me home.

"Why don't you come over?" I offered,knowing that it would please Alan to have him over.

"You mean it?" he asked.

"Don't let our issues interfere with spending time with your Dad" I reminded him. "Besides, you must be hungry.

"That's not what I asked." Don gave me a look "But I'll go, if only for his sake."

Alan beamed from the recliner when he saw Don came through the door with me.

"How did it go?"

"Wife wasn't home" Don said.

"And you were waiting for her" Alan asked,then got up.. "That's too bad. Let me warm up dinner for the two of you"

"I'll do it babe. Sit down" I said. "Spend time with Don. All I ask is that one of you unfold the T.V tables."

I went to the kitchen, and was glad to see that Alan had made elbow marcaroni with ground beef. I served some on two plates, and warmed each of them up in the microwave. Then, I took them to the living room, along with a couple of forks.

"Thanks!" Don said and put his food on the mini table.

"Wanna beer?" I offered.

"Sure, but I'll get it" Don got up.

"I'm so glad to see you and Don getting along better" Alan told me softly. "So, is the misunderstanding between you is resolved?"

"I'm not a suspect" I said. That part was true. I didn't want to mention the huge argumentDon and I had at his office.

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Soon,I came back with a bottle of beer, and tasted the food.

I told Dad"This is good! Natalie's lucky that you can cook"

"Are you two going back tomorrow?"

"Yeah"I agreed with a full mouth.

The next day, I went to talk to Charlie at his office.

"Hey Buddy!" I greeted him, when I came in. He seemed to be grading tests.

"Hey..."

"You should visit Dad" I advised.

"He should visit me!" Charlie's eyes were still on his work.

"No one is worth refusing to see Dad!" I reminded him. "He's all we've got besides each other!"

" I know.." he said softly,finally looking up. "That's why I'm mad at him, for not putting family first! He's always lecturing about that! Now he spends less time with us,and sides with her over his own sons!"

"Charlie..."

"I meant what I said! If Dad wants to see me, he'll have to make the effort and come alone to my house!" Charlie said with a huff and started to write more furiously.

I sighed. "You're just hurting Dad."

"Well he's hurting me!" Charlie snapped, got up, and said. "I gotta get to my next class." Quickly, he got his shoulder bag, and left his office. With a sigh, I did the same, and went back to the office.

TBC