The Legend of Joe Moran
Chapter 12Stu had never been so happy to hear the words, "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Los Angeles," in his entire life. Even though it was eleven at night he saw Jeff's ever eager face, smiling while he waited for his partner.
"Boy, am I glad to see you. Here, give me your suitcase." Jeff didn't wait for the suitcase to be handed over, he took it from Stu, leaving the older man carrying only his briefcase and travel bag. The two men entered the terminal and walked through it. "How was your flight?"
"Long and a little bumpy. Nothing to worry about. I tried sleeping on the plane but that didn't work, so I'm beyond tired. Can we wait until tomorrow morning to go over everything? I promise I'll show up to work in the morning and start helping you dig out of the pile of overdue work." Jeff could see the exhaustion on his partner's face. It had been a long ten days.
"Sure. I didn't think you'd want to talk tonight. You sit back and relax and I'll get you home in a jiffy."
The beginnings of a smile creased Stu's countenance. "I knew there was a reason you're my favorite partner."
"It also helps that I'm your only partner."
Both men laughed as they got into Jeff's car. Stu listened to the purr of the engine as it turned over, and before Jeff could say "Close your eyes," Stu was asleep. The next thing he knew Jeff was shaking his shoulder. "Come on, dad, you're home."
"Already?"
"Yes, and you're too big to be carried in. You have to walk."
"Alright." After most flights Stu and Jeff bantered back and forth about the trip, the office, or anything else that came to mind. For Stuart, the educated, elegant linguist, to be reduced to one-word answers, showed that he was beyond tired . . . he was drained. Jeff knew that all the traveling, scurrying back and forth and being away from home had wiped Stu out. And he had no idea what Stu had been through in the interviews he'd conducted in one locale or another. Considering the state of exhaustion Stu was obviously experiencing, Jeff felt guilty for complaining about the overflow of paperwork at the office.
"I'll come and get you tomorrow about eight o'clock." Kookie had retrieved Stu's car from LAX and brought it back to the office, where it had been ever since. "Can you make that?"
"Sure."
Stu was sitting on the bed, and that's where he was when Jeff last saw him. When he got to the front door he called, "Stu, I'm leaving." He never got an answer or acknowledgment of any kind. Stu had already laid down and fallen asleep, still fully dressed. He didn't care; he was in his own bed, at last.
Jeff knocked on Stu's door at eight o'clock sharp. There was no answer. He knocked again. Still no response. He dug out his key and unlocked the door. He was ready to head for the bedroom when he heard the shower running. Well, at least he's up, Jeff thought. He walked out into the kitchen; Stu always made a pot of coffee before he went into the shower. Jeff poured a cup and sat down on the couch. He'd look for something to read but he already knew he wouldn't find any of Stu's magazines he'd be interested in.
The shower went off a minute or two later and he heard the shower door open. "Jeff?"
Now how did his partner do that? Jeff hadn't made a sound, yet Stuart knew he was there. "Who else has a key?"
"Well . . . but they wouldn't steal my coffee."
"Do you want a cup?"
"Of course."
Stu was already half-dressed by the time Jeff got the coffee to him. "You shaved already!"
"Sure, I did that in the shower. Are you early or am I late?"
Jeff chuckled. "A little of both. Did you get unpacked last night?"
"Unpacked? I didn't even get undressed. The housekeeper comes in today. She'll take care of it for me, and get the clothes to the cleaners, too. How about a refill on that coffee?" Jeff nodded his head. Stu had managed to finish dressing and drink a cup of coffee at the same time.
"Sure."
They went to the kitchen and Stu poured them another cup. "You ready to go?"
"I am. Have you forgotten how to get to the office?" Jeff asked as they walked to his car.
"Doesn't matter if I have. You're driving." The remark made Jeff smile. He had his partner back.
XXXXXXXX
Suzanne was thrilled to see Bailey and Spencer walk through the door together. "Bonjour, Stuart, Bonjour, Jeff. Do you both want your messages?"
Stu cringed. "How many are from Audrey Moran?"
"Only one, Stuart. She accepted Jeff at his word when he told her to wait until you returned. Jeff, Mr. Higgins is calling again. And William Bell wants to talk to you, too."
"Tell them I'm dead. Tell them I'm sick. Tell them I went to Mars, tell them anything, but don't tell them I'm here," Jeff groaned.
"Now, Jefferson . . . " Stu began.
"Tell them I'm in a conference and I'll call them when I'm free. And Suzanne, go find Kookie and tell him we need three coffees and four sweet rolls from Andre. The fourth ones for him. Then put the switchboard on hold and join us in Stu's office. We're going to have an impromptu welcome home party."
"Don't you think that's a little extreme? I was only gone ten days, after all," Stu reminded his partner.
"The longest ten days of my life," Jeff answered. Stu hadn't seen his 'In Box' yet.
Twenty minutes later Stu and Jeff were reviewing the almost completed jewelry report that would get Higgins off the firm's back. "I think you've done an outstanding report, Jeff. You could have sent this off without my help."
"I just feel better with you looking it over. You know what a character Higgins can be, and we can't afford for him to be unhappy with something I send."
Stu laughed. "Now that Higgins is out of the way, do you have time for the legend of Joe Moran?"
"Sure. Let me call Higgins first and tell him my report is on its way." Jeff went back into his office to call the persnickety insurance man. When that was finished he took the completed report to Suzanne and asked her to call a courier and have the finished product delivered. Then he hastened back into Stu's office and closed the door. "Now then. The legend of Joe Moran, eh? This must be really something."
"Oh, it is," his partner replied. "And it all began when that beautiful redhead walked into my office."
For the next hour, Stu wove a tale of intrigue and mystery. Jeff listened, fascinated by the lengths that Joe Moran had gone to, to fulfill his dream of being rich. When Stu was finished, Jeff just shook his head. "No wonder you came back exhausted. I'm afraid I'd have given up after the second Mrs. Moran."
How could Stu explain? Even he wasn't sure why he'd kept going, searching from state to state for something as elusive as a reason for the methodical flight from redhead to redhead. The classy and expensive looking Audrey, the mysterious and comforting Phyllis, the practical and resourceful Terry, the unknown quantity of Doris, and last but not least, the woman that might be the inspiration for the obsession, Virginia.
Stu still wasn't sure what had caused his fascination with Phyllis Moran, Joe's third wife, but now that he was back home the pull he'd felt towards her had dissipated substantially. He wasn't sure he'd ever understand what had drawn him to her, but he no longer felt the desire to know. Or to talk it over with Jeff.
"Well, that's the story. Of course I could be completely wrong about Moran's reason for what he did with his life, and why he married redhead after redhead. But I don't think I'm too far off base."
"What's your next move?" Jeff asked as he got up from the chair and wandered toward his office.
"What do you think?"
"I'll close the door. I don't want to be within range when she hears the story from you. I assume you're going to tell her the whole thing?"
"If there isn't too much wailing and gnashing of teeth," Stu replied as he picked up the phone and dialed.
The end result of the phone call was that Audrey Moran now had a three o'clock appointment. "Remind me to be out of the office at three o'clock," Jeff remarked.
"Chicken," was Stu's comeback.