The Legend of Joe Moran

Chapter 13

Audrey Moran was there promptly at three o'clock. "Hello, Audrey. Would you like something to drink?"

"A vodka tonic would be quite nice, Stuart. Will you have one with me?"

Stu shook his head. "It's a little early for me. I still have a lot of work to do. I'll have your written report done in a day or two, but I assumed you didn't want to wait any longer than you had to for an oral report." He finished pouring Audrey's drink and handed it to her.

"You assumed correctly. What did you find out about my missing husband?"

"Nothing . . . and everything. You sure you want to hear this?"

"I'm positive."

"Then make yourself comfortable, Audrey. I followed a long trail to see if I could find your husband or determine where he'd gone. I believe I have an idea, but you need to hear the story of how we got here."

"You make it sound so intriguing, Stuart. Knowing Joe as little as I obviously did, whatever you discovered should be fascinating."

Stu was a little taken aback by the sound of Audrey Moran's words. Ten days ago she'd sounded unhappy, alone and miserable. Now it was more like C' est la vie, I'm not sure I want him back. Something had caused the change in her attitude; perhaps it was the reality of what he'd done to her and his business that had gotten to her. This was not a woman you could run aground easily.

"Alter I spoke to you I went to see . . . " Stu began, and wove the tale of Joe Moran to his current wife. He cleaned up the story a little when it came to Joe's stealing, but the rest of it was by-the-book. By the time he'd reached Virginia, Audrey's glass was empty and she was smoking a cigarette, looking rather blasé about the whole thing. " . . . and I just arrived late last night. That's all I know, Audrey. The trail ended with Joe's mother, and I've only a vague notion of where your husband might be now." Stu waited for a reaction. There was none. Then he saw the empty glass. "Would you like another drink?"

"Please."

He fixed her another vodka tonic, and this time fixed himself one, too. He had a feeling he was going to need it. He took her drink to her, then sat down behind his desk with his. After a swallow he couldn't help but ask, "You seem to have a different attitude than you did when you engaged our services. Has something happened to cause that?"

Audrey laughed, a full, deep-throated laugh, and pulled out another cigarette. Stuart lit it for her and sat down with one himself. "I'm sorry, Stuart, you look so innocent and sincere. I do indeed have a different attitude, about a lot of things. Joe Moran, for instance. That little weasel sold the business before he vanished and ran off with the money. And he cleaned out our checking account and our savings. It's all gone, every last cent of it. He disappeared with over one-hundred-thousand dollars."

"I'm sorry, Audrey. What are you going to do?"

"Do? Not a damn thing. You see, when Joe and I were married I told him my parents were dead. I didn't tell him that when they died they left me an estate worth over four million dollars. I was getting ready to tell Joe about some of the money and transfer it to our bank account. I'm glad I hadn't gotten around to it. Now he'll never know what he missed out on."

Stu began laughing and couldn't stop. Moran had lied and cheated and stolen for years in order to run away to (Stu suspected) Mexico. If he'd stayed with Audrey he could have a whole lot more than one-hundred-thousand dollars. When he finally stopped laughing, he saw Audrey giving him a strange look.

"What's so funny?" she asked petulantly.

"It's just . . . it's just so . . . oh, I can't explain it here. How about drinks and dinner over at Dino's, and I'll tell you why I'm laughing."

The redhead smiled and stubbed out what was left of her cigarette. "That sounds like a wonderful idea. Can you go now?"

He thought about all the work there was to catch up on. It would still be there after dinner, and it wouldn't be the first night he'd worked late. "Of course." Stu got up from the desk and offered Audrey Moran his arm, which she took happily. They stopped by Suzanne's desk on the way out. "Suzanne, I'm taking Mrs. Moran to dinner. I'll see you in the morning. Tell Jeff I'll be back later." He turned to his companion. "Shall we go, Mrs. Moran?" Stu asked, and she smiled at him again.

"Most assuredly, Mr. Bailey."

Stu smiled himself as they went out the front door. Maybe Joe Moran wasn't such a legend, after all.

The End