Partings and Pairings

Vicki sighed as she hit 'finish' on the bill payment option of her on line checking account. She put her elbows on the blotter and her head in her hands. It was difficult to make ends meet each month. The time was coming when she would have to make some hard choices. She heard the outer door open and looked up to see the familiar outline of her one time partner and lover.

"Mike! What brings you here. We didn't have a date or something tonight did we?"

Mike walked in holding up two bottles of beer and a pizza. "No, but I thought you might like something to eat and drink."

Vicki grabbed for the pizza box and missed. "Damn!" was all she could say as Mike dropped the box on the blotter. He opened one bottle of beer and placed it in her hand as she said, "Don't say anything about my vision, Celluci."

Mike sighed and sat on the corner of her desk. "You could let me help you."

Vicki shook her head and took a swallow of beer, "Can't. If I give an inch, I'll lose it all."

"That's not true and you know it. There's no crime in accepting help."

"For me, it's a crime. If your going to rehash stuff, take your pizza and leave." She took another drink, "But I'm keeping the beer."

"No I'm not going to rehash old stuff. It's new stuff we're covering tonight."

Vicki stopped her hand from picking up a piece of the pie and said, "What new stuff?"

"Us. Vicki, we're not getting anywhere."

"What are you talking about? That's old stuff. We don't fight, much. The sex is good and we have the freedom to see other people. What more is there?"

Mike ran his hand through his hair, "That's just it, Vicki. We aren't getting anywhere. I want more. I want a home and a family."

Vicki looked toward his voice and tried to bring his face into better focus, "I don't want kids and I like having my own space."

"I know that. But that's not good enough. Not anymore."

Vicki stood up and moved to where Mike was sitting, "Out with it. Tell me the rest."

Mike stood and placed his hands on her shoulders, "Vicki, I've met someone that I could share a life with. She's not you, but then again, I've never really had you since you met the blood sucker."

Vicki brought her arms up and pushed Mike's hands away, "Henry's gone. What's he got to do with this?"

Mike started pacing, "He's been between us since Norman Birdwell started all that nonsense. He may not be here, but I can feel his presence every time we make love. You think about him all the time. Admit it. You wish you'd gone with him. Well I'm tired of competing with the undead. I want a life, a home and a family. You're not going to give them to me, so I'm telling you good bye." Mike turned away then took her in his arms as he looked at her stunned face, "I'll always love what we were Vicki, but I don't like the way we are now."

Vicki couldn't argue with Mike, not about this. He was right. Henry was the last thought of the night, and her first thought in the morning.

"I wish you weren't right. I hate when you're right and I'm not. Mike, I really tried."

Mike took her in his arms and kissed the top of her head, "I know you did. I tried too. Find him. If you want, I'll help."

Vicki rested her head on his chest and listed to his strong, loyal heart, she loved him like a brother, but she didn't love him. "No. I'll do it myself. Can we still be friends and sparring partners?"

Mike pushed himself away from Vicki and said, "In time, but not yet." He reached over, grabbed his bottle of beer, a piece of pizza and said over his shoulder as he moved quickly to the door, "Keep the rest."

Vicki leaned back against her desk and listened as the front door closed. Men were always walking out on her, her father, Henry and now Mike. Those she loved the most, seemed the fasted to leave. She wrapped her arms around her middle and hugged herself fighting the tears that threatened to fill her eyes.

***

She looked down at the list of possible contacts and started with the obvious. She called the condo association where Henry had lived. There was no forwarding address and all the contracts listed a P.O. Box, general delivery. She shrugged a 'why not? And wrote a letter to that address requesting contact.

She then started calling all the publishers of his known books and got similar answers from each one.

Vicki hissed into her end of the phone, "What do you mean, Henry Fitzroy is not one of your authors?"

"I'm sorry. His contract expired last fall and he hasn't contacted us."

Vicki took a calming breath, "Where do his royalty check go?"

"I'm sorry. We're not at liberty to give out that kind of information."

Vicki started again, "Who is his agent? You can tell me that can't you?"

"His agent retired, and we were not given any new information. I'm sorry, but I have to terminate this conversation."

Vicki stared at the buzzing phone until the prerecorded message, "If you wish to make a call..." started. She hung up the receiver and crossed another idea off her pad.

She'd been trying for two days to get some kind of lead on Henry's whereabouts and was getting no where fast.

She picked up the phone, called Mike and snarled, "Can it, Celluci. You said you'd help me find him. Well look up DMV, his driver's license and car registration. Yeah I know all the legal crap. Just do it. Last favor so to speak. I'll stay on the line."

"Vick. No can do. He sold the car and didn't renew his driver's license You have the old address. There's nothing else on file, and from what I can tell, he doesn't have any open credit accounts either. He's well under the radar."

"Crap!"

"I'm sorry, Vick."

"I'm beginning to really hate that sentence."

Vicki threw the phone across the room, then had to retrieve it when it started ringing. "Can't talk now mom. I'm working a case. Yeah, the eyes are the same. The house, the business and the bills are all the same. No. I can't come up next week. Yeah, I know. I love you too. Bye mom."

Vicki sat down and thought about the last few weeks with Henry. What he said, who she saw and what happened. She started making a list of names, then wrote out the alphabet trying to think if she had forgotten anyone in association with Henry. She kept coming back to the letter 'A'. Finally it hit her, Augustus! That was the name.

Vicki sat down at the keyboard and started several search engines trying to find anything related to the name. She came up with three possibilities, one being a private banking firm in Vancouver. That was the city Henry had mentioned.

Several phone calls and four hours later she was talking with a Mr. Augustus, of Discrete Financial.

"I've been asked to locate a Mr. Henry Fitzroy with regard to an inheritance. Your institution has been mentioned in connection with Mr. Fitzroy and I was wondering if you would be so kind as to let him know that I am trying to contact him?"

"That may not be possible. Who did you say you were?"

"Victoria Nelson, of Nelson Investigations. This matter is in regard to a legacy left by his father."

"I see. And if it were possible to reach this Mr. Fitzroy, may I have a phone number where he can reach you?"

"Of course." She rattled off her cell, home, and office numbers then asked, "If it's not possible to reach him, will you please call me back?"

"Ms. Nelson, I can't make any promises. We are called Discrete Financial for a multiple of reasons. I'm not sure, that we deal with this individual, nor even if we do, that he would want us to make any contact with you."

Vicki hung up the phone and looked at her desk where all the papers involving Henry, were scattered about. If these were billable hours, she would have her expenses covered for the next two months. She took a deep breath, gathered up all the papers, placed them in a folder labeled "the bastard" and placed it under the letter 'H'. It was up to him now. She'd exhausted all her sources. Put out the question, asked for any news about him, now it was time to sit back and wait.

***

The next few months went by with enough cases to keep her busy and build up a small cash reserve. There wasn't much in the way of excitement with her work, but then again, there was little danger either. Her last eye exam confirmed her suspicions that her condition had finally stabilized. The doctor told her if they remain unchanged for the next six months, it was likely it wouldn't change anymore for years to come.

Vicki turned off the desk light and made to stand up when the papers in the in box fluttered. She held her breath and listened. Then she felt the gentlest of touches against her cheek.

Whispering in a voice full of hope, Vicki called softly, "Henry?"

"You wanted me?"

"Yes, Henry."

Henry pulled her chair back from the desk and helped her stand, "Good."

Vicki said, "It's time we see where this attraction is going to take us."

Henry laughed wrapped his arms around her and said, "You're right as always, Vicki. Let's go home."

Vicki asked, "Where's home?"

He nuzzled her ear and licked the side of her neck, "Where ever you like."

She broke the hold, grabbed her huge bag and headed for the back door, "Turn off the lights and lock the doors." She stopped, reached out for his hand and added, "Help me Henry, I can't see very well in the dark."