I haven’t asked her to get me smoothie stuff, but I mentioned smoothies the other day and she obviously took note.
I kept the place clean so she wouldn’t have to worry about that and I would’ve told her she didn’t need to bring food, but I wanted to see her.
I got back from work early, four o’clock, since I had nothing to do but work all weekend so found myself ahead of schedule and hoped coming back early would mean she’d be here.
But she’s already been and gone, leaving a dish of curly pasta with tomato and cream sauce, Italian sausage and peppers for dinner in the fridge with a fresh baguette sitting on top of the microwave.
I eat the pasta, every single bite – like I haven’t eaten in a week, staring out the window, even polish off almost a third of the loaf of bread, and then I get on my phone and do a search for Richard Miller. There are too many of them in that area of New Jersey.
I call Jude.
“Austin,” he answers. “What’s good?”
“Hey, man. Not much. How’s things?”
He chuckles. “Interesting.”
“Really?”
“Really,” he confirms. “But I can’t talk about it at the moment since I’m over here hunting.”
There’s laughter in his voice so I ask, “Hunting?”
“Yeah, hunting a blue-haired vixen.”
“Blue-eyed?”
“Yep. That, too. Blue haired and blue-eyed. Color of the week, evidently. You need something?” he asks, more laughter in his voice. This guy is obviously happy about the hunting.
“I wanted to see if you could track someone down for me.”
“Text the details.”
“You sure? You’re busy and I want the details fast.”
“I’ll have some dead time comin’ up soon before I start a surveillance gig tonight. If you can wait three or four hours, send me the details. I’ll see what I can do. If you need it now, you’re on your own.”
“All right man. A couple hours works. Happy hunting.”
He chuckles. “Oh yeah, there’s gonna be a happy ending.”
I end the call with a shake of my head.
I don’t wanna know.
Or I’m kinda curious, but I’m sure I’ll find out more later.
I text him:
Jada Miller, NJ. Prob 23-26 years old. Possibly Rahway NJ area. Father Richard Miller – late fifties or early sixties, I’m guessing. Brother Shane Miller (currently incarcerated). If you can get me Jada’s father’s address ASAP that’d be great.
And then I have a eureka and login to the HR server for work and pull up her employee file. I send Jude her social security number and her date of birth.
Three hours later he replies with an address.
I write back.
Me: Thanks man. Appreciated. Send me a bill.
Jude: I know who that girl is from overhearing Ally and Carly talk about her. The girls were planning to get involved to match you two up but said nature took its course fast once Carly insisted you two cohabitate. She was bragging to Ally and your sister. It’s a freebie. Took me two minutes. Good luck. You want a full investigation on her? I’ll take 50% off – F&F rate for you, bro.
Me: Not right now but thanks.
Good to know I get the friends and family rate if I find myself in need of Jude’s services.
47
Jada
Today, I got ahold of my brother’s friend Sedgewick, finally, and we moved my things to a storage locker. I shuddered when I saw that indeed, I’d have been living with not only that six-foot python, but also with Gramma the tarantula if I’d stayed there. And a giant seventy-odd year-old free-range tortoise named Koopa who was known for biting exposed toes, so people were advised not to walk around with open-toed footwear.
People had been sitting on my couch and using some of my boxes to sit on. A box of mine marked dishes/fragile had been rifled through and three of my white coffee mugs were sitting on the overflowing coffee table with the dregs of drinks and some cigarette butts in one of them. I was glad to get my things out of there.
Sedge wouldn’t take money for gas or let me buy a case of beer, but he told me he would definitely be calling me soon, asking to take me out or to come to a party at the warehouse.
I told him I wasn’t in the headspace for dating and he laughed it off and told me not to worry about it too much and that he’d give me a bit of time.
No thank you.
I’m still numb from my phone call with Austin where I spewed too much.
The truth? The idea of him coming to see me and saying all the right things would be incredible. But I already know Carly yelled at him; she admitted that to me. And I’m embarrassed about that, though I didn’t even give Carly crap because it’s obvious she just cares. I suspect Austin’s feeling pity for me right now, suspecting I caught feelings and maybe he’s just figuring he’ll try and see if he has any.