A Soldier's Return (4 page)

“Of course.”

“You carry a gun?”

“Yes.”

Jim raised his cup and took a long drink of coffee. Then he looked at Will. “How about a trial run? I’ll work for you for a week, no pay. If I like the work, we’ll talk.”

“That’s more than fair. Let’s shake on it,” Will said, extending his hand to Jim.

After shaking Will’s hand, Jim extended his hand to Carrie.

Reluctantly, slowly, she gave him her hand, hoping he wouldn’t realize she was shaking more than his hand. She had a thing about shaking hands. It told her a lot about a person. But she already knew about Jim. Shaking his hand only confirmed her attraction to him. To the real Jim.

“Well,” Will said, “shall we go to the office? If you can catch on to what we do on the computer, Carrie has some fieldwork to do. You can use her desk.”

Jim again looked at Carrie.

All she could manage was a nod agreeing with Will’s statement.

“Are you going to stay here for the week? That will be kind of expensive.” Will paused and then said, “Since you’re working for free, you could stay with us. We really do have plenty of room.”

“I don’t think—”

“Then I’ll have to pay you a salary for the first week.”

“No, I—”

“Vivian will ask. She’d be horrified at my taking advantage of you.”

“Fine. You can pay me minimum wage for the week. Until I catch on, that’s all I’ll be worth anyway.”

Will blinked several times. Then he said, “It’s a deal. But we’d still like to have you move in with us.”

“That’s very kind, but no thank you.”

Carrie smiled. Jim had just proven her right. She’d told Will this morning she didn’t think Jim would go along with his offer.

“So you’re going to stay here?” Will asked.

“I’m going to look for an apartment, but I’ll stay here until I find something.” Jim stood. “I need to go get my jacket. I’ll be right back.”

Once Jim had left the table, Carrie grinned at Will. “I won that bet,” she pointed out.

“Yeah, you did. I’d hoped I could persuade him.”

“I know, for Vivian. But they’ll get to see him often and he’ll get used to a big family after a while.”

“I guess it has been kind of sudden.” He stood. “We’d better head for the office.” He waved the waitress over for their bill.

“Can you show him what we need done on the computer?” Will asked as he paid.

“That shouldn’t be a problem. It’s not that difficult.”

“Then what will you do?”

“Fieldwork, like you said.”

“Nothing dangerous, right?”

Carrie shrugged her shoulders. “I have a couple of specific cases in mind.”

“Which ones?” Will asked.

“The Moore case…and maybe the Riley case.”

“No! I’ll do that one, Carrie. I told you that one is dangerous. That man is amoral. He won’t hesitate to kill anyone who’s trying to stop him from getting his money.”

“And that’s why I have to do it. He would suspect you, but he won’t suspect me.”

“No. I won’t allow you to go alone.”

“Trouble in paradise?” Jim asked, coming up alongside them.

“Carrie wants to do something dangerous, and I won’t let her,” Will said firmly.

“It’s obvious you just want to protect her,” Jim said, raising one eyebrow.

“I am. But she thinks she has to protect me.”

“Vivian made me promise,” Carrie said with a light chuckle that defused the situation.

“Uh, I’m ready to go,” Jim said, garnering Will’s attention.

“Fine. Do you want to turn in your rental car? We could follow you and pick you up.”

“No, thanks,” Jim said, “I’ll keep it until I buy a car.”

“I’m just trying to save you some money,” Will explained.

“I never said I was penniless,” Jim protested.

Carrie stepped closer to the two men. “I think Jim can handle his personal life. Shall we go to the office?”

“Yeah,” Will said. “Sorry, Jim. I’m used to— I try to take care of the family.”

“I appreciate that, Will, but I’m pretty independent.”

“Well, we’ll see you at the office. You can follow us
if you want. Or better yet, Carrie can ride with you and show you how to find the office.”

“I managed to find it yesterday, Will,” Jim pointed out.

“Ride with him, Carrie,” Will said, and walked off.

“I’m sorry,” Carrie said softly as they watched Will walk away.

“For what?”

“For Will forcing you to take me in your car. It was obvious you didn’t want to.”

Jim stared straight ahead, his jaw squared. “I never said that.”

Carrie shrugged her shoulders. “You said it, just not in words. I know enough about people to read their body language.”

“Is that so?”

He didn’t sound impressed with her claim.

“Yes, but I won’t bother to apologize again.”

They got in his car and drove in silence.

Finally Jim spoke. “So, you like working for Will?”

“I work
with
Will,” she said, leaving him in no doubt that she considered the partnership a reality.

“So you bought in?”

She stared at him. “Why did you ask that like you didn’t believe my buying in was a possibility?”

“I didn’t mean to. I asked that question because I was wondering how much money I’d need if I wanted to buy in, assuming the week goes well.”

“Oh.” Carrie turned to stare out the window.

“So you’re not going to tell me?”

“I’m a junior partner, not a full partner. You’d have to discuss that with Will.” She kept her face averted. She didn’t want him to see the hope in her eyes. It might scare him away.

“Okay. I’ll wait until the week is up before I talk to Will.”

“Yes. That’s a good idea.”

“Okay. Why did Will try to get me to move in with him and Vivian?”

“Because Vivian really does think all Vanessa’s siblings should have been part of their family. She wants the best for all of you.”

“I’m an adult, not an orphan,” Will protested. “That’s not necessary.”

Carrie shrugged again. “There’s a spirit in Vivian that draws you to her. And she never sees the flaws. She acts like a mother to everyone. I appreciate her even more now since my mother is gone. I don’t have any real family. But I have Will, Vivian and Vanessa and everyone that comes in contact with them.”

“I don’t need to be mothered,” Jim said tightly.

“Don’t hurt Vivian’s feelings. That’s the best advice I can give you.”

“I don’t look for ways to hurt people, Carrie. But I’m not used to being…involved in a family.”

“I think you’re not used to being loved,” she replied.

His jaw clenched again. “It doesn’t pay to love me! Ask Wally! Ask my parents! Ask my sisters! Ask Lani!”

“Who is Lani?” Carrie asked at once.

“Never mind.” He wheeled the car into a parking space beside the office building where Greenfield and Associates was located. He threw the gearshift into Park and stepped out of the car as soon as Will pulled up next to them.

Clearly Jim was through talking.

“I
S THAT IT
?” Jim asked, frowning as he looked over Carrie’s shoulder. After he’d met with Will, she’d taken a couple of hours to teach him how to use the computer to track down information.

“Yes,” she explained, “but we redo many of our cases to determine activity. For example, if a man with back injuries that require him to be in a wheelchair buys a boat, we might want to revisit the subject.”

“Are people that dumb?”

“They have to spend their ill-gotten gains somehow. And frequently, we’ll find they collected on other insurance policies earlier. Repeat criminals.”

“I gather they’re not happy to be discovered.”

“Right, but it’s not our job to try the case. Just to provide evidence.” She stood, forcing Jim to take a step back.

“This digital camera is as important a tool as the computer. We get photos that prove the subject isn’t injured, and we send them over the Internet to the insurance company.”

“All right. Now, how about I go with you this after
noon, to see how you operate?” Jim’s voice was casual, as was his stance. But his eyes gave him away.

“No, thank you,” Carrie said coolly. “I work best alone.”

Jim took a couple of steps back, then he called to Will. “Will? Carrie doesn’t want me to go with her. She thinks she’ll be better alone.”

Carrie knew what Will’s response would be. She gathered her courage to resist his preference.

Sure enough, Will came out of his office. “Carrie, I think it would be a good idea for Jim to go with you.”

“Especially since I’m checking up on Richard Riley?” Carrie said, staring at Will.

“Well, it wouldn’t hurt to have someone with you,” Will said reasonably.

“Will, if you don’t think I can do my job, I’ll have my resignation on your desk tomorrow.” She drew a deep breath. “After I check on Richard Riley today!”

She picked up her files and headed for the door.

“Wait!” Will called.

Carrie didn’t want to stop, But it was Will. “Yes?” she asked, turning around.

“Jim will promise to stay in the car. In fact, I insist he do so, since he’s not licensed to carry a gun yet.”

“You know we don’t use guns to do our job,” Carrie insisted.

“I know. But I like you to have one for emergencies.” Will cleared his throat. “Just take Jim with you. Explain your approach and show him the files. He can read them while you’re contacting our suspect. That’s all, Carrie. You don’t mind, do you?”

Carrie minded. Not because she thought Jim was going along to protect her. But because she wouldn’t be at her best with the big man beside her. She was too conscious of him, too interested in his response.

But she didn’t have a choice unless she really wanted to quit. And she didn’t. “Okay, but he stays in the car.”

The two men exchanged a glance that irritated Carrie, but they both agreed to her terms. So when she walked to her car, she had Jim alongside her.

“You’re mad that I involved Will?” Jim asked after they’d gotten in the car.

“Yes,” she said in a clipped tone.

“How else am I going to learn?”

Carrie flashed him an angry look. “This is not rocket science. The computer is the hard part and you thought it was simple. Sneaking up on people is a lot less complicated.”

“Maybe. But I’m not used to that. In the marines, everyone knows you’re a soldier.”

Carrie just shook her head. “Richard Riley is the top file. You can start reading it.”

Jim gave her a knowing look, but he did as she suggested.

Richard Riley claimed the injuries he’d sustained in a car accident had left him unable to walk, relegating him to a wheelchair. He’d sued the other driver for millions. But apparently the insurance company had reason to believe Mr. Riley was a fake, and they’d hired Greenfield and Associates to prove them right.

It didn’t take long for Jim to figure out why Will thought the man might be dangerous. Not only had he
bilked fifty grand from an insurance company five years ago, but he had numerous guns registered in his name. Besides, six-figure settlements made people antsy.

“No wonder the company wants you to investigate,” Jim said, closing the file.

“Yes, they’ve been dragging their heels on paying, but Riley’s attorney has arranged for settlement within a couple of weeks.”

“So how are you going to approach him?”

“I’m not. I’m going to approach his wife. I have a cosmetic demo that I’ve used before. I knock on the door and ask if I can show her the latest trends in makeup.”

“But you don’t wear makeup.”

She smiled. “I will when I go to their house.”

They had reached the street that the Rileys lived on. Carrie parked three houses down, then reached in the backseat and brought out a pink case. When she opened it, she began applying makeup.

Jim watched her every move, making her nervous. In five minutes she was ready. “Remember,” she told him, “you promised to stay in the car.”

“Right. How long will you be?”

“Possibly half an hour, maybe longer.”

J
IM CHECKED HIS
watch after Carrie had exited the car. It was two o’clock. He slumped down in the seat and picked up the next file.

Fifteen minutes later, there was still no sign of Carrie. He’d watched her enter the home, but he didn’t know if the wife was home alone or with Riley. If Riley was suspicious, Carrie could be in danger.

What could he do? She’d said at least half an hour. He wouldn’t be justified in going to the house and ringing the doorbell.

Stirring in his seat, Jim wanted to get out and at least stretch his legs. But he didn’t dare. Too bad Carrie had one of those little economy cars. It was certainly nondescript, though, good for undercover work.

He studied the files some more, and when he felt as if he’d memorized them, he checked his watch, noting that Carrie had been gone twenty-eight minutes. He gave up any pretense of studying the files. Instead, he stared at the front door of the house Carrie had entered. As four minutes ticked off his watch, he grew more and more antsy.

Just when he’d seized the door handle, ready to ride to the rescue, Carrie came out of the house with a friendly wave to the woman at the door.

Then she walked up the sidewalk to the house next door and rang the doorbell.

Damn it! What was she doing?

There was obviously no answer there. Carrie did the same at the next house. Someone answered that door, and for several minutes Carrie talked to whomever answered the door. Then, with a wave, she headed toward the car.

Jim breathed a sigh of relief. Everything was all right.

When Carrie got in the driver’s seat and stowed her makeup case in the backseat, Jim prodded, “Well?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Did you see Riley?”

“No. The wife said his brother took him out. Appar
ently he does that every once in a while. The brother is supposed to be a big man who can lift Riley in and out of his wheelchair.”

“Did you get his brother’s name?”

“Of course I did,” she said, looking down her nose at him. “It’s Charles. I intend to be sure he can lift his brother. In the meantime, his wife said she couldn’t buy anything until they got their insurance payment. Then they’re going to take a vacation.”

“Where?”

“I don’t know yet. But I will. Mrs. Riley assured me her husband loves to buy their tickets online because he can get a better deal.”

“But he won’t have to worry about a deal if he gets that big check.”

Carrie smiled. “People follow the same pattern, even if circumstances change.”

“So you’ll check on the size of his brother and watch for airline ticket purchases?”

“That’s right. We garner our evidence piece by piece, until we have a complete picture.”

“Sounds like it takes patience,” Jim said with his gaze narrowed on something outside the car.

“That’s right.”

“And it doesn’t bother you that you’re constantly dealing with scum?”

“No. I think of myself as a policeman. Someone has to hold the line on decency.”

“Okay. What do we do now? Are you going to visit the other two cases this afternoon?”

“No, I think I’ll save them for another day. I want to
track down Riley’s brother.” She felt like she was on the verge of proving what she believed—that Riley was a fake. She’d been working on this case for a month now and anticipated the big fee the insurance company would pay to have this claim proven false.

When they got back to the office, Jim asked, “Mind if I watch?”

“Will might have something else you can do.”

Jim frowned. “Trying to get rid of me?”

“Didn’t you warn me to keep my distance?” she demanded, hoping her voice didn’t sound as surly as she thought it did. She regretted her words almost at once.

His withdrawal was more than physical. His eyes went blank, his voice turned cold. “Right.” Then he turned and knocked on Will’s door. “Will, have you got a minute?”

Carrie stared as Jim entered Will’s office and closed the door. She felt awful. She would like to become his friend, but her feelings weren’t friendly. In her imagination, Jim would sweep her off her feet. Their eyes would have met over her desk and their attraction would have been mutual and instantaneous. In reality, instead of a come-hither look, his eyes told her to keep her distance.

The phone rang and Carrie answered. It was Vivian wanting Carrie to come to dinner tonight for Jim’s first family meal.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea, Vivian. Our first day hasn’t gone smoothly.”

“Carrie, I want you to come. You haven’t been over in a while.”

“I was there last night, remember?”

“Yes, but there were so many of us. I lost track of you.”

“Let me talk to Will first.”

“Okay, but I’m expecting you.”

Carrie said goodbye and hung up the phone. Then the door opened and Will, with Jim beside him, came out. “Carrie, can I talk to you while Jim tries out the computer?”

“Of course.” She followed Will back into his office. He indicated she should sit down in front of his desk.

“How are things going?”

She dropped her gaze to her hands. “Fine.”

“Jim seems to feel you don’t want to work with him.”

Carrie didn’t look up, nor did she know what to say. Finally she answered honestly, as she always did. “It’s—it’s difficult having him around, but I’ll adjust. If he stays and he gets his own cases and his own computer, it will be fine.”

“Are you sure? We need the help, but I owe you a lot. You’ve hung with me a long time. If you can’t work with Jim, then I’ll help him find another job.”

“No, Will. He’s family. I’m not. I’ll try harder to be…polite to him.”

“I’d appreciate it, honey. I really do think he’s going to be good at this job.”

“Yes, I’m sure he will. If you don’t mind, I think I’ll go home early. That will give Jim time at the computer without me hanging over him.”

“Sure. Do you feel all right?”

“Yes, of course. Oh, and Vivian just asked me to dinner, but would you tell her I can’t make it? I’ve got other plans.”

“All right. But it would be nice if you came to dinner tonight.”

“Thank you, but I can’t.”

She slipped from his office before he asked more questions.

When he realized she had come out of Will’s office, Jim started to get out of her chair.

“No, that’s all right,” she said. “I’m going home early. You can use the computer the rest of the day. I’ll see you tomorrow.”