November 16th 2107 12:07PM
I made my way to the elevator of the venerable Regency Bright office building nursing a sore shoulder from a petty thief that just could not bring himself to come along quietly. Bounties are in general one of my least favorite kinds of employment. They do pay and after the mess I made on the docks last month I could use a little goodwill with LA’s finest, or at least some the with them off of my back. I stopped just inside the entrance for a quick lousy coffee then fell into my office chair and lit up a fairly good cigar. At least it was good for artificial tobacco. “Anything else on the schedule for today?” I quietly spoke to the empty air.
There was the slightest hum as Sarah’s holographic program activated and my secretary’s translucent form materialized, leaning over my desk as she stared at me through wire-rimmed glasses. “Just an appointment with one Rochelle Lockwell at 1PM. Ms. Lockwell believes her husband is sneaking out on her.”
“Another woman? Been a while since we have a case that simple.” I leaned back taking a long drag off of my cigar.
“Ms. Lockwell believes so in any case. I informed her that following someone around was well within your capabilities.” Sarah sat on the edge of my desk fiddling with her nails. “We are actually financially stable at the moment so accepting the case is completely at your discretion.”
“Confirm the appointment, let’s see if we can get through the week without having Lieutenant Bruno in here shouting at us.”
“A novel concept indeed.” Sarah faded from view, letting me enjoy the rest of my cigar in relative quiet as I watched Los Angeles go through the motions of it’s lunch hour in the street below.
I spent the time leading up to one in the afternoon watching the clock tick from one minute to the next. The filtration system had just finished clearing the smoke from the air as my client to be rang the door. Sarah materialized at the entrance to my office just before the door opened. “Welcome to Samuel Sloan investigations Ms. Rockwell. Please follow me.” I rose as the steady click of high heels followed Sarah’s silent steps around the corner before the dame came into view. Rochelle Lockwell had a hard look in her cold green eyes as she scanned the old room that I had converted into my office years ago perhaps hoping for a higher class of detective than yours truly. I took her in as she made her judgments about the room. Tall and pale skinned in a dress of deep red with a matching hat. The legs were the hardest part not to stare at…Strong, shapely and completely covered in chrome.
I gestured to the best chair in my modest office. “Please Ms. Lockwell have a seat. Can I get you anything?”
“No thank you.” She sat down quietly and removed a cigarette holder from her purse. “Do you mind.?”
“Not at all.” I fished a small lighter out of my pocket, offering the lady a light before returning to my desk. “My assistant tells me you have concerns regarding your husband?”
Lockwell’s eyes went cold as she flicked the cigarette holder between her fingers “If that is the polite way to say that he is making a fool of me behind my back then yes. Although I appreciate your attempt to put a good face on it.”
I sat down pulling up the file Sarah had complied on the not so happy couple. “Then if you prefer I will cut right to the business. You wish confirmation and evidence of this affair?”
“Is throwing him off a building an option?” She said it with a look in her eye that made me almost sure she was not serious.
“I am afraid that is not a service I provide, and I feel obliged to warn you that if a man did meet an unfortunate end right after being proved unfaithful I would have to inform law enforcement or lose my license. Even if he deserved it.”
“Of course, evidence of infidelity will be acceptable.”
I leaned over my desk pulling open the file Sarah had compiled on the not so happy couple. “And what makes you believe your husband has been unfaithful?”
“When we were first married he could not wait to see me. Now he comes home late constantly, hides details about where he has been, and leaves the house at all hours. My husband is a terrible liar and I want to know what he is up to.” The next half hour was spent going over the personal habits of Doctor Richard Lockwell including car travel logs with obvious details deleted. As far as hiding evidence went this guy was a rank amateur. Should make digging into his life a nice easy case.
“Ms. Lockwell I believe I can help you. Sarah should have already sent you the details of my contract and if all is acceptable I can begin tracking his movements tonight when he leaves work. We will call it a week’s services for now, but looking at this information I don’t think it will even take that long.” I sent her my thumbprint scanner across the desk to to confirm payment.
“That will be acceptable Mister Sloan. After you catch him I want to be the one to show him the evidence.”
“As you prefer. I just gather information. What you do with it is your concern”
Rochelle Lockwell affixed her thumbprint and left the office without another word. I could hear her heels tapping against the floor well down the hallway.
Sarah walked over to my desk taking a seat on the edge. “My scanners indicate she was telling the truth, or at least believes she is Detective. Do you think we have a cheating husband to catch?”
“Most likely but still too early to say. An uptown cream puff shouldn’t be much trouble to deal with though.” I rose and found my hat. “Send all the location information to my car and I will start scouting it out.”
“Already sent Detective, and do try to remember shooting him is not part of the job.”
I wasn’t in the mood to go back and forth with Sarah so I pretended I did not hear her and went down to the car.
