The Advocate - 02 - The Advocate's Betrayal (19 page)

“Would you like to move in here with me?”

“Sure,” he mumbled, as he pulled her closer, burying his face in her hair.

She wondered if he’d remember it in the morning—and if she wanted him to remember it. Her feet felt cold. She tucked them under his leg. He rubbed the top of her foot with his.
Yeah, she wanted him to remember.

Sabre and Luke drove to Einstein Bagels the next morning for a quick bite before they started working in the house. When they returned, Luke found a quiet corner, carried over a couple of sturdy boxes, one to sit on and one for his computer, and started to work. Sabre continued to put things away, sneaking a peek every once in a while at Luke, and thinking how good it felt to just have him in her home. Luke hadn’t mentioned anything about the conversation they had last night, or rather the conversation she had about him moving in.
Did he not remember, or had he thought better of it? Should she ask again?

By the time they drove to Bob’s for the barbecue, Sabre was convinced Luke either wasn’t going to say anything or just didn’t remember. It was starting to drive her crazy. Should she bring it up again?

Corey ran up to Sabre when they walked into the backyard. He gave her a big hug. “Hi, Auntie Sabre.”

“Hi, sweetheart.” She tousled his hair. “How’s the sax playing coming along?”

“Good, and I’m playing soccer, and I made a goal yesterday.”

“Whoa! Good for you. I want to come to one of your games.”

“Snap.” Corey spotted another guest and ran off to greet him. Sabre watched Corey and thought how different his life was from the Kemp children. He ran and played with an innocent freedom they never had.

Luke walked over to the ice chest for some drinks. Sabre spotted JP leaning against the magnolia tree. He smiled when she walked up. “I wanted to thank you again for letting us use your truck yesterday. We managed to get everything in one load.”

“Anytime…I mean…I hope you don’t have to move anytime soon, but.…”

“I know what you meant. I appreciate it. So, are you all set for your trip tomorrow?”

“Yeah.”

Bob walked up and interrupted. “JP, can you give me a hand? I need to move the grill onto the new deck.”

“Sure.”

Sabre started to walk away, but stopped and turned back around. “By the way, Bob, your deck is gorgeous.” She thought she saw JP quickly turn his eyes away from her butt. When she caught his eye, his face turned red. She smiled to herself and walked off.

The barbecue was a big success. Bob’s spicy sausages were a hit. Sabre drank about four bottles of ice water. Luke put away just as many bottles of Goose Island Oatmeal Stout. Bob’s wife, Marilee, had made a huge pasta salad that had all but disappeared. Sabre and Luke mixed some with the other guests, but mostly they stayed close to each other, watching and laughing at Bob’s antics all afternoon.

They stopped at Luke’s on the way home so he could finish packing for his trip. His bag was ready except for a few toiletries. He packed those up, and put the suitcases in the car to take to Sabre’s so they could leave from her house in the morning.

By the time Sabre and Luke arrived home, cleaned up, and added a little air to the mattress, they were both ready to call it a night. Luke’s flight left at five minutes after seven in the morning, so he had to be there by at least six. And since it was their last night together indefinitely, they wanted to spend it making love. 

Sabre wondered if she should bring up the invitation to move in again, but felt uneasy if he had heard her and just wasn’t responding. They talked about the day, about how much they’d be missing each other, and agreed to call each other every day. They lay there with their naked bodies becoming one, Luke’s arm under Sabre’s head, which was nestled on his chest. She could feel him breathing but knew he was still awake. Luke breathed in, then exhaled. “What would you think about my moving in here with you?”

Sabre sat up, slapping him lightly on the chest. “You brat! You did hear me last night.”

He grabbed her, pulled her down, rolled her over, and kissed her longingly. “Yeah, I think it’s a great idea.” He relaxed his body, moving it into sleep mode, still holding her tightly. “We’ll figure it out when I return.”

22

The shuttle bus from the Park and Ride pulled up to the curb and JP stepped out just in time to see Sabre driving away. He waved. She lowered her window and yelled, “Have fun.”

JP rolled his single bag into the airport, stopped at the kiosk to print his boarding pass, and then rode up the escalator toward his gate. As he passed Starbucks, he saw Luke standing in the coffee line. He chose not to stop. Since he was not a real fan of Luke, chatting with him wasn’t high on his list of things to do this morning.

When he reached the gate, he sat down, pulled out a mystery novel, and read until they started to board. He was seated at the rear of the plane and was one of the first to board through the back door. JP liked this airline. It was one of the few that had planes that loaded from the rear so people weren’t climbing over one another to reach their seats. Nearly every seat on the plane was filled. He was lucky to get an aisle, even if it was in the last row. JP hated the middle seats. He was just too tall and felt claustrophobic sitting in the middle. And he never failed to be seated between two hefty people, leaving him no room to put his arms or his legs. But today the middle seat next to him was empty allowing him to stretch his legs.

JP took out his novel and read until he got too restless and the seatbelt sign went off. He stood up, stretched his legs, and went to the restroom located almost directly behind him. When he came back he started to walk a little ways forward to keep his muscles loose and fill his boredom, but when he got about halfway up the aisle he saw a man step out of his seat in first class and go into the front bathroom. It looked like Luke. He even walked like Luke. JP quickly turned around and went back to his seat. He kept his eye up front waiting for the man to come out and take his seat. The flight attendant started down the aisle with the drinks blocking his view as the man returned to his seat.

Why was Luke on the flight to Chicago? He was supposed to be going to Dallas. He wouldn’t be flying to Dallas via Chicago. That didn’t make sense. Why would he lie to Sabre?

JP remained in the rear of the plane where he was confident he wouldn’t be seen. He didn’t really expect the guy in first class to be slumming it in coach. He envied Luke a little for having a more comfortable seat, but he was probably dealing with a big corporation with deep pockets. Sabre had a client with nothing, which meant she probably had to pay for the flight herself. He knew she could petition the court and she might obtain some funding, but he also knew that didn’t work much of the time.
Maybe I shouldn’t be doing this. After all, it’s a long shot. I’ll donate my time, that’s what I’ll do; then at least she’d only have to pay for the expenses. After all, that’s what she and Bob are doing.

When the plane landed in Chicago, JP hustled off as quickly as he could, trying to catch a glimpse of Luke. By the time he was able to leave the plane, the man in first class was no longer in sight. JP didn’t have to go to baggage pickup, but hopefully “first-class guy” did. JP moved quickly through the airport, following the signs to baggage pick-up. He found the carousel with his flight number flashing in neon above it. There was no luggage out yet. He looked around. There was Luke, standing at the end of the carousel.

JP didn’t have time to pick up his rental car. Luke would be gone before he was able to process the paperwork and find his way around to where he would exit the building. So he slipped outside, hailed a cab, gave the driver some extra cash, and asked him to wait until he was ready. The young, long-haired cab driver wore a baseball cap with a big “C” on the front, and had patches of stubble where his beard was supposed to be. He twitched and bobbed as he watched the traffic control officers walk up and down asking people to move along. He kept stepping out of the vehicle and rearranging the suitcase in the trunk. Just as an officer started walking toward him, JP yelled, “Let’s go. Let’s go.”

The cab driver jumped in and breathed in deeply. “Where to?”

“Follow that car, the black Lexus.”

The driver looked at him through the rearview mirror, his eyes lighting up in anticipation. “You’re kidding, right?”

“Do I look like I’m kidding?” JP said loudly. Then he lowered his voice. “Do you know your way around this city?”

“Lived here all my life.” JP thought that would be about twelve years. “All twenty-three years. Been driving or riding my bike around here for most of that time.”

“Look, kid, I’m sorry I yelled at you. It’s just very important I know where that car goes.”

“You a cop or something?” He followed the car as it left the airport weaving in and out of the lanes.

“Or something.”

The cab driver turned to look at him, taking his eye off the street. “Are you FBI or CIA?”

“Please watch where you’re going.” JP reprimanded him. “No, nothing like that.”

“You’re a PI then, aren’t you? That’s what you are. What’s that guy done? Did he murder someone?” The driver whipped around the corner as the car turned right.

“No, I’m afraid it isn’t anything that exciting, just a cheating husband.”

“Oh.” The driver sounded disappointed. “You probably get a lot of exciting stuff, though, huh?” He made another quick turn.

“Sometimes. What’s your name?”

“Jerome. But my friends call me Romeo.” JP was certain he saw him puff up his chest as he said it.

“Well, Jerome, maybe you could try not to draw too much attention to us. Perhaps make the turns a little slower.”

“Sure, just didn’t want him to get away.”

The traffic was heavier and moved more slowly as they drove through the city. Cars kept cutting in and getting between them, but Jerome always managed to find his way back, keeping one or two cars in front of him. Finally, the Lexus pulled over to a curb and stopped. Luke and his driver, a man about ten years older than Luke, stepped out and went into a restaurant. The neon light over the door read, “Paceco’s.”

“I need to follow him inside. Can you wait for me?”

“Sure, but the meter keeps running.”

“Look, how about if we shut off the meter, you loan me your cap, and I’ll pay you fifty dollars an hour for down time. You okay with that?”

“You bet. I’ll watch their car for you, too. No extra charge.”

“Thanks.”

JP exchanged his black Stetson for the cap, slipped out of the cab, and walked to the restaurant. It was crowded enough inside to not be noticed. He spotted Luke heading towards three gentlemen sitting at a corner table. The men greeted each other with kisses to each cheek.
That’s a behavior you’d never see in Texas—California maybe, but never Texas
, JP thought. He positioned himself at the bar where he could see the table but not be noticed, ordered a beer, and nursed it. Luke and his three companions sat and ate dinner, drank wine, and conversed for nearly two hours. JP hoped his cabbie and his Stetson were still waiting outside for him. When the men appeared to be leaving, JP left five dollars on the bar and slipped out before Luke could see him. He looked around, but didn’t see his cab; then he heard a slight honk of a horn. He glanced across the street and spied Jerome parked on the far corner. The cabbie had rolled down his window and was now waving one hand frantically. JP darted across the street and jumped into the car.

“Is he with another woman?”

“No, just a couple of guys.”

“Dang, I was hoping you caught him on my watch.”

“Any activity at the car?”

“Nope.”

It was another twenty minutes before Luke and his driver came out of Paceco’s restaurant. They walked directly to the car, got in, and drove off. Jerome eased out into the traffic and stayed a couple cars behind them, not making too many sudden moves.

“I think you’re getting the hang of this surveillance thing, Jerome.”

Jerome smiled and sat up a little straighter.

Following Luke’s car, they drove a few miles, passing stores, office buildings, and restaurants, and entered a residential area. The homes were mostly two-story brick and well maintained. The traffic grew more and more sparse until there appeared to be only Luke and the cab left on the street.

“Drop back and slow down or they’ll see us.” JP saw the brake lights come on as Luke’s car slowed way down. “Pull over in front of that house, the one with no lights. And act like a cabdriver.”

Jerome chuckled as he opened his car door and stepped out. He walked around to the passenger side and opened the back door. Luke turned right, into a driveway. Jerome got back in the car and they drove slowly past the gated area where Luke had entered. The gate was about one-quarter of the way closed, and the tail lights on Luke’s car left a trail of red leading up to a three-story mansion situated on acres of trees and manicured lawn.

“You want me to follow? I can make it,” Jerome said, as he started to turn the steering wheel.

“No,” JP yelled. “No!” Then more calmly he said, “Just go straight.” JP couldn’t see any numbers on the fence or the curb, but he jotted down the number of the house just past the mansion. It couldn’t be too hard to find out who lived in the house Luke was entering.

“So, where to now, boss?”

JP shook his head and smirked. “Just take me back to the airport, Romeo. I need to pick up my rental car.”

Jerome let JP out near the rental cars, removed the bag from the trunk, took the money JP offered him, and was counting it as he walked back to the driver’s side of the car. Apparently pleased with his earnings, he looked up with a smile and nodded before driving off.

JP rented his car, then walked over to the gift shop and purchased a Cub’s baseball cap. After picking up the car, he drove to his hotel and checked in. It was late and he felt bushed. He took a shower, channel surfed until he found a cop movie on television, rested his head on the pillow, and fell asleep before the first commercial ended.