To Catch a Bad Guy (13 page)

Janet surveyed her
reflection in the closet door mirror. The hour of Lisa’s party was approaching.
For as long as the two of them had been friends, Lisa had always had the
spotlight. Not that Janet had any ambitions to outshine Lisa tonight. Even if
she could, she would not want to, Lisa’s engagement being the reason for the
festivities and all, but neither did she want to be fading into the background.

“Hurry up, Janie, we
don’t want to be late!” Janet heard her mother’s voice in the hallway.

A few moments later,
Christine Maple appeared in the doorway. “Almost ready?”

Janet nodded. “What do
you think?”

Christine walked into
the room. “Classy, yet sexy,” she proclaimed her assessment of Janet’s
figure-fitting black cocktail dress, navy pumps and matching clutch. “Oh, this
is so exciting! I can’t believe that Lisa is engaged. I still remember when the
two of you were in grade school.”

“That was a long time
ago, Mom.”

“I know, but as you get
older time starts to fly. I’m so glad that the two of you remained friends.
Wasn’t it sweet of Lisa to get you the job?”

“Actually, Mom, I meant
to ask you about that… Did you ask Lisa to get me the job?”

Christine looked back
to Janet, bemused. “Well, yes, I did. Didn’t she tell you? I ran into Lisa when
she was visiting her folks, and I told her that you were between jobs… And like
the good friend she is, Lisa came to the rescue. I thought you’d be pleased.
I’m sorry – I didn’t mean to upset you. Well, I sure hope that you’re not mad
at me now, especially since my plan worked after all.”

“But next time, please
talk to me first, okay?” Janet shook her head. She might have been unemployed
with bleak career options, but that did not mean that she needed her mother to
go around asking her friends to give her a job.

“Honey, what’s wrong?
You sound awful edgy.”

“It’s nothing.” Janet
sighed. “Just nerves.”

“I think I know the
reason. It’s Lisa’s engagement, isn’t it?”

Janet lowered her eyes,
feeling petty. Lisa was Lisa, but they were still friends, and friends were
supposed to rejoice at one another’s fortune. But in Janet’s defense, it was
difficult to feel happy about something that was constantly being rubbed into
one’s face, making one feel inadequate.

Christine patted
Janet’s arm. “Honey, it’s all right; it’s only natural to feel this way.
“You’ll meet someone special soon, I’m sure of it.”

“I don’t know, Mom. I’m
twenty-nine years old; as they say, the clock is ticking. I thought Alex was
going to be it… If I at least had a career, I could feel less of a failure.”

“What do you mean, a
career? Aren’t you happy about your current job?”

“I loved my old job.”

Christine shook her
head. “Janet, honey, you’ve got to toughen up. I know you had all those dreams
about bringing Wall Street to justice, but the truth of the matter is that
you’ve got to keep your own bread buttered. You worked hard at the DA’s office,
and how did they repay you? By firing you and promoting Alex instead. Now, Lisa
has gotten you a good job, and a well-paying job, I might add. What more could
you possibly wish for?”

“Nothing.” Janet shook
her head. “It’s a great job – I just need to get used to it.”

“Honey, you’ve got to
stop picturing the world as black and white. The truth is that it’s mostly
gray. No one is ever one hundred percent right, nor is anyone ever one hundred
percent wrong.”

“What about the crooks
who gypped Grandpa out of his life savings? Wouldn’t you say that they were one
hundred percent wrong?”

Christine nodded. “Yes,
they were, but that did not stop them from taking off with their loot and
hightailing to Mexico or Ecuador or wherever it was those crooks went. They
never got caught, did they?”

“No.” Janet sighed. It
was idealistic to the point of silliness, but her grandfather’s having been a
victim of a Ponzi scheme was the main motivation behind her pursuing a career
in the DA’s office. She wanted to catch the bad guys who had taken away her
grandfather’s earnings. Well, she had failed at that aspiration as well. By the
time Janet started her employment with the DA, the case against the Ponzi
scheme organizers who had swindled her grandfather and many others out of their
lifesavings had already been closed, with all the guilty parties having made
their escape to unknown locations. While at the DA’s office, Janet made it her
mission to prevent similar crooks from hurting any more trusting grandpas, like
her own; she had worked hard, but instead of being rewarded, she got downsized.
And now, in an ironic twist of fate, she found herself employed by a firm with
suspect operations. Although she was fairly certain that Bostoff Securities was
not out to rob widows and orphans, she had already gathered enough information
about its operations to understand that they were far from kosher. She needed
to figure out what to do next, and she needed to do it quickly.

Her mother’s voice
brought her back to the present, “Are you going to wear your hair like that?”

Janet sighed. Both her
professional and personal lives were derailed, yet she was supposed to care
about her hair.

Christine eyed Janet’s
French twist critically. “Men like it when women wear their hair long and
loose.”

“Then how come you’re
not following your own advice?” Janet looked at her mother’s practical bob that
she had been sporting for as long as Janet remembered.

“I’m married,”
Christine countered. “Before I met your father, my hair was shoulder-length.
Unless I was teaching a class, I always wore it loose.” Christine checked her
watch. “Good, there’s still time.”

“Time for what?”

“To do your hair. Don’t
you move! I’ll be right back.”

“Come on, Mom. I’m
really not in the mood for this.”

Christine arched an
eyebrow. “Young lady, how can you ever expect to find a man with such an
attitude?”

Janet fell back into a
chair with a resigned look on her face. By now her mother’s incongruities had
stopped to baffle her – having Ph.D. in English Literature and teaching Women’s
Studies as part of her course load did not prevent Christine Maple from
maintaining somewhat outdated views on life. Apparently it did not matter how
smart or intelligent a woman was: if she wanted to find a man, she’d better
wear her hair down or risk remaining alone for all eternity. Still, a part of
Janet had to admit that perhaps her mother did have a point. After all, her
mother had already been married at Janet’s age, and Janet had yet to find her
match.

“I found it!” Christine
Maple returned, carrying a long object in her hand.

“Oh, no – not that
thing!” Janet shook her head after recognizing the alarming-looking contraption
in her mother’s hands as a curling iron. It was not just any curling iron, but
the same curling iron Christine had used on Janet’s hair the night of her high
school prom.

“I promise I’ll be more
careful this time,” Christine added sheepishly. “Come on, that was just a
one-time accident; you can’t hold it against me forever.”

“You almost burned my
scalp.”

“Exactly, almost. But
in the end no real harm was done, and your hair still looked beautiful.”

There Janet had to
agree. She had looked beautiful at her high school prom – a fact that would
have been so much more worthy of remembering if she had been accompanied to
this crucial event by a date she actually liked instead of a jock, Ted Hunter.
Yet another disastrous date Janet had Lisa to thank for, only that one had been
during one of the most important nights of her life, or so it had seemed at
eighteen years of age.
But this really isn’t the whole story, is it?
a
tiny voice inside Janet’s head whispered.
No, it isn’t
, Janet admitted.
Had she been surer of herself, she would have gone with Justin Trenner. Wonderfully
sweet and witty Justin whom Janet had a crush on her entire senior year of high
school, which was the year she and Justin worked on the editorial staff of the
school newspaper together. Oh, well, these days Justin was happily married to
another girl, Valery Meehan, who had been confident enough to be Justin’s date
that memorable night all those years ago. The past could not be helped, but
that did not mean that it had to be given the power to take over the present.

Janet took a decisive
look into the mirror. She liked the way her swept-up hair accentuated her
cheekbones and showed off the green amethyst earrings she had picked
specifically to play up the green of her eyes.

“Mom, I appreciate the
effort, but I’m keeping my hair the way it is,” Janet said firmly.

“It looks good this way
too, baby; it shows off your long, lovely neck. You’re going to be the belle of
the ball.” Christine shrugged apologetically. “I’m sorry, honey, I got carried
away. I just wanted to relive the past a bit. I miss my little girl, you know?”

“I know, Mom.”
I miss
being her too
, Janet thought.

The Foleys’ house was
only three blocks away from the Maples’ house. As Janet followed her parents along
the familiar path, she was reminded of the countless times she had made these
very steps: in middle school and in high school, sometimes almost hopping as
she rushed to tell her best friend some piece of exciting news, sometimes
dragging her feet, aching for consolation. In her own way, Lisa had always been
there for Janet, and if she had not always given Janet what she needed or
wanted, well, Janet’s unwavering acceptance was as much to blame for the rift
in their friendship as Lisa’s self-centeredness. But while their friendship
might not be what it once had been, tonight was Lisa’s night, and that was
important enough to put the old grudges aside.

“Please hold this,
honey.” Janet’s dad handed her the carton with the chocolate praline cake
intended for Lisa’s party and rang the bell of the Foleys’ house.

Janet twirled the
carton strings. The cake, made by the local bakery, had been a staple at all
the birthday celebrations she and Lisa had shared throughout the years. Not
that Lisa was going to deviate from her strict pre-wedding diet and eat even a
sliver of the delicious confection, Janet was willing to bet her life on it,
but her dad had insisted on bringing the old favorite. Well, Janet just might
have a piece or two herself. After all, she didn’t have to worry about fitting
into a wedding dress any time soon. No sour grapes, Janet smiled brightly.
Tonight was going to be just like old times.

“Janet, dear!” Emily
Foley answered the door. “Christine, Matt – come in, come in!”

“Congratulations,
Emily.” Christine extended her arms in a hug, which Emily reciprocated,
air-kissing Christine.

“You look wonderful,
Christine,” Emily observed. “Any new beauty secrets you’d like to share with
your friend?”

“Not particularly.
Simply good genes, I guess.”

“Just wait till I show
you the new cream that we’ve come out with. I’ve got samples for you.”

“That’s very kind of
you.” Christine nodded politely, but Janet could tell that her mother was
annoyed. Why was it that friendship with the Foley women was a never-ending
ping-pong of snide comments and comebacks?

“Matthew, you suave
devil! You’re looking as handsome as ever!” Emily made her way to Janet’s
father and kissed him on both cheeks, leaving traces of her lipstick.

“Why, thank you, Emily.”
Matt grinned, wiping the lipstick off his face. “You’d better not let your
husband hear you say that or he just might get jealous.”

Emily beamed, but
Janet’s heart sprang with silent glee as she exchanged a silent glance with her
mother. She knew her father well enough to recognize the veiled sarcasm in his
tone.

“Janie, honey! How long
has it been?” Emily placed her palms on either side of Janet’s face. “Darling,
what skincare line are you using? You have to be careful, you know – I can see
those early lines are starting to come in.”

Janet balked, Emily’s
hands clutching her face like a pair of pliers.

Emily clicked her
tongue. “Well, never you mind. I’ve got just the thing for you.”

“Janie!” Lisa appeared
at the head of the foyer staircase. The girl knew how to make an entrance. As
she made her way down the stairs, Lisa gave everyone an ample view of her party
dress, and what a dress it was! A tailored lilac bodice of silk with a long,
flowing skirt. Many women would run the risk of looking overdressed by wearing
such an elaborate gown at a simple house party, but not Lisa. Instead, she made
everyone else look drab.

“Darling.” Clad in a
charcoal suit, Paul had materialized just in time, holding out his hand for
Lisa as she reached the bottom of the stairs – a scene so perfect, it made one
think of old Hollywood movies.

“Thank you, darling.”
Lisa placed a demure kiss on Paul’s cheek.

Then came the
introductions, as Paul shook hands with Janet’s parents and Lisa cast about
proud and satisfied glances.

“Let’s not stand around
here,” Lisa commanded. “The party is out in the backyard.”

The Foleys’ backyard
had been transformed for the party into an open sky bar, complete with a
catered bar station stocked with all kinds of liquor and a handsome bartender.
But what caught Janet’s attention was not the bar stand. She had seen plenty of
those, but the abundance of the intricately laid-out plant and flower beds made
the place look like a miniature farm.

Janet got a hold of
Lisa’s hand. “The yard looks amazing.”

“So you like my garden,
Janet?” Jack Foley appeared by Janet’s side, holding three glasses of champagne
in his hands. “It’s good to see you, Janet. You look really well.”

“Thank you, Mr. Foley.
So do you.” Janet had always liked Lisa’s father. In contrast to his wife’s
larger-than-life persona, or maybe because of it, Jack Foley was a quiet and
reserved man – character qualities that the Foley women could use more of. Now,
he looked the same as Janet remembered – slightly older perhaps, but well put
together in his conservative suit, collared shirt and tie.

“And you, my dear, look
simply stunning.” Jack admired his daughter’s beautiful gown.

“Thank you, Daddy.”
Lisa ran her hand over her dress. “I thought it might be a bit much, but what
the heck?”

“You look perfect, as
always,” Jack assured her. “A glass of bubbly to celebrate?” Jack offered a
glass to Lisa and Janet.

“To my beautiful
daughter and her lovely friend – for the happiness is so much sweeter to enjoy
and the sorrow is so much easier to bear when you have friends to share them
with.”

“An excellent toast.”
Paul joined in, placing his arm around Lisa. “I’ll drink to that.”

“And to my future
son-in-law,” Jack added.

No sooner had they
lifted their glasses that they were interrupted by the arrival of new guests:
Joe O’Connor and his fiancée, Daphne.

“Joe, you came!” Lisa
exclaimed as though she had known Joe her entire life. “And you must be
Daphne!” Lisa exchanged kisses with Joe’s fiancée, who was looking very much
the way Janet remembered her – the same heavily made-up face, only now she was
dressed in a barely-there spaghetti strap dress of crimson red.

Janet’s lips tightened
in a forced smile. It was just like Lisa to invite Joe and his fiancée without
telling her. No sour grapes, Janet reminded herself. She could have had her
chance with Joe in law school, but she had chosen Alex instead, and now it was
too late for second guesses.

“Hi there, Janet.” Joe
stole a quick glance at Janet’s outfit as he kissed her cheek. “It’s always
good to see you.”

“You too, Joe.”

“It’s Janet, right?”
Daphne stood vigilantly by Joe’s side.

Janet nodded. “It’s
great to see you again, Daphne.”

The party continued,
with Lisa’s aunts and uncles taking their turns to say hello to Janet,
invariably remembering how ‘adorable’ Janet had been as a little girl and never
failing to inquire whether she was seeing anyone ‘special,’ and upon hearing that
she was not, consoling her that her ‘big day’ was bound to come soon.

After half an hour of
such mortification, Janet decided that she needed a break. She still remembered
the layout of the Foleys’ house like the back of her own hand, so she crept out
of the now crowded backyard and snuck into one of the guest bathrooms. There,
in the tiled solitude, Janet turned her attention to the bathroom mirror.

Before she had arrived
at the Foleys’ house, Janet had felt confident about her appearance. She had
been ‘good’ the entire week, consuming mostly salads and oatmeal, and shunning
sweets, the diligent regimen resulting in her having shed two pounds. But now,
all she could think of were the ‘early lines’ Emily Foley had warned her about.
In the harsh light of the Foleys’ bathroom, Janet saw two faint creases
stemming treacherously from the outside of her nostrils to the corners of her
mouth – smile lines. They were barely there, but they were there nonetheless,
as were the two faint lines on her forehead from her habit of wrinkling her
forehead whenever she was surprised or upset, and lately, she had plenty of
things to be upset about. Well, she was already twenty-nine. In a year, she
would be thirty. Perhaps Emily Foley’s snide remark did have a grain of truth.
Janet would look into a preventive skincare routine, but she’d be damned if she
would turn to Emily Foley for advice. And in the meantime, there was the rest
of Lisa’s party to get through.

Janet pressed her
forehead against her hands and closed her eyes, as she counted till ten, taking
deep, even breaths. She opened her eyes and straightened her shoulders. She was
as good as new.

“Janet, I was looking
for you!” Lisa ambushed Janet in the hallway, ruining Janet’s intention to
rejoin the party inconspicuously. “Where have you been? There’s someone I want
you to meet.”

“I had to pee,” Janet
lied.

Lisa wrinkled her nose
at the excessive detail. “Never mind. Andrew is here. Remember him?”

Did she ever – Janet
had to stifle a groan. “Vaguely.”

“Well, he remembers
you.” Lisa beamed. “And trust me, he looks nothing like he used to, and he’s
single, with his own Internet business.”

“What kind of
business?” Janet asked out of politeness. Even if Andrew Foley became a
millionaire ten times over, he would still remain the same pest she remembered
him to be.

“It’s a dating service,
but what difference does that make? He’s pulling in a seven-figure income, and
the last time I heard, he was going for an IPO.”

Great, Janet thought.
The ghost of Lisa’s horny younger cousin who had been the bane of her existence
throughout adolescence had come back to haunt her, reincarnated as a dating
service mogul.

“Let’s go already. I
can’t wait for the two of you to see each other.”

Neither can I. Janet
shook her head, thinking that the only way this evening could get any worse
would be if the party were to be raided by wild bears.

“Andrew!” Lisa squealed
to the back of a tall, suit-clad man.

“Lisa!” The man turned
around and Janet was in for a surprise. Andrew Foley had changed, and for once,
Lisa had not lied. He looked nothing like Janet remembered him. The scrawny,
sex-obsessed teenager had blossomed into a tall, broad-shouldered stud.

Janet stood back
quietly, thinking that it would be unlikely for Andrew to remember her, but was
surprised again.

“Janet, so good to see
you.” Andrew’s eyes remained fixed on her face, which was a stark contrast to
Janet’s memory of Andrew’s furtive glances directed at her boobs.

“Well, I’ll leave you
two to get reacquainted,” Lisa excused herself.

“Could I get you a
drink?” Andrew raised his glass, motioning to Janet’s empty hands.

“Sure – a whiskey
sour.” Why not? Janet thought. This was a party, and she was finally starting
to enjoy herself.

“So, what have you been
up to, Janet Maple?” Andrew handed Janet her drink.

“Oh, nothing much –
went to law school, got a job.”

“I see.” Andrew nodded.
“Any interesting men in your life at the moment?”

Janet bristled.
Apparently, Andrew Foley had not changed that much after all.

“A purely professional
question,” Andrew added in a voice that made it clear that these days he had no
lack of female attention. “Did Lisa mention that I run a dating service?”

“Yes, she did. How did
you get into that line of work?”

“It was a natural
progression of things I suppose.” Andrew touched his goatee in a pondering
gesture. “As you remember, I wasn’t exactly Mr. Popularity in my teenage years,
so naturally, I tried all kinds of ways to get in with the ladies. When
‘normal’ dating failed to do it for me, I turned to online websites, and there,
I finally struck gold. You see, the world of online dating is very different
from the face-to-face dating. Online, you can be anyone you want to be. Before
long, all my friends started coming to me for help to write their online
profiles to get girls…”

“But the truth will
come out once you meet the person face to face,” Janet could not resist
contradicting.

Andrew shook his head.
“The whole idea is to get the person attracted to you before the face-to-face
meeting. If the process is paced correctly, the two parties have already become
so attracted to one another’s online personalities that once personal contact
takes place, their virtual attraction will render any of the real-world
shortcomings inconsequential.”

Janet humored Andrew by
nodding. Clearly, he had invented his own dating reality.

Andrew continued,
“That’s the premise of my business venture. Date Magic dot com is an online
dating space where people get the individualized attention they deserve.
Depending on the level of membership, we offer services from writing your
online profile to first-date coaching.”

“Sounds fascinating,”
Janet managed.