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Debbie and Kath sat on adjacent bicycles, pedaling
hard and watching themselves in the mirror on the far
wall. When, the previous year, Debbie announced that
she was joining the YMCA, James had been mildly astonished.
"Are girls allowed to do that?"
He was about to ask if that meant he could join the
YWCA but he thought better of it. Most days Debbie worked
out, leaving Ben at the creche and either swimming,
biking, or taking an aerobics class. Kath joined her
whenever she could.
"Do you know someone called Sue?" Debbie
panted.
"What?" Though she knew she must not let
it show, Kath was immediately wary. It would be very
easy to say the wrong thing.
"James told me about her this morning. He said
she invited him to set up a business in the city."
"A business?! What kind of business?"
"A detective agency."
"What!!?" Kath stopped pedaling. "A
detective agency?"
"Uhuh. He seems to think it's a good idea. He
said she's a really good detective but she's hopeless
at business." Debbie stopped pedaling too. Her
face was a portrait of doubt and need. "Who is
she?" she pleaded.
"What did he tell you?"
The color drained out of Debbie's cheeks. "Oh,
no," she said, already fearing the worst. Tears
began to well up in her eyes.
"No, no," Kath began. "It's nothing
bad, I promise."
"Who is she?"
"Look, I only saw her once. She helped James when
he broke his arm. I think she's a student."
"A student. How old?"
"Middle twenties, probably."
"What does she look like?"
Kath took a deep breath. "Nothing special."
"Tall or short?"
"Short."
"Fat or thin?"
"Quite thin."
"What color hair?"
"Blonde."
"Oh great. That's all I need."
"But she's kind of awkward looking, you know like
someone who never knows where to put their hands?"
"Just where do you think sexy Sue is putting her
hands?"
"Deb," said Kath, sternly. "James isn't
doing anything with anyone, and he isn't about to start.
Think about it. Would he have told you about Sue if
something was going on?"
Debbie made a sound, somewhere between a sob and a
laugh. "It could be a double bluff," she said
with a hint of a smile. "But what is he up to,
then? What does he know about detective agencies?"
"He knows how business works. He knows a lot about
taxation, benefits, labor law, contracts. It isn't as
crazy as it sounds. Do you know how hard it would be
to get another job like the one he just lost? Come on
or they'll throw us off the bikes." She started
to pedal again. "Are you going to let him do it?"
Debbie shook her head slowly. "I don't know. I
don't know what to do. I don't want him to do it but
I don't want to tell him he can't."
"That husband of yours really did a number on
you, didn't he?" Kath stopped again. "Deb,
James isn't like Peter. He isn't going to hurt you.
He adores you. And, incidentally, he's damn lucky to
have you, and don't pretend you don't both know that."
Debbie smiled again. "Will you help me with something?"
"Name it."
"I want to find out exactly who Sue is and why
the two of them want to hang out together so badly?"
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