 Previous
New Readers Start Here
Table of Contents Next
They spent the whole afternoon watching the tapes.
It was surprisingly difficult to concentrate on a shot
of an empty room. Very soon James' brain began to scream
for relief and he had to hit pause every few minutes
and turn to watch something that moved. Ben moved constantly,
which was convenient.
When Kath arrived they divided the tapes between them.
They borrowed a VCR from a neighbor and James set it
up in the bedroom and watched on the small television
on the dresser. After a decent interval he removed the
tape and slipped in a blank one. He connected the video
camera and copied the footage of Doberman, all the while
watching the door and listening carefully. He really
didn't want to have to explain the content to Debbie.
Meanwhile Kath sat on the couch and watched another
of the security tapes, and Debbie took Sue out to her
studio in the back yard to watch on the television she
had set up there for Ben. It was the first time Sue
had been alone with her and both women were nervous.
"Just how did you get hold of these?" Debbie
asked, again.
"We went inside the museum but that didn't help.
So, afterwards, we walked around the outside of the
building and found someone at one of the back doors,
smoking a cigarette. I told him I'm from the university.
I kind of made it sound like I was in the Archeology
Department."
Sue dried up for a moment. Debbie was watching her
intently, and she found it hard to gather her thoughts.
"We asked him how the investigation was going and
he said the people in charge are clowns. After that,
well, you know?." Still Debbie did not speak. She
just stared and Sue couldn't take it any longer. "What?"
"Why are you hanging around with James? Why does
a graduate student want to start a detective agency
and go around breaking the law? None of this makes any
sense to me."
"Breaking the law?"
Debbie reached slowly for the remote and stopped the
tape.
"You might find that bribery is illegal."
"I thought that was only for cops," Sue replied,
and immediately regretted the comment.
Debbie raised an eyebrow. "You two should be careful."
Sue was beginning to think the same thing. She really
didn't like this kind of confrontation. Nevertheless,
here she was and she had to make the best of it. "Are
you uncomfortable that James is working with me?"
Debbie was silent for a long time before she answered.
"Yes."
Sue spoke very gently. "Do you think I want him?"
Debbie could not find an answer. She had summoned the
courage to be direct yet now Sue was more direct.
Sue filled the silence. "I don't," she said,
simply. She reached out for Debbie's hand. "Honestly,
I don't. I just need to make some money. And I'm sorry
about the bribe. You're right. We won't do it again."
Previous New
Readers Start Here Table
of Contents Next
|
