Page 54 of More than a Memory
“And your name is…?” he asked warily.
“My…why the inquisition if you don’t even know the guy?” Darcy pushed back.
“Not an inquisition, just curious,” he said, backing down slightly from his provocative stance and smiling to soften his tone. “Just a little cautious with strangers. It goes with the territory.”
Relieved that the old adage that the best defense is a good offense worked, she smiled warmly and sipped at her beer. Wow, he emanated raw power and she found herself falling under some kind of spell, suddenly tongue-tied.
“Where are you from?” he asked in a way that commanded an answer.
Darcy now knew that his suspicions were still aroused, which meant that he wasn’t likely to be fooled, so she decided to come clean.
“Can I speak with you privately? Like maybe over there in that corner, where that empty table is,” she said, pointing to a spot close to the entrance door. Now she really had his attention and it wasn’t the warm and fuzzy kind.
“Now what could you possibly want with me?” he asked, intentionally trying to intimidate with his piercing eyes spearing her to her seat.
“If you’ll allow me, I can explain my situation in private. I’ll answer any of your questions, I just need a few minutes of your time,” she said in her most reasonable and coaxing tone of voice.
She pulled out both her driver’s license and her P.I. license and passed them over to him, and he reluctantly accepted and took them from her hand.
“Darcy Morgan, huh? All the way from Michigan.”
“Yes and yes,” she agreed.
“I’ll give you five minutes,” he said, standing up and grabbing his drink as he headed over to the table she had just pointed out.
“Rick, don’t take my food. I’m not finished,” she said as she rose to follow Captain Williams.
25
“I don’t want any bullshit. What is this about?” Josiah demanded the minute she sat down.
“Listen, I’m a friend here, not the enemy. Your friend Liam Anderson is in trouble. I’m a private detective and I’ve been hired by his girlfriend, Gina, to find him. She’s sick with worry and needs to know that he is alive and well. Liam’s brother thought that he might seek you out if he were in trouble…which is why I’m here,” Darcy explained.
“Let’s just say hypothetically that I had heard from him. How would I know that you’re working for the good guys?” he asked cautiously.
“I can give you the whole story as I’ve been told it from Gina’s perspective, if you will give me the time,” she replied.
“Go on.”
Darcy proceeded to tell him the entire story as she knew it, and he listened intently. As she concluded, he was silent, seemingly deep in thought.
How long will you be in town?” he asked.
“At least through tomorrow, but I’ll stay as long as I need to,” she replied.
“Give me your card and I’ll see what I can find out for you. That’s the best I can do right now,” he offered.
“Please get back with me as soon as you can. This situation has been hell for Gina. As I mentioned, she and her bodyguard Mitch are hiding out. I’m honestly not sure where all this is going to lead,” she said. “I just want to know Liam is OK, and I need to talk with him. I suspect there is a piece of the puzzle that I’m missing. It’s just not adding up. Please let me know if you can help put me in touch with him,” she pleaded.
He had been frequently glancing at his watch for the last several minutes, giving Darcy the impression that he could be waiting for someone.
“Well I won’t keep you any longer. Please get back with me either way. I appreciate your time and consideration,” Darcy said, holding out her hand to shake his.
“Yes, I’ve got to go, but I will see what I can do,” Josiah said, putting her card in his wallet as he turned to go.
“Thank you for your time,” Darcy said.
“The jury is still out on whether you’re welcome or not,” he replied, then softened slightly and said, “I know you’re just doing the job you were hired to do, but you may be causing more trouble with your snooping.” Then he abruptly left.