Chapter 5

Ed's apartment was in an apartment complex just outside the city limits. Each unit was 3 stories high and contained 24 units. It certainly wasn't posh, but the complex was clean, well maintained and the rents were reasonable. All of the apartments were two bedroom units, with a small balcony, and Ed used one bedroom as an office. His "office" looked like someone stood in the doorway and threw everything into it. Ed's apartment was on the top floor and he had a very good view of the city and the breeze kept the small patio cool in the summer. Every tenant had 2 assigned parking spots so Ed kept his vehicles he used for surveillance at parking lots around town, lots usually owned by ex-clients or friends.

Ed got out of the van and opened the passenger side door. Betty turned and looked as if searching for something that was familiar. He put out his hand and helped her out of the van. Betty almost tripped and fell at the curb and Ed grabbed her and helped her to the vestibule of the apartment building. With considerable difficulty Ed got Betty up the stairs to his apartment. She leaned against the brick wall in the stairwell while he unlocked the door. Ed walked into the apartment and continued into the living room. He turned and realized that the woman had not followed him. Ed walked out to the stairwell and saw that Betty had slid down the wall and was sitting on the floor with her eyes closed. He helped her into the apartment and led her into his bedroom and sat her on the bed. Betty sat on the edge of the bed and her eyes would open and then immediately shut for several seconds and then repeat the process.

Ed went to the dresser and got out a pair of his pajamas, which he never wore, and handed them to Betty. She opened her eyes when she felt something in her hands.

"Put those on and get into bed," he told her, "I'll sleep on the couch."

Ed got a sheet and a blanket and went into the living room. He put the sheet on the couch and put the blanket at the bottom of the couch. Ed slept in the nude but he knew that he would not be able to tonight. As drunk as Betty was, he was afraid she would start walking around during the night. He pulled a throw pillow off of the easy chair and put in on the couch for him to use for his pillow.

Ed could see that the door was still open but he could not see into the room. He had not heard any noise from the bedroom for a while so he went to the bedroom door. He called out and received no answer from the bedroom. Ed stuck his head into the bedroom and saw the woman lying on the bed passed out. She had taken her shirt and bra off and dropped them on the floor. She had apparently dropped back on the bed, naked from the waist up, "to rest her eyes." Ed looked at her and smiled. She was a beautiful woman and built like a Playboy Playmate. Ed lifted her by her hands and pulled her into a sitting position. He grabbed the pajama shirt and put it on her. When he let go of her she dropped back on the bed. Ed buttoned the shirt while she was lying on her back. He unbuckled her belt and slid her jeans off of her, leaving her panties on her, and dropped the jeans next to her shirt and bra. He pushed her to one side of the bed and pulled the covers down on the other side of the bed. Ed slid her to the other side of the bed that was now uncovered and covered her. She turned on her side without a sound.

Ed went into the living room and started to take everything out of his pants pocket so that his keys and such would not poke him all night. He took out his keys and bill clip and set them on the end table. His wallet and spare change were placed next to them. Ed went to his jacket and took out his gun and badge and hid them behind the cushions of the couch. His badge was custom made by an ex-con that Ed had given 5 years free room and board to in the state lockup. The ex-con was now straight and Ed kept an eye on him and helped whenever he could. The badge looked almost identical to a police badge. The only difference was the words, "Private Detective", in an almost unreadable size. His private detective identification was also "amazingly" identical to a real police ID. This came in handy several times. Ed knew that people rarely ever read the words on a police ID or badge. The police hierarchy would get real huffy if they ever got a look at the badge and ID, but Ed figured that there was no reason to ever show it to them if he didn't have to. He took his belt, shoes, socks and shirt off and lay on the couch and pulled the blanket over himself. Within minutes Ed was asleep.