Chapter 61

I awoke Monday in a strange bed. I also awoke to the smell of bacon and coffee. Eggs don't seem to have an odor, unless they have gone bad. I expected to see Mosby in the kitchen, possibly dressed as a glamorous June Cleaver but alas the kitchen was empty. Well empty of humans anyway, I found coffee in the carafe of the coffee maker. It was also still turned on. I found a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich on a bagel. It was inside of a plastic container with detailed reheating instructions.

The note under the container advised me to enjoy, but reminded me to turn off the coffee pot before I left. Since the smell of bacon and coffee lingered, I obviously had missed Mosby by not more than a few minutes.

After the bagel and coffee, I drove to the office. Marty's pros were waiting for me. "Good Morning Maxine," Gwen said.

"Good morning Gwen, did you enjoy my date." I knew Gwen would be filming everything possible. Since I wore a wire most of the evening, I shared the guilt in the invasion of Mosby's privacy. However the invasion did not include anything that happened inside her apartment. I drew the line on that. I didn't mind a bit of reality but I drew the line at porn.

"Actually the date was fun. I even enjoyed the Island. I didn't expect to, but it was great fun." Gwen said to me.

"Then you are a good sport. Most people are so hung up on sexual issues; they can't just relax and let it be what it is. One doesn't have to participate to have fun." I paused looked at her hard then asked, "So did you participate?"

"Of course not I was working, but it was still amusing." she said. "By the way, I'm going to have to get a release from your friend. Do you think I will have any trouble?"

"I have no idea. Just ask and see what she says."

"Don't suppose you would ask for me?"

"Not a chance," I replied.

"That's pretty much what I expected." Gwen wasn't at all upset. "By the way, you two were cute last night."

"Right, not so young love in action," I said sarcastically. I finally took a minute to look around. "Where is Ed?" I asked.

"I haven't seen him," Lucas replied. "It's not like Ed to be late."

I picked up my phone and did a speed dial for Ed's doctor son Jeff. "Hey Jeff, it's me Maxine. I'm looking for your dad. It isn't like him to be this late." I was beginning to worry when Ed came through the door. "Never mind he just walked in."

Ed walked to my desk, then said, "I hope you feel better than you look, because you look like hell.

"Good morning to you too," I said smiling, "Where have you been, you are never late."

"One of my wayward customers got himself locked up early this morning. I have been with your friend Jen playing advocate."

"What is Jen doing bailing out a drunk?" I asked.

"Not a drunk but someone on prescription drugs," Ed said. He walked to his own desk then added, "Too bad the Reverend's place isn't open yet. If it were we could keep it all in the family, so to speak." It was obvious, at least to me, that he knew about me and the Reverend, and then Jen and the Reverend as well.

"From your lips to the ear of God," I said as Ed walked to his desk. When he sat down, I noticed that he had stopped for fancy coffee from McDonalds.

My thoughts switched from Ed's tardiness to Mosby again. I was determined to just enjoy Mosby. I promised myself that I would not run a background check on her. With some difficulty I ignored Lucas sitting at the computer. He looked as though he was dying to run her. Maybe I was wrong, maybe she was what she appeared to be. Maybe I really could find someone who was beautiful and who loved me. Sure it wouldn't be the first attractive person to love me, but she would be the first in a long time.

I also tended to go to men for a real relationship. Women were usually a luxury item for me. The staple was men, pure and simple. Still she was gorgeous and so willing. Maybe the so willing was the reason I felt she might be too good to be true. I looked up at the computer screen and it was taunting me. I resisted, even though it was difficult.

"So Lucas let's get the day scheduled. What do we have on hand?" I asked.

"We have three papers that can be served anytime, and we have Louis Tremount."

"Oh is Mr. Tremount one of the bail bond community's lost souls?" I asked it mocking Ed just a little. To me and Lucas, they were mooches plain and simple. To Ed they were just wayward children who needed help finding their way home. Obviously he never had one of the wayward children try to hit him with a baseball bat."

"Oh Mr. Tremount has a bounty on his head of $2k. His mother would rather we pick him up than the thug from Tryon. She gave us his new job address."

"Are you sure it's that, or was it you convincing her that he house was about to be lost?" I asked.

"Not a car, believe it or not she put up her dead husband's annuity for the bail." Her miserable son skipped, leaving her with a bleak retirement future. That is unless some kind and gentle bounty hunter shows her son the error of his ways." I should have been worried about Lucas, since he was beginning to sound like Ed. I would have been, except that I knew it was just for Gwen and the camera.

"So where is Good Boy Lou?"

"Do you remember where you bought the cruiser?" Lucas asked.

"Of course I do," I replied.

"Mom says Lucas it a driver there."

"This should be fun. Call Jen have her get me something official looking to flash at the manager to get his cooperation. They aren't very cooperative there."

Jen's paralegal did the typing for us. Jen was busy in court. "It's no problem at all Ms. Stone. The Boss gave me blanket authorization to do anything you need, unless it is obviously against the law."