Part 11 (2/2)
What the h.e.l.l?
He looked down at the door and tilted his head.
My phone.
He popped the door panel and frantically grabbed at Ilario's phone.
It didn't ring.
He grabbed his wallet and his own cell phone.
One voicemail from my parents. Nothing from Replacement? I'm going to hear it from her.
He stuffed the phone in his pocket as he headed inside. It was after four a.m., and he was starving. He walked into the apartment where Replacement was furiously working on the computer.
”Hey,” she called back without turning around.
”What're you working on?”
”I got another case.” She kept typing. ”A real sc.u.mbag. This lady hired me. The disgusting pig of a man she's married to is stepping out on her.”
”Replacement...”
”She's sick, and he starts fooling around with someone else? She had her head all wrapped up in a scarf, you know. You do that when you have cancer and your hair falls out. Seriously, how low can you go?”
”You can't start a case by thinking the guy is automatically guilty.”
”Yes, I can.” She kept typing. ”I'm not a cop.”
”It's not about being a cop; it's about being right. What if he didn't do it?”
She turned around with a look of total disgust on her face that instantly vanished when she looked up at him. She sat there with her mouth open.
Jack shrugged. ”I'm just saying. Maybe he's not seeing someone else. Did you find anything out on the computer?”
She just stared.
”h.e.l.lo?” Jack shook his head back and forth. That's when Replacement lost it.
She burst out laughing. Her legs shook as she stamped her feet and grabbed her sides. She laughed so hard, Jack thought she'd fall out of the chair.
”What?” Jack thrust his arms out.
Replacement fell out of the chair.
When Jack looked away, he caught his reflection in the microwave.
d.a.m.n it. My hair.
His eyes narrowed as he saw how goofy he looked with his hair spiked up.
I forgot.
He marched through the bedroom and into the bathroom. Each door slammed closed as he went. He stripped the new clothes off and tossed them in the corner.
”Wait, wait,” Replacement called out as she knocked on the door.
”Stay out,” Jack snapped as he turned the water on. ”What?”
He jumped in the tub as she barged in.
”Can I get a picture before you wash it out?”
”No.”
”Please? Please? Wait.”
Jack stuck his head under the water.
”Darn it, Jack.”
”I'm not in the mood, kid.”
”What happened? Where did you go?” She hopped up on the sink.
Don't get her involved in this. Just don't.
”I had to do some stuff. That's all.”
”I can't believe how the day flew by. I'm working a new case, and you get so sucked in you forget about everything else. Have you talked to Marisa? I can't get her on the phone, and she hasn't gone to the shop.”
”No.” Jack's voice was low.
He hung his head as he scrubbed his hair hard.
”I got nothing on the sc.u.mbag.” Replacement stretched her legs out. ”The lady is nice. Susan Taylor. It's sad.”
”She thinks he's cheating on her?” Jack asked from the shower.
”Yeah. Her husband, Darren-he's some office manager. He doesn't come home from work until almost midnight and goes out all weekend, too.”
”What's his side of the story?”
”He tells her he's working. Some special project.”
”Is he?”
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