Neale McGregor

Neale

McGregor

Private Detective

By Terri Louise

This book is a work of fiction. Some landmarks are real, but have been used as fiction. The art of fiction has been created for the author’s imagination only. The author has used her creative license to bring these unreal characters to life in your imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, places, times, towns, electronics, organizations, or persons, living or dead is purely a coincidence.

Neale McGregor is under copyright by the author Terri Louise.

Neale McGregor

© Copyright 2013 by Terri Louise

Smashwords Edition

All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For contacting the author for permission, go to Gradergalbooks@hotmail.com

Dedication

For my son. Smart funny and handsome. Always remember I love you.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 ……….. McGregor Please

Chapter 2………….Not What I Expected

Chapter 3………….Satchels and Friends

Chapter 4…………..Tonya Hanson

Chapter 5…………..Loaded for Bear

Chapter 6………….Disappearing Dead Men

Chapter 7………….Where the hell to Start?

Chapter 8………....Road Trip

Chapter 9………….Scott Man

Chapter 10………..Evidence

Chapter 11………..Bruises and Bigots

Chapter 12………..Traps and Copters

Chapter 13………..Innocence

Chapter 14………..Pizza on a stick

Chapter 15………..Home Sweet Home

Chapter 16………..The Lieutenant

Chapter 17………..Why

Chapter 18………..Decisions Decisions

Chapter 19………..Remembering

Chapter 20………..All Hell Breaks Loose

Chapter 21………..The Diamonds

Chapter 1

McGregor Please

The coffee had grown cold. I stared down at my cup. My brown eyes stared into space completely bored with the situation. The client I had been waiting for had not shown. The payment I had been expecting in the mail was late and any jobs I had, were done. The money was growing slim and this would probably be my last latte for an eon, unless some rich customer was waiting in my office when I got back. I grabbed the cup and guzzled the last of it.

‘No sense in wasting money,’ I thought to myself. I thanked the barista for a good cup of java and waved as I exited the shop. I grumbled under my breath at the predicament I had gotten myself into. Detectives were invariably poor and forgotten by society until the wife cheats or the husband wonders into unfaithfulness or the employee steps over the line and isn’t caught on video.

I shoved my briefcase into the back seat of the Subaru and smashed the seat with my buns covered with the black slacks I was wearing. I searched the keys on my ring and inserted it into the ignition. I took a deep breath and leaned my arms on the steering wheel and rested my long hair on the back of the seat. My eyes rolled into the back of my head and I stretched until some tension released from my nerves.

I really shouldn’t drink caffeine when I am upset. I get all nervous inside and my stomach does flip flops. One more stretch and I pulled out of the parking lot. Easy McGregor…. Things will work out…. I searched back and forth and eased the green machine I affectionately dubbed, Molly, out into traffic. My mind rushed back and forth over the bills due and I shook my head to release the tension headache building between my eyes. My brows creased and I rubbed my forehead hoping for some relief before it became a full scale war between my eyeballs. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! I yelled, You’ve done it this time McGregor!!! You didn’t put any in the savings and now YOU, I pointed to my reflection in the mirror, Don’t have anything to rely on with things this slim! Stupid, Stupid, Stupid! But…. I pounded the steering wheel, I will find a way. I looked myself in the eyes in the mirror….. They were gorgeous brown eyes full of years of work and worry and fear. I had done hundreds of jobs and built a good reputation among my peers and customers. Now if I can find some more customers and stop being the next detective on the skids…. That would be great! I ruffled my curls over my forehead and continued on a bit more relaxed.

I pulled into a parking spot on the corner and reached into the back seat for the briefcase. I locked up Molly and turned toward the office door. Squeezed between a Chinese Restaurant and a paper serving business, the dark wooden door displayed my name in vinyl. ‘Neale McGregor, PI.’ I always get a chuckle out of my name. Born of Irish and Indian parents the name was chosen from the letters of THEIR names. No one believed I was a female until they walked in the door. Affectionately, I am my own secretary and my own boss. I find myself the brunt of many jokes among men; until I find the answer to the mystery they sought and bring in the evidence and the occasional bad guy. My parents suffered many nights of little sleep and I remind them daily, that they raised me to be safe and have a mind of my own.

I grabbed the mail out of the sidewalk postal boxes and sorted it as I shuffled through the door. I threw the junk mail into the round file next to the desk and the important, always gotta pay them, on the desk. Super bored now, I gazed out the window as the traffic flowed by. On a good day I’d get two or three walk in’s. Today was NOT a good day…. Slow as hell and about to send me through the roof.

I took a deep breath and tore into the mail.

Bill….. bill….. bill…..oh look.. another freaking bill! I threw them back on the desk and sat in the chair. I stared out the window of my office for hours. The phone wasn’t ringing and by the tick tick of the clock I realized no bills would be

paid today AT all. I had finished my last divorce case Friday last and the lawyer discharged me until court happened. That may not occur for another six months. I rubbed my tired bored eyes and stretched with a growing yawn. I slapped down on the arms of my office chair and got up to pace. I grabbed the glass cleaner and a rag and opened the office door to spray the name on the glass. I de-smudged the lettering and it became clear and less dusty as I wiped the terry cloth round and round. I glanced at the elevator as it dinged and people were coming and going by my hallway door. Going upstairs to their apartments or the attorney secreted on the second floor. I always wondered how he did so well, being so hidden above a Chinese restaurant. But, I never dared to go look. He made me uneasy.

Still no visitors!

I pulled my sweatshirt down over my waste and shut the door behind me. I tossed the white rag into the hamper in the bathroom and shoved the window cleaner in the cabinet. I took up vigil in my comfortable office chair and closed my eyes for a nice quiet nap.

Bang!!!!!

The office door slammed and a grinning hyena I knew as my best friend stood staring at me. Once again I yawned and stretched.

You better have coffee with that smile my dear.

She laughed and put her hand on her hip. Her blue eyes were alight with ornery delight and I could tell she was about to beguile me with something fun and unusual. She always did. Bella Tipton flipped her hair at me and slithered into my waiting area leather chair.

George is having an affair. I need you to investigate, get pictures and report back to me.

I stood in a mocking manner and saluted her with my middle finger on my left hand. I busted up in laughter and she collapsed in tears all over my desk. I was a cad! My stomach froze as did I. I thought she was being facetious, as she had been a million other times. I quickly walked around the pine desk and kneeled beside her, only to be trapped in a slobbery bear hug filled with water works. I finally got the chance to fight my way out of her grip and breathe some fresh air and began……

Bella, I am sooooo sorry! Honey…. I paused for just the right way to put things. I thought you were kidding. How many times have we talked and laughed about just this very thing? George is NOT this kind of guy. I sat on the

corner of my desk and patted her shoulder. She took a tissue out of my supply and I watched her blow her nose. Never pretty. I waited for the hiccupping and gasping to slow down and she shyly looked at me with her poor little heart shaped chin quivering.

He has been lying to me. He never stays late at work and now I rarely see him any earlier than midnight. I’m not sleeping, he’s not sleeping AND last night, he SMELLED of another woman’s perfume. Last week, I found another woman’s lipstick on his shirt. Neale, what do I do?

I cringed. I wasn’t sure what to do. I had enough kindness in my soul to reach for another Kleenex. I knew there were more tears on the way. I seated myself in my chair and my heart was in my throat. How could I even want to investigate my best friend and her husband?

Bella, I am sick in my stomach and I am sure you are too. She nodded. Do you REALLY think he’s doing something on the sly? She shook her blond tresses and blew her nose again.

Ok, I pulled my cabinet open and took out the beginning of my paperwork to start an investigation. Let’s get started. I know some of the questions will be stupid because we are friends but, bear with me and we’ll just take this step by step and see if I can find some answers for you. She nodded again. Her complexion had gone pale. I thought for a moment that she would keel over, but she stiffened and we moved on.

Name? Her eyebrows rose, but she answered.

Bella Tipton.

And your address? I droned on.

75 Washington Avenue.

Is that the South end of the Avenue? I asked.

You know it is!! She barked, looking exacerbated.

Yes I do. I looked over the rim of my glasses. And I need your cell phone number as well as his. She rattled them off and leaned back in the chair. I was relieved to see her calming a bit. Stupid questions have a way of doing that. I continued on.

What is your husband’s NORMAL schedule?

Well, he gets up at seven, leaves after breakfast at eight and goes to his office until five…. Unless there’s some sort of emergency. But normally, he’s home by six and we have dinner and decide what to do with the evening.

Ok, Pretty much a predictable life. Right? Bella shook her head agreeing with me. George was a very steady man and even I was confused with his actions. Have you confronted him? I asked….. Not really expecting her to answer in the affirmative.

NO! She looked horrified.

WHY? I was curious. He’s such a creature of habit and he’s never mistreated me. He’s never even yelled at me. I just am afraid someone is taking advantage of him. I guess I want to save him. Her face crinkled up and she rubbed her chin. He just is not this sort of man. I am aghast and mortified. I can’t even begin to think of him as a cheater. He is everything to me. The tears were coming again and she shook like Santa at Christmas…. All jelly. Poor thing. I took another snot rag out of the box and gently rubbed her shoulders as she shook. When she came up for more air, I took advantage and we finished the questions from the paperwork. She wrote a check and laid it on the desk. I didn’t look and she hugged me before she departed. I will be gentle and I will find out what is going on my friend. I promise.

She left shaking her head and I calmly sat on my desk and watched her retreat to her car on the street. Bella pulled away in her Pink Cadillac. I remembered the day she earned that car. She called me screaming that her team had earned the Cadillac. She had promptly driven it from the dealer to my office and we had jumped up and down on the street, and then, she sold me some more skin care. I loved that woman and I would not let her down. Even if I had to buy Miracle sets until the day I died.

I returned to my office chair and took a deep breathe. The check jumped up at me and I reached to read it.

Good Lord woman! I rubbed my chin and smiled to myself. I would get this to the bank. I had work to do and bills to pay. This was not a bad day after all. I grabbed my jacket off the chair and my handbag out of the drawer. I locked the dark door and walked to Molly.

My credit union was down the street and I took the lobby instead of the drive through. Large checks were always so difficult for them to handle. They wanted to verify funds before they put the money in. I waited while they verified and I giggled about the $15,000 dollars. I wanted lunch today, not in two days. I smiled as the lady punched the money into my account and I laughed under my breath as I shoved a couple hundred bucks into my slacks. ‘They hate when I am right…’ and I giggled all the way out the door.

I took Molly a few blocks south and pulled into Mickey D’s and ordered number one from the menu. Fries and a coke and a great big burger…. Yum. So, as I shoved the cholesterol high into my blood stream, I formulated a plan.

First thing first. Number one… Find George.

Number two… make sure I have food and water with me.

Number three…. Follow him and see where this leads.

I checked my purse for my camera and I shimmied through my jacket pocket for the digital recorder. I was set. I just needed George. I put the rest of the burger and fries back in the bag until I was at his offices, and fired up Molly for a road trip.

Chapter 2

Not what I expected

Molly and I drove for over an hour through traffic and what not, to get to George’s office building. His was tucked behind a Red Robin over next to the pond on Broadway Circle. I found a tree to get under with Molly and hid in the shade of the parking spot. I pulled out my sandwich and fries and slowly ate my lunch and hoped that I wouldn’t have to go potty. I always managed to need to go, when the person of interest was on their way out the door.

I glanced at my watched and pulled the digital recorder out as well as my camera. I took a photo of George’s old ’67 Chevy. He had painted it candy apple red and it shined up in the parking lot, making it easy to spot amongst the other cars. I hit record on the digital buttons.

It’s 1 pm on December 30th, 2012. I am at the Office of George Tipton, insurance investigator with Lehman and Right, off of Broadway Circle in Boise, Idaho. I have taken payment from Bella Tipton for the investigation into George and his activities of late. I clicked the recorder off and took a bite of the burger. It was getting cold and I had better finish it, before it was ice. The fries were sagging, but the salt was divine. I figured it would swell me up while I sat there and I would resemble a stuffed elephant on the marrow.

The afternoon ticked by and no sign of George. I was hoping he would come out at his normal time, just after five, and prove Bella wrong….but light turned into dark and I was still under the tree. I started the car to warm up the cab and hoped that Molly was quiet enough to not be noticed. George was an observant man, and since he also was an investigator, I might have to park Molly after tonight and rent another vehicle. He was too smart of a man not to notice me and that would blow the whole investigation. I checked out my parking spot again, to make sure he would not see me and settled in for a wait. I found a blanket in the back seat. It smelled ok and wrapped my upper body up and leaned against the window.

Six O’clock came and went and no sign of George. He just did not seem be on his way home….. And now my suspicions were up. If I were to sneak into his building, I could get caught and he would be wondering what I were up to.

No, I will wait here and follow. Once I have more information on him…. Then I will get sneaky. I moaned. I hated stake outs. I always ate too much, learned that card games are not my forte’ and that YOU really can go pee in the bushes after dark in the