Chapter Forty-One

 

“So, how’s this work?” Al asked.

“I thought you said you’d used the Internet.” Blanche felt snarky and proud of her little computer.

“Well, my grandson was driving it, you know?”

“It’s easier than it looks. At least so far, but I’ve made some dumb mistakes.”

“What? The great Blanche admits a mistake?” He tap-danced his fishing hat on his head a moment. “Like what?”

She hated to tell him. “I ordered a background check on that Vasile guy and uh, well, don’t know for sure where I had it sent.”

“For sure?”

“I think maybe it went to his office.”

“Sheesh, Blanche! Why not invite him over to dinner too?”

“I’m learning. Okay? Plus, I never heard anything from him and so I think maybe it didn’t have my name on it.”

“Didn’t the girls get beat up looking for you or something? What if it was that mistake?”

“God have mercy on my soul if I caused those girls more harm. I thought she meant they wanted to know my name. If the report had my name, they’d already know. Those poor girls. I don’t want to make their lives worse.” Blanche concentrated on the screen.

“I don’t know if you should be on here if you do stuff like that,” Al said.

“But look what we have here.” Blanche pointed her purple painted digit at the screen.

“How’d you do that so quick? That’s her. Angie Lyons, pressroom, Capitol Hill. What do you know?”

“I’m telling you it’s easier than you’d think.”

“Doesn’t this scare you a little?”

“You mean that private information can be found on the Internet at the snap of your fingers?” She snapped hers for effect.

“Well, that’s weird too, but I was thinking of this stuff leading us to a senator’s office. I mean, what then? This isn’t just being a good citizen anymore.”

“It may be more serious than figuring out if your neighbor is an illegal or a thief, but I think if it really does involve a senator’s office, which I still find hard to believe, we are even more doing our good deed by getting things straightened out. Don’t you think it was probably just someone who took advantage of access to the letterhead to do this Vasile guy a favor? I worked in companies so many years, you’d be surprised what can get said if it’s only done on official letterhead.”

“Maybe you’re right. I just didn’t expect to call Capitol Hill to get information on someone.”

Neither of them said anything for a moment and then Al said, “I have to admit I like the idea of feeling like we’re onto something real, but then I don’t want to cause trouble.”

“I thought you were in security?” Blanche arched a carefully coiffed eyebrow at Al in a mocking challenge.

“It was the kind of security that kept trouble from happening, not made it. Well are you going to send my old friend Angie a letter?”

Blanche paused long enough to consider a way to salvage her pride. “They’re called emails on here, but,” she cleared her throat, “I, ah, haven’t figured that bit out yet.”

The quiet was broken by Al’s guffaws. “The unbeatable Blanche hasn’t got the Internet quite licked yet. It’s okay, you know, she wouldn’t know you anyway. I’ll call her. We have a personal connection and that may be what we need in this case.” Al took down the number, and Blanche would swear he sauntered to the door full of self-importance - despite the canes.

“You can use my phone.” She called out.

“No, I’d like a little privacy for this one.” He turned and winked over his shoulder, and Blanche had to press her lips together firmly not to giggle.

When he was nearly to the door, Blanche said, “She is cute.”

She heard a vague snort from Al.

Before the door closed, she said, “Go talk to your girlfriend, and let me know what you find out.”

Al hollered. “Wouldn’t you like to know.” And closed the door.