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DREW PATRICK
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BONNIE ROSS LIVED IN a two-bedroom apartment in Cambridge's Inman Square. It was a modest place and well-kept. Pictures of Tina through the years were on one of the living room walls. On an end table were some framed photos of Bonnie and Tina on vacation at Disney World when Tina was younger, and a more recent photo taken at a school event.
“Would you like some coffee?” Bonnie said.
“If it's not too much trouble,” I said.
“No trouble at all.” Bonnie went into the kitchen and placed a coffee pod in one of those single serve coffee makers. After the coffee brewed she removed the mug and repeated the process with a fresh pod and mug. Within a few minutes, we both had steaming mugs of coffee.
“Do you take anything in your coffee?” Bonnie said.
“Black is fine,” I said.
Bonnie handed me a mug. She added some cream and sweetener to her mug, stirred, and then joined me in the living room.
Bonnie sat on the sofa and I sat in one of the matching chairs. I opened the large envelope I was carrying and pulled out the pictures I had taken of Aaron with the young lady. I handed them to Bonnie.
“These are the best evidence we have to prove to Tina that Aaron is not the guy of her dreams,” I said.
Bonnie considered the photographs.
“There are likely other girls I could photograph Aaron with, but I would think one is enough.”
Bonnie nodded as she placed the pictures on the coffee table. In the silence, street noise filtered up to us on the second floor through the open window. Bonnie held the coffee mug with both hands as she looked blankly in front of her.
“It has never been easy for us,” Bonnie said after a few minutes. “I've been a single mom to Tina since she was two-years-old. Honestly, I was pretty much a single mom before that. Her father was a drunk, couldn't keep a job, and had no interest in being a husband or father. One day he decided it was easier to just leave.”
“As hard as it all was,” I said, “he might have done you a favor.”
Bonnie nodded. She drank some of her coffee. Then she said, “But I think I did okay with Tina. She had a happy childhood. We don't have a lot, but we have everything we need. I even managed for us to take some vacations over the years.”
“She looked very happy at Disney World,” I said as glanced over at the picture on the end table.
“Oh, she loved Disney. I lost count of the number of times we rode Space Mountain. Tina has always been a bit of a thrill seeker. It might explain why she ended up dating Aaron.”
“Possibly,” I said.
“But I still don't get it,” Bonnie said. “Not really. I mean Tina had such nice friends. She liked school, and being in the debate club and on the volleyball team. She was a solid A and B student. Never got in trouble. Was never any trouble to me.”
“From what I gathered during my investigation, many teenage girls are attracted to Aaron like moth to flame.”
“And no doubt they get burned just like a moth,” Bonnie said.
“So Tina isn't alone in this,” I said.
“But Tina is the one who quit school, gave up the only life she knew, and moved in with him.”
“It is out of my area of expertise to try to explain the actions of a teenage girl. But I do know you are not to blame. I'm not sure Tina is even fully to blame. Aaron Hurley seems very good at manipulating girls. He is well-practiced in it.”
“Do you think this will be enough?” Bonnie nodded toward the pictures on the coffee table. “Will it be enough to get her to come home?”
“Honestly, I’m not sure,” I said. “But I am going to ask my friend Jessica to help us present the evidence to Tina. Jess is also a private investigator, and a former attorney. She knows how to read people and make a convincing case.”
“This Jessica just a friend?” Bonnie said. A small smile appeared across her face.
“More than a friend,” I said.
“She's a lucky woman,” Bonnie said.
“Not as lucky as I am,” I said.
Bonnie put her mug on the coffee table. “I can't thank you enough for taking my case. There wouldn't even be a chance without you.”
“Most private investigators could have delivered the same results,” I said.
“But most wouldn't care as much as you do,” Bonnie said.
I smiled at Bonnie in appreciation of the comment. “Thanks,” I said.
“You are going to try to help Aaron Hurley too, aren't you?” She said.
“He's mixed up in something he can't fully control, and it could get him in a lot of trouble,” I said. “He may already be in trouble. So, yeah, I'll see what I can do.”
“And no one has hired you to do anything for Aaron Hurley?”
“Nope. I'll do it on my own dime.”
“See,” Bonnie said, “you care.” She gave me an innocent peck on the cheek. “And I hope Jessica realizes what she has.”
“I remind her often,” I said.
Bonnie laughed. For the first time since Tina left home, I think she felt something close to relief. At least hope. All I asked from this investigation is that it wasn't a false hope. Bonnie deserved better. So did Tina.