| |
“So? What did you say to Delia?” Sam asked.
It was a few hours later, and Maggie was sitting opposite Sam and Jake in their surveillance shop.
Maggie said, “What do you think I said to her?”
Jake grinned, and said, “I think you said yes. Did you?”
Maggie nodded. “Of course I did. What else could I say to her?”
Jake looked at his dad and held his hand out. Sam pulled out a ten-pound note from his pocket and gave it to Jake.
“Hey, what’s that about?” Maggie asked.
Jake said. “I told Dad you wouldn’t keep your nose out of that man’s death. I said you wouldn’t be able to help yourself.”
“I did try,” Maggie said. Her eyes narrowed. “You made a bet on that? About me getting involved? That’s very cheeky.”
“And very lucrative,” Jake said as he put the money away. “Before you blame Dad, it was my idea. I said you’d be back here in a week talking about a possible murder. And here you are.”
“I’m starting to wish I hadn’t come here.” Maggie couldn’t help feeling defensive. “I thought you might be able to help me.”
Sam gave her a kind smile. “Of course we can help you. I’m glad you came here. I was going to phone you anyway. To see how you were doing. And to see if the police have been in touch with you.”
Jake said to his dad, “ I thought you’d phoned Maggie yesterday? And the day before?”
“I had,” Sam said without taking his eyes off Maggie. “But there’s no harm in making sure a person is okay.”
Maggie’s defensive barriers dropped. She said, “I appreciate your concern and kindness. Thank you.”
Jake let out a snort of some sort. “Dad, have you asked her yet?”
“Not yet,” Sam replied, finally taking his attention off Maggie. He looked at Jake. “I haven’t found the right time.”
“Now sounds like the right time,” Jake said. “Ask her now. Go on.”
Heat rushed to Maggie’s cheeks. Was Sam going to ask her out on a date? In front of his son? She knew they were close, but there were limits.
Sam muttered to Jake, “This is not the right time. Maggie’s got other things on her mind. Anyway, I’m sure she’ll say no.”
“You won’t know until you ask her,” Jake argued.
“Ask me what?”
Sam shook his head at her. “It doesn’t matter. It was just a silly idea.”
A silly idea? Maggie frowned. It was a silly idea to ask her out? Charming.
Jake persisted. “If you don’t ask her, then I will.”
Fresh embarrassment rushed through Maggie. Jake was going to ask her out on behalf of his father? What sort of a man would let that happen? She couldn’t help but glower at Sam.
She said coldly, “Sam, if there’s something you want to ask me, just ask.”
Sam shifted under her intense gaze. “I’m not sure I want to now.”
“Just do it!” Jake declared.
Sam cleared his throat. “Okay. I will. There’s no need to shout. Maggie, would you like—”
Maggie interrupted. “Would you like Jake to leave the room while you ask me?”
Sam frowned. “Not really. It was his idea.”
“His idea? Not yours?”
“No. It was Jake’s suggestion. I didn’t like the idea of it, to be honest. I still don’t.”
Maggie folded her hands in her lap. “Then don’t ask me. I wouldn’t want you to ask me something if you don’t want to.”
“But I do want to now.”
“I don’t want you to,” Maggie said.
“But I’ve made up my mind to ask you.”
“You can unmake your mind.”
“Arghh!” Jake let out a cry of anguish. “I can’t stand this! Maggie, do you want a job?”
“A job?” Maggie stared at Jake. “A job? Where?”
“Here. Of course. That’s what Dad was trying to ask you.”
Maggie didn’t know whether to be disappointed or flattered. She looked at Sam. “You want to offer me a job working here?”
“I do,” Sam confirmed. “You look disappointed. Were you expecting me to ask you something else?”
“No. Nope. Of course not.” Maggie put a bright smile on her face. “Tell me more about the job.”
Sam opened a drawer at his side and pulled out a thick file. He opened it up. “These are letters and emails we’ve been sent. They’re from people who want us to look into personal matters for them.”
Maggie was intrigued. “What kind of personal matters?”
Jake answered her, “Cheating husbands. Nasty neighbours. False friends. That sort of thing. People want us to find evidence about their many problems. But we don’t deal with that. We’re not private investigators.”
Maggie said, “And is that what you tell those people who write to you?”
Sam explained, “I used to, but—”
“But he was too soft about it,” Jake interrupted. “Dad went into too much detail in his letters. Saying how sorry he was for their problems. And then giving them a list of people who could help them. It took him hours every week to write to them. So, I took over.”
Maggie gave Jake a bemused look. “And what do you say to these troubled people?”
Jake shrugged. “I don’t say anything. I just send them a list of our surveillance equipment so they can spy on people themselves. Job done.”
“Job done?” Maggie repeated. “It’s not really a job done, is it? Those people need help, not a list of items you sell.”
Jake gave his dad a light shoulder bump. “I knew she’d feel like that.”
Sam gave Maggie a wry smile, and said, “I didn’t feel happy about Jake’s replies. Some of these people are going through terrible times. I wanted to help them more, but we simply don’t have the time.”
“And you want me to help them?” Maggie sat forward in her chair. “You want me to investigate their cases? Like a private investigator? I like the sound of that. When do I start?”
Sam scratched his chin. “I wasn’t thinking of that kind of job. I thought you could write back to them, and offer help of a different kind. Maybe suggest some of the simpler surveillance equipment they could use. They don’t have to buy it from here. You could have a look at suppliers online, and maybe give some website links.”
Maggie nodded. “I could do that. And if certain people needed more help, I could meet with them and investigate their cases. Yes, I could definitely do that.”
“They’re not really cases,” Sam tried to argue. “Just enquiries. Some of them are quite upsetting, and—”
Jake interjected, “But Maggie could investigate them, couldn’t she? Meet up with them? We could charge more for that kind of service. She’s nosy. And relentless. She’s good at sticking her nose in places she shouldn’t.”
“Thank you?” Maggie said. “When do I start?”
Sam said firmly, “I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want you getting involved with these people. And I certainly don’t want you to meet up with strangers and put yourself in dangerous situations.”
“I can take care of myself.”
“No.” Sam folded his arms.
“Yes.” Maggie folded hers.
Jake said, “I say yes too. Dad, I think you should let Maggie have an investigating job here, even if it’s on a trial basis.”
“No.”
“Yes,” Jake said.
“Yes,” Maggie said with determination in her voice.. “I promised Delia I would investigate Harvey’s death. Once I’ve found out who murdered him, then you’ll see how well I can do this job you’ve offered me.”