Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 43118 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 216(@200wpm)___ 172(@250wpm)___ 144(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43118 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 216(@200wpm)___ 172(@250wpm)___ 144(@300wpm)
“Go right on inside.” I stand aside so she can go past me, letting her into the place first.
I was telling the truth, of course. The first thing she sees is a big sign on the wall declaring this to be the home of Hunter Jacobs, Private Investigator. There’s a small waiting area with chairs and a potted plant that used to be empty space. I had it built onto the front of my home, around the original front door.
We walk through the open door into the hall, and then at my direction, she turns right into my office.
“Take a seat,” I tell her, and she drops into one of the chairs facing my desk. That’s when she looks up at me with a surprised expression on her face, the tears already starting to dry.
“You’re Hunter Jacobs?” she asks, and I suddenly feel like I have two heads. Why else would she be staring at me with such a look on her face?
“Yes,” I admit. Instead of going and sitting behind my desk, I take the second chair for clients so I can be next to her. I could ask how she knows who I am and what that means to her, but there are more pressing concerns.
“How did you want that tea? I have Chamomile, Earl Grey, Rooibos….”
“I’m here for you,” she says, then blinks and shakes her head. “I mean, because of you. What I mean is, I came here to find your office so I could see you.”
“Oh.” I sit up slightly straighter. “You’re a client?”
“I aim to be,” she says.
Well, that complicates things.
“First things first,” I say, holding up my hands. “That tea. What do you want, and how much sugar?”
“I don’t know,” she shrugs helplessly. “I don’t honestly drink tea.”
“Then I’ll fetch you something,” I say. “Just sit here and wait, alright?”
I head off to my kitchen, which has all kinds of tea and a coffee-making station set up, ready for my clients. I quickly gather the materials and make her a Rooibos tea with extra sugar, thinking that this will be the type she likes – a gamble, based on first impression alone.
I grab a packet of cookies as well and walk back with them, putting them down in front of her.
“Here,” I say. “Eat, drink. Take off your coat if you want. Just relax. After what happened, you need to just rest a moment.”
She nods gratefully and takes a sip of the tea. Her eyes light up, despite the tear tracks still visible on her face. “That’s really nice,” she says.
I feel gratified. “Thank you,” I nod. “Take a cookie.”
She does, nibbling on it. I take one myself and polish it off in three quick bites, which seems to encourage her to go for it as well, and the cookie is soon gone.
“Alright,” I nod. “Does that feel better?”
She smiles. “It does, actually,” she says. She takes a big breath in and out and then another sip of tea. “I’m starting to feel a bit more human.”
“Oh, you’ve been human all along,” I tell her. “It’s those kids out there who were animals.”
That gains a bit more of a smile. She sets her cup down in the saucer as if she’s drawn the strength she needs from it and can now take her time. “You’re not wrong about that,” she says and sighs, shaking her head. “I just….”
“You don’t need to feel embarrassed or awkward,” I tell her, picking up on the vibe of how she must be feeling.
“Honestly. What they did reflects on them and them alone, not on you. They’re bored kids. I would feel bad for them if they weren’t such little shits.”
She bursts out with a surprised laugh for a second, looking at me in surprise at the language I used. I can tell she’s not offended. Not expecting to hear her laugh, I grin at her, and she grins back, shaking her head.
I’m just glad I’ve been able to do something to make her feel better about all of this.
“So,” I say, ready to move on to business – as I should. After all, just because I think she’s the most attractive woman I’ve ever seen doesn’t mean I shouldn’t be thinking of my business as well. “You said you were looking for me in the first place?”
“Right!” she says. “I couldn’t find the address. I thought I must be in the wrong place because of the fact we were on a residential street. I thought I must have gotten it wrong.”
“Ah, sorry about that,” I say. “As you can see, this is my legitimate business address. It’s just more cost-effective to have an office inside my home. And more convenient, too. It means I can leave my bed in the morning and just get to work. I should write something more clearly about it on the website, so people know what to expect.”