A Southern Noir: Deception by Any Other Name

Chapter 1

The city's lights began to emerge as I looked out my office window just off Highland Drive and Mayland Lane in Vestavia Hills, about twelve miles from downtown Birmingham. A soft roll of thunder in the distance told me that rain was coming. An afternoon or evening thunderstorm happens all the time around here. I looked up from the papers on my desk in time to catch a distant streak of lightning from my window.

The air conditioning in the building struggled to keep the heat to something near a bearable level. It was still hot despite the sun sinking below the horizon. It's Alabama, if you don't like the weather, wait a few minutes, and it will change. Unless it's the summer, and it is, then it's just hot.

It was a slow week, and it has been a couple of weeks since I have had a new client. Just as well, the paperwork needed finishing anyway, so I took the opportunity afforded by the downtime to catch up again. I could almost hear Emily's voice telling me for the thousandth time to get a real job and give up the private investigations racket. Times like this, it was hard to disagree with her.

The thing is, I could never see myself sitting behind a desk all day, trying to climb the corporate ladder to success. I told her repeatedly that was what made her happy, not me. She usually said something about the kids and how I was never home and needed a regular job. I usually asked why it mattered if I worked overtime in a corporate office or on a case.

We are doing fine money-wise. We live in a house about a block from the country club. Her parents let us move in after they moved to a new subdivision off Highway 280. Emily brings in most of our money, but it doesn't bother me, besides it's not like I don't make a dime. The pay for investigations is good, but there can be long periods without work, like now.

Another roll of thunder got me thinking about calling it a day before the rain arrived. I decided to finish up this last form before I left. As I made the last stroke of my pen, a knock came to the door. Surprised, I told my visitor to come inside.

She wore a blue, knee-length dress. Her straight blond hair fell about an inch or two below her shoulders. There was not a wrinkle on her beautiful face. By the look of her, I thought she was about thirty years old. "Are you Mr. Landon?" she asked in an almost musical voice.

"Hunter Landon, at your service Mrs..."

"Patterson. Stella Patterson. I'm not catching you at a bad time, am I?"

"No, please have a seat, Mrs. Patterson. What brings you here today?" I asked as another peel of thunder rolled much closer to my office.

"I don't know how to say this, Mr. Landon, but my husband," she stopped as a tear began to roll down her cheek. "I think my husband is having an affair."

"What makes you think that, Mrs. Patterson?"

"He's a personal trainer, and he owns a gym not far from here. Lately, he's spent a lot of time at the gym; at least, that's what he told me. When he's home, there are strange calls. When I ask him who it was, he tells me it's a client."

"But you don't believe him?"

"I want to, but he won't talk to me. He gets angry when I ask him where he's been at night."

"Has he hit or threatened you?"

"No, he hasn't hit me. Danny is a big man. He once competed in the Alabama Strongest Man competition. He placed second a few years ago. Danny has never struck me, but I'm afraid of him. I'm afraid that he might do something to hurt me or the kids."

"How many kids do you have?"

"Two, both daughters. I think he blames me for not having a boy."

"Have you told any of this to the police?"

"They won't do anything unless he gets violent with me. Until then, there's nothing they can do."

"So, what do you want me to do, Mrs. Patterson?"

"I need to find out who he's having an affair with, Mr. Landon. That way, I can gain leverage against him in a divorce."

"Well, that's all fine and good, Mrs. Patterson, but are you prepared for the possibility that he's not having an affair?"

"I hope I'm wrong, but I know he's being unfaithful. Will you please take the case, Mr. Landon?"

"Okay, sure. There is the matter of my fee. For a case like this, I usually charge five thousand, a quarter of it upfront. Is that something you can do?"

"Yes, yes, that's more than reasonable, thank you."

"Good. You said his name is Danny?"

"That's what everyone calls him. His full name is Daniel Carter Patterson."

"Alright, I'll start first thing in the morning. I'll need you to fill out some paperwork for me. I also need the address of his gym, and anything else you can think of that might be important."

By the time she finished the paperwork, the rain had begun to pound the roof of the building. I ran toward my car in a futile attempt to keep from getting wet, but just my luck, the keyfob to my car wouldn't open the door. Luckily the button on the handle worked, and I could tumble into the car.

Darkness set in by the time I got home. The rain ended about the time I pulled into the driveway. I grabbed my things after parking the car and headed for the door to the house.