A Southern Noir: Deception by Any Other Name

Chapter 9

The phone was ringing when I got to the office. I rushed inside and picked it up, but whoever it was hung up before I could answer. Shrugging my shoulders, I sat at my desk and made a couple of calls.

I first checked in with Shannon to see if he'd had any luck with the names I gave him. He told me he'd not gotten a chance to dig into any of the names on the list but promised me he'd get to them today. The second call I made was to Mrs. Patterson. "Good morning. Can you come by the office? I want to talk about your husband's financial records."

"I'm on my way to the doctor this morning, but I can come by after that. Probably around one. Is that okay?"

"Sure, I'll be here. Can you access his financial information, banking apps, and the like?"

"Yes, I can do that."

"Great. We'll need to run a credit check on Danny, and I would like you to be here when we do."

"Okay, but why?"

"It's a personal policy. I like to have clients with me while I review their financial information. Mostly it's so you know I'm not cheating you. Also, does he keep his laptop at home?"

"Yes, it's sitting in the living room."

"Do you know his password, and can you bring it?"

"Yes, but what if he gets home early?"

"No worries, I'll make sure you leave in plenty of time. I need to see his emails. It won't take long, I promise."

"Alright. I'll see you around one."

I hung up the phone and started working on my computer. I looked up the social media profiles of the Freemans. Nothing stood out to me about either of them as I combed through several posts. I didn't expect her to post about an affair, but a kernel of information may be gleaned from her posts.

The Freemans had a couple of kids, a girl named Andrea and an older son named Dylan. They attended Northside Methodist Church and were active in some of the church's ministries. There were several pictures of them riding bicycles in full cycling gear. None of this information made me think Sarah Freeman was having an affair with Danny, but it helped me understand the Freemans better.

They didn't seem like an unhappy family on the surface, but one thing you learn about people is what's on the surface is often deceptive. No one likes having their dirty laundry exposed for all to see. So, most people put on a front and pretend all is well with the world. When in truth, there is sometimes an ugly hidden side people try to hide. I'm the guy that tries to bring the hidden side of people to light.

It isn't easy sometimes to separate the job from your personal life. You go through your whole day expecting to see the worst in people, then come home and try to turn that side of you off. Trust can be challenging for a guy in this line of work. That's why I don't like Emilie working for Clayton.

The idea of Emilie leaving for two weeks bothered me to no end. Clayton is a snake in snake's clothing. His thick chest, deep-set eyes, close-cropped hair, and winning smile hide his forked tongue. He gives me the vibe of a shady uses car salesman that somehow managed to become successful in real estate. Clayton is a smooth talker and a charmer. He screams conman, someone who'll say or do anything to make a sale.

The clock on the wall read nine-thirty, so I went for coffee. I needed something to occupy my mind rather than sit and stew over Clayton. There's a Starbucks within walking distance from the office, so I took a stroll to get a cup.

It was already hot by the time I made it down the stairs. The sky was a mixture of blue dotted with white and gray clouds of various sizes and shapes. The weather report said there was a good chance for rain sometime this afternoon or early evening. Both are typical of Alabama weather.

I got to the coffee shop and put in my order for a white chocolate mocha. Browsing the store while I waited for my coffee, I spotted a coffee thermos decorated with a beach scene. "Hey, I'd like to add this to my order."

"Sure," the cashier said. "Are you going to the beach?"

"No, it's for my wife. She's got a business trip next week, so it's something to remember me by."

"That's sweet," she said as she rang up the thermos. I paid for the item and waited for my coffee, resisting the temptation to get a pastry.

"Sir, your coffee's ready," said the barista.

"Thanks," I said and then walked back to the office. When I returned, a tall, light-skinned African-American lady with straight brown hair that hung to her shoulders knocked on my door. "Can I help you, ma'am?" I startled her because she gasped when she heard me.

"Oh, hi, are you Hunter Landon?"

"That depends. Are you here to serve papers?"

She laughed, "No, I'm Tanya Douglas; I represent Mason Johnson Insurance Agency. We're looking for an insurance investigator. Is that something that might interest you?"

"Why don't you come inside, Mrs. Douglas, and we can talk."

"Please, call me Tanya."

"Alright, Tanya." I opened the door and invited her to have a seat. I sat behind the desk and tried to relax. "So what can I do for you, Tanya?"

"Well, the gentleman Mr. Johnson used to check on claims retired last week, so we're looking for someone to take his place. Would you be interested?"

"I guess that depends. What are the arrangements?"

"You wouldn't have to work for us exclusively. We need someone willing to check suspicious claims to ensure they are legitimate. Insurance fraud is a big problem. I can't tell you it's always exciting, but it's steady work."

"Why me? Did somebody recommend me to you?"

"No, your name came up in a Google search along with several others. You're the third person I've talked to since Monday."

"Nice to know I'm at least in the top five."

She laughed at my self-deprecation. "I assure you it's not like that, Mr. Landon. We need more than one investigator. Mr. Johnson realized that one investigator was insufficient between the volume of cases and personal schedules. He wanted to hire one or two others even before Mr. Copeland retired. As you can imagine, there's a lot of insurance fraud these days."

"So I wouldn't be exclusive to your company?"

"Not at all. We will contact you on a case-by-case basis. Of course, we ask that if you accept one of our investigations, you prioritize it over any new cases you may receive."

"Seems reasonable. I'm interested, but I have a case I'm working on right now. It should be wrapped up in a few days. Will that be a problem?"

"Not at all. Let me leave you with my card and some paperwork to fill out, and you can call us when you are ready."

"Yeah, I'll do that; sounds good. Thank you for coming by."

"You're welcome, Mr. Landon. I hope to hear from you soon."