Tracy Hayes, Apprentice PI

Chapter Nineteen

My second early morning phone call came when I was having breakfast. "I ran into Suzy Carter's mother on my morning jog," Trevor said. I suppressed a shiver thinking of the words "morning" and "jog" in connection – or separate for that matter.

"She said Suzy and Moreira have been going out for only a couple of weeks, but that he's such a nice young man."

"Nice?" I was intimidated by him before he even spoke.

"Her words. Helps around the house and drives them to church."

"Did she tell you how they met?"

"No, but knowing Moreira's connection to MacRath, it's not hard to guess."

"At least my ex isn't a drug dealer," I said, with feeling.

"Or your current boyfriend."

"I don't have a current boyfriend," I reminded him.

"Shouldn't you try to get over Scott by now?"

"I'm over him." But I didn't sound as resolute as I intended.

He sighed. "Right... Well, I'll keep an eye on Suzy's house. We'll get Moreira."

His words didn't make me feel as good as they should have. "He was just the driver. And he warned Jackson about Lonnie." In my mind, Lonnie was the real criminal here.

"He hurt you. He'll pay."

"That's just it, I don't feel hurt by him. But I wouldn't leave me alone with Lonnie." My hands itched to strangle him.

That made Trevor laugh. "I'm not making any promises about Moreira."

"Just as long as you're not going after him to get even with Suzy."

"Not hardly," he huffed. "I was over her before school was out."

"You're stronger than me, then."

"I wasn't in love with her."

As I'd been with Scott. But that went unsaid.

Jarod ambled into the kitchen wearing only boxer briefs, a sight that I could do without, especially on a beanpole like him. "I have to, like, go to work," he said, going to the fridge, when I wondered why he was awake so early.

I opened a kitchen drawer and pulled out a key. I might as well give it to him. It wasn't like I'd throw him out. "Here. Use it responsibly. Meaning, no filling the house with unsavory friends."

He ran fingers through his tangled hair. "I'm not sure I have friends."

"What? Everyone has friends, from work or from college." Though come to think of it, I hadn't formed close friendships during my one year at college, and every time I'd switched jobs I lost the friends I'd made in the previous job, though new ones had always filled their place. Then I'd had Jessica, but I hadn't heard from her since she moved out.

Some friend.

"I'm, like, younger than those who are intelligent enough to hang out with and we have nothing in common, or find those my age too stupid to bother with."

I could actually see that.

"Well, we can be each other's home friends."

He smiled and it transformed his face. "That would be cool."

Before I managed to leave for work, I got my third call of the morning, this one from Jackson. "I'll come pick you up. We'll meet Cheryl at the DA's office. She'll bring Pippin. No need to give anyone a chance to intercept us this close to the goal."