What They Didn't Know

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Ye-llo," Harold said answering the phone cheerfully, his grandfather's old-time greeting coming back to him. Never "Hello", his grandfather had always said "Ye-llo" for some odd reason. Over the years, having missed his presence, Harold found himself mimicking the old man's mannerisms. Not to make fun of his grandfather, but to keep his quirks alive in his heart.

"Is this Mr. Quarter?" a calm voice inquired.

"Yes, it is," Harold smiled over the line, watching a pair of hummingbirds sip juice from the feeder he'd placed outside his office window. "How can I help you?"

Waiting for a response, Harold attempted to locate his high-speed camera out from under the piles of paper scattered across the top of his long-forgotten desk top. His colleagues would never believe him otherwise; hummingbirds in Philadelphia were not a usual occurrence.

Grumbling to himself, the stupid thing has to be here somewhere, Harold moved around the room, knocking trinkets and paperclips off the desk in his wake. "Shoot. Dag-nabbit!" Harold cried out when he stubbed his toe on the fallen paperweight he'd tripped over.

"Oh, sorry, Sir," Harold apologized while mentally chastising himself. "I didn't mean to curse at you. What did you say?"

Ever in motion and lost in his own head, Harold had missed the caller's first attempt at responding to his initial question.

"I said," the caller tried again. "I understand you to be Chase Fairmont's step-father. Is this true?"

The words penetrating finally, Harold frowned. What an unusual question to ask someone you don't know. Worry prickling the hair on the back of his neck, Harold took a seat in his worn leather chair and stuttered a response.

"Who did you say was calling? How do you know Chase?"

"You are married to Deirdre, Harold, are you not?" the man asked.

"Yes, I am," Harold tentatively responded. "But I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage. With whom am I speaking?"

"That's not important," the cryptic caller answered. "Thank you, Harold. You've been very helpful."

As he hung up the phone, Harold stared at the receiver pensively before standing up to leave. Grabbing his jacket and Jeff cap from behind the door, Harold headed home. The sudden need to check on Deirdre overwhelming him.