a woman answered after a few rings.
“May I please speak to Bert Tremain?”
“I’m sorry. There is no Bert Tremain who works here.”
“Are you sure,” I said, realizing as I said it how stupid it sounded. Of course she was sure. She worked there. I was the idiot who thought people told the truth.
The woman didn’t seem put out because she chuckled. “I’m sure but I do know where you can reach him. Windy City Investigations. Do you have a pen handy. I can give you his number.”
“That would be great,” I said, not knowing what to think. Since she didn’t seem to find it odd that I had called the wrong place looking for him. And she had his number. What was going on here?
“It’s 312-555-5555.”
“Thank you and sorry for the bother.”
“No worries. It happens all the time.”
I started to ask why but she’d already said bye and hung up.
“Well …” Katy asked looking at me expectantly.
“Bert Tremain doesn’t work for Windy City Insurance. He apparently works for Windy City Detective Agency.”
“Does that mean he was investigating for some other reason than insurance purposes?”
“I would guess. I need to tell Willie. Maybe he already knows? I’ll be right back.”
I headed to the office for privacy in case we had customers come in.
“I was just getting ready to call you,” he said when he answered on the first ring.
“Were you calling to tell me you found Veronica’s murderer and whoever broke into Silk?”
“Not exactly. One of your employees was just in here to give her fingerprints. Yvette.”
“Yeah, Katy sent her down. Oh God, don’t tell me she’s got a record. That’s the last thing I need to deal with.”
There was a long pause.
“Please don’t tell me she’s a criminal.”
“Just relax. She’s been fingerprinted before for a drug related arrest when she was sixteen and all charges were dropped. I looked through her file. The DA deemed it poor youthful judgment and let her off with a warning because she’d never been in trouble before and she’s never been in trouble since.”
“Still, she should of told me.”
“If if helps, she told me before we ran her prints. She was just afraid to tell you. It was years ago. I think you should cut her some slack. It’s not something you’d tell an employer. When I saw how upset she was over you knowing, I said I’d call and tell you. She seems like a nice girl.”
I sighed. I’d made my share of mistakes along the way and Yvette was a great employee. I shouldn’t hold something she did years ago against her.
“You’re right and normally I wouldn’t think it that big of a deal. We all make mistakes I guess. I’m just on edge.”
“That’s understandable. Just don’t be too hard on her when she gets back to the store. I’ll call you if I hear anything else.”
“Ok. Oh wait.”
“What.”
“That insurance guy who stopped by who I told you about. He’s not an insurance guy. He’s a detective.”
“What’s his name. I don’t think you told me?”
“I didn’t think it was important when I thought he was an insurance agent. His name is Bert Tremain. Windy City Detective Agency. Does that ring a bell?”
“Hmmm. I don’t recognize it but I’ll do some checking. I’m very interested in finding out why a detective is nosing around. Let me know if he comes back or contacts you.”
“Will do. Talk to you later, Willie.”
Things were just getting more and more interesting around here. Never a dull moment. How I sometimes wished for a dull moment.
MOVE WHERE?
“Sort of. I was calling to tell you that unfortunately nothing we got from your safe matched anyone outside you all. So whoever broke in probably wore gloves.”
“So we’re dealing with a half way smart crook.”
“At least one who knows enough to wear gloves.”
“That sucks. Why can’t it even be easy?’ I joked but was a little serious too.
“Job security for me, Presley.”
“Oh, yeah. Good point. Where do
“May I please speak to Bert Tremain?”
“I’m sorry. There is no Bert Tremain who works here.”
“Are you sure,” I said, realizing as I said it how stupid it sounded. Of course she was sure. She worked there. I was the idiot who thought people told the truth.
The woman didn’t seem put out because she chuckled. “I’m sure but I do know where you can reach him. Windy City Investigations. Do you have a pen handy. I can give you his number.”
“That would be great,” I said, not knowing what to think. Since she didn’t seem to find it odd that I had called the wrong place looking for him. And she had his number. What was going on here?
“It’s 312-555-5555.”
“Thank you and sorry for the bother.”
“No worries. It happens all the time.”
I started to ask why but she’d already said bye and hung up.
“Well …” Katy asked looking at me expectantly.
“Bert Tremain doesn’t work for Windy City Insurance. He apparently works for Windy City Detective Agency.”
“Does that mean he was investigating for some other reason than insurance purposes?”
“I would guess. I need to tell Willie. Maybe he already knows? I’ll be right back.”
I headed to the office for privacy in case we had customers come in.
“I was just getting ready to call you,” he said when he answered on the first ring.
“Were you calling to tell me you found Veronica’s murderer and whoever broke into Silk?”
“Not exactly. One of your employees was just in here to give her fingerprints. Yvette.”
“Yeah, Katy sent her down. Oh God, don’t tell me she’s got a record. That’s the last thing I need to deal with.”
There was a long pause.
“Please don’t tell me she’s a criminal.”
“Just relax. She’s been fingerprinted before for a drug related arrest when she was sixteen and all charges were dropped. I looked through her file. The DA deemed it poor youthful judgment and let her off with a warning because she’d never been in trouble before and she’s never been in trouble since.”
“Still, she should of told me.”
“If if helps, she told me before we ran her prints. She was just afraid to tell you. It was years ago. I think you should cut her some slack. It’s not something you’d tell an employer. When I saw how upset she was over you knowing, I said I’d call and tell you. She seems like a nice girl.”
I sighed. I’d made my share of mistakes along the way and Yvette was a great employee. I shouldn’t hold something she did years ago against her.
“You’re right and normally I wouldn’t think it that big of a deal. We all make mistakes I guess. I’m just on edge.”
“That’s understandable. Just don’t be too hard on her when she gets back to the store. I’ll call you if I hear anything else.”
“Ok. Oh wait.”
“What.”
“That insurance guy who stopped by who I told you about. He’s not an insurance guy. He’s a detective.”
“What’s his name. I don’t think you told me?”
“I didn’t think it was important when I thought he was an insurance agent. His name is Bert Tremain. Windy City Detective Agency. Does that ring a bell?”
“Hmmm. I don’t recognize it but I’ll do some checking. I’m very interested in finding out why a detective is nosing around. Let me know if he comes back or contacts you.”
“Will do. Talk to you later, Willie.”
Things were just getting more and more interesting around here. Never a dull moment. How I sometimes wished for a dull moment.
MOVE WHERE?
“Sort of. I was calling to tell you that unfortunately nothing we got from your safe matched anyone outside you all. So whoever broke in probably wore gloves.”
“So we’re dealing with a half way smart crook.”
“At least one who knows enough to wear gloves.”
“That sucks. Why can’t it even be easy?’ I joked but was a little serious too.
“Job security for me, Presley.”
“Oh, yeah. Good point. Where do
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