Detective work can beinteresting, but it can also be just plain hard work. Finally I realize it’s time to go home. I stop by Ebony’s office to see if my mom called with Steven’s number yet, but she’s not around. I don’t see Eric either, and I wonder if they’re out working on a case or have simply called it a day.
As I drive home, I think about my mom and Steven. Should I try to broach the subject with her or simply wait until Ebony finds out something? Then I wonder what I’ll do if Steven is there like, he often is after work. What will I say? How will I act? Finally I decide I should be careful not to let him know I’m suspicious. Still, it would be nice to get a little more information out of him. Like where does he live? Where does he work?
When Mom gets home, I ask her how the banking fiasco is coming, and she admits that she has shoved it to the back burner. “There was a lot going on at work,” she says. “I had my mind on other things.”
“Have you heard back from Steven?”
She frowns. “No, he hasn’t returned my call. He’s probably having a busy day too. Hopefully, he’ll stop by.”
I nod. “Yeah…hopefully.”
Then as I get a soda from the fridge, I overhear her calling him again, leaving another message. When she hangs up, I ask if she got my message at work.
“Yes, just before I came home. I called Ebony and gave her his number. I’m sure Steven will appreciate me finding him more investors.” She sort of laughs then. “Hey, maybe I’ll get a commission.”
I try to look like this is a possibility, but at the same time I’m wondering how my mother can possibly be so naive. Still, itseems better not to question her. I take my soda up to my room, telling her that I have homework, which is true.
“I think I’ll get a pizza delivered,” she says.
“Sounds good.”
“I’ll call you when it gets here.”
About an hour later Mom announces that the pizza is here. But I’m surprised to see she ordered a big one. “Expecting company?” I ask as I sit at the island across from her.
“I’d hoped maybe Steven would stop by you know, to help me with the bank mix-up.”
“Has he called?” I ask as I reach for a slice.
“No, and that’s got me worried. He usually returns my calls right away. I hope nothing’s wrong with him.”
“Like what?”
“Well, there’s a bad flu bug going around.”
“Have you ever been to his place?” I ask. “What do you mean by that?” She frowns at me. “I mean, have you seen where he lives? Like is it an apartment?” I persist. “Or a house or what?”
“I haven’t been there…”
“Oh.”
“And if you’re insinuating that he and I have been, well, you know…” She gives me a look. “It’s really none of your business.”
“I wasn’t insinuating anything of the sort,” I say defensively. “I was just curious as to how much you really know about him.”
“And why is that, Samantha?”
“I don’t know…but it seems a little mysterious.”
“In what way?”
“So, you don’t know where he lives or where he works, and yet you let him invest money for you. Don’t you think that’s a little odd?”
“I think your job at the police station makes you overly suspicious of people.” I can tell she’s mad now as she puts a couple of slices of pizza on a plate and stands. “And I think I’d rather eat by myself than with a daughter who makes accusations about a man I am seriously involved with. It was bad enough having Zachery turn on me, Samantha, but I expected better from you.” And then she walks out and heads upstairs to her room.
So much for my wonderful sleuthing skills. Now I just hope that Steven doesn’t show up tonight, because I’m pretty sure Mom would tell him what I said. Time to lie low.
Because she has a dentist appointment, Olivia and I take separate cars to school on Wednesday. After school ends, I go straight to the precinct, straight to Ebony’s office, and I tell her the
As I drive home, I think about my mom and Steven. Should I try to broach the subject with her or simply wait until Ebony finds out something? Then I wonder what I’ll do if Steven is there like, he often is after work. What will I say? How will I act? Finally I decide I should be careful not to let him know I’m suspicious. Still, it would be nice to get a little more information out of him. Like where does he live? Where does he work?
When Mom gets home, I ask her how the banking fiasco is coming, and she admits that she has shoved it to the back burner. “There was a lot going on at work,” she says. “I had my mind on other things.”
“Have you heard back from Steven?”
She frowns. “No, he hasn’t returned my call. He’s probably having a busy day too. Hopefully, he’ll stop by.”
I nod. “Yeah…hopefully.”
Then as I get a soda from the fridge, I overhear her calling him again, leaving another message. When she hangs up, I ask if she got my message at work.
“Yes, just before I came home. I called Ebony and gave her his number. I’m sure Steven will appreciate me finding him more investors.” She sort of laughs then. “Hey, maybe I’ll get a commission.”
I try to look like this is a possibility, but at the same time I’m wondering how my mother can possibly be so naive. Still, itseems better not to question her. I take my soda up to my room, telling her that I have homework, which is true.
“I think I’ll get a pizza delivered,” she says.
“Sounds good.”
“I’ll call you when it gets here.”
About an hour later Mom announces that the pizza is here. But I’m surprised to see she ordered a big one. “Expecting company?” I ask as I sit at the island across from her.
“I’d hoped maybe Steven would stop by you know, to help me with the bank mix-up.”
“Has he called?” I ask as I reach for a slice.
“No, and that’s got me worried. He usually returns my calls right away. I hope nothing’s wrong with him.”
“Like what?”
“Well, there’s a bad flu bug going around.”
“Have you ever been to his place?” I ask. “What do you mean by that?” She frowns at me. “I mean, have you seen where he lives? Like is it an apartment?” I persist. “Or a house or what?”
“I haven’t been there…”
“Oh.”
“And if you’re insinuating that he and I have been, well, you know…” She gives me a look. “It’s really none of your business.”
“I wasn’t insinuating anything of the sort,” I say defensively. “I was just curious as to how much you really know about him.”
“And why is that, Samantha?”
“I don’t know…but it seems a little mysterious.”
“In what way?”
“So, you don’t know where he lives or where he works, and yet you let him invest money for you. Don’t you think that’s a little odd?”
“I think your job at the police station makes you overly suspicious of people.” I can tell she’s mad now as she puts a couple of slices of pizza on a plate and stands. “And I think I’d rather eat by myself than with a daughter who makes accusations about a man I am seriously involved with. It was bad enough having Zachery turn on me, Samantha, but I expected better from you.” And then she walks out and heads upstairs to her room.
So much for my wonderful sleuthing skills. Now I just hope that Steven doesn’t show up tonight, because I’m pretty sure Mom would tell him what I said. Time to lie low.
Because she has a dentist appointment, Olivia and I take separate cars to school on Wednesday. After school ends, I go straight to the precinct, straight to Ebony’s office, and I tell her the
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