Read Online The Second Rule of Ten: A Tenzing Norbu Mystery (Dharma Detective: Tenzing Norbu Mystery) by Gay Hendricks - Free Book Online
Authors: Gay Hendricks
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his head. “Jesus, listen to me. Whining like a baby. So. What’s your story?”
“I’m a private investigator,” I said, leaving out the “licensed” part. “I did a job for Marv Rudolph a while back. Right now I’m helping a friend investigate his death.” Enough truth to satisfy, I hoped.
“That’s cool,” he said. “Listen, man, I didn’t mean to sound so harsh about Marv. I feel for his wife, a-right? She seemed like a nice lady, the few times I saw them together. But that dude? He was nothing but bad news. So, yeah, I mean, I came straight here soon as I read he’d bought it. I already knew where he lived, a-right? I wasn’t going to harass Mrs. Rudolph or anything. I was just hoping for a ‘human interest’ shot, before the others showed up. Make a few bucks, ahead of the herd.”
I nodded. I now had my own herd of 30,000 private dicks to compete with.
“Truth, dawg? My heart isn’t in this anymore. I just want to pay off my loans, so I can maybe start doing some good in the world with my camera. Make my wife and kid proud of me.”
I couldn’t believe it. I was starting to relate to this guy. A hairline fracture weakened my rock-hard prejudice against paparazzi, and a crazy idea snuck inside. My scalp tingled, a sure sign I should pay attention.
“Listen, Clancy,” I said. “I’m just getting started in my business, you know? And the thing is, I could use another set of eyes.”
“Doing what?”
“Doing what you already do. Watching. Noticing. Taking pictures, even. I can’t pay you, not right now, but in my experience, these things have a way of working themselves out in the long run.”
He shook his head. “Naw, man. I already got a long line of people pissed off at me for what I do.”
“It’s not what you’re doing that’s the problem, Clancy. It’s what you’re doing it for.”
Clancy thought this over. He shrugged. Pocketed my card.
“Whatever. I’m sick of my life. Maybe this’ll change things up.”
I smiled as I got out of his car. “Where I come from, it’s called karma. And as for things changing? Guaranteed, my friend. Guaranteed.”
I took Sunset all the way to the ocean, turned right on Pacific Coast Highway, and pulled into one of the Santa Monica parking lots bordering the public beach. I had an old set of cut-offs and running shoes in the back for just such moments. I was starving—somehow I had completely missed lunch—but a run sounded even better than food. My muscles were twitching from a day of enforced inactivity.
I changed in the car. A smattering of bike riders, roller bladers, and power-walking parents with strollers navigated the pedestrian pathway in both directions. I decided to run on the sand. I started off with a slow jog down to the water’s edge and turned north, toward the pier. The setting sun glinted on the slow-breaking waves, and pelicans circled, occasionally making a vertical dive to snag a wriggling snack.
I thought about the day as I ran: Arlene, nursing her grief; Clancy, postponing his dreams. And me, dancing around my own job-related fears. What if the insurance company turns me down? What if it doesn’t, and I can’t afford the premiums? What if I never get hired again?
I picked up the pace. As I glanced ahead, I saw a tall blonde woman in the distance, walking toward me. Her hand was tucked in the arm of an even taller blond man. She tipped her head back and laughed, her teeth so white they flashed in the afternoon light. The couple stopped, kissed, and started to walk again.
Heather.
What did you think, Tenzing? Did you actually think you could be with a woman like her?
My feet pounded the sand.
Too smart. Too beautiful. Too smart. Too beautiful. My mind chanted to the rhythm of my feet hitting the ground. Loser. Loser. Loser. Sweat dripped between my shoulder blades. I was closing the gap between us quickly, but I couldn’t bear the idea of turning around. She’d know I was just trying to avoid her. So
“I’m a private investigator,” I said, leaving out the “licensed” part. “I did a job for Marv Rudolph a while back. Right now I’m helping a friend investigate his death.” Enough truth to satisfy, I hoped.
“That’s cool,” he said. “Listen, man, I didn’t mean to sound so harsh about Marv. I feel for his wife, a-right? She seemed like a nice lady, the few times I saw them together. But that dude? He was nothing but bad news. So, yeah, I mean, I came straight here soon as I read he’d bought it. I already knew where he lived, a-right? I wasn’t going to harass Mrs. Rudolph or anything. I was just hoping for a ‘human interest’ shot, before the others showed up. Make a few bucks, ahead of the herd.”
I nodded. I now had my own herd of 30,000 private dicks to compete with.
“Truth, dawg? My heart isn’t in this anymore. I just want to pay off my loans, so I can maybe start doing some good in the world with my camera. Make my wife and kid proud of me.”
I couldn’t believe it. I was starting to relate to this guy. A hairline fracture weakened my rock-hard prejudice against paparazzi, and a crazy idea snuck inside. My scalp tingled, a sure sign I should pay attention.
“Listen, Clancy,” I said. “I’m just getting started in my business, you know? And the thing is, I could use another set of eyes.”
“Doing what?”
“Doing what you already do. Watching. Noticing. Taking pictures, even. I can’t pay you, not right now, but in my experience, these things have a way of working themselves out in the long run.”
He shook his head. “Naw, man. I already got a long line of people pissed off at me for what I do.”
“It’s not what you’re doing that’s the problem, Clancy. It’s what you’re doing it for.”
Clancy thought this over. He shrugged. Pocketed my card.
“Whatever. I’m sick of my life. Maybe this’ll change things up.”
I smiled as I got out of his car. “Where I come from, it’s called karma. And as for things changing? Guaranteed, my friend. Guaranteed.”
I took Sunset all the way to the ocean, turned right on Pacific Coast Highway, and pulled into one of the Santa Monica parking lots bordering the public beach. I had an old set of cut-offs and running shoes in the back for just such moments. I was starving—somehow I had completely missed lunch—but a run sounded even better than food. My muscles were twitching from a day of enforced inactivity.
I changed in the car. A smattering of bike riders, roller bladers, and power-walking parents with strollers navigated the pedestrian pathway in both directions. I decided to run on the sand. I started off with a slow jog down to the water’s edge and turned north, toward the pier. The setting sun glinted on the slow-breaking waves, and pelicans circled, occasionally making a vertical dive to snag a wriggling snack.
I thought about the day as I ran: Arlene, nursing her grief; Clancy, postponing his dreams. And me, dancing around my own job-related fears. What if the insurance company turns me down? What if it doesn’t, and I can’t afford the premiums? What if I never get hired again?
I picked up the pace. As I glanced ahead, I saw a tall blonde woman in the distance, walking toward me. Her hand was tucked in the arm of an even taller blond man. She tipped her head back and laughed, her teeth so white they flashed in the afternoon light. The couple stopped, kissed, and started to walk again.
Heather.
What did you think, Tenzing? Did you actually think you could be with a woman like her?
My feet pounded the sand.
Too smart. Too beautiful. Too smart. Too beautiful. My mind chanted to the rhythm of my feet hitting the ground. Loser. Loser. Loser. Sweat dripped between my shoulder blades. I was closing the gap between us quickly, but I couldn’t bear the idea of turning around. She’d know I was just trying to avoid her. So
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