The Penny Chapter 3

3

The coffee on his desk was cold now. A piece of chocolate sugared donut lay on a small pile of papers next to it. His legs rested on the desk, stretched out and crossed.
His fingers separated the blinds pulled down over the window, he was bored. Eric Diamond was a bit of the uncommon when it came to private investigators. His slight English accent didn't fit well in the Bronx, but he could care less. He had the luxury of being well off. He came from money and he made his own. It was rumored that he had spent time in the British Military Intelligence Service and that one day he had enough of the stress. He took his leave and journeyed to New York twelve years ago to start his own business. Just a small investigating service so he could chose the days he would work or not if he wished. Who was he kidding, he loved this work and he spent most of his time at it.
His office was like a vintage black and white movie. It was small and a little dark. A small lamp lit the desk his feet were on. An old metal filing cabinet sat in the corner with the top drawer half opened. All this was accented by the dark brown paneling that surrounded the room and gray commercial carpet that could use a cleaning. A tile ceiling that shouted, ‘Water has been here!’ He didn't much care.
The office door opened and Martha, a small roundish middle aged, or she liked to think middle aged woman, entered. They never even looked at each other as she walked over to the filing cabinet and closed the drawer. She walked over to the chair on the opposite side of the desk and plopped down.
She put her feet up to mimic Eric and said sarcastically, "Why do you make me work here?"
"It's because I love you so much," he said in a tone that matched Martha's.
Martha chuckled and stood back up. She walked over to the windows and raised the blinds.
"What did you do that for?" Eric asked.
Martha replied, "It's not good for you to sit in the dark all the time."
"It's what I prefer, dear, do you mind?"
"I've been taking care of you for eight years and all I ever get is grief."
"You're my secretary not my mother, and if you are taking such good care of me where are the files I asked you for yesterday?"
Martha smiled and said in a motherly tone, "You really have to relax a bit more or you're going to have the big one."
Eric's face twisted as he took a deep breath and said, "the files please."
Martha saluted in a military manner and replied, "Yes Sir."
Spinning around with her hand still at her head then dropping her hand stiffly to her side, she marched to the door and exited. Eric rose and lowered the blinds.
The relationship between Martha and the Englishman was not taken lightly. She could drive him crazy with a few simple words. However, as much as she prodded him, he would have no other secretary. She knew him well and understood the way he worked. There were times when he would ask for an item or file that she would place on his desk before he finished his request. She would do field work for him once in a while and always get results he knew he could not get himself.
Martha's life read like the bad sections of the newspaper. Eric did not pity her because she did not pity herself. She had lost a daughter some years back but Eric never pried. Her husband died in a car accident eleven years ago. Eric had found her in an alley beaten and bleeding. Her perpetrator didn’t care that she was a woman. Nor did he care that she was an alcoholic. Eric reached down to the beaten woman and she looked up at him with fire in her eyes and said, “I don't need your stinking help, I'm not dead". The English in Eric took an immediate liking to her. He gave her a job and the means to get an apartment and he got the best secretary you could find. The scars may never go away, but you learn to live with what you have.
Eric‘s wife died some years before he moved to New York and he never remarried. He said it was because of his job but his few close friends weren’t convinced. It's the kind of life you could assimilate to an artist. He loved his job and he could only have one love and do it justice. As for Martha she just plain wasn't interested any more. Maybe in time she would be but not now.
Martha entered the room again with a letter in her hand as if she was trying to read through the envelope.
Eric looked up and said, “Is that for you or for me?"
Martha replied, "I haven't made up my mind yet."
Eric held out his hand and Martha slowly extended it to him. Martha settled herself on the front corner of the desk and waited.
"I can read it," Eric said.
Martha replied, "Well, okay!" and stood up to leave.
"The file," Eric said.
"Yes, the file, yes I'll get the file," she said as she left the room.
Eric opened the letter.

Dear Mr. Diamond;

I am contacting you on behalf of my employer who wishes to remain anonymous. I have the intent of retaining your services in regards to a matter of which I need to discuss with you at your earliest convenience. Please contact me.

1-555-555-5555

There was no name or address at the end of the letter. Eric picked up the opened envelope and noticed it had no return address. He stood up and went out into the reception room and handed the letter to Martha and asked her to make a couple of copies. He always had three copies of everything. One copy went into the files that only Martha could figure out. One would disappear into the papers on his desk and one would go home with him so he could work at his house if he needed. So the old adage "I have one somewhere" always worked for him.
This was the time of day he would go down to the coffee shop and get his third cup of coffee and pick up a newspaper. The ritual didn't need to be announced; he would get his coat and just leave. Martha always knew where to find him if she needed him.
Eric pulled a newspaper from the machine outside the coffee shop and went in and sat on a stool at the counter.
"Good morning Eric."
"Good day to you Sam," he replied.
"The regular?" Sam asked.
"Yes please."
Sam brought over a cup and reached behind to get the pot of coffee. As he poured he asked.
"Did you hear about the lady down on 17th?"
Eric said, "No, not yet, what was it about?"
"They found her strangled in her apartment."
"That's a shame," Eric shook his head.
"You aren't even safe in your own home anymore," Sam said, "This town has gone to hell. Anyway, you got the paper, it’s all in there."
Two men entered the shop and sat a table next to the window.
Sam said, "Morning boys, what can I get you?"
One of the men replied, "Just coffee for us."
"Coming right up," Sam replied.
John Holran a detective at the local precinct entered next. He sat on a stool next to Eric.
"Coffee?" Sam asked.
"Yeah," John replied.
"How are you doing?" John asked Eric.
"Fine John and you?"
"Been better," he said to Eric. "I've been down on 17th all morning."
"So you know what's going on down there?" Eric asked.
"Yes, well kind of, some young aspiring actor evidently decided to end his relation with a young woman."
"I can think of better ways to end a relation," Eric said.
"Worst part is the boy is psycho, says some woman put him up to it, says she was controlling his mind."
John was shaking his head as he said this.
Eric continued to look forward at the wall and said, "See why I never married."
Sam smiled and said, "Smart man."
"Speaking of married," John said, "I stopped by your office to talk to you and Martha said you'd be here. She's a good woman Eric."
"You should marry her."
"We have laws about having two wives here in this country," John said with a grin.
"What was it you wanted to speak to me about?" Eric asked.
"First off I'd like to thank you for your help with that case last month. The other stuff is private. Can we take a table in the back?"
"Sure," Eric said.
They sat down at the table and Eric looked John in the eyes and said, "So what is it?"
"I got a problem," John said, "that guy that killed the woman; he's not the first to say some lady made him do it. There have been three cases this year where I've heard this same story. Not identical but they always blame a woman. I wouldn't think much of it but they all describe the same woman. Long dark hair, ya know the type, good looking, sharp dresser seems to have plenty of money. They can't seem to point out where she lives but they all describe the same car. She drives a Mercedes. That's a fairly rare car over here."
"What's the financial status of the men she has been picking?" Eric asked.
"Most of them don't have a pot to piss in," said John.
"You got any kind of motive?" Eric asked.
"No, all the Johns, excuse my expression, don't seem to have anything in common."
"What is it you want me to do?" asked Eric.
"Just have a look around and let me know if you turn up anything."
"If I can get a look at the reports that would help a lot. I know they aren't public info but I’d like to see them."
"You'll have them this afternoon," John said.
Eric returned to his office and walked in the reception room.
Martha looked up and said, "I assume Detective John found you?"
"Yes" Eric replied, "I think he likes you."
Martha shot him a look of disgust and said, "You English lost the war, don't start another one."
"The files Martha, the ones I asked for."
Martha came from behind her desk and opened his office door. She pointed to his desk. They were sitting on top ready for his use. He said thanks and placed a coffee down on her desk he picked up for her across the street.
Eric sat down at his desk and moved the files to find the letter he received earlier. He picked it up and dialed the number.
On the fourth ring a man answered.
"Hello."
"Hi this is Eric Diamond. I received," the voice on the other end interrupted.
"Yes Mr. Diamond I have been waiting for your call."
"Well, you want to tell me what this is about?"
The man replied, "I need to arrange a meeting for you."
"Sure what would be a good time for you?" Eric asked.
The voice on the other end of the line replied, "Now would be a good time for the meeting."
"I suppose I could meet you now," Eric said.
"Look out your window to the shop you just had your coffee at, do you see the two men?"
Eric rose and looked out the window and said, "I noticed the two men earlier."
"They will take you to the meeting."
Eric replied, "I'm not too sure I want to get in a car with two men I don't know on the word of a man I have never met."
"My name is Aurturo, the men can be trusted, and they will be responsible for your life, even at the cost of theirs."
The phone went dead and Eric put it on the receiver.
Eric stood looking out the window for a few minutes and decided to go. He walked into the reception room and Martha looked up to him.
"Where are you going?" she asked
"I'm not sure yet, I'll call you when I get there."
Martha’s expression changed and she said, "I don't like the sound of this, are you alright?"
"I'll be fine, I think," he gave her a smile.
Eric walked out of the building and was about to start across the street when a large black sedan pulled up in front of him. A man emerged from the front door of the car and opened the back passenger door. He bowed his head and in a calm low voice said, "Mr. Diamond if you please."
Eric paused for a second and lowered into the car. The car door closed and slowly pulled away. To Eric's surprise the man that opened the door for him stayed behind.
Eric looked to the driver and said," Where are we going?"
The driver replied, "My apologies sir, this I can not tell you."
Eric was a little alarmed but the calm tone of these men and his instincts were telling him to just relax. They drove north for twenty-five minutes and the driver stopped the car.
The driver turned to Eric and said, "I am but a servant to my master. He has bestowed your safety upon me. I beg you forgiveness for what I must ask next. For the safety of my master and yourself I must ask you to wear this mask. It will only be for a very short time."
Eric's face changed to a more serious look and his voice rose as he said, "Listen to me. I don't know you or your master. I got in this car to go meet your master, which in my mind is already stepping into something I don't like the smell of. If you think I'm going to put on a mask you're wrong. You can turn this car around right now.”
The driver lowered his head to show respect for Eric.
Then he said, "Please listen to all that I say before you reply or ask me to return you to your place of work sir. If you command me to return you to it is my duty to do so. While you are in my protection I must obey your wishes. It is I my master will be displeased with if you should decide to go back. At this moment you have the power of my master to do with as you please. What ever you ask, I must do."
Eric wished he had time to ponder those possibilities for a while but the driver continued to speak.
"Some things I am allowed to know, the number of these things is very limited. It is actually part of my job to work with as little knowledge of the task as possible. One of the things I am allowed to know is the location of my master. I am the only living person to know this location besides my master. For this there is good reason. This is only temporary; after the task is completed my master will no longer be a prisoner of the circumstance. You may come and go as you wish but my master is the prisoner at this time. It is ironic that I the servant may do as I please and my master be bound to living quarters until this matter is resolved."
Eric was getting anxious to get to the point and move on but he held his words.
The driver continued, "Your freedom is the reason you must wear this mask for only a few short minutes, and then it will be removed. When you leave you must wear it again for a few minutes and once again it will be removed. All the locations of the world are yours except for this one.”
Eric was convinced beyond a doubt that the man meant him no harm. He didn't speak, he reached to the driver and took the mask and returned a small bow of respect. A sigh of relief expelled from the driver and Eric saw a slight smile come over his face in the rear view mirror. The driver had done his job very well.