Project Northwest by C. B. Carter Read Free Book Online

as he
turned up the CD player. Moments later, Bridget was singing along
with Concrete Blonde’s “Bloodletting” and they were heading north
on I–5.
    James let the music wash over him and enjoyed
Bridget’s energy as she sang along. He buried his head into the
seat rest and watched the traffic go by. When Bridget took Exit 170
to Ravenna, he checked the mirrors again and didn’t see the Tahoe.
He kept checking and didn’t see anything as they entered into Green
Lake Park and made their way onto the service road.
    James waited for the perfect spot. He needed
an area of road that was secluded and, as Bridget rounded the Golf
Course area, he turned down the radio and said, “I think we have a
flat.”
    Bridget immediately looked concerned, but
didn’t notice the car wasn’t handling differently.
    “Really?”
    “Yes, I think it’s the front right tire, pull
over here.”
    James reached into her purse, found Cindy’s
cell phone, and grabbed the flashlight. He motioned ‘shush’ to
Bridget as he exited the car, wearing only the bed sheet. She was
perplexed, but popped the trunk when James tapped on it.
    He dug out the spare and rolled it to the
front of the car, then retrieved the jack.
    He was freezing and pulled the bed sheet
tight around his shoulders and over his head. He looked back and
didn’t see the Tahoe, but he was sure they were there somewhere in
the distance, watching. He dialed Mark’s number and silently
begged, Please, Mark, answer the phone...
    James hadn’t spoken to Mark, his old college
roommate, since Christmas. Mark had a smooth tongue, it was laced
with charm and notes of understanding—the epitome of charisma, and
it all came naturally to him. He had a gift, he was magnetic, and
he could chat up anyone, especially women. The fairer sex seemed
incapable of not engaging him with their most sheltered secrets. It
was because of this ability that James understood Mark’s chosen
profession as a private investigator, even though Mark graduated
from UC with a bachelor’s degree in computer science. Mark’s
natural appeal was about to pay off for James in a big way. What he
wanted from him was not what Mark could talk you out of, but what
he could talk you in to.
    “Hello.”
    “Mark, its James, I need your help.” James
shivered from the cold and wanting to quickly get to the point.
    “Sure, bud. What’s going on?”
    “I’m going to send you a package and I need
you to sweet talk one of your police buddies into doing some work
off the grid.”
    “Well sweet talking is my game. What’s in the
package?”
    “A hair.”
    “Ah, man, is Bridget cheating on you? Did you
find it in your apartment or something?”
    “No, nothing like that Mark, you know
better.”
    “Yeah, sorry, it’s my first instinct in my
line of business, it’s way too common nowadays, infidelity, you
know. I’ve seen the dark side of the human condition. Shame is my
clients never realize that by the time I’m involved, the marriage
or relationship has been over for months or even years. So, you
want to know who the hair belongs to, right?”
    “Yes. But there can be no record of the
lookup.”
    “Right, this type of thing isn’t usually
posted on the police docket, if you know what I mean.”
    “Great, so I’m going to send it to you
general delivery, to the post office on Royal. You know the
one?”
    “Yes.”
    “Check the main post office on Wednesday. I
need the results like super fast, okay?”
    “That’s the only way I work, buddy. I already
have an idea of a pretty lady that will take care of this for me.
Trust me, it will be my pleasure. Who’s the suspect?”
    “What do you mean? I was hoping the hair
would tell me that.”
    “The hair will confirm a suspect was at a
location. It’s only valuable in that way. You’ve been watching too
many movies if you think the hair will give us the name. You’ll
need someone to match it to.”
    “Shit. Here I thought I had the upper hand.
What if I