I spend the rest of the day and night going back and forth between being bored and scared. Finally, by the next morning, I can’t take it anymore. I can’t sit here and wait for Bob to come for me or not. I need to know what he’s doing. What he knows. Besides, I’m expected back in the office tomorrow.
I pack up and drive halfway home before I pull over and call the office.
Maggie answers. “Savvy! How has your vacation been?”
Before I left, I sent Maggie a message that I was going to be gone for a few days.
“Great. I’m heading back your way now, and I’m hoping to meet with Bob. Will he be in this afternoon?”
“Today? No, he said he was going to check on his warehouse and then go home.”
He certainly has been spending more time at the warehouse lately. Guess the weapon business is picking up.
A crazy idea springs into my head. “Okay, thanks. I’ll try him tomorrow then.”
On my way back to the city, I stop in at a thrift shop. I need to find anything I can to help me blend in and notlook recognizable to Bob. After checking out with several items, I drive to my office. Hopefully, Maggie is telling the truth and Bob’s not there.
Maggie’s eyes widen when I walk in. “Savvy? I’m surprised to see you. I told you Bob isn’t in right now.”
“Oh, that’s fine. I needed to grab a few things.”
I go to my office and unlock my bottom desk drawer. I always keep a bit of cash here, just in case. Another lesson from my mom. It isn’t much, but right now, I need all I can get. On my way out, I spot my jacket hanging on the hook and grab it.
As I walk through the main office, Maggie stops me. “Does this mean you are back to work then? Because we got a call from a prospective client.”
“Sorry, not yet. Can you show them a listing?”
Maggie recently passed her exam and got her real estate license. Bob agreed to train her as long as she could still be his assistant. I’m not sure if it’s a good deal or not, but frankly, it isn’t my business.
Maggie bites her lip. “I guess I could.”
“I hope it goes well,” I say and then walk out the door before she can ask me anything else.
I rush to my car. It’s parked a couple of blocks away from the office. I wanted to stay out of sight until I was certain Bob wasn’t in. Plus, now I can change without Maggie seeing me. I get into the back of my car and put on my thrift shop finds. Somehow, changing in the back seat was a lot easier to do ten years ago, but I don’t have time to dwell on my loss of flexibility now.
Since Bob is familiar with my car, I park it out of sight from his warehouse and slowly walk toward the water. I scan for a place where I can watch the front of his building that won’t look odd. There is a shop across the road, but it appears locked up. Next to that is a dumpster. That will work.
No one is outside, so I make my way down the road as if I’m simply out for a walk. I’m startled as I pass a window and see a reflection of myself. I’m wearing a large dress that is not flattering, and I have on a wig of long, curly, blond hair. It’s safe to say that I look nothing like my normal self.
Instead of walking on the road in front of Bob’s building, I turn away from the water about one hundred yards from Bob’s warehouse. Fortunately, since these buildings aren’t on the water side of the docks, there is room behind them to walk. I get to a narrow road between two buildings and turn down. At the end of it is the dumpster I spotted. I squat behind it and peer around it as a box truck pulls up across the street. Finally, I’m having good luck. Then the smell of rotten food and urine hit. I place my arm in front of my nose, trying to decrease the odor.
A man gets out of the truck. Bob steps outside and meets him by the driver’s door. Fortunately, sound carries here. And Bob talks loudly.
“You’re early,” Bob says.
“Yeah, I got in town earlier than expected, so I thought I’d see if the shipment was ready,” the man says.
“It’s not,” Bob says as he crosses his arms. “You will need to come back tomorrow.”
Tomorrow? Maybe I can get some photos of Bob with the weapons then.
“Fine. But can I use your bathroom at least? I gotta go,” the man asks.
“No,” Bob says. “No one goes inside.”
The man shakes his head and walks to the back of his truck. Then he unzips his pants and pees right there.
Ugh. Disgusting.
