Easy Innocence

Chapter 38

DESPITE THE worldliness and sophistication attributed to the North Shore, its residents live in small enclaves and villages. They all walk the same streets and patronize the same shops, which, in effect, makes for a tiny, insular community. Georgia waited for Lauren the following Saturday at one of those shops, the Starbucks in Glencoe.

Lauren had called that morning to report what she'd found in the website's files.

"It isn't much," she began. "But I did—"

"I'd rather we do it in person." Georgia cut her off.

"Why? Do you think someone—" Lauren's voice was tense.

Georgia didn't answer directly. "I'm going to need a print-out of what you have, anyway. Why don't I swing by and pick it up?"

"Not the house."

"Right. How about the Starbucks in town?"

"Okay."

Now Georgia sipped a latte, watching the Saturday morning pulse of village life. Soccer was in high season, and harried parents with kids in tow hurried in and out. The kids wore brightly colored uniforms and socks. Other adults, past the young-children-at-home stage, relaxed over the Trib or the New York Times. Not too many Sun Times up here.

A few minutes later Lauren came through the door. She was wearing black jeans and a tight gray sweat shirt. But her jeans had rhinestone stitching and her sweatshirt looked like silk. Georgia felt underdressed in her Costco jeans and turtleneck.

"So what did you find?" Georgia asked when Lauren joined her.

"Like I said, there wasn't much." She threw her bag on the table and extracted a large manila envelope. "Just a bunch of entries for Sara with Charlie. Including her last one."

"Her last trick was Charlie?"

"I think so. It's the last entry in her file."

"What about Charlie? What's in his file?"

"Not much." Lauren gestured to the envelope. "Just when he first signed up."

"When was that?"

"The end of May. After Derek got involved."

"Go on."

"And how many times he'd used us."

"Which was?"

"Over two dozen."

Georgia whistled. "That's some 'regular.'"

"He was one of our best customers."

"Do you know who he is or where to get hold of him?"

Lauren shook her head. "He was Derek's john."

"You have his email?"

"I have the email he uses to contact us. It's probably not his real one. Most johns have anonymous or secret emails when they deal with us."

"But they check them regularly."

"Sure."

"There's nothing in the files that would indicate whether he was a crazy?"

"Sara wouldn't have been seeing him if he was," she said confidently.

"And you know that because..."

"Because of what I said before. Most of our johns are just family guys who aren't getting any at home."

"What about the asshole last night?"

Lauren didn't reply for a minute. "There is one thing."

"What?"