The Necklace

Chapter 4

The glasses were dark and horn rimmed, large enough to cover the carefully applied blush on the cheekbones The hair was styled and sprayed to a crisp matching the clipped tones of the definition of haughty.

"Mr. Cord only sees clients by appointment."

"That's nice because I'm not a client so seeing him should be no problem, right?"

"Mr. Cord only sees clients." The gold pen bridged the fingers of both hands in front of the cool stare.

"Just tell Mr. Cord that I also represent Bennett Smyth-Frye."

Now the blush was more visible but the lips disappeared as she left her desk and entered the office behind. A moment later she reappeared and managed to indicate I was to go in without so much as a muscle twitch.

"Mr. Hart? I wasn't aware that Bennett had other representation." James was short, well shorter than me, groomed for GQ and disinclined to shake my hand or ask me to sit.

"Not so much representation as preservation." My smile was evil.

"I don't understand."

"Why don't you have a seat and I'll explain."

A pause, a stutter step and then James slid into the comfort of his high back chair. I sat comfortably across from him.

"I'm working with Bennett, that sounded so much cooler, on the case of his wife's missing necklace."

James glanced at my card again, reading it for the first time. "A private detective?"

"Yup."

"But- I don't- why do you wish to speak with me?"

I gave him my Pierce Brosnan gaze and waited for the penny to drop. It didn't. Okay the gaze needed work.

"James, please. Felicia has filled me in on all the details." James became the incredible shrinking man. "Have you managed to get the insurance company to sign off?"

"Listen, Mr. Hart, I don't think you understand the situation here. I know how you think it might look but- but . . ." My Brosnan stare finally kicked in.

"James, trading favours for the opportunity to hump your client's wife at will is a bit outside the ethics of your profession, no?"

"You're wrong! That's not the reason . . . the real reason." He passed a hand over his face. "Both Deborah and Felicia have- are-"

"Pot heads."

"No! There is an addiction problem that began when Rodney Semple began seeing Felicia."

"Are you telling me Rodney got the family hooked?"

James put his head down on his forearms and moaned. When he looked up again he seemed to have aged.

"Mr Hart- if Bennett finds out about- about this there will be hell to pay."

"Gee, I can't imagine why."

"Being glib is not helping. Bennett is a vindictive man and in business even more so."

"You mean he might can you as his attorney."

"Not might, Mr. Hart, will . . . and with a vengeance." James held out his hands in supplication. "It won't end with me either."

"Look, Mr. Cord I have no axe to grind with you, just tell me the whole story and we'll play it by ear from there. It's that or I keep digging on my own and report what I find to my client."

The look was heart rending and I didn't care.

********

Verna Scott carried her coffee to my booth and sat with a sigh.