Free Thin Blood Thick Water (Clueless Resolutions Book 2) by W B Garalt Page A

up on her own volition.
    Around 10:15 AM, as Maggie was preparing to leave for a meeting on her appointment schedule, Jessie approached her.
    “Maggie, could I have a quick word, or two, with you before you go?” she asked. Maggie agreed, since she had ten to fifteen minutes leeway.
    “What is it Jessie? Is everything okay?” Maggie asked.  Jessie went on to say that a man had called for ‘Ms. Marshall’ around 12:30 PM Friday and insisted on stopping by the office. When Jessie explained that her manager was not expected back until Monday, the ‘gentleman’ became belligerent and insisted that he knew the office address, and would be stopping by at 4:00 PM, and he would be expecting to meet with her ‘boss’ at that time. Alone in the office, with nobody else  expected to be there in case the ominous-sounding visitor came by as he had threatened, Jessie, at around 3:30 PM, began to panic. She had rationalized that the best resolution to the dilemma would be to lock the office and leave early.
    “Well, you probably made the right choice,” Maggie consoled her. “We could report this to the authorities but they will need some type of identification. Did the calling number show on the phone when you picked up?”
    “I didn’t notice at the time,” Jessie admitted. “I was kind of nervous, I guess. But as I drove to my apartment I had the feeling that a car with a man driver was following me, so I decided to detour to my boyfriend’s house. That way if anybody was following me they wouldn’t have my address. Thinking back, I’m sorry that I didn’t leave you a note, but who would have thought I would have a flat tire this morning.”
    Maggie had to leave for her appointment. She gave Jessie the benefit of the doubt, consoled her, and told her to get the caller’s number if he calls again. “Politely indicate that you will leave the message, and call me right away.” Maggie instructed, as she left the office.
    The day was ordinary as Maggie went about following her schedule. There was no drama beyond that which had occurred with Jessie earlier that morning. The thoughts relating to the ominous caller, however, swirled through the background of her mind, off and on. The thoughts had immediately sprung into vivid reality when, having stopped for a late lunch at her usual eating place in East Wayford, her friend, Jerry the proprietor, gave her an odd message. A man had stopped in and asked if she had been in lately. Jerry sensed that the stranger didn’t know Maggie personally so he played it carefully. First, he asked who was asking. The man explained that Maggie didn’t know him but that he had important information for her. He left a card with his cell phone number and asked if Jerry would see that Maggie got it when she came in next. The card showed ‘Richard L. Spader, Private Investigator’.
    After her lunch at Jerry’s Jug, and while on the way to her last appointment, Maggie checked in with her office. She was informed by Jessie that the same man had called again. This time she got his name. It was Spader. Maggie calmly thanked Jessie, indicating that the call would be returned and that Jessie could rest assured that it would be taken care of. Maggie began to develop a feeling of being stalked.
    That evening Maggie called Max at his Lakeside apartment.
    “How was your first day back at work Max? Did you have a hangover from the Nova Scotia trip?” Maggie asked. Max answered in the negative, and indicated that some mystery still hung in the air but that he couldn’t go into it further. Maggie went on to tell him about the ‘Spader’ person and how he had badgered Jessie. Max suggested that, if she agreed to meet with the strange inquirer, she could play it safe by setting up the meeting at the East Wayford Tennis Club where she and Max were members. There would be friends there to keep an eye on the situation.
    “Thanks for the suggestion Max, but I think I can handle myself quite well,