From: "Doug.xxxxâ
To: "Bobbie,yyyyyy"
Sent: Sunday, August 18, 2002 10:05pm
Subject: Sunday hardly a day of restâŚ.
I got your e-mail right after I got home from seeing Dirk/Gary. It will be terrific to have you visiting for a couple of days. And I know Erika will love seeing you too. But do me a favor, mom? Please donât let on that I have been filling you in on all of the stuff that has been going on. I mean, I would hate to embarrass anyone needlessly. You and I have this special relationship in that regard so thatâs cool butâŚ.you know.
So, tomorrow afternoon? 1:00pm? I will rearrange my appointments so I can be there to get you.
But before you pack, let me tell you about the Dirk and Gary visit today. These guys are a trip!
I got a call from Dirk at about 11:00am telling me he âHADâ to see me today, that it was very important. I tried to pump him for some information but he said that it was something we could only do in person. I was a little suspicious but I figured I might at least get some information that might help Lydia, if nothing else.
I met Dirk and Gary at an outdoor restaurant near the town center. He and Gary ordered some food; I just ordered a cup of coffee. I didnât want to protract this any longer than was necessary.
Gary started in before the food arrived, âDo you have any idea what is going on with Lydia, her sister and your sister?â (I did have a very good idea but I let him continue.) âThese broads are involved in scamming the probation department drug testing system!â (That wasnât my idea of an idea about the girls, for sure! But I let him go on.)
âLydia has a lot of high profile gay and lesbian clients.â He leaned back in his chair and began to pontificate, âSome are entertainers, some sports figures, but all of whom have to do drug/alcohol testing. The testing is supposed to be requested by the probation department at random, at irregular intervals, so that the probationers wonât prepare for the test by cleaning up for a few days or by sliding in a urine sample from a âringerâ.â
The food arrived. Dirk had a trendy raw vegetable plateâbroccoli, leafy spinach, bok choi, with some yellow peppers on it; Gary had a Reuben sandwichâextra dressing.
âBut it takes some time for the files to be processed. This is where your sister, Erika, comes in handy. She notifies Lydia, as far in advance as she can, upon whom who and when the testing will be done and, this is very important, Erika also designates the âpee labâ to be used for the testing. Naturally, Erika picks Consolidated Labs for all of Lydiaâs clients becauseâŚduhâŚLania works for Consolidated!â
Dirk leaned back in his chair with the look of a magician who had just materialized Elvis.
âSee? It is perfect! All of Lyidaâs clients have two shots at coming up clean: One, they cal clean up before hand and, two, Lania can clean up the report in the event one of them tests dirty!â
âSo? â I said, âEven if I believed your story, what do you expect me to do about it? You are talking to an ordinary citizen here. And I have absolutely no proof that any of what you say is true. I think you are just trying to drive a wedge into my relationship with my sister and her friends. I think you are talking a lot of bullshit!â
âSuit yourself, my friend.â Dirk threw that one out like the patronizing prick he was. âWhen the shit hits the fan, you canât say I didnât tell you. HmmmâŚ.you might even be viewed as an âaccessoryâ, knowing what you know now!â
I reached into my pocket, pulled out a five-dollar bill, and threw it on the table. âThatâs for the coffee and a tipâexpensive fucking restaurant you picked! If I have any change coming, mail it to me.â
As I walked away, I looked back and saw Gary lean over and give Dirk a kiss on the cheekâor maybe he was whispering something in Dirkâs ear.
On my way home, I began to think about that conversation. Why would Dirk be telling me his story? He had to know that I would just ask Lydia, Lania, and Erika if it was true and try to find out what was really happening. The girls would deny it whether or not there was any substance to Dirkâs allegations. Then it dawned on me: Dirk wanted the girls to know that I knew that he thought he had the goods on them for a drug testing scam. He wanted them looking over their shoulders.
When I got back to my apartment, I found Lania literally sitting on my doorstep, in the bright sunshine, looking delicious. She was dressed in one of those brightly colored, sleeveless sundresses. She looked like she was sunning herself but, on closer inspection, I could tell she had been crying. Her eyes were red, cheeks mottled red, and she kept snuffling to keep her nose from running.
âWhatâs the matter, sweetie?â I tried to be cheery but I could tell that wasnât going to take.
âYo-h-h-ooo left so early this morning and you didnât call ba-h-h-h-ack.â She sobbed, âI got worried and thought you didnât ca-h-h-h-are!â
âOh, honey! I didnât have a chance. Let me tell you about this morning, O.K.? Letâs go inside.â
I unlocked the door and ushered her inside where it was cool. We sat down on the couch and I put my arm around her. She seemed to calm down a little.
âLast night was so good, â she looked at me with those deep dark eyes, âI just couldnât get you off my mind. I was worried that you might think I was some kind of slut with all that happened. But you were soooo gooood!â
âSweetie, that is one of reasons I left so quickly this morning.â I had to think fast on this one. âI didnât want to hang around very long because I didnât want to take the chance that Erika might get up early. I thought she might be a little embarrassed by seeing me after last night. Anyway, I knew you and I would be seeing each other again soon.â
Lania melted into my arms. Her forehead felt so warm as I kissed that I was worried she might have a fever. I suppose the emotion of the day was really putting a lot of stress on her.
âBaby? You are burning up! Are you O.K.?â I acted concerned; I WAS concerned.
She looked up, âI know. I was sitting out in the sun waiting all that time for you and I have been upset all morning. BesidesâŚâ She smiled at me and moved forward to kiss my lips, âYOU make me HOT!â
Wow! Now I was getting hot. And, after all of the tension of the morning, I needed a little release myself.â