The rain was bouncing up and down on the asphalt of the highway. The wipers on my Lexus could barely keep up. It was like I was looking through Vaseline at the tail-lights of the car in front. The weather fitted perfectly to how I was feeling now.
I had received the telephone call at 4PM.
I looked at the clock on the dashboard. It was a little past 6, and I didn't care.
My name's Jimmy O'Hara.
I'm one of the founding members of a company called SecuriTech. We handle large scale security set-ups. Bugging, sweeps for bugs, CCTV, alarms, electronic gates. Anything to do with security, we do. It has led to a few embarrassing incidents where we've been called to do a bug sweep, only to find out that one of our technicians has placed the bugs. This happened a couple times where a spouse was suspecting of cheating.
I'm 6'1" and I tip the scales at around 240 pounds. I'm not a small guy, and it helps.
Weirdly, I didn't like CCTV and the like. I thought that we were increasingly headed towards a society where you couldn't fart in private. But there's money in it, and I'm good at what I do. I started as a technician for a small firm, and once I knew enough, I branched out, actually buying the firm I previously worked for. I offered the boss a managing position and he accepted. For some people it's not just about the money. I am one of those people. Just because I don't like the idea of a big-brother society, it doesn't mean I don't enjoy my job.
---
Two weeks previously:
I had been at a business convention where a major supplier was showcasing new products, and it had been held out of town.
My wife Kate had been rather quick to let me leave for this, but I enjoy these things, so I didn't really notice. It's only now I think about it that I noticed she agreed quickly.
I borrowed one of the business Dodge RAM's. I wasn't complaining. I hate the Lexus, and it was only at my wife's insistence that we bought it. She wanted something for when we had a family, other than her BMW, because her car was too prestige. Plus the trucks normally have our logo and name on them, and it never hurts to advertise.
I decided to the truck home with me the night before I was due to leave, because I would be leaving early in the morning, rather than spend the night at a hotel. So I signed it out and hopped into the extended cab. I turned the key, but nothing happened. This pissed me off. We're supposed to have an in-house mechanic that makes sure our trucks are fine to run at short notice. A lot of our calls are spur of the moment decisions, if you like.
All of our other marked trucks were out, so I spent half an hour trying to track another down. Like I said, I hate my Lexus. The only division of our company with a vehicle were our Investigation arm, which we inherited when we bought a company out a few years back. The head of division and I are old friends, so he made sure the vehicle would be available. It wouldn't be until morning, but I figured I could wait.
So I got in my hateful Lexus and drove home.
---
Kate was cooking dinner when I walked through the door. She heard me close the door, and looked down the darkened hallway.
"Hey." She tossed at me, and that was it. She had been like this for perhaps a month. Barely saying anything to me. It was pissing me right off. I just snapped.
"Bye." I spat back venomously, walking back through the front door. I needed a stiff drink. I walked to the local bar, preferring to leave the Lexus at home, rather than have to call a cab in the morning.
I know a lot of the locals. My father used to own a chain of bars in the town, before he passed away. I own the bars now, but my input goes as far as to have a check from them every month. But I worked as a waiter, then moved onto bar staff. I've done a lot with my 32 years. So, naturally, when I walked in, there were a lot of hello's. I liked the atmosphere, but I couldn't work here for a living.
I ordered a Corona. I know I said I wanted a stiff drink, but I changed my mind after walking in there. A beer and a laugh would suit me. I knew this bar, like every other bar in town, and the people in here didn't even know what a spirit was. You have to know the place to understand, but the 40 motorcycles parked outside really does say a lot.
I joked with Evan Hewitt and his biker crew before leaving for home. Evan was an old-timer, pushing 60 but still riding with 'the boys'. I can picture him dying whilst sat on that bike. Him and my father were buddies before my father passed.
I started the walk home, through the icy streets, watching my breath fog. That made me crave a cigarette, so I pulled out the packet of Marlboro Red. Lighting the white stick, I thought about what could possibly have gone wrong between me and Kate. Sure, we'd had our disagreements, but everything had been fine up until 2 weeks ago. Suddenly, a thought hit me with such force I staggered. A lot of the clients our Investigators handle report sudden distances between their spouse. I took a draw on my cigarette, relishing the harshness in my throat. This was my one guilty pleasure. I gave up when Kate married me, but I had needed one tonight. So I had gone to the dispenser in the corner of the bar and purchased some.
I walked down my street and saw the house ablaze with light. I took a last draw on my cigarette and threw the butt into the gutter. I walked up the path and exhaled slowly, knowing what was coming. I opened the door quietly and stepped inside, closing the door behind me.
"I slave in the fucking kitchen all afternoon and you just fuck off to the pub!" Kate yelled from the sitting room.
"I went to the bar because you've been distant from me for the last two weeks." I said, walking into the sitting room. She sat in the middle of the sofa. I sat down in an armchair.
I assume you're wondering why I went to a biker bar with my suit on. I don't actually wear a suit unless I'm meeting a client. I have very nice Armani suits, but I don't feel the need for them if I'm gonna be sat on my ass all day, seeing no-one but my secretary. So I just wear jeans and a normal shirt.
"Distant?! I haven't been fucking distant! You've been such a cock recently! How dare you turn this around to me Jim!" She screamed at me.
I just gave up. There's no reasoning with Kate when she's in this mood, so I left the room and went to the spare bedroom. I didn't want to see her to be honest.
I slept, and didn't remember my dreams when I woke in the morning to the harsh sound of an alarm clock.
---
I dressed in a suit today, because I was meeting a supplier and wanted a good impression.
I dressed in a black suit with a crimson shirt. I left the collar open, rather than wear a tie. I hate them.
Kate was still asleep as I left quietly and hopped into the Lexus. I started the car and looked at the clock. It was 6AM. I had a sports muffler on my car and at high RPM's it was incredibly loud. I felt bad on the neighbours, but oh well. I hit the gas, spinning the wheels and sending the car into a slide as I turned off the driveway. Let her wake up to that, I thought.
---
The truck was ready when I turned into the car-park. When he said truck, he meant SUV. Anything in that section was an SUV or sedan. We didn't mess about with the gas guzzling trucks, party because they were very loud, and partly because we used the space in the back for cameras.
So, there was a red GMC Yukon parked in front of the building, which had Michigan plates. We aren't based in Michigan, but we don't source locally, just in case an inquisitive individual takes it on themselves to check us out.
I signed the keys out and left the Lexus in my personal space.
I climbed into the GMC and turned the key. I listened to the Vortec 6.2 liter V8 growl under the hood.
I looked around the cab and relaxed into the biscuit coloured leather and wood trim. This was a perk of the job. I put the transmission into drive and accelerated smoothly out of the parking lot.
---
I enjoyed the convention, sampling new products, placing orders and negotiating deals with our suppliers.
I wasn't looking forward to leaving for home, but hey.
---
I was driving down the interstate which would take me to my neighbourhood. It was a dual lane and had intersections at certain intervals. It was a busy interstate so it had stop lights. I was waiting at one of these stoplights when Kate's BMW pulled up on my left. I didn't reach for the window controls as I might have done a month ago. I didn't want to see her. But I did look in the windows. I nearly had a heart attack. One of the accountants from her firm had pulled her in for a kiss. I waited for her to say no, but she just responded to him by kissing him even more. I grabbed a camera that the last occupant had left in the SUV and snapped a couple of photos. Our cameras aren't lightweight either. For the business, we use high end products. This was a Nikon of some variety. This wasn't what I was familiar with, but I knew how to use it. The signal turned green and I put my foot to the floor, the 403 horsepower engine quickly accelerating. I had all-wheel drive on the truck, so there was little wheelspin. One moment it wasn't moving, the next it was doing 80 MPH. I didn't care about a patrolling traffic cop, and I didn't care what she saw. I just got the fuck out of there.
---
I pulled in front of my work building in the SUV.
I was a wreck. I'd spent the last 5 miles tearing myself up.
I went straight to my office, not signing back in. I rushed past Sinead, my secretary, and announced "Get me Mark Harman. Now."
She looked up in alarm and said "Oh Jim, I'm so sorry." Then she hurriedly picked up the phone.
I slammed my office door, and sat down heavily in my chair. Mark came in 30 seconds later.
"What's up buddy?" He asked.
"I saw... ah... I want to become a client. I saw my wife with another man on the way home. Kissing him. I need enough evidence to bring this case to court, so she doesn't get a fucking penny!" I had steeled myself to divorce. I couldn't trust my wife of 6 years now, so I never would.
"Ok. Did she see you?" Mark asked cautiously.
"Why would you ask?" I was genuinely confused.
"Oh, we need to know whether we can use the truck again."
"No. She had her eyes closed..." I answered, unwillingly.
"Okay, we'll get right on it." Mark replied, and left.
---
I left for home after signing the SUV back in.
I wasn't dawdling when I was driving back. I have a 3 liter Lexus, just to make it slightly better than the 2 liter. I still despise it.
---
I forced myself to be normal with Kate. I didn't want her to know I was on to her. We ate dinner in silence and I slept in my marital bed. She came on to me, but I said I was too tired after the drive back.
"What time did you get back?" She asked lightly, but I knew what she was getting at.
"Oh, around 4PM." I answered, just as lightly.
That was a lie. It was 1PM when I saw her. I got to work at 1:15.
