Prolog: This is a story written in nothing but spoken dialog or thoughts. It is short and moves quickly but requires more of the reader’s imagination to pull it off. Since it is nothing but dialog, the quotation marks have been omitted. To separate the thoughts from the spoken words, you will find them enclosed in {thoughts}’s. It might be worth a try, and if it doesn’t work for you, there are many other great stories out there waiting for your attention. I hope you are one the ones who enjoys it.
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Com’on Diane, why don't you just hire a private detective?
Frank would see the money gone from our account.
You mean you don't have any separate money just for yourself?
No. He turns his paychecks over to me to run the household, and I see that the bills get paid.
You could call it something else.
I don't think I could come up with a good enough cover for a sizable chunk of money. Private detectives cost a lot don't they?
I still don't think you should spy on him at his work. What if you get caught?
When I was there last time, I found that the bottom cabinet under a built-in bookshelf is empty. It is big enough for me to lie completely stretched out, and even roll over in it, for long hours at a time. I can push the door open just enough to see into the room and hear everything that goes on. Frank has been staying after at work every night for the last two weeks, and he has a new secretary. I want to know for sure before I confront him. I don't want to ruin a perfectly good marriage if he isn't doing anything to violate our covenant.
You're just a hopeless romantic. He's got motivation and opportunity. How has your sex life been lately, if you don't mind my being so forward?
You, Jen? Forward? I don't know you any other way. Well, it's been quick pecks and mechanical 'I love you's' for weeks now. He’s always too tired from the extra work. We are down to Saturday's only, and that's only if he doesn't unwind too much.
There you have it. I'd say confront the louse now. At least he will know you are watching out for it, and not rolling over like a doormat while he is out having his fun.
Well, I need to be sure. I'm going to do it. I just have to figure out how to get into the cabinet, and how to convince him that my being gone from home is normal.
You can tell him that you are going to accompany me to visit my mother as my social buffer, and to get in some shopping in the big city. He'd buy that, wouldn't he?
That would work for the excuse for being gone, but how about getting into the building?
Does he have a spare set of keys?
Yeah, he does. Let me see. Here. I think these work for his building.
Great. You're In Like Flint.
Still not so great yet. There is usually a person at the front desk in the lobby.
Is that during the day, or around the clock?
I don't know. I've never been by the place early in the morning.
Now let me get this straight. You want to climb in this bookcase cupboard before he gets to work and stay in there all day, until after he leaves so you can spy on his activities with his secretary.
Pretty desperate hunh.
Not only is it desperate, but what about food, going to the bathroom, or an unexpected sneeze?
I hadn't thought it through that clearly.
I really only need to be there at the end of work. I doubt they would do anything while the office was fully staffed.
So, you really would only want to get in, let's say, after lunch and ride out about four hours in an enclosed space.
That would be the optimal way to do it, but how do I get into the cupboard in the afternoon?
Hmm. You could go out with him to lunch as a goodbye before leaving town with me, and somehow duck in. You would use the key there to get back out. Umm, you would tell the guard at the desk that you were working late. I don't think they would pay as much attention to someone leaving as they would to someone just coming in.
That could work, but I'd need an accomplice to distract everyone while I duck in.
I could be your accomplice, hmmm, under what guise though?
You're pretty sneaky. Can't you think of anything?
Hmmm, the only way I can think of making it work is if I was the one doing the spying and you were to do the distracting, but I don't want to get involved.
How do you mean, if you were the one to do the spying, how do you see that working?
I'm not going to get involved in this. But if I was, there would be a possibility to get into Frank's office if, let's say, you were to get publicly amorous with him right in front of his secretary, embarrassing her to take a bathroom break, and I'd slip in behind him while you occupied him out front.
How would you get out?
When the lights to his office go off, I'd climb back out and work my way out of the building as if I was a secretary just finishing up late. If I had a key to let myself out, no one would be suspicious I'd think.
Would you do that for me? If anyone could pull this off, it would be you.
Diane, my dearest friend, you can ask me to do just about anything for you, but this, I just don't see . . .
Jen, remember when we were girls watching Mission Impossible, and we imagined what it would be like to pull off a mission like the MI squad.
Yeah, but we were really into makeup and thought the disguises were cool.
Well, remember how you always used to say that there was no point in living life if we did so without adventure?
I think I was trying to get you to go with me to Europe between your junior and senior year at U. Conn. over the summer.
Yes, and I did go. You never would have been able to get your parent's support for it if I didn't agree to go along with you. And, remember the times I lied to Paul for you so you could get out of the in-law hassles?
Look, we can sit here all night creating lists of sacrifices we have made for each other, but if you tally both columns, I'm pretty sure they would come out just about even.
You're right. I never should have even thought about asking you. If you hadn't planted the seed in my thinking, the thought would have never crossed my mind. I am desperate to know if I have a marriage with Frank right now or not.
So, if you find out that he is messing around, you and Frank are through?
You sound like that would make you happy. I thought you liked Frank.
