Past Tense

Chapter 5


“Brian, there’s a Detective Coltrane here to see you,” Cynthia’s voice informed him.

“Send him in and tell Ted to come in too.”

“Will do.”

A few seconds later a heavyset middle aged man in a trench coat walked through Brian’s office door. Brian immediately wondered if this guy was trying to be Columbo, with an extra fifty pounds thrown in. He stifled that thought and the chuckle that accompanied it, as he stood up to shake the detective’s hand. Brian motioned for the man to take the seat in front of his desk.

“I understand you’ve been a victim,” the man said after the introductions.

Brian bristled at the word “victim” and merely nodded. “I’ve asked my CFO to join us. He’s more on top of what’s going on with this mess than I am.”

The detective nodded and proceeded to look around the office. Brian knew he was sizing the place up, probably sizing him up too.

When Ted didn’t appear right away, the detective looked at Brian again. “You’re the guy who engineered Chief Stockwell’s defeat, aren’t you?” he said.

‘Great!’ Brian thought. ‘Now I’ve got this guy against me too.’ “I worked on Stockwell’s campaign for mayor,” Brian said trying to keep his voice level.

“Stockwell and I go way back.”

“No shit.”

“Boss, I’m sorry. I was on the phone with the bank,” Ted said as he entered the office.

“Ted, this is Detective Coltrane.”

“Yes, I spoke to you on the phone,” Ted said shaking the man’s hand.

Brian motioned for Ted to sit down too, and he listened silently as Ted went through the list of thefts that had been perpetrated on him. It didn’t make him feel any better hearing them all laid out for the detective.

“So, you’ve hired a PI and you’re starting to make restitution to the credit card companies?” Coltrane asked looking at Brian.

“Yes,” Brian replied. “I understand the chances of catching this guy are slim to none, and even if he’s caught, it’s highly unlikely I’ll get any money back from him.”

“Or her,” Coltrane added.

“Her?”

“We don’t know that it’s a man at this stage of the game.”

“You think it could be a woman?” Brian asked with a frown.

“I have no idea,” Coltrane answered. “But it’s certainly a possibility. Keep me informed if the PI finds anything,” he added standing up.

“You mean that’s it?” Brian asked, amazed that the man seemed to be about to leave and had literally done nothing.

“I have all the information that I need.”

“And what the fuck are you going to do with that information?” Brian demanded wanting to yell even more obscenities at this infuriating man who seemed totally disinterested in catching the person who had stolen Brian’s identity.

“I’ll do whatever I can, but you’re just one of many people in this situation. It’s all paper transactions, easy to track, but hard to pin down,” Coltrane said, apparently not taking offense at Brian’s tone.

“So, that’s it?” Brian asked indignantly.

“For now.”

Ted saw the look in Brian’s eye and intervened. “Thanks for coming over, detective. If our investigator finds anything, I’ll inform him to let you know.”

Coltrane nodded and left the office.

“What kind of a fucking police force do we have in this town? He’s fucking useless.”

“This kind of crime is new and they’re not very successful at solving them,” Ted said patiently. “My money’s on our investigator.”

“And my money’s gone,” Brian said dropping back into his chair and shaking his head in frustration.


*****


“Brian,” Justin said as he entered Brian’s office.

“What brings you to my humble business, Sunshine?” Brian asked.

“You sound like you’re in a good mood.”

“I guess the façade is holding then.”

“Did something happen?” Justin asked with a worried look.

“Nothing much. We had a visit from the police this morning.”

“That’s good … isn’t it?” The look on Brian’s face told Justin that maybe the visit hadn’t gone so well.

“The police are as useless as tits on a bull. And Detective Coltrane who seems to be in charge of this case is an old crony of Stockwell’s.”

“Well that’s just great,” Justin said sarcastically.

“Our only hope is the private dick.”

“I hope Ted knows what he’s doing hiring this investigator.”

“He assures me he does.”

Justin nodded. “I have some good news,” he said cheerfully, hoping to change the subject to something happier.

“And what might that be?”

“I think I have the job at Maxim Graphics.”

Brian frowned. “I … I’m glad you’re trying to help, but you don’t have to. I can take care of this.”

“I know you can, but if I’m working we’ll be that much further ahead, so just congratulate me.”

“I thought you said you think you have the job. Aren’t you jumping the gun a little?”

“To quote Emmett, you’re an old poop.”

“Hey, watch the old comments.”

Justin chuckled. “Okay, you’re just a poop.”

“Thanks … I think. And thanks for reminding me that I need to call Emmett.”

“What about?’

“George Schickel was married to one of the Hammonds. I want to see what Emmett knows about the family.”

“You think there’s a chance that you and Chase Hammond could be brothers?” Justin asked. He had been shocked when Brian told him about Chase Hammond’s revelations.

“Half brothers.”

“Okay, half brothers,” Justin conceded. “Why don’t you get the private investigator to look into this?”

“He’s supposed to be catching the asshole who took my money.”

“Can’t he do both?”

“The identity theft comes first, but I guess I could have him look into the Kinney family mess also,” Brian said grudgingly.

“It may not be a mess. It could be a good thing,” Justin said hopefully.

“Fat chance of that. I wonder if Joan might know something,” Brian speculated as his mind went to someone who might have been part of the whole fiasco.

“Are you going to talk to her?”

“If I can have a bottle of Beam before I open my mouth.”

“Brian…” Justin said softly.

“I’m kidding. I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

“Well, whatever it is, I should let you get on with it. I’m supposed to be at the diner in fifteen minutes for my next shift.”

“Come here,” Brian ordered.

Justin walked behind the desk where Brian still sat in his chair. He felt Brian take his wrist and pull him down into his lap. Justin didn’t resist, and the little smile that curled the corners of his lips was not lost on Brian.

“Thanks,” Brian whispered before his lips crushed Justin’s.

After a couple of minutes during which the actual world of Kinnetik ceased to exist, they broke apart, a little breathless and a lot aroused.

“Wh…what was that for?” Justin mumbled as he tried to get his brain to focus.

“I felt like it.”

“You should feel that way more often,” Justin said with a big smile. “Um…do we have time to…you know?”

Brian shook his head. “But there will be plenty of time when we get home tonight,” Brian said with a waggle of his eyebrows.

“Oh shit, time!” Justin gasped. “I’m going to be late for work, and I won’t be home until nine tonight.”

“Fuck!”

“I know, but it’s for a good cause,” Justin called as he raced out of the office.

“Yeah, a good cause,” Brian griped, but he couldn’t help but smile. He turned back to the file he had been perusing.

A short time later Brian set down the folder. He had read everything he could about Hammond Foods and the Hammond family. It gave him lots of background – old money, lots of it, membership in all the right clubs and organizations, different branches of the family – but nothing that really answered the questions he wanted to know.

Brian picked up the phone and dialed a familiar number. “Honeycutt.”

“Why yes, if it isn’t the mighty Brian Kinney. What can I do for you? Are you planning a party that I can help you with?”

“I wish.”

“Is something wrong?”

Brian could feel the brow wrinkling on Emmett’s end of the line. The last thing he wanted to do was make Emmett suspicious. “I want some information on the Hammond family. Can you help me?”

“The Hammonds? Arrogant cunt, that Virginia Hammond. Made my Georgie’s life a misery, and mine too, in any way that she could. She’s really the only one I ever had dealings with, and that was not an experience I care to repeat. What do you want to know?”

“Did George ever talk about the other branches of his family?”

“Brian?” Emmett said with the question clear in his voice. “What’s this all about?”

“I … had Chase Hammond from Philadelphia in my office. He’s looking for a new ad campaign for Hammond Frozen Foods.” Brian hoped this story would cover up what he was really after. And it was based on the truth.

“Oh, is that all?” Emmett replied. “George said his wife had a brother in Philadelphia, but we never talked much about them.”

“Did George ever mention Chase?”

“Yes, I think he did.”

“What did he say about him?”

“He said something about Chase being smarter than most of the Hammond family … or something to that effect. I don’t recall anything else.”

“Okay.”

“Oh, and he said Chase was better looking than most of the Hammonds … certainly better looking than Virginia.”

Brian chuckled. “Thanks, Emmett.”

“Brian, is there something you’re not telling me?” Emmett asked. Now Brian could hear the concern in his voice.

“Would I do that?”

“You have been known to do that a time or three.”

“Bye,” Brian said and quickly cut the connection before Emmett could question him further.

Well, that had accomplished next to nothing other than setting Emmett’s inquisitive genes vibrating.


*****


“Brian, there’s someone I’d like you to meet,” Ted said as he stepped into Brian’s office followed by a slim bespectacled man probably in his fifties. The man had a receding hairline of colorless blond hair. He looked like a … librarian, Brian thought.

“Yes?” Brian said with a frown as he looked up.

“This is Samuel Spade, the investigator I hired to look into your case,” Ted explained.

Brian did a slight double take, and then shook the extended hand. But couldn’t help but ask, “Shouldn’t you be in Philadelphia?”

Spade chuckled. “Ted told me to expect a less than warm welcome.”

“And Ted would be correct. I’m not paying you to visit me,” Brian said firmly. He had already lost enough money during this mess.

“This isn’t just a visit,” Spade said, “although I did want to meet the person I’m working for.”

“Well, now you’ve met him,” Brian said curtly as he sat back down without offering either of the men a chair.

“I have some questions,” Spade said in a very professional voice, “pertaining to your case.”

“I’ll leave you two to it,” Ted said before hustling out of the room. Spade was on his own dealing with Brian Kinney.

“May I?” Spade asked indicating the chair across from Brian.

Brian nodded curtly. “Is that your real name or did you steal it from The Maltese Falcon?”

Spade laughed. “It really is my name. My father thought it would be fun to name me Sam, since our last name was Spade. I try to downplay it by using my full name, Samuel. Most people never make the connection.”

“I’m not most people,”

“I can see that.”

“So, did you always want to be a private dick, or did the name dictate your profession?” Brian asked.

“With a name like mine it would be logical to go into investigating, but that’s not exactly how it happened.”

When Spade didn’t continue, Brian was forced to ask, “How did you get into this line of work?”

“I was a police officer for twenty-three years, until my eyesight started to get bad. You may have noticed the thickness of my glasses.”

“Great, I’ve hired a blind detective.”

“Not blind,” Spade laughed. “Just slightly sight challenged.”

“Is that what they call it these days?”

Spade grinned and nodded. He could like this Brian Kinney if the man gave him half a chance. Kinney’s dry wit really tickled his funny bone. “I took early retirement from the police force and got into this business.”

“Having heard your explanation, I’d still like to know why you aren’t in Philadelphia finding the bastard that stole my money and … my identity.”

“I have one of my men staking out the mailbox where your credit card bills have been sent for the past months.”

“Oh?” Brian said raising an eyebrow. Maybe this guy was more on the ball than he had thought at first. “You have men working for you?”

“Yes, three.”

“I expect results.”

“Everyone does.”

“What were the questions you had for me?”

“I wanted a list of any of your enemies to begin with.”

“Enemies? You think this could be personal?”

“I don’t know, but they should be checked out.”

“It could be a long list,” Brian said, suddenly feeling rather weary.

“You could make the list and email it to me when you’re done,” Spade suggested.

Brian nodded. “Anything else?”

“How careful are you with your bills and other records?”

“You mean do I shred them?” Spade nodded. “I do now. I started to do that a couple of years ago.”

“Okay, that’s good. Sometimes that’s the easiest way to get the information needed to steal an identity, from bills left lying around.”

“I’ve been told I’m very anal about filing and looking after things.”

“And yet you didn’t notice that you had not received your credit card bills for several months.”

Brian opened his mouth to defend himself, but what could he say? The man was right. “Is there anything else?”

“Might there be some old lovers or boyfriends, Ted told me you’re gay, who might have had access to your financial statements?”

“I doubt it,” Brian said thinking of the parade of men who had gone through his loft. They never stayed long enough to find his papers. And since Justin came back from LA, there had been no one.

“If you think of anyone who might fit that category, email me that too.”

“Okay,” Brian said standing as Spade did. “I hope you’re good at your job, Mr. Spade. I need to get this cleared up.”

“I am good at my job, Mr. Kinney, and you can call me Sam.” Sam Spade turned and strode out of Brian’s office.

Brian sat down with a sigh. This detective might be better than he appeared to be. One could only hope that he was. He seemed to know his stuff. And Brian needed some answers.