Jackson
IT MAY NOT BE MANLY to admit, although I’ve never been afraid of my softer side, but after my evening with Millie, I was floating on a cloud.
The date had gone better than I imagined. Aside from Jericho’s bizarre behavior, the evening had been perfect.
I loved getting to know Millie better. Her close relationship with her sisters, her random Elvis obsession, and the way her lips met mine eagerly after a delicious helping of Lemon Crème Brule and a glass of wine, all only further fueled my desire to spend time with her.
I was in danger of acting like my students. Utterly lovesick and impossible to be around. And, I loved it.
After a night of deep, soundless sleep, I awoke feeling refreshed and excited, already counting the minutes until I’d get to see Millie again. Only one black cloud overshadowed my happiness, the fact that today was the day I started the search for Julie.
Would it take days, weeks, or God forbid months? I had no idea, all I knew was that it was time to sever the tie that held me to what had become a destructive force in my life.
With Kayla safely tucked away with her grandparents, I spent my morning straightening up, then made my way out of town to the neighboring county, where the P.I. my buddy Rob had recommended set up business.
I pulled up to the nondescript building just shy of noon, my appointment time, and took a deep breath before going inside.
I was about to change the course of our lives forever, mine and Kayla’s. Or, at least, I was about to complete the changes that Julie had initiated when she walked out. It felt like a defining moment, while at the same time like realizing the inevitable.
There was no jingle when the door opened, no secretary waiting to greet me and offer me coffee, and no charming, quaintly decorated office waiting to welcome new clients.
No, Michael “Mick” O’Donnelly’s office looked more like a man cave than an office.
With dark, rich leather sofas and a recliner facing a large, flat-screen TV, a mini fridge on the wall next to a fully stocked bar, and a dartboard in the corner, I almost turned around and went out to check the address on the building, sure I’d just walked into someone’s house, rather than an office.
But, past the kick-ass lounge area, there was an office. Huge oak desk, three filing cabinets, five bookshelves, and a large, Irish guy sitting behind a computer, typing away.
“You Heeler?” the man asked without looking up from his task. His voice was deep and gruff, and as I crossed through the living space to get to one of the empty chairs sitting in front of the desk, I was surprised to see that he was around my age.
I guess I read too many books, watched too many movies, because nothing about this private investigator was what I’d been expecting.
“Yeah, Jackson,” I replied, and once I was in reaching distance, I stuck out my hand in greeting. “You can call me Jacks.”
“Mick,” he said, giving my hand one quick, firm shake, before resuming his typing. “Have a seat. I just gotta finish up this summary while things are fresh in my mind. There’s water and beer in the fridge, if you want.”
“I’m good.”
I sat in the chair closest to me, immediately thinking that I needed to find out where Mick had bought it and get one for my classroom. It was that comfortable.
My eyes darted around the office space as I tried not to awkwardly stare at the man in front of me. He was big; like, even sitting, I could tell the dude was mammoth. Probably did that CrossFit workout, which I would totally do if I had time, and didn’t have the upper body strength of a ten-year-old.
He was a contrast of light and dark. Pale skin, with dark hair and eyebrows, but when his eyes had met mine, I’d been startled by how light green they were. I’d never seen eyes that color, they were pretty cool.
Of course, I wouldn’t tell him that . . . The guy would probably toss me like a tire if I commented on his cool eye color.
The typing stopped and Mick started talking.
“Right, so on the phone you stated this is a missing persons case. Can you give me more details?”
Mick leaned back in his chair, it was the kind that moved when you reclined, and crossed his hands over his stomach, those light-green eyes pinning me in place.
It was a little unnerving.
“Uh, yeah, well, not missing so much as walked out and left. My wife walked out almost a year ago, saying she needed to not be a wife and mother anymore. We were smothering her, holding her back, and she needed to go find herself. I haven’t heard from her since.”
“What about her family?”
I shook my head.
“No, they said they haven’t heard from her either, and I believe them. We’re close. They’re close with my parents, and we see each other all the time. My daughter is with them right now, in fact, and my mother-in-law asked me to let them know if you find Julie.”
“Are you sure they’re telling the truth, not just keeping a promise to their daughter?”
“Yeah, no, I know they’re telling the truth. Ruth, my mother-in-law, had not only lost weight in the past year, she’s lost a bit of her shine, ya know? Julie’s disappearing act had taken a toll on her . . . She doesn’t know where she is.”
Mick gave one sharp nod and sat up, reaching for a pad of paper and sliding it toward me. He laid a pen on top and ordered, “Write down the names of everyone you can think of who knew her, don’t leave anyone out. Co-workers, friends, family, the guy who mowed your lawn . . . everyone. I’ll start there, then follow the trail.”
“You think you can find her?” I looked at the man who could finally put this Chapter of my life to rest, and realized I believed he actually could.
“Never failed before,” Mick claimed. “Don’t plan on it now.”
And that is good enough for me.