Duplicity - A True Story of Crime and Deceit Paul Goldman (the mitten read aloud .txt) 📖

unexpected validation. I wrote her a check, thanked her forher time, and firmly shook her hand before leaving.

Driving home, I feltinvigorated by the energy of forward movement. Keeping true to thepromise I made to myself, I was no longer a doormat, no longer aperson to be manipulated or used. Through Terri and Adam’s widelydifferent perspectives, I had gained some guidance, and now Joyceand her team would further help me to refocus my energies and takematters into my own hands. For the first time in a long time, I wasnot consumed with analysis or worry. Instead, I turned on my radionice and loud and enjoyed some musical escape as I looked forwardto Joyce’s findings on Friday.

I awoke Friday morninganxious and excited, going about my daily routine of getting Johnnyready and off to preschool with a little more energy and drive. Iran errands and returned phone calls while constantly looking atthe clock. Audrey’s own schedule was always fairly predictable. Shehad all three kids from Monday afternoons through Friday mornings,when she dropped little Tommy off at Bob Thompson’s house, and thendropped the two older ones at their school, where Joe Munson wouldpick them up at the end of the day for the weekend. This scheduleleft Audrey completely free from Friday mornings until Mondayafternoons when the cycle would begin again. Joyce, or one of herinvestigators, would be following Audrey beginning Friday around 7a.m.

At four o’clock, the phone rang.

“Let me tell you whathappened today,” Joyce began, while I quickly shuffled into myoffice, not wanting Johnny to overhear the details of myconversation. Surprisingly, Johnny never asked about Audrey, and Iwas relieved that her impact on our family life had been minimal.“Though the day didn't end well,” Joyce continued, “we’re veryearly in the case and I'm already getting an idea of herpatterns.”

“So, what happened?” Iasked, wondering why I was whispering. This wasn’t illegal afterall. That was Audrey’s department.

“This morning she droppedoff her kids at school, then returned to her apartment in Jupiter,and stayed there. At noon, however, she did a strange thing. Shewent out to her car, and moved it from her assigned parking spaceto a nearby garage. I assumed she was expecting some ‘company’ topark in her space, but no one showed up. At three, she went back topick up her kids at their school. Unfortunately, the traffic was sobad that the P.I. lost her. My guy went back to her apartment, butAudrey never showed up. We broke the surveillance atfour.”

Given that this was onlythe first day, I tried not to show my disappointment. It wasn'tthat I expected to have hard evidence, complete with pictures andvideos, but my anticipation had gotten the better of me. “Oh well,”I said, “Next weekend is Labor Day weekend, and Audrey won't haveher kids. Can you reserve your guy to have him start following hernext Friday morning at eight?”

“Absolutely,” Joyceconfirmed.

“Great. We’ll talk then,”I ended, already looking forward to the following week and itspotential for new information.

* * *

Unfortunately, the following Friday came witheven less information when the phone rang at ten in themorning.

“I have some bad news foryou, Paul,” Joyce confessed, triggering even more disappointment.Unable to contain an audible sigh, I said, “What happened,Joyce?”

“I decided to tail hermyself today, instead of having one of my guys. At 8:45 she and herdaughter came down from the apartment to the car. The daughter gotinto the car, but Audrey spent about ten minutes arranging items inher trunk with a piece of paper in her hand. Then, after shedropped her daughter off at school, Audrey got on the highway andheaded south. I stayed a car length behind her and one lane to theleft and she was talking on her cell phone the entire time. Shetook the exit for the airport, and I followed her. Then, she made aquick turn across three lanes and took a ramp exit leading to therental car companies. Unfortunately, I couldn’t cross three lanesin time to make the ramp, so I had to continue on to the next exit.By the time I drove back around, she was gone.” My mind began torace. Was she going back to Chicago? Picking someone up? Why arental car? Joyce continued, “I checked all the car rental places,but no luck.”

“That’s it for thisweekend,” I said, “but I’ll bet she has a lot of cash to depositcome Tuesday, so why don’t you follow her beginning Tuesdaymorning, to see what bank she goes to? Bob Thompson will bedropping off his son at her apartment at eight, so you can pick herup then,” I instructed, encouraged by Audrey's suspicious airportrendezvous.

“I will, and sorry, Paul,”Joyce responded. I could tell she was discouraged by having losther, but this was still only the second day.

“That’s okay, Joyce. I’lltalk to you Tuesday.”

Labor Day came and wentwithout much labor. I had been slowly making moves to ensure thatmy finances were in order, and with the Boynton and Californiahomes rented, the uncertainty that had only added to my stress wasstarting to diminish. Johnny and I spent the entire weekendenjoying each other’s company. Before I knew it, Tuesday arrivedalong with another phone call from Joyce.

“Like you thought, Paul,the first thing she did was go to a bank, the Bank of Florida, andmake a deposit. Then she went to Wal-Mart, after which she spentthe rest of the morning and afternoon at a house in Palm BeachGardens. I ran the address and found that it belongs to TonySawgrass, the ‘second pimp’ you told me about.” Now here wassomething, I thought to myself. A clear connection to confirm mytheory that Audrey, Tony, and Royce were in business together. Iquickly began to scribble down notes as Joyce continued, “Funnything, there was no one at home when she arrived, so she must havehad a key. Then some older guy showed up around one and nothing washeard from the house until Audrey left around four to pick up theolder kids at school, at which point I ended thesurveillance.”

“Interesting day,” Iresponded. “She spent the day at her pimp’s house probably doingbookwork and arranging tricks for her girls all day. Her four yearold son