I.C. Mombosa, Private Investigator (eBook)

Chapter 11

The job as a college instructor was more a challenge than I had imagined. Some students never bothered to do homework, and some complained when tests were given. However, I worked at the college for five years.

One evening, to my surprise, I had a long-distance call from Allison. She stated that she would be in my town the following week and she would love to see me. I wondered why, especially after all this time without even a phone call. I said, “Sure, I think Saturday would work because that is my day off.” Then, I gave her my address.

Allison arrived around 5:30p.m. She was dressed in jeans and a turtle neck, which seemed unusual, because she always prided herself on the way she dressed, even when she was riding on a plane. “I made dinner. We can eat and talk,” I told her. “That sounds great. I’m starved. I did not take time to eat before I got on the plane. Then, after I arrived here at the airport, I had to rent a car.”

We talked very little at the table. I could see that she was tired. So I said, “I’ll put the dishes in the dishwasher. You go into the living room. You must be tired.” Allison thanked me for the dinner. Then she retired to the living room and put on the television. When I looked in on her, she was asleep.

I finished cleaning the kitchen and went into the living room where Allison was. She woke up just as I sat down. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to go to sleep,” she said. “You were tired. Don’t apologize.”

Allison said, “Thanks for that delicious meal. I didn’t know you could cook.”“I learned how to cook from my grandmother.” I told her. Allison said, “I wanted to get in touch with you earlier, but work took up most of my time, and I had very little time left for socializing.

“Look, before I go any further, tell me about what you are doing and if you are happy.”

I knew Allison had her reasons for asking me that question. So I said to her, “I thought teaching was what I wanted, after attending law school.”Allison asked again, “Are you happy?”

“I am working, and it pays the bills,” I said. Once again, this time looking me straight in the eyes, Allison said, “Diane, you are avoiding my question. So I am going to go out on a limb and say you are very unhappy. Now, am I right?”

“Yes,” I finally relented, “Why do you want to know? I have not seen or talked to you in several years.”Allison said, “I didn’t just happen to come here. Mr. Joel wants you to be a member of the team. We have hired several persons since you left, but none were team players. Besides, I miss having you on the team.”

I just sat there not knowing what to say. Then I said, “Really, I’ve missed the team also.”

Allison said, “There is a job waiting for you, if you want it.”I thought for a minute and then said, “All I need to do is give the college my resignation at the end of the semester. I don’t have tenure, so I am free to resign.”

Allison called Mr. Joel and told him what I had said. He told Allison to have me call him. So I called Mr. Joel later that day. “Welcome back, Diane,” Mr. Joel said. “I will call you later in the week with more information.”

Allison spent the rest of Saturday and all day Sunday with me. Then she caught a plane back to Las Vegas. I called Momma on Monday and told her I would be changing my job in about a month. I told her I wanted her and my brother to come down to my house later in the week so we could talk. I had bought a small farm house with a horse stable and wanted Momma to move in.

She said she would be there Friday, since Jimmy, my brother, was out of school for the summer.

Momma arrived Friday afternoon. I was surprised she had bought a new car and had driven to my house.

When they arrived, Jimmy said to me, “I thought you had bought a house in the city. But this is cool!” “I have a horse which I bought just for you,” I told him.

He laughed and ran to the stable. But he soon came back and sat on the step. I asked him what was wrong. He answered, “I don’t know how to ride.” I said, “Don’t worry. I will teach you. Now get ready for dinner.”

Momma had started to unpack her car. She asked Jimmy if he would help. Then she looked at me and said, “Your place is beautiful, and if you allow me, I will plant some more flowers.”

At the table, Jimmy could not stop talking about the horse and how he would take care of him.

After Jimmy went to bed, I said, “Momma, I need to tell you my plans and listen to yours.

Momma said, “I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time.”

I began by asking her what her plans were for Jimmy’s education. She seemed shocked by my question. She answered, “I haven’t made any, because he is still in school.”

“What about the house?”I asked.

Momma thought for a moment and said, “Why are you asking?”

I told her that she was getting older and I wanted to help. Momma started to cry.

I said, “Don’t cry. We will work it out. Perhaps it would be better if you sold your house, put the money in the bank and come here to live. You can live on your husband’s insurance. I won’t need any money for expenses.”

Momma said, “I was hoping you wanted your brother and me to live with you, but I was afraid to ask. Look, I will put the house up for sale next week and do what you want me to do.”

Momma’s house was on the market for a few weeks. I helped her clean out everything. Since I had a four bedroom house and a basement, it was easy to transport the articles she wanted to keep.

Momma had a garage sale. It took about two weeks to get everything out and to my house.

Jimmy and Momma were adjusting to their new farm house. Jimmy was doing great with the riding lessons. However, he was not happy with having to transfer to a new school.

Mr. Joel called me a week later. He asked if I could fly to Las Vegas in a week. I told him that I would be there. Then, I continued to help Momma unpack the rest of her clothes. As we were unpacking, Momma started talking about her parents, Momma Jane and Granddaddy. She told me they were farmers when I was born. Granddaddy sold his farm in Georgia and moved the family to North Carolina. Then he came later after he finished all the necessary paperwork.

Granddaddy had no one except Momma Jane to help run the farm. It was impossible to do it alone. So he made the decision to sell the farm, and he bought a small vegetable farm. He was able to get a teaching job in the local high school. Momma Jane and Granddaddy were becoming leaders in their community.

“That is when I became pregnant with you, Diane. Small town gossip has a way of destroying someone, and it did that for Granddaddy. I don’t think my father ever forgave me.”

“You have a different life now, Momma,” I said, “So let’s put the past behind and raise Jimmy. He will need a lot of help.”Momma just started to cry. Then, she said to me, “You’re so wise. I wish I could have been in your life earlier.”

Momma and I took Jimmy to the high school and enrolled him without any problems. The secretary contacted his previous school before we left the office so they could forward his transcript to them.

A week later, Mr. Joel called me and asked if I would come to Las Vegas. I said, “Yes, I can catch the midnight special on Sunday, rent a car and come to your office on Monday morning.”

He agreed. I arrived at Mr. Joel’s office around 7:00a.m. He asked how the flight was. I smiled and said, “Very tiring, but here I am.”

Mr. Joel gave me keys to a condominium and said, “We can talk later. I plan to have a barbeque around two o’clock today with the entire team. Come back then. You don’t have to bring anything. Bob, my cook, is preparing everything.”I thanked Mr. Joel and left.

I found the condo and went to the front desk to register. The clerk gave me a strange look and then asked for identification. I showed him my driver’s license. He said, “Here are your keys.” I just took them and went to my apartment.

Around 11:00 a.m., I took a shower and put on a pair of shorts. I had bought them earlier this summer, but I had not worn them. The drive back to Mr. Joel’s home seemed longer than earlier.

All of the team was there, except Allison who was about thirty minutes late. Mr. Joel was the first to speak. He told us to get plates and help ourselves to the food. “We will eat, and I will tell you why I called you all today.”

He asked each of us to tell something about ourselves and why we became a part of the team.

He said, “You, first, Sparke, then Spike, followed by Allison, then you, Diane. I’ll tell you about myself after Diane finishes.” Spike started, “I was raised in New York by James and Nancy, my parents. My parents went to school there. I finished high school. Then, I joined...