He still had no idea why she had suddenly switched from being his capable assistant to his apprentice but he couldn't find fault with her. She was efficient. Every task he gave to her, she got done. It might take her a while but she was always pulling her own.
Jordan dismissed the niggling thought that there was more to this woman than paranoia.
"What more do you want, man?" his subconscious whispered to him one day when he was thinking the same thing. She had just completed a new task he gave to her and uncovered a tangible clue that was vital for the police investigation in the process.
Sitting on the porch of the office that evening with a glass of brandy in his hand long after they have closed for the day, Jordan thought of what she had accomplished in the past weeks. He had given her more things to work on after working together with her on cases for a while. Her first independent job earned them a glowing review from the client.
Alarick PI Firm was getting well known in Baleria and beyond the city. Clients were pouring in and just the day before they had to turn away a client because of a tight schedule.
A secretary had been hired to help out with the paperwork since Valencia was out of the office most times these days.
All in all. It looked good on the surface and Jordan knew that he should be content that the firm he had created on a whim and as a ruse was becoming more successful.
The opposite was the case though as he grew more restless by the day. His discontent had one main focal point. The increasing crime rate in Baleria.
The cartels were gowing bolder. The drug merchants were getting more audacious. The protection fees collector were becoming a menace. A merchant had been beaten to within an inch of his life the other day just because he was unable to pay the full amount of his "protection fee".
People are getting more and more afraid to open up a business as they knew that most of their profits will be sucked up by paying this entitled menace in society. Some of them would enter a place of business and take as many things as they wanted for themselves and their girlfriends. The owners dared not say a thing as they sauntered out with the produce. Unless they wanted the greatest beating of their life
Or worse. Their shops would be demolished and a few times it had led to the death of stubborn, dating shop owners.
At first, people were crying out. To the police stations. To the broadcast stations. That had been curbed in no time. Two radio stations were shut down in no time to serve as warnings to the others. The police would make a grand show of helping the people but at the end of the day, the ones who would suffer the most were the victims.
He who reported them had to be punished.
When Governor Holt Hendrick was elected and he made good on his promise to roust out the criminals and purge Baleria of his increasing crimes, Jordan had thought the city had finally seen the beginning of light but that had not been the case.
Drug trucks were confiscated. Ammunition tanks were raided. Hideouts gutted out.
The masses were already heaving a sigh of relief for they thought their moment of reprieve had arrived.
Jordan drained his glass of brandy as he remembered how that had come to a damning halt when the governor's family had been blown up like a lighted match. It was clear to all that the target had been the governor himself but then he had been held up in a meeting and his family had taken that plane instead.
Jordan wondered how a man could forgive himself when something like that happened.
"So, it was no surprise then," he thought "That no new movement has come from the governor's office since then"
The collectors of protection fees were back in droves. People were selling drugs from corner to corner like candies. The new trend and probably the most damning now was child trafficking and luring young girls into prostitution.
Distaste filled Jordan's mouth as he remembered the anguish and pain in one of his client's eyes when she came to him for help.
"Please help me. She is my only child and her father is no more" the woman cried as she clung to his hand. Jordan had given her assurance that she would get her child back.
Jordan worked for hand in hand with the Police Department of Avon on the issue. He had been out of Baleria most of the past month. The girl was abducted in Baleria but had been sold to an illegal brothel in Avon. They found the girl alright.
But she would never be able to tell who did it nor would she be able to narrate what she went through. They found her mangled body when the brothel owners were trying to dispose of her.
She jumped from the story building they said upon interrogation. The girl chose death over defilement.
The anguished cry of the mother brought to mind another incident that Jordan had felt so much grief to. The death of his partner, Eric.
Looking up at the starry sky, he removed his phone and called the international number.
Aria picked on the first ring "Hello, Jordan"
"Hi, Aria. how are you doing?"
Her voice went thin for a while as the connection wavered before her voice became clearer "...and dad is doing good too. They sent their regards"
Jordan did not bother to ask her to repeat herself as he already knew that it was the normal "I am fine and doing well" she was talking about.
After pleasantries, he asked again as he had always asked "Listen, Aria. do you need anything?"
And as she had always said, she answered "No, I am fine, the kids are doing well too. We are here on dad's ranch. There is nothing we lack for"
"Great" he muttered and wondered what else he was supposed to say. They have never been able to talk about the main person that was palpably alive between them even though he was alive, Eric. It had always been this awkwardly cheery greeting from her.
Jordan knew that she did not blame him for what happened but he had never been able to shake off the feeling of guilt. Maybe if he had been faster. Maybe if he had taken his partner straight to the hospital.
Maybe, always maybe. He still woke up once in a while reliving that day.
He heard Aria sigh from the other side "Listen, Jordan. You are still not blaming yourself for what happened, are you? You know he wouldn't want that"
"No, I am not" only every other day "So, how are you doing, Aria? Really?" he asked for the first time. He had always accepted her perfunctory "I am fine" before.
She sighed again and her voice changed "I am… I am getting better. One day at a time, Jordan. The kids are my solace. And his mum too, she… she finally got out of her grief and she love those kids more than anything. So…so I guess I am fine too. It would…it would never be the same but…"
He heard her sniffle. Damn "Aria" he called.
"No, no I am fine," she said and attempted laughter "Stupid tears. I am okay, Jordan. You need not worry"
Then her voice turned cheery again " Let's talk about something else. You wouldn't by chance have anything to do with a trust fund that was set up in my kids' names, would you? The bank called about this anonymous person who had this setup and it couldn't be reversed"
"What? Me? No!" he denied immediately. Maybe too strongly.
Aria's laughter from the other end was like music to his ears, it had been such a long time since he heard that. When Eric was still alive.
"I am not going to call you a liar, Jordan. So all I would say is, in case you know this mysterious benefactor? Tell him a big thank you for the kids. It would be well utilised" she said then after a pause "Thank you, Jordan for keeping his memory alive, he… he was so lucky to have a friend like you. Bye, Jordan"
She disconnected the call.
Jordan stared at the phone and wondered what he had intended to achieve by making the call. One thing was certain though. His mood had turned gloomier.
He raced his head to see that the light had gone on in the house.
Molly. He smiled, she always turned on the porch light for him whenever he was out.
Something to guide you home. She would say.
A phrase that his mother had been fond of.
Wondering where all his morbid thoughts were coming from, he stood up and headed to the house.
*******************************************
Shrouded in the darkness, some paces away from 16 Norksfold drive, an indistinct luxurious car was parked looking at the office. The back window rolled down and a man asked "Is that the place?"
"Yes, sir" the driver replied.
"Who is that?"
"I…ah. I don't know him, sir" the man replied with his heart in his mouth, hoping he wouldn't pay dearly for his incompetence.
"Find out" the man in the back, ordered.
"Yes sir"
Just as the front porch light went off after Jordan entered, the car glided away, melding with the night.