Chapter 3: The Stakeout

The white bungalow, across the street, stood oddly out of place in the neighborhood. New windows, shingles, and siding, meshed perfectly with its immaculate yard that was minimally landscaped with rock, grass, and shrubs. An ancient elm tree in the front yard stood half bare as the leaves had begun to fall, but there wasn't a single dead fallen leaf on the ground. There were no flowers or weeds, and the thriving lawn clearly defied the forthcoming winter.

The owner obviously took pride in his well-maintained property, or he had OCD.

Cassie admired the brick work that cradled juvenile evergreen shrubs in front of a bay window. She scanned to the houses on either side of the white bungalow and shook her head. The rundown shacks with weedy, garbage strewn yards, brought down the white bungalow's property value, and it was a tossup as to whether or not they should be condemned. How anyone could possibly live in them was a mystery.

It was as if the rundown houses existed in a separate dimension, one that didn't cross the property lines and invade the pristine white bungalow's domain.

"Why would anyone choose to live in the hood? That house is so out of place," Cassie stated, turning to Eryn, who sat shotgun. "I hope the owner has good insurance. He's got to be a constant target for vandals and break-ins." The white bungalow would fit into any middle-class neighborhood in the world, anywhere but the hood.

"This is, by far, the stupidest thing we've ever done." Eryn moaned, shifting uncomfortably in her seat while ignoring Cassie's lame attempt to keep up the conversation.

Cassie knew Eryn wouldn't hold out much longer. Obviously bored, and not trying to hide it, Eryn stared miserably through the windshield. Her patience had reached its end.

"I'm cold, my ass is sore, and I need to pee. It's been three hours! You promised me a fun night. Had I known this was your plan, I would have stayed home. I'm not having fun!" Eryn paused, shifting again. "Who actually pulls a stakeout on some random house in the middle of the hood for practice? I mean, I guess I should be grateful that you picked the nicest house for miles." She rubbed her frozen hands together for warmth. "And speaking of insurance, this is a rented van. What if we're attacked and it's damaged? You could have selected a safer neighborhood for us to play pretend in, you could've opted for a much better plan for ladies' night, just saying." She turned, glaring at Cassie, expecting a reply.

"Okay, so I lied to get you out here. I really just wanted company. The story about choosing a random house to practice on, well, that was also a lie. This is real surveillance! The real deal! Aren't you excited?" Cassie beamed, expecting Eryn to share in her enthusiasm. She didn't.

Blown away and definitely not impressed, Eryn scowled, flashing Cassie the death glare. If looks could kill, Cassie would be long gone, buried, and forgotten.

She ignored Eryn's nasty scowl, hoping to ease her friend's mind. "Oh, and no worries about the van, I bought the extra insurance."

Unmoved, Eryn's eyebrows aggressively scrunched together, her face flushed a deadly shade of angry while her eyes blinked rapidly. She looked lost for words.

Cassie bit her bottom lip, knowing Eryn had a right to be pissed. "I'm sorry I lied to you, but it wasn't totally selfish. I genuinely thought it would be good to get you out. You never leave your farm. It's not natural. I'm afraid you'll end up a crazy old lady who talks to cats and wears muumuus." Stopping herself, Cassie cringed at what was coming. She went too far with the cat talk and muumuus, but the crazy part matched the look on Eryn's face.

"Are you out of your fucking mind?!" Eryn raged. "I can't believe you lied to me. TWICE. This private investigator crap is not my cup of tea, and you know it!" Huffing, she crossed her arms and stared miserably through the passenger window. "Unbelievable. If I get killed on your clock, I'm coming back to haunt you."

"Think of it as a creative way to spend ladies' night. It's so exciting!"

"Yeah. What a wonderful way to spend a Friday night. I'm actually thrilled that some psycho could take us out, and our bodies will be found in some foul little corner of the hood. Thrilled." Eryn snorted, shaking her head.

"You're not going to die. Jeez. Seriously, you're being dramatic. It's just an infidelity case. The client suspects his wife of having an affair with the guy in that house." She pointed towards the white bungalow. "His name is Jack Brady, and he's the karate instructor who teaches their son. Look, if the wife isn't in there, the client will text me once she arrives home and then we can leave. If he doesn't text, we have to stay until morning."

Eryn spun in her seat, glaring daggers at her. "There is no way in hell I'm sitting in this van until morning. No way! And why are we stalking this guy? Shouldn't you have a tail on the wife? What if this Jack guy isn't even the guy?" Cassie looked away quickly, but Eryn caught on to the look of shame. "What?"

"Well." Cassie paused, feeling stupid. "I had a tail on the wife. Anyway, I was parked outside the client's house for hours, waiting for the wife to make some sort of move while the kid was at school."

"And?" Eryn said, expecting full details.

"The wife was planning a mom's night out. I had every intention of following her." Cassie winced, avoiding eye contact. "I had to pee. The client was home from work, so I figured I'd meet up with you at the office after I went to the bathroom. We would've been back in plenty of time but while I was in the gas station bathroom, the client texted to say his wife took off an hour early, and he wasn't sure where she was going. Anyway, the client was pissed, but I had to go to the bathroom, at some point." She stopped to catch her breath. "So, I figured I could keep an eye on Jack's place, since the client suspects he's his wife's lover."

"Okay then," Eryn said, beginning to soften. "You should have just told me the truth."

"I was embarrassed that I lost her, and you wouldn't have come if I didn't lie to lure you out."

"You're right, I would have stayed home." Sighing with resolve, Eryn leaned forward and scanned the street. "What about the wife's car? Is it nearby?"

"No, I'm pretty sure she isn't in there, but I'm not leaving until, I'm positive."

"Great."

"You have to admit, now that you know the truth, it's more exciting than just sitting here staring at some random house. Now, we have a purpose!" A brazen smile curled Cassie's lips as she gave Eryn a loving, apologetic nudge. "You can't wimp out on me, not now, I need you."

"I am not a wimp!" Eryn snapped, squirming in her seat. "Whatever! I have to pee, and we've been sitting here forever. I can't hold it much longer. I'm getting out!" She reached for the handle.

Cassie grabbed Eryn's arm, pulling her away from the door. "You can't just pee in the street."

"Pfft. This is the hood. I'm sure it's been done. You're the hotshot P.I. Keep an eye out for me."

Just as Eryn reached out to open the door, someone knocked on Cassie's window. Both women jumped, leaning towards each other while trying to duck from view.

"Shit! It's Jack." Cassie whispered. "Don't move. Maybe he won't see us."

He tapped on the window again.

"I thought you said we couldn't be seen," Eryn hissed.

Cassie shrugged, her eyes bulging with the fear of being caught. She hadn't planned for this.