NB: This chapter contains MAJOR spoilers for my first novel, Remembrance. For those who read the serialized draft, you may notice some of the changes made for the final published version of the story. Either way, read at your own risk and catch the backstory here.
“Gus, how late were you here yesterday, man? You didn’t even look up when I left.” Jones made no attempt to mask his grin. “Seems like I picked a good one for you, eh?”
Gus rolled his eyes, but he knew from experience that there was no hiding his interest from his partner. “Something like that. I wasn’t expecting such a doozy. You sure you don’t want to take it?”
Jones threw his head back and laughed. “All yours, pal. Wouldn’t dream of poaching it from you.” He stepped into the office and sat himself down across from Gus. “Want to give me the spark notes?”
“Hell yeah,” Gus replied, a little surprised by his own enthusiasm. “So, Dad establishes this neurology clinic, runs it for years with his business partner until the partner basically gets forced out. In the meantime, Dad has started grooming Son to take over leadership, and is piloting his pet project on the side. But it turns out that the pet project is straight out of a science fiction novel AND includes a healthy dose of ‘killing everyone who doesn’t pass muster’ just to keep things interesting. Allegedly. Still working out the details of what they do with the bodies, but we have eyewitness accounts of the murders either way.”
Gus waved his hand, struck in passing for the umpteenth time how odd it was to talk so casually about the intentional ending of human lives. “And then—get this. One of his employees figures out what’s happening. Realizes the cops are in on it. So she starts taking notes and sends the whole thing to the FBI—”
“Ah, so that’s where the client comes in?”
“Exactly. The report lands on his desk, and he goes undercover for a year to investigate. Keeps tabs on the chick who filed the report. Acts like a client to get close to dad. The whole nine yards. Sounds like he’s closing in and ready to make an arrest this week, so if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to get to work.”
“Hot damn. I sure know how to pick ‘em.” Jones wore a self-satisfied smug that, just two days before, would have enraged Gus. Instead, he nodded in excited agreement.
“I couldn’t stop reading. Finished up here around seven, but I was up all night thinking about it. I think I maybe got two hours of sleep, but I don’t even feel tired. Just ready to get started.”
“Well, I’ll let you get to it, then.” Jones stood up, nodded, and looked at the mess of papers strewn around the room. As he stepped toward the door, his tone softened, and he glanced back toward Gus for just a moment. “Glad to see you’re feeling good again. I know it’s been a rough year.”
“It has.” Gus sombered and nodded back. “Thanks, man. It’s good to be back.”
Jones let himself out. Gus had barely pulled up the requisite paperwork when his phone rang. The noise startled him, and he flipped it screen-side up to see who was calling.
Theo.
He’d forgotten to call Theo back last night. It wasn’t like him to call so many times in a row—was everything okay?
Gus answered the phone, hands trembling. “Hey kiddo.”
“Hey Dad.” He could hear the eye roll in his teenage son’s voice. “It’s been a while.”
“Yeah, it has.” Gus tried to stifle any note of concern in his voice. “How… how are you doing?”
“I’m doing really well.” Theo sounded happy, and Gus breathed a sigh of relief. “I got worried yesterday when you didn’t pick up—I thought you might have changed your number or something.”
“No, sorry, just busy with a case.” Gus cringed at his words. Of all the days for Theo to call him, it had to be the one day in recent memory that he could fall back on his age-old excuse.
Theo sighed, the heaviness of it scratching across the line like a death knoll. “Should have known.”
Gus wanted to protest—wanted to tell his son that, no, it’s not like the old days. It’s not like that at all.
But he couldn’t find words to say it that hadn’t been all used up a million times before. Words that Theo would trust.
“So why are you calling?” he eventually asked, hoping his distracted thoughts hadn’t stretched on for too long.
“Oh, yeah…” His voice had changed, and Gus scrunched his eyes shut to hold back tears, cursing the weight that settled across his chest. “So, it’s kind of out of the blue, but I was wondering if… if I could come stay with you for the fall semester?”
Gus heart stopped. His vision blurred as hot tears gathered in the corners of his eyes. A lump in his throat prevented him from answering.
“Dad?” Theo’s voice sounded sad. “Are you still there?”
“Yeah, son,” Gus choked out, unable to hide his smile. “I would love to have you. I’ll need to get the place cleaned up a bit… when were you thinking of coming?”
“Ideally in a week or two… is that okay for you?”
A week or two! So soon! “Of course, Theo. You’re welcome to stay for as long as you like. Are…” Gus hesitated as a terrible thought descended on him. “Are things okay with your mom?”
Theo chuckled, and for a second, Gus heard the little boy he’d watched grow up. His heart panged again. “Yeah, dad. Things with mom are fine. It was actually her idea for me to call you—I’ve got an internship for the semester that’s not too far from you.”
Gus’ face fell. “An internship?” He screwed his eyes shut and willed his fear and frustration to stay out of his voice. “What kind of internship?”
“Neurology.” Was that a tremor of fear in Theo’s voice, too? “I’m in the pre-med program up here at Miami, but this is a great internship and I couldn’t pass it up… so I’m taking a semester off to come and work. I may sign up for an online class or even something at the local community college, just so I don’t get too far behind on my degree plan, but it really is the opportunity of a lifetime, and there’s a good chance it’ll lead to a job down the road, too, so I’m going to go ahead and take it.” He spoke quickly and, Theo thought, nervously.
“Well, that sounds real good, Theo. I’m proud of you,” he forced himself to add. “Just send me a text message with your flight information, and I’ll make sure I can come get you at the airport.”
“Thanks, Dad. But I’ll probably drive down if I’ll be there for a couple of months.”
“Oh, oh, of course. Silly me.” A couple of months! Gus’ mind reeled at the idea of it.
“Well, thanks again. I’ll let you know once I know more, but I’m… I’m really looking forward to seeing you.”
“Me too, buddy,” Gus said, struggling to keep his voice measured. “It’s been too long.”
“Alright, bye Dad.”
“Goodbye, son. I love y—”
But Theo had already hung up, and just like that, it was as if he’d never called. Gus stared at the screen of his phone in disbelief, as if to reassure himself that the conversation had actually happened. He trembled as he locked it and set it down, worrying that he could somehow undo what had been done, that it had all been an elaborate daydream.
Turning back to his computer, Gus printed out the paperwork he’d need to complete and rummaged through his desk for his favorite fountain pen. As he walked to the printer, he gently ran a finger over the words engraved into the green gunmetal: “We love you, Daddy”. A knot grew in the pit of his stomach as he watched the form slide out onto the printer tray.
There’s just no way this was going to work out. It had to be too good to be true. He shook his head, grabbed his paper, and plodded back to his desk.
He carefully filled out the standard information on the top page, then looked through his notes again, tallying up the crimes mentioned throughout: deaths, bribery, fraud, conspiracy… He ran his fingers through his hair, took off his glasses, and sat back in his chair. Parsing this out was going to be a nightmare.
An hour or so later, Gus picked up his landline and pulled his address book out of his desk drawer. He punched the numbers and whispered a quiet prayer to whoever was listening.
The phone clicked an answer on the third ring. An old, German voice asked, “Hello?”
“Hey Konrad,” Gus replied, more a sigh than a word. “I need a favor.”
“What else is new?” There was no smile in his voice, but years of acquaintance had trained Gus in the subtle art of deciphering when Konrad was ribbing him.
“I’ve got this special agent with an airtight case who needs to make an arrest this week. The complaint is all filed, I just need a signature. Are you free for coffee this afternoon?”
“That urgent? I’ll see if I can fit you in between my midday nap and making dinner with Robyn.”
Gus couldn’t help himself—a cackle burst from his chest, and he was gratified to hear a self-satisfied chuckle from Konrad on the other end of the line. “Meet me at the astronaut-themed coffee shop around the corner from my office? What time do you think you’ll wake up?”
“Two o’clock will be fine. Will you have time to catch up?”
“For you, Konrad, I’ll make time.”
“Well, I suppose I’m flattered.”
“Damn straight you are,” Gus teased. “See you at two o’clock, sir.”
“Augustus,” Konrad chided him. “How many times in the last fifteen years have I reminded you that I am no longer your professor?”
Gus glanced down at his hands. “Sorry. Bad habit.”
Konrad hmmed skeptically and hung up the phone. Gus smiled fondly and slid the complaint form into a crisp new folder. He pulled out a blank legal pad from his desk and started working on some preliminary notes for the grand jury hearing, cross-referencing his complaint and the client’s notes as needed.
A knock on the frame of his door startled him out of his focus. Marty looked at him, head cocked to one side, over the frames of his glasses.
“What do you want, Marty?” Gus barked.
Marty rolled his eyes and huffed. “I came to ask you if you were still planning to keep your two o’clock appointment with the judge, but if you’re going to talk to me like that, I’ll keep to myself.”
Gus’ eyes widened like dinner plates. “What time is it?” He stood up, frantically shuffling the mess on his desk around until he found his phone. Quarter to two. “Thank you so much, Marty. I’m sorry I snapped at you. You’re the best assistant in the world.”
“I know.” He winked and sauntered back out, leaving Gus to find his folder, wallet, and keys, and scramble out the door.
If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider dropping a couple quarters in my digital typewriter case!
You’re reading What I Have Failed To Do, a serialized first-draft from Sara Dietz at Blinking Blue Line. If you’re new ‘round these parts, welcome! If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve read, I’d love to have you stick around.
And if you’re in the mood for your next favorite story, check out my crime/medical thriller, Remembrance, or my fantasy-quest serialized novella, The Ravenswing Report.