Duplicity - A True Story of Crime and Deceit by Paul Goldman (general ebook reader .TXT) 📕

wanted a hooker, then toldthem she’d be in the bar drinking tea,” I theorized. Now, I wasgetting excited by the fact that we finally had some real evidenceof Audrey at work.

“Could be,” Joycespeculated. “Unfortunately she stood up a few minutes later,extended her hand to the men, said ‘nice to have met you,’ left thebar and returned home. On the way home, she took a detour, drivingaround the parking lot of the hotel across the street. We have noidea what that was about.”

“Me neither, Joyce. As forthe two men, they probably couldn’t agree on a price,” I said. “Toobad. I guess her parents’ arrival at her apartment squashed her ownconvention plans, so she went to the Royal Comfort Inn to try andmake some money for her Friday night.”

“Could be. Or maybe thoseguys made plans for another time or with some of Audrey’s girls,”Joyce speculated. “Either way, your suspicions really seem to beright on. It won’t be long before we really have some hardevidence, I can promise you that.”

With this latest success, I had to believeJoyce was right about that, and decided it was time to let mylawyer, Adam Nettles, in on my investigation. However, always apragmatist, I knew he would need some convincing before he boughtinto the idea. That following Monday, I drove to his office.

“Adam, look at these phonecalls. Three hundred a month to her pimp Royce, one hundred andfifty a month to an outside voice mailbox, tons of calls to men,calls to hotels, calls to six different men before going toChicago, and dozens of calls to out-of-state numbers. And, last butnot least, look at these calls to Palm Beach Bail Bonds. Why woulda stay-at-home mom call a bail bondsman? Adam, does this fit thepattern of a stay at home mom?” I was standing in front of his deskas he stared back at me skeptically. Feeling like an attorneymyself, I knew he would be hard to convince.

“It looks like somethingis going on,” he grudgingly admitted, extending his palms up indoubt. “But, I’m a lawyer. I need proof.”

“Proof? Haven't you beenlistening? She’s supposed to be a stay-at-home mom with no outsideincome. What else could all this be?” I replied, my voice gettinglouder and louder as I encountered Adam's resistance to theobvious.

“So, she makes calls tomen, and calls her boyfriend Royce a lot. That doesn’t exactly makeher a hooker. I think you’re delusional, Paul.” I could see it inhis eyes. Adam saw me as a desperate man clinging at ideas toexplain the demise of my marriage. I slowly sat down, and leanedin, making certain he looked me in the face.

“I’m not delusional,Adam,” I said firmly, resting my hands on my knees. “Audrey is amadam and a working prostitute. I have proof. If I seem passionateor emotional, it’s only because this is all so unbelievable, that’sall.” Adam held my gaze, realizing that I was serious and focused.“Listen to this,” I continued, and I set a cassette recorder ontohis desk. “Audrey has a new voice mail message on her cell phone.You tell me if this is the message of a stay-at-home mom.” Ipressed the “play” button.

Audrey's voice was soft and sensuous, in thatsexually charged tone mostly heard on late night ads for 900numbers:

“Hey, I hope you're havinga great day. I'm sorry I missed your call. Please email me at LadyAudrey at mail.com. That's L A D Y underscore A U D R E Y at maildot com. Or leave me a message. Thank you.”

The stunned look on Adam'sface told me I was finally getting through to him. “Isn't thatincredible?” I asked. “She's not even trying to hide itanymore.”

“Wow. Wow,” he said again,leaning forward in his chair and resting his elbows on his desk.“You may have something, but I still need more hardevidence.”

“I believe I’ll have itsoon. Bob Thompson’s lawyer has subpoenaed the actual deposit slipsfrom her bank account. Let’s see what the source is of her extrathree grand in deposits every month. They were made in very oddamounts, like $53.57 and $87.94. I’m telling you, they’re eitherinterest from CDs, dividends from a brokerage account, or trustfund disbursements. From our combined experiences, Joe Munson, BobThompson and I all believe that there's money in thefamily.”

“When will they come in?”Adam asked, jotting down some notes as I spoke.

“Audrey and her lawyerhave another ten days to respond.”

“Let’s wait until then,”he advised, resting his pen on his notebook and folding his handson his desk. “In the meantime, try to stay calm, okay?”

“Okay,” I agreed. “I won’tdo anything rash, trust me.” And I meant it, at least until a fewminutes later when I was driving home. Remembering Terri’s advice,I called the Palm Beach Police Department and set up an appointmentwithin the hour to meet with one of their detectives. This wouldmark my first incursion into the old money area of Palm Beach, andmy first step toward making my private investigationpublic.

Driving onto the island,my eyes took in the veritable amusement park of luxury living andthe benefits of exclusivity. Opulent boutiques, perfectly manicuredlandscaping, palatial estates, and perfectly tanned denizensfloating down the pristine sidewalks of a land known only to thevery wealthy. Palm Beach attracted both the affluent in all theirfinery, and those looking to take advantage of it. It was becomingclear why the Palm Beach upscale hotels were Audrey's playgroundand office.

I drove past the veryhotel where the convention targeted by Audrey and her team tookplace on Friday, and I smiled knowing that her ability to profitfrom it had been thwarted by her parents' arrival. I guess Audreywas limited to just her overrides for that particular weekend. Toobad.

Pulling into the police station, I wasimmediately impressed by the building itself. Like everything inPalm Beach, no expense had been spared in constructing it, aparagon of contemporary architecture and upper class refinement.Perhaps it also proved to be another reason why deviants foundtheir way to Palm Beach; if a scheme is unsuccessful, at least theamenities are nice.

I walked through the main entrance andapproached the front desk where a young, auburn haired woman wastrying hard not to look bored. She clearly was expecting me, andwhen I asked to