showed all the more when Deckard told her, almost apologetically, that although the rent was eleven hundred, plus two months down, it would probably go up after a year or so.
“That’s probably out of my range,” she said. “But could I get back to you?”
“Sure. Just I got a few other folks looking at it today is all.”
“I understand.”
They shook hands on the porch, and Anne and Amelia went down the steps and headed to the car. I was a couple feet behind them when I heard Deckard say, “Excuse me?”
I turned to look at him.
“Aren’t you Woody Hayes?”
I nodded. “I go by Andy now.”
“OK. Sorry.”
“No problem.”
“I saw you on the news. You’re a detective.”
“Investigator, technically.”
“What I meant. You do jobs for people?”
“That’s right.” I glanced up the street at Anne and Amelia, lingering on the sidewalk next to Anne’s red Toyota. The only one in Columbus, at least the only one I’d ever seen, with both “Starfleet Academy” and “13.1” bumper stickers.
“Got a situation I wouldn’t mind talking to you about.”
“OK.”
“Has to do with my daughter.”
“Go on.”
“Her fiancé, more like it.”
“He in trouble?”
“He’s not, but his brother is.”
“What kind of trouble?”
“The big kind. He raped a four-year-old boy.”
I SAID, “WHO WAS the boy?”
“His girlfriend’s son.”
“Where’s the brother now?”
“In jail. Awaiting trial.”
“What’s his name?”
“Wardley. Derrick Wardley.”
I looked up the street at Anne. She tapped her watch. I nodded.
“So how can I help you?”
“Something’s not right with Troy. That’s my daughter’s fiancé. He’s gone into shut-down mode, ever since Derrick got arrested. Won’t talk to his parents, his friends, anybody. Barely speaks to Bonnie.”
“That’s your daughter?”
“Yeah.”
“Won’t talk, meaning what, exactly?”
“I don’t mean can’t talk, just doesn’t. Doesn’t do anything, in fact. Lost his job a couple months ago because he stopped going.”
“What did he do?”
“Worked in a warehouse. He was a picker, for auto parts. Not the most exciting work, but he was good at it. Good money, too.”
“Does Bonnie have a job?”
“Works at FedEx Office. Part-time. She’s handy with computers. Used to do some IT work for a company. These days, people hire her freelance to build websites, help them with online genealogy records, things like that.”
“They live together?”
“That’s right.”
“Troy’s brother. What’d he do to the boy?”
“Raped him, at night, putting him to bed.”
“How’d he get caught?”
“The boy’s grandmother noticed something wasn’t right. It was a huge shock, gotta tell you. Not like Derrick was any great shakes, but nothing like that. Least that’s what Bonnie says.”
“Where’s the boy now?”
“Grandparents. The girlfriend’s, not Derrick and Troy’s folks.”
“So what is it you want me to do, exactly?”
“I’m not sure. Could you talk to Troy?”
“Talk?”
“See what’s bugging him. Find out what’s going on.”
“What’s bugging him? You mean, like beyond what’s up with his brother?”
“Thing is, they weren’t ever that close, at least according to Bonnie. Maybe it’s something else.”
“Why would he listen to me if he won’t talk to his parents or to Bonnie?”
“I don’t know. He’s an Ohio State nut, like everyone else. Might get a kick out of meeting you. I know it sounds strange, but I’m not sure what else to do. I saw you here, realized who you were, thought I’d ask.”
“What about a doctor? A psychiatrist?”
“We tried that. He won’t go.”
“You must like this guy a lot to want to hire me.”
“I’m just trying to do the right thing by Bonnie.”
I rolled what Deckard was telling me around in my head. Thought about the irony of someone asking me to play the role of famous Buckeye football player. Like seeing if Lance Armstrong was available for color commentary on the Tour de France. Then I thought about being Hershey’s part-time sidekick for a couple of weeks tops. Realized I wasn’t flush enough to be picky.
“Sure,” I said. “Why not.”
“How much do you charge?
I was about to tell him my rates when I glanced up the sidewalk again. Anne was leaning over and reading something Amelia had shown her in the book.
“It’s a nice apartment,” I said, nodding at the duplex. “You did a good job on it.”
“Thanks.”
“Wouldn’t mind seeing Anne there.”
“Guess I wouldn’t either. Seems like a nice lady. What’s she do?”
“College professor. Columbus State. But she’s had some financial issues since her husband died.”
“And
