Richard had already made one firm decision; he was going to do everything he could to impress Dr. Bettencourt. A guy as rich as him undoubtedly needed investigative services, and getting put on retainer would solve a lot of his month-to-month struggles to keep his head above water.

To the left, past a pair of wooden doors filled with glass panels, he could see the dining room; chairs crowded around a long mahogany table, cabinets hovering nearby.

“So what’s the commute like?” Richard asked as they passed through the double doors and entered the hallway.

“I live on the premises,” the butler revealed. “All the senior staff do.”

“Really? What’s that like?”

The butler flashed him a wide grin. “It’s great! I’ve got a room on the top floor overlooking the outfield, the live-in chefs cook our meals every night, and I’ve got a thing going with the lead housekeeper.” He let out a happy sigh. “There’s a reason we call this place Dreamland.”

“Sounds like a sweet deal!” Richard concurred.

“It really has been a cozy job,” the butler continued. “I couldn’t ask for anything better.” He then shuddered slightly. “Except for the daughter.”

“Oh?” Richard prompted.

“She’ll be the death of this family,” the butler grumbled. “All of us in the senior staff are sure of it. But it’s not our place to judge.”

They reached another set of glass-paneled wooden doors. “This is the ballroom, sir. Do enjoy your stay.”

“Thank you,” Richard answered. But the butler was already walking away.

“Detective Schmutz!” he heard a voice call out. Richard saw a different middle-aged gentleman approach him. His outfit was surprisingly similar to the butler’s, except for the crush of shiny yet tasteful jewelry. He took Richard’s hand and shook it heartily. “Allen Bettencourt. Great to meet you!”

Before Richard could answer, an elegant lady, clearly younger than the doctor, had sashayed up to him and offered her hand. “Hello, I’m Evelyn.” He moved to take her hand while his mind raced. Was he expected to kiss it? Hold it and bow slightly? Shake the tips gently? The last etiquette training he received was in 3rd grade, and it was mostly a historical exercise, centered on Victorian mores. His train of thought derailed as she grasped his hand firmly and shook it. He tried to react quickly, but he offered little more than a limp noodle. She flashed him a coy smile as she let go.

Allen motioned toward a ring of couches; Richard followed. They passed a clutch of tall barstools standing watch before a fully-stocked bar. The east wall was a large, rounded bay of windows, supported by carved stone pillars, overlooking a garden bursting with variety. Six couches, each with their own long table, formed an oval…a classic conversation-pit design. They all sat on the same couch, facing the garden.

Evelyn eyed Richard’s cooler. “You didn’t need to bring your own lunch,” she protested. “We’re perfectly happy to feed you.”

Richard cringed inside. So much for impressing them. “It’s not my lunch. It’s something I wanted to show your daughter.”

Allen glowered. “Dare I ask?”

Richard slowly opened the top to reveal the bottles of cave fungus. Evelyn reared back. “Ugh. More of that.” Strike two.

“It’s something I found during a recent case. I was hoping to get her opinion of it.” He paused to gauge their reaction. “I heard she’s into holistic medicine; it seemed right up her alley.”

“Oh, it certainly is that.” Allen seemed not at all pleased. Strike three; time to hit the bleachers.

“I really thought she’d outgrow it by now,” Allen shared, steepling his hands as he settled into the couch. “I was hoping my example would show her what successful medicine looks like. At this rate, she’ll end up a witch doctor in a mobile home park.”

Richard looked around. “Seems like it’d be difficult to argue with this kind of success.”

“My practice has grown by leaps and bounds over the years!” Allen gushed. “I now oversee two dozen other doctors, in my own facility. It’s practically a self-contained hospital!”

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“I’ve heard of your office,” Richard shared. “It’s got everything but an emergency room.”

Allen’s expression darkened. “The city’s been on our case about that. But none of us want to be on-call twenty-four hours a day. We’ve got half a mind to take the whole thing concierge.”

Sore subject, apparently. Richard had to find a positive topic, and quickly.

“I think you should! You must follow your dreams, after all. I’m sure it’ll work out for you.”

Evelyn turned to Allen. “If only it would for Kelly.”

“I heard you were investigating the death of one of her ‘comrades’,” Allen snarled, the last word coming across as mocking.

“I’m certainly trying to,” Richard revealed. “But it seems like it’d be easier to find people that don’t want to kill them.”

The couple burst into laughter. “Isn’t that the truth!” Evelyn trilled.

“I don’t envy your job at all,” Allen stated. “For one thing, it sounds really dangerous. Kelly told us you helped to bring down a corrupt police officer? That must have taken nerves of steel!”

Richard was about to explain how scared he was, but realized that wasn’t a good look for a detective. Having little to lose at this point, he decided to go for the other extreme. “Police captain, actually.”

“Wow! Well done!” Allen congratulated. “I’ve heard captains run their precincts as extortion rings for their own personal benefit. We could certainly stand a lot less of that.”

“It makes me glad I’m working on my own,” Richard triumphed. “I’m not sure I could handle the realities of actual police work. Too dirty for my tastes.”

“My feelings exactly.” Allen leaned forward. “You know, I could always use someone with your kind of skills. And not just for something banal like debt collection. I find myself in a lot of situations where I could really use a private detective. Like making sure the good fellow in front of me with the tempting deal isn’t just some phony out to scam me.”

“I excel at that!” Richard declared.

Evelyn leaned forward slightly. “We’ve decided to put you to the test, by funding Kelly’s case for the duration. If you can prove your worth there, we’ll talk about forming a business relationship. Maybe even keep you on retainer.”

For the duration? That was music to his ears. Never mind the pressure to perform; this was the chance he had been waiting for! Retainer? Too much to process right now. He tried to contain the joy swelling within him, but undoubtedly it was spilling out his sides and forming a puddle on the floor. “That sounds excellent! We can discuss it again once I’ve solved your daughter’s case.”

Evelyn’s eyes flashed daggers. “She’s not my daughter.”

Richard’s heart sank; he no longer had any concern about hiding his joy. Time for his team to take the field…maybe try to sneak over the back fence and go home.

Allen smiled sadly. “It’s a rough story. Kelly’s mother told me one day, out of the blue, that she was leaving me. She said I spent too much time at work.” He threw his hands up in frustration. “I did it all for her, for the family, and she just couldn’t appreciate it!”

“But I could,” Evelyn chimed in. “I understood the sort of commitment he made.” She leaned in to hug Allen. “I was one of his nurses at the time. Now I’m the office manager.”

Allen held Evelyn tightly. “She was there when I needed someone. And for that, I’ll always be grateful.”

“What a beautiful story,” Richard agreed.

Allen sighed. “Indeed! And that’s when I was fortunate enough to dodge the next bullet.”

“Oh?” Richard prompted.

“Erica would have been entitled to half the marital assets,” Allen shared. “That’s what I get for marrying young, for love. But it turns out she was forging prescriptions, and became a big-time drug addict. I have Evelyn here to thank for uncovering that.”

“I was only too happy to serve,” she ribbed.

“I immediately cut off Erica’s supply, and that’s when the divorce got nasty. But she made a terrible witness, you see, being all strung out. She ended up getting a very small settlement, and lost custody of Kelly completely.”

“That sounds rough,” Richard sympathized. “I hope she’s doing better now.”

Evelyn’s lips curled. “The last we heard, she was sleeping in a gardening shack in Vail. She lives like a bum, and spends her monthly alimony payment on drugs.”

The three stared at each other morosely for a few moments. Then Allen leaned in.

“Detective Schmutz…if I can make one request…could you find a way to steer my daughter in a different direction? I care for her very much, but she’s got too much of her mother in her. Maybe emphasize that she shares her dead comrade’s lifestyle, and could easily end up like him.”

“I don’t think that’ll be a problem,” Richard promised. “After all, it’s true. I’ve met all the members of Harmony, and they’re like a powder keg waiting to explode. I’m doing my best to solve this case, and expect my investigation will reveal a lot more of their wrongdoing. I look for opportunities to scare them straight.”

Allen beamed. “If I’ve learned anything from this conversation, it’s that you can think on your feet, and have a strong sense of ethics. You’re the right sort of person to be in this profession.” He turned to Evelyn. “Would you agree, honey?”

Evelyn smiled warmly as she beheld Richard. “Yes. I can tell you’re one of the good ones.”