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Chapter Thirteen
Alex
Catriona seemed puzzled when I gave her two teddy bears, and I can't blame her for that reaction. Why did I do it? Stuffed animals to stand in for me. It's ridiculous. Yet lately, I keep feeling like my time with her is limited and I need to appreciate every moment. Seeing that stupid woman again did not help matters. Cat is even more confused by her encounter with the tart I fucked once than she is by the gift of stuffed animals. I have no clue what that woman wants, though I'm positive it isn't just another shag with me.
On the way home, Cat told me the woman calls herself Gloria Harris. Well, if that's her real name, I can find her—and find out what the bloody hell she wants. I need to know more about the woman who seems determined to cock up my life.
After Catriona falls asleep that night, I sneak into the living room to search the internet for some clue about who Gloria Harris is. The woman claims to have a powerful new lover, but that might be bollocks. I refuse to believe Gloria simply wants my body. She is up to something, and I doubt it's a good thing. So I use my admittedly mediocre internet skills to hunt for answers. My first search nets me thousands of women with the same name.Bugger me. This will take years. I can't risk hiring a private investigator. If Cat found out, she would want to know why I'm paranoid about a virtual stranger harassing us. I told her after the most recent encounter that I'm sure it's nothing and she shouldn't worry.
Cat believed me. She trusts me. Whether she should… Well, I'll worry about that later.
I trust no one, with only three exceptions including Catriona.
Since I must do this alone and in secret, I go back to bed and pretend to sleep. Maybe I do catch a bit of sleep, but not enough. I put on a good show for Cat, pretending that I'm well-rested and carefree. I even suggest we eat lunch at a restaurant instead of bringing our own food and having our meal on our favorite bench. After that, I drop Catriona off on campus, telling her I need to run a few errands. It's to do with my classes, of course. Now I'm outright lying to her. I swore to myself I would never do that, but I have no choice. If Gloria turns out to be just a woman who has a crush on me, I'll never need to tell Cat about any of this. It won't matter that I lied. The untruths will evaporate.
Yes, I've spent a lifetime learning how to con other people. Now I'm doing it to myself.
Catriona told me yesterday that Gloria claimed to have a "bachelorette pad" paid for by her new lover. She was wearing what looked like designer clothing, as well as large diamond earrings and a large emerald ring. If her lover paid for those items too, which seems likely, then I should be able to figure out where she lives. It would be a posh flat or a house. Any man who gives a woman designer clothes wouldn't set her up in a tenement. This town doesn't have many clothing stores, which means it shouldn't take me long to figure out where she bought her wardrobe and where she lives. I remember what Gloria was wearing yesterday, which gives me enough information to get started on my search.
I visit several shops, asking similar questions about the items they sell, taking care not to sound too interested. I tell the store clerks that my girlfriend loved an outfit that one of her mates bought and she wants to find something by the same designer. Then I describe Gloria's ensemble. After striking out four times, I finally hit a home run.
And I don't even like baseball.
The clerk in the fifth shop remembers Gloria's outfit and the woman herself. Apparently, she loves a particular designer, Amadeo Gaspari, whose clothing is only sold in this store. The bloke lives in a nearby town and attended Ballesteros University. I learn the name of the clerk, Angelina, and chat her up—though I'm careful not to give her the impression I have any sexual interest in her. I walk a very fine line with sweet little Angelina. Maybe that's why I feel slightly nauseous after my conversation with her.
But I get the information I need.
No, Angelina does not provide that information. Not directly. After browsing the items designed by Amadeo Gaspari, I ask Angelina if the shop has any more of his creations that haven't been brought out for display yet. She disappears into a back room to check.
I take the opportunity to investigate. Leaning over the counter, I snatch up what looks like a logbook of customers and purchases. While I keep half an eye on the door to the back room, I skim the logbook in hopes of discovering the information I need. Just when I think I've struck out—and yes, I need to give up on the ruddy baseball metaphor—I finally see a name I recognize.
Gloria Harris.
The logbook includes her home address and phone number. I grab a flyer from a stack on the counter, flip it over to the blank backside, and scrawl Gloria's contact information on it. Just as I tuck the folded paper into my pocket, Angelina returns. She couldn't find anything in the back room. I thank her and leave.
Now that I have Gloria's address, I have no idea what I meant to do with it. Spy on her? Confront the woman? For the moment, I can't do anything. I need to go back to the campus to pick up Catriona and go home. My investigation will need to wait until tomorrow.
That night, as we're settling in for bed, Cat snuggles up to me and traces circles on my bare chest with her delicate fingertips. "Let's make love, Alex."
Considering what I've been doing today—deceiving her, spying on a stranger, playing detective—I know I can't get aroused, not even for Cat. I'm tired and on edge.
"What's wrong?" she asks. "You seem anxious."
"No, I'm tired after grading papers all afternoon."
Another deception. Never before have I wished I weren't so good at conning people. If she caught me in a lie, at least my secret mission would be out in the open, and I wouldn't need to obfuscate the truth anymore. But I can't make myself confess, and she trusts me too much to suspect anything.
Cat crawls under the covers and closes her eyes. "Good night, Alex."
"Good night, love."
Another night with little sleep leaves me even more on edge in the morning. But I do what I must, relying on skills I thought I'd left in the past, and convince her I feel right as rain today. I want to ask my teaching assistant to handle my classes, but Catriona might stop in at my office to see me. She likes to do that whenever she has time. So I slog my way through topics I normally love to discuss, biding my time until I can sneak away to continue my espionage mission.
Lunch with Cat tests my acting skills, but I don't think she noticed anything amiss. Christ, she really does trust me without reservations. I don't deserve her faith, but I can't make myself push her away.
At least I get one bit of luck. Gloria's house lies on the outskirts of town, and trees screen it from the view of nearby homes. The lot has a large yard which provides even more camouflage thanks to more trees lining either side of the property. All of that means I can easily spy on her. I park my car a block away, on a side street, and skulk onto Gloria's property. I'd worn dark clothes today, knowing I would be doing this.
Catriona complimented me on my clothing. She thinks it's "dead sexy." And her statement made me feel like even more of a bastard.
