4.0: Solving Mysteries

   I hurried from the police station, tired. I'd been doing low level police work in between cases. I was trying to gain popularity in the world of crime- something quite difficult to do, regardless of whether you where a hero or a criminal. I was lucky in someways; I made my own hours. The officers treated me as if PI stood for personal immaculate-r.  I could come in at ten, if I over slept or leave at one if I became fed up with the file papers, go on Dunkin' Donuts runs, repeat routine.
   I was lucky; I'd solved several cases. Snooping around, appeasing the ignorance of Bridgeport was far from ideal; most people's ideas of PI meant someone to yell at the neighbor because the maple leaves had fallen into their hot tub. A case was a case, though and I loved helping people, regardless of how silly it seems. There was a problem; a mystery and I'd solve it. It was my job; my love.
   I paid the taxi driver, generously tipping him. I arrived in my apartment's lobby. I checked the mailboxes. A charity had sent me a thank you for my donation; they wanted to find a way to thank me for keeping them from shutting down. I fumbled around in my pocket, pulling out  a check and an old sticky note. I scribbled a four figure number on the check, making it out to the charity. 'No need for thanks.' I scribbled on the post it, placing both slips of paper into the return envelope that came stampeded. I stuck it back in the mailbox, as I pressed the fourth floor button, riding the elevator up to my apartment.

    "Hey Gabby." I threw open the apartment door, smiling. She smiled greeted me, excitedly. It was like we hadn't seen each other since forever, when in reality it had just been a few hours. "You glad to see me?" She wagged her tail, barking. "Me too." I leaned down to pet her.
    I'd adopted Gabby, my dog who was a mix of several breeds, shortly after Maverick was shipped off to Crazy Central. The apartment was lonely, large and empty. I needed someone to share it with and I wasn't about to try and find a mail order bride, just because I hated living alone.
     I was a private investigator. Thrilling? At times.  Lady magnet? Not exactly, considering that I wasn't exactly advertising my status, especially during undercover work.

  "What's that?" I leaned down, picking up the slightly slobber covered newspaper. I had trained Gabby to get the newspaper for my every morning. Everyday I would come home, read the paper, while Gabby played with her toys. Lately, she was favoring the hot dog chew toy.
    "Woof!" She barked, running off to the doggy playroom slash office, also know as Maverick's old bedroom. I followed her, sitting down on the futon.
     "Huh." I started reading the classifieds. PI NEEDED lined the top. Call at YAY-SIMS Interesting. I needed a new case; something real, something not 'Hi, can I have five large mocha lattes and a baker's dozen?' I took out my cell and dialed the number.
    "Hello sir, this is Parker Janes with Janes Investigations."
    "Did you see the ad?"
    "Yes, sir. How may I be of service?"
    "My neighbor has been moaning like a hyena who has had too much laughing gas at the dentist! Every night, there's a male coming over to the home, I'm aware that the girl has a boyfriend, my son, and am afraid she's cheating on him."
    "Do you have your son's consent?"
    "No."
    "I can work with. Would you like to meet at my office?"
    "Please, no. I don't want anything to seem out of the ordinary. How about near the bookstore?"
    "Alright."
    "Tonight? Nine?"
    "Yes, sir." I hung up, overjoyed. I wasn't glad that my client's son's girlfriend was unfaithful, but I was happy that I had a case. I prepared dinner, salad, the one thing I couldn't burn and mess up. I filled Gabby's bowl to the brim, the leaned down and petted her goodbye. "I'll be back."
    "Wooof." She sadly said. I stared into her puppy dog eyes, sighing. I hated leaving her; she always got this sad look on her face, begging me to stay.
    "I'll be back soon." I stepped outside, locking the door. I rode the elevator down and hailed a taxi. "Bookstore, please." I rode in silence. Not my first case, but still one of the first ten.
    "Mr. Janes?" I heard the man exclaim when I exited the taxi.
    "Yes, sir?"
    "I need you to solve this case fast. My son is thinking of proposing to her, see. He doesn't know about her late night adventures, see."
    "What's the girlfriend's name?"
    "Meredith Rice. Nice girl, really. I have her address and an email she sent me, confirming the birthday party we planned for my son a few weeks ago. "
    "Can you forward me the email?"
    "Anything to help with the case."
    "I'll trace her IP address and hack her email, seeing if I can find anything."
    "Will it take long?"
    "It depends, sir. You're cooperation helps the investigation. If she has anything incriminating in her email, the case will move much faster."
    "Okay." He sighed. "I have to go. They're coming over for dinner tonight. Try and solve the case. I don't want to ask her; she might think I'm stalking her. I know... I care hear physical sounds. I'm aware that she's..."
    "Yes, sir. I understand." We exchanged some small talk, my rates, and finally we left. I rode home, thinking. Meredith Rice. Was she cheating?

   I arrived at my office the next morning, with Gabby in tow. I had a weekly cleaning service that always cleaned well, allowing me to bring my lovable dog to the office. The email was sitting in my inbox. I quickly traced the IP address, hacking into her inbox. Spam, spam, Last Night! I clicked on the last night email.

From: meredith.rice@sims3email.net
Subject: Last Night!
Thanks for coming over last night. Srry about issues. :) Love ya.

To: meredith.rice@sims3email.net
Re: Last Night!
No problem. ;) He'll love it. Mere, I don't like sneaking around. Could we tell him?

From: meredith.rice@sims3email.net
Re:Re: Last Night
Not yet. We don't want him to be upset. He doesn't like me; I can tell. Look, I love you. A lot...I just...we broke up a month ago. But...he doesn't know yet. He wants you to settle down and was going to force you into proposing. Your dad wants us to get married; well, not us but you. He wants you to settle down. We broke up from the pressure...I love you.

To: meredith.rice@sims3email.net
Re:Re:Re: Last Night
Will you marry me?

From: meredith.rice@sims3email.net
Re:Re:Re:Re: Last Night
Haha. I already said yes yesterday night. We can tell him soon.

From: meredith.rice@sims3email.net
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re: Last Night
Thank you. :DD

   That was odd. She was engaged to- I glanced at the recipient of the emails. The man's son?! Time to make a phone call.
   "Hello?" He answered.
   "Sir, did your son break up with Meredith?"
   "Uh," He paused.
   "Sir, lying will only prolong the investigation."
   "Yes." He sighed. "He's already thirty three and she's only twenty-four. They love each other, but he needs to settle down with a woman who's his age, not some college aged whore."
   "Why did they break up?"
   "I told he she slept with his brother." He was crying. "I ruined their happiness! I-I-" I comforted him for a few minutes, then called Meredith.
   "Hello, Meredith Rice." She answered, happily.
   "Ma'am, this is Parker Janes with Janes Investigations."
   "For the hundredth time, I'm completely faithful!"
   "Excuse me?"
   "My almost father in law called you, didn't he?"
   "Yes."
   "I'm coming over to your office. I'll look up the address in the phone book." She hung up. She was incredibly angry and aggravated. I felt awful; she was secretly engaged to the man's son, hiding it from him because he hated her and all she wanted was to live happily ever after. This wasn't what I pictured life as a PI as. Did anyone?