Paxton Private Investigations: Paxton PI

Chapter One

When my brother's girlfriend rushed right past me without saying hello, I knew something bad was going down. I was sitting right outside his office at the reception desk, and yet she didn't bother to keep her voice down. A better woman would have taken my presence into account. At seventeen, I was Graham's little sis, and he wouldn't want me overhearing.

Megan, apparently, was not a better person. Her rage penetrated the walls and scalded me with its dangerous heat.

Do you have any idea how badly you've embarrassed me?

Megan, my brother said, in a distracted tone, this isn't a good time.

Uh oh. That was sure going to get her going.

Not a good time? Not a good time! Graham Paxton, I'll have you know that I have had enough!

Megan, please, I thought you understood that I can't be interrupted at work.

Graham! You stood me up for lunch, or I wouldn't be violating the sanctity of your workplace. She practically spit out the last words. We were going to talk... at lunch... about why you canceled dinner last night and why you stayed at your place instead of mine like we'd planned.

Double uh oh.

And just this once, you're going to listen to what I have to say even if we are, God help me, in your office, during business hours, discussing a personal matter.

Megan, I'm sorry. I lost track of time. You know how much work I have—

Graham, please, for the love of all that is holy, shut your mouth and listen for once.

I could almost hear his mouth snap shut. Or was that my own chin hitting the floor. Megan wasn't messing around this time. She was dumping my poor brother on his derriere.

I'm breaking up with you, she said. Don't talk. Just listen. I’m not willing to wait for you to get far enough down on your list of priorities to make time for me. Especially since it's a long list, and you've made it very clear that I'm way down at the bottom. Her voice broke. I know you have a lot on your plate, Graham. I know you do, but if you don't take some time for yourself, you're going to wake up one day and realize you're all alone.

Megan, please...

I can't do this anymore, Graham. I just can't. With a loud sob, she dashed back out of his office, running past me to the exit.

I didn't want Graham to know that I'd heard. I started to crawl under the desk so he wouldn't see me as he ran after her. Then it hit me. He wasn't running after her.

What in the world was wrong with him?

I huffed and stood up. Did I have to do everything around here? The man was ten years older than me, and he didn’t have a clue. I walked over to his office door and looked inside.

My brother sat at his desk, his head in his hands in defeat.

Aren't you going to go after her? I asked.

No point, he muttered. I don't have time for her. I can't find a way to make time for her. Nothing's going to change.

If you ran after her, she'd take you back, I said with confidence. She's crazy about you.

Graham finally raised his head but didn't meet my eyes. She’d take me back for a month. Maybe two. But then… It's okay, Townsey. This isn't the right time for me to have a relationship.

I thought you liked her.

He smiled, a tiny smile that was almost lost in the dark beard he wore to make him look older. I did. I thought you didn't like her.

I didn't. I never liked any of his girlfriends. None of them were good enough for my brother. She made you laugh, I said. The only times I've seen you smile since Dad died were when she came over and you made her dinner.

He shook his head. I was laughing because she would have poisoned herself instead of admitting how bad the food was.

I grinned at that image. You still laughed.

Thank goodness you didn't have any trouble telling me how disgusting it was.

I’m not a fan of retching, Graham. I wasn't going to spend hours with my face in a toilet bowl just to spare your feelings.

I wouldn’t do it for you either.

I walked over to the chairs that faced his desk and sat. Graham, you know I can do more.

You’re a junior in high school, Townsey. We worked all of this out with Dad, and I’m sticking to our agreement. You can work up to twenty hours a week doing background checks and computer searches. When you graduate, you can do more.

I could take on some of the insurance fraud cases. How hard could it be to snap a few photos?

He shook his head. Not hard, but not safe. I’m not putting you in harm’s way. He sat up straighter and held my gaze. This discussion is over.

I raised an eyebrow. He was seriously going to get all imperial on me? I had an urge to tell him he wasn’t the boss of me. But he was. Since Dad died, my brother was my guardian. I just wished Graham didn’t have to sacrifice so much for my sake.

Later that night, I sat at the kitchen island with two of my best friends, Felicity and Liz. We were chomping on our favorite pizza when my brother came out of his room. We’d moved into the loft above the office to save money, but the space didn’t allow for a lot of privacy.

Oh my Lord, Felicity said, dropping her slice of pizza onto her plate. Graham’s back.

He’s been home for an hour, I said.

No, I mean, the old Graham is back. You know, the young, fun one that we used to know, she said.

Graham walked over to us and I looked up at him. He’d shaved. His beard was gone, and she was right. Without his beard, he looked like the fun-loving young Graham, the brother I’d had before my father’s diagnosis. My brother had always been a heart-breaker. I would never admit it to him, but he did look a lot like that guy who played the Arrow on the CW.

What’s with the clean-shaven look? I asked.

Graham snagged a slice of pizza from the box. I have to go undercover at a frat party tonight. He looked at me. Can I pass for twenty-one or twenty-two?

Yes, Liz said.

Of course, Felicity agreed, her springy twists bouncing as she nodded.

My brother waited patiently for my answer. He didn’t trust my friends’ opinions. He never saw how intelligent and wonderful they were. His mere presence turned them into stammering idiots. Since the sixth grade, Felicity and Liz had been hopelessly in love with him.

Aren’t they going to notice that you aren’t a member of the frat? I asked.

Got that worked out, he said. I’ve already established that I’m a member of the frat at the University of Georgia.

Good plan. Okay, yes, I said, examining his chinos and overpriced sweater. You’ll blend right in.

Yeah, you will, Felicity said in an overly loud voice.

Liz started to giggle.

Graham flinched. I should get going. I’m taking the Honda.

We had three cars now. My nondescript blue sedan. The slightly different nondescript black sedan my father had driven, and my brother’s beat-up ten-year-old silver Honda. I never knew which car I’d be driving because my brother switched cars so often. The only bad part was that I couldn’t put any stickers on my car. I desperately wanted one of the Hogwarts Alumnae stickers and the one that said, I drive like a Cullen. I directed some of my frustration at the walls of my new room. I wasn’t a fan of the dark brick, especially when I was grieving for my dad. It has taken months, but there wasn’t an inch of brick showing now.

Do you need a date? Felicity asked. You know, to help sell the college boy thing?

I had to admit that had been almost smooth of her.

Graham frowned. If I took you to a frat house, your father would have me arrested. He shook his head and grabbed his keys. Don’t leave the loft, he said to me.

My brother wasn’t comfortable around any of my friends. I would have thought that he’d like my guy friend a little better, since Hearst didn’t fawn all over him. But he didn’t like him either. Hearst didn’t exactly try to fit in though.

Bye, Graham, Liz said.

Graham waved and went out the door to the stairs.

I guess he didn’t shave off all the grumpy when he shaved his beard, Felicity grumbled.

I sighed. He has a lot on him now.

Felicity placed a hand over her heart and said fervently, I would so help ease his burdens.

I met Liz’s gaze and we both started giggling.

My good-natured friend just grinned at us. I was being serious.

I know, I said. That’s what makes it funny.

She stuck out her tongue at me. I guess it doesn’t matter anyway since he’s dating Megan.

It doesn’t matter anyway because he’s almost ten years older than you, I said. As for Megan, she dumped him this afternoon.

No! Liz shouted.

How could she? Felicity cried.

I know, I said. His life kind of sucks.

Felicity looked toward the door. If I’d known that, I would have given him a big hug before he left.

Me too, Liz agreed.

I rolled my eyes. You both need to get over it. He thinks you’re still twelve.

Liz gasped and Felicity glared at me.

How rude, Felicity said. When I marry your brother, I’m not making you a bridesmaid.

Liz nodded. When I marry Graham and we have kids, they won’t even call you aunt.

And it will be no more than I deserve, I said, not for the first time.

Felicity narrowed her eyes. I can’t wait to prove you wrong.

Me too, I said. In the meantime, let’s figure out how to help my brother.

Why did Megan break up with him? Is she crazy? Liz asked.

She broke up with him because he kept canceling their dates and he stood her up at lunch today.

Oh, Liz said. That’s pretty bad.

He better learn how to treat a woman before he asks me out, Felicity said.

I groaned. Seriously, Felicity. Let it go. I’m worried about Graham.

Okay, fine, she said. What are you going to do?

I’m going to do more of the work so he can have some free time, I announced.

He’s going to let you? Liz asked, wide-eyed.

Well, no.

So how are you going to do it? Felicity asked.

I have access to all of his files. Dad had given me free rein when I turned fourteen. He and I used to discuss his cases all the time. I loved talking through his investigations with him.

You can see all the files, but that doesn’t help if Graham won’t let you work on them, Liz said.

He won’t know, I said.

Felicity frowned. He won’t know until you finish a case. Then he’s going to know.

Well, crud. Yeah, I admitted. He’s going to know.

Once you show him you can do it, will he change his mind? Liz asked. Maybe he’ll let you help him then.

Not a chance, I said.

So how do you manage to do the work without your brother knowing? Felicity asked.

Maybe I could get one of the people who does contract work for him to cover for me, I mused. He hired out some of the cases when he could.

They aren’t going to go against his wishes, Liz said. They’ll lose work if he finds out.

What if you were a contract worker? Felicity asked.

Well, that would be great, but I’m not, I said.

No, I mean, couldn’t you set yourself up so he’d think you were a contract worker? Felicity asked.

Could I put myself in the system, under a different name of course, and convince Graham to give me cases? Uh, yeah, I could. That will work!

Felicity squealed. It will?

It actually will! I can set up an email, a fake profile to show Graham, then tell him they’re vetted through the Coates Agency. He won’t question any of it because he won’t have any reason to.

Liz raised a brow. Graham’s a PI. Should it be so easy to fool him?

It will only work because he trusts me, Liz. He’s not an idiot. It’s not like somebody else could scam him.

Just the adoring sister he gave up his vet school dreams for, Felicity said.

I glared at her.

Sorry, she said. It didn’t sound that bad in my head.

That’s just what I need. More guilt, I said.

Enough with feeling guilty, Townsey! Your brother loves you. He doesn’t mind putting off vet school. You’re worth it, and your brother knows you’re worth it, Liz said. Now you figured out a way to help him with the PI stuff. So let’s focus on that.

I took a deep breath. Okay. Better now. I nodded. Help me think of a name.

Five minutes later, I felt the need to clarify. No unusual celebrity names that Graham will easily spot.

There are lots of Goslings, Liz argued.

So no Hofstadter or Koothrappali, Felicity added. But Cooper could work.

Done, I said. Sarah Cooper. I turned the page on my spiral notebook. Now I need to make a to-do list. Curriculum Vitae. References. Email from the Coates Agency. Online back history in case he checks.

And a bank account, Felicity said. To deposit the checks.

I’m not going to take his money.

Both of my friends looked at me like I was crazy.

Do you think he’s not going to notice that? Liz asked. After all this other work to convince him Sarah Cooper is real?

They had a point. Okay. So I stall. I take a while to invoice him. Then when he sends the checks, I’ll delay in cashing them.

Does he mail checks to the other people who do work for him? Liz asked. Seems kind of old school.

No. This wasn’t going to work. He transfers the money electronically.

So you need a real bank account. One you can get the money back out of, Felicity mused. He never paid any attention to us, did he? Would he recognize my mother’s name?

I doubt it. Felicity’s mother had kept her maiden name.

I have a checking account that my mom’s name is on. So if you wanted to be Carol Lawrence, you could access the money, move it into savings, and give it back later. Felicity grinned.

I reached out to shake her hand. Hi, I’m Carol Lawrence, private investigator. Nice to meet you.

What if her mother notices the money? Liz asked.

She won’t, Felicity said. She’s way too busy to monitor my bank account. And if she does, I’ll tell her the truth.

I don’t want you to tell her the truth, I argued.

If the alternative is having her think I’m stealing or dealing drugs? Felicity crossed her arms over her chest and cocked her head to the side.

Fine. In that case, you can tell her.

We put in a movie, and my friends got comfy on one of the big leather couches we’d had since I was little. When we’d moved all of the familiar furniture in, the cold, hard space had softened. Now it almost felt like home.

I grabbed my laptop from my room and set it up on the kitchen counter.

Aren't you watching? Felicity asked.

I am. I swear. I just want to log in and see what Graham is doing.

Liz paused the movie. Great idea!

They were both back at the kitchen island in seconds.

Fine. I searched through the case files until I found a new one. A case I didn't recognize. I opened the file. The University hired him to look into a fraternity that has been using roofies on girls.

What a bunch of creeps, Felicity said. I hope he catches them.

He looked young enough, I said. But will they believe he’s visiting from another school?

I don't know anything about fraternities, Liz admitted.

Me either. Felicity frowned. Your brother must though. He went to college.

True. I tried to ignore the unease in the pit of my stomach.

It's just a stupid frat house, Liz said.

Yeah, I said. Let's watch the movie.

We were just getting to the good part of the movie when my phone sounded an alarm.

I was on my feet in an instant.

What is that? Liz asked.

I don't know, I admitted as I rushed back to the kitchen island where my phone was flashing and sounding an obnoxious signal that sounded like a warning alarm on a submarine. I placed my thumb on the sensor and an app opened up.

I'd never seen this, and I didn't know when my brother had put it on my phone.

Is there a fire? Felicity asked.

No, I said. I don’t think so.

My phone showed a short clip of my brother's face as he said, Been roofied. Then it flashed directions on the screen. Townsey, track me. Joshua, retrieve me ASAP.

When did he put this on my phone? And how did he get roofied? I was already opening the app on my phone to track him, first by his phone and then by the device in his watch. The app mapped the closest route to the frat house and then showed the schematics of the house itself. The transmitters showed that his body was horizontal and moving up a flight of stairs.

They drugged him? Felicity asked.

He's definitely in trouble, I confirmed.

Then my phone rang, flashing the name Joshua. My brother used Joshua whenever he needed muscle. Thank God.

Joshua! You need to get him fast. He's been roofied at some frat house.

Townsey, the man said in his gravelly voice. I'm in Key West right now. You'll have to call Parker Security and get one of their guys to do it.

What? Are you kidding me?

I'm sorry, Townsey. I wish I could help. Should I call Parker for you?

I glanced around at my friends. No. Thanks. I can handle it. I hung up and turned to my friends. Parker Security will take too long. We're going after Graham ourselves.

Liz didn't look convinced. Call them anyway. They can meet us there.

Felicity shook her head. It's not the mob. It's a frat house. I think we can manage a few boys.

My kick-butt African American friend was never one to back away from a challenge, and she was right. If anyone could handle some drunk college boys, it was her. She may not have any power over my brother, but she had no trouble manipulating the boys at our school.

Liz on the other hand was small-boned, petite and unlikely to intimidate anyone. I knew she could be a force to be reckoned with, but strangers were more likely to dismiss her as a harmless, petite, Asian girl.

You drive and stay in the car, Liz. I went to the kitchen cabinet nearest the door and hit it in the corner. It opened right up.

Liz gasped. I thought that one didn't open.

I grabbed three tasers and three ear pieces. One for each of us. Felicity and I will go inside and find Graham. Bring your phones too.

I watched the tracking app on my phone and gave Liz directions as she drove. She finally pulled up in front of an outdated three-story house near the university.

Keep it running, and don't let anybody block you in, I said. He's on the top floor. Actually... I looked again. They put him on the roof.

Felicity and I climbed out of the car. We slammed the doors and heard Liz click the locks.

Loud music poured out the open front door onto the concrete porch and front steps. We hurried inside and were hit with a stench that brought me to a halt. Is that a decaying body?

Felicity shook her head. That's just stale beer. They must swim in the stuff.

I glanced around at the girls and guys who were standing around the room. Each of them held a red Solo cup, and not all of them were at a safe angle. I guessed they spilled a lot. The explanation made