Author Note

Sorry about the delay in this chapter. Life has a way of keeping you distracted.

Chapter 3

A light bounced around the room taking in all the surfaces and reflecting off the chrome surface of the chairs. The security guard peered through the door and then checked his watch. He had another 5 minutes before he could go back to the security office but it was a quiet night and he figured he could return to it now. He might actually get a chance to watch the next season of The Crown if he had a chance. He took another quick look and closed he door.

Under the table Caron let out the breath she had been holding. She had the laptop and the memory card held tightly to her chest. Once she knew that the security guard was out of range she crawled out from under the table.

/\\

"This is taking way too long, " AJ said as he and Rick sat waiting in the Power Wagon.

"Give her another 5 minutes. If she's not out we go back in," replied his brother as he checked his gun.

"Another 5 minutes and we might have to bail her out of jail! " exclaimed AJ. "I knew we shouldn't have brought her along."

"You were the one who was all gung ho about training her to be an investigator AJ, " Rick said.

AJ let out a sigh. "I know. Maybe she's not ready."

"We can talk about it in the morning."

AJ looked at his watch. "I'm going in. It's been too long." He started to get out of the truck when a banging on the side of it startled both of them. Quickly drawing their guns they silently got out of the truck and moved stealthily along each side. With every reflex on edge they pulled down the tail gate. "Don't move!"

"It's me! " exclaimed Caron holding her hands up.

"What the hell do you think you are doing!" AJ asked through gritted teeth. "We could have killed you!" He grabbed her arm and brought her around to the front of the truck.

"I sent a text to your phone," replied Caron pushing his hand off her arm. "Ow!"

"AJ. Take it easy, " Rick said.

"My phone is on silent. I told you that before we went in, " replied AJ.

"No you didn't!" She exclaimed . "I have the memory card."

AJ grabbed it off her and pushed her to the Power Wagon. "We'll talk about this tomorrow."

Caron pursed her lips together and was about to say something but the angry look on her brother's face stopped her. Rick gave her a half smile as he started the engine.

/\\\

The atmosphere in the Simon and Simon office the next morning was tense. AJ was still angry with Caron but hadn't spoken to her. She sat quietly at her laptop waiting for him to explode at her. Rick was trying to lighten the atmosphere by telling some silly stories about Carlos going to Tijuana and getting busted by an angry husband. AJ glared at him as he went through the files from the memory card.

"Ok. We need to go and see Albert Harrison's widow," he eventually said to Rick. His brother nodded and got up from his desk. They both walked towards the door.

Caron looked up. "That's the one who was seen in Mexico." She shut the laptop and started to stand up.

Her blond brother looked at her. "NO! You stay here! " he pointed at the desk to emphasise his point. Caron opened her mouth to say something but again she shut it to avoid getting into an argument with him. Rick looked back at her as he and AJ left the office.

"You were a little harsh with her don't you think?" Rick said as they walked to the red Camero

"Rick. She almost blew it last night. You of all people were the one totally against her coming along. "

"All I am saying is that, yes she is a bit green but she has the makings of a good investigator. "

AJ glanced at him. "You certainly changed your tune."

Rick let out a long sigh. "Well you are going to be the one to tell her."

"I will," replied AJ with a sigh.

The remainder of the car journey to Chula Vista was in silence broken every now and again by Rick asking questions about the woman they were going to see and AJ giving him one word answers.

/\\\

They walked up the garden path of the mansion where the woman lived. Every sense was on alert for both men. Rick scanned the area and AJ took in the well manicured lawn and trees.

"Certainly looks well cared for, "mused AJ as Rick rang he doorbell.

"Sure does, " replied his brother.

The door was answered by a dark haired woman in her 30's.

"Deborah Harrison? I'm AJ Simon and this is my brother Rick. We 're private investigators. We'd like to ask you a couple of questions if you have the time? " AJ showed her his PI identification. The woman let out a long sigh but let them in.

"Georgina sent you I presume. That woman is like a dog with a bone. She just won't let it go!"

"She has concerns in relation to your life insurance claim..." AJ started to say before being interrupted by the woman.

"Yes Yes I know. But the man I was seen in Mexico wasn't my dead husband."

"Then who was it? " Rick asked.

"It was my husband's identical twin brother. I told Georgina all of this," sighed Mrs Harrison.

The two brothers glanced at each other. "I am presuming you have proof of this?" asked AJ.

"Like what?" the woman asked.

"Birth Cert, Death Cert. DNA samples which would prove this. There was nothing in your insurance application that would indicate a sibling, " Rick said as he looked through the report that Georgina had given them.

Deborah stood up and walked over to the sideboard. She opened up a drawer and pulled out a stack of photo albums and handed them to AJ. "Old family photos of my husband and his brother."

He opened the photo album and leafed through the old black and white photos. . He came to one of Deborah on her wedding day. Two identical looking men stood either side of her.

"I went on vacation to Mexico with my husband's brother Steve. We got close after he died..."

"So you and Steve?" queried Rick.

"We're together now, " replied Deborah.

"Ohh, " AJ said.

"We're sorry to have wasted your time, " Rick said standing up. AJ looked at him with curiosity and smiled at the woman in front of them.

"If you have any further information please do not hesitate to call us, " he said handing her his business card.

/\\\\

"What do you think?" Rick asked once they were back in the Camaro.

"I don't know. Something isn't sitting right with me," replied AJ with a frown.

"Me neither. Swing by Town and see if he'll run a background check. "

"Ok," replied AJ taking the turn off for the San Diego Police Department.

/\\\

"I'll see what I can do, " Downtown Brown said to the brothers after they explained what they needed.

"Thanks Town. We owe you one!" Rick said.

Town sat back in his chair and stared in amusement at the two men. "You owe me more than. You owe me..."

"Yeah we know Town," grinned Rick opening the office door.

"Hold on a minute. I need another favour, " smiled AJ as he sat down in the chair in front of the lieutenant 's desk. He looked over at Rick. "It's personal."

His brother nodded as he opened the office door. "Carlos has a deal going with the Playa Mar shooting range. Shoot 5 bullseyes, get a 6th free. Gonna head over and practice."

AJ stared at him as if he were mad. "You can't even shoot in a straight line!"

"Better shot than you are little brother, " smirked Rick as he left the office.

Tow sniggered but stopped when he saw the look of annoyance on the other man's face "What is it AJ?"

"Who do you know in the Minneapolis Police Department? "

"There was a detective that transferred from here last year," replied Town. "Why?"

"It's Caroline, " sighed AJ.

"Ahh I heard she was back in town. Still a handful is she? Does she still have blue hair?" chuckled Town.

"Don't you know it. Her latest idea is that she wants to become a private investigator and join the business."

"Ok," replied Town. "So why the interest in Minneapolis? "

"Do you remember when she was here last year? "

Town grinned. "Yeah. That time I ended up naked on a speedboat with her driving it! "

"That was an image I had to erase from memory!" AJ said closing his eyes and shaking his head as if to block out the memory.

"Apart from that I remember she was adamant that she wasn't coming back to San Diego because she loved it too much in Minneapolis."

"Yeah. Anytime I've asked her about it since she 's been back she doesn't want to talk about it. Changes the subject every time, " replied AJ. "I'm concerned that something happened."

"Ok. I'll give the Minneapolis PD a call. If anything comes up I 'll let you know. "

AJ got to his feet. "Thanks Town."

/\\\\

AJ's cell phone rang as he was driving back to the office. It was the detective from Minneapolis. His brow furrowed as he spoke to the other man.

"Thanks for your help Pete." He sighed as he hung up the call.

Caron looked up from the computer screen when he arrived back in the office. "Hi! "

He smiled at her. "Hey."

"Three calls all requiring your services," she said handing him the slips of paper.

"Thanks sis, " he replied. He bit on his lower lip as he considered what to say next. "Caroline, we need to talk. "

"If this is what happened last..."

"It is and isn't. Sit down here," he said indicating the old brown leather couch.

She exhaled slowly as she sat down beside him.

"I know... what happened in Minneapolis," he began.

She flushed as she lowered her head. "How?"

"Detective Morales. "

"Oh."

"Why didn't you tell us? " he asked turning to face her.

She was silent for a moment. "Because I was embarrassed. I... made a mistake."

"You should have told us," he replied. "We would have helped you."

"I'm sorry, " she sniffed. "Do Mom and Rick know?"

AJ shook his head. "No."

"Are you going tell them?" she asked.

" No, " he replied. He took her hand and squeezed it."You are. "

She let out a sigh . "I can't tell them. Mom will be disappointed in me. Rick will get up on his high horse. "

He brought her closer to him and she leaned her head on his shoulder as her eyes began to fill with tears.

"It'll be alright, " AJ said softly stroking her hair. He considered what he was going to say next. "We need to talk about what happened last and I don't think you are ready to be a private investigator yet. "

She glanced at him. "But AJ!"

He got up and walked over to his desk. She stood up and followed him. "You said you would train me!"

He dropped his head and put his hands on his hips. "I know Caroline. But being a Private Investigator requires discipline. Something you didn't exhibit yesterday. You put yourself in real danger..."

"But doesn't discipline come with experience?" Caron tried to plead her case.

"It does sweetie, but you couldn't even do what Rick or I asked you to do. You went in there all gung ho..."

"But AJ!"

He was silent for a moment. "You are welcome to continue working here on phones and running the social media platforms. But for the time being we won't be letting you out in the field."

/\\\

"Mind if I come in?" Town stood at the door of the Simon and Simon office later that day. Caron looked up from her computer screen with a big grin. "Muffin!"

"Pookie!" smiled Town as Caron jumped up from her seat to give the man a hug.

Rick and AJ gave each other puzzled looks at the exchange mouthing Muffin and Pookie to each other. "What brings you down here Town?" AJ asked.

"Deborah Harrison has priors for shop lifting...credit card fraud... " Town handed Rick the file he had in his hand. The older Simon flipped through the file and handed it over to AJ.

"She was a minor when she committed those crimes. Placed in care for two years," AJ read as he placed the file down on his desk.

"One another thing. Stephen Harrison was convicted of assault and battery and placed in the same care home, " Town said handing them another file.

AJ leaned forward in his chair. "They knew each other before she married his brother?"

"Looks like it, " replied Town.

"What if they were involved with each other back then?" Caron said.

"Deborah never said anything about that. She just said they got close after her husband died," Rick said.

"Maybe she was lying?" replied Caron.

"What was the coroner's ruling on Albert Harrison's death?" AJ asked.

"I haven't got those records, " replied Town. "We'll need a court order to get them. "

"Maybe we can get Janet to get that for us," replied AJ picking up his cellphone.

"Maybe we don't need to, " Caron said typing on her laptop. "I can hack the Coroner's... "

"If you're going to do anything illegal Pookie then I can't be here," Town said rolling his eyes. He made his way over to the door. "If you come up with anything give me a call. "

"He's such a wuss," AJ said with a grin as Town went out the door .

"I heard that!" shouted Town from outside the door.

"You get anything yet sis?" Rick asked as he got to his feet and sat on the edge of Caron's desk.

"Nearly there, " replied Caron as she gained access to the Coroner's reports. " Ok. I'm in. Just printing out the report now. "

AJ picked up the pages as they came out of the printer. "This is interesting. Toxicology report says he was 4 times over the legal limit for alcohol. Plus there was narcotics in his system... "

"I thought he died of a heart attack," Rick said.

"Heart Attack caused by the drugs and alcohol," replied AJ handing his brother the report.

"He was a recovering alcoholic according to the insurance company, " replied Caron picking up the insurance company file. "His medical report said that he had been clean for 10 years. He got a clean bill of health. Drug test was negative. He had a medical the week before he died. "

"Maybe he relapsed, "mused AJ.

"Maybe, " replied Rick.

"Or maybe he was murdered!" exclaimed Caron.

"That's a bit far fetched Caroline!" Rick said shaking his head.

"Maybe not, " AJ said getting to his feet. "Think about it. Deborah meets Stephen in Juvie. He was the black sheep of the family... "

"Albert 's company was taking off. He made $1 million in his first year of business. Which was founded the same time Stephen was in care..." Caron continued.

"What if Deborah and Stephen planned it? Albert wouldn't give Stephen a job. Deborah starts dating him but having an affair with Stephen. Albert takes out an insurance policy after he and Deborah marry... "

"The insurance policy was for $30 million to be paid out on his death. Deborah benefits from it. Goes public about her relationship with Stephen after an acceptable period of time..."

"He gets the money, " Rick said looking between his two younger siblings. "It's certainly plausible."

"Question is how do we prove it? " asked AJ. "This is just our theory. We need undeniable proof that it happened that way."

"You could ask her," Caron said.

The two stared at her for a moment. "How would that go Caroline?" Rick said with a scoff .

"Hold on. That's not a bad idea!" AJ said leaning back in his chair with a thoughtful look on his face.

Rick glanced at him and knew that when his younger brother had an idea it would always be a good one. "What ya got little brother?"

"We need a way in," replied AJ.

"How are we gonna do that AJ? She's already seen us," Rick said sitting back down at his desk and putting his cowboy boots on it.

"We could ask Janet to help," Caron said. "Deborah is a member of the country club gym. We can get Janet in as a member. "

"Deborah isn't going to open up to a total stranger and we don't have that kind of time. Janet wouldn't do it anyway," replied AJ.

"She would...if you asked her," Caron said turning to look at AJ.

Her brother shook his head. "She wouldn't do it even if I did ask her. Our book of favours ran out a while back. And I'm not going to use our history to get ask her to something she's not going to do. "

"What if I asked her?" Caron said.

"You can ask sis but I know her, " replied AJ.

"Maybe we don't need to ask her," Rick said taking his feet off the desk. He leaned over and picked up a file from the floor. He handed it to his brother who raised his eyebrows in surprise when he looked at it.

"I thought we agreed on this?" AJ said handing the file back to him.

"Might be our only chance, " Rick said glancing over at Caron who was looking at them curiously.

AJ let out a long sigh and pushed his lips together. "Ok."

"Caroline. We need a favour. " Rick threw the file over to her. She glanced down at it and then looked at her brothers in surprise. "Kendall?"

"We just need you to get Deborah to open up to you," Rick said.

Caron glanced at AJ and then back at Rick. "That's not going to be easy. Not if she doesn't know me and it's like what AJ said...we don't have that kind of time."

"Maybe not," replied AJ. " But she has one thing in common with Kendall. "

"A dead husband and a big life insurance claim," his sister concluded sighing heavily. "And they're both in Georgina's cross hairs."

"Exactamundo! " exclaimed Rick.

"What if I can't pull this off? It's entrapment and that's illegal," said Caron.

"We'll just have to hope that it does," sighed AJ.

\\\/

Caron watched through the chain link fence as Deborah play tennis with a friend. She glanced at her watch as she waited for the game to finish.

"I'm going to the spa," Caron heard the other woman say as she picked up her towel and sports bag.

"I need to pick the kids up from school, " replied her friend with a wink.

"Is that what you call it now? " Deborah asked with a knowing laugh.

"Have to keep up the pretense of everything being normal," sighed the other woman. "Otherwise he would suspect."

"I hear you," Deborah replied as she hugged her.

Caron followed Deborah to the country club spa. It was in a large house on the edge of the country club. A long driveway connected the house to the main building with several large trees dotting the rolling landscape. A fountain spewed up water in the garden at front of the house.

"Going in," Caron said over the small mic hidden in her earring.

"Be careful, " AJ replied over the headset.

Caron was greeted by a smiling receptionist as she entered the spa. "Welcome to Shangri La," the receptionist said a little bit too bubbly for her liking. "How can we help you today?"

"I'm not sure, "replied Caron in her southern accent. She looked around and noticed Deborah seated in the waiting room."My husband died. I just need to de-stress before the funeral you know?"

"I'm sorry to hear that," replied the receptionist. "I would recommend the full body massage and sea weed wrap before finishing in the sauna. You just need to fill out this form. There should be someone free in about 15 minutes."

"That sounds divine," replied Caron taking the form from the receptionist and sat down on one of the comfy chairs in the waiting room. She smiled at Deborah who gave her a small smile as she took out her cellphone.

"Excuse me. You look very familiar. Are you on the TV?" Caron said leaning over to speak to the other woman.

"No I'm not," Deborah said in an irritated tone of voice.

"Are you sure? You seem very familiar to me," replied Caron.

" You must be mistaking me for someone else, " Deborah said not looking up from her cellphone but wishing that she would leave her alone. She really wasn't in the mood for talking to people at the moment.

"Perhaps," replied Caron before letting out a big sigh. "My husband died."

Deborah glanced at her. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"He was a lot older but I loved him," sniffed Caron pulling out a wad of tissues and blew her nose loudly. "Are you married?"

Deborah rolled her eyes. "Widowed."

"Oh then you know exactly what I am going through right now!" exclaimed Caron.

Deborah was saved from answering when the receptionist told her that she could head on up to the treatment room. "Nice to meet you," she said to Caron as she made her way up the stairs.

Caron watched as other woman disappeared up the stairs. She took a look over at the receptionist who was talking on the phone with her back to her. She quickly stood up and followed Deborah up to the second floor.

She kept a reasonable distance glancing over her shoulder from time to time to make sure there was no one around. She saw Deborah turning into a room. She peeked through the door and saw that she had placed her belongings in a locker and then left through another exit. Making sure there was still no one around she entered the room and she pulled a lock pick out of her pocket. She had the locker open in a matter of seconds. She searched for Deborah 's cellphone in her bag. Working as fast as she could she opened the back cover but she fumbled with the ti SIM and it fell on the ground. She didn't see where it landed.

"Dammit," she muttered as she got on her hands and knees to search for it.

"Is there anything wrong?" AJ asked over the headset.

"No. Everything 's fine," she replied noticing that the chip had gone under the lockers. She reached for it but her hand was too big to fit in the gap between the floor and the lockers. Sitting back up on her heels she glanced around the room to see what she could use. Then she remembered the bobby pin in her hair. She pulled it out and slid it under the locker and pulled out the SIM card with it. She breathed a sigh of relief as she quickly switched SIM cards. The one she put in was a digital recording device. She could hear voices out in the hallway and quickly left the room bumping into Deborah on the way out.

"Oh I'm sorry," Caron said discreetly putting another bugging device on the other woman's jacket. It was so tiny it wouldn't be seen.

"I just realized I forgot my medication, " Deborah said walking over to the locker. The shrill ring of a cellphone came from her locker and she let out a sigh as she opened it and pulled out her bag. She fished her cellphone out of her bag and answered it with a terse hello.

Caron watched as Deborah paced the room while again whispering in the phone. Deborah glanced back at Caron who smiled and left the room.

"Coming in loud and clear Caron," Rick said over the headset.

"That was really cutting it close, "she replied as she moved quickly down the hallway.

"Good work sis, "AJ said.

/\\\

"Anything incriminating on the SIM card? " Rick asked as AJ placed it in the computer. AJ waved his hand to shush his brother as he placed the headset on his head.

"That phone call she took at the country club? Listen to this!"

"There were 2 PIs snooping around the other day Steve. Georgina hired them. She's not going to let this go. And if they dig deeper then they're going to find a hell of a lot more." Deborah's voice sounded frantic as she spoke.

"Relax honey. They won't find anything. "

"What if they find out about what really happened to Albert? That you slipped drugs into his food?"

"They won't," replied Stephen.

"Oh my god!" exclaimed Rick as they listened to the rest of the conversation. "We have them!"

"I'll call Town and get him to meet us over there," replied AJ picking up his cell phone. The two men stood up to leave and both if them looked back at their sister. "Want to see the bad guys get arrested?" asked AJ.

Her eyes lit up as she got to her feet. "Are you serious?"

Her blond brother smiled as he guided her out the door. "You were much a part of this as we were!"

\\\/

Five cop cars where parked outside Deborah's house when the three Simons arrived in the Power Wagon a short time later. They got out of the truck and watched as Deborah and Steve were brought out of the house in hand cuffs. Town waved over to them as he spoke to one of his officers at the door of the house.

"Our officers had to give chase when Harrison jumped the back wall. Good work guys, " Town said as he walked over to them. He smiled at Caron and tapped her shoulder.

"We found out that the other insurance claims were legit and Doris Hapland has been cleared," replied AJ. "It was just Deborah and Steven with the phony insurance claim."

"All in a day's work for Simon and Simon," grinned Town. "Does that mean that you are going to train your baby sister to be a pain in the ass like you two?"

"That doesn't take much training, " laughed Rick dodging a punch in the arm from his sister.

A black Lexus pulled up beside them and AJ smiled when he saw Georgina in the driver seat. "If you'll excuse me I need to brief our client."

The others rolled their eyes and watched as he walked over to her. He leaned against the side of the car as she got out giving him a big smile. "If that's what he calls briefing," mused Caron.

\\\\/

"I'm sorry, " Caron said to her mom and Rick as they sat on the deck beside the canal outside AJ's house. She had just told them that she had been arrested in Minneapolis for being part of a computer hacking group. The guy that she had been living with was the leader of the group. She had been given the choice to give evidence against him and leave Minneapolis or face prison if she didn't give evidence. "I should have told you. "

"I'm glad you did sweetheart," Cecilia said leaning over to give her youngest daughter a hug. Caron smiled at her mom and looked over at Rick who was sitting in the chair with a face like thunder. She saw that his jaw was clenched and his fists were rolled into balls.

"Rick? Aren't you going to say something?"

He shook his head slightly and stood up and turned away from her. She let a deep breath as she got up from her chair and walked over to him.

"I don't believe this Caroline!" He eventually said facing her. " That was stupid, irresponsible... "

"Rick, I made a mistake. And I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner," Caron said. "But it worked out for the best. I'm back home and I've decided what I want to do with my life."

"I am too angry with you to even think about bringing you into the business," he said.

"I knew it was a long shot to begin with, " she replied. "" Which is why I decided to go back to school. San Diego University have a great Criminology and Computer Forensics program that I have been accepted to."

"What?" " Honey , that's great! " Rick and Cecilia spoke at the same time just as AJ came out of his house carrying a beer.

"What's going on?" He asked.

I told them about Minneapolis and that I am going back to school, " she replied smiling at her brother.

His eyebrows raised as he gave his sister a smile. "Good."

"So does that mean you will be no longer working for us? " Rick asked grumpily.

"I don't know. I could work part time I suppose. But the question is do you still want me to work for you?"

Rick and AJ glanced at each other and shrugged. "Make you a deal," Rick said .

"What kind of deal?" She asked.

"Work for us part time. Doing what you have been doing with the social media stuff. Hacking if we need you to but we won't call it that. We'll give it another fancy name. IT consultant maybe..."

"Ok. Sounds like a good deal," she smiled.

"Hang on. I'm not finished. When we need you to and if you're not busy with school we would want you to work undercover, surveillance," continued Rick.

"I thought you said I wasn't ready for that," she replied.

"It's only part time how much trouble can you get into...scratch that...," grinned Rick with a shake of his head.

"The only thing is that you won't be a partner in the business. It will stay mine and Rick's, " AJ said to her.

"I guess I can live with that," she replied .

"Those are the terms," Rick said. "What do you say?"

She looked from her brothers to Cecilia who gave her nod. "I say yes!"

The three embraced each other as their mom walked over to them and they pulled her into the hug.

Author Note

Thanks for reading this. I hope you enjoyed it. I do have more stories in the This isn't the 80's series so keep an eye out.