HGL was in Rockville in the Route I-270 Technology Corridor. There were lots of laboratories of one sort or another in that area of Montgomery County. Many were research oriented some did clinical testing to diagnose disease. HGL did both. They did genetic testing to diagnose disease and research in hopes of someday developing a cure. George Holt owned and ran HGL. It had started as a one man show. After he had isolated the genetic code for an enzyme thought to slow the aging process and produced pure product through recombinant DNA manufacturing he had struck it rich. He sold the purified enzyme to a skin care product company that added it to their line of face creams. Now he had a huge building, a snazzy high tech laboratory and 800 employees all looking for the next big money maker.
George had married Amy before he became so well known and rich. Now he wanted a divorce but he didn’t want to share. Amy had played right along with his scheme by getting lonely and falling for the advances of a younger man. A man George Holt was secretly paying to romance his wife. The young man was getting paid $20,000 and expenses. George figured that was a savings compared to half of HGL.
Collin entered the building and walked up to the receptionist. She nodded for him to sign in and gave him a badge that indicated in large letters: VISITOR. She called Doctor Holt’s secretary to tell them that Collin had arrived. While Collin was waiting an employee of the lab came up to the desk. She had apparently forgotten her badge when she left home that morning. The receptionist asked for some identification and issued her a badge. She reminded the employee that if she didn’t turn it back in she would be reported. The employee took the badge and went to the elevators. Doctor Holt himself came to get Collin. They didn’t speak until they were in his office with the door closed.
“Well? Any luck yet?”
Collin pulled a large brown envelope out of his briefcase and handed it to Doctor Holt. Collin had spent the morning developing the pictures in the dark room he had made out of the storage closet in the second bedroom.
George Holt took the envelope from Collin and slowly pulled out the pictures. Collin had included a picture of the bed before the covers came off. George wrinkled his brow when he saw it thinking the pictures would be useless. Then he turned to the next one. The covers were settling to the floor and his wife was holding the young man’s head to her chest with both hands. The following pictures continued to show her infidelity. George put the pictures back inside the envelope. He opened his desk drawer and pulled out a checkbook.
Collin said, “Sorry it turned out this way Doctor Holt.”
Collin always felt guilty about exposing a cheating spouse. He knew it wasn’t his fault but it was a very emotional time for the people involved.
“Not at all. Thank you for your excellent work. This should make the divorce go along much more smoothly.” George handed him the check.
“I know my way out.”
Collin left Doctor Holt and his envelope of pictures and walked out of his office. On his way out he glanced into the laboratory. The doors to the lab were closed but they were glass so you could see men and women walking about in lab coats. Doctor Holt told Collin when he first came to the lab that nothing dangerous was worked on here. Still, they poked around in people’s genetics. It reminded him of Frankenstein. He continued on his way out of the laboratory and to his car. He was headed to the bank. $30,000 would pay a lot of bills.
After the bank he checked in at his office. He couldn’t afford a secretary due to the hit and miss nature of his work. Between cases he answered the phone. While he was on a case he used a temporary agency. His calls were routed to them. They answered just as if they were in his office but they weren’t. He would check in with them and get his messages, if there were any. To fill in the empty spaces between jobs Collin had a deal with a large P.I. firm in Rockville. When they got an overload of cases they would pass one on to Collin. They took a small percentage of his fee but it helped Collin get work. Doctor Holt had been such a case.
He drove up to the professional building where his office was located and parked. His office was here along with a travel agency, some doctor’s offices, a gym and a deli. Real estate in Rockville was expensive but the rent here was fair and there was a lot of parking. He stopped at the deli on his way to his office. It was two p.m. and he hadn’t eaten lunch yet.
“Hey, Mister Carter. How are you today? Chicken salad is fresh.”
“Hello Mister Feldstein. Chicken salad on white toast and one of those big pickles would be great.”
“Wrap the pickle separately so it doesn’t make the toast wet. Right?”
“You know me pretty well Joe.”
“Coming right up.”
Collin walked to the register with a soda from the fridge and some chips from the stand. Joseph Feldstein’s daughter was running the register. Abigail said, “Hello” and rang up Collin’s order. “Back to working in the office, Huh?”
“Until the next big one comes along” answered Collin.