"So why is this your problem?" he asked.
"I owe him a favor and he's called it in." I shrugged, then remembered the vid-screen wasn't working. "This will make us even and get him off my back."
He grunted. "I haven't got tickets this year, but I'll ring around and see what I can do. Give me a few hours."
"Thanks, Mike. I really appreciate it."
"No promises," he said and hung up. I shoved my phone into my purse and went back inside.
Jak raised his eyebrows. "Success or failure?"
"Neither. He's ringing around and will let me know." I reclaimed my stool, then my drink, taking several sips of the cool amber liquid.
"Huh." He munched contemplatively on peanuts for a few seconds. "I've got a friend of mine keeping an electronic eye out on Nadler's house. He'll let me know who's coming and going."
"Well, it obviously won't be Nadler if the neighbors haven't sighted him for months."
"No." He paused again, munching on more peanuts before adding, "I've also been researching his family. Seems rather convenient to me that all his next of kin are listed as dead."
I raised my eyebrows. "Why has that snagged your interest? It happens. Hell—me, for example."
He gave me a wry look. "But you and your mother are somewhat special cases, and we both know it."
We did. Only he didn't know just how special. Mom had been created in a madman's lab, and while I was the result of a more conventional mating, my father was about as far from conventional as you could get.
"It still doesn't make his lack of siblings or relations that unusual."
"If he was a much older man, I'd agree. But he isn't and it just feels wrong."