Jeremy had entered the living area of his home to be greeted by the sight of Barbara doing her exercises. He took a look at her in all her glory, appreciating every elegant curve all the way down to those amazing legs she has. Every day he quietly gave thanks that they had found each other.
"Enjoying staring at me?" she said as she touched her toes.
"Sheer admiration, sweetheart" he replied with a smile. She then stood up, put her hands on her hips and smiled back at him.
He then changed the subject. "You're up early this morning" he noted.
"I'm going to the shop this morning to receive a delivery of new stock. I wanted to do my exercises now before showering and then heading off." She replied, finishing her routine and heading to the sofa. The two of them sat down on it.
"Do you need any help at the shop?" Jeremy asked.
"No. It's not a big a job; just be there for when the delivery men arrive, sign a document and they put the gear in the storeroom. All I have to lift is a pen. Have you made any plans?" she replied.
"Not really...although there's something bugging me in my mind...about Darrin. He's just disappeared."
"It's only been two days. Maybe he's out of town visiting family or on business and he's forgotten to call you?"
Jeremy shook his head. "No. He's such a single-minded guy that if he says he'll contact me about the Landgraabs he will do it come rain or shine. I think something bad has happened to him."
"Yes. He's doing some digging and I'll see him later about what he's found but...there's something I'm missing here. Maybe he did get a message to me but I haven't figured out how or what yet."
"Well, I hope you work it out. Anyway, I have to take a shower and get dressed. I'm meeting the delivery men in an hour. Don't fret though..." she said, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek before getting up and heading to the bathroom.
Jeremy went to the study and his desk and picked up the birthday card Darrin had sent him before his disappearance. He studied it in minute detail trying to find a single clue.
And then he realised something....something potentially big. He put the card in his jacket pocket and headed straight over to Action's place next door.
"Sup, Jezza?" said Action as he opened the door.
"Have you had a chance to look into what happened to my missing friend?" asked Jeremy.
"I've started an investigation and it looks like your hunch about foul play is probably correct." Action replied.
"What have you found out, Action?"
"Your friend lost his family back in 1962 when they were poisoned by a chemical spill...caused by the Landgraabs! And then they went out of their way to avoid taking responsibility!"
"That makes sense! That's why Darrin was set on bringing them down!" replied Jeremy.
"So I go over to his place to see if I could find any clues and...nada. Not one thing. The place has been cleaned out and sterilised. It's like no one has ever lived there."
"And you think Landgraab has something to do with that? Making him disappear? Surely that would be too obvious, even for them! A company employee of his level just vanishing like that and his house cleared out with no trace...even your superiors would think suspiciously of the Landgraabs!"
"Even my chief would suspect them. But they're involved...somehow. Maybe they hired a hitman or something. Say, there's one clue though: That birthday card he sent you, I'll need to examine it."
"Do you think it contains a clue?"
"You're damn right I do! Think about it. This cat Darrin Lew is methodical, he has a hatred of the Landgraabs and he's got compromising material on them. But he's also a smart cookie...he knows he's being spied on....what does he do?"
"He disguises the information as something normal and innocuous!" Jeremy blurted out as the penny dropped. "The birthday card! But Action, it's just a simple happy birthday message...there's no information there."
"Or is there and you can't see it? You say the card contained a typewritten message, not handwritten?"
"That's right"
"I've looked into his background. He was in the army in the late 50s AND in cryptography. I was a grunt in the Marines so we didn't go into all that fancy intel stuff but I know those spooks in those branches learned all about codes, concealing messages and sneaking information out under the enemy's nose. I'm thinking a microdot here. Now get me that card!"
