THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM

by Barbara Arthur

Disclaimer can be found in part one.

Comments welcome at Barbart@globalsite.net

Part Three

A.J.---

I felt compelled to somehow explain to Rick how I felt. He was mixed up, he said, and no doubt he was. We were both mixed up, mixed up in intrigue, playing in a game we hadn't known we were in until the last hour or so. I was as positive as could be that someone had been playing with my mind. Who and for how long I did not know. Rick was growing ever more suspicious that he was the target of a killer earlier in the evening, but that the killer wasn't me.

The business of my brother being in financial difficulty had struck me hard. I couldn't believe it in a way, and yet, knowing Rick, knowing how he'd always been, it wasn't all that difficult to comprehend.

We moved on, still seeing no one. It was eerie as could be. There was not much rocking of the ship now. In fact, everything seemed way, way too calm. I was worried and yet, as I'd told Rick, I felt so different about things. It was hard to explain, even to myself. I felt no animosity whatsoever toward my brother, and couldn't comprehend ever having felt any. "I don't understand it, Rick. If you wrote that book today, I would enjoy it."

"Say what?" he reacted.

"I just know," I went on as we continued to walk, "that I would not get so upset, if the book was written today. And I also know that less than three hours ago, would have reacted just the same as I did when I first read it."

"A.J., that's weird stuff you're saying," my brother told me. "I don't know what to think."

"Me either," I said and meant it. "Are we about there, to your cabin, I mean?"

"Just around the corner."

We walked on and came to the cabin door to which Rick had a key. He inserted it and opened the door. Inside, I saw a scene which was very much like a thousand scenes I'd seen over the years when my brother was present. Clothes strewn everywhere. Luggage open on the floor with his belongings half in and half out of it. Money, for as long as he'd had any, hadn't changed Rick evidently. He was still sloppy.

"Good Lord, what a mess," I commented.

"Huh? Mess?" He said and then grinned. "Oh yea, I forgot how neat you are."

Something occurred to me. "Does Brenda enjoy your lack of order?"

"She's never complained," he said, then frowned.

"What?"

He shrugged. "I was just thinkin' how odd that is."

"Odd that she's never complained?"

"Right. She's never said a word about my, uh, lack of neatness, so to speak."

"Maybe she doesn't mind," I said, but I could tell something was troubling him about it. "There's more to it than you're saying, isn't there?"

He sighed, and sat down on one of the few bare spots on his bed. "Women don't usually like to live like this, I know. But Brenda has never said a word. The castle, man, A.J., it's a mess right now. She moved in and she never mentions anything like that."

"What does she mention?" I asked quickly. "And don't you have help there? I mean, housekeepers?"

He grinned at me. "Not for a while."

"Since you went broke?"

"Yea, since then."

"And was that before or after Brenda?" I questioned, feeling in my gut we were getting somewhere, but not able by any stretch of the imagination to fit the puzzle together.

"During," he answered me. There was a mixture of expressions on Rick's face. One, he looked as dejected as I'd ever seen him. There was, though, a look on his face I'd seen many times over the years. Rick Simon was thinking and as he thought, things were occurring to him. I only hoped he came up with some answers.

"You went broke since you met Brenda?"

"A.J., you don't just go broke! I mean, it took a while. It probably started before Brenda, but, no question, the worst of it has happened since she came into my life."

"She's a big spender?"

"Yea, you might say that," he muttered. "Let's call Mom."

"Wait a minute, Rick!" I grabbed his arm as he reached for the cell phone. "We're getting somewhere here, don't you think? Brenda fits into this some way, I just know it."

"Yea, well, I don't know, A.J.," he said. "You fit into it, too. I want to see what Mom has to say about how you behaved during your stay in San Diego. Don't you?"

I shrugged, knowing I wasn't going to be able to stop him. Besides, I wanted to know what Mom would say as much as he did. "Okay, go ahead. We can come back to Brenda later."

He said nothing. Instead, he began dialing. I waited, leaning against the wall of his cabin. I watched his face and knew immediately when our mother answered.

"Mom?" my brother said. "It's Rick."

Rick---

I was glad to be off of the subject of Brenda. A.J.'s interrogation of me concerning my companion on the cruise was making me nervous. Not that my own thoughts weren't making me nervous enough. I had, I realized, put some concerns about Brenda on the back burner. She was a looker, young, only twenty eight, and I loved looking at her. She was not the empty headed blond type, but instead, an intelligent woman who had earned a degree in archeology. An American, she had been in Scotland five years.

Now, though, it was time to shift my concentration. I had my mother on the phone, and A.J. had set down next to me on the bed. Undoubtedly, he was going to attempt to hear both ends of the conversation. I would have rather talked to Mom alone, but it was too late now. My mother's reaction to hearing who it was that had called her surprised me. "Rick? Oh, Honey, I'm so glad you called. Something is wrong!"

A lifetime habit of trying to keep my mother from knowing just how much trouble I was usually in caused me to react hurriedly to her words. "No, Mom, nothin's wrong. Just thought I'd call----"

Mom cut me off. "Rick, I mean something is wrong here!"

I went on the alert and so did A.J., who was leaning close enough to hear what Mom said. I responded. "What is it? Are you sick, Mom?"

"No, I'm fine, Rick. Are you on the cruise, Honey?"

"Yea, I am. What's wrong there, Mom?"

"It's your brother." she said.

I swear A.J.'s eyes grew so large I thought they were going to pop out of his head. He wanted to speak to Mom and actually reached for the phone. I pushed his hand away and then put my hand on his shoulder to steady him. "A.J.?" I said into the receiver. "What about him?"

"Well, he's gone, for one thing, just disappeared," said Mom.

"Disappeared?" I played along with her. "You mean from Phoenix? How do you know? Did Janet call?"

"Rick, A.J. and Janet are divorced!" Mom said in a scolding tone. "You know that."

"Yea, but I thought she might have got word he'd disappeared, or somethin'. Go on, Mom."

"No, no, I haven't talked to Janet yet about it, but I'm thinking about it."

"Just what makes you think he's disappeared, Mom?" I asked her, with my hand resting on the shoulder of the one we were speaking of.

"Your brother was here for a visit recently, Rick," Mom told me. "Did you know that?"

A direct question. Now, I would have to own up or tell a lie. I opted for the latter, thinking I could make up for it later. "A.J. visited you? No, I didn't know that."

A.J. frowned at me, and I was struck by it. Always, the guy had hated to lie, hated to hear anyone else lie. Could he, then, be lying about tonight's events? Mom went on. "Yes, well, he was. I didn't tell you when you called last time, but he was here then."

"The last time I called? That wasn't very long ago, Mom. So, you say he was there then?"

"Yes, and he was very strange acting."

My brother glared at me with what might be considered an I told you so expression. I spoke again to our mother. "Strange? How so, Mom?"

She attempted to explain. Mom was not young anymore, and I hated thinking about it. She fumbled around with words, trying to find the right ones to tell me what she meant. "Well, he just wasn't himself, Rick. He, uh, oh I don't know how to say it, he, well, for one thing, he didn't say much at all the entire time he was here."

"And how long was that?" I asked.

"Let's see, uh, five days, I believe it was. See, Honey, that's the thing."

"What is?"

"He said when he arrived he was staying two weeks."

I turned to A.J. There was a mixture of pain and puzzlement on his face. I, not for the first time that night, felt sorry for him. I also was beginning to realize the story he'd been telling me must be true to some extent. "He left early then?" I asked. "Did he say why?"

"He didn't say anything, Honey. I just got up one morning and he was gone. I've been trying to locate him ever since. He's not at home in Phoenix."

"How long ago was this, Mom?" I asked.

"Two days," she answered.

My brother was gesturing to me. He wanted in the worst way to speak to our mother. I, too, felt she might as well be reassured that he was all right. "Uh, Mom," I began. "You don't have to worry. I know where he is."

"You do? Where? Oh Rick, he didn't try to hurt you, did he?"

A.J. grabbed the phone from my hand and revealed his whereabouts to Mom. "What makes you think I would hurt Rick, Mom?" he asked.

I could visualize my mother's face as it sunk in to her that A.J. was with me. Like my brother did when I held the phone, I leaned close enough to hear her. "A.J.!" Mom yelled. "Is that really you?"

"Yes, Mom, it's me," He reassured her. "Now, please, I have to know, what makes you think I would hurt Rick?"

We waited through a lengthy pause which followed his question. At last, Mom said, "A.J., I don't know if I should say right now."

"Mom, it's all right. I mean, Rick and I have talked about it."

"I just can't believe you are there with him," I heard Mom say. "You haven't spoken for so long."

"No, well, we're speaking now," A.J. told her. "And I need to know what made you fearful I would hurt him. Was it something I said or did while I was visiting you?"

I decided to say something. I spoke loud enough for her to hear me. "Mom, tell us, please. It's important to both of us."

"For the first part of your visit, A.J., you never mentioned Rick's name. Then, the last day or so, you talked about him constantly. You----"

"I what?" He demanded to know.

"Well, of course I knew you didn't get along, but---well, you just spewed hatred for him. You scared me. And then after he called----"

"He called and said he was going on a cruise, right? He told you when and where, and you told me."

"Yes, I did, and I'm sorry---or, at least I think I am. Are you really getting along with your brother, A.J.? I've been so worried since you disappeared like that."

I reached out and took the phone back. A.J. seemed lost in thought and didn't protest. I said, "Mom, it's Rick again. Do you know of anything that happened to A.J. about the time he started talking about me? Do you know where he went or anyone he saw?"

"He left alone every day for a while," she replied. "I don't really know who he saw, I supposed he was seeing old friends. But, of course, then there was Janet's visit."

I glanced quickly at my brother. He could not have covered his surprise if he'd wanted to. It was written all over his face. I said into the telephone. "Janet's in San Diego?"

"Why, yes, or, of course, she isn't now, but she came down while A.J. was here. We all had dinner together here at the house. I'd hoped, well, you know, I'd hoped---but it was no use, they aren't getting back together."

A.J.---

I could not have been more shocked if I'd been told my mother had committed murder. I did not recall having seen my ex-wife in San Diego. I realized Rick could read as much on my face. What had happened to me? Was Janet involved? At that moment, I believed I was going insane. I said to Rick, "Hang up. That's all I need to know."

He shook his head to tell me he wasn't going to honor my request and spoke to Mom again. "Mom, was there anyone with Janet? Do you know if she came to San Diego alone?"

Burying my head in my hands, I realized I still wasn't acting much like an investigator. Well, why should I be? I wasn't an investigator any longer! But I was an attorney, and I should have sense enough to ask the kind of questions Rick was asking.

I leaned close so as to not miss Mom's answer. She said, "Well, there was no one here at the house with her, but I kind of had the impression she was with someone, maybe someone staying with her at the hotel."

This time I didn't let Rick speak for me. I yelled loud enough for her to hear. "Who was it, Mom? Do you know?"

"No, Honey, I don't. I only had the impression she was with a man. I got that impression from you, A.J."

Rick hurried to get in a word. "Why, Mom? Did he tell you she was with someone? Did A.J. see Janet other than at your house?"

"Oh yes, Rick. He had dinner with her at a restaurant. And that's when he sort of hinted that a man had come along and she'd introduced him to A.J. as, well, you know?"

"No, I don't," Rick said, while I fidgeted on the bed. Why couldn't I remember what she was talking about?

"As her boyfriend," Mom said. "I believe she has a new man in her life."

I caught Rick's eye. "Give me the phone, will ya? I need to learn all I can. I don't remember any of this."

He put up no argument. Instead, he handed me his cell phone. I put it slowly to my ear. "Mom, listen, I'm in trouble here, and Rick may be as well. We really need your help."

"I just knew you were in trouble, Honey. I just knew it when you disappeared. What has happened to you since you left?"

"I wish I knew, Mom. I wish I knew."

"And you say Rick is in trouble too? What is going on?"

Rick was gesturing frantically at me. I knew he was trying to tell me not to worry Mom too much. We had a lifelong habit of trying to protect the poor woman as much as possible from the troubles we were in, hoping we could get out of trouble before she learned of it. I hadn't told her yet how serious this was. Perhaps my brother was right, perhaps we could protect her a while longer. "It's nothing we can't handle, Mom, but I do seem to have had amnesia or something similar. I'm all right now, except for that gap there at your house and when I got on the ship. Don't worry, Mom."

I waited to see if she would buy my story. Sooner or later, of course, if they actually charged me, she would have to be told the entire sordid tale. "Well, all right, Honey, if you say so. I can't do a thing from here, so if you need me, call again."

"We will, Mom, and thanks. Bye. Here's Rick."

Rick took the phone again and said, "Bye, Mom. Love ya."

"I love you too, Rick, and your brother. Please take care of each other and do call if you need me. When will you be getting off of the cruise?"

I locked eyes with my brother and wondered what he would say. He replied, "Ah, the cruise lasts three days, Mom. I don't know yet if we'll be staying on that long. Bye."

"Bye, Honey."

I flopped, face down, on the bed among Rick's belongings. He said nothing to me for quite some time, but I could hear him moving around the cabin. Then, the ship lurched again and he was thrown on the bed, nearly on top of me.

"What the hell?" he mumbled, getting quickly over so that I could sit up. "I don't understand the movement of this vessel."

"I don't understand a lot of things," I said.

"Yea. Well, at least Mom filled in some of the blanks."

I looked at him. "She did?"

"She told you Janet was there," he said. "You didn't remember that, did you?"

"No, I sure didn't. But Rick-----"

"What?"

"Surely Janet doesn't have anything to do with this."

"I'd hate to think so, Kid."

"But you do think so," I said to him, because I could read him well enough to know that he did. In a way, I felt better. My brother was evidently becoming convinced that I may have been drugged or something. But Janet----?

"Well, A.J., if you were telling me the truth, and I hope you were, you didn't have any memory of some of your time at Mom's. Now, our mother says you began to act strange along about the time you saw Janet there, and you don't recall seeing Janet there. I don't see how we can ignore that."

"No, no, we can't," I said, rubbing my temples, "but something troubles me."

Rick chuckled his trademark high pitched laugh. "I'm not surprised," he said. "You should be troubled."

"Yes. I should. But, Rick, what could Janet or anyone else have given me that I don't know about? Have you thought of that?"

"The idea that you'd been given something was yours," he replied. "Have you thought of it?"

"Yes, I have, and I just can't figure it out. I mean, no one force fed me anything, and---"

"But they could have put somethin' in your food or drink," Rick cut me off. "If you had two meals with Janet, she might have done that."

"Rick! We're talking about the woman I married."

"Yea, but---"

"What?"

"Janet has had a problem with me for a long time, Kid. You know that."

I stared at my brother. Where was he going with this? I wondered. I asked. "All right, Rick, what the hell are you getting at?"

He appeared to be reluctant to put his thoughts into words. "I don't know, A.J. I'm grabbing for straws, just like you."

"No, you had an idea, Rick. Tell me what it was."


PART FOUR