Monday morning – 7:00 am

"Rise and shine boss." Jennie said. "Another glorious day here in the big city."

"Get lost" was the only witty reply my mind is capable of coming up with.

"Another good weekend I see."

"Get lost" I weakly say again. Slowly I open my eyes to look around. Jennie opens the blinds at that exact moment and the bright sunlight causes the most excruciating pain. Actually it just adds to the pain of this major hangover I have.

"Well boss, do you think today would be a good day to find a client. Need I remind you that you are 3 months late in your rent and old man Klesko is gonna kick you out of this office. Not to mention the fact that you haven’t paid me yet."

"Yeah I know" I groan as I finally sit up. My head feels like it is going to explode. I gingerly stand and slowly make my way to my desk. I sit down and open the bottom draw pulling out a bottle of whiskey. I pour myself a generous glass and look up to catch Jennie staring and shaking her head at me. "What?" I ask innocently.

"Some breakfast boss. Haven’t you had enough of that stuff?"

"Hair of the dog Jennie." I calmly say as I throw my head back and down the whiskey. I eye the bottle, considering another.

"Yeah right. I’ll go get you something from the coffee shop, why don’t you grab a shower and make yourself presentable. Don’t want any clients to see you in this shape." Jennie says grabbing my bottle.

"Hey, give it back. I should fire you." I say in my best Monday morning, pissed off at the world, angry voice. ‘Yeah, like that threat will work with Jennie’.

"Go ahead, fire me, see if you can find anyone willing to work here with the likes of you. The great private investigator Kathryn ‘K. J.’ Heran." She says walking out the office door.

All I can do is sit and gawk. She’s right. Nobody else would want to work with me. "Thanks Jennie" I quietly say as I get up and head to the small room attached to my office. It houses a shower, sink and toilet. I take a quick look around to find fresh towels and a pressed suit waiting for me. ‘You are far to good to me Jennie’.

Stripping off my wrinkled clothes I climb into a steaming hot shower. I lean against the stall as the water cascades over my head and shoulders. As usual I ponder how I got myself into such a bad state.

This weekend was like every other weekend I have lived through. Poker, drinking, pool, drinking, then more poker, more pool and even more drinking. Sometimes I get lucky enough to find a warm bed and warm body to wake up to but this weekend wasn’t one of them. ‘It seems KJ you are in a rut. What would dear old daddy say about this?’ That annoying little voice inside my head says. "He would tell me to get my shit together and smarten up." I answer back. ‘Then what the hell are you waiting for. You are supposed to be a top-notch private investigator. Get your act together and prove to the world that you are.’ These Monday morning shower talks with myself are always the same. That little voice would tell me the same thing. I would respond by agreeing to change my life and inevitably I would end up having the exact same conversation a week later.

I was still talking to myself when I noticed a change in water temperature. As per usual, I’m loosing hot water. I work quickly washing and rinsing. Unfortunately I‘m fast enough and get one of those eye opening cold showers. "Shit!" I yell as I turn off the taps. Shivering, I quickly dry myself off and put on a pair of black trousers and a crisp white t-shirt.

As I towel dry my hair I walk back out into my office and find myself face to face with quite possibly the most stunning woman I have ever seen. She is tall, six feet, dressed in a maroon dress that clings to her every curve. Her hair is golden blonde and her eyes; her eyes are the deepest blue I have ever seen. My mouth has gone completely dry and my fingertips start to tingle. ‘Hello there gorgeous.’ My helpful little inner voice says as my mind fills with delicious images of this woman lying naked under me.

She looks at me and I get the distinct impression that she knows exactly what I am thinking. She raises an eyebrow and grins.

I can feel the heat rise in my cheeks and I know that I must be a bright shade of red. "Um, hello. Can I help you." I manage to sputter as I run my fingers through my damp hair.

"I sorry to just walk in unannounced but I did knock." She said calmly.

I can’t believe it. This woman not only looks incredible she sounds incredible too. Her voice is one of those sultry, sexy, toe-curling types that melts me to the core.

"That’s okay." I am amazed I can even speak at all because my mouth is so dry.

"I am looking for K.J. Heran."

"I’m K.J. Heran. How can I help you." ‘I can think of one thing you can help me with.’ My wicked little voice says. ‘Shut up you. This is a potential client so get out of the gutter.’ ‘Potential, yes, lots of lovely, yummy potential. Yes indeed.’

"My name is Niki Jergison and I need a private investigator to help me find my father."

"Jergison? As in Professor Lars Jergison?" I say as I gesture for her to sit down.

"Yes." She says as she sits in the chair at my desk. ‘Perfect posture. Does this woman do anything wrong?’

"I had read that he disappeared over a year ago on some kind of archeological dig. He is presumed dead. You think he is still alive?" I ask as I sit at my desk across from her.

"Three days ago I received this." She says as she reaches into her attaché case and pulls out an old book. She leans over the desk and hands me the book. I catch a quick glimpse of what can be best described as the promised land.  Our hands briefly touch which causes us both to jump. I watch as a light blush covers her exquisite cheeks. She swallows deeply and composes herself. Softly she continues. "It’s my fathers journal. It contains his work history. He never went anywhere without it and if you examine it you will see that the last entry is from four weeks ago."

All I am capable of doing right now is staring. I am so captivated by this incredible beauty across from me that I forget about the book. I find myself wanting her. Not just wanting her body but her mind. I want to know absolutely everything there is to know about her. ‘Whoa! What the hell is going on! Since when do I want someone so completely. K.J. m’dear you are in big trouble.’

"Ms. Heran? Are you okay?"

"huh? I’m sorry. You said the last entry was four weeks ago?" I say trying desperately to get my mind back on the professional track.

"Yes. I did compare the handwriting with the other entries in the journal and they are the same. It had to have been written by my father." She says adamantly.

"Let me look through the journal. I need to get a feel for what your father was up to, check for anything that may help. I will let you know later if I will take the case, okay?"

"I don’t want to just leave it here."

'And I don't want you to leave.'  "I promise I won’t let it out of my sight. You can pick it up later."

She hesitates and frowns. ‘Damn, she even frowns sexy.’ "Alright. Here is my card. My home address is on the back. Please return it to me when you are done." She says as she hands me her business card.

"I will. But I must warn you that if I do agree to take this case, it could get expensive."

"I don’t care about money Ms. Heran."

"Very well. I will let you know later on today." I say as I rise from my chair. I offer my hand and she takes it firmly in her own. The feel of her skin is electrifying. Suddenly she lets go and smiles. I watch as she turns and heads for the door. The sway of her curvaceous hips causes my body to turn into jelly and I slowly sink back down into my chair.

‘Yes indeed K.J. Heran, you are in big, big, big trouble.’

 ----------------------------------------------------------

I was sitting in my chair staring when the door opened and Jennie walked in. I must have had one hell of a look on my face because she stopped dead in her tracks.

"Whoa! What’s up with you?" Jennie asks cautiously as she brings me my breakfast.

I open the bag to find a fresh cup of coffee and blueberry muffin. ‘Good choice’.

"Did you see a blonde on your way in?"

"I saw one get into a fancy limousine out front, why?"

"Did you recognize her?"

"No, all I got was a look at the back of her head. Boss what’s going on."

"Does the name Niki Jergison ring a bell?"

"You’re kidding right. Niki Jergison heir to the Jergison fortune, well she will be if she wins the legal battle against her step mom."

"So you’ve heard of her." I say through a mouth full of muffin.

"Yeah, it’s all over the paper boss."

I swallow a large gulp of coffee before continuing. "I know her father went missing and is presumed dead."

"That’s when all the legal hassles started."

"Give me the condensed version Jennie." I say smiling. Jennie can get long winded.

"Condensed version, right, okay well it’s like this. Lars was a professor of Archeology at the University when he struck it rich, big time, with some investments. Everything was going great, he’s rich, has a wonderful wife and great daughter when an accident changes everything. The wife dies, daughter is in a coma and he goes all weird. So weird in fact that he is sent to the state nut house."

"Jennie."

"Alright, the state mental institution. Anyway the daughter, Niki, wakes up and finds mom dead and dad nutso." She stops momentarily to catch me rolling my eyes at her. She shrugs her shoulders and smiles at me. "Now where was I?"

"Niki wakes up."

"Oh yeah. Well Niki is really upset and tries to check pops out of the wacko hotel. At first he is reluctant. Seemed he really liked the place. Then one day, bam, he wants out. Now Niki is happy until daddy announces his impending nuptials."

"He works fast." I add needlessly. "Let me guess. This new lady is another patient."

"Wrong answer but thanks for playing. Actually it is a nurse from the institution."

"A nurse. How convenient."

"I suppose but Niki is irate. She tries to stop the wedding, but fails. She and step-mommy don’t see eye to eye. Anyway, several months later dad decides to go to the Philippines on some kind of mummy hunt archeology thing. Well he disappears, and is presumed dead. Big battle now as Niki tries to get the will null and void."

"What’s with the will?"

"Just before leaving the good old professor rewrites his will, leaving step-mommy with just about everything."

"You’re kidding."

"Nope, nobody can understand it. Niki and her dad had a great relationship. Suddenly he writes her out of the will, well not completely out but you know what I mean."

"What about a criminal investigation."

"That’s the thing. Everyone thinks that step-bitch got the old man killed but nobody can prove it."

I take a few minutes to digest this information. Something sure doesn’t feel right about this. Time to do more digging.

"Thanks Jennie you’re a fountain of information, as always. I’m going to read this journal for a while so hold my calls."

Jennie laughs. "Boss, we haven’t gotten a call in weeks. I don’t think you’ll be interrupted."

"Then why don’t you go to your desk over there and look busy. Try turning on the computer. I am paying for it."

"Hmm, good idea. I’ll look busy. You gonna take the case and help Niki Jergison?"

"I don’t know yet." I say as I open the journal.

"You need the business Boss."

"I know Jennie. Let me put it to you this way. I am about 85% sure I'll take the case okay."

"Good enough." Jennie says as she walks over to her desk. "I hear Niki Jergison is hot on the outside but cold as ice on the inside."

"Jennie" I growl.

"Okay, I’ll shut up."