"Jake Randolph Origins" drabbles by Christopher

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 29

Jake Randolph Origins #29

We drove 400 miles back to Los Angeles with barely enough room for the oxygen we needed to breathe. A houseplant that was in the back was tipped forward, tickling my ear like it was flirting with me. There were stacks of 78's, books, and enough of a wardrobe to clothe the entire naked native population of some Stone Age South American nation. I had trouble finding two socks to put on in the morning.

When we got back to L.A. I called Todd, telling him to meet us at the Griffith Park Observatory.

He was there in no time...

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 28

Jake Randolph Origins #28

"Jake, would it be too much of an imposition for you to take me back to L.A.?" she asked in a sweet little voice the Devil couldn't have said no to.

I shook my head, "Not at all. That's where I was headed when I was done here anyway."

She smiled, jumping up, "Can you help me pack a few things?"

"Sure."

A few things. I didn't know she meant almost the entire contents of her apartment, minus the furniture and appliances. If being a detective didn't work out I sure as hell wasn't going to become a moving man!

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 27

Jake Randolph Origins #27

I waited while the wheels were turning in her mind, weighing all the possibilities. That was the next thing I learned about detective work: don't push too hard. I had to wait until she made up her own mind.

She looked at me, "So, what's Todd doing now?"

"He's running the family real estate business. His dad had a stroke and had to retire."

She started looking around her meager apartment, realizing that rekindling her romance with Todd would definitely be a step up in the world.

"Would you like Todd's number?" I asked.

She thought about it a moment...

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 26

Jake Randolph Origins #26

"He punched me in the face the first time I saw him in five years because he said you broke up with him for me."

She looked really embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Jake. I told him that because I was scared. He was moving so fast, wanting us to get married as soon as we graduated and I just wasn't ready. I loved him, still do, but I felt like I was trapped. So I ran."

I looked out the window. "You obviously have great stamina. It's a long run to San Francisco."

She smiled and her thoughts trailed off again...

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 25

Jake Randolph Origins #25

She hadn't changed much in five years; still had the silky brownish blonde hair that went down past her shoulders, the same dimples, the same gleam in her eyes. But I was letting my mind wander too much.

"Well," I said, dragging the word out to three or four syllables, "someone is looking for you."

She got a funny look and tilted her head, "Who might that be?"

"Todd Silver."

I let that sink in for a moment, and continued. "He still loves you but he didn't know where to find you."

Her gaze left the apartment for the past...

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 24

Jake Randolph Origins #24

I looked around the place. It was very sparse; just the couch and a chair with a makeshift coffee table in front of them, made out of two cinder blocks and a plank of wood. There was a big radio in the corner that looked like the guarantee would've expired before FDR ever had his first Fireside Chat. She wasn't living high on the proverbial hog, that was for sure.

"So, Jake, to what do I owe the honor?" she asked as she raised an eyebrow. I forgot how attractive she was.

Maybe I made a mistake not pursuing her...

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 23

Jake Randolph Origins #23

"Hello, Claudia," I said as she pulled me in by my shoulder and hugged me tightly.

She was smiling widely. "How did you find... I mean, what are you doing here?"

"I work for the library of our old high school now. It seems you checked out Dickens' A Christmas Carol in December of '39 and you never returned it. You now owe the school a hundred and fourteen dollars... and ten cents."

She howled with laughter. "Jake, you always were a character!"

She pulled me by the arm over to her couch. She seemed genuinely glad to see me...

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 22

Jake Randolph Origins #22

I survived the drive and got to Claudia's apartment building. I looked at the mailboxes inside, seeing one labeled "Farber." She, or someone named Farber, lived in apartment 12 on the second floor. There was no elevator so I staired it up to the apartment.

I actually had an anxious feeling as I knocked on the door. Claudia meant nothing to me other than being an old high school friend but I still got butterflies in my stomach.

"Who is it?" a female voice said from behind the door.

"The Ghost of Christmas Past," I said.

The door opened. "Jake!"

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 21

Jake Randolph Origins #21

If I had told Todd where Claudia was he could've went up there himself. And I would've been back at square one about trying to find an office. All these things and more were going through my mind as I drove up to San Francisco.

Claudia lived on Lombard Street. If you've ever seen San Francisco you've probably seen streets that go almost straight up and straight down. Lombard has a steep, one-block section with a corkscrew-like road with eight hairpin turns. The speed limit is posted at 5 miles-per-hour.

That's right. 5 miles-per-hour...

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 20

Jake Randolph Origins #20

I called Todd to tell him I had a lead. His secretary was still chuckling about our brawl. I was glad I could amuse her.

Todd had asked me for details but I told him to stay calm for a bit and wait to hear from me. That was the first thing I surmised about detective work. Okay, the second thing. The first was that you can get a lot of info about someone from their garbage.

The second thing was never get a client's hopes up by giving them too much information. Or information they could act upon themselves...

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 19

Jake Randolph Origins #19

Just when I was about to give up I saw an envelope. It was from Claudia to her parents. Under Claudia's name on the envelope was an address shining like a lighthouse surrounded by mirrors. An address in San Francisco.

I contemplated the best way to get up there. I didn't want to take a bus and couldn't afford a plane ticket, so I guessed I would be driving the nearly 400 miles.

As soon as I got back from Europe I had bought a used 1942 Pontiac Torpedo Sedan Coupe. I guessed I would be testing that baby out...

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 18

Jake Randolph Origins #18

I waited until the neighbor left and then went around to the fenced-in backyard. There was a large swimming pool which had a partially deflated beach ball wandering aimlessly around on the water like a sad lost child looking for its mother.

I passed the trash can, removing the lid to see if I could find anything that might clue me in to where Claudia was. The smell of rancid food and the buzzing of flies inundated my senses.

After a couple of minutes rummaging around in the garbage I thought, What kind of career path have I chosen?

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 17

Jake Randolph Origins #17

With the grand prize of an office spurring me on I set out to find Todd's old high school sweetheart. I knew it wouldn't be that easy, considering he nor I had seen her since we graduated. But I went through one of her old friends from school who said she had moved away but didn't know where. But she did know where her parents lived, which was out in Oxnard. I drove out there and found their house, but they were away on vacation, according to the neighbor. Said neighbor was unaware they even had a daughter.

Just great...

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 16

Jake Randolph Origins #16

Todd shook his head, turning to sit down on the hood of my car. I could tell this had been eating him up for the last five years. I went around the car and sat down beside him.

"Let me tell you why I came today, Todd. I'm about to go into business for myself. A private detective agency. I wanted to see if you could find me an office. How about I see if I can find Claudia for you?"

"Jake, if you can find her for me I'll see you get a prime office on the Sunset Strip."

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 15

Jake Randolph Origins #15

Todd yelled at me, "I don't know, Jake! But something caused it!"

I looked him square in the eyes, "Todd, I'm going to tell you this for the last time. I don't know why she dumped you. I was friends with Claudia, not even that, really. It was more like school acquaintances. I can't tell you why she dumped you. Why don't you find her and ask her?"

"Because I don't know where she is. I haven't seen her since graduation day."

I saw a golden opportunity brewing here. A chance to get my feet wet with some detective work...

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 14

Jake Randolph Origins #14

I pushed open the double doors and started back to my car as Todd jumped up from the floor and ran after me.

"Get back here, Randolph! I'm not done with you yet!"

"Yes you are," I called back without even turning my head to look at him. I went around to the driver's side door as he reached the car. He stared at me across the roof.

"I wanted to marry her, Jake! And then you didn't even want her after she dumped me. Why? We're you trying to get back at me?"

I shook my head, "For what?"

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 13

Jake Randolph Origins #13

"Claudia Farber!" Todd said in a scream.

Claudia was a girl we went to school with. She dated Todd for the last two years we were in high school. Then she dumped him for me.

"Look, Todd. I didn't encourage her or give her any indication that I wanted her. What she did she did on her own."

I pulled myself off the floor. "By the way, I owe you something."

I brought my right fist back and popped his left eye. He went flying back.

The secretary chuckled, "I bet your high school reunion will be a real rumble!"

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 12

Jake Randolph Origins #12

I hit the floor on my back and looked up to see Todd with steam coming out of his ears and his secretary leaning over her desk to look at me and say, "Boy, Boss. If you're one of his old friends I'd sure hate to see what one of his old enemies would do!"

The blow caught me partially on the jaw and partially on the nose. I rubbed my jaw and then checked to see if my nose was bleeding. It wasn't. I looked up at Todd.

"Do you mind telling me what the hell that was for?"

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 11

Jake Randolph Origins #11

"Can I help you, sir?" she asked with what sounded like a thick Brooklyn accent.

"I'd like to see Todd Silver, please," I said, smiling down at her.

"Uh, do you have an appointment, sir?" she asked as if he were busier than a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest.

"No, but he's an old friend. Tell him it's Jake Randolph."

She looked disgusted but buzzed his office, telling him who I was.

Todd came out of his office, approaching me and I smiled and put my hand out just as I saw Todd's fist hit my face...

Jake Randolph: Origins Pt. 10

Jake Randolph Origins #10

I pulled up outside of Todd's office in Torrance. It was a white single-story structure with a polished marble front, terra cotta roof tiles, and palm trees that lined the cobblestone path all the way to the French doors, which had a single pane of glass in each, encased by a cedar wood frame. Through the glass I saw a cute little redhead seated behind the reception desk. She couldn't have been more than 18 years old. She was laughing and chatting on the phone. She eyed me up as I walked down the path and through the doors...