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Wolfie Steel: Private Eye

Written by Wolfie Steel

Part 4.

Trip looks at me with understanding eyes, he then breaks the silence.

"It hurt you big time when your mate Tony died didn't it?"

A stray tear rolls down my cheek as Trip continues.

"And seeing Mr. Klien has brought back all the memories"

I nod solemnly as I wrap myself in a hug, Trip finishes his drink and stands from the seat, I take another couple of sips from my drink and then I too stand from my seat, we head away from the table and I put my paw into my pocket and pull out another five pound note and hand it to the server behind the counter.

"Sorry for the mess that I caused, I hope this will cover any inconvenience caused"

With that, Trip and I head back to my truck. I unlock the doors and we both climb in, in truth I'm probably not in the greatest of shapes to be driving, but hopefully I can make the ten minute drive without incident.

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We arrive back at the house and head inside; my first thought is to try a name search on my computer. I sit at my desk and bring my computer out of hibernation, I click on the name search program and wait for it to open up, once the program is up and running I type in the name of Nathan James Tanner, Mr. Klien's mate, and then I click the search button.

After a two minute search the computer comes up with two name matches, I click the first one and check the details that Mr. Klien had given me, unfortunately it wasn't the guy, then I click the second name, and again I check the details... pay dirt, an exact match. I note down the address and then put my computer back into hibernate mode.

"Well Trip, I guess we have a journey to Gloucestershire to make"

Trip grabs his jacket just as Mikey and Leo walk into the room; I look at the two boys, though now I shouldn't really call them boys any more, as they are both fine young adults in their own right.

"Leo, Trip and I are going to an address in Gloucestershire on a case, I want you and Mikey to hold the fort while we are away, and again take any messages that come in, we should be back before the end of the day, but we might have to find a hotel or B & B to stay in for the night, but if you need me urgently then I will leave my cell phone switched on"

Leo gives me a gentle nod, as myself and Trip head back out to the truck. I drive out through the gates and towards the nearest gas station, on a journey of this distance I'm going to need to brim the trucks tank.

I pull into the gas station and begin the mundane task of filling the tank, all the while I'm thinking of what I will say when I finally meet up with Mr. Tanner, I mean I can't just knock on the door and say "Hello sir, I have been hired by your mate to find you" that would be very tactless, he could well have someone else, in which case I don't want to make him feel uncomfortable, so I decide to write him a note and act as a delivery guy, that way he can keep things quiet.

Once the trucks tank is full I head to the cash counter to pay the bill, I buy a note pad, pen and a pack of envelopes, I then head back out to the truck and move it into a parking area so that I can write the note without causing any inconvenience to anyone else who wishes to use the fuel pump.

THE NOTE

** Mr. Tanner, You do not know me, my name is Wolfie Steel and I am a Private Investigator, and I have been hired by Mr. Rottie Klien to hopefully find you, if you would like to find out more, you can email my Ipad, my email address is** [email protected] . If you don't have access to email, then step outside after you receive this note and look for an Electric Blue coloured Range Rover with blacked out windows, of course if I don't receive an email or you don't seek me out, then I will merely go back to Mr. Klien and give him my report.

---

I put the note inside an envelope and seal it up, I then put Nathan's name on the front and I write on the top, PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL. With the note written and placed in the envelope I continue the journey towards Mr. Tanner's new address.

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After a three hour drive, Trip and I finally pull up in front of the address, Trip takes the envelope from my paw and heads to the door of the property, he slips the note into the letter box and then knocks the door, with that done he heads back towards my truck and gets into the passenger seat.

I pull out my Ipad and lay it on my lap and stare at it while Trip keeps his eyes focused on the door of the property. We wait for almost an hour when suddenly the front door opens, a large Doberman heads towards my truck, as he walks I can tell that this is Mr. Tanner. He knocks gently on the front driver's side window, I power down the window, once the window is down the Doberman begins to speak.

"Look I don't know who you are but you are way out of line coming here"

I put my paw up to silence him.

"Mr. Tanner, I am just doing the job that I have been asked to do, now I have identification which I can show you so that you know that I am on the level, all I ask is that you give me an hour of your time"

The Doberman thinks over his options, yes he could walk back inside his new home, but I'm pretty sure that he would get a grilling from his new partner; finally he decides to get into the back of my truck and then continues to speak.

"There is a bar about half a mile down this road on the left hand side of the road, we can talk there"

The Doberman gets into the back of my truck and I drive us to the bar. Once we arrive the three of us exit the truck and slip inside, we find ourselves a table towards the back of the busy bar area and we take a seat, the Doberman is the first to speak.

"Well Mr. Steel you arriving here has somewhat complicated things for me, you see when I first started out with Rottie, things were really good, incredible even, but only a few weeks after we met he was talking about us getting hitched, I did try and talk about it with him, to make him see that it was way too early but no matter what I tried he was still hell bent on getting married. So one day I used a grocery trip as an excuse to vanish, I found me another guy who had been in a similar situation, and yes we are now married, the difference being that we did not rush into it. The thing is Mr. Steel I also know what Rottie is capable of, so my advice to you is to go back to him, tell him that you found me but that I had been in some sort of accident which had caused me to lose my memory and that I am now with somebody else, also tell him that I am very sorry for what has happened, you see if you tell him the real reason, he will see it as you not working hard enough to get us back together and he will withhold your fee. That is something that I don't want to happen after all the work and travelling you have done to find me"

I let out a gentle sigh but I nod in resignation, I guess its right what everyone says, you win some you lose some. I offer to drive the Doberman back to his home address but he tells me that he is going to have a drink first, I gently shake the Doberman's paw and then both Trip and I stand from our seats and head outside back to the truck.

Once back at the truck we make the three hour journey back to base. We arrive home and both Trip and I head inside, by now it is late in the evening and after six hours of driving all I want to do is get into the shower and relax, as I head upstairs towards the bathroom, Mikey and Leo greet me at the top of the landing, Leo hands me a note.

"Dad, this new investigation job came in while you and Trip were away, it sounds like it could be a big job"

I look at the note in Leo's paw and just gently nod.

"Ok Leo, put the note on my desk by the side of the computer, and I will make a start on it in the morning once I have closed things off with Mr. Klien"

Mikey is the next to speak.

"Dad you look so tense and wound up, why don't you get a shower and then once your done I will give you a Mikey special massage, Leo loves em'"

I let out a gentle giggle and then nod, I had heard very good things about the massages that Mikey does, and apparently his Labrador paws are better than any professional masseuse. I head off to the shower while Trip giggles and heads off to the guest room which is to become his new bedroom.

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After my shower, I dry myself off and put on some pants, I leave my shirt off so that Mikey can work his magic on my shoulders and neck. Mikey walks in with his paws full of bottles of soothing oils; he has some clean and dry towels draped over his left shoulder.

"Ok dad, I never thought that I would actually say this, but I want you to lay on the floor face down, that way I can I can really get to grips with you"

I nearly choke as I hear the words that Mikey has just said, I mean think about it, if Trip was coming down the stairs and heard what had just been said, there would be so many dirty thoughts running through his mind, but I let out a gentle giggle and then take up a laying down position on the floor.

Once I'm in position, Mikey kneels down at my left side; he then pours some soothing lavender oil onto his right paw then he clasps his paws together so that both of his paws become infused with the oil, he then begins to work on my shoulders and oh gods I am in heaven, I instantly feel one hundred times better as Mikey kneads my shoulders hard, slowly working all of the stress and tension away.

After fifteen minutes I feel like a totally different wolf, the aches and pains in my back and shoulders are gone, as Mikey finishes up Leo walks into the room.

"Well dad, now you know why I love Mikey so much, he has incredible paws"

I'm in so much of a trance after the massage that all I can do is grunt in reply, Mikey giggles as he leaves the room to wash his paws while Leo kneels down before me, a slightly sombre look on his face.

"I want you to use Mikey's paws on a regular basis, I'm looking at you now, stretched out on the floor and I am finally seeing the Wolfie Steel that adopted me and Mikey all those years ago. I know it hit you hard when both Tony and Calvin died, and I know that you blame yourself for both of their deaths, but dad, this crap has to stop. When Tony died it was an accident, you had no way of knowing that the gas burner on the stove had blown out, and as for Calvin, think on this, Calvin lost his life protecting you, because of his true love for you, so again, there was nothing that you could have done that would have changed the outcome"

If it had been anyone else talking to me in that manner I would have grabbed them around the throat and killed them with my bare paws, but it was Leo, and I knew deep down inside that he was right, Tony and Calvin are gone, there is nothing that will change that, it's time for me to put the past to rest, it's time for me to break out of this funk that I have been in for many years.

I stretch out my paw towards Leo and he takes it in his own, the power that I feel in his paw reminds me that he is a member of the Steel family. Leo gently helps me up to my footpaws, Leo continues to hold my paw and he gently guides me into my bedroom.

"Now dad, get yourself dressed into your night clothes, and get a good night's sleep, and then, in the morning you can cut your teeth on that new case that is waiting for you"

I gently nod as I see wisdom within Leo that belies his age. I quietly head into my room and get ready for bed knowing that tomorrow I will finish off Mr. Klien's case and begin a new one.

It is 8 am the following morning, and I decide to make a start on my case load, I know that I should get some breakfast but at this moment in time I just can't seem to face food. As it is still a little too early to call Mr. Klien I begin work on the new case that is sitting next to my computer, it involves a Bear that appears to be cheating on his wife.

I read in the file that he leaves for work every morning at 9.30 am, but he doesn't start work until midday, and since it is only a half an hour walk to his place of work, his wife suspects him of having an affair, I sigh gently as I pick up my truck keys, I need to get to the clients address before my mark leaves the house. On my way out of the house I also pick up my note pad, pen and digital camera, and then I'm set to go to work.

I arrive at the client's house at 9 am, plenty of time for me to set up so that I can get photographic evidence of him leaving the building. Sure enough on the dot of 9.30 am, the bear leaves the house, I give him enough time to get to his car and to pull out of his parking space, and I then begin my task of tracking the bear's movements.

After half an hour's drive I see the bear pull into another parking space outside a nice looking house, so I pull into a parking space of my own trying to remain unseen by the bear, but also somewhere that I can get a good view.

Suddenly bingo, I hit pay dirt, the bear is greeted by a female husky still dressed in her dressing gown, I fire off a few shots with the camera, and then I catch the moment where the bear kisses the husky, a thought springs to my mind 'Damn it, now I'm going to have a really pissed female bear to deal with'

I finish off my notes and then I head back home, it's time to close down two cases, both of which are going to end badly for the client. I arrive back home and I see that Trip has a shifty look in his eyes, almost like he has been up to something while I have been gone, but for now I pay it no mind, I sit at my desk, I pick up the phone and make two appointments to see both of my client's.

The first to arrive is Mr. Klien, I take the Rottweiler into my office and make sure that he takes a seat, what I'm about to tell him, will more than likely devastate him.

"Well Mr. Klien, before I start, would you like a drink?"

"Mr. Steel, please just tell me what I need to know, have you found my mate?"

I let out a deep routed sigh, but I then nod my head.

"I have traced your mate to an address in Gloucestershire, unfortunately he was not alone, he was with another male, now I will not give you any names as I don't want to fuel your hate for them, but I can tell you that they are both together, they have been through the Civil Ceremony, he did tell me the reason behind his decision, he said that he felt you were rushing him too much, Mr. Klien, I'm sorry that I couldn't have brought you any happy news"

The Rottweiler is physically shaken by what I have just told him, and I see the start of tears in his eyes.

"Mr. Steel, am I still too late to take that drink you offered?"

I stand from my seat and head over to my drinks cabinet; I pour the Rottweiler a large glass of brandy and hand it to him. He takes the glass with shaky paws and then downs the contents in one gulp. He hands me back the glass and then retrieves a large envelope from his inside jacket pocket and then hands it to me.

"Four thousand pounds as promised, I just wish that you could have brought my mate back for me, but at least you tried your best so thank you for that"

With that said the Rottweiler stands from his seat and then shakes my paw, I show him to the door and I watch as he staggers down the driveway and probably heads to the nearest bar to drown his sorrows.

Two hours, a box of Kleenex and much swearing later and the female bear is heading back down the driveway, I close the door and sit back at my desk, both physically and mentally drained, it's then that Trip enters the office; he is carrying three files in his paws.

"Trip, I can't even think about taking on another case yet, I have just had to deal with two very emotional furs that have had their world crushed"

I see Trip blush as he makes his reply.

"T-these aren't case files Wolfie"

I gain a confused look as Trip continues.

"I have been running a little... investigation of my own. You are probably going to hate me for this but I have been looking for single guys who you might be interested in"

My heckles rise and I stand from my seat.

"You have done WHAT?"

Trip cowers away from me in fear of the pain that he is heading for, but he musters up enough courage to see his plan through.

"Please Wolfie, I did it with the best of intentions, you helped save me from the security company, so I decided to try and repay you by finding you a new mate. Just take a look at the three files, I think I have done a good job, but if you still hate me enough and want me gone then I will leave"

I raise my paw to my temple and begin to rub; I let out a huge sigh and pick up the first of the files, I open the cover and I see a picture of a Lion, the file says that his name is Phil and he is 25 and looking for love, I will admit that he is cute, but not really my type so I close the file and put it back on the desk.

"Trip, you and I are going to have a serious talk after this"

I hear Trip let out an audible gulp as I pick up the second file, I open it up and see a picture of a beautiful Husky, my loins begin to stir as I read what the file says, his name is Tarek, he is 30 and has just been let down badly by his previous lover, I again close the file and put it on top of the Lion's file, oh sure I could really go for him, but he has quite a lot of emotional baggage which I don't need right now.

Finally I pick up the third file and open it, instantly my heart aches and my loins go into full function, staring back at me is the photo of a Doberman, he has much the same colourings and markings as Linkin, but whereas Linkin's tail is docked, this guy has a full tail, I read the file about him, his name is Tyler and he is approaching 35 years of age, oh man I could see myself settling down with him.

I look at Trip and the smallest of smiles graces my muzzle.

"It seems that you have been given a stay of execution Trip, but I warn you here and now, do this again and I won't be so amenable"

Trip's tail begins to wag rapidly.

"So you have found someone that interests you then Wolfie?"

I hand Trip Tyler's file and he nods in a way that says that he knew that I would pick this guy, Trip hands me back the file, I look at Tyler's contact details and see that he has an email address, and so I send him an email and then I close his file, but not before taking his photo out.

I know that I should be firing Trip's ass for messing with my love life, but if all goes well with Tyler then I will forgive him, if not, then I guess I can always chew Trip's ears off.