Trouble And Money # 39

The Balz Dobie House - University Of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia

Despite his well demonstrated athletic ability and love for non craft beers, Jason Falter seems to be a smart kid.  

 At UVA, he dormed with fellow Echols Scholars, ensuring he was housed with more academically minded students.

 Don't let me sell the academic kids short. 

 Despite being smarter than the average bear, the Echols students were skilled at underage drinking, road trips, showing up for class hungover, and starting the weekend on Wednesday. 

 It is admirable that they have all of this fun while maintaining a respectable Grade Point Average. Early in the first semester, they learn the benefits of a healthy work/life balance.

 The first person I met at the Balz Dobie house was another Jason. He was nice enough to meet me after I told him that Falter's family needs to give Jason Falter some cash.

 Jason Pearson arrived in the lounge area wearing sunglasses, shorts, and a polo top. He had a backpack that looked like it was carrying what it was built for...books and a laptop or two.

 I stood, shook his hand, and thanked him for meeting me.

 When asked about Falter, Pearson sputtered a bit. I wanted to take those sunglasses off him to see his eyes when I saw a tiny forward-looking camera built into the frames.

 What does this mean? Mr. Pearson may be recording our meeting, or someone anywhere in the world is listening to our conversation with the glasses' phone function.

 This changes how I will interact with Jason Pearson. I won't acknowledge that I know about the game going on. I'll play along being the tech-stupid adult in the room. 

 Kids at this age are more techie than any other generation. They have always had smartphones, reliable internet, and magic bullet blenders to whip up smoothies whenever they want. But wait, there's more.

 I'm here to ask questions, but he plunks down at the table and sits across from me. 

 He's a good-looking kid, maybe a lacrosse player like Falter. I do not doubt that he is smart. He'd be good material for the Corp. 

 He starts asking me questions in a staccato way.

 "Why do you need to know about Jason?"

 "Did his parents send you?"

 "Are you from Massachusetts?"

 "Are you from any of the three letters?"

 I stopped him at that one and asked, "Three Letters?"

 He answered, "F.B.I., C.I.A., D.I.A., State Department."

 I looked into his lenses and said, "You forgot one."

 He looked at me and asked, "Which one?"

 I moved my head lower to the tabletop, then looked right and left, and in a voice just above a whisper said, "The G.S.A."

 Pearson gulped the baited hook and said, "The G.S.A.; which agency is that?"

 "The Girl Scouts of America."

 "We are a trained baked goods extortion organization," I added with a twinkle.

"I'm a Private Investigator hired by a law firm doing probate work for Jason's Grandfather, who died a few years ago."

"I have money left for Jason that became his when he turned twenty."

I could hear gears turning in Pearson's head, then the conversation got interesting.

I picked the right guy for the kickoff.

(I went to College later than most kids. I went after 6 years in the Corp. That was a long time ago but some things never change.- Conrad Grange, Private Investigator)

Trouble And Money is published Monday through Friday. It is a free serial fiction detective story with characters you will love. Read the adventures of Conrad Grange as he solves cases and contends with a harsh world.