Fraud on the Court by Mike Chalek

Author:Mike Chalek
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Universal Technical Systems, Inc.
Published: 2012-11-24T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6

Back in Virginia’s offices, she and I spent a moment in celebrating our success.

“See, I told you that you could thank me once it worked,” she said.

I had become better acquainted with Virginia and her moods and personality in the past few weeks. I knew that she was incredibly pleased with the success of our plan, just as she always took joy in any investigation that resulted in the truth “coming out.”

“I want to find Winnie Faye, now,” I told her.

“Of course you do,” she said.

“Will you help me?”

“No. But Wayne will. Finding people, now that is his greatest calling in life,” she replied.

By that, she meant her nephew, Wayne Campbell. He was also a private investigator and did much of the footwork for her; eventually he was slated to inherit the entire business. I knew him to be meticulous and capable, so I gladly turned to him for help.

Instead of taking over the search, Wayne gave me a rundown on how to go about doing it on my own. I left their offices with a game plan, as was becoming the norm. And the best advice he gave me? Start simple. Without giving out too much information, just call around and see who is willing to talk.

I went home, got a copy of the local directories around Callahan, where Winnie Faye had indicated her father was living at the time of my birth. It was close to Jacksonville, and seemed as good a place as any to start looking up the Higginbothams. With a last name like that, I figured I should find someone related to me and Winnie Faye with very little effort.

I made a few calls that first night with no success. But on the following morning I picked up the phone again. I left more messages and sometimes was able to cross a name off of my list until finally I reached a charming old gentleman—he was 90—who claimed to remember my mother very well.

“She was such a cute little girl, blond curls and all,” he said. “I don’t know where she is now, but I know a woman who was her good friend. Let me give you her number.”

I thanked him, and took down the number of a woman who now lived in the town of Stark, Florida.

She answered her phone on the second ring. I felt the stars must be aligning in my favor once again.

“Hello?” she said.

“Hello, ma’am,” I replied. “I’m trying to locate my mom, Winnie Faye Higginbotham, and I can’t seem to track her down. I was wondering if you might have her number on you.”

“Oh, honey,” she said. “I don’t have her number. But the last I heard, she and Roy, you know her new husband Roy, they were living in Lanark Village out around Apalachicola Bay somewhere.”

“Well that helps. I appreciate it,” I told her sincerely. “What was Roy’s last name, again?”

“Whitaker, that’s his name. And if you reach her, you let her know I send my best, you hear?”

“Yes ma’am,” I replied.

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