Sometimes my cases aren’t really cases at all, they are just using my skills to help out friends. I am a big believer in karma, doing good has a good return. You throw out a kindly boomerang, you get a kindly boomerang back.
At least that is the way I was raised.
My friend Daniel is a trusting soul, and I worry about him sometimes. He recently started dating at really nice girl named Daphne. Daphne is very down to earth, which is a good contrast to Daniel who is more of head in the clouds type of guy, I really like her.
Millie and I were walking up to Daphne’s house with a stack of pies and in swim gear. We had been over to Daphne’s a couple times before, once for a super bowl party and twice for game night, but this time it was different. This time she was having her family over for a barbeque. We were there to give Daniel back up as he would be under the scrutiny of her family who was going to be there en mass. Daniel had already met her parents, and that went well, but this time her brothers, aunts, uncles and cousins would be there as well, meeting Daniel for the first time.
We were early and greeted at the door by Daniel who was looking nervous. We had arrived early to help them set up things. Daniel and I paired up setting up with the chairs and corn hole in the backyard, while Millie helped Daphne in the kitchen with spoons and spatulas.
I was sitting in the backyard drinking a beer when the guests started to arrive. Daniel introduced and I made small talk. Luckily Daphne had hired a caterer to cook hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill so Daniel was relieved of that duty and could concentrate on impressing the relatives.
Everything was going fine, except for Daphne’s nephews. The decided that Daniel was a fun-loving guy who liked to joke around. As his oldest friend I knew this was not him, he was a quiet guy who was uncomfortable in large groups, and today was no exception but he was putting on great act. But I could see the three nephews, Larry, Darry, and Harry were trying to push his buttons; splashing him from the pool, surrounding him and pestering him with questions, shooting him with nerf guns that they pulled out of somewhere.
I was running interference for my bud as best I could, but someone arrived that changed the dynamic. Daphne’s youngest brother arrived with his new fiancé. I was in the house when they came in. Millie and I were introduced to both Peter and Wendy. Peter was a bright young guy, with a warm smile and a friendly honest disposition but with a slight geek flavor. Wendy, Peter’s fiancé was small and pretty, just past the line of being cute with long blonde hair that reminded me of something, something familiar that I couldn’t put my finger on.
Once the couple found their way outside to the rest of the family, I saw Daphne give a quick angry look towards the pair. I was not going to ask what the problem was as I firgured it was none of my business, but my gal Millie felt no restraint.
“Problem with him or her?”
Daphne turned away from the door and looked around to make sure none of her relatives were around. “A little of both, Peter is a good guy but never really dated a lot, he has always been a bit geeky. Smart, funny, but geeky, he played D and D all through high school, but he is a great lawyer now, a legal genius makes money hand over fist setting up mergers and partnerships and all.”
“So, what is the problem?” Millie asked. I just leaned back and listened while nibbling at the fruit tray. Millie without even looking pulled the tray away from me while keeping her eyes fixed on Daphne.
“Wendy.” She looked around the kitchen again for listening ears. “He was dating another girl, real nice, had been with her since college, then blondie shows up three months ago, he breaks it off with Lily, which the family liked, and then last week he asked me about engagement rings.”
Millie summed it up quickly. “Gold digger?”
Daphne gave the slightest nod.
Millie nodded, then looked at me and simply directed me with a phrase. “Go do your thing honey.”
I looked back and forth between the two women who were looking at me. Daphne in a pleading manner. Millie in an encouraging by direct way. I shrugged, grabbed another strawberry from the tray which Millie allowed as a reward for acquiescing to her direction.
I went into the backyard and joined the group of cousins, aunts and uncles. I got into the group that Peter and Wendy had joined. Luckily, I did not intrude on the conversation as it progressed without me disrupting the flow. Peter was finishing up a story about some sort of business deal and the group turned their attention to Wendy, so I simply listened in.
“So, what do you do Wendy?”
“Oh, I work at Walt Disney World.”
Peter spoke up proudly. “She works for Disney Entertainment.”
Someone else asked what she did, and she promptly answered. “Oh, I am Tinkerbell, you know I talk to little kids and ride on floats.”
There were ohs and ahhs around the group, including a little girl who just looked at her with new fascination.
One of the female relatives spoke up. “I thought your hair looked familiar.”
Wendy smiled. “Yes, all I do is put my natural hair up.” With that she used her hand and pulled up her long hair and put it into a bunch that formed the iconic bun of the Peter Pan’s best friend. “And I am ready to go meet customers in my little green dress.”
The little girl who had been listening to this was in awe, and whispered something to her mother, the mother nodded. “Sorry Wendy, I know you are not working. But Abbie wants to know if she can have your autograph.
“Sure.” Wendy said smiling at the mother but not the little girl.
A pen and paper was produced and Abbie handed it to her. I watched from nearby as Wendy signed the paper. It was a big piece of paper and I could see she signed it ‘Tink to my friend Abbie.’
To finish the story: 
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If you want to read the orginal collection of Miles Mitchell Mysteries you can buy it at Dorrance Publishing. (Physical Copy or e-book format) Also there are various places to purchase the Miles Mitchell Mysteries in audio format.
Volume 2 of the Miles Mitchell Mysteries can be found at Smashwords.com. (e-book format only)
Categories: A Miles Mitchell Story, Outrageous Lies and Tales
Stories and Quotes from the Mind* and Keyboard of A.A.Forringer 
I love all your short stories, my only complaint is they are too short. I am ready for your book. You have a good established character who is ready for a book length story. 😎
Thank Kym, I do have a long format planned for Miles Mitchell at some point, but the next book will simply be a another collection of short Miles Mitchell Cases.