A/N: You know I said all that stuff about jump cut stories and how I wouldn't do anymore? That was a cunning ruse to lull you into a false sense of security, cunning huh? This one, I'll do in chapters though, so it'll all be in one place... All will become clear over time.
Moses Kingdom sighs deeply, looks again at the computer generated print-out, merely to confirm what he already knows, "Shame," he thinks, the day was looking good, sunny after all the rain of the last couple of weeks, he was even planning on having lunch in the park, "that's not going to happen now" he thinks. He reaches over to the intercom on his desk;
"Olive?" he has a deep baritone, Jamaican accent all but gone now after years of London.
"Yes, Mr Kingdom"
"The figures from the latest print out, have you given them to..." The sentence is unfinished as he sees a light flash on his phone "Never mind, Olive, thank you"
He looks at the flashing light for a minute, pauses, picks up the phone, is careful to hold it away from his ear, "Ms Fitch..." he starts
"MOSES, HAVE YOU SEEN THESE FUCKING FIGURES, GET IN HERE"
"Of course" he replies, the line goes dead, he stares at the phone for a moment, carefully puts it down on its cradle, breaths deeply, wonders if he listens carefully enough he could actually hear the Fates laughing their asses off at him. He stands, unfolding his 6'5" frame from behind the desk, adjusts his tie in the window, sucks in his gut, in his youth he played rugby, he doesn't get on the field much anymore, but he's still someone you'd pause before getting into a bar fight with. Walks over the plush carpet, opens a connecting door, walks along the short corridor to an oak panelled door, knocks once, and enters. He sees the girl sitting at her desk, back to him working at the computer to one side of her large desk, by the looks of which, she's yet again been here all night, there are take away pizza boxes, and empty coffee cups strewn haphazardly all over reports and paperwork, she motions without looking up,
"Sit down"
He looks at the chair, sees the tights casually thrown over the back, decides instead to start to tidy the desk, "You've seen the print-out then?" He mentions as casually as he can muster.
"Are they real?" she says to the computer in front of her "What's the source?"
"Oh, they're real, "He pauses, is unsure how to bring it up, decides directly is his best bet "You know you'll have to tell him"
At this news she turns, faces him "That's my decision, not yours"
"Actually," he starts, "with these figures, it'll be a board decision, and you can guarantee that's what they'll decide, you may as well stay ahead of the curve"
She pauses, "its complicated" she finishes
"Katie..." Moses pinches his nose, "One of the clearer clauses of the Proviso was that you were to know where he is...All the time. You do know where he is, don't you?"
"Generally, in a manner of speaking, I know roughly where he is, specifically not quite"
Moses raises an eyebrow, Takes the time to look at the young woman in front of him, his gaze making her uncomfortable enough to glance away. Strictly speaking, under the terms of the Proviso, she was in charge, and could have him sacked, in reality he knows enough to make her life uncomfortable, and besides, she relies on him too much, he knows where all the skeletons are buried, and more importantly, knows which corridors the zombies walk down... He coughs "I think he still speaks to" he racks his brain, oh yeah the one with the supermodel name "Ms Campbell?"
Katie pauses for only a minute "how the fuck does he know?" realises that he wouldn't be doing his job properly if he didn't. She settles for "That's complicated"
"Right, everything seems very...complicated" he answers, "Still..."
"Scotland" she suggests
"Scotland" Moses replies, "Is a big place"
"I know roughly, North East, just dunno where abouts exactly, he moves around"
Moses says nothing.
Katie sighs, this is, she decides, perhaps only the second time in her life she's going to have to ask for Naomi's help. "Get the car; we have to go to Bristol"
OooooO
Naomi is drinking a cup of tea, contemplating the report in front of her, about slum overcrowding in Belize, goes through in her mind the presentation she's making, knows that with the money she's hoping to raise she can help to make a difference. She hears the car, it's difficult not to, looks out of her window, sees the stretched Mercedes glide to a stop outside her house with some difficultly as it's actually wider than her small end of terrace, wonders who in the world that could be, then smiles to herself, remembering exactly who it has to be, frowns, wonders what on earth she's doing here. Decides she may as well stop wondering, and go and answer the fucking door.
Standing in her doorway Naomi sees Katie Fitch get out of the car gracefully, has to admit that dressed in a subtle business suit she is looking good. Hates the fact that her nails are manicured, her hair perfect, knows her shades are the most up to date and exclusive, chosen no doubt by a personal shopper, around the other side she watches perhaps the biggest black dreadlocked man ever to unfold himself out of a car, he's big enough to make the car appear normal sized, they make the oddest looking couple. As she walks up the short path, Naomi can't help but stare just a bit too long, she has that unidentifiable 'Fitchness' about her, she knows them well enough to be able to see the subtle differences, but after all this time, the merest hint of 'Her' in the twin standing in front of her, is enough to set Naomi's heart beating just a little faster.
"Naomi" Katie's trying very hard, smiling
"Katie..." Naomi responds. Crosses her arms, unconsciously still protecting herself against Katie even after all these years, nods towards Katie's companion "Reinforcements?"
"Naomi, this is Moses, Moses Kingdom, my assistant, Moses, this is Naomi" Still polite.
"Naomi", starts Moses, "may we come in"
Silently Naomi, stands to one side, beckons them in.
"Thank you" replies Moses, all toothy smiles.
After being settled into the small lounge, Moses looking uncomfortable folded onto the small sofa, teacup like a doll house replica in his hands, there's an uncomfortable silence, Naomi clears her throat;
"So?"
"I'll come straight to the point" Katie sits on the edge of her chair,"You know where he is, yeah? You talk to him, right?
"I do" Naomi pauses, "He's asked me, told me, on a number of occasions that he doesn't want to be found Katie. I should respect that"
Katie sighs, "All I need is his mobile number, he doesn't need to know that you gave it to me"
"I think I'm the only person that knows it, I think he'll know"
"Naomi, look, we could play this game all fucking afternoon yeah? I haven't got time; I need to know where he is, please"
"Sorry" Naomi stands, "I have work, charity, not that you'd understand Katie, you should go"
Katie closes her eyes for a moment, sighs, "Right, charity. Children in Belize, isn't it? What was it last year? Oh yeah, slum children in India, we gave you £60k right?
"How did you..? You gave me..?" Naomi's floundering, out manoeuvred.
"Oh c'mon Naomi, who do you think funds your charity, who do you think those people you present to each year work for, why do you think he stays in touch with you?" Katie pauses, "You need what? £45k this year right? I'll double it; just give me the fucking number..."
OooooO
Moses says nothing until the car pulls out onto a dual carriageway. Looking out the window he states to no one in particular "that was pretty harsh"
"After what she..." Katie pauses, stops herself from saying something she may regret to the man with too long a memory, she softens her tone "It'll be the least of her worries, I can handle him anyway, I'll make sure he doesn't take it out on her" she looks out of her own window, "It was just business"
Moses nods, she was a piece of work, he had to admit. When it came to getting down to business Katie Fitch had surprised a good many people, himself included. He looks at the number written on a post-it-note "So, d'you want me to..."
"No, I'll do it" She breathes in deeply, dials the number, and waits to be connected. Finally; "Hi...no it's Katie. No, she gave it to me. No, you won't kill her, listen...Will you listen? Thank you, where are you? I need you to sort some stuff out...right, yeah got that, OK, yeah...What? Yes he's here. Right, yes I'll tell him". She closes her phone.
"Is he OK? Do you know where he is?" Asks Moses.
"Yeah, small village near a place called Forres, look it up, I think we'll need to fly, oh, By the way, Cook says you're a Tosser"