Chapter 3

I adjusted my position; it was starting to get a little uncomfortable cooped up in this storeroom. This…this right here was why I wasn't a fan of this job. I hadn't been assigned to many stakeout jobs but when I was I always got the most uncomfortable ones. I had managed to blag my way into a clothes sop opposite the Ritz, having done my research on the way over here I had seen that the shop was due for an inspection. It hadn't taken much persuading to get them to let me in the storage area. People would always believe someone that had the facts and exuded confidence.

That was where I was now, looking out of the first floor window in the storage space above the shop. It had a perfect view of Arlington Street below and the rear entrance of the Ritz hotel. I checked the focus on my 200mm lense and eased the cramp in my hands. It was all a waiting game now.

The case of Sadiq Assal had been a big story in my work for the past few months. He was a multi-millionaire oil tycoon from Dubai that had been accused of assaulting his PA whilst over here. It was a nasty story and with an equally nasty ending now he had been acquitted. Sadiq was a very paranoid man and only his security team and a select few hotel staff knew what his schedule was. The other paparazzi were gathered out the front, as it was the main exit of the hotel, but after hacking into the hotel intranet I had found one careless employee's email trail detailing when Sadiq was planning to leave and where.

I had always been good at computers, it felt like a puzzle being able to get into places that no one else could. I wasn't the best, I couldn't hack into M15 or anything, but basic security systems and firewalls weren't a problem. It had been a wild stab in the dark, not having much time to prepare for this job I had used my laptop with an encrypted dongle to tackle the Ritz' intranet security on the way. It had been one idiotic hotel manager not understanding the concept of secrecy, who had emailed the details of his departure.

He was due to leave at 3pm from the Ritz via the back entrance. It was now 2:55 and I was getting restless. As I was looking through the viewfinder to check my clear shot of the door my mind drifted back to the conversation I had had with Tobias at lunch. What had he meant by no other options for him? That was a pretty weird comment for a guy who just fixed people's computers; it felt like a loaded response, like there was more behind what he was saying.

The back doors opened suddenly, he was early. An entourage of bodyguards and men in business suits streamed out, and wedged in the middle of it all was Sadiq looking smug and confident. My eyes narrowed a little at the sight of this scumbag, I had a strong feeling of wishing it wasn't a camera in my hand right at this moment. I shook the alarming thought from my mind and focused on my target.

...

"Fucking brilliant Morgan. Really fucking fantastic." Dom was giving me a huge, toothy grin as he examined my handy work. "I think maybe we have you doing the wrong work my girl, this is going to make all the other editors sick."

It was a good shot I'll admit, I had caught Sadiq with a particularly nasty smile on his face, surrounded by his army of security. All the other papers would have got, was a shot of his attorney giving a decoy speech out the front of the hotel. They were probably spitting feathers.

"I would ask how you managed it, but really I don't give a fuck." He slapped me on the back and turned away to the reporter writing the piece. I guess that was my cue to go, it was the happiest he had ever been with me, so why did I feel so damn dirty?

I left his office exhausted; I hadn't noticed until I got back how highly strung I'd been. At least I still had a job. Looking up I noticed Tobias watching me from his desk, he had a questioning look on his face. I gave him a friendly smile to signal everything was good, and slunk back to my quiet corner. Andy smiled at me broadly. "Good job Morgs, now they'll take you seriously around here, that was quite a photo."

"Thanks, I had do a bit of illegal stuff to get it but hey this is a tabloid after all." Andy raised his eyebrows at me, "Did you hack them?"

"Yeah, but just their emails." I smiled at him as he shook his head.

"It's been one hell of a day Morgan. I think it's time you went home." I nodded wearily.

"You're right," I said, turning off my PC and picking up my rucksack. "By the way Mark wants us to meet him tomorrow night. I think we should see if there's anything else he can tell us about what's going on. You up for it?"

Andy gave me a half smile, "Us journalists are really rubbing off on you aren't we?"

I raised my eyebrows at him, "Yeah ok." Waving at him I slipped out of the office and got into the lift. As the doors slide shut I noticed the new guy staring at me.

Tobias was waiting for me the next morning in reception. I narrowed my eyes at him suspiciously.

"Morning." He offered me a takeaway coffee he was holding. I took it cautiously still searching his face for this weird welcome. What did he want?

"Morning yourself. What's this all about?" I asked indicating the beverage he had just handed me.

"You looked tired yesterday, thought you'd need this sooner rather than later." He smiled kindly at me, but again it didn't reach his eyes.

"Thank you." He walked beside me as I entered the lift, unperturbed by grumpy mood.

We travelled up in silence until the lift reached our office.

"Everyone is talking about that picture you got yesterday," He turned to look at me, "It is impressive." I could see he was being sincere; the mask was slipping again.

"Thank you, I don't usually do such exciting jobs." He smiled at me.

"Looking at their emails was clever, gave you the upper hand." My face froze.

"Hang on, how did you-" The lift doors opened and without another word he strode off into the office, leaving me behind open mouthed. How had he known that? I had only told Andy what I had done, no one else knew what I could do with computers.

I walked in a daze to my desk, my brain racing over what Tobias had just said to me. My eyes scanned the office looking for him; he had disappeared. I sighed and put down the coffee he had bought me. Andy watched me with a concerned expression.

"You ok?"

"Mmmhmmm, you didn't speak to the new guy about my photo yesterday did you?" He frowned at me.

"Of course not. I don't know the guy." My heart was beating a little too quickly.

"That's what I was afraid of." I sat down at my desk and began working on the archive photos I had started yesterday. I had just got into a rhythm with it when I noticed Andy clearing his throat pointedly at me. A shadow fell on my desk and I spun round in alarm to see Tobias looking down at me.

"Can I speak to you?" His voice was low and calm, but there was an edge of seriousness to it. I had the feeling he wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"Errr…ok." The nervous waver in my voice betrayed me, and I could see Andy staring at Tobias.

"In private." His eyes flick to Andy and then back to me. I stood up slowly and edged past his impassive body. I don't know why, maybe it was autopilot but I started walking towards the dark room before I could think clearly, Tobias followed quietly behind. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Andy twist in his seat, a look of disbelief on his face as he saw where I was going.

We got to the corridor where the dark room was and I stopped and turned to him.

"Ok, what is it?" He looked at me with his cold blue eyes, not saying anything. Finally he nodded his head towards the dark room, "Shall we?"

I gritted my teeth, this guy was testing my patience. "Fine." I spat out and entered the room.

The low red light made his features seem intimidating. My initial irritation at him changed quickly to uneasiness. He paused for a moment, letting the silence hang between us before he spoke.

"You're good with computers." It was a statement not a question and it took me by surprise.

"I guess you could say that. I know my way around them better than most." I stopped talking and glared at him. "How did you know I got into their emails yesterday?"

His face remained expressionless and his eyes glinted with something that made the blood freeze in my chest.

"I have my…sources." I knew not to pry any further. The sudden fear gave me a spike of adrenaline that pushed me to say what I said next, although looking back I am not sure how I survived it.

"You're not an IT support replacement are you." This time it was me making the statement, and this time it was he who looked surprised. The shock quickly faded and a dark look crossed his face. I instantly regretted my moment of bravery, and I shrank back into the dark room.

There was a heavy silence as I watched Tobias decide what to do next. I don't know how I knew but I was very aware I was in danger somehow. Finally, after what felt like an age his face cleared and he spoke in a calm voice.

"Can you help me or not?" This felt like an olive branch, I had discovered something I shouldn't have done but I could get out of it with my services.

"Depends what you want." My voice shook with adrenaline and fear. He seemed to think about whether to push ahead with this or not, then his mask disappeared completely, and I knew deep in my bones that I was right. He wasn't who he said he was.

A cold, calculating look came onto his face and he closed the distance I had created between us. Every fiber of my being wanted to get away but there was nowhere for me to go.

"I'm undercover, watching your boss actually." Dom? What the hell had he done now?

"So you're a PI, or mole from another paper?" He paused only for a second.

"Yes, a PI."

I relaxed slightly, it wasn't that bad then.

"Ok, and why do you need someone who is good with computers? I thought you had your 'sources'."

His face tensed, his defenses were up. "My informant is currently unavailable and I can't do this job alone."

There were still things he wasn't telling me, but after the recent revelation I wasn't about to push him further.

"So you're spying on my boss, this is kind of risky for me." Dom wasn't my favourite person and I was more than happy to dish any dirt we found on him, but my job still paid the rent.

"Don't worry, no one will know you were involved." I had only known Tobias for a day but I trusted him. He seemed to be a man who said what he meant; I liked that about him.

I let out a long breath that hadn't realised I had been holding in. "What do you need to find out?"

Tobias seemed to visibly relax too; it appeared we had made an unspoken contract. I didn't know what I had signed myself up for until it was too late.