"How could you lead me on
Then tear my whole world right in two
I thought you were my friend
Then you let me down"
Danni Leigh
The next morning she had woken early and extracted herself from the bed sheets. She had dressed as silently as she could, written a note, taken her bag and left. If he heard her he didn't stir. If he heard the engine roar after the door click shut she didn't know. She hoped he wouldn't dwell on her too much this weekend. She turned to look at this new man, his jaw was chiselled, his skin tanned and his eyes a steely blue that rivalled hers. This time she reached over and kissed him. Her hand holding his chin and her lips on his. Her heart was torn by what she left behind and where she was going, but she felt a wave of relief as they pulled off.
It wasn't until later she started to have her suspicions. He had mentioned something about people spying on others, watching their lives, surveying their comings and goings. She hadn't thought anything of it at the time but she was sure he had looked at her to gauge her reaction. He didn't know what she did for a living, she had used a legend, and he didn't even know her name. Laura McLaughlin she had told him. Laura McLaughlin, the civil servant. He had believed her; he had no reason no to. But that look had stirred something in side of her; the spook in her told her there was something unspoken there,
Once they had checked in to their room she had excused herself to the bathroom, she surveyed the white marble, the fluffy towels, and the complementary toiletries. She smiled as examined herself in the mirror. Her skin was almost glowing, her eyes sparkled, she hadn't looked like this for months, not since her birthday when Harry had surprised her. Her face dropped at the thought, Harry, the tears welled up again. No she scalded her self, she couldn't cry again not here and not now. She left the bathroom and witnessed the next sight that put doubts in her mind. He was standing on the bed, reaching above the wardrobe and running his hand across the top. He looked to her to be performing a classic sweep for bugs. Why would an advertiser perform a sweep? She shrugged it aside when he jumped off the bed, landed lightly in front of her pulled her in and kissed her. She had forgotten all about it when he had pushed her down on to the bed and kissed her again. When he moved down her neck and extracted the buttons of her shirt from their holes. When his hands touched her breasts and his tongue flicked over her nipple. When his fingers ran down her side pushing her skirt down to the floor. When he took his trousers off, kicking them across the room. When she pulled his shirt over his head. When he kissed her stomach and licked his way down her. When his tongue had ventured inside her, winding inside her, thrilling her. When He stopped just short of her orgasm and had squared up to her once more. When she had shuddered as he entered her, him pulsing inside of her, thrusting vigorously. When she arched her back as he pushed her over the edge, electrifying her senses. When she bit down on his shoulder as waves of pleasure coursed through her body. She had completely forgotten when she felt him spread his warmth inside her and cried out his name in delight. She didn't even remember once she had calmed down and left him on the bed and dressed.
It would be a shame she had said to spend the whole weekend in the room, enjoyable as that could be. The hotel he had informed her was set in 5 acres of grounds, 2 acres of which was wood land, there was a lake too with little boats you could row out. It being late spring this idea had inspired her. What was more romantic than a boat ride and some poetry? They made their way to the lake and spent a good few hours rowing around it, reading to each other.
They returned to the room to dress for dinner. He was ready before her so went to check their reservation. She had donned the dress she had borrowed from Jo and slipped her feet in to a pair of new shoes. As she inspected herself in the mirror she took a step back to gain a full view, and knocked his bag off the side. She reprimanded herself for being so clumsy and picked it up. As she did so a file had slipped out of a pocket on the side. It was a file remarkably similar to the ones she saw everyday. It had a name on it hers. Her heart stopped momentarily and her breath caught. With a fleeting look to check the door was still closed she opened it. Pulling out sheets of paper with names and places detailed photographs of her, and of Harry. She flicked through them scanning each sheet. When she got to the last one her breath became short and her eyes welled up again. She reached for her telephone and dialled the only number that she could remember right now. It was all falling into place, the looks, the glances, the way he talked, the way he questioned her, the things he knew that she hadn't told him. She had resigned everything to the back of her mind, telling herself that alone they were all insignificant but now together they made a full, coloured picture.
The ringing was cut through by his silky smooth voice "Enjoying yourself?" He asked. She couldn't speak, not knowing how she was going to explain this. She gulped and gripped the phone with both hands, staring at the file on her lap.
"Ruth? Is that you?"
"Um…Yes It is…Harry…" Her voice shaking, what could she say?
"Are you alright? What's wrong?"
"Harry I lied… I'm sorry… Its just…I'm not…Oh god."
"Ruth slow down, take a breath and tell me what's wrong." His voice calm and soothing, it was not what she needed.
"I've been lying to you Harry, I'm so sorry, really." She was shaking again.
"What do you mean? About the reunion?" His voice stern now.
"Yes. And so much more."
"What are you saying Ruth?"
"There is no reunion and ….and I've been seeing someone else." Silence, he didn't talk. She wondered what he was thinking.
"I've been so stupid, so blind Harry he's not who I thought he was…He's…." Then he heard it the incessant tone when someone hangs up. She dialled again but was hit with a beeping. He had taken the phone off the hook. She dialled his mobile but was cut off after a few short rings. She dropped her mobile and the tears flowed down her face. Droplets fell over the photograph on her lap, slashing, blurring his face. She needed to tell him what was happening, she needed him, she needed him when she had let him down so much. She needed his help, now more than ever before but she knew he wouldn't come to her even if she begged. She picked up her mobile again. Dialled her own house, if she knew him he would go round to empty it of his things before she retuned. She hoped he would listen to the messages; it was her only hope now.
"Hi, I'm not at home right now so leave a message and I'll get back to you" She registered the tone and spoke quickly knowing she only had 30 seconds to get everything across.
"Harry, If your listening to this, I'm sorry I really am, I know you wont forgive me after this but I need your help. I'm at a hotel called the Mason, in Oxford, with a man called John Phillips, at least I think that's his name. I've been seeing him on and off for a few weeks, anyways I've just found a file in his things. It's all about me, me and you he's been ordered to.. to…" It clicked, she was out of time and she hadn't gotten everything across.
"Put the phone down" She spun round to find him stood in the door way, pointing a gun in her direction. He moved towards her closing the door behind him. "Think you're a clever spook do you, good at your job? You were easy, so easy to blind it was unbelievable and you've just done the job for me." He took the file from her still pointing the gun at her.
"What?" She was shaking.
"What? What?" He mocked. "You still haven't got it have you?" He laughed.
"I was 6 your 5, my old boss wants your boss dead. Said he meddled in his life almost a year ago. Saved your pathetic life he did, and destroyed his. Now you've done the job for me, you luring him here, makes it so much easier for me to dispose of him." He laughed at the horror that spread across her face.
How could she have been so blind?