I continue to struggle with length. Some of you appreciate the length, others have struggled with it. (Believe it or not, I actually shaved some things off and will work them into the next chapter) I will start posting the word length at the beginning of the story so that those who think it is too long can pace themselves. This chapter is 11.8K.
Thank you to all the lovely reviewers. When I hit a rut in writing, and I suddenly get a spontaneous review, it energizes me to keep going.
Also, did you notice my new cover art? Give me a moment to fangirl and appreciate the two women who made it happen…. First, the lovely Joanne tweeted a helicopter pic while I am writing a helicopter story. OMG! Too good an opportunity to pass up and thus, thanks to her and the incredible photoshop talents of my friend HAVEYOUTRIEDCOCAINE on TUMBLR, we now have Anna and John in front of Maggie. Thank you Joanne and HYTC!
Aspirin. That's what Anna needed right now. It was Saturday morning and her attempt at a lie-in wasn't working. Damn her responsible nature and the headache that accosted her since Richard's assault on Thursday. Was it really too much to ask for a day where she could just relax? She searched for her clock on the bedside table and could make out 730am am in the piles of documents that laid waiting for her to make sense of them. At least it wasn't dark out. That would have made her more upset. The rays of sunshine peaked from the corners of the window where the curtains didn't cover and she reluctantly sat up. She was sure she had aspirin in her drawers and rummaged around until she found what she was looking for. Two pills were swallowed with the help of the water bottle that she always kept close-by at night.
Right, well, she had things to do. She propped up the pillows, not keen on actually getting out of bed, and took the miniature voice recorder that lain atop one of the piles of file folders. She had already backed up the files in several places. There was no way she would risk losing this evidence. She pressed play.
Richard's repulsive voice came through. "You'd best open your legs to me too."
She stopped and rewound the recording, a little farther this time and pressed play again.
"You think I would appreciate you winning this account because both of you spread your legs and let that Paki have some of you?"
She wouldn't let him get away with it. She sighed. She would have to wait. As much as she wanted to accuse the filthy bastard, she couldn't. It would disrupt the investigation and they were so close. Pointing the finger at him meant that she would be scrutinized by law enforcement and her association with Carson's Private Investigators would be known. She couldn't do that to Mr. Bates, not when they already had the camera in place to catch Vera and not when they had so much going on. They were on the trail of Edna Braithwaite and she had all the files she needed on the remaining men to go through. But, it wouldn't be long. The statute of limitations allowed her to postpone bringing the issue to light, so, she could wait a couple of weeks. Listening to the recordings gave her more zeal to get it all done. Had he done this to other women in the office? It didn't seem like it. He must have thought that in her lowly role as Intern, she didn't hold much power and that she would be quiet because she needed to gain the experience. How wrong he was. She would outsmart him and if he ever did anything as brash again, she would be ready.
"Anna, have you read all the files?" Pops looked at his darling girl with fear in his eyes. He may not be her real father, but, since he took on the role of her guardian, that didn't matter to him. They had formed the bond of father-daughter and he would always worry about her. He would die if something happened to his not so little girl and his discovery of John Bates' past weighed heavy in his mind. His Anna shouldn't be around people like that.
"Yes, I have and it changes nothing." Anna had indeed read the whole court case document. It was the first thing she did when they came back from London. She had browsed bits and pieces of it, but, with Gwen so near her, she couldn't make heads or tails of all of it until she was all alone and in her own home. It didn't make sense to her, really, that a man like Mr. Bates would do something like that.
"It does change things," chimed in Elsie as she brought a fresh pot of tea to their dining table. They had a lot of notes to compare, if they did follow through with the case, and they would need plenty of refreshments. There were piles of files amid the plates of biscuits and finger sandwiches she had put together for on this occasion. "He is not who we thought he was. How do we know his motivation is in the right place?" Elsie sat down, but kept her focus on Anna.
"It doesn't change a thing," persisted Anna. "I read the entire transcript. The victim alleged that he had put his hands on her waist, kissed her neck while she was working and hinted that he wanted sex from her on more than one occasion. If that is the truth, or a lie, there is no relevance to this case. He hired us to find out if his wife is engaging in a sexual affair and if he, himself, wanted one with the victim or not, it should not stop us from finding out the truth." She was trying to maintain composure. She could not lose her cool this time. Elsie would suspect her feelings for him and she could not have them doubt her. Not know.
"But you are there, with him. That puts you in danger." Pops reached out to hold her hand. "I would not forgive myself if something happened to you. The wisest thing would be for us to stop." He turned to look at Elsie and they shared a wordless conversation with just a look. They had obviously talked this out when Anna was not there.
"Danger?" Anna asked, "From Mr. Bates?" If they only knew what she had already had to endure from Richard, they would be livid. She wouldn't dare say. If they had this reaction with Mr. Bates, she knew what their determination would be if they had that additional bit of knowledge. "Look. I don't feel threatened one bit around him. I've seen him with all of his employees and he is an absolute gentleman. Gwen, who does the job that Edna, the alleged victim, had in the past, worships the ground he walks on. She respects him greatly. If there was anything questionable or lewd about him, she wouldn't have him in such high esteem. I will be on my guard to make sure that this does not become an issue and…. I do know how to take care of myself." Still holding on to Pops, she reached out to Elsie and took her hand to complete a connection between all three of them. She needed to reassure them, even if she was plagued with doubts about his behavior. She would not let herself be swayed. His midnight trips, this sexual harassment case, his near constant aloofness would not deter her from what she felt for him. The negative information about him was overwhelming, but, she was sure he was a good man. She had been held by him and kissed him and seen the depth of his soul in his eyes. None of it could be true.
"I believe in John Bates. The moment I no longer believe in him, I promise to tell you so that we can drop the case." She squeezed harder and let go. "And now, we get on with it, because we have much data to share."
Elsie and Pops looked at each other again, realizing that Anna meant to continue. Another wordless conversation took place. They relented.
With purpose, Anna picked up the files on Edna.
"So… let's talk about the alleged victim as it pertains to the case with Anthony." She flipped the pages within the file, looking at all of the details. "I've read the data. It is not a surprise that they know each other. They both worked for Mr. Bates at the time of the accusation. She left shortly thereafter as a condition to her settlement. Her payout was immediate and final; the court records indicating that it was all paid - 50,000 pounds in a lump sum. There is no law against them from being friends, as Anthony was not a party to the accusation, but why is he giving her money now? Every month for the last year?"
"She has a child doesn't she? Is it maybe his?" Pops used his 'thinking' face, focusing intently on her information. "What if it is intended for child maintenance?"
Anna nodded her head negatively. "She does have a child who is about one year old and that explains the pram in the picture that you captured, but the child is called Michael Phillips. I suppose her partner is Niall Phillips, the name on the lease and several of the utilities from that address. If the child was Anthony's, it would be registered as Michael Strallan. The connection must be another. She's not very good at keeping jobs, as I've been able to tell by her work history. Michael Phillips is listed as unemployed as well. I'm not sure it even has to do anything anymore with Mr. Bates and Vera, but, I think Mr. Bates would want to know that somebody he trusts in his company is regularly giving money to the woman who accused him of harassment. Relevant or not to the actual case, I think we should tell him."
"If you think it is for the best," agreed Elsie. She had doubts, but would led Anna lead.
"I do. I'll summarize the details in a dropbox message tonight. ." Anna had already closed the dossier on Edna and was pushing them to the side. "…..and you must thank Joe for me." She dreaded to talk to the annoying man and would do it through them as often as she could. "He did an excellent job of putting together all of this data in such a short time. He truly is amazing."
Both Elsie and Pops smirked.
"He's a good man and he adores you, you know." Pops was very free with his opinion and noticed that Anna tensed with his words.
"Well, yes, he is a good man. I've never said he isn't. He's just not the man for me." After a minute pause to catch her serenity after such a comment, she saucily added, "Can we focus on these other men instead?" Her eyes had grown wider and she had rolled them after Pop's suggestion. Elsie was trying hard to suppress her laughter. They almost never interfered with Anna's love life, having liked the young men she had dated in college and approving of her choices. They just liked to tease her when it came to Joe. He was a sweet man, but, he was very insistent about his crush on Anna and not very smart at wooing her. Elsie actually agreed that he wasn't her type at all.
"So, who's first?" Elsie asked, looking at the pile of files Anna had in front of her and steering the conversation back on track to what Anna wanted.
Anna retrieved the topmost file. "Anthony 'Tony' Gillingham is a playboy. His expenses place him at clubs throughout Yorkshire. He is constantly at restaurants and bars and spends much money on clothing. He's actually on several online dating sites and his mobile phone is the most active of all of the men I've investigated. He receives calls from several different numbers and places them in equal amounts. None of them match Vera. I've never seen him flirt blatantly with anybody in the office. His behavior is restricted to the outside. Vera flirts with him, and he can be an easy target for her because he seems to be promiscuous. When I reverse checked the telephone numbers I found, they were all women. I cannot discount him and I do see him as a potential lover."
She picked up the file on Alfred Nugent. "The surprising thing about Alfred Nugent, the next man, is that he and Anthony are flatmates. Given their opposite lifestyles, I find that intriguing. Alfred is all about sports and he likes to cook. He has a club membership and trains for marathons. His Facebook page is full of his athletic prowess and meals he has prepared. There are pictures of him playing football with friends, scaling rock face and cycling through the Black Forest in Germany. He seems to be very fond of fondue and baking. He is always on the go. He had a girlfriend, until recently. His ex, Ivy Stuart, works at Patmore's Catering, the company that Bates Airlift contracts for food and beverage distribution. He has moderate spending, nothing too unusual and no apparent links to Vera. At the office, though, Vera flirts with him constantly and he is always flushing at the sight of her. He may have a small crush. Perhaps that contributed to his breakup with Ivy, I'm not sure, but he could also be a potential lover, given his reactions to her."
She secured the last file. "The last man is Michael Gregson. His story is dramatic. He is married. He had a child, but that child died of congenital heart defect a little over a year ago. Gwen told me it was very tragic. The grief was too much for his wife and she suffers severe bouts of depression. She is bipolar and has attempted suicide on several occasions. With the amount of time that he is away, flying on extended missions, he has a constant caregiver for her. All his expenses tend to be of a medical nature. He doesn't have the character for an affair, he is the Chief Pilot, and Mr. Bates leans on him a lot in training the more junior pilots, yet, he could very well need the distraction. He has a lot of stress in his life and not a lot of ways to relax. Vera hardly interacts with him, but that doesn't really mean anything. I don't get a sense about him, that he is the one, as he is usually very focused."
"Very interesting," Elsie commented as she put down cup of tea she had just poured herself while Anna spoke. "You know, Vera has not had any trysts in two weeks. We've followed her closely. Two weeks ago, we traced her to the SG Petch lot and waited for her in the rain. She showed up, but her lover did not. I think he was hampered by the weather. But this last week… neither of them showed up, and Vera drove straight home. That is odd and I want to believe that her lover was unavailable. Perhaps you should cross-reference all the men who are still candidates to determine if anybody was away?"
"Yes, I'll do that. Let's see how many I can narrow down from there. I'll also be going to the compound to explore Vera's and Richard's offices. I've not looked at their files yet."
"Oh, good, you're awake!" exclaimed Mary when she saw Anna watching the telly in their living room. Their paths hadn't really crossed since Anna came back from London. They had shared a couple of Whatsapp messages while she was away, but there was nothing like chatting with her friend.
"I am indeed. I missed you."
Anna stood to give Mary a hug, happy to have somebody on her side. Lately, she felt it was her against the world. She turned off the telly, as it seemed Mary wanted to talk and Ant and Dec's latest variety program didn't have her as riveted to their antics as they would have wanted. It was close to 11pm and Anna should be sleeping, but the thought of heading back to the compound tomorrow morning worried her. She hadn't seen Richard since they had packed up the stand on that Thursday when the Oil and Gas Summit ended. He was the picture of politeness with her while Gwen and Mr. Bates were around. She had made sure that she was not alone with him at all during the rest of that day and then he had decided to take off Friday. Thus, tomorrow she would encounter him.
She would also encounter Mr. Bates. She didn't know what to make of him either. He had taken to tweeting very well and now and occasionally put out odd messages.
No matter how badly your heart is broken, the world does not stop for your grief #bitter
They didn't make sense to her. His heart was broken? Was he pining for Vera? In London, he had barely acknowledged her. He asked her about her experience politely, but Richard had steered him away, no doubt to poison his mind in regards to Gwen's contribution and to have him look at their competitor's interactive stand. By the time they came back, the event was finally finished and she and Gwen had started to organize and pack things for their departure. Mr. Bates had other business he had to attend to in London and exited quickly. She and Gwen left shortly after to catch the train back to York. Richard would see to everything else being packed.
"I am surprised to find you just lounging here. You've been under piles of files for the last couple of months." Immediately after their hug, Anna had gone back to lie across the sofa, too comfortable to sit up. She hugged an accent pillow for additional comfort. Mary took a seat in a chair next to her and wearily started to take off her shoes.
Anna chuckled. "You have no idea how badly I needed a break from it all. Everything I do these days is Bates Airlift and investigation related. I just wanted a few minutes to watch something to take my mind off."
"And did it help?"
"Not really. Now you're here, so, you'll be better than the rubbish I was watching. I was waiting for you too. I am anxious to find out - How did the appointment with Isobel Clarkson go?"
Mary beamed with joy. "Very well. I saw her on Friday, thanks to you." She emphasized that part, and then bellowed the rest of her statements. "I still can't believe that you met her and managed to convince her to see me."
"Meeting her was a stroke of good luck and she turned out to be so nice. She had the wrong idea about you and I am glad that I could set her straight." Anna was eager to discover if her meddling had helped at all. "Did it work out? Are you in?"
"We hit it off very well and she was impressed with my knowledge of the entire family history and all the money making ventures of the estate. Unfortunately, she has no openings right now for permanent staff, but I can start volunteering on the weekends. That is when Highclere has the most visitors."
"That's excellent, isn't it?" Anna clasped her hands, tentatively, hoping her positive reaction was in order.
"It is. I just need to get my foot in the door and once she has a position available, it will be easier. Given my connections to the estate, she doesn't think it would be too difficult to justify bringing me on and the time spent as a volunteer would both gauge my commitment and help me determine if I really do want to be there."
Anna couldn't help but squeal with excitement. She made the effort to sit up and reached for Mary's arm that lay on the chair's armrest to pat her affectionately. This made her happy. Amid all the chaos in her life, this was positive. This was all Mary ever talked about in school. She wanted to manage her family estate, even if it no longer belonged to them. Who better to safeguard it, than a Crawley?
"The best thing, though…" Mary continued, with the same excitement and a hint of embarrassment. "I got to meet her son, Matthew Crawley. He was waiting for her when I came out. You mentioned you met him, but, you didn't say he was gorgeous." She swatted Anna's hand feigning disapproval. "Turns out we are very distant relations- very, very distant." At Anna's confusion at that statement, Mary added, "I didn't know Isobel's first husband was also a Crawley, although we are very far removed."
Anna swatted back for fun and chuckled, while Mary rubbed her arm zealously to alleviate the pain. Anna was stronger than she thought. "I did meet him. He's John's lawyer and a very nice chap." Anna added the comment as she rested her head against the sofa's cushions and refused to give up the pillow she was hugging.
"A lawyer?" Mary's mind went elsewhere with a private thought, but she regained her focus to continue her conversation with Anna. "Well, we hardly spoke, it was all very quick because Isobel was also there, but I could swear he turned to check me out as I was leaving." She rolled her eyes good naturedly. "I wouldn't mind seeing him again."
Anna smiled. She liked to see Mary happy. She was wondering if now was a good time to go to sleep. Maybe she could avoid the conversation about Mr. Bates.
"Talking about John, I saw him today. He was visiting Papa and he looked mopey." Mary stared at Anna, implying with her gaze that she was the reason for the man's agony. "Would you know why? Did you break things off with him, like you said you would?"
Anna didn't want to lie and after almost two weeks since their first kiss at Highclere, she was just as lost now regarding her feelings as she was then. Maybe Mary could give her some clarity. She was her best friend after all and knew Mr. Bates from long ago.
"I don't know why he's mopey unless he is lamenting that we are not together and that he is still married. But, I'll not be false with you. We've kissed. Twice, and it was glorious. I am desperate, in fact, to do it again." She lifted her forehead, high in the air, asserting she felt no shame for her actions.
"Anna!" Mary's shocked words rung out loudly, but Anna did not know if it was disapproval or excitement. "When did it happen and why haven't you told me?"
"I've not seen you in a while and this was not the type of thing I wanted to message about." She hesitated on whether to confess more than she had already spoken, but gave in after looking at Mary's imploring eyes. "The first time was at the castle, when I was dressed up for the Make a Wish event, and then, last week, when my car died. He brought me home and the closeness was too much. It was downstairs, at the entryway."
Before Mary could ask anything else, Anna continued. Mary was barely sitting on the sofa, eager to listen to it all.
"We talked about the reasons we can't be together, but we didn't agree on anything or how to get past this. With the week I spent in London, we've not encountered each other to talk about it at all."
"If I would have known, I would have tried to pay more attention to him today, maybe find out what he's thinking…" Her voice trailed and her mind drifted off. She was thinking of the possibilities.
Anna chuckled again. "Like a proper friend would, except, we're no longer in secondary school. I'll do the adult thing and I'll talk to him myself, thank you. I'll see him again tomorrow and I will find a way for us to chat."
"But, what will you chat about? Have you decided to have a relationship with him, when things with Vera are still not clear? You don't want to become his mistress, do you?"
Mary looked mortified, thinking her friend could find herself in a situation with no easy way out.
"I'll admit that this situation is one I wish I wasn't in. It's all very gray, really. When I am away from him, I know that it would be wrong to be together that way, but, when he is near me, I can't help it. He's intoxicating to me. I have very little willpower to stop myself from falling for him. He kissed me and my entire body melted. He does something to me that I cannot explain."
"This is all very strange for me, you know." Mary sat back in the chair, grounding herself in reality. Her best friend in love with a friend of her father's? It sounded like an episode from Coronation Street.
"What's strange?" Anna didn't understand what could be so vexing.
"You're talking about somebody who I've seen with my father, for over a decade, sitting in a pub stool and talking and living miserably. I find it hard to think of him as a sexual being, that you could be attracted to him, to want to kiss him and sleep with him." Anna's demeanor reflected protestation, but Mary continued. "It's odd for me, but, I am not discounting your attraction or your feelings for him." When Mary saw Anna relax, she continued. "He is handsome. I'll give you that. Is he worth all your trouble, though? Do you love him or is your attraction to him clouding your senses? Can you see yourself having an affair?"
"I've never wanted to become somebody's mistress. I wasn't raised that way by my parents or godparents." She paused to gather her thoughts. "The way I see it, he's come to us because his marriage is over and he needs the proof to move on. He has too much at stake for us to get involved fully. He could lose his company and I don't want to be responsible for that, so, I don't think anything will come of it until we have the truth about Vera. If I can't handle my feelings for him, I will leave… but, as soon as we find the evidence and he has sued for divorce, even if the divorce has not been finalized, then, in my eyes, his marriage is over. If it is in our cards to continue this, whatever this is that we're doing and if he wants me….I wouldn't care and I would be with him, in whatever form that was."
"You'll not be helping me with payroll. That's confidential, but you can help me process all the payments to our vendors and creditors and you can help me input the information into SAP Financials," confirmed Thomas. Anna didn't know what to think about him. He spent entirely too much time with Vera and Sarah, but, he was kind and patient with her. He was polite and it was not what Anna was expecting this week, as she started working in Accounting. She half expected him to be poisoned by Sarah and treat her in an ill manner, but, so far, he was not. That didn't mean she wasn't under scrutiny. With his relationship to Vera still tight, Anna could expect Thomas to give his boss a complete review of her abilities. Not that she ever slacked off, but she would try extra hard to learn everything Thomas said on the first explanation so she could avoid any more hassles with the troublesome trifecta.
She also felt Phyllis' wandering eye constantly on her. That was hardest to understand. The gentle woman had hardly ever spoken to her, and she was not being mean now, but, there was something in the look she was being given. It felt accusatory. Of what, she wasn't sure. Next week would be her turn to work with Phyllis and she couldn't wait. Finally, she might be able to delve more into this woman's psyche and figure her out.
No sooner than they had started reviewing the SAP system, which Anna finally understood to be a very complex database that housed all of their invoices and spending, when Gwen reminded them that that it was time for their weekly team meeting. Anna loved these interruptions, as she learned so many things. It didn't hurt that she got to see Mr. Bates in command and he was very alluring and sexy when he was in charge. The entire team, except Vera, shuffled in and took a seat. It was a slow Monday morning and several of the pilots were there too, including Daisy, Michael, Jack and Alfred. Wedged between Thomas and Daisy, Anna fanned herself when she saw the man who was consuming all her thoughts arrive. He looked just as handsome as she expected.
Without preamble, he started. "I have exciting news. Thanks to Richard, Bates Airlift won the CONOCO EXPLORATIONS account." There was applause from everybody around them and raucous cheers from Jack and Alfred. Everybody was excited, and Anna should be as well, but, all she could see was the passivity on Gwen's face. It masked disappointment from being excluded from the announcement. So, Richard had kept it a secret and not said anything? The smug man just sat there and took all the credit. He went on to say a few words, and never acknowledged what really happened. Of course he had done all of the ground work, his involvement and participation were definitely a key factor. Yet, Vinoth had distinctly credited his decision on Gwen's work. That ought to have been recognized in front of the team as well.
Gwen looked up and shared a smile with Anna and the blonde gave her an understanding look. Gwen would not do anything about it. She was very loyal to Mr. Bates and did not want to create a scene. Her winning the account was a fluke, not something done intentionally, thus, she wouldn't clamor for the attention or possible reward that she merited. Anna admired Gwen her restraint. They both knew the truth and Anna was confident that the truth always found a way out. In this case, she would help it along if she could. She would find a way to work it into a conversation with her client.
Mr. Bates went on to talk about what this meant for the company and how much work this account was forecasted to bring in. He spoke about needing to lease a new aircraft, just as big as Sophia and Grace, and hiring at least two new pilots and at least another office person to share in the workload. Sarah muttered something about it being time that somebody took the weight off of her, but Anna's mind took her in a different direction. They would have an open position? This was the opportunity that had prompted her to come to Bates Airlift to begin with. She wanted to leave investigations behind and do something else. How quickly life altered her course. The likelihood of staying on after the investigation was improbable. Her budding romance with the owner would make it highly improper. Yet, she imagined working with him every day, side by side. How wonderful that would be.
She realized she had been daydreaming about the possibilities a little too long when she heard everybody around her push their chairs out to leave. Before she went back to Thomas, she thought she might linger in the room to catch Mr. Bates' eyes. She hadn't seen him much since London and she was missing him terribly. She hoped he had been mopey, as Mary had called it, because he missed her too.
Anna managed some small talk with Daisy, listening to her rant about what hiring new pilots might mean for her. Stuck on Executive services, Mr. Bates might move her and Alfred along to start training on the Oil Platform runs. She mentioned something about training in specialized simulators in London, a goal of hers and something Mr. Bates only invested in when he felt a pilot worthy. Anna wanted to be excited for Daisy, but she kept trying to catch Mr. Bates' eyes and was only half listening to the enthusiastic girl. No matter how much she craned her head, she realized that he was engrossed in a conversation with Michael Gregson, no doubt about training as well and wouldn't be turning any time soon. When Daisy stopped talking, she excused herself and left, realizing her goal would not happen. She would have to find another way to get near him.
Just outside the meeting room, she encountered the man she had been trying to evade all morning. Richard stood casually outside the door, a little to the left so he couldn't be seen from inside, pretending to be looking for something in his pockets. When Anna saw him, she scanned the area and there was nobody else around. She panicked. There was no excuse she could use to go back to the meeting room and she moved forward, taking as wide a deviation from him that she could. It seemed he was waiting for her, because he blocked her path, moving towards her, on purpose. Anna stayed calm and remembered she had her trusty voice activated tape recorder with her. Whatever he had to say, it would be registered again. He underestimated her. When she was ready, she would fight back.
"Let me through Richard." She put one of her hands on her hips, a natural reaction of defiance, but she held her volume down. She didn't want to call attention to them.
"I'm waiting for you to come to me." He leaned forward and almost whispered. He too, did not want anybody else to overhear.
What an arsehole, Anna thought. "I am sure I don't know what you mean." She wasn't going to let him get off easy.
He leaned further towards her and Anna felt very uncomfortable. He invaded her personal space and in this office, it could cause people to talk. She leaned as far back as she could.
"You know exactly what I mean. You'll follow through if you know what is good for you." Anna did not have time to react or say something else. A voice from behind echoed strong and cynical words.
"Slacking off, aren't we? I knew it wouldn't be long before you showed your true colors." Anna never thought she would be so happy to hear Sarah talk to her, but she was. The sour woman had, in this occasion, provided the perfect exit strategy for her.
"Sorry for taking your time Richard. I need to get back to work." She didn't even acknowledge Sarah or her comment. She didn't even worry if the woman had heard part of their exchange. She made her way around him, walking towards the Accounting enclosure to continue working with Thomas.
Anna was breaking his heart. Running into them at the Oil and Gas Summit was bad enough. He had spent a miserable weekend trying to understand what went wrong. He thought they had a connection. He wrongly believed, when he looked into her eyes on that rainy Friday, before the Summit, that he had seen her soul and found his match. It was true that they had not shared much time together. It was also true that he just met her, a couple of months not counting for much. But time was not important. He knew her and recognized her newfound importance in his life. A couple of kisses led him to understand that she had pierced his heart and that he could never be free of her. He had been waiting a lifetime for this feeling.
They had not agreed on anything, only highlighting the reasons they could not be together. Was it possible that she had moved on because of those hardships? He wouldn't expect her to wait for him. He would never even ask that. Unless she came up with the evidence to free him herself, he would never be available for a relationship, as much as his heart yearned for her. Besides the love and passion he had for his corporation, he employed too many people. He felt responsible for their livelihoods. He could never enter into a clandestine liaison that would, if caught, force him to relinquish ownership. Without him at the helm, the company would fail and they would all be jobless.
He understood her, yet he felt betrayed. Not even a week had passed and she was already cozying up to Richard. He tweeted something that showed just how bitter he was. He regretted doing that. She read all his tweets. Wanting some clarity, he had been to see Robert, thinking that a chat with his friend might help, but the visit didn't. In the end, he couldn't bring himself to confess the true nature of his pain and he allowed Robert to think it was all Vera related. Even Mary eyed him suspiciously, but he said nothing. He wouldn't want to expose Anna in front of her friends, making her seem frivolous.
To lessen the pain, he found all sorts of justifications for her tryst with Richard, even thinking that his attentions might be unwanted, but he wasn't sure anymore. He walked out of the conference room shortly after she did. He had stayed as long as she was there, wanting to be in the same space as her. He couldn't bear to turn around, though, the hurt still palpable. Yet, he remained and once she left, decided to leave too. He found them again. Anna had her back to him and Richard was too focused on her to see him. Anna was flirting with him, had her hand on her hip, and he was leaning in. He was no expert on body language, but it looked like they were sharing a moment, reliving something secret. Richard had a mischievous look. It was too much. He couldn't stand it.
"Gwen, if I have any appointments, please cancel them for the next hour." He said it in a raised voice and closed the door behind, not waiting to find out her answer. He put his head between his hands and began to cry.
"You needed me John?" Anthony carried in a diverse pile of manila file folders, not aware of what his Manager wanted to talk about. Whether it was the financial results of the last months, the month-end close, or a review of their spending, he was ready. "I've brought several files for our discussion, but, if you wanted to review the terms on the new Sikorsky we'll need to lease for the CONOCO account, I can bring that too."
Anthony stood at the door, ready to bolt out if the files he brought were not what were needed. He looked at John with expectation.
"No, it's not that. I have to talk to you about a personal issue. Please close the door and take a seat." He had read Anna's report on Anthony Strallan. It broke his heart to see the evidence of his canoodling with Edna and while he agreed with Anna that he may not be the lover they were searching for, he appreciated that Carson's Private Investigators had uncovered this bit of information. They were worth every penny.
Once Anthony felt that he was off the hook, he took a seat and relaxed, expecting the conversation to be about John. He wasn't aware of what was in store for him.
"Are you sleeping with my wife?" John was direct and showed no emotion. He had decided he would not go easy on him.
All of the scarce color that adorned Anthony's face drained from him and he became deadly pale. It didn't take the man more than a few seconds to start shaking. He admired John greatly and he needed this job. He couldn't afford to upset his boss.
"How can you ask that?" He was barely able to say, his voice choked by the emotions that were betraying his confidence. He couldn't even look at John and John thought he looked guilty.
"Well, I'd like to believe you, but, you see…. I know you are hiding something from me and it has to do with Vera."
"I'm not sleeping with her," he confirmed with more energy, yet he couldn't look up.
"But you want to." John looked at him with fierceness in his eyes, born of the determination to get to the bottom of things, not from rage, which Anthony might suspect.
"I'm not sleeping with her," Anthony continued. He was still shaking. He had dared look up and into John Bates' eyes and he couldn't place the look his Manager gave him.
"But you want to. Admit it." This time John's voice came through with cynicism.
"Whether I want to or not is irrelevant. I am not sleeping with her." He was getting angry. "I don't understand this questioning. Have I done something wrong?"
"Yes, Anthony. I know you to be conspiring with Vera. I don't know what about….. But, I know that I cannot trust you as my Controller if you are not honest with me."
Anthony looked down again. His shoulders slumped in defeat.
"We're not conspiring. She's helping me with something and in return, I am helping her with something else."
"So, what is it?" There was tempered restraint in the way John answered.
"I couldn't say. Really, I can't." Anthony's eyes implored John to give up this silly questioning.
"You can't or you won't say?" John would get to the truth and would not stop badgering Anthony until he had it.
"I can't."
John was incensed. This wasn't a competition, but, if Anthony had more respect for Vera than him, he had doubts that he could trust him with anything else.
"If you can't say….. why should I believe you when you say that you are not sleeping with her?"
Finally, Anthony had enough. He raised his voice to a level considered shouting, "I'm not and I never will as long as you are married to her."
Those words and Anthony's emotion hit John. The way they were said, he understood that Anthony did care for her and in that moment, he felt pity for the man. No doubt Vera knew it and was taking advantage of him.
"So, you have thought of it before."
"Fine. If you must know, I love her and I wish she wasn't married to you, but, I have never, ever, tried anything with her. I simply wouldn't do that to you. I have too much respect." There was nothing but truth in Anthony's demeanor.
John felt a stab in his heart. Not at learning that Anthony did love her, rather, in recognizing that he had been too harsh. Anthony looked embarrassed and belittled, forced to reveal something so personal. John surprisingly did not feel jealous at all. That Anthony loved her caused him no concern.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push you into that revelation." John's tone of voice changed. This was the moment to start a different strategy. "Anthony, I need to trust you with the affairs of Bates Airlift and I am harboring some doubts. No matter what you feel for Vera, she is not above putting the firm in jeopardy for personal gain. I need you to please tell me what you are doing for her."
John already knew that Anthony had some involvement with Edna Braithwaite. Exactly what type is what he needed to know.
Anthony hesitated. John opened his desk drawer and produced the grainy picture Elsie Carson had managed to snap a few weeks ago when they had trailed him from the bank. He set it on the desk and moved it forward with the tips of his fingers, just close enough so that Anthony could see.
"What, pray I ask, are you doing talking to Edna? After all the near damage she did here?"
Anthony's eyes opened wide. "Are you following me?" His voice reflected clear bewilderment.
"No, I am not. This fell into my hands accidentally. I don't have a say in what you do outside of this office, but seeing you chatting with the woman who accused me of such horrible and untrue things has opened up a lot of negative feelings toward you. I won't lie."
"It's not what you think," Anthony sputtered out, clearly taken aback by John's comments.
John crossed his arms across his chest and tilted his chin upwards, his body language implying defiance and disbelief to what Anthony had said. He leaned back in his chair.
"Then, tell me what it is so that I can stop thinking what I am thinking."
Anthony was trying to maintain his dignity. Telling John would reveal his pitiful mistakes and his horrible judgment. It would mean certain dismissal and he couldn't afford that.
"It's quite embarrassing and private. I can assure you it has nothing to do with you."
"It has everything to do with me if you are maintaining any sort of contact with the lady who almost destroyed what I was trying to build." John paused to seek clarity in his words. "You are highly respected here. I've trusted your work for years and we have built something great. Don't let me think otherwise."
There was a clear hesitation from Anthony, coupled by a look of fear of having no way out of this situation. He would be damned if he told, but damned if he didn't. If he spoke, at least he might be forgiven for his stupidity. If he didn't, he might never get back John Bates' trust.
John continued to look at his friend with intensity and saw how little by little, the confidence and walls around him crumbled.
"Oh God, John. I screwed up very badly. This is what Vera is helping me with." He put his head between his hands and supported his upper body with his elbows on the desk in front.
John swore he heard a gasp coming from within. The man looked in agony.
"Go on." He tried to stay emotionless, waiting until he heard whatever tale Anthony had to share to react appropriately.
"About three years after we settled the lawsuit, Vera set me up with a friend of hers on a "blind date". I really didn't want to go, but I couldn't say no to her." He lowered his eyes and his voice decreased to above a whisper." I think you now know why." After a moment, he continued on his conversation with more volume to his words. "So, I went to the pub and waited for this friend to arrive and she didn't. But I stayed and ordered a drink, deciding to watch a bit of a cricket game that was on the telly. A few moments later, Edna arrived. At first, I was scared when I saw her, but she was nice to me. She said she was waiting for a friend and asked if she could wait with me in the meantime."
John couldn't help but think further into this tale. Vera trying to set up Anthony? She didn't have a lot of friends. He didn't trust her motivations to set him up one bit. He would even believe that Edna showing up was on purpose, not a coincidence.
"I didn't want to, but, I did not want to seem rude. I told myself I would finish my drink and leave. I really did want to steer clear of her. She chatted about trivial things. I politely continued the conversation until I could depart. She told me she needed to go the loo and left for a few minutes and when she came back, she had another drink for me. I only took a few sips of the new drink and I began to feel unwell. I excused myself and went to the loo too. When I returned, her friend had arrived, so, I decided to take my leave. They wouldn't let me, so I was forced to stay a little longer. I can't remember anything after that. The next day, I woke up in her bed, naked. She was naked, beside me."
"You slept with her?" John's incredulous voice echoed in the office. If the door hadn't been closed, everybody would have heard. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.
Anthony balked at John's accusatory reaction. "Apparently, but I cannot remember a thing about it. Edna says we did."
'Well, that's unexpected." John didn't know what to do. He put his hand to his forehead and started to rub.
"That's not all. I was relieved to get away from there, but she came looking for me several weeks later. She said she was with child and that the child was mine."
John's jaw dropped as he heard the tale that was being told. Anthony impregnating Edna? He wouldn't believe it. He had never seen Anthony lose control.
"She didn't force me to marry her, but I pay her a monthly stipend for the child. It is a lot of money; I've considered refinancing the mortgage on my flat to make things easier."
There was a child. He was trying hard not to feel offended that Anthony would do such a thing, but, part of his story did not seem right. Edna was not to be trusted. He knew too well what an expert she was at falsehood. He had done nothing to her, had not even approached her and she accused him of harassment. John wouldn't believe that Anthony was really the father of this child. Not unless he had seen the proof.
"And you are sure that the child is yours?"
"Of course it's mine. The dates match up."
"But have you got proof?" Anthony's naiveté was bordering on reckless. Who didn't get proof in these types of situations these days?
"What do you mean proof?" Anthony looked offended that John could question his paternity.
"Are you telling me you haven't gotten a DNA test to prove you are the father?" There was clear surprise in his voice. He reminded himself to not mock Anthony, as their conversation had already been laced with too much emotion.
"No, I haven't. She won't let me." Now Anthony looked forlorn.
"So, you are paying blindly and accept everything she says, even after she lied her way through court with me?"
Anthony did not want to comment on that. It was murky territory to bring up the harassment lawsuit, especially now that the accuser was the mother of his child.
"That's just it John. I wasn't sure if you weren't to blame. Vera made it seem like Edna was saying the truth and that you did harass her."
"You think I did harass Edna?" Out of the entire conversation, the possibility that he was still doubted in his innocence is what hurt him the most. The emotion in his voice made the words barely audible.
"I didn't believe it at the time, but, since then, Vera has made statements to me, explaining that you were less than honest about that." Anthony was contrite in his comment and his eyes reflected concern.
"And you believe her?"
Anthony didn't know what to say. Being in the middle of a husband and wife was the one thing that he never liked about working for Bates Airlift. He never knew who to believe whenever there were disagreements and disputes. He tended to side with John because he had the clearer business sense, but Vera swayed his heart. She had made him believe otherwise. He nodded in acceptance, although it would hurt the man.
"She's been helping me with Edna, trying to get her to let me see my son. She told me to avoid lawyers and the courts. They could only make things worse for me. She could accuse me of rape."
"So, that's what she's doing for you? Giving you advice as a confidant and being a go between with her?" Vera wasn't trustworthy at all and how was it that she was friendly with Edna after the lawsuit had almost obliterated their company when they were starting?
"Yes," said a relieved Anthony.
"And what are you doing for her?" Vera's interest was still missing from the story and if he knew his wife, she never did something unless there was a benefit to her.
"I do odd calculations for her, projections on a stock she wants to buy, valuation of the assets of a friend of hers. I promise you, all purely financial related."
"Let me help you, Anthony. Let me look into the law. If you are the father, you have rights. I think Vera is wrong."
Something did not add up. She didn't know what it was, not being an Accounting expert, but after several days working with Thomas, there were parts of the process that seemed to have holes in them. She didn't think it was attributed to Thomas either- maybe the software they were using, but she had many unanswered questions on how flights were invoiced, then tracked and payments reconciled within the system. Thomas kept everything tidy and in order. He was very professional and had not held anything back from her. He had countless ledgers and she had access to all of them. When she started working with Phyllis it would all make more sense to her. Maybe she would find out why they were doing things manually and didn't have an electronic system. She had read about them in school, that they were available and had even seen a couple of software vendors at the Oil and Gas summit. She'd seen some very interesting demos and thought, during those presentations, that Bates Airlift had something similar. Now, she understood they didn't. Maybe they were too expensive to invest in with a company of this size. Whatever the reason, it made her think that Bates Airlift was too exposed. While they were excellent at flying, her previous experience with Sarah's antiquated scheduling methods and now this, led her to think that they were lousy at managing their business.
IF she were honest with herself, she would have to admit that Thomas was quite pleasant, even after several days. If it was a façade, he had not dropped it. If he was being genuine, she didn't understand how he could be so nice and spend so much time with Sarah, who was insufferable. Maybe their personalities complemented each other. He was diligent in his work, in comparison to his friend and complained very little. He stayed until his work was finished and did many checks to make sure he was accurate. He did, though, on occasion, leave to accompany Sarah and smoke or sit with Vera and chat. She'd heard all of the conversations with Vera, her recording methods still working quite well. It was mostly Vera talking about herself and how Mr. Bates was such a sorry loser. Thomas always laughed and followed the conversations, but he never added much talk about himself or what he was doing. They were mostly one sided.
It was on one of those occasions, when Thomas was out sharing a smoke with Sarah, that Anna decided to get herself some tea. She needed a break and an opportunity to distract herself a few minutes. She also needed an excuse to see if Mr. Bates was in his office and catch a glimpse of him. She could make an extra cup and offer it to Gwen and that could get her in the vicinity.
It was peculiar, that after several days, there had been no chat or discussion between them. He had tweeted again, something odd, but slightly in character –
Flying takes your mind off of your troubles. #women
Anna did not comprehend if it was still a result of his moodiness or if he was trying to be a philosopher. Feeling sad herself, at the loss of their contact, she decided to tweet something too. Hopefully, he would understand that she was missing him also.
Good things come to those who wait #patienceisavirtue
That was yesterday.
When she had finished preparing the cups of tea, she reached up into the cupboards to look for the biscuits that they usually placed on the saucer, when she heard steps, indicating somebody was coming into the small kitchen area. Her first reaction was fear. Being alert to avoid Richard had made her jumpy and she turned with fierceness, thinking she would come face to face with the resident predator. If need be, she would throw the hot liquid at his crotch. Then he would know just how appealing to her, the thought of being with him would be. But, it wasn't Richard. She stood facing Mr. Bates himself.
"Anna," was all he could say and he looked hesitant to stay. He appeared to be making the determination to leave.
"Mr. Bates, I've not seen you in a couple of days. How nice to see you." Anna was nervous. She didn't know why. Maybe it was because his gaze did not give off the evidence of his longing for her like they had done in the past. He was cold.
"I've been busy," was all that he could say. At that point, and without much excuse, it would have been awkward to leave. He didn't have much choice and came in.
"I made an extra cup of mint tea. I was going to offer it outside. Would you like it?"
That was exactly what he had come in to get. He needed a mint infusion now that it was mid-afternoon. Anything else was too strong for him and yet, he couldn't bring himself to accept it. He wouldn't succumb to her charms. Now that she had chosen another man, he had to break free. It started with not accepting her tea. It was only tea, but, it was the gesture. It really was about more than tea.
"Thank you, but I am in the mood for coffee." He came in directly and started to move things around, setting up the filter and ignoring her. He poured a packet of ground roast into the filter basket and pressed the button to brew in record time.
Anna felt snubbed. He didn't have to take her tea, but he was not being very courteous. He looked upset, as if he were purposely trying to give her the cold shoulder.
"Have I upset you?" She only dared ask that question because there was nobody around to witness his answer and if he was, because of where they were, he would also temper his response.
He turned briefly, acknowledging the question and raising one eyebrow. "Should I be upset?" He immediately turned back towards the task at hand. The coffee maker was nothing if not quick. He had positioned an empty cup in the holder and the sounds of percolation alerted them to the start of a flow of hot liquid.
Damn him and his cryptic answer. He was almost assuredly upset and she could think of no real reason for it. Nothing she had done would warrant such an attitude.
"Not that I am aware of."
"Then, I am not upset." His words were gentle, but his entire body language rendered him untrue. He was tense and his jaw was set and he would not look at her. He took the mug by the handle and pulled it out, even if there was still some trickling of hot liquid. He really didn't intend to drink it at that point, thus, sugar and milk were not needed. He didn't even remove the used filter and soggy coffee grinds. He was in a hurry to leave. He would come back later to pick up. He took his coffee, smiled cynically and left the room.
Anna was speechless. The man she loved was being a fool and she didn't know why. She did something, it seemed to him, and for all the detective skills she had mastered, she couldn't figure it out. She was stumped.
Nighttime found Elsie crouching yet again. This time, it was not raining and it wasn't so cold and she could wear her black stealth outfit which was practical and comfortable. On top of her clothing, she wore a fisherman type black vest with an infinite amount of pockets that held all sorts of gadgets that might be necessary. She wore a wire, connected to her ear, for Charles to relay instructions. She had her professional camera with a telescopic lens. She was ready.
Any minute now, they would expect Vera to make her arrival, the GPS signal her automobile was emitting confirming that she was taking her usual route. Charles and Elsie had arrived early, this time, intending to catch images of her lover. For surveillance, they didn't go light. They may be a small operation, but what they lacked in manpower, they made up for it in technology. They wanted to put an end to their night time follies and the only way to do that was to pepper the area with cameras, able to catch him at any angle. They came in their large van too, the one enabled for such missions, allowing a live feed and to redirect the cameras with the most advantageous views to zoom in on their target. They had deliberated in the past when to change to this approach from their more simple surveillance tactics and both had a feeling that today they would have no delays or issues. Vera would come, as would her lover. They didn't want to prolong the investigation further, not when Anna was still in jeopardy working next to John Bates. No matter what Anna said, they could no longer trust him after learning of the accusations levied against him. The sooner they were finished with this case, the better it would be for all of them.
Charles manned the vehicle, currently stationed in the waterworks car park next door, and he had a good view to the entire SG Petch lot. The cameras had been placed on light poles that surrounded the area. Adding them had been a challenge and they had come the night before, in the cover of darkness, to carry out the arduous task of affixing them to a solid surface. They ran the risk of having them discovered during the day, but they were not. Charles thought that the owners of the car franchise were doing a poor job of security if he and Elsie could spend so much time on their premises, at night, and not be discovered. Their failures turned out to be his successes, as he now sat in front of six video monitors, supervising the live feed from each apparatus they'd placed. He could even see his dear Elsie, his eyes and "smart hands" on the ground, ready to take on any challenge.
"Elsie, I want to ravish you." came across the wire. Charles was feeling frisky. With Elsie having been sick for a while, he'd had to abstain from any encounters with his wife until she was truly well. He thought she was being overly cautious the last few days when she had fended him off. She looked fine, but she had insisted they wait a few more. His need for his wife was keened and this was as good as any time to get her in the mood. Maybe when they finished tonight they could celebrate closing this case. Until that happened, they had nothing else to do now until one of the two lovers showed up. Everything was set and ready. He could afford a few minutes to play.
Elsie turned toward the nearest light pole with a camera and stared straight at it. "Are you kidding me Charles?" She was surprised he would use this moment to say such things, but, the instant he said it, a thrill coursed through her veins. He had such a deep and sexy voice, that when used it against her in a game of seduction, he could easily win. Just saying things to her, without even the benefit of a touch would arouse her instantly. That was the first thing that attracted him to her when they had met. In the span of their working relationship, he'd done this a couple of times. She didn't expect him to try it on her now, not when they needed full focus.
"I am zooming in on you." Regardless of her reaction, he would persist. "I can see you entirely, every inch of you. The way you are crouching, I can see the perfect silhuotte of your behind. Imagine I am massaging that fine arse of yours. From there, my hands will run over the contours of your hips, across your belly and to my prize. Your breasts may be hidden by that hideous vest, but I know them well. "
She started to feel too hot, covered from head to toe, and it wasn't the fever she'd had in the last days. He was making her dizzy and she enjoyed the sensations he was generating. He was a master of words and she decided she would play along. "Yes, and what would you do with Maude and Emma?" her raspy voice asked. Through the camera zoom, he could see her push them up and forward. She was finally responding to his game.
"The girls are lovely and they deserve all my attention. First, I would…" Suddenly, he paused. "Stay down Elsie. I see movement on one of the cameras. A man is making his way towards the lot from close to where I am." Elsie's virtual seduction would be put on hold. He was sure though, that tonight would be his night.
"He is still going towards you. I think this is our man." Elsie had crouched behind a large automobile, but could see through the glass windows. Charles kept feeding her information. "He's entered the lot and he looks like he knows where he is going."
"Have you got pictures of him already?" whispered Elsie, keeping her voice down, even when she was too far to be heard. The target vehicle was clear across the lot.
"The video feed is still recording and I have zoomed in to get some clearer images, but, he is wearing a hat, glasses, a peacoat and a scarf covering up to his chin. He is trying to be very inconspicuous and I do not have a clear shot of his face. I hope Anna can identify him because I cannot recognize him from all the pictures on the dossiers."
Elsie remained on the ground. "We also have the pictures from inside the van. Hopefully he will have taken off all those layers when servicing Vera."
"Servicing?" Charles wanted to laugh. Elsie was not very direct when talking about intimate matters. Well, neither was he. He avoided most words altogether.
"You know what I mean Charles. Don't make me be blunt about it."
By then, the man had reached the vehicle. Charles had the closest camera zooming in, but the images of him were still unclear.
"That's odd. He's not entering the car from the back. He has keys and is entering from the front." He thought for a moment. The camera would not get a direct picture of his face when it detected the movement and started snapping pictures. They were likely to get a shot of his back since he was entering the back from the chauffer's partition.
From one of the other cameras, he detected movement on his video screen. A taxi was pulling into the front of the lot, on Monks Cross road. He suspected Vera had arrived and it was confirmed a moment later when long legs emerged from the taxi. Charles had to admit Vera was alluring. He wouldn't tell Elsie that, but the woman was very pretty and still attractive at her age. She also had quite a seductive walk. He saw her saunter into the lot in the direction of the car.
"Vera's here too, love. She's walking towards the target."
Elsie was relieved. She was looking forward to this being the last time she was on the floor in this lot. The gravel cement they used was not very comfortable.
Charles was relieved when Vera opened the van from the back. The camera needed to get a clear shot of her and a subsequent shot of her disrobing. It was most likely that they would succeed if she entered from the back.
"She's in, love. You can move forward." Charles gave his command and he saw Elsie make her way slowly across the lot. They already had the device installed in the car, but it could very well fail. It was always best to be prepared. She couldn't get too close. The couple was already paranoaic, going out of their way to create this deception.
She was a car away, heading to the vehicle from its front end. From her spot, she could see some light from within, but it was not enough to get a clear shot of anybody. All she saw were shadows and movement. Then she realized the van was actually swaying. The shock absorbers were not doing a good job because the vehicle was creaking. Those inside were obviously having a good time.
A/N: I promise you Bates will find the truth very soon and he and Anna will get on the right track. That is the only thing I will confirm to keep your minds at ease. I am, after all, a BANNA shipper, not Julian Fellowes. Have Elsie and Charles finally gotten the proof of the affair? Will Anna find out who the lover is? Will Richard get his comeuppance? Will Gwen ever get acknowledged? Still so many questions left unanswered and it will take several more chapters to resolve all of it. We are nowhere near the end on this one, so, please stay with me.
Also, some folks have started to throw guesses in reviews of how some of these things might resolve themselves – guessing at who the lover is or what the next plot point is going to be. I love it! I won't answer back if you are right or wrong, but, if we get to a pivotal chapter, when things start resolving themselves, I will acknowledge who might have guessed correct.
I am also delayed in answering my latest reviews. I will catch up by the next chapter.