Words - 10.8K
I ended up splitting this chapter in two because I was already close to 16K words in the original version and it would have been hard for you to read. Finally, some answers….We are getting close to the end! Enjoy.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
John burrowed under the covers as the light of the morning seeped through the curtain's opening. Anna was curled up beside him, her head, on his chest, resting underneath his chin. She was fast asleep, tired from the events of last night. He laid a kiss on her head, without disturbing her and perused the contents of the room. It appeared smaller than it did at night. The bed was a full size and it took up most of the space within. There was a cupboard directly in front of them, and a chest of drawers next to it, with a TV. At the headrest level, there was a bedside table with a picture on it of a much younger Anna, with what he imagined to be her parents. The picture was not high quality, but the similarity with her mother was uncanny. The last thing that caught his attention was a chair, on the opposite side of the headboard, closer to where Anna lay. The room was neat and well kept, but the chair had a stack of framed pictures propped up against it. They looked oddly familiar. He could barely make it out, but it did look like the picture of him with his fellow graduating friends. Callum was in that picture, and they were all wearing flight suits, excited to start their careers. He wondered why Anna had it.
He felt her stir. It was very subtle, and her breathing pattern changed. She must have been aware that he was already awake, because she began to pepper his chest with little kisses.
"You're awake, darling," he stated as she continued to kiss her way up to his chin. She hadn't shifted her position, but was craning her neck to reach him. Her actions were causing him to tingle all over.
"I am," she whispered back.
He gingerly traced his fingers over her back and he felt her shiver in response. He was amazed at her receptiveness so early in the morning. He continued his downward path, enjoying the feel of her silky skin against his fingers. Her hip bone jutted upwards and he took great care in massaging it gently. He had a mission, and he was getting close to his target.
Anna's hands were exploring just like his were. She had maneuvered them under the covers and was caressing his lower belly, then sliding her hand all the way down to his inner thigh. She was teasing him.
When Anna spoke, he could hardly contain himself.
"I know exactly what I want to do now." Her hand, under the covers, had found the elastic of his shorts and she reached in.
John rolled his eyes back, as her hands found his morning hardened length. The feeling of her smooth hands on him was exhilarating. She massaged and rubbed him with purpose.
Her hair was a mess as she sat up beside him. At some point during the night, she had put on a pajama top that was all silk and lace, that reached to her mid-thigh and was held by two thin straps over her shoulders, exposing her sexy clavicles. It was very loose, and every time she moved, he could see her pert little breasts jiggle. Amidst his pleasure, he had enough focus to bring his hand up to the hem and slowly pull it up. The vixen was wearing no knickers with it, and the sight of her, like this, drove him wild.
By now, Anna had brought down his shorts and he had cooperated by raising his buttocks to help her with the process. They were both now completely naked, and completely ready to be with each other again. They were making up for lost time and no other words were needed.
They kissed for the first time that morning, and when their lips came together, it brought another electric shock between them. John was lying on the bed and Anna was hunched over his torso, with her body still sitting beside him. She was supporting her weight with one hand, while she used the other to massage all the parts of john's body that were within her reach. The tips of her breasts were teasing the hairs on his chest and the tingle that was produced was making him keener to have her. He reached up to touch them, and Anna's body recoiled at the contact. He held on and massaged the tips, and Anna's breath hitched at his constant attention. The position she was in, though, was not comfortable. She pulled back her head, and in control of the situation, suggested an alternate course.
"Sit up against the headrest." She ordered, and he did as he was told. His back was cushioned by the multitude of pillows that he found there. Anna wasted no time in putting one leg over his, and straddling him. She was sitting on her haunches with his engorged sex between them.
"Last night was fantastic," he told her when they were both somewhat level. He didn't wait for an answer and kissed her. Anna had raised herself a few inches to have her face almost aligned with his. They were perfectly level. "You're amazing, Anna," he repeated as he kissed her over and over. "Truly amazing."
The love John was trying to relay to Anna was coming across without him having to say the words. She could feel it in the depth of his kisses. His smooth lips had sought hers out, again and again, and there was something religious about this reunion; yesterday's and today's. They gave themselves to each other, freely and wholeheartedly. Nothing could stand in their way and their reunions were sacred.
Anna pulled away to look at him. She cupped his cheeks, with both hands. "Your time of suffering is over, John Bates. I love you, and to me, you are perfect."
Her words were the medicine he needed to here. After almost two decades of feeling worthless, to have a beautiful and intelligent woman in love with him, renewed his spirit.
Anna let go of his face and with her hand, positioned him at her entrance. She sank down, as she held on to his shoulders and John held on to her hips. They were now joined, together. Their lips found each other again, and in a rhythmn they learned from each other, moved together in perfect harmony. He filled her deeply, in this position, and he raised his hips, every time she came down on him, adding to each other's pleasure. She didn't hold back, groaning with each internal caress and it wasn't long before he saw her face contort. Adding his own strangled cry, he came again, joining her on this journey of redemption.
0-0-0-0-0-0
"I can't believe she loves me, Robert." Saying good bye on Sunday afternoon had been a difficult task. The fantastic sex was one thing. Besides the two times on the bed, Anna had managed to arouse him a third time and the kitchen counter was put to good use as they prepared lunch. Their lazy time was just perfect. There was plenty to discuss and it was important to spend time just together. They cuddled on the sofa and let the time pass. Neither of them had to try. It was just natural between them, and they fit to perfection in every aspect of their lives. "She's just fabulous, and I feel like I don't deserve her."
"You do deserve her and you deserve to be loved mate," Robert offered as he served John a diet coke at the bar. "You need to let go of all of your ghosts, and get on with your life."
John contemplated what Robert was saying. Now that he was out of prison, he had to figure out what his plans should be. Matthew had communicated that his personal assets would be unfrozen, even if the Bates Airlift operating account would not. Since Vera was co-owner and the authorities were now looking at her as the perpetrator of the fraud, they still could not liberate the account for usage. Having his own funds, though, would finally give him control of his own destiny. With a car, he could finally move around. With his cash, he could purchase a bachelor flat to live in. He could put the house on sale. He appreciated what Robert was doing for him, but he didn't want to outstay his welcome.
"I know. I long for the divorce to be over, for the assets to be unfrozen and for me to get back to work."
Robert cracked a smile, but there was some doubt reflected in his eyes.
"It shouldn't be much longer." He swiped at the counter and sighed.
John sensed his friend's discomfort, or obvious hesitation. "Is there something worrying you?" he asked.
Robert looked up. "I was wondering… what are you going to do about Anna when we flip ownership?"
"Mmm… that." John scratched his head. "It's been troubling me as well. We haven't spoken about it."
Robert shrugged and rolled his eyes. "I don't want to be in your shoes."
"It would be rude and ungrateful of me to oust her from this position, even if it was meant to be temporary. She's doing such a great job, too. I could really use her talent to help turn things around."
"Then, what is the problem with keeping her?...That is… if she wants to stay."
"Can I really do it?" he asked himself in contemplation. "If Anna and I continue on the track we are on, and we remain together, can I really continue working alongside the woman in my life?"
"Well, you did it with Vera," Robert offered matter of fact.
"I know…. And look at how that turned out." John shook his head. "What happens when the team finds out we are together? Our life will be on display. If one of us is upset, the others will notice." He sighed. "Vera made it really uncomfortable for all of our employees. I don't want that to happen again."
"Anna is not Vera. Not by any account, John." Robert offered in a sing-song manner.
John acknowledged what he was saying, but still appeared skeptical. He took a sip of his drink, and then addressed Robert again.
"You're part owner now. Your opinion counts. What would you do?" He expected an answer.
Robert's eyes widened in horror. He hadn't expected the question. Especially since John couldn't know how small his contribution actually was. He didn't want to lie to his friend and he didn't like being put on the spot.
"I think that time will give you the right answer and you shouldn't rush into anything." That was as neutral an answer as he could muster.
0-0-0-0-0-0
"Are you going to tell him?" Robert's voice came over muffled on her mobile phone and she couldn't tell if he was upset, or worried. It was late in the evening, still on Sunday, and he must be at the pub. She could hear background noise.
"Tell him what?" Anna was being coy. She knew exactly what Robert meant, but she wasn't prepared to answer. She didn't really have much of a plan.
"That you own 5.9% of his company. He's out now. I know you didn't want him to know before the transaction took place so that he couldn't stop you from investing, but, sooner or later, we will have to flip the ownership and your position within the company will be questioned."
Anna told him the truth. "I don't know how. I've thought about it and nothing seems right." Although they had spent a wonderful day together, she hadn't wanted to ruin it with the revelation.
"Anna, do you want to stay at Bates Airlift? Or do you want to go back to being a private investigator?" Robert had overheard from Mary more than once that Anna would rather find a more fulfilling job. He knew what she would prefer. His allegiance to John could never be eroded, but even Robert couldn't deny that Anna's scheme is what really saved Bates Airlift, and that this was the reason his friend still had a company to come back to. He would support whatever she wanted.
"I don't want to be a private investigator, but this is John's company and I don't want to interfere." Anna's life changed when she started working at Bates Airlift. She felt alive when she was there. She definitely did not want to leave, but she provided the money to save him and his company, not to buy herself a position within. If he did not think she should be there, she would leave, and maintain her role as investor and partner only. She just wanted him to have control of what was his again.
"Anna, darling…." Robert's voice was sweet and fatherly. "This is now your and my company too. We may be small investors, but it is ours and it was this contribution that enabled the company to continue running. Don't belittle your share."
Anna's shaky voice agreed with Robert. "You're right. I just don't know how to go about it."
"Would you like me to tell him?"
Anna thought about it for a few seconds. It would be the easiest option. They were a couple, though. He ought to hear it from her. She ought to be able to share anything with him if they had any future together.
"No. I will. Just give me a few days."
0-0-0-0-0-0
Jesus Christ, muttered Vera as she hid behind a large pillar. She wasn't noticed by the security guard that had been following her. She peeked and saw that he was nowhere to be seen. She rested against the wall as she calculated her next move.
She had laid low for several days in Scotland, staying at an inconspicuous bed and breakfast on the outskirts of Glasgow. She had about 10,000 pounds in cash, thankfully, as all of her UK bank assets were now frozen. She still had her investment account under her maiden name, but she wouldn't access that until she was in Switzerland. The police were none the wiser about that account, nor the one in Zurich. As long as she could leave the country, she would be fine and she would still have enough money to live placidly. Getting out, though, would be a challenge.
Just a few minutes ago, she had attempted to board a ferry from Dover to Calais. She did not want to fly, thinking that her name had probably already been added to a UK fugitive list that could be accessed by the airlines. She didn't have that many choices - the ferry to Dublin or the ferry to Calais. As long as she showed that she had a passport and that it was valid, she should be able to board one of those boats, and once she was on foreign soil, move with freedom. She would buy a first class train ticket from Calais, all the way to Montreux, where she already owned a small chalet on the outskirts of town.
That is what she had thought, until the Dover ferry agent looked at her passport and asked her to wait. He picked up the phone. She should have played it cool, he could have asked her to wait for just about anything, but her nerves got the better of her, and she snatched it from his hand and ran as fast as she could. She was only traveling with a small carry on, and a large purse and she managed to keep those with her as she ran across the terminal and out into the street. The commotion of her sprint across the ferry terminal's grand hall caused the security guards to start on their pursuit of her.
Now, with her back to the wall, she sunk to the ground. She felt defeated. She couldn't go back there. Maybe they had upgraded their systems and were tracking fugitives like the airlines were. Or if they hadn't upgraded their systems, her rash reaction prompted the pursuit. They were bound to have that on tape and now her face would be seen. Damn. She should have left York the moment she knew that Thomas was arrested, not when Edna had called her. And thank god that the blonde dimwit had. Without that warning, she might have been arrested and she wouldn't want to give John Bates that satisfaction.
She wondered how he had managed it. She didn't think he had it in him. Was that Matthew Crawley's investigative team that good? She knew it hadn't been Thomas to rat out their very complex fraud scheme. They had made a pact and she believed he wouldn't give her up. Matthew Crawley must have hired investigators for John; the same ones that found the evidence of her liaison with Richard. Maybe that sod did have some balls left in him.
Now he was out. She'd read it in the online York periodical when she had googled her name to see what the press was saying. He had been vindicated. That bastard – especially after what he did to her brother. He still owed her and Callum and she wondered how she could use him to gain her freedom. Maybe he could help her just one more time. Vera grinned as an idea formed in her mind. She would find him and he would help her. She still had her car. She would go back to York.
0-0-0-0-0-0
Are you there?
Phyllis looked at the screen on her server's monitor. That Molesley fellow was writing to her again. She should have known that he would crack her code. Of course he would. The majority of the cyber experts she knew would not let a challenge like that go. And he was good… very good.
He'd written to her yesterday, when she was at the party for Mr. Bates. It was really rare that she would be out on a weekend evening. She mainly stayed at her flat and worked on her projects. She preferred to stay at home, fed up with life, and tired of the people that had made her life miserable. She also had too much to do. She scanned the multiple camera feeds she was taping and supervising. She'd added another two in the last week, and they now totaled 20. She couldn't complete her mission if she was always outside.
She returned her gaze to the screen. If he had written to her again, that meant that he'd already perused her archives and was wondering what all of those files were. She was tempted not to answer. She didn't want to have to explain herself. He was a good fellow, though, and a good ally. With a sigh, she relented.
Hello Mr. Molesley. I am, and you found me.
It was a rash decision to answer him, spurred in part by her need for a friend. She was very lonely, and a cyber-friendship was something she could handle. Maybe.
I know who you are.
Mmm, she thought. It was possible, although she'd changed her name after her stay at Bryant Landing. There were few, if any records at all, of the existence of Phyllis Baxter. Only Daphne and Mr. Bates knew her real name, Raquel. She'd erased as much as she could of that life too.
I knew you would, sooner or later. What is my name?
Better make sure that he did know.
Phyllis Baxter. You work for Mr. Bates. I suspect that isn't even your real name.
So, he did know.
How did you find out?
He was a fast typer. No sooner had she posed the question, he was already answering.
You forwarded something from your office email account to your personal email. You deleted it, but I was able to reconstruct your rubbish file.
She felt the color drain from her face and her blood pressure drop. Such a stupid mistake. She had been so careful to avoid detection and now her cover was blown.
He added another thought when she didn't answer.
Anna suspects it is you, but I will not say anything.
Her heart leaped. There was no code between cyber hackers, although she wasn't one by the true definition of the word. She would rather be considered a cyber-vigilante, seeking justice for all of the wronged women she knew. Yet, Mr. Molesley was honoring an unspoken protocol, that you did not give up your foe or friends. You utilized your skills either for good, or bad, but did not mess with those of your same skill level, as it could come back to haunt you. Bless him. She felt somewhat more relaxed.
Thank you. I know she does. She confronted me, but I played coy. I want to help you and her, but I do not want to be identified.
I can respect that, but can you answer a few more questions? Is your debt of gratitude, for Mr. Bates?
Definitely. Most Certainly. She owed him, Daphne, and those who intervened on her behalf in London. He had flown her out of there, immediately, before her oppressor had found her, and then given her a job when Daphne and team had helped rehabilitate her. This job was now allowing her to finance her personal mission – that of tracking and keeping away the scum that had subjugated all of the women that Daphne sought to help. She had cameras on many of them, making sure they were where they ought to be, far away from where the women were finally placed. She'd even provided evidence for crimes committed, locking some of the men away for good. She wouldn't be finished, ever. As soon as she concluded one case, Daphne had another woman at the compound to help. She didn't know them, but she was a sister in pain, and those in this sisterhood helped each other.
Yes. He helped me when I needed help the most.
That was all she would say. She did not need to elaborate.
You knew all along that it was Thomas and Vera. Why not tell him? Why make us investigate?
Of course he would ask that. Why wouldn't she just tell Mr. Bates or Anna? Thomas, of course. He was the sole keeper of her own sad story. Due to his pentiant for perusing porn sites, he had come across her own very shameful secret.
Richard Coyle had befriended her and made her think she was special. He courted her, showered her with gifts, and asked her to move in with him. She had a good job, working with MI6, as a junior cyber analyst. She would have grown with them, career wise, and risen through the ranks, but he changed when she moved in with him. He beat her where nobody could see, and he tied her to the bed, making her his sex slave. She missed a lot of work and was eventually sacked. Her mother had raised her to have self-worth, but he manipulated her and she believed him when he said she was worthless. Her humiliation was complete when he brought in strange men to their house to have sex with her, as a gang bang, and he taped it all. Her images were all over the internet. Since her departure from Bryant landing, she had worked tirelessly to hack and disable every website that hosted that image, and she had even gone as far as wiping out the hard drives of individuals who had it stored in their personal computers. Somehow, though, one had eluded her, and he had found it and he had blackmailed her. He was so smug and she was so embarrassed. That cretin had saved a paper image, one she couldn't erase, and told her that if she didn't want Mr. Bates and the office to see it, that she would turn a blind eye to whatever she saw happening. She'd already started to suspect Thomas' fraud, but his threat was powerful. She didn't want Mr. Bates to see her that way, or to be embarrassed for having hired her. He knew she was in a bad situation, that she'd escaped wearing men's clothes, when Richard had burned all of hers, but he didn't know the particulars and she would rather keep it that way. A big part of her felt remorse that he had to go to jail, but she felt vindicated that all of her work had helped Anna make sense of the information.
I was in a difficult position. I cannot say how, but if I could have, I would have.
If she had told Mr. Bates, Thomas would have known that it was her. Instead she tried to warn him. She tried, she really did. She sent him anonymous notes to get him to suspect and he finally had, hiring Carson's Private Investigators. She knew about Vera and Richard too, as she had been tracking both for a long time. They were no good. Neither of them. That was the reason she was able to help Anna. That Saturday that Anna had been attacked, she tracked him driving towards the office and knew Anna would be there alone. He was a pervert and Anna wouldn't be able to handle him herself. Armed with nothing more than pepper spray, and living ten minutes from the office, she was pleased that she could make it in time and that it had not come to the worst.
What of Anna? You've been tracking her. Why?
Sweet Anna. The more she worked with the young lady, the more she liked her. She was honest, straight forward, and very caring - but, she didn't know that at the beginning. Anna's suspicious behavior, when she caught her snooping around, worried her enough to investigate her background. She'd found out about her parents, and who her Godparents were and realized early on that Mr. Bates had hired her. She had gone candidly to him, worried about what she was doing there, and he had assured her she was no trouble at all. He hadn't explained that he had hired her, but he led her to believe that having her there was something he wanted. Just to be sure, she had tracked her for two days, and during that time period, discovered the liaison between them. The closed circuit security cameras at the Bryant Landing compound further confirmed their relationship. She kept those images, just in case. She would protect John Bates at all cost and after reading about his sexual harassment settlement with Edna Braithwaite, believed keeping a copy of the picture would be helpful for him in the future, should Anna not be who she appeared to be.
I was protecting Mr. Bates. At first I worried about her, and I tracked her, but when I realized he had hired her, and her intentions were apparently good, I decided to help.
That must have appeased Mr. Molesley because he didn't ask any other immediate questions. If he was finally over his doubts, perhaps they could move on to a more pressing topic. Vera.
Vera left Scotland Sunday morning and her car was now parked in Dover. She was attempting an escape at the ferry to Calais, no doubt. Just in case, she emailed a very official looking document, with her picture to the ferry's email servers, and had all the networked printers at that location generate a copy. If the ferry authority had their act together, if she tried to board, she would be caught.
She should tell Mr. Molesley. He could help her now that they were allies. It would also deflect the conversation away from her and her many secrets.
I should tell you, I've tracked Vera to Dover. I generated some difficulties for her to board the ferry to Calais. I see no arrest reports, so, I expect she will either try to go to Liverpool or lay low again.
His answer came immediately.
You did?
He seemed pleased and that gave her a proud feeling.
Yes. I have a very powerful GPS on her motor, much more powerful than that used by your employers. Their battery probably already died on that device.
He wrote back a strange emoji which Phyllis could only guess was meant to be a smiley face. It was immediately preceded by additional comments.
What should we do, love? How can I help?
Good man - Just as she expected. She also got an unexpected chill when he called her love. It was sweet, or rather, he was sweet.
Nothing for the moment. I will share my feed with you. Let's see what her next step is before we move to take a more decisive action.
0-0-0-0-0-0
"Charles, Come quick," bellowed a surprised Elsie when she walked into the home office. Vera's dormant GPS signal was pinging softly and the green dot was visible on their tracking monitor. She zoomed in to see the coordinates as swiftly as she could.
"What is it?" he responded as he arrived into the room. At the precise moment, she was able to pinpoint the quadrant where Vera's car was driving through.
"It's Vera. Her GPS signal is active again. Maybe a bump in the road jolted the battery awake."
Charles eyebrows waggled excitedly. "That is surprising. Once we lost the trail in Glasgow, I didn't expect to pick it up again." He looked over Elsie's shoulder. "Where is she now? I would have thought she would have already fled the country."
"She's heading north. She was apparently down South because she is close to Stamford and just passed Peterborough." Elsie traced the pin points from her historical location.
"Is she heading back up here?...to the scene of the crime?" Charles rubbed his temples. It was all too confusing.
"If she is, she will be here in a couple of hours….Only time will tell, love. In the meantime, let's tell Anna and she can decide if she alerts the authorities and Mr. Bates, or not." Elsie's head fell back to look at Charles who was still behind her.
Taking advantage of her position, he reached down and placed a kiss on her forehead. "You're right. Let's let Anna handle it."
0-0-0-0-0-0
"Anna, Can I talk to you?" Sarah stood at the door, nervously. The woman's jittery exterior matched her very own mood. Mr. Bates was due to come to the office with Robert any moment now and she really would have preferred to not be busy so that she could experience the whole arrival uninterrupted.
Sarah sensed the hesitation, although no words were said. "It's urgent and you'll want to hear this." She stepped in without waiting for approval and closed the door behind her.
Anna smiled although her insides wanted to yell. "Go on, then," she said neutrally.
"I appreciate that you've kept me on despite your knowledge of my past." There was not a lot of gratitude in her demeanor to match her words.
Anna could not tell where she was going with this. "Yes, we made an agreement. You kept your word, and I kept mine," she added. Internally, though, Anna reasoned that Sarah was going to have to step up both her productivity and team attitude if she was going to be staying permanently.
"Whether you believe it or not, I want to stay here. I don't think I could find a better situation at my age and with my studies, elsewhere."
If Anna's jaws weren't attached, she was sure that her bottom mandibule would have dropped to the ground. Sarah wanted to stay here. Really? She had a peculiar way of showing it.
"That's nice to hear, although…. You do all possible to alienate yourself from the others and you continue to speak ill of Mr. Bates."
Sarah turned pink. "Well, he's gone now. And I will try harder with the others."
Anna sighed. She wondered what Sarah's reaction would be once the entire team discovered that his absence was only temporary. Yet, Anna felt slightly exasperated. She was in here, with Sarah, when Mr. Bates might already be on the outside. Did Sarah really think this was important? What was so urgent?
"But, that's not all." She noticed that Anna was losing her patience.
Anna focused after the promise of additional information and Sarah continued.
"In case you don't believe me, I think I should tell you that I had a voicemail message from Vera. Even though Mr. Bates is already out of jail, I know you were keen on capturing her for the alleged fraud."
Anna's ears perked up immediately. "A voicemail? Was it recent?"
"It was this morning, while I was getting dressed for work. I didn't hear the phone ring and the call went to voicemail. IT wasn't her normal mobile number. At least not the one I had. She says she needs my help."
Anna leaned forward and put her palms on the table. She needed to contain herself, as her heart was now beating wildly at this information. If she could find Vera, and put her in jail, she was sure Mr. Bates' entire ordeal would be over. With her on the loose, one could never really be safe. "What did she say?"
"She said she would call back. I am telling you now because I don't want to get involved. We were friends, but, I've had my share of police and prison, and I don't want her to drag me down like she did Thomas. I'll cooperate in any way you need and I hope this buys my job safety for the future."
Anna could have kissed Sarah, if not for the desk between them. It didn't even bother her that she would have to put up with the woman's sour face permanently in this office. They had an opportunity to set up Vera and Sarah was a willing participant. What a good day this was turning out to be.
0-0-0-0-0-0
"Mr. Bates, Mr. Crawley, Good Day," Ethel announced as they came through the door into the Bates Airlift Compound. "Anna is with Sarah right now, but she shouldn't be long."
"Thank you Ethel. We'll take a walk around the compound until she's free," offered Robert before John could speak.
For John, this was a test. He wasn't the boss anymore and although it was temporary, he had to restrain the urge to manage his operation. To the employees, Robert was the boss.
They had hardly walked a few steps when Anna's door opened revealing Sarah O'Brien exiting the office. Sarah could not have expected to see him and her surprised face gave her away. She muttered a hurried hello to both her and Robert, and walked towards her desk before they could even talk to her. Typical Sarah, he thought to himself, but he didn't care right now whether she was surprised to see him or not, Anna's office was now open and he would get to see her again. It didn't matter that he'd spent most of Sunday with her. It felt like ages had passed since he'd held her in his arms and he was aching to do it again. If only Robert weren't with them.
"Anna, we're here," Robert announced as they walked into her office.
Anna's eyes sparkled with emotion when their eyes met. "Hello," she responded shyly, and although she was addressing Robert, she didn't take her eyes off of him.
Robert immediately noticed their instant connection and was as good a friend as was possible under the circumstances. He lowered his voice to a whisper. "I'm going for a cup of tea. You have five minutes to greet each other properly. I'm closing the door." He didn't wait for a response, and heard no objections.
As soon as they heard the click of the door, Anna came around and into his waiting arms.
"How are you?" he asked as he wrapped her in his embrace.
"Better, now that you're here." No words were spoken for at least two minutes while they reveled in each other's presence. His solid form was a comfort for her, and her petite frame fit perfectly against him. Still held within his arms, she stood on her tiptoes, expecting a kiss. He obliged. His lips were warm and moist and his warmth heated her instantly. It was over quicker than she would like, but they couldn't take such a big risk with their employees a few feet away from them.
"I missed you," he added as they pulled apart to sit on opposite sides of the desk.
"Me too, she responded.
0-0-0-0-0-0
"What do we do about Vera's call?" Anna inquired with John and Robert present, and Matthew on the phone.
They held their breath as they awaited Matthew's professional opinion.
"'If Sarah is willing to play along, we bait her, but we pass all the information on to the police. We don't want to get involved." He paused for a moment to consider his advice. "….and you, John….. I want you farthest away."
John acknowledged the comment with a smirk. He didn't say it out loud, but he had no need to see Vera. He didn't have a plan for vengeance and didn't need words with her. She was dead to him, after what she did. If she were caught, she could rot in jail.
Matthew continued. "The last thing we want is a showdown where she could turn the tables and try to incriminate you. Best to be as far away as possible."
"Don't worry Matthew. I have no intention or need to talk to her. She is dead to me. As soon as the divorce hearing takes place, I will erase all thoughts of her from my mind."
Anna smiled meekly. She couldn't contain herself from doing it and she was in comfortable company. Yet, she couldn't rejoice completely – not until he had his divorce. Three days were keeping her from her final happiness. His hearing was set for Thursday.
"So, we sit and wait?" Robert asked.
Matthew responded. "Yes. It is up to Sarah now. If Vera calls her back, she should go along with whatever Vera asks and then we'll contact the police to set up the sting."
John scratched his head. It really was baffling that everything rested on Sarah's shoulders. "I have no clue why Sarah would choose to cooperate. She hates me." It was more of a question.
Anna kept quiet, as Matthew did. They'd made an agreement with Sarah, and they both intended to keep their side of the bargain. Her past legal troubles would not be brought up now.
"John is right. Sarah is no friend of his. Can we trust her?" Robert's brow was raised as he doubted the woman's reliability and intentions. "What's in it for her?"
Anna decided to give her perspective, in the hope that she would quell their concerns. "Sarah still has much to do to prove herself in this company, but she is genuinely concerned that she should be associated with Vera and Thomas and their fraudulent actions. Her motives, not altruistic by any form, are consistent with her desire for self-preservation. She has guaranteed that while friendly with them, she had nothing to do with their crimes. I believe she can be trusted."
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
"She's already in Yorkshire, love." Charles traced the path made by the coordinates on the screen with his fingers.
"Well, it confirms what Anna said when she messaged us. She's coming straight back and that is a mistake if you ask me. What criminal, in their right mind, goes back to the scene of the crime? If she were that eager to get help from Sarah O'Brien, wouldn't you have asked her to come to you instead?"
"Nobody can be as smart and logical as you, my darling," cooed Charles when Elsie was finished speaking.
"At least, this time, Anna is not embroiled in the middle of it all. Bless the Lord that Matthew Crawley has asked John and Anna to stay away."
"I couldn't agree with you more." Charles read the information on the screen once more. "At this rate, she'll be here in about an hour, given the traffic she'll encounter. We should intercept her and follow her just to be sure."
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
A few more hours passed without word from Vera. Sarah had agreed to tell Anna as soon as she heard from her friend, and as the day progressed, everybody who was aware of the impending meeting was nervous. They kept it amongst themselves, excluding Anthony, Ethel, Phyllis, Edith Gwen and any of the pilots from what was going on.
In the interim, they kept busy with the original purpose of John's visit to the office. Everybody was told that now that Mr. Bates was free from jail, since he had been retained as a consultant, he was in the office to go through each department's current organization and results. This would give Robert the assurance that the company was functioning as it should and that Anna was managing everything accordingly. It was a ruse for the team, but it was a true activity for him. He would get his business back and he wanted to make sure that it was running as it should.
Anna didn't know what made her more nervous – John's presence so close to her, waiting for Vera to call, or John going through each department to test her ability to manage. It was a nightmare, to go through a revision, but Anna was confident in what she had achieved and she hoped John noticed the small changes she had made, all with the goal of making the company more efficient and with more revenue earning potential. It was a relief, though, when Sarah came to knock on the door.
Sarah was pale, even though her normal face was a white-as-a-ghost complexion. She let herself in, closing the door behind her. Robert was with Anna, while John spent time with Gwen, reviewing Sales figures and contract renewals. It was late in the workday, already 4pm.
"She says she wants my passport so that she can leave the country. She says she would like to swap cars to take it onto a Liverpool ferry and that I should meet her in two hours, outside the York Minster so that we can do the switch. She promised to wire me funds for the loss of my car and that I shouldn't tell anyone."
"Did you agree?" asked an eager Anna.
Sarah rolled her eyes with annoyance. "Yes. I told you I would, didn't I? So, I've agreed, except, I don't have my passport with me. It's at home. She'll not be too pleased when she realizes it is expired, but that's not my problem…. I'll have to go home and get it, and I would need to leave now if I am to make it on time."
"Go to your house. I'll explain to Matthew who already has the police on alert, and we will call you with any alternate instructions."
Sarah left, followed by Robert. As much as he wanted to stay to see how this all unfolded, he must get on with the work at the pub. Anna agreed to return John as soon as he was finished in the office. Matthew confirmed with the authorities what the plan was and an undercover officer was dispatched to intercept Sarah at her home. She was to be wired so that she could record any possible conversations. She would be followed, for her protection and there would be other undercover police members, patrolling the area. The idea was that as soon as Sarah made contact with Vera, the police would attempt to apprehend her. They were ready with squad cars to block the roads in front of and in back of where they would be meeting.
To a certain degree, Anna was relieved shat she was not participating in the sting. She also did not want to see Vera, and she would rather spend time with John, even if it was in the office. This was better than before, when she worked for him. They were together now, and that security made the time spent in his presence a joy.
When Gwen, and the others said good-by, and they were left all alone in the office, Anna's heart began to palpitate.
"Alone at last," John spoke and Anna though she would burst. His eyes spoke of his sincerity and gladness that it was just the two of them.
"What now?" she asked bashfully.
John flashed an equally shy smile. His eyes crinkled in the way that she loved. "I have an idea."
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Sarah sat inside her battered car. It was an older model and it had seen better days. Money never seemed to be enough and she didn't have plans to upgrade any time soon. She could have had a better car, she reasoned, if she'd shut up about Vera's call and let her take this old piece of junk. The money wired could have helped her with the financing required to acquire a new one, but it was not to be. She'd gone ahead and spilled all the information to Anna and now she was sat here, like a cursed princess waiting for something to happen. She was following instructions, parking her automobile as close as possible to the entrance of the York Minster. She had been lucky to find a spot, or the police had cleared it for her, and it was close to the entrance. She had a view of the small esplanade, and of the street. She expected that the way she was positioned, Vera would jump in and ask her to drive somewhere, only letting Sarah go after they had driven for a while. Of course, she would want a public place, the type where there would be lots of people milling about, and nobody quite paying attention. It seemed ideal.
She appeared to be alone, but looks were deceiving. A few feet away, on a park bench, sat a female undercover inspector, dressed as a mum out with her child. She even had a pram to help her disguise. Besides the normal foot traffic for the area, there was also a beggar, sat on a corner, close to the entrance of the church. Sarah reckoned he was also one of them. She wondered if the irreverent teens on skateboards, those that were taking a stroll up and down the steps were in on it too. They looked a little young to be part of the police, but who could know these days. They were making a ruckus, and she wondered if that was their disguise. Matthew also explained that he would be there, with the Inspector in charge, but they would be hidden out of view. Somehow, even though she was not a fan of this lawyer, or any lawyer for that matter, it did give her a sense of comfort. Truth be told, she was nervous. Even though she knew Vera to be vindictive, but not violent, she felt a sense of dread. This was the type of scenario that she'd only ever see in the movies, and in so many of those interactions, the handover goes wrong and the most innocent people were hurt. She didn't want that to be her. Her early life of crime was not something she was proud of, and not something she did of her own volition. She had been easy to manipulate by her husband, and she paid the price for her gullibility. She didn't want that anymore. She didn't want to be an accessory to Vera's plans. She would work through her nerves and she would do what the police told her, anything to avoid any additional problems in her life. All she had to do now was wait for Vera to arrive.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Elsie and Charles were confused. Elsie had donned her hijab, and long dress outfit, and was prepared to descend the vehicle if required. She had her camera on her lap as well. She would be less conspicuous in this getup, and the long pleats of her dress allowed her to hide the apparatus. Although they had not been called on by Anna to help, they had discussed that they would be prepared to take any pictures of any transactions taking place. If it were in any way helpful for the prosecution of Vera Bates, they would do it, because capturing Vera meant that their little girl could enjoy peace of mind. Charles was reluctant at first, mainly because Anna's peace of mind meant that she would be driven straight into his arms. His Elsie made him see the light, urging him to do his part to make her happy. It also helped that she had a way with her hands and knew exactly where to place them when she wanted a quick decision on his part.
The confusion came from conflicting information they had received. Anna had advised them that Sarah would be heading to the York Minster to await Vera's arrival. Vera's car, though, was not heading in that direction. Rather than come to the city center, it was actually heading towards the outskirts on the south east, closer to where the Bates Airlift compound was. IF she wasn't planning on meeting Sarah, where was it that she was headed?
Elsie pondered what to do. Her instinct was to turn around and move in the direction of the GPS signal. It could be a ruse, made with the intention of throwing them off. Vera could have disposed of her car, and they might start chasing after a false lead. How poor would it look, if Vera showed up at the designated spot and got away and they were not there to support the arrest? Maybe. Or… it was possible Vera was playing tricks on them and this was the ruse? Elsie's' sixth sense told her they should follow the signal.
"Follow the signal, Charles," she gestured as she picked up her mobile. "I'm going to call Anna."
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
What fools they were, all of them. She'd thought exhaustively on what to do next. Although she had the initial idea in Dover, she'd had plenty of time, over the long hours of the infernal road trip, to decide on a definite course of action. In the end, the best idea, it seemed, to her, was to play a trick on them. Going quietly was not her style. Best to let them feel like she was in control, lest they start thinking they could beat her.
It would all start with Sarah, her easy prey. The woman had no spine and no real loyalty. She was perfect for the plan, leading them all astray, unknowingly. She knew what made motivated Sarah and it was always self-preservation. Through their years working together, Vera had witnessed just how everything she said and did revolved around her. Sarah would never own up to her faults, and was always looking for a way out of a situation. Sarah's association with herself and Thomas probably left her in a precarious position, being still employed by Bates Airlift. She would do all possible to prove she wasn't one of them. Yes, Sarah had an allegiance to her, that could not be contested, but she could never be on the same level of Thomas Barrow. She would always act thinking of herself.
Thomas knew how to keep quiet and go about his business. He was loyal- still was- even with the incarceration looming over his head. He had not said a word. She knew that much from the lawyer who was defending him, one that she had paid handsomely to represent him and to keep her informed. Thomas would get less than seven years for his crime, and what was waiting for him, on his release, was nothing short of nirvana. Much of his money was untouchable by the authorities, even if they had found one of his accounts. There were others, and they were well hidden. She would make sure he had a comfortable life in Switzerland with her. They had made the plans, carefully, and had discussed all of the possible outcomes – even this one. This was not what they desired, but it was a possibility, they knew, and now he just needed to serve his time.
She, on the other hand, was close to fulfilling her destiny. By now, surely, they were all flocked to the York Minster, surveilling the area while Sarah sat in her car. Did they all think she was a fool? Ha! They were the idiots. She was heading in the opposite direction.
Her plan was simple. She would drive to Bates Airlift and ditch the car several yards away, on the closest empty lot to the compound. There was an old warehouse that could hide her vehicle. It was an easy walk, and she had the key to the side gate. It was rarely opened. They last time they did, it was to set up the brouhaha for the Make a Wish child to come through the decorated side of the building, instead of traversing through the office. She could slip in easily and hide in the maintenance hangar. The interiors of the large helicopters were quite comfy and she would hijack the first pilot that walked in, and force them to fly her across the channel to France or Belgium. She only had one bag she needed to take with her, and as she eased her hand into her coat pocket, caressing the cool metal of the Smith and Wesson 9mm gun that would convince her detainee to take her, she knew all would be well in the world.
As it stood, she was already a block away.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
"What kind of idea do you have, Mr. Bates?" Anna inched closer to where he was standing.
John almost melted when she asked this. Of course, she'd used that flirty tone that he adored, and she'd batted her eyelashes. She was unaware of just how these simple actions on her part had him weak in the knees.
He'd taken a few steps closer to her too, and he'd reached for her hand while explaining his idea. "I was thinking that it's been a long time since I've flown in one of my girls. Tom told me Maggie was all ready and waiting for me to take her out." Amazingly, the authorities had not taken her away. "I was thinking, maybe, we could go out and see where the night takes us?"
John and her, in a helicopter, miles away from here? It sounded more than perfect. It was ideal. He could take them somewhere where they could be themselves for a few glorious hours. They could be away from all of this Vera mayhem. He could reacquaint himself with something he loved so much and he was asking her to be a part of it.
"That's brilliant." She reached in and gave him a quick peck. "I'll go to the loo before we leave."
He smiled again, relieved that his idea had been well received. But that was his Anna. She was most agreeable with everything, something Vera never was. She'd have shot him down instantly. "Meet me in the hangar when you are ready. I'll be there, tinkering with Maggie and getting her ready."
Another quick kiss sealed the deal and each one went their separate ways.
0-0-0-0-0-0
Phyllis arrived home from work as she usually did, slightly tired. With nobody to replace Thomas yet, she was handling a fair share of his workload, on top of hers. Edith was helping, but she still could not manage some of the more confidential aspects of the work, such as the payroll process. Anthony was also helping, but it had been a while since he had done the more tedious of the company's tasks. He was managing the bank accounts, but that was it. She'd chatted with Daphne and was aware that it would yet be another two weeks before she could release Jane Moorsum, the most qualified candidate for the accounting position. Jane was an accountant, and a good one, but her treatments for depression, and substance abuse for the painkillers she started to take when her husband died, required a few more sessions. Her pusher, the thug she had gotten mixed up with and started hitting her, was on the top of her list for monitoring. She was close to finalizing the case against him. With him gone, Jane could put her life back together. Of all of Daphne's current girls, Jane was also the only one from Yorkshire, so, this position suited her, and she, Phyllis, would not complain. She would rather that job go to Jane, than anybody else because of the company's impatience. She could make it work another two weeks.
With so much work to do on her second job, she immediately started looking at her monitors. Most important on her agenda was to see what was new with Vera. She gasped when she saw the screen. Vera was in York. When she zoomed in the coordinates, she realized that Vera was a block away from Bates Airlift. This was worse than she thought.
She breathed in. Vera's presence at Bates Airlift was not a good sign. Living only ten minutes away from the office, and having just left, she was aware that Anna and Mr. Bates remained at the compound. They would be caught unaware. She should warn them, but how?
0-0-0-0-0-0
Anna checked herself in the mirror one last time. She was going to get to spend a few quality hours with the man she loved, away from reality. Well, maybe not far away from it. She still needed an opportunity and a way to tell him the truth about her stake in the company…. and she had yet to explain to him what he didn't know about Vera's investment in Helicopters UK.
She stared at the reflection in the mirror for another few seconds and convinced herself she looked good. She exited the locker room, with her handbag. The phone vibrated in her bag and as an automatic gesture, she reached for it. It was Elsie, probably at home, worried about everything that was happening. Anna shrugged. As much as she loved her Godmother, she didn't want to talk to her right now. She didn't want to explain where she was going and what she was going to do. It still felt illicit to be out with the man she loved. She put the phone back into its place in her handbag and reached for the door that lead to the outside.
She heard another beep and surmised that her Godmother left her a voicemail. Had she looked, she would have realized that her twitter troll, incognitohelper, had just published a tweet mentioning her, and she was getting the alert.
eyeinthesky VB in the vicinity of the BA compound. Take all precautions necessary.
But, she didn't look. She only wanted one thing right now, and that was to be with the man she loved. As she stepped into the compound's tarmac, and closed the door behind her, she could see him in the distance inspecting his girl. A rush of warmth spread through her. What a wonderful evening, she thought.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Vera was surprised to find Anna Smith's car in the lot. It was the only one. It was only 7pm, but it was late enough in the afternoon to guess that all the employees were gone for the day. How typical of the blonde bitch, working late to try to save the company. Whatever, thought Vera. Let her waste away her youth on something that was bound to falter. Helicopters UK were a much better company. She didn't know why Bates Airlift hadn't received much negative publicity when all of the frauds were discovered, but Vera would make sure that it made it to the newspapers as soon as she was comfortably settled. Sooner or later, regardless of her marital status, she'd make them falter.
She inserted the key to the side gate and was pleased when the latch turned. There were no windows in the building in the spot where she was, so, even if Anna Smith were working late, unless she was in the actual tarmac, Vera would not be seen. None of them had the foresight to change these locks. She had worried that they might have, in the aftermath of Richard's attack, but was pleased that their security efforts were only concentrated on the offices themselves. Vera was as quiet as possible, and locked the gate behind her. Pushed up against the wall of the offices, she took a couple of steps. She couldn't see the building yet, but the night air glowed in the distance, meaning that the lights of the hangar were turned on. Maybe somebody was still there. With any luck, there would be a pilot and she wouldn't have to spend the night here. She could be on her way and on train to Montreux by dawn. She took a deep breath, and then walked the remaining yards to the edge of the office where she could get a clear view.
Her heart stopped. Was it possible? Her husband was there and he was working with Maggie. Oh, this was turning out better than she thought. Rather than involve somebody else from the firm, he was perfect to be the one to fly her abroad. He still owed her, and would always owe her. With some luck, she might even be able to implicate him in her escape. She could allege that he had planned it all. Something like that. She would have to think it through. What a perfect ending. She was about to start a slow walk towards the hanger herself when the sounds of the door leading out from the offices into the tarmac being opened caught her attention and she glanced sideways to see Anna walking around the helicopters and towards the hangar. Her heels made a lot of noise on that pavement. Vera's moment of contentment dissipated with this intrusion. If only Anna had stayed in the offices, she could have reached her husband when he was alone. This might be more complicated. Or, she could wait a few minutes and maybe Anna would be gone.
The realization that something was different about this scene hit Vera slowly. When her husband heard Anna walking, he stopped what he was doing. His normal broody persona was replaced with somebody she hadn't seen in a long time. He had a smile and he turned towards her, even walking a few steps to wait for her on the edge of the hangar. She could even see excitement in his eyes. He only ever got this excited when they were taking delivery of a new bird. Anna's face was hidden from her, and she could only see her back, but there was energy about her whole countenance, a kind of spring in her step. A bouncy happy feeling was apparent, and she was walking straight for him. Her husband.
There was less than a few feet left between them and Vera felt her blood boil with ire. She knew what would happen. She could guess it. And then, they did exactly what she guessed. His arms came around to hold her, and he stooped down and their lips met in kiss. There was no way this kiss could be misconstrued as anything else but adultery. Her arms came up to hold his neck, and she could see their faces move. They stopped, he said something she couldn't hear and he followed up with a kiss to her forehead. A kiss on her forehead? The bloody fool loved her, because he'd never done that to her. Never. And she could see his puppy dog eyes looking at the bitch with devotion. She remembered the Make a Wish event when she suspected her husband had developed a fondness for the girl, but she never imagined that it was mutual, or that it had developed beyond an infatuation.
Well, well…. She thought to herself. John Bates was in love. How very perfect.
She reached into her coat pocket and pulled out her handgun. The night would be very interesting indeed.
0-0-0-0-0-0
A/N: Oh My! What will Vera do next? I'll publish the next chapter soon. I wouldn't want to leave you hanging like this.
Congratulations to everybody who guessed that Phyllis was our incognitohelper. Several of you guessed it early on!
And again, thank you for your continued support.