"And this one for next month?" Anna flicked the image from her tablet onto the screen and turned to Mary. "You think it sends the right message?"

"It definitely tells a story." Mary eyed Anna across the table. "Not your story but a story we can sell."

"Since when's it been about selling a story about me?"

"It's always about telling a story…" Mary shrugged, "It just happens to be about you in this case. Or would be, if you let it."

"Well I won't let it because it's not about me." Anna flicked to the next image. "We're here for another purpose."

"Right, I forgot, you're just the parts moving in a grander scheme." Mary mimed knocking her palm against her temple. "How could I possibly ignore the saintly nature of your attitude and intentions with this company?"

"Don't be a bitch." Anna moved to the next image.

"Why not? Haven't you heard?" Mary feigned putting on a display, "It's my stock-in-trade. That and my lack of a heart."

"I don't believe that and I don't think you believe that either." Anna shook her head before pinching at the bridge of her nose. "Just… Let's just focus."

"Alright, fine," Mary let out a breath. "What about this one?"

"It's not the look we need." Anna pursed her lips, "We've got to exude confidence. Tell them we're still strong despite the unfortunate results of our most recent international visit. And… We need something more sympathetic. Not because we're to be pitied but because we're going to get back from this."

"Just this?"

"What else would there be to get back from?"

"I don't know… maybe the fan mail you're getting?" Anna's eyes flicked up from her tablet to focus on Mary as Mary tapped the tip of her stylus against the table. "Don't think I've not seen the mail you're getting and don't, for one second, think that it's not concerning to me… The way it should be concerning you."

"I've chosen not to worry about it." Anna waved her hand, "Branson's handling everything to do with it and so I've let it go from my mind."

"I don't think you should."

"Why not?"

"Because Tom's not handling it, he's trying to manage it, there's a difference. A very distinct difference."

"What's your point, Mary?"

Mary sighed, "I think it's time we got the actual police involved."

Anna shook her head, "It's not necessary."

"I think it is."

"Then it's too bad it's not your decision to make, isn't it?" Anna put the tablet on the table between them and interlaced her fingers as she leaned forward in her chair. "You know what the police did the last time we went to them about this."

"Just because they didn't take it seriously then-"

"Didn't take me seriously?" Anna snorted, "They laughed in my face."

"It'll be different this time."

"Why? Because I've got this name behind me now?" Anna shook her head, "They'll not take it seriously now. They'll look into it more now, because they feel there's more to gain, but they won't buy into it."

"I think they might be a right side better at helping us than just relying on Tom is."

"That doesn't sound like you're supporting your brother-in-law."

"Tom is many things that I enjoy and appreciate but he's not an investigator." Mary shook her head, "Bodyguard, sure, but this… This is beyond him."

"Be that as it may…" Anna let out a breath, "You know what'll happen if we go to the police with what we've got."

"No, we don't know that."

"Yes we do." Anna leaned over the table, stabbing her finger at it. "They'll pretend to listen, file the report, and then think I'm simply making it up until I either become another statistic or this bugger simply goes away."

"That's pessimistic."

"That's life for women like me." Anna sighed and opened her mouth to say something else but stopped as Ms. Baxter entered the room. "Yes Phyllis?"

"Auggie's downstairs, said his school had half-day today and practice was cancelled."

"Bugger." Anna shook her head, "He'll be bored to death waiting here."

"Be that as it may, ma'am, there's something else."

"Something else?" Anna frowned as Baxter shuffled in place a moment. "What else?"

"A Mrs. Bates is in the lobby as well."

"Mrs. Bates?" Anna narrowed her eyes, "As in…"

"She claims to be related to your bodyguard, Mr. Bates." Baxter shrugged, "Said she'd come to see him."

"Why here?"

"I don't know ma'am. That's all she'd say."

"If that's all she'd say then I'll see to them both Phyllis, thank you." Anna stood, gathering her things. "If you could get a message to Mr. Bates over at Branson Personal Security to let him know he's got a visitor here but be sure to tell him there's no need to rush over. He can come at his leisure and I'll run interference until then."

"Yes Ms. Smith." Baxter left and Anna turned to Mary.

"I guess our meeting's adjourned then."

"I guess it is." Mary drummed her fingers on the tabletop. "I still think we should get the police involved to find the cracker box who's stalking you."

"Absolutely not."

"What about someone who's not police but can work a lead like one?"

Anna groaned and let her head drop back a moment before facing Mary. "What kind of person did you have in mind?"

"I've got a few options. Private investigators and private contractors."

"Isn't that what we're already paying Branson and his team to do?"

"This one's focus would be, shall we say, more focused on your problem instead of general security issues."

"My problem?"

"I've not found a better word for the stalker who's hounding you that's not…" Mary paused, "Insanely impolite in business attire and professional company."

"You think I care about that?"

"I care who might hear me call this nut job that and," Mary lowered her voice, "Who might hear we even have this problem and sink us with the press if the story about you being hounded by a nutter ever reaches the desk of a half-decent journalist."

"Fine." Anna groaned, "Then do what you have to do with you… investigator or contractor or whatever but I don't want the police involved until it's absolutely necessary. And even then I'd rather leave them out of it."

"Noted." Mary gave a little smile, "I already have someone in mind."

"You already have an investigator in mind?" Anna gave another snort, "What, on speed dial or something for just this issue?"

"Something like that." Mary waved Anna away, "I'll not be giving up all my secrets or you'd have no use for me."

"I'm sure that's not a situation you ever need worry about." Anna left Mary in the conference room and, leaving her things in her office, proceeded down to the lobby. The moment she exited the lift the confusion of Baxter's earlier statement only grew.

Auggie saw her coming and waved her over to where he sat, his phone sideways, showing an older woman a video. "Have you seen this one?"

"What one?" Anna leaned over the back of the sofa and nodded. "Yes, I've seen this one but I'm a little more curious about who you're showing it to."

"Oh," Auggie paused the video and used his hand to point to the older woman. "This is Mrs. Bates. She says she's here to see John."

"Johnny's been telling me all about his new job and I wanted to see where he worked." The woman's Irish accent rung far more pronounced than the slight lilt Anna sometimes heard in John's. "It's a lovely building."

"Thank you very much. We're very proud of it."

Mrs. Bates put a hand on her chest. "Is this building yours?"

"It is." Anna came around the sofa to extend a hand to the woman. "I'm Anna."

"You must be the woman John's been protecting lately." Mrs. Bates gripped Anna's hand harder than her veiny, wrinkled appendage would have suggested possible.

Anna struggled not to wince, "I do find myself in that lucky position, yes."

"Oh," Mrs. Bates released her hand, almost cooing as she studied Anna head to toe. "He's told me a lot about you."

"All good things I hope."

"Entirely." Mrs. Bates nodded. "Not how beautiful you are, but everything else."

"I'm beyond flattered that he's talked about me at all." Anna smiled and took her hand back, attempting to massage it without drawing notice. "But I'm afraid John's not here at the moment."

"Is this not where he's working?" The immediate furrows in already existing wrinkles on Mrs. Bates's forehead deepened. "I'm always forgetting what's now and what's-"

"He's still working as my bodyguard, not to worry." Anna hurried to speak, holding the woman's hand in an attempt to calm her. "He just had some meetings with his boss that couldn't be missed so he had to leave me in the care of our on-site security."

"Are they as good as he is?"

"They've not had the chance to save me from a bullet yet but they're very good." Anna eyed Auggie, "If you'd like, Mrs. Bates, Auggie and I could give you a tour of the building. It's bigger than just the lobby and I've a feeling you've got an eye for architecture."

"I do enjoy quality construction."

"Auggie, if you'd lead Mrs. Bates toward the art gallery I'll be with you in a moment." Anna left Auggie with Mrs. Bates and went to the front desk to get the red-headed woman's attention. "When Mr. Bates comes in, could you have him wait in my office?"

"Of course Ms. Smith."

"Thank you Ethel." Anna quickly rejoined Auggie and Mrs. Bates, giving Auggie a nod when he took Mrs. Bates's arm. "Now, let's start with our artwork."

They toured the building, Anna pointing out the pieces down by local artists while Mrs. Bates crooned about the beauty of the architecture. Even the lifts met her exacting standards as she continued to marvel at the designs. Between compliments of the building she continuously complimented Anna and Auggie until both stopped trying to deflect the praise and merely accepted it with smiles.

But more than a few times she caught herself. Anna noticed the slight haze over her eyes, as if Mrs. Bates were trying to place something but could not quite grasp it. When she named the same architect for the third time, complimenting a specific support structure he used in all his work, Auggie corrected her with a laugh but Anna caught the flash of worry in Mrs. Bates's eye as she tried to recover from the moment. Or the way her fingers would press against her temples whenever she struggled to find the right word in a sentence. Each time Anna put out her hand and tried to bring her back to the moment but the haunted look remained in the back of Mrs. Bates's eyes for the rest of their tour.

When they finally reached Anna's office, John already waited for them. A patch of carpet under his feet wore a pattern from his tread and Anna hurried to intercept him as he opened his mouth to speak. "Mr. Bates you've been holding out on me."

"I…" He stopped, blinking at her with confusion treading lines on his forehead. "I'm sorry, I did what?"

"You never told me your mother was an expert with modern architecture." Anna put a hand on Mrs. Bates's shoulder. "She's spent the last half hour putting Auggie and I to shame with how well she knows this building."

"She owns the building Johnny." Mrs. Bates took his hand, squeezing at it. "You didn't tell me she owned a building as beautiful as she is."

"That'd be hard for me to do since I don't know anything about what makes a building beautiful, mother." John smiled at her, helping his mother onto one of the sofas as Auggie claimed the other one.

"But you know how beautiful women are." Mrs. Bates jerked on his hand, forcing John to double over to hear her. "And you never mentioned how gorgeous she is."

"Any more compliments like that, Mrs. Bates, and I'll never get my enormous head through the door." Anna smiled at her before jerking her head ever-so-slightly to the side to bring John toward the doors. "I hope you don't mind that I took the liberty of showing her the building. I thought she might enjoy it while she waited for you."

"It was unnecessary Ms. Smith."

"It was my pleasure." Anna studied John's face, "I do hope you don't think I crossed a line here. I wouldn't want-"

"No, I…" John let out a breath. "I'm very grateful. You didn't have to do that. You didn't have to do any of it and I'm…"

He let out a shaky laugh. "I'm overwhelmed, Ms. Smith."

"You make it sound like I pulled her from a burning building." Anna shook her head, "It wasn't any great exertion on my part, believe me."

"I do. It's just…" John flexed his jaw, "You showed her your building, Ms. Smith, and that… That means a great deal to me. To her."

"I was just glad I could, in some small way, repay you for your service."

"It's not necessary."

"I think it is." Anna paused, "And I understand why you'd want to be closer to her. Especially… Especially now."

John swallowed, "Then you know?"

"That your mother's got dementia?" Anna nodded, crossing her arms over her chest. "I figured something like that. Dementia or Alzheimer's."

"How'd you know?"

"The way she worried that she'd forgotten where you worked and, when we were touring, she mentioned a few things multiple times and always looked frightened when we noticed it." Anna glanced over at where Auggie showed a video to Mrs. Bates on his phone. "It must be terrifying for her. At this stage more than any other."

"What makes you say that?"

"Because she knows, at this stage, that she's losing herself." Anna bit at the inside of her cheek. "My grandfather went this way. I… I was too young to understand it then but I remember the way he'd rage because his mind was failing him but not fast enough that he didn't notice it and that… That hurt the most."

"If I'd known how well you'd understand I would've told you sooner."

"It wasn't any of my business. Still isn't, strictly speaking." Anna reached out a hand to touch John's arm. "But your mother is lovely, John."

"You think so?"

"Of course I do." Anna gave a little laugh of her own. "Besides, how could I not think that about her when she spent the entire day complimenting me?"

"I'm sure it was all sincere."

"That only made it better." Anna nodded toward Auggie and Mrs. Bates, "Why don't we rejoin them before they get any ideas?"

"You're the boss."

Anna pivoted and walked over to the sofa, clapping her hands together lightly to get Auggie and Mrs. Bates's attention. "I was curious if anyone's hungry. I can have Phyllis get something delivered or we can go out to eat. It's up to you."

"To us?" Auggie looked between he and Mrs. Bates. "I'm all for Indian. There's that great place just down the street."

"I'm partial to Indian." Mrs. Bates put out a hand and John immediately helped her stand. "There was this one fellow, in the sixties, Rajan was his name I believe. And he-"

"Mother, I don't think now is the time for that." John ducked his head but Anna caught the blush of red over his cheeks before she retrieved her coat and purse.

"I'm sure they'd like to know."

"I do." Auggie pipped up but Anna steered him toward the door.

"How about later, when the only person you can question about it is your father and he'll get the responsibility for the fallout?" Anna hit the button for the lift before biting at her lip. "Besides, Mr. Bates has an offer for you Auggie."

"Offer?" Auggie frowned, "But I'm already on first string at school."

"Not for football." Anna nodded at John as they call entered the lift. "Do you want to tell him or should I?"

"You've already released the cat from the bag so it'd hardly seem fair for me to steal any thunder now." John winked back at her, keeping one of his mother's hands in his as they took the lift to the lobby.

"Mr. Bates has offered to help with your boxing training while your dad's away." Anna watched Auggie from the corner of her eye. "What do you think? Better than when I offered to help you?"

"He's taller than you."

"Ouch." Anna put a hand to her chest, exiting the lift. "Even true, it still hurts."

"I can't help the fact you're so short." Auggie shrugged and called around her to John. "Are you fast? Because the guys in my division are still slow. They've got long arms and they swing wide but my dad always said it's about speed."

"It's true. Speed is always best." John tapped the index finger of his free hand against his temple. "Speed of mind and speed of body."

"So, you've got it then?" Auggie held the door for them and Anna watched John's reaction as he finally nodded.

"Fast enough, for now. At least to give you someone to fight that's punching above your weight." John shrugged, "It'll be good training for you. Even if I'm not faster than you, I'm bigger than you so you'll have to be faster than me."

"Don't pick on the poor boy Johnny." Mrs. Bates swatted at his arm. "You're not to hurt him. If you do then Ms. Smith'll fire you and you'll never work for someone as beautiful as she is again. They'd never hire you."

"You're right Mother." John patted her hand, catching Anna's eye. "I'd never find someone to work for as nice as Ms. Smith."

"Then promise you'll not hurt her son."

"Son?" Anna shook her head, hurrying to explain. "Auggie's not-"

"Ew." Auggie made a face. "Anna's my aunt, not my mum."

"Thank you very much." Anna huffed, "Not just immediate dismissal but an 'ew'? Really? Auggie I thought we were better friends than that."

"We are but you're too short to be my mother."

"I'm certain your father, like Goliath himself, could've married anyone and you'd still be taller than me." Anna reached for the top of Auggie's head and disturbed his dreads before he ducked away. "An 'ew'… honestly what'll I do with you?"

"Then you're single?" Mrs. Bates's question brough them all to a halt at the corner as they waited for the light to change.

"I am, yes." Anna swallowed, "It's not-"

"That's good." Mrs. Bates nodded, smiling almost to herself. "Johnny's single too."

Auggie's snort of laughter carried them across the street.

But it did not dispel the thought from Anna's mind. Not during their lunch or the week that followed. A though made especially difficult to ignore when John took almost round-the-clock position at her office door, drove her home, and usually left her at the door to her flat with a kiss to her hand. Kisses that Anna wished would led to snogging in the corridor but when Auggie almost caught them the second time they tried John added the corridor to the list of places he felt it "unprofessional" to engage.

"I don't think I need the professional side of you right now, John." Anna whispered to him as her fingers dragged across the whisper-soft hairs at the back of his neck. "I'd rather like you as unprofessional as you can manage."

"Not…" John swallowed and Anna almost leaned forward to kiss his throat and follow his pulse to note when it quickened because of her actions. "I'd like to woo you properly, Ms. Smith."

"So you've said." Anna sighed, letting her head fall forward onto his chest so she could match his breathing. "And yet…"

"And yet." John took a step back and pressed hard kisses to the backs of both of her hands. "I'm not backing down, Ms. Smith."

"You didn't strike me as the quitting type."

"I'm not." John gave her a smile before leaning forward to whisper in her ear. "But I'd rather not seduce you in a corridor where there's a dog behind which your nephew and dog wait for you."

"Is it the dog or the nephew that bother you more?"

"I've met the one and not the other so you tell me." John straightened again, dropping Anna's hands. "They say that patience is a virtue."

"Which is funny considering I'd like you to take my virtue against this wall right now." Anna could almost smile with the satisfaction of watching John's entire body clench in an attempt to stop his knee-jerk reaction to her comment. "But, if that's not to happen in current circumstances, I'll not make your life harder than it already is."

"Now you're just being cruel."

"Cruel to be kind, in the right measure…" Anna shrugged, "Or so they say."

"This is punishment?"

"You tell me," Anna opened the door and slipped inside as Aggie tried to escape into the corridor. "Do you feel punished?"

"Goodnight Ms. Smith."

"Goodnight John." Anna closed the door and pivoted to scratch at the dog insistently pressing against her leg. "Yes, yes, I know, you want to meet him."

"Why can't she?" Anna looked up as Auggie came into the room, his plate full of microwavable foods. "You can let Mr. Bates in the door."

"I'd love to bring him into the flat." Anna stood, her hand still dropped to scratch at the head of the grinning dog. "But he's insistent that he'd rather not right now."

"Because you've not had sex yet?"

Anna gaped at Auggie a moment before letting out a breath. "Yes. And because you're here and he'd like to keep you away from that kind of thing."

"I'm a teenager, there's no keeping away from it."

"That's not…" Anna huffed, "This isn't about you knowing what happens, Auggie. It's about… being around when it's happening."

"I've got noise-canceling headphones."

"And I'm not going to discuss my potential sex life with you." Anna nodded at his plate, "What are you clogging your arteries with now?"

"Pizza rolls."

"How very American." Anna sighed, "Remember, homework and-"

"Bed by eleven, I know." He left the room and Anna smiled after him until her phone vibrated in her pocket.

Switching the hand she used to scratch Aggie's head, Anna swiped her thumb across to answer and brought it to her ear. "Mary?"

"Thank goodness I caught you."

"Why, is something on fire?"

"George's temperature."

"Oh go…" Anna put the back of her hand to her forehead. "Do you need me to come and get you both or call-"

"No, we're at home and we've got…" Anna could almost see Mary shaking her head on the other end of the line. "Look, we've been to the doctor's and he's saying strep. So now I've got to convince my son to swallow horse pills to treat it and he's at out school for at least the next three days and since I can't…"

"You can't leave him." Anna took a deep breath, "That means Spain is cancelled, doesn't it?"

"Not if you can rearrange your schedule for it."

"Me?" Anna shook her head, "It's a schmooze fest, Mary. You and I both know that's not my forte."

"If you go then we convince them to give you the keynote speech."

"And say what?"

"Whatever, you'll think of something amazing and get us the donors by the way you blow them away from the stage." Mary's voice took on a pleading note. "Please Anna. We can't not have someone go and I've not got an assistant or a back-up to take my place if it's not you."

"You had both until you fired them."

"They were incompetent and you know that." Mary sighed, "Please Anna."

"I…" Anna spun on her heel to check the calendar posted on her fridge. "Auggie's not got a match so I could, possibly, go. I'd need someone to check in on him."

"I can do that."

"Your son's got strep."

"Yes, probably from some infestation at his school since they're all incubators for viral plague but I promise I won't give it to Auggie." Mary scoffed, "Or I'll give my bodyguard something to do. Let him watch Auggie while you're gone so I can watch my son without a shadow over my shoulder."

"Talbot would do that?"

"If he doesn't then he's going to be bored out of his mind here."

"Alright." Anna shrugged, "Let me check with Auggie and then I'll-"

"Thank you Anna." Mary kissed at the phone. "I'll owe you for this."

"Yes you will." Anna hung up and sighed, "Auggie!"

Less than twenty-four hours later Anna stood next to John as they checked into their hotel in Madrid. "This is mad."

"Because you're in Spain?" John handed Anna her keycard and she grabbed her roller bag with the other.

"No, because I just left my nephew with Mr. Talbot."

"He's a good person to watch Auggie." John hit the button for the lift. "You'll never find anyone better."

"You're sure."

"So sure that Branson hired two people to replace him on this trip."

"Two?" Anna scrunched up her face. "Why two?"

"Because we haven't had time for proper recon of the place. However…" He paused and smiled, looking over Anna's head. "Here they are now."

Anna pivoted to see two women, both roughly her height, approaching them. Both had the appearance of models and the facial characteristics of beauty ads. If not for their immediate smiles, Anna admitted she might have found herself intimidated by them.

"Ms. Smith may I introduce Ms. Shaw and Ms. Myers?"

Anna shook their hands before letting out a little gasp of air. "I'm immediately intimidated and overwhelmed by both of you."

"We're stronger than we look." The taller of the two women, Myers, gave Anna a cover model smile. "And it's inherently deceptive."

"I can see the value in that." Anna turned to Shaw, who had yet to speak… or even offer a single expression. "And you, Ms. Shaw?"

"I'm paid to be here." Shaw entered the lift first, taking position at the back wall as Anna and John filed in with Myers trailing them. "I was in town anyway."

"Are you from here?"

"My mother's from Barcelona so I'll be a translator if you need one for Spanish."

"I'm impressed." Anna turned to John, "Do you have hidden language skills?"

"Only Irish but, apparently, more people learn that on DuoLingo than actually speak it in country so it's not really of use here."

"And you, Ms. Myers?" Anna nodded at the woman in front of her, taller by at least five inches but far more willowy in her build. "Do you have any language aid to offer?"

"I speak Vietnamese but very poorly. My Cantonese is… better."

"I'm suddenly feeling very underprepared with my own language skills."

"I wouldn't worry about it," Myers shrugged it off, leading them out of the lift and toward their rooms. "Everyone at your conference is speaking English and, if they're not, we've got our eyes on them."

"Really?"

Myers showed Anna the bud in her ear. "Sameen and I've got an ear on the frequencies being used around here. Between the two of us we've cover the entire bandwidth covered."

"I'm starting to think you and Ms. Shand would get along well." Anna sighed and slid her card into the slot to open her door. "And your rooms?"

"Across the hall." Myers pointed, "Sameen and I are sharing one, to make it easier."

"We'll be practicing a zone defense of you, switching off on six-hour shifts to make sure you stay covered and we stay focused." Shaw nodded at both of them to enter her room. "We've got eyes on both ends of the hall and on your balcony but nothing in your room as far as mics or cameras."

"I'm actually a little relieved about that." Anna gave them a smile but only Myers reflected it. "I don't like being under a microscope."

"I can imagine." Shaw went into her room, leaving Myers alone in the corridor.

"You get used to her. She's… efficient." Myers smiled at Anna and John. "I'd recommend warning us fifteen minutes before you plan to go down. Just to make sure one of us is on you and the other is sweeping the area."

"We'll be sure to do that." John shook Myers's hand. "It's amazing Branson could get the both of you so quickly."

"We were in the area, like Sameen said." Myers nodded at both of them, "See you in a bit then."

She shut the door to her room and Anna let out a breath. "That was…"

"Something." John shook his head. "I don't think I've ever had a duo who spoke so little and yet intimidated me so much."

"I've a feeling Branson picked them for Mary and not me." Anna snorted, "They would've even put Mary on her toes."

"Then let's hope we don't give them any reason to be on our toes." John sighed, flexing his jaw at the sight of the Queen bed. "Was Mrs. Crawley going to put Talbot on the floor of this suite?"

"I think the sofa's got a pullout." Anna shrugged, "Or Mary planned to ditch this conference all along and set us up."

"If that was her intention," John tested the sofa and nodded, "Then perhaps, next time she puts you in this position, she could manage a King."

"I'll let her know." Anna checked her phone. "The opening social's in three hours so, if you don't mind, I'm going to work on the keynote I'm now giving and you could check over the attendees. I want to know what I'm dealing with."

"You've no assistant for this?"

"Phyllis hates flying and she's only had time to screen the major players. Only half of them are the competition but, that being said, there are still others who might've booked into this late." Anna pointed to herself as she set up at the table-desk in the room. "Like myself they'll only've made it only the most recent billing."

"And you trust me to vet them?"

"I trust that between yourself and the two Amazons across the hall you can vet all of them in time." Anna smiled as John stood and headed for the door. "And I do hope you packed a tux. The events at this are black tie."

"Good thing I just got refit for one that goes around my Kevlar."

"Good thing indeed."