Chapter 16

Phoebe awoke in her warm comfortable bed. Her head was pounding ferociously as she struggled to her elbows and looked around. She had not died of exposure, she realized. How disappointing-how anticlimactic, she decided morbidly. Her body ached as if she'd been beaten.

She wondered when Cole would discover that Curtis had made up the whole thing. Why would Curtis do that? Is it because I have insulted her in front of everybody? But why would she go through that length just to get me fired? Does she hate me that much?

Phoebe threw back the heavy quilts and climbed slowly out of bed. She felt too sick too care about anything else. She felt even worst a few minutes later, when she walked into the kitchen and heard Paige on the telephone. Piper was sitting at the table sipping a cup of coffee. "Curtis," Paige was saying, her face furrowed stern lines, "this is Paige Haliwell. Let me talk to Vicki... Not in? On holiday? You're kidding right? What the hell are you playing at and what the hell is your problem? Put me to Cole, you bitch!"

Phoebe's heart thumped, but it was too late to stop her because she was already launching into a nonstop monologue. "Cole, this is Paige," she said. "You stupid idiot! How could you do this to Phoebe? It's all a stupid misunderstanding, and do u know that Curtis-What?" Her face turner angry. "Don't you use that tone of voice with me, Cole! I-" She got angry every minute, listening to whatever Cole was saying, then took the receiver away from her ear and looked at it as if it had just grown teeth. "Cole hung up on me," she told Piper.

Her angry face encountered Phoebe standing in the doorway. "Cole won't listen to me. What the hell is his problem? Sounds like he rather trust his stupid bitch of a secretary than you, his love of his life," she told her. "He told me that he never wants to hear your name, and if I try to speak to him about you again, he will totally break contact with the Haliwell family ever. Cole said that to me-he talked to me like that!," she repeated disbelievingly.

Phoebe started forward, her face pale with remorse. "Paige, don't bother calling him, he doesn't listen to me, what makes you think he'll listen to you?"

"No one talks to me like that and get away with it," Paige said, her jaw clenched. Ignoring her, she turned back to the phone and dialed with furious intent. "Christine," she said into the phone, "you put Cole back on the line now." She paused while Christine apparently asked her a question. "Yes" she replied, "you bet your life it's about Phoebe. What? Yes, she's here."

Paige handed the phone to Phoebe, her expression angry that she felt ill. "Cole won't talk to me," Paige said, "but Christina wants to talk to you."

With a mixture of hope and fear, Phoebe said, "Hello, Christine?"

Christina's voice was like an icicle. "Phoebe, you have done enough damage to those of us here who were foolish enough to trust you. If you have any decency at all, you'll keep your sisters out of this. Cole is not making idle threats-he meant what he said to Paige. Is that clear?"

Phoebe swallowed the lump of desolation in her throat. "Perfectly clear."

"Good. Then I suggest you stay where you are for the next hour. Our corporate attorney will deliver your possessions to you and explain your legal situation. Goodbye, Phoebe."

Phoebe sank into a chair at the table, too stunned to say anything to her sisters.

Paige's hand clamped reassuringly on her shoulder, and Phoebe drew a long, unsteady breath. "The attorney will be arriving soon." Paige and Piper were looking at her with helpless sympathy. She hadn't cried in years until she'd met Cole. After last night there would be no more tears. Ever. She had wept at his feet, begging him to listen to her. Just thinking of it made her cringe with mortification and fury.

Later, Jim Walsh handed her her purse. "Your purse," Jim said. "Would you like to check the contents?"

Phoebe kept her face carefully expressionless. "No."

"Very well," he said curtly. "I'll come directly to the point. Miss Haliwell, Mantafor has sufficient evidence against you to charge you with theft, conspiring to defraud and several other serious crimes. At this time, the corporation is not going to insist on your arrest. However, if you are ever again seen on the premises of Mantafor, or any of its subsidiaries, the corporation can and will press charges against you for the crimes I just mentioned. A warrant for your arrest has already been prepared. If you are seen on our premises, the warrant will be signed, and you will be arrested. If you are in another state, we will insist on extradition."

He opened a large manila envelope and withdrew several sheets of paper. "This is a letter stating the terms I have just set out." He handed her a copy of the letter, along with an official-looking legal document. "This-" he indicated the document "-is an injunction, signed by the court, which now makes it illegal for you to set so much as one foot on Mantafor property. Do you understand?"

"Perfectly," Phoebe said, lifting her chin in silent rebellion.

"Do you have any questions?"

"Yes, I have two of them. Are you the one who discovered all this 'proof' against me?"

Jim's eyes were inquisitive and sharp. "Why do you ask, Miss Haliwell?"

Phoebe picked up her purse from the table. "Because whoever did it was not very good at his job. I suggest you keep a close tab on Curtis, sir."

***

Cole leaned back in his chair, watching while Jim and Patricia filed into his office. Jim spoke first.

"Cole, there really is something weird about this case about Phoebe-"

Patricia said sharply. "Jim, there's absolutely nothing else to discuss. Phoebe did the crime, end of story"

"But the investigation on Phoebe-"

"I said-"

Cole slam his hand on the table so hard, the items on his table rattled at the vibration. Patricia and Jim quickly look at him. "What the hell is this? Patricia, I'm busy right now. I'll see you next time."

"But-," all reasons flew out the window when Cole narrowed his eyes at her. "I'll call you". And went out.

"Cole-," Jim said but stop when Cole stared at him and pointed at the door. Jim took the hint and went out.

At 6pm, Cole was still I his office staring out the window. He heard a tiny knock at his door and frowned. Working hours was over an hour ago. "Who-"

"Mr. Turner?,"

Cole turned around and was surprise to see Vicki standing there trying to avoid eye contact with him. "What are you still doing here Vicki, working hours-"

"Sir, there's something important I have to tell you," Vicki blurted out, then quickly look at her shoes again.

Cole sighed. "Vicki, we can discuss this tomorrow-"

"No sir, this cannot wait. It's regarding about Phoebe"

Cole's eyes flared. "Vicki, I don't have time to hear this-"

"Sir, Phoebe did not give those Photostat copies of Mantafor's bids," Vicki interrupted. "I know, because I was suppose to pass those envelopes to the man"

"What? Are you trying to tell me that YOU are the one who has been spying on us?," Cole barked.

Vicki quickly shook her head. "No sir! I would never do that to the company. I know who was sending those documents"

"Who?"

"It was Curtis sir, she told me to pass the envelope to a man who will be waiting outside the premises and she told me if I was too busy to do it, I could ask Phoebe to do it, and I did and the next thing I know, Curtis told me to take a week break. When I get back and found out about what happen to Phoebe, I was horrified and wanted to report everything back to you, but Curtis warn me, if I tell you anything, she'll make sure I get fired and I really can't lose this job, that's why I didn't dare say anything to you but until now... I can't do this to Phoebe.."

Cole stood up and brace his hands on the table, "You are that dumb, do you think Curtis has the power to fire you? Her position level is the same as yours. How cam she fire you when she doesn't have the power..". Cole finally understood.

"Patricia"