Charlie

Ross rang around and found out where Julie was working. He considered making an appointment with her, but decided that he wanted to catch her by surprise. He didn't want to give her any time to get her story right - or wrong. He had told Rachel not to come, although she had pleaded to be allowed along.

On the way there he felt himself becoming angry. What was happening was horrible and cruel. What had he done to deserve this treatment? How could she do this to him? She was supposed to be a mature professional woman and she was messing around stalking them and scaring them. It was unbelievable that she'd go to the trouble of bugging phones, not just his and Rachel's, but everyone's. That must have taken some organisation and it must mean there were others involved, like Chandler suggested.

He walked into the building, looked up Julie's name on the index, and went in search of her office. He knocked on the door and heard her say,

'Come in.' It was a nice office. It was better than his office at the university - she even had a window. He hadn't seen her for more than six years and of course she'd gotten older but she was still the same Julie. 'Ross,' she said, 'This is a surprise.' Ross felt some doubt. Could this really be right? Could Julie really be behind the bugging and the stalking.

'Hi Julie.' He didn't want to sit down.

'How's everything going?' she said, still looking quite mild.

'Fine, fine everything's just fine, really, just fine.'

'Your family?'

'Well, yes, they're well, really well.'

'That's nice,' Julie said, looking at him oddly. 'I'm glad you came to tell me all that.'

'Yeah,' Ross said. He'd come all this way, he had to say something. 'Er Monica said she ran into you recently.' He didn't know why he'd led off with Monica, and not all three girls but he wanted to test her reaction. Julie frowned a little.

'Really? I don't remember that. Perhaps she saw me and I didn't see her.' Julie was lying! Ross felt both sick and more confident. Sick because the conspiracy was looking more real and looking like it involved Julie.

'No Julie, you spoke to her,' Ross said severely.

'I think not,' Julie said.

'My sister says so.'

'Your sister is mistaken.'

'She knows damn well who she spoke to,' Ross said, beginning to shout. 'She was talking to you, and Rachel and Phoebe were there - you were all talking.'

'Oh dear,' Julie said coolly, 'And were you there?'

'No of course not, it was in a bridal dress shop.'

'And what would I be doing in a bridal shop?' Julie mocked.

'You said you were getting married to someone called Matt Burke, who I've never heard of.'

'Neither have I,' Julie said. 'But that makes sense because I never said that.'

'You did! Don't lie to me Julie!'

'My goodness, I'd heard you had an anger management problem a few years back, I had no idea that you still had it.'

'I,' shouted Ross, 'Do. Not. Have. An. Anger. Management. Problem!' The door suddenly opened behind him.

'Julie,' said the man, 'I heard shouting, are you okay?' The man looked at Ross warily.
'There's nothing wrong!' screamed Ross, 'We are just having a conversation.' The man said,

'I think you'd better go.' Another man came into the room.

'Thanks guys, I have no idea what's going on.'

'Liar!' Ross said. How dare she imply that he was mad?

'Out,' said the second man. Both men started to usher Ross out of the room.

'You haven't heard the last of this Julie,' Ross said, realising that he had no choice but to leave.'

'Making threats?' said the first man, 'Not smart.'

Out on the street, Ross was shaken. She was part of it. She'd lied about the bridal shop. He would never be able to get back into that building to see her again - but what would be the point of that? If he brought Monica, Rachel and Phoebe to confront her, she would just deny it. They couldn't make her talk.

Preoccupied, he walked along the street.

'Hey Ross,' a familiar voice called. Ross spun around and stared at Charlie's friendly smiling face. 'How are you? I haven't seen you in ages. I've been hearing that you're getting married, congratulations.'

'Not you too!' Ross exclaimed. 'You of all people.' The smile fell from Charlie's face.
'W-What?'

'Don't tell me you're involved!' Ross demanded.

'Involved in what?' Charlie frowned.

'Watching me, watching Rachel.'

'What?' Charlie asked, 'Watching you? What kind of crazy idea is that?'

'Yeah, yeah,' Ross said, 'That's the idea, play innocent. I'm the one who's imaging things, that's very clever, old Ross has an anger management problem so you can't believe him. Tell me Charlie, who's setting this up?'

'I have no idea what you're talking about,' Charlie said, backing off, 'You, Ross, are out of your tree.'

'You have to tell me,' Ross said, intending to take her by the arm and shake the truth out of her. She drove her heel into his ankle.

'Get away from me you nutcase.' She stormed away and Ross was left hopping up and down.