Chapter 4:
"Here you are Ms Croft, this is the package that was left for you," the smiling receptionist declared as she pulled out a large padded envelope from under the dark wood desk.
"Thank you...you don't happen to know who left it do you?" Lara asked ask she took the envelope, studying the postage marks.
"Just our usual couriers Ms Croft, I am sure whoever has sent this package has left a note inside". The receptionist continued to smile at an increasingly painful rate.
"Right, then," Lara flicked her eyes upwards returning a hesitant smile, "I am sure they have". Of course Lara knew the package was from Earl, the previous email had explained every detail, yet there was still a doubt that snapped at her heels that the package was not from Earl alone.
It was a typical humid Singaporean day where the heat seemed to mold itself around your body like an extra set of clothing. Although there was a small breezed that tickled itself through the flame trees and around the eleven o'clock human traffic on Beach Road, it provided Lara with little escape from the sweltering heat. Not wanting to tempt fate after the Kurtis incident in the Long Bar, she made her way to a small kopitaim, a traditional Singaporean coffee-house. In two days time she had her meeting with the infamous Hadrian and his gaggle of understudies, it was safe to say that Lara thought that the meeting was an unnecessary blip between her and the ring.
The Hi Sung kopitaim was a wonderful place that provided an ideal escape from the hustle and bustle of the street outside. Slipping through the narrow yellow door frame Lara found a vacant table with a wonky metal chair that looked liked it once belong to a dressing table than a coffee shop. Without hesitation she grabbed a few of the stiff napkins that sat proud of place in the centre of the table and placed them under a chair leg to minimise any potential seasickness alike notions! After ordering a traditional kopi and kaya combo, a heady mix of thick sweet coffee and chunks of toast smeared with coconut jam, Lara began to slowly open the package curling the string around her finger as the package opened. Peering in Lara was slightly disappointed, it was just a pass with the university's logo. No extra photographs or details as she had hoped.
"Miss Lucy Cavatar...Do I look like a Lucy?" Lara said disgustedly throwing the plastic covered name tag at the table. She was more outraged at the choice of name than the woefully empty package. Two days, she thought, then I can finally start to track the harimau ring.
ooOOoo
"Miss Cavatar, I am so glad you could join us. I hope Singapore is treating you well," Hadrian announced as Lara walked through to the boardroom. Dressed in a smart grey pencil skirt and a green blouse she exuded authority as she raised her hand to meet Hadrians' offered gesture.
"Of course, I am sure you will as well Mr Wright," Lara smiled cocking her head so her ponytail swished on her shoulders.
"Only the best intellectuals are invited here, so you can be sure of a suitable environment".
Lara instantly disliked Hadrian, he seemed too sure of himself, a little cocky, just as Earl said. The suit was pristine, the hair a light brown with golden flecks and the smirk indicated a hidden knowledge that Lara was intrigued to dig deeper in.
"Kate Achett is over there, I am sure you have met her before as she works in the same department at Oxford as you. So nice when you meet someone you know isn't it?" A smirking Hadrian claimed as he waved to a rather plain-looking women in the corner.
Oh great...
"Really, Mr Wright I see enough of her during the week...I would rather talk to you instead," Lara stumbled trying to save her alias before the meeting had even started.
"Really now, how interesting," Hadrian mused as he put his hand on Lara's shoulder, "unfortunately there are other people in the room, but I am sure you will find something interesting". Lara dropped her shoulder so the clammy hand could slide off with little intervention, this is not going to end well, she thought.
"I will indeed".
"Ah Kate! Lucy is here why don't you two colleagues sit together". Nervously Lara turned to the approaching fair-haired woman who was beginning to look very confused at the situation.
"Ah Kate what a surprise!" Lara improvised. This ring had better be all it is cracked up to be...
"Lucy...you erm...are looking good lately."
"Not too bad yourself Kate, let's go and sit down shall we? I am very interested what Hadrian is presenting," Lara motioned at the seats as Hadrian began to sort his papers out.
"I bet you are Lara" Kate whispered as she sat down.
"Lucy, my name is Lucy. Very nice to see you again." Trying to save the situation was becoming more of a challenge than Lara imagined.
"Don't mock my intelligence Ms Croft, I have seen your name in journals about your questionable discoveries. This is real science here, not faux discoveries. Don't you have some grave robbing to be getting along with?"
"You little s..."
"Welcome everyone to my luncheon, I know you have probably only come here for free food!" Hadrian laughed at his little joke, "but as you know we have some serious business to solve in Laos".
"You write down one word of this presentation and I will have no shame in outing you ," Kate sneered. Looking up in a mocking way, Lara began to write in large, expletive words precisely where she believed Kate should stick that comment.
"It's okay, I have photographic memory," Lara whispered, the tone of her voice full of satisfaction.
The rest of the lunch revealed very little much to Lara's disappointment. She quickly realised that she was getting bored with the city life, nothing was happening. The trail to the ring was still a mystery and Lara saw no reason to still be in Singapore. Beginning to regret her decision to undertake the task she picked up her belongings and started to walk towards the door.
"Excuse me Miss Cavatar?" Hadrian shouted towards the door, "do you have a moment to spare?"
Now what, Lara thought as she slowly turned around. "Yes, can I help you?"
"I think maybe you can," Hadrian smiled, "I have found something of interest, a particular mineral in Laos, I was wondering if you could take a look?"
"Sounds interesting, send me some details over and I'll take a look."
"No, no I have the samples upstairs in my room. I'd rather you have a look now than in England. You know, academic red tape and all," Hadrian knocked Lara's arm jokingly making Lara squirm inside by his overt friendliness.
"Right, great. I just need to pop to the bathroom do you mind?" Lara smiled hiding any elements of doubt she had.
"No, No you go ahead. It's room 842, a lovely suite that I am currently living in. I'll rustle up the samples and maybe a drink if you are lucky".
"Oh what I lucky lady I'd be," Lara grinned edging towards the door.
As Lara charged along the white-walled corridor it became clear that Hadrian was a tricky character with many hidden motives. As for Kate, it was typical that Lara ended up with the one person in the room who would not play along. Not that it bothered her, she had the biggest laugh of the day insulting the little empress of geology. Pushing into a dark green door to enter the bathroom, Lara entered a stall and threw her bag on top of the cistern. Pausing for a minute to listen for any sign that somebody else could be in another stall, Lara carefully extracted her pistols from the lining of her bag and placed them in her holster that was sewn into her skirt waistband. Putting her grey jacket back on and exiting the stall Lara began to plan her explanations for the sample of dirt that Hadrian had for her. That is if he even has a sample, Lara thought questioning his motive for inviting her to his temporary home. She didn't believe for one-second that a sample was in Hadrian possession and she was preparing herself for every eventuality.
Every eventuality apart from a ringing phone at the bottom of her bag.
"Oh for gods sake," Lara muttered slamming her bag on the sink and snatching her phone up to look at the screen.
"Well done on finding both the on button and the contacts list in the same day, but phone me back later I'm busy at the moment." Lara briskly told the unwanted caller.
"My mother always told me I was special," smiled Kurtis.
"Special is the right word, I'll phone you later".
"Wait, wait hold up we need to meet up again, there's something I need to show you".
"Kurtis, not now I'm in the middle of something important," Lara sighed running her finger around the sink eager to end the call.
"When then? When and where can I meet you?"
"I'm not flying to Australia. End of discussion."
"I'm not in Australia..." Said Kurtis cautiously, squeezing his eyes shut knowing exactly what was coming next.
"... Excuse me?"
"I'm not in Australia"
"Kurtis Trent if you are simply breathing in the same country that I am in, I swear I will kill you."
"Oooh I love the full name," Kurtis smirked down the phone.
"Where are you?" Lara asked ignoring his failed attempt at flirting.
"Well I'm in a lovely little coffee shop near to..."
"The short answer Kurtis," Lara was becoming increasingly aware of the amount of time she was wasting in the bathroom when she could be upstairs hopefully finding a trail to the harimau ring.
"Singapore," Kurtis said sheepishly.
"I knew it!" Lara shouted hitting her fist against the sink, "please do not say you stayed here for my benefit".
"Well...no, not entirely".
"That's a yes then; look I'll meet you later in the Long Bar again. You can tell me exactly why you have not gone to Australia and show me what you need to and then you can leave".
"I'll leave when I want to, you can't control what I do". Kurtis snorted.
"Kurtis, please," Lara pleaded, "I'll meet you later okay, at 9 o'clock". Quickly ending the call Lara flicked her phone to silence and threw it back into her bag.
"Idiot". Lara muttered as she began to make her way to suite 842 to meet Hadrian, praying that the bad feeling that was spinning around her stomach was not justified.