Chapter 7

The infamous Chief Editor of an influential London newspaper has been reported dead this morning in his office near London Bridge. He was found by security staff in what police describe as an upsetting scene, they are investigating the area and have advised anyone with any information to come forward. The newspaper's London office has been closed for the foreseeable future as detectives try to determine whether this was a tragic accident or a brutal murder.

I stood frozen in front of the TV, the remote clutched in my hand. What…the…fuck? I knew this was Tobias, the minute I had heard the news report I had known it was him.

My mobile rang breaking into my stupor, I jumped and quickly went about searching for it amongst my bomb site of a flat. The insistent ringing started to annoy me, "Where the hell are you?" Eventually I located it under a pile of dirty clothes. The caller ID was Andy, I accepted and turned back to the TV.

"Hey."

"Hey, have you seen the news?" I asked, jabbing at the volume button so I could hear him.

"Yeah, it's why I'm ringing." The phone went silent as Andy tried to get it together. "Can you believe this? This sort of thing just doesn't happen in the real world…I mean it does obviously, but I never thought…Do you think he was killed?" His voice wavered at the meaning in those words. Did someone murder our boss in our place of work, a few feet from where we sat everyday?

"Yes. I think he was killed." I was unsure whether I should be telling him my suspicions, but the shock of the situation had lowered my inhibitions somewhat.

There was another silence on the end of the phone, but I could hear Andy breathing. "What do we do now? Work is shut and no one from the paper has contacted anyone." The realisation kicked in finally; for the time being I had no job!

"Look, it's not that bad. I'm sure it'll open once they've searched the scene for evidence. We'll be back to work in no time." My reassurance to Andy wasn't believable to me though. Who was I kidding? I'd be out on my arse within the week.

"OK…you're right I guess. I'm going to see if I can find out what the time frame will be." I smiled a little, he was a journalist after all.

"Ring me if you find anything."

"Sure sure. Bye Morgan."

"Bye." I hung up and let my hand fall to my side. My brain was buzzing with the craziness of it all. I needed to take my mind off of the horrific fate of my ex-boss, and the potential suspect. Without thinking anymore about it I dialed in Helen's number into my phone.

"Hey," I said, my voice betraying my mood, "Can we meet?"

"Sure, what's the matter hun?" Hearing Helen made me instantly relax.

"I'll tell you when I see you. Meet at the usual place?"

"OK, be there in half an hour."

Leicester Square was busy today. Tourists with their backpacks and cameras wondered around the large square, marvelling at the multitude of cinemas and theatres. Helen and I were sat in a coffee shop we both loved on the edge of the tourist trap.

She watched me with worried eyes as I stare out into the crowd sipping my coffee absent-mindedly. I had insisted we sit outside even though it was nearly winter, I wanted to watch the people go about their normal lives.

"I've not seen you like this before hun." She said brushing her perfect long brunette hair over her shoulder. I had always been a little envious of how organized and sophisticated my friend was. She just seemed to have everything sussed, whereas I always felt two steps behind everything. We had gone to school together and I had been the one to excel academically, but socially…well Helen had been the popular one.

"I'm fine, really." I insisted for the umpteenth time. She gave me a look to suggest she was not convinced.

"Your boss is dead. I'd be freaked out too." She delicately lifted her espresso cup to her face, "I mean he died right there, where you were working yesterday." She took a drink as I turned my head sharply to look at her.

"Yes thank you Helen. I am aware of the creepiness of the situation." She gave me an apologetic smile putting down her cup. An awkward silence grew as she fiddled with a napkin on our table.

"Anyway…enough of the gore. Tell me about this mystery man you've been seeing, and borrowing my possessions for." A forced lightness was in her voice, but I thought it best to veer away from the previous subject. Even if this one wasn't much better.

"He's no one. I wasn't dating him as I have before, and he's gone now anyway so nothing to tell." Helen pouted at me childishly.

"Really? The first man you've ever shown an interest in enough to dress up like a girl, and he's no one? I don't think so missy." I let out a heavy sigh and stared at her coolly.

"Helen. Even if I was interested in him, he was not the sort of man that would be interested in me, so it really doesn't matter." I looked down at my hands as I felt the colour rising in my cheeks. "It's hard to explain."

She smiled and reached over to hold my hands. "It's alright Morgs, you don't have to explain. You don't need to." I looked up gratefully to see her kind eyes assessing my expression. She leant back and stared out over the square. "Still, I'd wish I'd met him. The man that can get my Morgan in a tizz is a man I want to meet." She grinned at me cheekily; I glared back.

"How are you?" I asked pointedly, steering the subject away from Tobias.

She rolled her eyes at me. "Greg is being a dick again." Greg was Helen's ex who had an unhealthy obsession with her, and a very strange search history on his laptop I had found when I went snooping.

"Tell him to do one." I said and she laughed.

"Yeah, not that simple Morgs. But thanks for the advice."

We sat chatting happily with each other for the rest of the afternoon, and I slowly began to forget about the events of the week just gone.

That feeling quickly went away when I returned to my quiet flat and found a bill on my doorstep. Crap, the reality of no job crashed down on me. I would be okay for a week or two but soon the money would dry up and the bills would flood in. I picked up the letter gingerly, it had my name 'Morgan Williams' in official looking font which was never a good sign.

I stared at the bill as I walked into my living area, trying to will it to disappear. Placing it on the kitchen counter I looked up to see a man sat on my sofa with his back to me. I yelled, my heart promptly leaving body, and picked up the nearest thing to hand to use as a weapon. The man turned around, and once my heart had decided to return to my body and restart, I noticed he was bald with a tattoo on the back of his head.

Tobias looked at me quizzically, eyeing the object in my raised hand. I glanced at what I had grabbed and noticed my chosen weapon had been whisk I had left on the kitchen side. Sheepishly I lowered the less than intimidating weapon, and narrowed my eyes at the intruder.

"Not cool." He stood slowly and walked silently towards me. I rested both my hands on the counter and tried to slow my now painfully beating heart.

"If you were aiming to give me a heart attack, you were dangerously close to achieving it." I managed to wheeze; looking back up I took an abrupt step back as I found him stood right in front of me. The counter put some neutral space between us, but it couldn't stop my stomach doing a small flip as he gave me his half smile.

"Hello to you too." He had on his white shirt and red tie, but his top button was undone and his shirtsleeves rolled up exposing his muscular forearms. His suit jacket was slung over the back of my sofa, and I wondered how long he had been sat there before I came in, noting the messiness of my flat.

"I thought you didn't know where I lived?" He raised his eyebrows at me, his blue eyes boring into mine.

"I thought you'd feel safer if you thought I didn't know." I folded my arms, the closed of stance making me feel more in comfortable.

"You knew anyway." He nodded slowly. I closed my eyes, the events of the last few days rushing back to me. "You killed him didn't you?" I looked him straight in the eye as I said it, no longer caring if I over stepped the mark. His face was still, his steely gaze never leaving mine.

"Yes." It was such a simple answer but it made my knees give way, I grasped the counter to stop myself from falling. Tobias, or whoever he was I still didn't know, watched my reaction. When I was sure I wasn't going to collapse in a heap I straightened up, the blood draining from my face as I noted his impassive expression.

"Wait! Are you here to kill me now!?" My eyes widened in panic, I was screwed. There was no way I would out run him or out fight him for that matter. The horror of the situation seeped through, welding my limbs in place. Tobias was still amusing himself with my reactions to this conversation, and his half smile returned.

"No."

It was like that word released me, and this time I did collapse on the floor. He leaned over my counter and quirked an eyebrow at me. After a moment of collecting my thoughts, I untangled my limbs and struggled over to my sofa. I edged past him trying to keep a hold on the counter as I did. Dumping myself in the chair and holdig my head in my hands. Tobias casually walked over to stand in front of me; he didn't sit down just stared down his nose at me.

"O…k. So you're not a Private investigator then?" He shook his head at me, the smile still in place. "You're a…hitman?" The silent nod made my stomach do another flip. That explained a lot.

"I was hired to kill your boss, but I needed the information you obtained for me first." I lifted my head and gave him a sarcastic look.

"You're welcome." I frowned at him then as a thought crossed my mind. "Hang on, why are you here telling me all this? Doesn't that make me a witness?" He sighed and sat down beside me. I couldn't help focusing on the contact between our arms as he squeezed onto my tiny sofa. I reddened slightly and looked down to stop him from seeing. He probably had though.

"It does Morgan, but I need you to know what I am before I tell why I am here." His voice was careful, like he was trying not to scare me off. "I know I said there'd be no repercussions for you after helping me, but obviously that hasn't been the case."

"Bit of an understatement, everyone has lost their jobs now." He ignored my interruption.

"I want to help you. I think you're wasted as a photographer, I can get you an interview for a new job but it isn't going to be easy." He was unperturbed by my look of utter confusion. "I've arranged a meeting for you tonight at the restaurant we met at."

"Why? What's the job?" He looked away from me.

"The person you're meeting will fill you in on it. It's good money Morgan, and I have a feeling you'll excel at it." He turned back to me, a hint of humour dancing in his eyes. "Just try not to get drunk okay."

My eyes narrowed at him, "Very funny." He got up and retrieved his suit jacket from the back of the chair.

"I know I've said this before but this time I really don't know if I'll see you again. So…good luck. 7pm sharp, tonight ok?"

I nodded numbly at him, "Ok." He turned and began walking to the door. Just before he reached it I snapped out of my confused haze and leapt to my feet.

"Wait." He faced me, his look quizzical. "What's your real name? It'd be nice to know before you just walk out of my life."

He gave me a rare full smile and shook his head, "Still not going to tell you Morgan, but if you get the job you might get your answer someday."

And with that he turned and quietly exited my flat.