"…we fail to see how the details of our feedings would be, in any way, a concern of yours."
"Why you pompous and overbearing asshole," Vicki fumed. "I cannot believe that he actually used the royal 'we' in an e-mail, for Christ's sake."
All she had done was to inquire if the warm weather bimbos on the West Coast were tastier than the cold pressed bimbos of Toronto. She really couldn't see why His Lordship had to be in such a snit over it.
She glanced down at her watch —it was 7:00 PM. Good…she could write him back right now and give him a piece of her mind in regards to that outdated snobbery. Oh wait, the time difference thing was driving her nuts, he was still dead to the world; it was only 4:00 PM in Lotus land. Well, she could still write it and…
"Hrumph…" Coreen cleared her throat as she leaned her head in through the partially open door and though her eyes widened slightly at the expression on Vicki's face when she looked up, she didn't withdraw.
"What?" Vicki barked the question.
Coreen shook her head slightly at Vicki's tone and rolled her kohl lined eyes expressively towards the outer office, in a silent remonstrance. "Mr. Wayne Franklin and his daughter Linda Gaelan are here to see you. If you remember, they have a seven o'clock appointment."
In her pique at Henry's e-mail Vicki had indeed forgotten that she was meeting with a potential client this evening, even though Coreen had stayed specifically for this appointment.
Vicki closed the lid of the laptop and pushed it off to the side of the crowded desk. Maybe it was better she not respond right now anyway, she thought.
She pushed back an errant piece of hair behind her ear and rose from her seat. "Show them in Coreen, please," she said in her most business like tone.
As Vicki came around from behind her desk to meet the two visitors her mind flashed on a conversation she had had with Henry.
***
"You shouldn't slouch behind your desk when you meet prospective clients," he had told her as he leaned on both arms, across the desk towards her. "It establishes a barrier between you and the other person that is difficult for them to overcome," he lectured.
"From a body language standpoint it means 'unapproachable.' What you want to do is to come close to them with your arms held open at your sides, like this," he said as he came around the desk to hover well inside her personal space.
He leaned in close and breathed in deeply, his startling blue gaze hooded. He said with a grin, "See, don't I seem more 'approachable' now?" His emphasis on the word approachable, made his meaning clear.
She pushed back in her chair and had tempered her comment with a slight smile,
"Oh! So now I'm getting lessons in reading human body language from someone who's not even human?"
If she remembered correctly he had been quite offended and it had taken her the better part of the evening to mollify his wounded pride. Silly ass…still she had been coming around her desk to meet her prospective clients ever since.
***
As she shook hands with what appeared to be a successful business man and his twenty-something daughter, she indicated that they should be seated and then said, "So why don't you tell me how you think I can help you Mr. Franklin."
The thin blond woman in the worn jeans and boots spoke up, "Actually I am the one who is looking for your help Ms. Nelson. Daddy is just here as the bank." Wayne Franklin grimaced and shifted in his chair a little uncomfortably but remained silent.
Vicki turned her attention to the fresh faced and outdoorsy looking woman and said, "Why don't you tell me what the problem is Ms. Gaelan."
"It's Mrs. Gaelan actually, but I would like it if you called me Linda," she said.
Vicki nodded, "Go on…Linda."
"My husband, Orion, is missing." she caught her breath and then continued, "I'm afraid something has happened to him."
"Why don't you just start at the beginning and tell me everything in your own words," Vicky said.
Over the next hour the story emerged with some careful prodding from Vicky and a few terse comments from Wayne Franklin who apparently did not approve of either Orion Gaelan or his daughter and son-in-law's life style.
Orion and Linda Gaelan were both environmental and animal rights activists, and were deeply involved in several organizations.
Linda was a writer; the majority of her work was columns for various organization news papers and web sites. Though they lived in Toronto, Orion was a photographer and travelled a great deal working as a deck hand on a 'for charter' tall ship the Artemis. He had been on board the Artemis on a charter up from Maine to Nova Scotia into Lunenburg. Once there the Artemis was to lay up for a re-fit.
Linda had last heard from him at the beginning of April when he had a called and said he had an invitation to sail on a small schooner, the Lila, up to Newfoundland to photograph the protest of the seal hunt and to confront the sealers on the ice.
That was six weeks ago now. When she could not reach him Linda had gone to Lunenburg but it turned out that the Lila had not sailed. Her captain said that Orion had decided to try to find some other way to get up to the hunt. That was all he knew.
Linda was convinced 'something' had happened to Orion. He would never stay out of contact for such a long period of time. She had received the statements on Orion's credit cards and there was activity showing in Montreal and Toronto, as well as the purchase of a one way airline ticket to Vancouver.
Linda knew, she just knew something was wrong, and she wanted Vicki's help to find out what it was.
"So the both of you are involved with several organizations. Is there any chance that there are enemies of those organizations, any powerful people who you have crossed with your activities?" Vicki asked as she regarded her notes.
She watched Linda carefully; she could not shake the feeling that there was something that the other woman was not sharing with her.
Linda said, "You mean do we have any enemies? I can give you a list of the organizations we are directly involved with, as well as those we work with in some less official capacity. It is certainly possible that we have come to the attention of some powerful and less than scrupulous groups. Our 'activities' sometimes interrupt some very profitable ventures."
"My fees are five hundred dollars a day plus expenses," Vicki said. "I have to warn you that an investigation of this type can take some time."
Wayne Franklin spoke directly to Vicki, "I may not agree with my daughter and son-in- law's politics or actions, but no one messes with my family Ms. Nelson, no one! Your fee will not be an issue."
He took a checkbook from his jacket pocket, and asked. "Will a five thousand dollar retainer suffice to start?"
Vicki nodded her eyes on Linda as the woman smiled at her father and then resumed chewing her lower lip nervously.
"Is there something more you want to tell me, Linda?" she asked.
You mean like…I should have known if he found it he would leave me? Isn't that what every story says will happen? All his promises that he would stay if only I would I give it back…meant nothing. I should have known if he found it he would leave.
"No…" Linda said aloud, "No, that's all I can think of right now."
"All right then," Vicki said, rising to shake first Linda's and then Wayne Franklin's hand. "If you send me that list of organizations in the morning, we'll get started right away."
"I'll fax it over as soon as I get home," Linda said. "Thank you Ms. Nelson."
***
When Coreen had seen them out the outer office door she came back into Vicki's office, her eyes sparkling with interest. "A new case…we need that Vicki, even if it is only a boring missing person case, nothing super natural or spooky at all."
I haven't seen her look this alive in a while now. Vicki thought.
"Yeah…well it could be just me, but there is something going on with Linda Gaelan that she didn't tell us, something that she wasn't sharing?"
"Well, I can get on Orion Galen tonight and check for back ground info and known lists of associates and all that fun stuff if you'd like," Coreen volunteered.
"No, you know what, why you don't call it a night," Vicki said, glancing back to the computer. "I want to catch up on some correspondence anyway. We can get a fresh start in the morning."
Coreen gave her a knowing smile, and said, "Well, there did appear to be a 'Vancouver connection' after all…"
"Don't even think it!" Vicki scowled. "Out"
Coreen held up her hands in mock surrender. "I'm going, I'm going. See you tomorrow Vicki."
***
By the time Coreen had turned off the outer office lights and locked the door as she left, Vicki was once more at her desk staring at the computer screen.
The shadowed confines of her office were a comfortably familiar setting, though blurred at the edges in the dimness. The cool blue light from the laptop illuminated her face as she leaned towards the screen.
I wish you were here... I wish you were here…now where had that thought come from?
Sitting back she drew a bottle of whiskey from the desk drawer. A quick trip to the kitchenette provided a glass and some ice. She poured herself a stiff drink when she reclaimed her seat.
Tilting the glass to her lips she felt the chill of the ice and the sweetness of the alcohol. All this talk about ships and water had sent her mind back to the few memories she retained of the previous visits she had made to Vancouver.
It really is a beautiful city she admitted to herself, very outdoorsy and dramatically scenic, full of beautiful laid back people, it probably really appeals to his artistic senses. She snorted indelicately. It probably appeals to a lot more than just his artistic senses…she imagined him on the seawall in Stanley park, hunting alone in the dark, the sea breeze pushing his curls back from his…shit, Nelson, maybe you should take up writing for Hallmark cards…
She had hit the reply button and the cursor flashed at the top of Henry's last message…
This is so childish she thought. Why can't I just say what I mean?
It was almost ten o'clock now, which made it seven in Vancouver, he would be rising soon.
"…we fail to see how the details of our feedings would be, in any way, a concern of yours."
She began to type.
"My dear little prince…"