"James, I told you that the lab reports wouldn't be back until tomorrow." Laura snapped as she looked up and noticed James and then looked back down to what she was doing.
"It's not that, it's Jean." James replied, Laura's head pricked up. She'd known James for years, they even all socialised together but never had he heard James call his boss by her Christian name.
"What?" Laura asked gently, she looked up and noticed the red around James' eyes, which was further highlighted by his otherwise pale complexion. "Come through to the office." She told him as she discarded what she was previously doing.
James followed her through to her office and shut the door behind them, he turned to see Laura gazing at him expectantly.
"What's happened?" Laura asked softly, she was good with people which is why she knew that she had to be soft with this. The feeling of worry in the pit of her stomach wasn't calming at all and the look that James was giving her was doing little to subside it. The worry in her voice was so genuine that it was his first clue that she didn't know what was happening.
"She's gone." James whispered.
"James, she's probably nipped to the shops or something." Laura replied calmly, although she was trying to pose a logical argument, she was far from calm.
"No, she left me this." James said after a moments consideration, after all he had to reveal their secret, meaning Jean was even more likely to not want to speak to him. Laura didn't take her eyes off James as she opened the letter, but then looked to the letter as she read. There was no judgement in her eyes as she tucked the sheet of paper gently back inside of the envelope. "I take it you don't know where she is?" James sighed, knowing that he was no further forward than before.
"No, I'm sorry..."
"But you two talk about everything..."
"Clearly not, I never knew that you two were in love and together." Laura said, and still there was no hostility in her voice. "I have a plan though."