"There is no other woman and you know it."
He closed the door quietly behind him, hoping Vera's harsh statement had gone unheard by the others in the office. Thoughts of Anna filtered through his mind. She was sitting so close to them, she might have been able to listen. He didn't want her to have any reasons to doubt him. He shook Anna from his conscience and remembered a more practical reason. Regardless of the situation between him and his wife, the rest of the team did not have to be made aware of their fraught conversations. He was sure Gwen knew more than she let on to, but he had his doubt about the others. As he moved towards the empty chair in her office, he felt it necessary to justify his absence and added another comment, in a low tone, hoping to minimize the situation and deflect any further comments from Vera.
"I needed to think and I do that best when I am in the air." He didn't have to say anything, especially when Vera never told him where she was going or what she was doing, yet her insinuation of another woman left him feeling nervous. He didn't want her to know what he was really up to.
He sat down, barely on the edge of the seat, not comfortable at all with the conversation they were having.
"You want me to believe that you left in the middle of the night, after your mobile rang, so you could think?" Vera smirked sarcastically, not believing a word he said. She crossed her arms across her chest and John felt her defiant nature seeping through. She started to cackle and he was taken aback by her reaction.
She was mocking him openly. She was never any good at being subtle. "….and what does my flyer husband have to think about that is so important that a call would get him out of bed?" She leaned back against the chair, expecting an answer.
"That was not a call Vera; it was my mobile's alarm. I changed the sound and set it up to wake early." That was not the truth. It had been a call, but he hoped he sounded confident enough to deflect any suspicion. They slept in different bedrooms and the sound of the mobile's noise could easily be mistaken. "….and…. to answer your question, I had to think about the situation with Richard."
"What situation?" She furrowed her brow, seemingly unaware of anything that was going one with their Sales Manager.
"He's come to me at least three times. He wants an ownership share of the company."
"Ownership? That's a bit forward…. What makes him think we would ever give him a share?"
Before he could answer her question, he breathed deeply, aware that her sudden curiosity regarding Richard had finally veered her from questioning him regarding his midnight disappearance.
"He's committed to Bates Airlift and has landed most of the large accounts we have now. The last two expansions, we owe to him and his sales abilities. Our revenue would not be what it is today without him, so, we have to consider his request."
She didn't say anything else, but looked like she was going over his words in her head. Noting her silence on the matter, and believing she was considering the proposal, he continued with a further explanation.
"He's asking for a 50% partnership claim, which I believe is meant to gobsmack us, but, we could probably reduce that to 15 or 20. I have calculated some initial numbers based on 20% and there are some pros and cons. Ultimately, this will cost us, but we have to consider it if we want to see any future growth. Not considering him could end up hurting us more in the long run. "
He leaned back in the chair, comfortable that Vera hadn't made any negative comments yet. He was awaiting her questions.
Finally, she moved forward in her chair, suggesting she was ready to respond. "You can give him any percent of your share you consider necessary Batesy. I am not letting go of my 50%."
John was stunned with her response. For all of their personal problems, she always let him lead in their business decisions and generally agreed with anything that he brought forth. She mainly objected to anything that had to do with decorating and the distribution of office space within the Bates Airlift compound; never anything of real importance. Her resistance, then, was startling for John. It took him a minute to register her response and formulate a rebuttal that was not laced with any feeling.
"Vera, if we don't consider him for a partnership percentage, he will go somewhere else. He knows our business inside and out and replacing him will be difficult. You must also consider that if he went to work for our competitors, we would be in financial difficulties if he poached our accounts. We need to consider this."
He hoped he had swayed her opinion.
"What you are saying makes perfect sense, but, I don't intend to forfeit any percentage of my share." She had no emotion in her voice as she said the words that John was not expecting to hear. He tried again.
"Listen to reason Vera. What I propose is we give him a 20% stake. I forfeit 10% as you do. Together, we are still the majority owners, but we make him happy and we stop paying commission on each contract. He would be even more motivated to make this a success. He is not a bad fellow."
She leaned forward and placed the palms of her hand on the table, standing up in the process.
"I have a different proposal. You give him the 20%, you keep 30% and I become the majority owner with 50%. Now that is a plan I can really get behind."
John Sighed. "You are not going to agree, are you?"
"No, I am not."
John couldn't forget Vera's sarcastic nature during their entire conversation. It had been yesterday and he hadn't figured out a way to tell Richard that he could not offer him a partnership. If Vera did not want to offer a part of her share, there was no way that John was going to forfeit any of his. He would never be left in a position where Vera had more ownership than he did.
Maybe he could wait a few weeks and see what happened to the new account Richard was going to bring in. He would worry about it then.
"Good Morning Joe." Anna adjusted the bud on her Bluetooth ear piece as she looked into the rear view mirror. Time was precious these days. Now that she was working for two companies, she wasn't as free as she used to be. She was on her way to the Bates Airlift compound. Traffic was light, allowing for a conversation.
"Hello doll." She cringed and rolled her eyes, even though he couldn't see her.
"Joe, we talked about this. Please call me Anna." He was a nice fellow, if a bit obsessive and dense. He couldn't take the hint. He was continuously sweet talking her, thinking his chances with her would improve by his choice of words, but his attempts always came out sounding creepy. They had the opposite effect, repelling her further.
"So, Anna. What can I do for you today?" He laughed and snorted in the process, thinking himself funny.
"I am going to need full financials on several people, including credit card statements and mobile records. I've narrowed down my top five suspects for us to start with."
"Go ahead, love."
Anna shuddered again. If he wasn't so good at what he did, she would have asked Pops and Elsie to forego of his services. His creepy nature made him an excellent stalker of sorts and he could find just about anything that was needed in their cases.
Her thoughts shifted again to her list.
"First of all, Vera Bates. Then – give me Anthony Strallan, Richard Carlisle, Tom Branson, Evelyn Napier and Jack Ross."
Anna felt drained and it was only Wednesday. Sarah O'Brien really was a hard pill to swallow. Since the first day she had worked by the older lady's side, Sarah was always in an abominable mood. Anna sensed she somehow felt threatened by her and there was nothing she could say to appease the woman or get on her good side. She had every reason to worry, though. She was not very efficient and spoke to the clients very unprofessionally. If anybody bothered to look into her performance, she would be at risk. Anna wouldn't be the one to say anything, she wasn't a workplace consultant and didn't want anybody to lose their job because of her, but she knew so many people that could do the job better. The time with Sarah also helped Anna realize that she spent less time working than she did popping continuously into Vera's office. Her accumulated break time in a day was less than appropriate. That would help answer her internal question. "Why has she not been sacked?" Vera was some sort of protector or insurance policy that could guard against that. It all made sense to her now. Anna wondered if their association worked both ways. If Vera had a lover, would Sarah know about it?
The phone rang and Anna was pleased for the distraction. Sarah answered it, as she always did, leaving Anna alone for a moment. Sarah had been droning on about how to correctly fill out one of the trip sheets. She made it a point to chastise her, explaining that her penmanship was not good enough for her to work here and that she needed to do a better job of it if she didn't want to be dismissed. Anna stared at the offending document, while she listened to Sarah talk to one of the customers. Mmmm. She turned it around and brought it close, thinking that perhaps at a different angle, her writing was not what it should be. After scrutinizing it for a few seconds, she gave up. She could find nothing wrong with it. There were big block letters and the ink flowing from her pen was steady. It was completely legible. She wasn't being bias and could take constructive feedback when necessary. She wasn't too proud to accept if she needed to make corrections, but Sarah was finding fault with everything she did, whether there was substance to it or not. She'd have to get a second opinion from Gwen or somebody else to make sure she wasn't going crazy.
The raised tone in Sarah's voice made her stop and pay attention. There seemed to be an issue.
"I'm sorry about that. I can't find a booking for Mr. Wiggleton of Perkins Manufacturing for this Friday." She sighed loudly. "This Monday, you say? Around noon?"
Sarah turned to look at her, her eyes filled with hatred. Anna remembered taking the booking when Sarah went out for a smoke with Thomas. It had been a simple one way York-Manchester Airport Executive trip that she had assigned to Daisy. They had asked specifically for her and if she was not available, Alfred. The customer would come here. The staff assistant for Perkins was very kind and patient with her and almost appreciative that she hadn't needed to speak to Sarah.
"It wasn't I that did the booking? Well, that makes sense. It must have been the intern I have working with me." She paused, listening intently. "Well, you can't imagine how sorry I am."
Sarah continued to speak to the customer, while the color in her face changed to red.
"Yes, Yes. I still have space. Let me take the details from you and book it right away. I am very sorry this happened and will make sure that this does not happen again."
Anna braced herself for the onslaught that would take place in a minute. She wasn't sure she had made a mistake. She took the booking, made a copy and emailed it to herself. She had photocopied the trip sheets for those bookings when Sarah wasn't looking. There must be an explanation. She would have to look at her files and the tracking feature in the computer. But before that, she would get an earful. There was no way around it.
After a minute or two, when Sarah had added the booking in excel, she heard the handset of the phone slam into its place. She cringed.
"YOU INCOMPETENT FOOL. Mr. Wiggleton is one of our most important clients and you took a call and it is not there." For a minute, Anna remembered the mistake Sarah had done the week before, not reserving Daisy for a trip this same customer had requested. Gwen had saved the day with her quick thinking. It was a bit surreal to be on the scolding end for something Sarah herself had done and nobody had been harsh with her. She felt the adrenaline in her body rushing, urging her to react. It took all her self-control to stop herself from saying something she might regret. Not here, not now, she repeated to herself.
"Did you book it some other day?" Sarah perused the tabs of her inefficient scheduling system to see if she could find something else for Perkins Manufacturing.
"No Sarah. I remember booking it for exactly the same date and time you just put it into the system for." Her jaw was set firmly. She wouldn't show her any fear or inferiority. It was also grating to be spoken to in such a manner. Neither her parents, nor Pops or Elsie had ever spoken to her that way.
Anna reached for the all the trip sheets in the pilot's trays. She had filled it out and Sarah had approved it when she had come back from her break and Anna had relayed what she had managed in her absence. She was going through them to find the one belonging to this booking as Sarah started to berate her.
"Of course you would say that. But you can't find it now, can you?" Sarah's tone was raised to the point that it came across as shouting. Gwen turned from her desk. Thomas and Phyllis peeked from around the corner of the Accounting office. They were thankfully too far from the Pilot's room for any of them to overhear, but, Vera had moved to stand in the doorway of her office. Now that Sarah was sure that she had an audience, she continued. "I don't know why you are here to begin with if you can't do simple tasks. Why don't you just admit you can't handle this job and ask to be moved along somewhere else?" Anna turned to look at the others, truly mortified at the scene Sarah was causing. She was sure that she could put Sarah in her place as soon as the ranting was over. Gwen looked positively shocked. Vera was smirking at that comment, enjoying the show a little too much. She could swear she saw Thomas smile, before they exchanged glances and he hid his amusement for neutrality. Phyllis was stone-faced the entire time. As a Senior Manager and co-owner, Vera should have said something, but she didn't, so, Anna addressed Sarah.
"I'll not admit to any such thing Sarah. I will admit to a mistake if one has been made, but I am sure this is all a misunderstanding….. and, if you calm down, we can get to the bottom of it." She was very poised in her response.
"I'll be the one to say whether this is a misunderstanding or your bloody incompetence." Sarah was intent on humiliating Anna as publicly as possible. Before Anna could even respond, the booming sound of reason was heard from behind them.
"You'll do no such thing Sarah. If an error has been made, it will be remedied and the experience learned from. You have made mistakes before and those words have never been levied against you from me, or any other employee in this firm. You have no right to say them now to Anna or anybody else that comes in through the Bates Airlift doors as an employee or intern. Do you understand me?"
He looked calm, but Anna could tell there was anger in his eyes. Mr. Bates had also overheard the rant. God Bless him. Standing there firmly, with all the assurance of the voice of reason and ultimate authority, he was the incarnation of a knight in shining armor to her. He had come to save the damsel in distress. Part of her was thrilled with his presence, and absolutely grateful that the barking had been stopped, but another part of her was infinitely ashamed that she could not deal with the situation on her own before it escalated. It had gotten out of hand very quickly and she had not been able to adequately respond. Would he think her weak, lacking in character?
At his declaration, Sarah had turned around to see him. She could barely respond, surprised at his reaction. In all of her rant, it had never dawned on her that if the others could listen and witness the scene, so could he. She still looked furious, wanting to prove her point.
"Yes, Mr. Bates" she reluctantly answered when she saw that there would be no way to contradict his steely gaze.
"Oh John, if the girl is incompetent, there is no sense in defending her." Vera had obviously taken sides when she pressed Sarah's issue further.
Mr. Bates was none too pleased with Vera's comment. He turned to give her a look of disapproval. She had said that in front of the other employees and he did not care for her favoritism towards Sarah. This was not about taking sides. Anna was not impressed with Vera's comment either, but thought better than to react. As part owner, Vera owed it to the entire team to be neutral until all sides were heard. A good manager would have done that.
"Everybody except Anna and Sarah, please get back to work. We don't need an audience." Phyllis had left the moment Mr. Bates appeared, rendering Thomas as the one who had to leave. He didn't look too happy. He wouldn't be able to follow the conversation from his workstation. Gwen had never left her desk. She just turned back to what she was doing, while still tilting her ear in the direction of the confrontation. Vera just stood about, with no intention of leaving, so, Mr. Bates continued. "What is the problem?" His hands flailed authoritatively and he looked straight at Anna, but, Sarah was intent on answering.
"She's botched…."
Mr. Bates raised his hand and outstretched his palm. He didn't have to say anything else. His sole movement and intense eyes stopped her. Sarah looked unnerved by his actions.
"Sarah, we know your point of view on the matter. I think it is time to let Anna defend herself or accept the error on her part." He lowered his arm and crossed it with the other across his chest. "Anna, what do you have to say on the matter?" She could tell his body relaxed and his eyes, while still businesslike, lowered in intensity.
"Thank you Mr. Bates. We just received a call from Perkins Manufacturing. A booking I made is missing from the system. Sarah had to rebook it and provide Mr. Wiggleton's staff assistant assurances that no further errors would be made on the account."
Mr. Bates nodded in understanding.
"She says she booked it, but there was no proof of it in the system and no trip sheet to back her up." Sarah blurted her words, still trying to gain the upper hand.
"Excuse me a moment." Anna sprinted towards her desk, only a few steps away, and opened her file cabinet. Wanting to stop the nonsense, she pulled open a cream colored file folder that held some sheets of paper. At the same time, she wiggled the mouse to deactivate the screen saver. She had the proof if she could access her incoming email from Monday.
Everybody took a few steps towards her desk.
"Here it is." Anna turned in the same spot and held out the sheet for Mr. Bates to take possession of.
He received the photocopied document and brought it to his eye level to review.
"What is that?" Sarah came close to Mr. Bates so that she could read the document in his hands. Vera did as well on his other side.
"It is the trip sheet that I filled out, after I showed Sarah what I had booked. She signed it, after reviewing all the information and she told me that I had done well." Anna didn't lie there. She thought something was up when Sarah told her she had done a good job. "I was so chuffed that I did it right, that I made a photocopy to make sure any future bookings were done in the same manner." That was a lie. Heeding Gwen's warning, she had made copies to cover herself if a situation such as this ever took place.
Mr. Bates smiled, then, tried to hide it, wanting to appear neutral. Anna sensed, though, that he was relieved that the fault had not lain in her hands. Sarah's eyes were opened wide and she seemed to be formulating something to say. Whatever had happened with the booking, Sarah had clearly not anticipated Anna's cunning. Vera looked annoyed.
Before any of them could react further, Anna continued talking.
"In addition, every booking I made, I copied the tab where it was made and I emailed it to myself from Sarah's computer. I have four total documents for every call I took by myself in the last two days." She double clicked the appropriate icon on her desk to open the attachment. "This ought to be the correct one." When she could confirm it was - Sarah, Vera and Mr. Bates all leaned in to look at the excel document showing everything booked for this Friday, as it had appeared on Monday when booked. All the information was there.
From where Anna stood, she could see Gwen behind them. The redhead fist pumped into the air, supporting Anna. She was lip-synching something that looked like "OH MY GOD. YOU ARE AWESOME!" Anna averted her eyes, or she would be caught up in rejoicing with Gwen. She wasn't off the hook yet.
"Well, Anna. This clears any doubt as to if you ever booked the trip to begin with." With the evidence clearly visible, he affirmed it. "It was booked."
"She must have erased it when I was not looking. It might have been in the system on Monday, but it was not there today." Sarah would not let it go.
"I cannot explain that. Either of us could have made the mistake. If it was I that erased it, I am sorry."
Anna did not want to take things further and incriminate Sarah. She did not need an enemy in the office and laying the blame on her would only alienate Vera. She needed to continue in this position and taking half a hit would buy her an advantage. Her words let them all see that she was willing to take the blame for an "unknown occurrence." In this occasion, though, she had proved her competence.
Anna was not guilty of anything and knew that she could track exactly when the booking was erased. It had to have been Sarah who made the mistake, as the woman never let her touch the computer in her presence. Anna doubted for a second Sarah's motivations. Was it a mistake or done on purpose? Would she have deliberately disappeared the trip sheet too? If she had done it on purpose and had gone to those lengths to "protect" her position, she was in dire need of mental help.
Mr. Bates looked satisfied.
"Let's pay more attention next time, please." Relieved it was over, he added, "I think we should all get to work."
Anna whispered "thank you" to Gwen when she announced that Mr. Bates was calling everybody for an impromptu meeting immediately. It had been an hour since her ordeal and any break from Sarah's superiority prattle was welcoming. Since proving her competency, the woman had been unbearable. Mr. Bates' meetings were always interesting too. There wasn't a session where she didn't take any new knowledge away.
She filed in and took a seat, as the others did, not knowing what the meeting was about. The others were chatting idly, speculating as to the topic of the day. Some of them glanced her way, no doubt having heard about Sarah's tirade against her. She sat with her head held high. Gwen took a seat next to her and Phyllis on her other side. There were lots of other seats still open and it was natural for Phyllis to shy away, thus, it felt like the quiet lady's attempt at solidarity. Whatever it was, Anna appreciated the gesture all the same. Anna wanted to say something, but, Phyllis smiled and looked down, signaling she did not want to chat. Anna hadn't spent any time with her and still couldn't assess her motivations. She was an odd creature, that one. Anna continued to survey the rest of the room and Vera was noticeably missing. She seemed to do as she wished, not event trying to pretend she cared about the business. She'd come out at any hint of gossip or controversy, but, she hadn't attended any of the team's staff meetings yet. Anna wondered why she would fight to keep her portion of Bates Airlift if she wasn't committed to its management.
The team didn't have to wait to find out much longer about the reason for the meeting, as Mr. Bates walked in rather quickly, followed by a gentleman.
"Team, this is Frank Edmunds from the Make a Wish Foundation." They both took a seat at the head of the table and the man smiled and said a quick hello before Mr. Bates continued. "I've called you in here for a quick chat regarding Haley Winters."
"Some of you will recall that last year, our company assisted with the wish of Ronnie Preston." Anna had no clue what he was talking about, having only recently joined the firm. Mr. Bates must have seen her confusion, as well as Jimmy, who had also been there less than a year, because he felt compelled to explain.
"For those that are not aware, last year, 16 year old Leukemia patient Ronnie wanted to meet the Manchester United team and attend a game at the Old Trafford in company of Sir Alex. We had the honor of flying both of them in, right before a game started. We deposited them on the green, in the middle of the field, to the roar of the fans that had been advised of what would happen."
Anna's heart swelled with love at the thought. How wonderful that Bates Airlift did that.
Mr. Edmund's chimed in. "Ronnie had an amazing day. After the game, which ManU won, some of the opposing team's players who had also been previously advised of what would happen that day, stayed behind so that he could participate in an exhibition game. Ronnie got to wear a ManU kit with his name and a number which the team had made for him and they assigned him an empty locker. Sir Alex barked directions at him and he was able to score a goal into the opposing team's net. For this one day, he was one of the team and when he died, six weeks later, he was wearing the kit, very happy to have had that experience. The team also went to his funeral, which the family appreciated tremendously."
Anna held back tears. In the joy of the story that was being told, she had forgotten that some of these children sometimes did not make it. That was point of hosting their last wish - to give them one moment of supreme joy for everything they had endured.
Mr. Bates continued. "It is rare for a child's wish to involve the use of a helicopter, but Mr. Edmunds has come to me with another potential case and I think, that with a little creativity and planning, we can make seven year old Haley Winters' wish come true."
A very animated Daisy was the first to enquire. "Oooh, what is it? Tell us her wish!"
"Haley would like to fly on a dragon and rescue a princess from a castle and we will make it happen next week."
Elsie sat alone at the bust stop, waiting on Vera to make her arrival. It had been a few days since she had taken the questionable route and the bus. They had been tracking her for a little over a week and they were yet to make any definite progress. Out of the last seven days, they had followed her to the supermarket, to her waxing appointment, to shopping on York's High street where she had purchased some new shoes and several articles of clothing. She had taken tea with a friend that Anna had later confirmed was Sarah O'Brien. She had not done anything deceptive that might indicate that she was meeting somebody clandestinely. Elsie and Charles agreed that she was overdue a tryst and took a chance to anticipate her arrival at the Park and Ride car lot.
Charles was positioned on a side street where he could easily follow the bus if their hunch proved true. He and Elsie would communicate via texts if they were successful. Vera's GPS signal had started a few minutes ago and they would soon be able to determine if their guess had paid off.
He squealed internally when he saw her miss her turn towards home. She seemed to be coming towards them.
Elsie received a text from him.
SHE MISSED HER EXIT.
Blessed relief, she murmured, as she rubbed her forearms with her hands. It was a cool evening and her disguise of a running tracksuit and trainers was providing less warmth than she would like. She had her hair pulled back in a low bunch and she donned a sports cap. She was pretending to flex her muscles, as somebody who had just finished exercising might. A bus came and opened its doors, expecting her to board, but she waived it away. It roared as it sped onwards and Elsie looked at her watch. Only five minutes had passed since Charles' text. If Vera was coming toward her, she should be getting another text any minute now. She craned her neck towards the entrance of the parking structure. A few cars had entered and their drivers were parking close to where she was standing. Another bus was heralding its arrival and she couldn't be seen choosing to not board the bus.
Her mobile buzzed again.
-SHE'S COMING TO YOU. ETA 5-
Elsie grinned with excitement. There was nothing worse than a failed maneuver. Some customers arrived at the bus stop, those who she had seen parking just a few minutes earlier. The bus arrived and they boarded, leaving her behind. Finally, a few minutes later, she saw Vera's red FIAT come in to the lot.
She texted Charles as she saw Vera back into a spacious spot on the second row.
-TARGET VISIBLE-
To enhance her sporty persona, she continued to flex her muscles, stretching out the calves of her legs and reaching up to the sky with her arms. She felt the pain spread through her entire body and it reminded her why she rarely used this disguise. To keep up with illusion, she had to be in constant motion. She made a mental note to put this outfit at the bottom of the bin or retire it altogether.
She turned back when she saw Vera exit her car. She was facing toward the opposite direction when she heard the undeniable sounds of Vera's shoes clacking on the pavement.
Elsie continued to look away, feigning distraction by continuing with her stretches.
"That's a nice colored outfit."
Elsie was momentarily stunned. Was Vera talking to her? Even when her back was turned? There was nobody else around, making her the unquestionable recipient of Vera's friendly conversation. Elsie muffled her response. She wouldn't dare be impolite by not acknowledging her. "Thanks," was all she cared to answer, sending the message she wasn't one to want to talk. She stood leant against one of the supporting beams, facing away from Vera. She took her mobile as if to read something, giving off a busy vibe. Where was the bus when she needed it? If it took too long to come, Vera would remember her in her subconscious and she needed to avoid that. She also had to evade any rash moves or statements, as that would also become an indelible memory for Vera. Rudeness always was something that people remembered. Not being ordinary. She had to be random and nondescript to get away with this ruse.
From a distance, she heard the rumbling and the bus come closer as the seconds ticked away. The screeching sound of tires came to a stop a mere meter from where she was standing. She could only move and get on if Vera did. There were two routes that collected passengers from this stop and she hoped Vera got on. From her peripheral vision, she saw as Vera collected her handbag. The doors to the bus opened and Elsie moved, towards them, hoping she had made the right choice. She was relieved when she sensed Vera was right behind her. She entered and paid and moved forward within the bus, trying to find a place where she could sit that might be advantageous. Usually that was the middle if it was not too full. There were only a handful of patrons within, with plenty of open seats available. She chose a clean one. She distracted herself by fixing her gaze out of the window, but kept vigilant, observing from the corner of her eye as Vera paid and made her way down the aisle. Much to her chagrin, Vera took a seat two spaces from her. That was odd, when she had so many choices and the bus was only half full. The proximity affected Elsie's comfort and made her doubt. Was Vera on to her? She relaxed. It was not likely. Maybe Vera was drawn to her motherly serene nature. It had happened to her before in really public places. She attracted odd individuals who were nervous and jumpy and were drawn to her calm and ever placid demeanor. That must be it. The inner turmoil of Vera's deceitful journey was prompting her to find a bastion of calm strength.
Elsie took out her mobile again, pretending to be caught up in something she was reading. If Vera's subconscious was bringing her close to Elsie, the private investigator would need to be as discreetly aloof as possible. She took advantage to text Charles. She could imagine him squealing when he got the message. She knew him too well to not know his little celebratory quirks.
ON BUS WITH TARGET
Upon further inconspicuous observation, Elsie noted that Vera kept peering out of the window, as if she suspected she was being followed. Had she had seen Charles in his car? That wasn't possible. Elsie was sure her guilt had her acting restlessly.
"Can I bother you with the time?"
Oh Lord, now Vera was talking to her again. She pretended not to hear and hoped that somebody nearby would offer her the time so she wouldn't ask again. Those nearby were intent on being obscure, thus, Vera asked again, a little louder, imagining that she had not been loud enough the first time.
"A quarter to eight", Elsie answered after peering down into her mobile's home screen. She hoped that would appease her. The last thing she needed was conversation.
They were still a few stops from where she and Pops had concluded Vera may have gotten off the last time. She peered out the window and could see Charles within their vehicle in the distance. He was not close enough to be compromised; only she could realize it was him. She predicted that Vera's descent from the bus would be quick, so she readied her next text for Charles. TARGET GETTING OFF. I CANT FOLLOW. YOUR MOVE - Charles would need to continue with the surveillance for them. She would withhold pressing the SEND button until Vera stood up.
In the second it took her to look up, Vera caught her gaze and spoke to her.
"I've never been brave enough to wear a track suit in public. I envy your courage." Was Vera commenting on her poor choice of wardrobe and being facetious about it? Elsie smiled graciously.
"Well, if one runs or exercises, they become necessary to wear….. It's not about courage, it's about comfort. At my age, I am not looking to impress anyone."
Vera laughed. "That is very true. I'm sorry. I may have sounded rude." She looked around again. "Oh my. My stop has crept up on me. Good bye."
Elsie stayed on the bus and hit the send key.
Charles received Elsie's text. He looked up and at the same time, he noticed Vera cross the street in front of him. She was swift, catching the tail end of the pedestrian walk signal. She made her way towards a taxi stand. The light was still red and he could not move. There were cars all around him. He wouldn't be able to follow unless he made a rash, visible maneuver, drawing attention to himself. With pain, he saw how she jumped into the back of one of the awaiting vehicles that were available. The car sped away in the direction from where the bus had just come.
He banged the steering wheel in frustration. She had eluded them again.
Anna smoothed the edges of the duvet around her, remaining upright, propped by the half dozen pillows on her bed. She had a pile of documents spread around her. She wouldn't be getting to bed anytime soon. She had received a package from Joe and she was intent on going through as much of the information that she could, hoping to garner clues and make a definite decision on who Vera's potential lover could be.
"Can I come in?" Mary stood at the door, home from a shift at the pub, looking weary and ready for sleep as well.
"Of course you can, just – don't mess any of my papers around. I've got a system going."
Mary took a seat on the corner of her Full sized bed, where she couldn't be in Anna's way.
"A system? My, My… how professional." She rolled her eyes and smiled, teasing Anna. This wasn't the first time she had come home to find Anna with investigation paperwork, but she had never seen Anna so immersed, so late in the evening. Pulling the double duty between working full days at the compound, then perusing all the documentation and listening to the voice files from Bates Airlift was bound to tire her out. She vowed to watch out if her friend was overexerting herself. "What's going on thus far?"
Anna chuckled at Mary's reaction to her organized mayhem. This was one of those cases that required her full attention and she was trying her hardest to make connections between the information she had. Mary was very useful. Whenever she was stuck, or trying to reason something out, she would explain it to Mary and the process of describing the information helped her make sense of it all. On occasion, when she didn't have any other leads, or ideas, Mary would ask questions that would start her thinking on alternatives. She could not talk about all her cases, some were of a very sensitive nature and she wasn't sure that it was ethical to reveal certain aspects of the data she had; however, for those that she could talk about, she did appreciate her friend's willingness to listen. In this case, there were very few degrees of separation between Mary and John and she waffled for a moment, wondering how much she could discuss. She probably would not talk about Vera's movements or any facts, even if Mary knew about John's marital troubles and her alleged infidelity. Talking about the potential suitors should not be a problem.
"Well, I have credit card and banking statements, plus, the mobile records for Vera and some of the men in the firm. I am trying to correlate the information to see if there are any clues."
Mary looked to a stack of neat files, those that were closest to her, and was able to quickly discern that these were the men under investigation. She took the dossiers into her hands and fanned them out as if they were playing cards. The pictures of the men were all visible.
"Why did you choose him?" She extricated the file with the picture of Jack Ross. "Nice looking bloke," she added.
"Remember that I have to try to think like Vera would." It was important for Anna to always try to get into the mindset of the target.
Mary agreed.
"Jack is an outlier. He's different than all the rest of the men. As an African-American working among the same type of man she's always seen, he stands out. His dark skin is attractive and his American voice is different."
"He's American?" Mary looked interested.
Anna nodded.
"He is very handsome and suave and from what little I've spoken to him, he's a gentle flirt, the type who doesn't mean to flirt, but who does so in a non-preying kind of way. One could be swept away with that charisma. He always gets the girl because he is very smooth and knows exactly what to say and what to do in any situation. He has a sparkle in his eyes. If I were Vera, I might be interested in seducing him because he is not the average man she's in contact with. She would see him as a trophy, somebody she could eventually boast about and if urban legend is true about the prowess of black men, she would want to get into his pants."
Mary laughed. She looked impressed with Jack Ross.
"Forget about Vera. I want to meet him…." She emphasized the "I".
"Sorry, love. He's spoken for. He has an English fiancé."
Mary pouted.
"What about this one? What does your inner Vera say about him?"
She now had Tom Branson.
"Oh, Tom? Well, he's Irish. He's a blue collar boy and has an amazing work ethic. He is very dedicated, with strong ideals and he actively participates with the mechanic labor union. He also has a boyish charm about him and is very handsome. If I were Vera, and if I were homesick for somebody from back home, Tom would be the perfect person for a tryst. Because of his politics and the typical antagonistic nature of management vs. labor, she would try to break him and seduce him to empower herself and reduce him. That seduction would be a power struggle and the fact that he's from back home makes it all the sweeter."
"Oh, well. He is very cute, but we'll just put him down. He seems too difficult to bother with."
Mary was picking up the next one.
"You are going to make me talk about each one, are you? ….and I am guessing that it is not precisely because you are interested in my work." Anna's brows furrowed and she looked at Mary quizzically.
Mary smiled and squinted her eyes in amusement. Anna had guessed her ulterior motives.
"You cannot fish for a new boyfriend from my work, Mary." Anna tilted her head, emphasizing her words, but smiling.
"Oh, please. It's not like I am going to go to your office to meet any of them…. I just like to know what's on the market. Do tell me about the others." Mary fished another from the pile, holding it high.
"Fine," Anna relented. Mary was not a serial dater. She'd had two steady boyfriends since they had met, but she was in a bit of a dry spell. There were many men she attracted, but, none were boyfriend quality. It wouldn't hurt to play this game with her.
She reached to see what new file Mary was holding.
"Evelyn Napier – He is a gentleman, the epitome of class and distinction. He is very chivalrous and gallant, the type who stands when you enter a room and goes out of his way to open a door for you. You could say that he is a reincarnation of a man of the past, not like the uncouth blokes we encounter these days. He comes from an aristocratic background and is the heir to his family's title, if not any land or money, but he doesn't boast or use that to his advantage. He earns an honest man's wage, while hiding his lineage. For all of Mr. Bates' money, Vera is a bit crass. I've seen and heard some things that might make your hair stand on end. If I were her, I might try to seduce him, because if she has any feelings of inferiority, bedding a member of the aristocracy might validate her."
"Mmm," Mary nodded, agreeing with Anna's reasoning.
"This is Anthony Strallan. He's an accountant and a bit of a geek. I bet if I were to open a storage room in his house, he would be the type to have every Star Wars action figure in its original box, stored away for posterity. He has a gentle heart, the type that is easily trampled over. I've seen them together and she is very forward with him. He is a good man, but awkward with women as he speaks to them. He is also a bit of a pushover. She gets a thrill from emasculating him and keeping him at her beck and call. I can't see her seducing him for her pleasure, rather, to control him and bid him do what she wants. I've seen him be aloof with Mr. Bates right after meeting with her, which means that she already has a hold on him of some sort. Out of all the men, he may be the one that likes or loves her and she is abusing that and taking advantage of it."
Mary seemed heartbroken for him. His picture reflected a kind soul. "How horrible for him."
"Well, we don't know any truths right now. Remember that this is speculation from observation. I hope to come to some conclusions from reading all of this." She spanned her arm horizontally, alluding to the piles of files that lay all over her bed. "It could be none of them at all or it could be one of the others I've not mentioned. It could be she is not having an affair at all and John Bates is crazy!"
"I doubt John is crazy." Mary rolled her eyes as she picked up the last dossier. "What about..." She focused to read the name. "….Richard Carlisle. He looks very dapper."
"He is, and he is the most difficult to read. He is hardly in the office. As the Sales Manager, Richard is out and about a lot. I am having a hard time figuring out what makes him tick and just wanted to have his information handy. I want to get a better idea of who he is and his potential motivations."
"Interesting." Mary put the dossiers together and handed them back to Anna. "Have you found anything yet?"
"I am just starting. Ask me again tomorrow."
CALL ME WHEN YOU CAN. RE: BATES
When did that come in? She had not heard her mobile vibrate. It must have been late at night as she went through the documentation. She was so focused, they could have had an emergency and she would not have noticed. She put her mobile in the cradle mount, turned on the ignition in her car, adjusted her Bluetooth earpiece and called Elsie back. She was on her way to another day of work.
The phone hardly rang before Elsie answered.
"Hello, love."
"It's me. I just realized you sent me a message yesterday. Sorry, I was going through the paperwork and must have not heard."
"No problem. It was not urgent. If I had needed to talk to you desperately, I would have found you."
Anna chuckled. Elsie was very persistent went she wanted to be. She would have called the home phone, Mary's mobile, or rang her a dozen times until she called back. She'd done it before.
"How are you getting on in that place? I wish you didn't have to be there."
Elsie would worry, so, there was no point in making her nervous. She needn't know about the challenges she was having with some of the staff. She would think that Anna needed to leave, her motherly instinct wanting to protect her, but Anna, despite the minor setbacks, was very happy to be learning something different.
"Everything is fine."
Anna's statement was lacking any emotion and Elsie paused, considering asking her more questions. She stopped herself when she remembered that Anna was an adult and if there was a problem, she would tell her.
"Listen, Pops and I need you to come home tonight so we can share data. Vera is definitely up to something. She took the same bus route as last time, got off and then took a taxi to another location. She was nervous the entire time. We waited until she returned to her car. She was gone over two hours. Perhaps it is time to give Mr. Bates a report."
"I was going to suggest the same thing."
"Only, we need to go more covert. Vera insisted on striking a conversation with me yesterday, so, I have been slightly compromised. It is not wise for me to go meet with him, nor is it for Pops, as he will have to front the next surveillance runs. You'll have to meet him alone and devise another communication strategy - Something modern, something you young'uns would understand, but, I would have no clue."
"Do you think she knows about us?" Elsie was rarely concerned, so, it was important to heed her warning.
"It's not likely, but, she was too nervous, peeking out of the window constantly. I hardly think she is on to us specifically, but, it would do good to avoid being seen with him altogether. Whatever she is hiding is making her act this way and if she gets paranoiac enough, she might trail him too. "
"Sure, I'll set something up for tomorrow. I'll tell him today."
"Hello, Robert."
"Anna, how lovely to see you. Mary is in the back office."
Anna wasn't there to see Mary; she had made an appointment to talk with John Bates about his case.
"I'm actually here to meet Mr. Bates, so, if it's all the same to you, I'll just sit here at the counter and wait for him."
"No problem. What can I get you?"
"How about a Pimms Lemonade?" She moved to open her handbag and pay, but he stopped her.
"You let my daughter live with you for free and you are going to make my best mate's life a hell of a lot better. It's on the house." She smiled with a bit of embarrassment. She owned the flat where they lived, purchased with part of her inheritance. Mary paid many of their other expenses, sharing in all the other costs. It was not a charity to have her there; it was mutual companionship. She appreciated his gesture all the same, but worried about his statement regarding his best mate. She knew he meant her private detective skills would solve his marital issues, but, might her increasing attraction to Mr. Bates be noticeable? Surely it was not. Robert's words made her apprehensive, though. She was good at what she did and wanted so badly to deliver what Mr. Bates needed, for more reasons that she could even fathom. She hoped to live up to their expectations.
"Thank you," she accepted graciously.
Not a moment later, she saw Robert's face change. Upon it, she could see the excitement of familiarity, of coming across somebody very dear. Mr. Bates must have arrived. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. She remained staring forward, willing the sensation to pass and trying to look as natural as possible. It wouldn't do to have Robert suspect she was having misguided feelings for her client, his friend. Neither of the men needed to know that she had gone home straight after work to shower and change, wanting to look her best. She could have come straight from the office, yet, he had called her beautiful earlier in the week and she didn't want to shatter the illusion. This is not a date, she repeated to herself. This is a business meeting. Her head was aware, and now her heart needed to understand too.
"Anna, Robert, Good Afternoon." His deep, masculine voice greeted them from over her shoulder. A shiver ran down her spine. She could smell the same cologne from the other day too. She turned and saw a very relaxed and jovial Mr. Bates wearing the same clothing she met him in so many weeks ago – jeans, a classic white polo shirt and a leather aviator jacket. He looked gorgeous. His hair flopped into his face, unruly locks scattered about. His smile was infectious. He looked happy to see her and happy to be there. The strict suit persona she encountered on a daily basis was a fine figure of a man, very mature, exacting authority and demanding of respect. She respected him greatly. The alternate persona she had in front of her looked younger and of freer spirit. She liked this version very much too.
"Hello," they both responded back in unison. Robert was quick to pull a glass and fill it with Diet coke. He pushed it towards John.
John took a seat next to her at the deserted counter. He looked relieved that there was nobody else they had to share it with. There were plenty of patrons scattered about, yet all of them had preferred tables that evening. He turned a moment away from her, pretending to fix something inside his jacket. There was nothing wrong with it at all. He just needed a moment to breathe. Had this been a date, he would have told her how lovely she looked. She took his breath away. He was used to seeing her very businesslike, having met her in a pantsuit with her hair pulled back, and had never seen her in anything beyond her professional attire and the same hairdo since. Well, that would be true if you ignored the locker incident. He had seen her in a towel - a very skimpy towel. That was the exception. Now, she was wearing slim jeans, black boots that went up to below her knees and a figure flattering royal blue jumper with a cowl neck that accentuated her curves perfectly. She had let her hair down, in waves and it was entrancing. How beautiful her golden hair made her look. This wasn't a date, though. It was a business meeting and it wouldn't be proper to say such things. Her Godparents who were not here yet wouldn't appreciate him ogling at her either.
"Mr. Bates. I'm glad you could come. "
He finished finagling with his jacket and turned to look at her.
He almost whispered his answer. "I wouldn't miss it." He paused and looked around. "Are you sure we shouldn't head to the back office instead?"
"Are you still being paranoiac mate?" Robert's face showed he was mocking his friend. His voice was teasing. "Do you still think you are being followed?" Robert couldn't avoid listening to their conversation. Everything was tidy and well stocked. Besides the occasional customer walking to the counter to get a drink, there wasn't much for him to do. He couldn't disappear and not tend to his business.
Before John could say anything, Anna interceded on his behalf. "You shouldn't tease him. There is substance to his fears."
Both Robert and John's faces fell.
"So, isn't that the more reason to go inside?" John persisted.
"No. It is better if we are here. I don't believe you are being followed, but if you were being trailed, it would take a few minutes for the investigator to park their car and come inside. You've only just got here. If there were two investigators, like my godparents work together, the other tracker would have walked in a few minutes behind you, already sitting down where they could observe you. Nobody has come in yet."
Robert observed the tables that were full. "Besides that table in the back, the rest are all regulars. The folks in the back table have been here for about an hour and have already paid part of their tab with a credit card. I don't think they are suspicious."
Anna continued. "Robert's knowledge of his customers and his business is our perfect cover. If somebody was intent on following you, then, our disappearing into or coming out of an office together would be highly suspicious. If Robert stays here, in the bar area, and surveys everybody who comes and goes, it is easier to come across as two business colleagues that just happened to run into each other at a pub - nothing more than a happy coincidence. He could then alert us and we could take extra precautions."
"What about Mr. and Mrs. Carson. Won't it be crowded with them here too?"
"No, they are not coming. They thought it was better if they did not. I'll explain in a moment."
Spending time alone with Anna? He couldn't imagine his luck. Before his emotions could betray him, he conceded. "That makes perfect sense, then."
Did he just get excited that they are not coming? She thought he smiled quickly before he agreed with her. She must have imagined it because his face was as stoic as when he was in the office. Never mind, she thought to herself.
To settle the issue of the meeting's location, she had one more question to pose. She did not want to assume that everything she had to say could be mentioned so freely, so close to his friend. She didn't want to hurt Robert's feelings or put Mr. Bates in a difficult situation with her next statement, but she must ask. "Unless of course, you don't want anybody to know?" She hadn't said Robert's name, but hoped he understood the implication of her question.
Robert looked down, not wanting to pressure John, allowing him to make his own determinations.
John looked flabbergasted at the thought.
"No, of course not. I trust Robert implicitly." His old comrade looked up, very touched and pleased with his words. "He knows everything about this situation. If something ever happened to me, there is nobody I trust more to make decisions and represent me than Robert Crawley. I trusted him with my life; I can trust him with any sordid details you have to give me."
Mr. Bates looked at his friend before turning back to Anna.
"So, tell me."
Anna recounted the details of Vera's movements; how they had tracked her and had begun to see a pattern emerge. She explained Elsie's idea that she had been compromised as well.
"So, she has something to hide. I am not surprised."
"I just want to confirm that we are not chasing a dead end here. Are you aware of those movements? Does she do anything that requires her to take a bus, then a taxi?"
"Absolutely not. She does not tell me where she is going or what she is up to. She was never very charitable, nor politically inclined, nor religious, and does not have any hobbies, so, I cannot imagine that she is participating in any groups that would keep her entertained or out of the house on a regular basis. This would mean that my suspicion is confirmed."
"To a degree. We cannot confirm that yet, but she is grooming herself and that may or may not be an indicator. You would have to tell us if that is something she has always done."
"Grooming?" He looked perplexed and ran his hand through his hair.
Oh Lord. She had to tell him about the Brazilian wax. It would kill her to find out he had seen it. Although, it shouldn't. Vera was his wife. No matter his desire to divorce his wife, that didn't mean they weren't intimate with each other. She had seen it countless times in other cases. Lust won over reason and many couples on the verge of divorce couldn't stay away from each other.
The easiest way now would be to be direct with it. She avoided his eyes by pretending to pick lint from her sweater. She focused on a particular troublesome part in her wrists as she asked her question.
"Vera had her vagina waxed to remove pubic hair. You may have noticed. Does she do that regularly?" She felt her face flush after the question.
John couldn't believe the last enquiry. Anna thought he still had relations with his wife. That hadn't happened in over five years…..or more. He honestly couldn't remember. Their marriage had been many things, but passionate was not one of them. He didn't know why, but he felt he had to set Anna straight.
She forced herself to look up.
He couldn't place the look in her eyes. It was almost as if he could tell she was imploring him to not know about the wax. He sighed. "Well, if she is grooming herself, it was not for me. I honestly can't tell you if she does that regularly or not. It has been years since….." His voice trailed off uncomfortably. He hoped she understood.
Anna had. She was relieved; more relieved than she had any right to be.
"It's a painful process. It is not a rule, but, more often than not, that type of torture is only endured for somebody else's benefit. We will continue on her trail and we will find whose benefit that is."
The evening progressed smoothly. Nobody had come to track John. Robert kept a vigilant watch, looking out for anybody suspicious. Robert recognized most of his patrons, as this wasn't a large town. When more customers came in, he had sought Mary out to come from the back to help. She soon joined him, having finished the accounting in the back office. Mary saw John and her friend, and greeted them briefly before she went back to tending to their customers.
Anna and John hardly acknowledged Mary when she came to them. They were still wrapped up in each other and their conversation. It had flowed freely regarding the investigation, with some witty interruptions of the most mundane topics. Talking to each other seemed natural and comfortable.
Eventually, it shifted to the matter of her work at Bates Airlift and her undercover impressions. She did not disclose her five candidates because it was her speculation and if anything changed at all in his treatment of them, the investigation could be derailed. She just told him she had started concentrating on certain individuals so that he felt there was progress.
Eventually, they discussed recent events.
"I am very embarrassed about Sarah's reaction towards you." He looked honest.
She had wondered how she could bring up the topic. There were nagging doubts in her mind since that moment. Did he think her incompetent?"
"On the contrary, I am very concerned that you may think that the internship is going poorly. I am new in your business and I will make mistakes, but, Mr. Bates, I promise you that I did not do anything of what Sarah accused me of."
He raised his hand to stop her from continuing.
"I have two things to say about what you just said. The first is - Don't apologize. I know you just started with us, but, I am very pleased with the quality of your work at Bates Airlift. You have demonstrated competency and initiative. If you were looking for an actual job, I would probably hire you." He had a look that did not make her doubt he meant what he said.
The joy in her heart at hearing that statement with such conviction made her smile wide. She wondered if it was appropriate to react that way to such a comment. He was complimenting her personally, for something she was trying to excel in. Something she was trying to achieve – a break from her current job. That confidence led her to react playfully to his statement.
"I am rather pleased to hear that… and who knows what will happen after we wrap up this investigation. I may come knocking at your door."
John laughed in response. Anna's demeanor during her last statement was very coquettish. She was flirting with him. Her smile was adorable, as was the way her head tilted towards him when she said those words. He also hoped that after the investigation was over, he could still see her.
"What is the second?" Anna asked, still smiling at him.
"You do not have to call me Mr. Bates outside the office. You should call me John." He realized that even outside the compound, she was calling him Mr. Bates. It made him feel very ancient. He wasn't sure how old she was, but if she were close to Mary's age, that made the amount of years between them sizeable. Having her call him Mr. Bates made it worse.
Anna thought she would melt. She was sure he could see it too, as she found it difficult to conceal the feelings that were rushing forth. Calling him John would make their relationship, or whatever this was, what they were doing, or not doing, more personal. She longed for anything that would make them closer. But she couldn't. If she were to start calling him John, there would come a moment where she might be mixed up and ruin her cover, or jeopardize him. For the success of the mission, she would have to desist.
"I would love to, but I can't Mr. Bates."
He looked disappointed." Was he reading her signals wrong? She had been flirting with him seconds before.
"I need to continue to call you Mr. Bates. If I don't, I could make a mistake at the office and jeopardize the investigation." His reaction eased and she smiled before continuing. "As soon as it is over, I will call you John. I promise."
"Well, as long as you promise…" She was so professional and he understood. She had also pledged to change that in the future. The future? Could there be a future in this? They would have to wait and see. Everything seemed so tumultuous at the moment.
The tone turned to business again. Anna still had some thoughts she wanted to discuss.
"Can I give you the rest of my impressions about the office?" she added, affirmed by his previous statements that made her feel as a valuable member of his team. When he assented, she spoke of her general observations of the department, how his business was at risk and some ideas she had about the automation that could help remedy the situation. She tried to disparage Sarah as little as possible because that was not her main focus and after their discussion, she realized that Ms. O'Brien wouldn't be leaving any time soon while Vera Bates was still at the compound. It was a good conversation overall.
"What do you mean this is the last time we will meet? He looked concerned when Anna told him. "How am I supposed to get information about the investigation? What about everything you said about it being fine for us to be at the counter together?"
John felt deflated. His session with Anna had been a delightful experience. Nothing that was said about Vera shocked him, or made him feel bad. Rather, what he had gathered on this evening was that Anna Smith was charming, funny, competent, wise and very beautiful. It was a lethal combination; one that he had would give anything to repeat if only his situation were different. It was not and he needed to keep reminding himself. He shouldn't dare think of anything else until he was divorced.
Anna observed his reaction. He seemed genuinely disheartened by this. It was for the best. They both knew it. She'd waited until everything else was discussed that evening to tell him that Elsie and her Pops felt that Vera's nervousness warranted extra precaution. That, plus Vera's statement from earlier in the week regarding his potential infidelity required caution. She had not told Elsie about it. She did not feel right having his image sullied; especially not to her Godparents - Not when she wasn't certain about anything. She would never confront John, not even as a private investigator. She had overheard Vera ask him about a woman's name before he closed the door as he entered her office. She had no right, as her question had nothing to do with their arrangement. Anna was close enough to hear Vera's mocking tone and accusatory words. Whatever he was doing was his business. Her growing feelings for him aside, It would hurt her if that was what he was really up to, as he had demonstrated such passion when he spoke about his business that first time they met. She would not believe he would put that at risk. Yet, if Vera was inclined to believe it were true, it wouldn't be right for them to be seen together so often outside of the office. They could pull it off this once. After that, her association with John Bates could be misconstrued and hurt him in the long run.
Not that it would not hurt her. This evening had surpassed her expectations. He was such a gentleman and everything he said and did made her think that Vera did not know what she was giving up by cheating on him. She didn't know about his whole life, and it was fraught with turmoil, but she sensed he was a romantic man, capable of great passion and love, but suffering for a lack of it. He didn't know what it felt like to be loved or wanted by a woman. She wished she could be the one to show him.
He understood the reasoning when she explained Elsie's suspicions and didn't question her further. He was more concerned about communication during the investigation. It was crucial to be kept informed.
"We'll be using your IPhone." She asked for it and looked at the settings. She made sure it was not compromised by smartphone monitoring systems or apps. They needed to be extra careful if it was to be their primary mode of communication. He did not have it password protected. She changed that. It would be better if Vera did not chance upon his content if he happened to leave it lying around in their home. He chose something, at her urging, that Vera could never guess. He did not seem to be tech savvy, nor was he aware of the features allowed to him on his smartphone. He confessed he only had one because it seemed to be the thing to do. The extent of his knowledge was downloading apps and his entire inventory consisted of flight trackers, GPS maps, fancy compasses, navigations charts, etc. – basically, things relating to his passion.
She downloaded the DROPBOX application and explained the uses and how files would be loaded for his viewing. They accessed the text document that was there, a day to day register of Vera's whereabouts arranged by time. She had uploaded an extract of Sarah's outburst from the day prior, caught on her voice activated mini recorder to illustrate how voice and video surveillance files might be uploaded as well.
"This is incredible," he repeated, when she explained the strategy. She was the only one that had a password and would be the only one uploading information.
Anna's communication strategy did not limit to file sharing in DROPBOX. "I have opened a twitter account for you and have set it up to where you already follow at least 50 others who I thought might interest you, including myself. Some of those have already followed you back. That makes you look like a normal account. That is for us to communicate as well."
"You opened a twitter account for me?" She didn't know if he was upset. She could not read him this time. He looked shocked.
"Yes…. Under a new email. Your identity is YorkFlyBoy. I am EyeInTheSky." She downloaded the twitter app, and made sure she turned off the location tracking features.
He chuckled. So maybe he was not upset. Probably bemused. Too much technology at the same time.
She explained that they could use the Direct Message function in twitter for urgent messages. She would receive it immediately, even at work, but they would also restrict DM usage. If they were ever compromised, it would not do to have that type of evidence. Instead, they would send public messages, encrypted through wording that would mean nothing to others, but would be insightful to them. They would only ever tweet publicly, understanding that the message was meant for the other.
"So, how do I tweet?" he asked. He looked very willing to participate.
"You are allowed 140 characters. Let me show you."
She thought for a moment, remembering something her mother would always tell her. It could help him now. She wrote her message and pressed tweet.
Hold fast to your dreams, for without, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly. –Langston Hughes #neverlosehope
Mary and Robert stood together outside of the counter area. They had both wiped down several of the tables and had organized some of the chairs that were left scattered when their customers left. Nobody but regulars were still sitting about and it was almost time to close. Soon they would be asking everybody to leave. There was still no worry regarding Anna and John's security. Robert had been extra vigilant, wanting his friend's endeavors to succeed and there had been nothing alarming. Several hours later, father and daughter stood towards the back and didn't know what to make of what they were seeing.
"Do you suppose there is more to them than it seems?" Mary asked her father as she crossed her arms and tilted her head in observation. Her face reflected confusion. There was something about the way the two were sitting, facing each other, in a very intimate manner that gave the casual observer the feeling the two participants were together, as a couple. "I smell trouble," added Mary when her father did not respond.
Robert was just as shocked as Mary was and he didn't know that he wanted to talk about John to anybody. His friend was a private man. He only hesitated momentarily. Mary had vested interest as Anna's best friend. She would also want to look out for Anna.
The truth was, he had seen Anna flirting with him very subtly. Twice he had seen her reach out and touch him. She laughed at his jokes in the odd moments where they weren't talking about the case or her internship. Not that John looked to be suffering. He caught his friend touching her back. More than once, he saw him give Anna an adoring gaze when she wasn't looking.
He also rolled his head, trying to get a better angle of observation. "I haven't seen John this happy in almost two decades. He hasn't stopped smiling since he got here. I am no expert, but I agree, there may be more than just an investigation going on. Those two have some explaining to do."
A/N: Thank you to all those that have reviewed! I hope this isn't boring you.