In honor of the wonderful Chelsie shippers that have been so supportive of my story, there is a double dose of them in this chapter. Thank you for hanging in there when last chapter saw none of their antics.
The Brendanite obsessives like me will also recognize some words I borrowed from the Larkrise to Candleford series, only this time- it is not Mr. Timmins who says them.
Oh, and for Banna this chapter, I think the scene I wrote is somewhat cliché, but it is an indulgence of mine and I hope that you can enjoy it as much as I do.
WHEN YOU CEASE TO DREAM, YOU CEASE TO LIVE – Malcom Forbes
Anna stared at the tweet from Mr. Bates, yet again. What did he mean by that? And when did he have time to send it? It had only been two hours since their kiss. She sighed, remembering what a kiss it was. She couldn't help repeating it over and over in her mind. It was better than she could have imagined, albeit the half dozen people watching and cheering them on. She could have done without them and their excitement. Not for a moment like this, something that felt like pure magic. He held her so firmly, yet gently. She ached for his hands to go further than where they rested, to feel and stroke her, but they were strategically and visibly in a respectful position along her back and shoulder, holding her low, as he hovered above her. She loved that he had dipped her, making the feeling all the more sensual. They didn't move, not an inch, as Mr. Bates did not want the audience to catch on what was happening before their very eyes. They couldn't see what his eyes were telling her – that this was no act.
His lips were warm and soft; masterful and timid. They took and they gave, as much as was possible in the few seconds it lasted. It couldn't go further, or deeper, not when they were in such a public setting, but it was enough to convey his longing for her. It ignited all of her senses and she wanted more of him. It was over too soon, yet long enough to fulfill Haley's requirement. From her place beneath him, he brought her up, still holding her close. His eyes never left hers as he took a step back, finding her hand in the process. He knelt down on one knee and after kissing her hand gently, addressed her. "Lady Edwina, my loyalty and love are yours for eternity." And that's how it ended, with Haley swarming and embracing them.
They were pulled apart. Everybody was excited. Haley wouldn't let go of her. Matthew wouldn't let go of him. They were hoarded down to the library where all the participants were treated to a catered lunch. It was a lovely celebration with much enthusiasm and spirit. They shared the same large table, but did not sit together and they had no opportunity to talk. She was wedged between Matthew Crawley and his mother, Isobel Clarkson. Her conversations helped further Mary's cause, but left her feeling empty. She craved his attention and company. Initially, she thought the reason he wouldn't talk to her was the collection of people surrounding them. When he wouldn't look at her, she worried. Was it a game? Ignoring her to deflect attention away from them? Maybe they hadn't fooled anyone and Matthew reminded him what was at stake. Or was he embarrassed about what happened? She shrugged it off as a matter of timing. They were after all, still on the premises, he was still a married man and Matthew, his solicitor, was also present. It was a large round table and he was placed between Mr. Edmunds and Haley. He didn't get up or go anywhere and he spent the time talking to the little girl.
That must have been when he sent the tweet. He was getting better at it. No written mistakes this time, only the big blunder of accidentally tweeting his location. She had disabled location services on his app, but he must have tinkered with it and unknowingly, activated it. The tweet advertised they were at Highclere. Again, she would ask him to be careful.
This message didn't have anything to do with the investigation; there weren't any hidden clues for her to act upon. This was personal, a reflection of his current mood. The twitter account was meant to be for their communication only, but she wouldn't tell him to stop. It gave her insight into what he was thinking. What did that sentence mean? Was he dreaming about her and now imagining that we would start to live his life, one requiring resurrection from a loveless marriage? Did he have hope for them in the future? Or was this the opposite, his confirmation of the impending death of his dreams? She couldn't tell and wouldn't know; not when he was shying away from her. He was courteous, but wouldn't look her in the eye when they boarded Saphira for the ride back home. It had only been three of them in the helicopter on the return, as Haley stayed behind, reunited with her family. After a long and tearful good-bye, for all of them, they left Haley amid promises of visiting her at the hospital. Mr. Edmunds came with them; his car, parked at the Bates Airlift compound. She let him sit upfront and took to the rear by herself. Being alone helped her clear her thoughts as they made their way across the Yorkshire countryside. When they landed, her stint as Lady Edwina came to an end and reality barreled in. Although he gave his hand so she could descend, he didn't readily acknowledge her. He escorted Mr. Edmunds back into the office and she was left all alone, fantasy over. She was more confused than ever.
Now, she stood on the tarmac, outside of the hangar, stripped of her medieval costume and donning the mechanic jumpsuit. With her unplanned absence to attend the event at Highclere that day, both William and Tom accumulated more tasks than they were able to do. They were still not finished with the overhaul to Audrey. They could not spend any time on cleaning Ava. She was the natural choice to provide the transformation back to her non-dragon state and it needed to be done tonight. Ava had executive services booked for the following morning. The evening was fast approaching. She did feel guilty that she had left them in a lurch, not realizing the impact her absence that day would have on them. She set out to work diligently the moment she was back. She still had the vestiges of her intricate hairdo, but she had gathered it all up, and bunched her hair together, trying to keep it from getting dirty and wet while she wiped the paint off of Ava. She was not accomplishing that task well. If she were to do this quickly, while the sun was still out, she needed to be fast about it. Fast and efficient were mutually exclusive. Saphira was disappearing before her very eyes, but all the paint and water were transferring on to her. The glamour from this morning was long gone, a real Cinderella from modern times. She looked a mess.
"Anna." She heard her name and turned back to see Gwen standing at a distance, avoiding the muddle of water and paint. Anna turned off the water supply and approached her.
"What is it?" Anna asked sweetly.
"You're coming with me!" There was much excitement in her voice. Gwen looked like she could burst with happiness.
"Where? To get the next load of passengers?" She really had no idea what Gwen was talking about and didn't think she should be seen in public appearing like this. She looked towards the Customer reception area and it was empty. She breathed a sigh of relief. There were no more scheduled departures for that day and thus, no customers to escort. What was she talking about?
"No, to London - to the Oil and Gas Summit. We're going together and it will be so exciting. Please say you'll come."
"Me? To the Oil and Gas Summit?" Anna racked her mind. It was set to start next Monday. "What do you mean I am going?" That was a surprise. Richard Carlisle didn't want to take women, Gwen had struggled to get invited, and now they were both going? It sounded interesting, exactly the type of experience she wanted to obtain during her time here. She had also worried about Gwen going alone with Richard and wondered how to casually alert her friend to her suspicions without accusing him outright. All she wanted was for Gwen to be extra careful and to avoid complicated situations. If she went, she wouldn't have to voice her concern. She could do that surreptitiously.
"Mr. Bates asked me to find a personnel company in London who could provide a hostess for the Bates Airlift stand because Richard has demanded we have one. I suggested we take you along. You are new, but you now know enough about some of our processes and you would be much better than somebody off the street. It's only a hostess position, nothing grand, but Mr. Bates would be paying for all our expenses. You are supposed to be in accounting next week, but, he said he would switch it to Sales so that you could participate if you wanted to." Gwen stopped to take a breath. She was so excited, she wasn't even breathing. "Oh, please say yes. We'll learn so much and we are supposed to share a room and we can do girlie things at night. It will be fun."
Anna still wasn't sure about going. The hesitation was evident in her voice. "I'd love to, but this is your opportunity. It took you so long to finally get the approval to go. I feel like I would be robbing you. I wouldn't want to do that Gwen. It's supposed to be your trip." She did feel guilty. Gwen had tried for over a year to get the invitation and suddenly, she would get to go? She didn't think that would go over well with the others in the office.
"Nonsense. It was my idea. You are not robbing me of anything, as long as I get to go." Gwen changed her demeanor and became pensive before adding her next comment. She appeared worried as her brow furrowed. "Also, if you come, you really can be the hostess so that Richard doesn't find a way to relegate me. I am supposed to be with him when we talk to the clients, but I have a feeling he'll find a way to subvert Mr. Bates' instructions and downgrade me to that position. In a sense, you'd be helping me out." She raised her eyebrows in expectation and hunched her shoulders, waiting for Anna to agree.
Anna would absolutely love to go, in whatever capacity were possible. She didn't care that she'd be there serving tea and biscuits, making copies, or standing around looking pretty and trying to reel in potential customers. She wanted to help Gwen achieve her dreams. She wanted to learn more about Richard, who as a potential lover was such a riddle to her. The problem was time and distance. This was in London, away from her investigation. It would take several days. She could only work on Richard, none of the others. She couldn't believe that Mr. Bates would have approved this, knowing that it would only delay their mutual project. There was only so much she could do remotely. Dread filled her. Or was he trying to get her away from here, continuing whatever evasive feelings had found him after their kiss? He hadn't even tried to come and tell her himself. She sighed. Please don't let Gwen being here be a sign of anything.
Gwen looked at her pleadingly again.
"You're sure that the office can handle both your and my absence? Sarah won't go into a fit?" This was her last bit of resistance.
Gwen laughed. "Of course she'll have a fit. She has a fit every time I take my holiday, even when Phyllis does most of my work. There is no way around that. Mr. Bates is aware and he says that he will help out as much as he can."
Anna smiled. Although she did not want to ruffle Sarah's feathers further, she did want to go.
"Of course, I'll go. It will be fun."
"You look like you've had a rough day. Is it Vera again?"
John took a seat at the counter, in his usual stool, the one immediately in front of all of the bartender's utensils and where you could not be ignored. It was easiest for Rob to continue to work and pay attention to him if he sat there. In times of trouble, he didn't have to say much for Rob to know exactly what was on his mind. That helped, as he was not one to talk. Rob didn't like to say things out loud either, they were British, after all, and some things needed to remain unsaid. Yet, Rob always found a way to communicate what he was thinking without making him feel like a failure. He would need those skills today.
John looked up at his friend, and that look was enough for Rob to deduce his ailment was of another kind. Robert had already poured John's usual diet coke with a wedge of lemon and pushed it forward.
"No, it's not Vera today. The look of ire is gone from your eyes, replaced by something different." He came forward and pretended to examine him as a doctor would, lifting his chin gently and moving it from side to side, surveying the hidden meaning behind his melancholy eyes. John imagined he was trying to make light of the situation. "Confusion, touched with a bit of anxiety. There's a hint of regret in there too. My verdict old fellow, is L-O-V-E." He spelled it out to not draw any attention from bystanders.
John was taken aback at such a bold assertion. He must have made a face rejecting the comment, prompting Rob to ask. "Is that not it?"
He fidgeted in his seat. John quietly answered back, realizing that he couldn't deny it and shouldn't at this point. That is why he was here to see his friend after all. He needed a sounding board, somebody to help him pull his thoughts together.
"No, that's it."
Robert smiled discreetly, proud of his diagnostic skills. Years of listening to his customers had honed his abilities.
"I think I am in trouble," John continued.
"Why so?" Rob asked as he poured some ale into a frosty glass and handed it to a customer who stood waiting next to John.
"I've lost control. That can't be happening now. I've much to lose."
"Anna is a lovely girl." Rob wanted to advance the conversation. John thought he was discreet with his emotions, but it had not been difficult for Rob and Mary to realize where his attentions lay, when last John and Anna had been seen together.
He spit his drink out, not expecting Robert to know about Anna. "How do you know?" He was truly startled.
Robert was not amused at the mess John made. As he wiped the counter, he gave John his response. "It was obvious to those of us who know you, when both of you met here at the pub. Both you, and her, are horrible at disguising your interest in each other. Even Mary realized that something was going on and my daughter is very self-absorbed."
John put his head between his hands. "Oh, God." He breathed in before continuing. "It's not good timing Robert. She's wonderful, but, this is such a conundrum. She holds the key to my liberation and she's also the warden." His analogy was not understood by Robert, usually very able to catch on.
"She is helping me deal with Vera and she is bringing new light into my life, but at the same time, anything with her could cost me everything. Vera would result the ultimate victor."
"Aaaaaahh". Robert understood. It was a difficult situation. He hoped his friend had tempered his enthusiasm. "Have you slept with her?"
John opened his eyes wider, physically objecting to the question. There was no subtlety in the way Robert had asked. "NO….we haven't…" His voice boomed his answer, catching the attention of the patrons at the closest table.
Robert lowered his voice to maintain their conversation more private. "But something happened to change the platonic nature of your relationship, if not, you wouldn't be here." Rob crossed his arms. He wondered how good he was at guessing.
"John?" he asked again after John wouldn't look up. His friend clutched his drink firmly between both hands, holding on to it to avoid speaking the truth. He was finding it hard to confront his feelings.
"We kissed. I couldn't help myself. It was part of the whole fairy tale made into wish for the foundation child I told you about. I won't explain how it happened exactly, but, we were asked to do this, by a child, and I was not about to be a fool and let the opportunity get away from me. The moment I kissed her, I knew it was over for me."
Deep inside, Robert was happy for him. For the first time in countless years, he was listening to a different type of problem for John – not the misery and forced complaisance of years past.
"How does she feel?" When he observed Anna, she appeared just as smitten with John as he was with her. He really didn't need the confirmation, just John's appraisal.
"She enjoyed it. I could tell." John's face mirrored the confusion in his head. "But that doesn't mean anything."
Robert gave him a skeptical glance. He was daft if he couldn't figure out that she liked him too. Better to not dwell on that. "Did you tell her how you feel?" he asked instead.
John shot him a wild look. Tell her how he felt? What… was Robert crazy? That was the last thing he could do. Talking about feelings made things more conclusive and finite.
"No. We didn't talk." He regretted that. She looked hurt when she descended the helicopter. He had to escort Mr. Edmunds back and leave her behind. As he was turning around, out of the corner of his eye, he saw her smile fade.
"I see. So, after it happened, you ran away?"
John nodded, feeling a bit daft. "I was with somebody, but didn't try to find her later."
"That's a little secondary school of you, John. At this age, you should be able to confront her and get to a middle ground."
Robert was right. He was a bumbling fool.
"John, how nice to see you!" The voice startled him away from the answer he was formulating for Rob. He turned to see Cora and Mary, coming from the door that led to the pub's private quarters above. Cora, Robert's American born wife often came to help; when she wasn't busy volunteering her time at the couple of non-profit organizations that she was a patron of. She avoided the late evening shifts, leaving Robert in charge, but she did fill in for him on occasion.
"Hello Cora, Hello Mary." Their timing was very inconvenient. He needed to think things through. He was a grown man. He should have mastered running from his emotions a long time ago. But how could he? All he had known in the last two decades was grief and bitterness. He was always sprinting away from anything that could cause him to lose control – good or bad. The only way he could survive in his current surroundings was absolute discipline. Anna's presence was the first ray of sunshine to peak through the grey and he did not know how to deal with that. The feelings of happiness, and possible pleasure were odd to him. He barely remembered what it felt. How was he supposed to know how to channel it, temper it, and lead it to fruition? How was he supposed to know how to not push her away, when all his adult life, he had been pushed away himself? Like a Pavlovian dog, he had learned his reactions through time and doing the opposite required deprogramming.
Before the ladies thought him rude, he remembered to ask about the rest of the family.
"Everything well with the girls?" His question was directed at Cora. Mary was just staring at him, not responding to him at all.
"They are finishing their terms up at school and should be back in a couple of weeks for the summer break. Sybil has work experience lined up with the Ripon and District Community Hospital and Edith will be helping us here in the pub."
All three of the Crawley daughters attended the same University. Mary had graduated and had come back to work for him while she found something else, but he did not know what was going on with the other two. Sybil, the youngest, was studying nursing and Edith was pursuing Journalism. He hardly saw them anymore. Before heading off to their studies, they were usually too busy with their social lives to come in and give their father a hand, but they worked the occasional shift. Those were the only times he saw them.
"It will be nice to see them again," he sincerely offered.
Mary was still observing him keenly. He tried to avoid their gazes coming together, especially since Robert mentioned that she had perceived his closeness with Anna. She was likely Anna's confidant too. He relented and looked at her, giving a timid smile. They didn't need to say anything, but a lot was expressed in that minute. They knew who each other was in the life of Anna Smith. Mary was worried, her gaze imploring him to not be foolish.
Cora took Mary's arm, as she kissed Robert on the cheek and said her polite goodbyes. They mumbled something about getting items from her car and a moment later, they were gone.
Robert looked back at him, putting together his thoughts. The lines between his eyes would indent and his mouth would do a pouty gesture. When Robert did that, he was formulating a deep idea and John knew to pay attention.
"John, only you can decide what happens in your life. Anna is your private investigator and she understands perfectly what your current limitations are. You explained that when you hired her. I know her to be an intelligent young lady. By the way she was looking at you the other day, and your confirmation of her having enjoyed the kiss, I will take a quantum leap to guess that she likes you too. She deserves to know where you stand. I am sure that if you spoke to her, she would comprehend. Be honest and direct, nothing wishy-washy. A woman needs to be told how you feel in clear, plain, unmistakable terms. If you don't talk to her, you'll make a mess out of things, which would result in no girl and no evidence against Vera. Think about it."
Of course Robert was right. He didn't have to urge him to think about it. That was all he'd been doing since the moment his lips touched hers.
Anna was exhausted. Battling soldiers, trudging up endless flights of stairs, wiping down multimillion pound flying machines, kissing the man of her dreams, then trying to understand his emotions, had all taken a physical and mental toll on her. She almost desisted from setting up the voice recorders in Anthony, Vera and Richard's offices, but it really was the ideal moment for it. If she were to go to London next week, then she had to accomplish it sooner than later. She spent an extra hour in the office, setting it all up. It helped that everybody had left by the time she finished Ava. With the keys John had given her, she had entered each office.
Unfortunately, none of the devices would be connected to the telephone. What she was doing was already questionable, but, as an employer, Mr. Bates had a legal right to record anything on his premises. That did not extend to anybody on the phone who may be calling from the outside. She could not tap the phone legally. The recorders were attached under the desks, as close as possible to the actual telephone, recording as much as they could. The devices would then utilize the Bates Airlift customer courtesy wireless network to transfer the recorded segments to her email every couple of hours. It worked well and she expected good results from her work. She still had to go through their files, but that would have to happen another day when she was less tired. She would come back the weekend if necessary. She had existing files she wanted to look through again before bringing on new ones.
A few hours later, she lay in bed with her stack, going through the withdrawal records in Anthony and Vera's files. They were of similar days, in the same bank. She looked at them again. She took out her calendar and started relating all the historical dates. Goodness! She realized that Anthony's transactions were every two weeks, on a Friday. Today was Thursday and according to the file, he was due a transaction tomorrow. The transaction times were around noon. Vera's transaction was electronic. She wondered if Joe couldn't track Vera's dealings an easier way. It was worth a try. She would talk to him tomorrow. She would also ask him to send him the files for Tony Gillingham, Alfred Nugent and Michael Gregson. She didn't have any reason to add them, but now that she had eliminated Tom Branson and Jack Ross, she should look at the files of another three men, hoping to eliminate as many as possible. That would only leave Thomas Barrow, William Mason and Jimmy Kent untouched. She couldn't imagine, with Thomas being gay, that he would be Vera's lover, so there was no sense in adding him. Jimmy always tried too hard to appear like a lady's man and she was not buying it. She would bet her earning from working this case that he was in the closet. Investigating him would just waste her time. William, she wondered about, though. He looked like a real nice lad and perhaps too innocent. After working around him for a week, she saw too much goodness in him to imagine that he could carry on so illicitly with a married woman. That and she had noticed how much he seemed to want to assist Daisy with all her tasks. He was smitten with her and even Tom realized it, hanging back from his duties when Daisy was the pilot, acting as a silent wingman for his colleague. Daisy didn't seem to realize it; she was a bit on the daft side. She would leave him off the list for now.
In the middle of her meandering thoughts, she heard the keys being passed through the lock on the flat's front door. Mary was back from work. She threw the files on the floor and turned off the lights. Mary would want to know the events of the day and Anna could not face her. She had information after talking to Isobel and Matthew during lunch, but it would have to wait. How could she lie to Mary after last night's outburst? She couldn't possibly tell her the truth, not yet. She had pledged to distance herself from Mr. Bates, and she had done exactly the opposite.
She heard Mary's feet approach her room. She was probably bending down to see if the light was reflecting from underneath, through the bottom, before knocking on the closed door. After a minute, Mary walked away. Anna was relieved. She had one more day to figure out what was going on between her and Mr. Bates before facing her friend.
Anna couldn't wait for Saturday. This week, working for Tom and William, had been physically demanding and she needed a lie in and a relaxing bubble bath. Scouring the mountain of files and deposit records also drained her mentally. She needed to have some hours to herself, doing something that did not involve either Bates Airlift or Private Investigation. She remembered starting a book over two months ago and it was still lying on her bedside table, untouched and gathering dust. Maybe she could go to a park with her book and finish it. That was a nice dream that was still several hours away, as it was Friday morning. Far from her wishes of more rest, she was driving into the compound at an early hour. It was a quarter to seven, early enough to not run into anybody and allow her to do her sleuthing. She had at least 45 minutes to assess and discover the contents of at least one of the offices thoroughly.
Her car sputtered and shook, alarming her for a moment. We're already here sweetheart, calm down, she told the car. She really should take her car into a mechanic. It had been sputtering as of late and rattling at odd intervals. Perhaps, since she would be in London next week, she should leave it in a repair Shoppe to have a revision.
As expected, the offices in the compound were empty. She turned on the lights to Anthony Strallan's office. She had been here yesterday, but in the rush to install the listening device, she had not focused on anything else. Now, she could see that he was a very plain man. He had a perfunctory desk, filled with neat little stacks of files, reports and papers. It filled the right side, to completion. On the left side of his desk, he had his telephone and his computer's monitor. The only other items were a container filled with very sharp pencils and a no nonsense stapler. It looked to be at least twenty years old, an older model she didn't encounter anywhere else in the office. It could even be used as a lethal weapon, she decided, when she picked it up for further examination. Behind his desk, there was another support ledge with a raised storage system filled with big, thick books and executive binders. The books were all General Accepted Accounting Principle guides and UK tax code references. The binders seemed to be the Bates Airlift year-end financial reports for at least ten years. Anna perused a couple and they were all legitimate.
He had two drawers attached to his desk. She opened the top one to reveal a jumble of items. He had a half-eaten pasty in its wrapper, opened bags of crisps, assorted plastic cutlery, napkins, random unwrapped biscuits, an anti-perspirant stick, a ruler, several roles of transparent tape in different intervals of use, the sole of a shoe, a random stocking, a bottle of aspirin and office accoutrements such as pens, a letter opener, rubber bands, clips and staples. Anna was appalled, but she couldn't contain her giggles. Anthony was such a sweet man and the items in his desk were consistent with her idea of him being a kind of "absent-minded" professor. Who would put the sole of a shoe where random, unwrapped biscuits were lying about? Why would he have only one stocking in the drawer? Would she open another cabinet and find its mate? Neither of these questions answered the bigger quandaries, but they gave insight into his mind.
He had no decorations beyond his framed Accounting degree from Lancaster University Management School. Anna knew that this University was well regarded for their Accounting programs, so, Anthony had studied in a good school. He had no plants, no other personal items on display. That showed how reserved he was. His credit card and bank statements showed no big spending and no hobbies that could be discerned. Anna felt sorry for him. He was missing a lot in his life.
She opened the bottom drawer, discovering many personal files. She only had half an hour more before she was putting herself at risk of being seen, so, she went through them as quick as she could. She concentrated on the ones that sounded interesting. Amid his employment contract, what seemed to be the mortgage statements for his flat, the financing paperwork for his automobile and other work related items, she found one titled JB, another titled VB, and yet another titled EB. Those must be John and Vera, but who was EB? Nobody else in the firm had those initials. Evelyn would be EN.
She didn't want to waste time and wondered if she should take pictures of every document with her IPhone. She desisted, considering it could take a while. Instead, she would make photocopies. She checked her watch. It was 7:25. She really needed to hurry. The closest photocopy machine was that shared by Anthony, Phyllis and Thomas, just outside of Anthony's office. Most of the team started at 830am, but others, such as Phyllis and Mr. Bates sometimes started earlier. It wouldn't do to have Phyllis find her here and she didn't think she wanted to run into Mr. Bates at this moment. They had much to talk about, but she wasn't mentally prepared for that type of ambush so early in the moment; least of all when she was trying to prowl.
As a precaution, she did not turn on the lights, and powered the copy machine in the dark. As she took the files and arranged the contents on the copy machine feeder tray, she tried to go through the papers, wondering if she had found her holy grail or not. In her experience, 95% of what she found was worthless and often, the 5% that broke her case was something so insignificant and so overlooked that by itself it held no meaning. Putting it with other documents, made it important. Her memory was trained to remember it all in case it became relevant in the future. Now as she looked at all the papers, she wondered if any of them were the 5% that she needed, the one document that could give Mr. Bates the proof he so desperately wanted.
She rearranged all of the papers into the files, exactly how she had found them and was walking back to Anthony's office when she heard a noise, somebody punching the code at the entry to come in. Panicked, she closed the door to Anthony's office and turned off the lights there. She quickly put the files into the hanging file holder where she had found them. She stuffed the photocopies down the front of her shirt. If she were caught, it should be without holding his files or any other documents. She ambled to the door and listened through, trying to figure out who had arrived. Her exit strategy would depend on that. Her heart fell when she realized it must be Phyllis, as the rustling of a handbag and keys being deposited onto a desk were heard only a few feet away. How could she make her exit now?
Phyllis parked quietly outside and noticed the car belonging to Anna Smith already there. That was quite early for somebody that was interning with the mechanics this week. She was smart and eager, arriving early and leaving late every day. Sarah usually spoke poorly about her and Gwen thought that she was magnificent, quite the opposite. She would reserve her judgment until Anna worked with them in accounting, but in the meantime, she would not join either side in praising or condemning her. She would rather just observe.
After turning on the lights, she put her handbag on her desk and sat down, powering her desktop computer. She had come early to allow herself to think clearly, by herself. Anthony always talked incessantly and Thomas was always being Thomas and she preferred the solitude of the early morning. She often thought she accomplished more in that one hour than in all of the other hours of the day.
Something wasn't right, though. There was something in the ambiance. As she turned around, she noticed the faint light being given off by the large copier they shared in their office. She approached the machine and put her hand on the engine. It was warm. Somebody had used the machine recently. This model had an automatic energy saving feature and it turned itself off after ten minutes of inactivity, thus, it couldn't have been left powered on since yesterday. It must have been used within the last ten minutes. The only car in the car park was Anna's. Could it have been her? Mmmm. She was curious. Why would Anna use this copier if there was one next to her desk that was shared with Gwen and another smaller one in the pilot's lounge that was available to anyone?
Phyllis took a step back. Was it really Anna who was here? Maybe she had left her car here last night. Just because her car was in the car park did not confirm her presence somewhere in the compound. She suddenly shivered. If it wasn't Anna, then who could it be? Was anybody else already at the office? She became nervous. Even just for her wellbeing, she decided to investigate and left the Accounting enclosure towards the opposite end of the offices where the pilot's room, kitchen and small lunch room and lockers were housed. She needed to make sure if she was really alone here.
Anna listened intently. She couldn't stay here forever. If Anthony caught her in his office, that would be the end of her. She tried to conjure a reasonable explanation, but she came up short. There was no way she could justify to him being there, especially since she had not done the rounds in accounting yet. There was also no other alternative. There were no windows that could be opened or a storage room to hide in. She couldn't just leave either and risk Phyllis blowing her cover. Phyllis was not a bad person, not like Sarah, but that didn't matter. She couldn't be seen at all. Mr. Bates might be able to help her. If Phyllis did not get up and leave the area soon, she might have to call him and ask him to provide a reason for Phyllis to move. She took out her phone and found his number on speed dial.
She was about to call him when she heard Phyllis walk away, or what sounded like heels being dragged on a carpet. She risked her safety to open the door. She did it slowly, with no noise at all - just a sliver of a crack. It was enough for Anna to discern that Phyllis had indeed walked away from the area. She thanked her lucky stars. This might be her only opportunity. She stepped out and closed the door quietly behind her.
Phyllis had searched all the offices and having found nobody, was on her way back, when she ran into the object of her search. "Good Morning Phyllis," the blonde intern wished her as she moved forward through the office and towards the exit to the tarmac.
"Good Morning," Phyllis responded meekly as she turned around in her spot to watch her go.
Phyllis had looked for her in the farthest ends of the office space and did not find her. Appearing as though she had just arrived, she was walking with purpose. Mmmm. That was odd. There was no way that Anna Smith had just arrived, unless she came in another vehicle. Just to be sure, she opened the reception door, where she could peer out of the front. There were only two cars there. Anna's and hers. So, where was Anna when she walked in? She had to have been hiding in one of the four offices.
Should she tell? She would have to think about it.
"You go inside the bank," Elsie commanded.
Pops turned to look at her with rejection written all over his face.
"Don't give me that look," warned Elsie. "It's your turn to trail somebody. I've done all of the trailing lately. Its time you got some fresh air."
She raised her chin in defiance, daring him to contradict her. It was pouring rain outside. Another fine pre-summer Yorkshire day, filled with unpredictable showers. Anna had requested they follow Anthony. They'd only found out about it a couple of hours ago, and they had not had a chance to determine who would do what with this unexpected request. She wasn't about to get wet. Not this time.
"Fresh air? May I remind you that I had plenty yesterday, plus, several liters of York's purest H2O, splashed and clinging to my body? You would do well to remember that Mrs. Carson. You owe me."
Elsie chuckled quite blatantly in his face. "I do recall apologizing all evening and again at night. I believe I have wiped my slate clean. It is your turn. You'll do well to humor me Mr. Carson, or apologies of my kind will be few and far between in the coming days."
She got his attention. He huffed in exasperation, as he did not like losing. Of all the weapons or tactics she could levy against him, she very well knew that this was the one thing that could settle him down. He did not like to go without her attentions and he must heed her warning as serious. She had done it before. Their longest stalemate had been one month. One month without as much as a touch or a caress. He couldn't even remember who had relented at last. All he could recollect from the day the stand-off ended was the intensity and duration of their love-making. While he was tempted to relive the intense sensations from that occasion again, he often thought that one month of abstinence was too long to go without, especially when one was married to this perfect sexual Goddess. They had been married an awful long time, but she improved with age. She owned him completely.
"Oh, Cheer up Charles. If you get soaked again, even if not at my hands, I will find a way to compensate you." She leaned in closer to him and put her hand between his legs. She rubbed slowly, lingering inches from where the result of her actions would be available for all to see. "You'd like that wouldn't you?"
He turned to look at her. The blasted woman was playing him well. If he didn't love her so, he would have looked for a way to go off her, as sometimes, her manipulation was infuriating, but he couldn't and wouldn't try. She was like fresh water in the dry desert and he was quite parched. He would never rebuff her advances, but of course, he would never tell her that. Whenever he could, he would allow her to continue with her commentaries and innuendos. It was very entertaining and helped pass the hours when they had a particularly boring surveillance run.
"My sweet, I fear you have done an excellent job of proving your point, but if you continue with your actions, you'll have no choice but to be the one to go, as I will be in no condition to be seen in public. It's your choice, really."
She slowly extricated her hand and looked down to verify what level of damage had been accomplished. None yet. Excellent, she thought.
"As long as we are in agreement then." She turned back, ignoring him and took out her mobile phone to look at incoming emails.
Nothing from Anna since their morning quick conversation. Anna could only explain, based on his bank history, that today would be the day he did the withdrawal, but, they did not know at what time he might show up and Anna could not even give them a heads up. It was usually between noon and 2pm. Elsie looked at her watch. It was 12:10pm. Anna mentioned that she would try to place a GPS signal on his car, but that she would be away in the hangar and didn't think that she could manage it. Since she hadn't contacted them and their radar was showing empty, that was a conclusive indicator that they would revert to old fashioned ways. They would just wait.
They were parked right in front and they did not need to do any drastic costumes. Elsie would don her dark glasses in the car and Charles would wear a flat checkered cap, hiding as much of his top hair as possible. Unless Anthony showed up with Vera, which was unlikely, there was no concern regarding his ability to detect them. Anna said he was quite distractable. As soon as they saw him either pull up and park in any of the empty spaces around them or come from the corner, Charles would leave the car, making sure to be behind him. He would get in line with him and hopefully be serviced next to him to overhear his conversation. If they had any luck, he would mention who the money was for.
At 12:45pm, they saw him come around the corner. He must have parked farther away, even when empty spaces were still available closer to the entrance. Charles left his car, pretending to fiddle with his umbrella, giving Anthony time to enter before him. They stood in line a few minutes. Charles was dripping water around him. How improper of him to not have scooped up one of those umbrella bags provided at the entrance. Elsie would have his guts for garters for making a mess in such a public place, but he didn't want to risk anybody else getting behind his target. His concern and fret lasted for only a minute, as both he and Anthony were called within seconds of each other. Just as he wanted, they were standing next to adjoined cashiers. It did not dawn on him, until he was in line and being called, that he didn't have an account at the bank, rendering him without a task to have fulfilled. In order to look legitimate, he decided to ask the cashier to explain the benefits of their bank versus the competition. That should keep them entertained a few minutes. He quickly made his request to the young lady. She looked like she was no older than a 15 years and was wearing a nose ring. When did proper society mainstream these fads, allowing them into the workplace? She also had purple highlights in her hair and heavy black makeup. Whatever, he thought. If she were intent on looking anti-social, it was not his problem… As she started to drone on, he strained to overhear what his neighbors were saying. He leaned a little too much into their side so that he could listen properly, yet, there was nothing out of the ordinary. He asked for a banker's draft payable to cash, in the same amount he usually requested. There were no highlights to the conversation that could prove helpful to him.
"Sir, did you hear anything I said?" The modern looking cashier snapped at him. Her voice was irritated that he had ignored her. "You don't look like you are really interested in what I am saying." Her comments were loud enough that the neighboring cashier turned their way. Anthony didn't seem to hear. Were manners no longer taught in school? He wondered why somebody as young as herself would bring such attention to them.
"I heard you fine, thank you." He tried to be as polite as possible, even when she had been incredibly rude.
"No, I don't think you did." She smiled slyly, as if she knew a secret. She leaned in slightly; lowering her voice, although that only meant her statement did not boom across the premises. It still resounded quite loudly. "Why don't you just admit to me that you have the hots for him and that you are trying to get a piece of his arse? He's a good lookin' bloke. I wouldn't blame you for wanting some of that."
Charles Carson had never felt so humiliated in his life. He felt a warm flush overcome him, the embarrassment too much for his masculine sensibilities. She also said it out loud. Very loud. Anthony could have heard, and then it would have been worse. Was she getting back at him for ignoring her? He shuddered. Him, a homosexual? What was she thinking? How insolent of her to suggest such a thing. He raised his eyebrows, clearly not amused at the direction that the conversation was heading.
"No, that is not it, but thank you." He measured his tone of voice to stop the incident from escalating, but it was laced with a biting alacrity. He could not feign his displeasure.
"Dude, you're almost standing in the next position. You are obviously attracted to him. Don't deny yourself this. If it's what you're feeling, just go with the flow. I'm a good matchmaker. I can play along and even introduce you."
She looked very eager and honest, so, he supposed, she was only trying to help. Some people, probably of her generation, would likely appreciate that; not this sixty something red blooded male who worshipped his wife's body. God, he was going to need a lot of Elsie tonight to rid him of the thoughts that had been suggested.
"Anthony," she called out playfully. She had intentionally lowered her voice, to test his resolve, not quite wanting to interrupt him and the other cashier. She must have tended to him before, because she knew his name. This was not good. He needed to get out of there.
"I appreciate the offer, but no." With that, he left, conscious that Anthony had almost finished his transaction too. He exited the premises before the taunting girl could embarrass him further. Elsie looked at him with confusion. She was obviously expecting Anthony to come out first. He got in the car.
"You are all flustered Charles. What is the matter?"
"Nothing. Just go park around the corner from where he came. He is almost finished and we may observe him better." She did as she was told, and managed to park a little ahead of what they surmised was his vehicle. They had looked at his dossier that Joe had sent them weeks ago and it matched the records they had.
A few minutes later, he approached it, entered and took off slowly down the street. They trailed him quietly for no more than five minutes when he turned into a residential road. They parked a block away from where they saw him stop. Elsie continued the pursuit on foot, staying on the other side of the street. She arrived in time to see a woman open the door and take an envelope. She couldn't hear their conversation, she was too far, but she snapped several pictures with her mobile. The pictures of the woman were too far to get a face, but Elsie could discern that the woman looked in her late twenties or early thirties and was blonde. For the time of day it was, she was still in a robe. The house was a two story brownstone, with a small garden out front. There was a pram, sheltered from the rain by the same awning Anthony was standing under while he and the woman conversed. Soon enough, he shook her hand and left.
They had a lead in this mystery Anna had handed to them. They had an address and a picture. It felt good when things worked in their favor.
Vera was bored. With Angie, or whatever her name was, working in the hangar, she actually had to get her own cup of tea, as her lame husband had empowered the rest of the staff to deny her. For some reason, he had not done the same to the intern and the girl would go get it whenever she asked. She had a purpose, at least. She wasn't entirely useless, regardless of what Sarah thought. On her way back from getting her afternoon dose, she motioned to Thomas to follow her and he did as she requested.
"What's that? Getting your own cup?" Thomas grinned, trying to amuse Vera.
"Well, the intern isn't here and you've all gotten too cheeky on me. What's one to do if nobody cares enough to pamper me?"
They made it to the entry of the office, when they saw Anna coming from the outside.
"Speak of the devil." She wanted his opinion on several matters. "What do you think of that one?" she asked very casually, tilting her head in the direction where Anna was walking so that Thomas knew who she was referring to.
To make sure they could talk, they moved away from the door frame and sat at her desk. When they were sure they were out of earshot, Thomas gave his opinion. "A little over eager if you ask me, but, she's not gotten into my business, so, I have no words against her. Not yet. "
"I wonder though…" Vera crossed her arms across her chest, deep in thought. She didn't finish her sentence, but Thomas knew what she was thinking.
"Don't tell me you let O'Brien get to you. Yesterday was a fluke. The little girl wanted her to go."
Vera was looking intently at the door.
"Yes, I fully agree that her participation yesterday was not planned. It was a surprise. But you weren't looking at my husband's face when she was invited to come or at it again when she answered she would. Sarah's comments did help put that into perspective for me."
Thomas' eyes opened wide at the implication. Her statement left him reeling. "Are you saying, what I think you are saying?"
"Oh, I don't know about her. I've not given her a second thought since she got here. But him, after so many years together, I think I can recognize all his moods. There was a spark of excitement. I would say my husband is sweet on her."
Thomas still couldn't erase the surprised look from his face that her first comment generated. Vera continued with her thoughts and Thomas struggled to recuperate. "That could be useful, getting him into a compromising situation with her, but I can already see the Alps, so it's not necessary right now."
Thomas burst out laughing and she joined in. "What do you intend to do about it Vera?"
She lowered her voice, not wanting all of her statement to be heard. "Nothing for the moment. He's old and decrepit and she's what, 20? He's proving once again what a pervert he is. He couldn't perform with me anymore, so he is making himself feel young by going after girls fresh out of their nappies. It would be quite enjoyable to see his humiliation at being rebuffed by somebody half his age. And if she didn't rebuff him because, for some reason, she has a Daddy complex and is attracted to old men, I'd love to see his humiliation as she realizes that he'll be needing the use of little blue pills to get it on." She started cackling to herself, now at full volume, very amused at what she was saying. Thomas joined in as well.
When she finally settled down, she added, "Oh, what joy that would be, but, he'll not try anything, as I could take the company away from him in a heartbeat. He'll just mope around. That is what he always does."
"What are those two going on about?" Gwen rolled her eyes, as Anna approached her. She lowered her voice so only Anna could hear. "You would think that as the owner, she would set an example." The loud sound of Vera and Thomas laughing echoed through the office. Even Sarah looked annoyed and that was saying something.
Anna answered with her eyes, nodding slowly and agreeing wholeheartedly. Internally, she was glad that they were so loud. The device she had installed just last night would surely capture all of their conversation perfectly. She grinned, but, aware that she had so much to do at the hangar, she moved on to what she really was there for. "Tom told me you needed to see me."
Gwen handed her a brown paper bag. "Yes. This is your itinerary, your electronic train ticket, the information for the hotel we will be staying at, your Bates Airlift logo shirts to wear at the event and the dates and times that we are expected to be at the Bates Airlift stand. It's all in there, but if you have any questions, you can call me at any time during the weekend. You have my number. I recommend you take some skirts that match the shirts for a simple uniform and bring comfortable, but businesslike shoes, because we will be standing almost all day and for several days….. and don't forget to pack leisure wear for the night. We will go out to a pub or do something fun. It's not every day that two single girls are let loose in London and we will not be grandmothers about it….…"
They could still hear Thomas and Vera in the background, laughing louder if possible. They ignored the noise to concentrate on themselves.
Gwen hardly took a breath during the monologue and she was starting to remind Anna of Anthony Strallan. Almost, but not quite. Nobody could talk like Anthony did. Anna grinned. Gwen was so very enthusiastic that she passed it on to Anna very easily. Anna would admit that she was excited about this excursion too.
"Alright. I need to head back because we still have much to do, but I'll call you." Anna backed away, without looking where she was going. She really did not want Tom or William to think that she was taking more time than was necessary. Before she could realize it, she had backed straight into Mr. Bates who came charging out of his office. No doubt, to remedy the noise that was being made. He did not expect her either. The impact was such that Anna bounced against him, a couple of feet, also dropping the parcel that Gwen had just given her. She almost fell, but managed to hold on to the wall. He, a much solid form, was able to stand his ground.
The look he gave her, said it all. He was horrified. He muttered a quick sorry and they both reached down to upright the contents that had spilled to the ground. He could not even look at her. Had this happened before their kiss, Anna believed that he would have joked about it and been jovial. Now, he just didn't know what to say or how to act around her. She really didn't think she knew either. He was making it very hard for her too. It would have been easier if they hadn't kissed at all.
When the parcel was completely put together, and to avoid Gwen or Sarah questioning their actions, Anna said a curt "Thank You" and "Sorry" and went on her way. From a distance, and behind her, she could hear him attend to what had brought him out of the office in the first place.
"Thomas, have you no work to do?"
Two surveillance runs in one day. Charles "Pops" Carson could go without them if he had a say in the matter. Truth be told, he was getting tired of being out at all hours of the night, always needing to be ready at any given moment. He had often contemplated letting the business go and passing it on to Anna. His old bones were starting to protest. He would much rather sit at a reclining chair with a brew, watching whatever show Elsie was hooked on, than this lifestyle of theirs. They had not been expecting to do the noon run on Anthony Strallan, and that added to his burden. They had only really intended to trail Vera again in the evening and this double task had left him tired and moody. That and he needed his wife desperately. She had rebuffed him so far, but he needed her so he could forget the bank incident and it would be hours before they could get together.
If Vera were sticking to her routine, today would be the day that she did the charade of circling the city to come back to where she had started. They hid close to the entrance to the Park and Ride and waited to see if she would park there again. It was raining heavily now and they wondered if she would break her routine in lieu of comfort and protection from the downpour. The GPS signal weakened in the rain, the device inconveniently soaked thoroughly. It was waterproof, but the manufacturer probably did not envision the type of rain that had fallen all day in Yorkshire. The reception of the signal had been spotty, so, they were at Vera's mercy that evening. They wouldn't know until she actually drove in. They prayed for her to arrive and when she did, they praised the Lord. They really did want to wrap up this case soon. They recognized her small Fiat entering the lot and they waited until they saw her descend and actually get on the bus. She was carrying a rather large umbrella, thus, she was ready for her trek. Similar to a postman's perseverance, a little bit of rain would not stop her.
They parked the car in the lot next to the SG Petch dealership at a darker corner. The facility closed at 7:00pm and it was already 8:00pm, so, they did not expect to see anybody. Next to the dealership there was a Go Kart facility and a Waterworks complex that opened until 9:00pm. There was movement in that direction. He would stay in the car in case they needed to follow somebody, but he would be observing her arrival with his binoculars and providing Elsie with tips. They agreed to have Elsie be the "trailer" again. Neither of them was small and agile, but, at least she was not as tall as him. She could hide when needed much better than he could. She had hoped to dress all in black, hoping to camouflage herself better in the darkness. Unfortunately, her rain coat was not that hue, so, her elaborate stealth outfit was interrupted by the silver gray of her deflective layer. It would have to do. She would have to get another one soon if their surveillance sessions continued to be this adventurous. For now, she modified her outfit to look a bit derelict and homeless. She would wear a black rubbish bag over her coat, feigning poverty. She wore the frumpiest and widest brimmed hat she could find to shield some of the rain and she fashioned a plastic protective liner on top of it from a transparent grocery bag. Her feet would get certifiably muddy and water logged if she wore normal shoes, so she donned the thickest socks she had and wore mismatched water boots. It was not anything a regular Yorkshire citizen would wear. Maybe somebody in London, she thought. She looked positively crazy and chuckled. Her prop was a grocery bag with aluminum cans, pretending she was collecting and recycling. Beneath the plastic rubbish bag she also carried her accessory carryall that housed her camera, her different identity cards, bus passes, money, binoculars, pepper spray, a few props and disguise solutions and lastly, a knife, in case she ever got into any trouble.
When Charles saw her, before they had even left home, he ran his hand underneath the plastic liner, groping her bottom. "I've never made love to you as a crazy, society cast off." He kissed her neck in the small patch of skin that was not hidden by the plastic bag over her head. He felt her react. It was lucky for him the small patch he found was highly sensitive. He brought her closer, rubbish bag and all. This was the one perk of their line of work that he enjoyed. Roleplaying was a huge favorite of theirs. They had the props and often used them.
She pushed him back gently. "My, My. Somebody's eager. You've been frisky all afternoon. You'll have to wait until we're back, as I am not taking this off and putting this on again." He tried to get close to her again and she pushed him away. She raised her eyebrow, signaling she meant business.
An hour later, she was in position, standing at the back of the car lot, bordering the Go Kart facility, hanging about the rubbish bins and trying to look inconspicuous. Depending on what way Vera would walk, she was ready to track her on the ground.
When Elsie was starting to lose patience, Pops messaged her – TARGET ARRIVED. ENTERING CAR LOT. She ducked behind the rubbish bin and for a tiny moment, appreciated that the rain was washing away all of the fouls smells she supposed she would have inhaled had it been dry out. She scanned the rows and rows of different automobiles with her binoculars. They were all makes and models. This lot specialized in pre-owned vehicles, as there were newer models mixed in with older ones. There were even vehicles for tradesmen – vans and mini lorries. Vera was probably not here to do any car shopping.
It was a large lot and she could finally see Vera, protected beneath her large umbrella, making her way towards the lot's administrative and Sales offices. Elsie ducked behind cars, moving in the general direction of the facility. The aluminum cans in her prop bag rattled as she moved forward and she dove to the ground when Vera turned, perhaps sensing she was being followed. Elsie was far enough away to not be seen and with the noise of the rain, the rattle of the cans would be lost in the wind, so, it was probably Vera's guilty conscience making her nervous; not Elsie's movement. Elsie rubbed at the palm of her hands, the gravel having broken her skin as she dove forward. It was not too bad. She had experienced worse. She was lucky there was no dirt, so she was not muddy, only a lot more wet than when she started. She peered out from the side of the car she was hidden behind and she could still see Vera, who had now continued to walk.
Suddenly, Vera stopped at the back of a white van, about a row from the main office entryway. Elsie was at an odd angle, and at a safe distance, but Vera's hand motion indicated that she was knocking. She tried the latch that opened the back door too and it was closed. Vera peeked into the window and pouted. Elsie couldn't move from where she was, but decided to snap a few pictures to remember the exact vehicle she had walked to. She put her camera away, without keeping her eyes off of Vera. The woman looked pensive and decided to walk towards the administrative offices entryway. The architecture of the nondescript building had some ledging that provided better protection than her umbrella.
Elsie messaged Charles while Vera took out her mobile. TARGET WAITING FOR SOMEONE. BE ON THE LOOKOUT. Vera was fidgeting with her mobile. She raised the device upwards, trying to catch a better signal. The rain was probably causing much interference for her, but Elsie couldn't understand why. Her mobile was working fine and her messaging with Charles had not been interrupted. It must be a different mobile service provider, she mused, and continued to watch Vera get ever more flustered. Vera looked like she got through to someone. She held the device to her ear and used her other hand to cup the other side of the mobile, probably in an attempt to lessen the amount of noise she was getting. When she finished the conversation, she stored the phone and started walking away. Not knowing if her liaison point was changing, or if her "date" for the evening had not made it, Elsie would continue to follow her. She remained in her position until she could determine the route Vera would take and took advantage of this time to message Charles. TARGET LEAVING. STAND-BY.
Vera came incredibly close to her, but Elsie remained crouched behind a smaller vehicle and was not seen. She messaged Charles again. TARGET EXITING THROUGH BACK TOWARDS HER CAR. Little by little, Elsie moved forward until she was at the back corner of the lot, facing the carpark of the Go Kart facility. Vera kept to the periphery of that lot as well, and appeared as if she were really heading towards her car. She received a message from Charles. I RELOCATED. TARGET VISIBLE FROM WATERWORKS LOT. Oh, Thank God, thought Elsie. She wouldn't have to walk all the way back. Another message came to her. COME QUICK TO FOLLOW HER. Elsie was moving as quickly as she could without being detected. She had already disposed of the aluminum cans, but she could not find Charles. He must have parked somewhere to be hidden so Vera did not see him. He was just too concealed and she couldn't see him either. Another message followed. TARGET IN CAR. WHERE ARE YOU?
Elsie replied. CANT SEE YOU. JUST GO.
"Don't die on me please. I promise to take you to the mechanic tomorrow…," Anna implored, losing the battle with her car. She should have gotten a newer model years ago, she could afford it, but she could not let this car go. She swore her mother's essence was with her every time she drove it anywhere. It was where she did her best thinking and no doubt that was due to Joanne Smith's lingering presence.
"Beep," another email entered her personal inbox. She had been getting them all day. She had already listened to a couple of Anthony's non-important calls while hiding behind Maggie, who was moved back to her space in the hanger, but she had not had a chance to listen to any others at any other time during the day. On her final day working with Tom and William, she had helped the men polish and buff Audrey's exterior, had shined all of the rotor blades, had touched up the nicks and paint discolorations and had helped reseal all of the windows. She wasn't sure there was such a thing as a new helicopter smell, but if it did exist, this bird would have it. One whole week and she was resplandecent, completely tested, recalibrated, updated and cleaned. It was down to the wire, the whole team finishing at the very end of the day. With all of the tasks to be done, she couldn't very well disappear to listen in to every conversation. Tom and William had made her a part of their team and she did not want to let them down. She had deferred her espionage task until she could be alone, specifically in her car. Another beep alerted her to another incoming message. She looked at the time. No doubt, there must be a transmission delay, as she was sure all three of her voice-tap targets had already gone home for the evening. She would get to them just as soon as she could get the car to start again. She had plenty of time on her drive home to go through them. If she could only get the ignition going. She patted the dashboard of the car lovingly. Maybe kindness would help.
She was thrilled when that seemed to work and the car started again, but her happiness was short lived. It managed to go 500 feet, and then stalled again, amid a loud internal boom in the engine. The explosion-like noise sounded very final. She tried the ignition again and again, but it was completely dead. She put her forehead against the cool window. It was raining heavily right now. What was she supposed to do? The easiest thing for everybody would be for her to hire a towing service to take her closer to civilization. Right now, she was far away from anything, bordered by the empty green fields that surrounded the aviation corridor where the Bates Airlift compound resided. That would be the closest place to return to, only having driven about five minutes before this fiasco. She could walk there in maybe 20 minutes, but, then what? She would be soaked and she would get nothing out of it. Mary was working, and Elsie and Pops were trailing Vera. She had a couple of other friends she could call, but she did not feel right about that. She hadn't called any of her friends in a while, especially not since joining Bates Airlift. It would seem very unfair of her to reach out only when she needed them. Gwen maybe? Anna had not been to her home yet, but they had gone for afternoon tea once and exchanged personal phone numbers. She had already received a couple of personal texts from the redhead in the last couple of weeks. She was sure they were on the track to becoming good friends outside of their jobs. If Gwen could give her a ride to her flat, she would leave the car on the road. The Carson agency knew a man who owned a towing service within town. An ex-customer of theirs, she was sure she could get him to send somebody out without her needing to be there.
Headlights from another car enveloped her as she flipped through her address book, looking for "Dawson". The lights came to a standstill behind her. With the heavy rain, she couldn't really see who it was and became nervous. Her windows had become foggy. This was Yorkshire, it was very safe, but one could never be too sure. On instinct, she bolted all the car doors and reached into her handbag for her can of pepper spray. She could see a tall figure, under an umbrella, approaching her. She took her mobile, ready to dial 999 if need be.
The man rapped on her window. She could hear a faint "Anna". She wiped the windows with a tissue napkin and made out the silhouette of Mr. Bates. She was equal parts filled with excitement and dread. Of all people who could come to her aid, she was not expecting him. With the way he had been acting of late, she would have thought that it would have been easier for him to drive by. She rolled down the window slightly so they could speak. Luckily, the wide umbrella shielded any rain from coming in.
"I recognized your car. Are you in trouble?" His voice was clear, but Anna could discern that he was anxious. He was a reluctant knight in shining armor. Where was his bravado from yesterday?
"I am. My car just died on me. I was about to call Gwen for a lift." She did not want him to feel like he had to rescue her. After all, she did have a plan before he arrived. She was not a complete damsel in distress. This could give him a way out of helping her if he wished.
"No need to call Gwen. I can help you. Can you pop the hood of the car? Let me see what the problem is." He looked very committed. As a pilot, he probably knew a lot about mechanics. Still, she would rather ask. This was probably the last thing he wanted to do.
"Are you sure? I don't want to impose on you. You must have been on your way home." She said that as she looked for the lever that would dislodge the front.
"Yes, I was on my way home and that means I don't have anywhere to be. I am sure. Let's just see how big a problem we are facing." With his assurance in place, she pulled the lever and even though she couldn't see it or hear it, she noticed him turning towards the front. She opened the car door, preparing herself to get wet, as she foolishly did not carry an umbrella with her, when she was stopped by his loud voice that was trying to be overheard through the loud downpour. "Stay inside," he boomed, and she closed the door immediately. For a few minutes, she saw his outline through the foggy window as he went back to his own car and opened the boot, taking out what she surmised were tools. He was back instantly and he had turned on a flash light. She could feel the slight vibrations made by whatever parts he was tinkering with. Well, it could be that or the rain itself, which was still coming down mercilessly. She wished she could see better through this haze. He was probably very sexy, working on the car. The forces of nature were not allowing her to look at him work. Sometimes, nature could be cruel.
Within a few more minutes, he closed the hood of the car, the thud sound it made startling Anna, as she was daydreaming, envisioning Mr. Bates as a mechanic, with rolled up sleeves, his muscles showing and his very luxurious rump in the air. She was unfortunately on the wrong side of him to get that view. She took a breath to calm herself and rolled down the window again to listen to his verdict. He did not look too excited.
"I'm sorry Anna. We won't be able to do anything tonight. One of your sparkplugs is burnt out."
She puckered her lips and sighed loudly. Now what?
"Why don't I drive you home? We can have a tow truck pick up the car and leave it at the compound. It is an easy part to purchase. I can have one on Monday morning and while you are in London with Gwen, Tom or William can replace it."
A small smile appeared on Anna's lips. He had it all figured out. She didn't mind admitting that it really did solve all her problems. Except for the tiny issue of them being seen together. That was not advisable at all.
"That sounds like a perfect plan, but we can't be seen together. Why don't I call a cab and you can wait with me until they arrive?"
"No, I offered to take you home. This is a perfectly plausible story. Your car is the evidence. There is no wrongdoing here and you do work at Bates Airlift. I would do this for anybody on the team that needed the help."
Anna shrugged. This was nature being cruel again. She wanted to go with him. It would solve all her problems. It would also create more. They had yet to talk about the kiss and judging from his reaction to it all, this could be a very frosty ride home. She couldn't bear it if he didn't acknowledge it, or worse, shrugged it off. It had meant something, she was sure of it. Also, if anybody discovered them, even with the innocent nature of this rendezvous, she could jeopardize all of her hard work. She didn't know what was worse – potentially compromising the investigation by being together, or discovering that maybe he wasn't the man she thought he might be. Her entire opinion about him depended on this one moment with him.
If she was going to do it, she needed to be sure that at least the investigation was not impacted.
"I appreciate it, but before we go anywhere, I need to scan your car in case there is any GPS trackers attached to it."
Mr. Bates looked taken aback. "You think I am being followed?"
"You've expressed that concern before and if it were something that Vera is doing, I definitely don't want my address as a point of interest in anybody's investigation. My cover would be blown and it would do you no good."
He nodded, comprehending that she made sense. The business reason was important, as the personal one. They weren't together, not in any official capacity, but all Vera needed was doubt and she could make a case out of nothing. Or something. He didn't know yet what he and Anna had.
Anna opened her car door. "I'll need to get something from the boot." He stepped forward to shield her from the rain and cover her with the umbrella. She stepped in as close as possible, while maintaining propriety. It was large enough for two, but neither of them ignored the fact that this was the closest they'd been together since their kiss. Even with the attempt at propriety, with the umbrella's limited coverage span, their sides touching was inevitable. They continuously bumped into each other in the short trek to the boot. It could have been the humidity in the air, or the few drops of water that eluded the umbrella and collected on her body, but Anna was sure it was his body heat that had her flustered. Best to get this task done quickly so that she could regain her composure.
She took out a black case and opened it, revealing several devices. Mr. Bates was impressed. She was well stocked with spying paraphernalia. From the quick look, he could only really discern a pair of very professional binoculars and something else that looked like night goggles. He couldn't name the rest of the gadgets.
"I have a Radio Frequency detector that will let us know if anything is attached." Of Course, how practical of her, he thought. Being a pilot, he understood these technologies well. "Its internal battery ought to hold us through this exercise, although I've not had a chance to recharge it since the last use. If not, I have the cable adaptors to power it through your engine's battery." Hearing her talk was turning him on. "GPS devices emit signals. That is how the data is transported back to whoever is tracking, so, instead of getting oneself dirty trying to manually explore the wheel wells and underside carriage, all you need is 10 to 15 minutes of patience and this little screen." God help him. She sounded so sexy, going on about the process. She finished connecting everything and signaled for him to follow her. They walked along the periphery of his vehicle slowly, as she held the device with both hands. It was natural; neither knowing how it happened exactly, that he came to walk behind her, trying to provide his umbrella's protection to both Anna and the device. It meant he was getting wet. It also meant they were very close. They were drawn to each other.
Anna could feel his hot breath on her ear and cheek as he walked behind her. The two times she had changed her pace, he had overstepped, causing him to bump against her frame. She thanked the Lord that her device could not pick up her body's electric surges, because the needle on the detector would be jumping off the screen. He was making her breath with difficulty.
"What is it supposed to do?" he asked, after about ten minutes of going around the car. He knew how it worked, but he wanted to hear her talk. The closeness between them was slowly eroding his inhibitions. He had accidentally brushed up to her twice already and he could hear her breath hitch. Feelings were stirring at the pit of his stomach. It was making him forget how risky a connection between them could be. "The device is working fine and I've not picked up anything yet. The standard is 15 minutes, as some older generation GPS devices take that long for transmission." He leaned in closer to look over her shoulder at the needle. "I see," he answered, as they both stood paralyzed, feeling each other completely now.
Anna was tempted to just turn around and kiss him. She breathed in, willing rationality take over. She would not do that. She couldn't. It took a supreme effort, but when she was finished with the device, she stepped forward and turned to face him. "All finished. No GPS. We can go now."
He was aware that Anna had put a stop to their contact. She was right. It only took a few more minutes for her to pack her things and set them in the backseat of his car. She explained that she would never leave her tools, especially if the car were being towed, or being worked on by somebody. It would bring too many questions if somebody were nosy enough to open her personal belongings.
Soon enough, they were on the road to her house. Neither of them said anything for a while.
"Ripon, right?"
"Yes, about two blocks from the pub. Moorside Road. I'll tell you how when we get closer."
A moment ago, her insides were aflame by his closeness. Now, a glacier sat between them as they made their way to her house. The boiling blood in her veins froze over. She tried to lighten the mood. Maybe that would help. She made a few trivial remarks, to distract their uneasiness, but he had not picked up on her cues and her efforts went nowhere. He politely answered, but did not engage further. She must have read him wrong, must have taken the kiss for more than it was. The looks and the glances, their holding hands, it was all part of the fairytale.
The silence was giving John time to think. This is when he ought to talk with her. He may not have another opportunity such as this. It was time to heed Rob's advice. Plain and unmistakable terms, he had said. How hard could it be? - Harder than he thought. He had several false starts and couldn't get the words out. Anna chatted with him about something trivial, she was making small talk, but he couldn't handle it. He didn't remember what he answered. He sensed she was disappointed. He was such a fool. He mustered his courage again. He breathed in. He would talk to her now.
"Turn here," Anna said and it broke his concentration. They were already in Ripon. He hadn't noticed how close they were. He looked to the side and recognized they were on the main road in town. Driving so often to Rob's pub meant he didn't need to pay much attention to the route. He could drive there with his eyes closed and unfortunately for him, this miscalculation would be costly. His time with her was almost up.
She told him to stop. They were in front of her flat. It was a three story apartment building, not too large, with a nice stone path to the front entrance. They were of old construction, but well kept. It was a safe neighborhood and this pleased him. It was still raining. He would walk her to her front door. She pointed to a corner unit on the second floor, indicating which one was hers and Mary's. He would try to remember that in case he needed to come here again. He had just thought about coming here again…. Was he daft?
"I'll walk you to the front, so you don't get wet." He was finally able to say something after the silent drive and Anna wasn't sure she wanted that from him. She could make the quick dash to her front door on her own. She was intending to take a relaxing bath anyway. Getting wet was not an inconvenience.
"You needn't bother. It's not far and I'll be quick about it." Her voice was not the usual sweet tone he was used to. He recognized frustration and she didn't look at him while she said it. She reached for the gadget case resting on the back seat. He reached for his umbrella too, also on the back seat. Their hands touched again and Anna pulled back, waiting for him to finish. His heart sunk when she did that. He was alienating her by not saying anything. He couldn't have her, but he could not afford to lose her either. He opened the door and the umbrella almost at the same time, hurrying before she actually left on her own. He was ready by the time she got her things in order.
It was a short walk. She unlocked the door to the foyer area. His heart was racing. If he didn't say something now, he might lose her forever.
"Well, Thank You. I'll see you when we get back from London and you'll have an update in dropbox by tomorrow." She smiled, and then turned to leave.
"Anna, wait." He could barely get it out. He reached for her wrist, hoping to stop her in case she hadn't heard him.
She turned; surprised that he had said something at all. She looked down to her hand, realizing that he was touching her. That single sensation ignited her internal fire again. It couldn't have been more than a second or two of time lapsing, before she looked up at him. His eyes were full of agony. She stepped forward until they were incredibly close. He hadn't let go of her wrist.
"Yes?" she said in the same muted tone he had used. The tension was too palpable to articulate more than one word. He said nothing, but looked down at her lips. She wet them in anticipation…. And then he kissed her. She couldn't say it was a surprise given his tortured look, but in the middle of it all, he had somehow managed to put his arm around her waist, bringing her slightly closer. She had reciprocated the silent action, putting her hands on his shoulders, anchoring herself firmly. It wasn't deep and she could sense he was being respectful, yet it was the most romantic kiss she had ever experienced. He had raised one hand to cup her cheek. It was honest in emotion, and she gave into it freely. She felt like melting in his arms, and she brought herself closer to him. She would worry about the consequences later.
Before Vera, he had dated and kissed many women. As a soldier, women fell at his feet and he took what they offered. That was a long time ago, and he couldn't remember that any of those kisses or caresses he shared with them had been as sweet as this moment was. He could feel Anna tremble as he held her close and it mirrored the emotion he was feeling himself. This kiss was so perfect and she was just as incredible. Her lips were soft and he couldn't get enough of them. He hadn't felt like this, joyous, or simply happy, in such a long time and it was because of her. She gave him hope.
They pulled away when they needed air. He kissed her forehead, and then looked down at her. He was still holding her close and she had positioned her hands to lie flat against his chest.
"I feel lost," he finally added, when her eyes begged him to say something. "I could kiss you all night, but we shouldn't."
He was echoing her feelings. She was having an internal moral dilemma herself. If he kissed her again, she would not pull away. She would drag him upstairs. She did not have the strength to pull away from him. It did not matter that she knew how many things were wrong with that.
"Yesterday, with Haley, … That was real, wasn't it?" she asked demurely. Her heart stopped as she waited for him to answer. It had to be real. She felt it. Her instincts couldn't be that bad to read his intentions wrong.
"Yes, it was real. I really wanted to kiss you." He followed up the comment by caressing her cheek with his free hand. "I am sure that I don't have to repeat all of the reasons why this is not really appropriate."
"No," she agreed. She knew them all too well. "You are married, you are my client and you have much to lose. Those are pretty powerful reasons." She looked down in defeat, not able to face him.
His hand lifted her chin up so that he could look into her eyes. "I may not be married for long. That's up to you to fix." That seemed like an odd statement to make. Anna didn't dwell on it too long. It really was her problem as his private investigator. That was why he hired her.
"So what now?" she asked.
"I don't know." He had much confusion in his eyes. "We wait and see until things become clearer. I don't have any other ideas." She nodded in understanding. There was really nothing else to do, as she couldn't just disappear from his life. She had a job to do.
"I should probably go, before anybody sees us." He stopped to think for a moment and before Anna could react any further, he brought his lips close to hers. "I think we can do this one more time before I leave, though." With his hand still firmly planted on her cheek, he brought her forward again. This time, they both deepened the kiss, realizing that this was a farewell of sorts. She opened up to him and the sensations she was creating in him were unlike any he had ever experienced. When he felt his body reacting, she pulled away and ran towards the stairs. He was thankful she hadn't experienced his embarrassment, but was sad to see her go. He stayed until he saw her disappear. Before she did, she turned to look at him one more time and then she was gone.
As his fingers outlined the lips that had just felt divinity on earth, it dawned on him that he had not been as explicit as he wanted. Robert had said clear, plain and unmistakable terms. He couldn't remember what he said, but it was far from it.
A/N: I hope I didn't offend anybody with Charles' statements at the bank. I really tried to channel what a sixty year old would say and I think I toned it down….
I appreciate all of those lovely readers who say my long chapters are not a problem. This was almost 16K. The longest one yet…. Thank you for all the reviews. It means the world to me to know that my efforts are being enjoyed. Please tell me what you think about this chapter?