My apologies for making you wait so long. I have been struggling to find my mojo after some intense work weeks, season 5 and a family funeral. I am hoping that the days off I take in the upcoming holidays help me to get it back. Because of that, this isn't my favorite chapter, but I hope you'll like it anyways. Words are 12.8K.
"Please tell me you used protection?" Mary was not too subtle with her words.
Anna's cheeks turned a faint shade of crimson. She wasn't a prude, but Mary could be too direct sometimes. She hadn't even closed the door to their flat either. And she was loud; anybody could have heard.
"Yes, good evening to you too." She answered cynically as she closed the door behind her and set her case next to the entrance. She wouldn't have left for a weekend away without anybody knowing, so Mary knew exactly what she had been up to. She expected that her friend would want all of the salacious details.
"Fine. Hello. Now answer my question." There was urgency in her voice.
"Yes, Mary. I still have my contraceptive implant. I won't be getting pregnant." She scrunched her nose at her friend.
Mary appeared relieved, then transformed into a schoolgirl before her very eyes. The information was not enough to quell her inquisitive nature and she wanted to know more.
"Now do tell. How many times?" This time, her tone was more jovial and playful and her hands flailed in anticipation of the information.
"How many times what?" Of course Anna knew what she was referring to. How many glorious times did she and her lover get together? Not that she would tell, but it was four - twice in the night, then in once in the morning. The last time was not even two hours ago - and in the helicopter, of all places.
"Oh come on Anna. I am not asking for all of the sordid details of your tryst. I know who your lover is and I couldn't deal with that much knowledge...…but give me something. You've that mysterious look about you again, the one that says you did something sinful, so don't deny you had fun," Mary's eyes implored.
"Yes, it was positively sinful…and I had plenty of fun. But, it was more than that." Her heart leapt for joy just thinking of him. She got emotional just thinking of him. "John Bates is one of the most romantic and generous people I have ever had the privilege of knowing. He's a fabulous lover and I had an incredible time." The way she focused her eyes and tilted her face made Mary understand that she was not going to get much more than that.
"Can you at least tell me where you went?"
Anna didn't think she would be giving up his secret if she were vague enough. "Scotland." The country, as a destination, was big enough and lovely enough to not have to give any further details.
Mary pursed her lips together in dissatisfaction.
"What about you?" asked Anna, not a few seconds later. "How did it go this weekend?"
"Highclere was great. I think I will feel really comfortable there. Isobel was kind and allowed unrestricted access to whatever I wanted to see and touch." It had been Mary's first official weekend volunteering at the castle, something that she was really looking forward to since Isobel relented and agreed to let her join the team. "I think I spent more time exploring than working." Mary's expression was one of mischief and her eyes widened with excitement. "I went as high as what used to be the servant's quarters and also some attics. I also spent time in the archive reading my great grandparents letters to each other. So you see, I also had an amazing weekend."
Anna was pleased to see her friend happy and off the Mr. Bates topic. She was happy to hang out with Mary and chat, just as long as the topic of conversation was not her and her handsome lover. "What about Matthew? Did you see him there?"
Mary's demeanor changed again. She bit her lip, indicating surprise. "That was less amazing. I haven't heard from him in a few days. I think things are cooling down before they ever heated up."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I know how much you liked him." Anna was disappointed. She knew Matthew very little, having only seen him a couple of times, but he seemed a stand-up fellow.
"I did like him and I thought he was into me too. It was just odd, the last couple of times I saw him, though. We couldn't move into the next level of progression in our relationship. It stalled. He couldn't keep his puppy dog eyes off of me, but, I guess I was wrong regarding his interest."
Anna reached out to hold her friends hand and Mary smiled back at her.
"At least one of us is happy," Mary responded.
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It was a tight squeeze, but they made it work. They hadn't intended to be together when they landed on the cliff of Morpeth Scar to get a better view of Castle Bolton. She'd cooed at how beautiful the castle remains looked set against the evening sun when they flew over and he was more than happy to oblige her and provide her with a better and closer view. What was the point of owning his own helicopter if he couldn't use it to his advantage? Perched atop the desolate cliff, they could see some farms below, and the impressive ruins ahead of them. It was a great site to behold. The lighting was just right. The sun was about to set, casting a warm glow around them and making it a magical moment. They shared the scenery together, John holding Anna close as he wrapped his arms around her waist and put his chin on her shoulder. Anna leaned back into him, comfortable in his embrace.
They couldn't have been there more than ten minutes, realizing that they did have to get back. They couldn't arrive at the Drake farm too late. They walked back to their seats, hand in hand. Their emotions were one edge, as they were already in Yorkshire, and they would have to say good bye once more. Their restricted existence would rule over their lives again. Wanting to feel her one last time, he ran his hands slowly up her sides as she stood on the step to get back into the helicopter. The gentle caress of his fingers stopped shy of her breasts and she could feel the tingling of her body with every light touch. He set her on fire and she was forced to hold her breath as she took her place on the seat. He was also on the precipice, teetering on the edge of self-combustion. Touching her had stimulated his body, enough so that he could barely get enough oxygen in his lungs. The physical reaction was evident in his pants. They had a second to exchange glances and understand what the other one was feeling. That's all it took. She lunged forward to kiss him, hard and demanding. It was an awkward angle, as she was already seated and he was still standing, yet his hands found her body and couldn't resist running them over the reachable contours of her body. A voice in his head repeated that he needed to have her once more.
"John, please," she insisted, between kisses. Her pleas could have meant, "Stop" or "Continue", but judging by her zeal, and the way her hand had made it down to cup him, he would guess the latter. He wouldn't be the one to object, not the way she was making him feel. This feeling between them couldn't be stopped or tamed. They were desperate for each other.
He looked around. It had rained in the afternoon. The ground was too muddy, even if they laid his emergency blanket on it. They would end up filthy and they could not show up at the Drake farm, to pick up her car, looking less than proper. His leg, after such an intense physical weekend, would not survive hoisting her against the body of the chopper again and with the ground unstable, he would likely cause a fall. He would have to get creative. Reluctantly, he pulled apart from her.
"Hold on darling," he yelled as he ran around to the other side of the helicopter. He pulled the door to his side with so much force, that it bounced back on its hinges and hit him as he tried to ascend into the cab.
"Ouch," he yelped, as the door welted his backside. He didn't care about the pain. He was a man on a mission. Anna looked on, caught between wanting to laugh and the ecstasy of wanting to pull him forward for another kiss.
Anna was wearing her sun dress and an open cardigan, a practical outfit for what they wanted to do. "Take off your knickers," he demanded, as he took hold of the cooler that sat between both front seats. With no regard for the contents, he tossed it out of the helicopter, from his side. He did not flinch, nor did she, when the noise of the falling contents made a big ruckus outside. He moved onto his seat and reached for Anna's lips as she tried to glide the offending piece of clothing down her legs. With his free hands, he brought down the third pull down seat that was positioned between them and slid onto it. Anna understood what he meant to do and with her hands, she helped pull down his pants and drawers as far as she could. The reward was visible immediately. She wasted no time and moved towards him. The space was narrow and she had just enough room to sit atop him, with her knees actually burrowing into the sides of the existing leather seats.
As quickly as was possible, they were joined. There was no preamble, no foreplay. Their need for each other was immediate and they wasted no time in starting to move. The desperation between them heightened every thrust. Their mouths were latched on to each other. Anna had brought his shirt up as high as possible, and was able to feel his chest against hers. She didn't know when John did it, but he had opened up the first few buttons of her dress and she was wearing her bra as a necklace. He was really quite skilled to manage it without her being aware.
"Beep….Beep….Beep…." John woke with a start. He swatted the button and immediately groaned. The alarm clock woke him up at the most inconvenient time. Just reliving what they had done yesterday, in the helicopter, was as exciting as the real thing. He had never had sex in one of his birds, even though he had been flying for over twenty years. This was his first time and it had blown his mind. There couldn't have been a better ending for their weekend together. Their movements had been so explosive and vigorous, that the pull down seat had ended up ruined - unhinged and dangling. How would he explain that to Tom Branson? That was the least of his worries. He'd find a possible excuse. He was more concerned with safety. How would he ever be able to fly in that chopper again without the memories flooding back? Not that reliving the memories was a bad thing; only, he could do without the physical consequences of such moments. Even now, when it had only been a dream, he was wet. Just thinking about Anna did things to him. It would be very inconvenient for that to happen if he were flying.
He sighed as he made himself comfortable against the pillow. He would clean up soon. He could spare a few more minutes before heading to the office. Thinking about other things would certainly help control that physical side of him that needed taming.
He went over the conversations that Anna had shared with him. She explained how the CONOCO EXPLORATIONS account was really won. Even now, he was still angry at Richard for concealing the full details of what transpired. He was going to need to talk to Gwen. Then his mind went to Anthony and the results of the preliminary blood analysis. He knew Edna was up to no good. The woman had already attempted to ruin his life, and he would be damned if she did that to Anthony too. He was going to need to encourage his friend to either get a DNA sample or let the Carsons create a ruse to obtain it themselves.
All of this information he owed to Anna. She was brilliant. If you set aside the emotional factors that bound them together and might cloud his judgment, he would always conclude that she and her people were damn good investigators. Despite his original misgivings, they had already accomplished so much. He still pondered the future, though. It had taken more time than he ever thought would be needed. Money wasn't the issue – time was. Creating a believable development plan in his company, while she continued to work there required thought. He hadn't gotten that far.
Anna was set to start with the Flight department this week, and would be under the tutelage of Michael Gregson. She had a keen eye for detail and had already given him some feedback and suggestions on how to improve his processes, so, even in that respect she had proven beneficial. He was sure she would do great in this department too. Michael would take her on an oil rig run, they had already discussed it, but Michael had standards and he would not allow that to happen if she had not learned the basics of helicopter safety, helicopter anatomy and the science of flight. There was a reason Michael Gregson was his chief Pilot and Trainer and Anna was in for a tough week.
When this week was finished, though, what could he do with her? There were no more departments to rotate through. He never thought that getting all of the answers would take this long and he had not thought out what she might do when the rotation was finished. He was going to have to think of something that the rest of their team could believe.
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Anna was nervous. She had purposefully come to the office a few minutes behind schedule, rather than early. As much as she was dying to see him again, and maybe spend a few minutes alone, even if they'd parted less than 12 hours before, it wouldn't do good to seem over eager. Also, if she were found coming too early every day, somebody might figure them out. That was the last thing she wanted. She was, after all, a private detective and she knew better than anybody that a person's downfall started when they became complacent, and when they started forming a trend. Keep them guessing and you'll never get caught. She wanted to think that she could be as clever as those whom she sought to catch.
She also had a mission to complete. Yesterday night, she'd checked in with Pops and he had suggested that they accelerate their investigation of the four remaining potential lovers. Pops really did want to be finished with this case. Four was a manageable amount to track and he requested she place GPS devices, just like Vera's, on their four cars. If she added the GPS devices, even though he and Elsie would not personally follow them, they could see if any of their routes intercepted with Vera's. Common destinations could be determined, raising suspicion on somebody, or nobody. Whatever beliefs Mr. Bates had about the lover being on his payroll, this might help come to a final determination. It was worth a try.
With that in mind, if she came to the office too early, there would be no automobiles available to target. She needed to be able to park in a less convenient and far away spot, strategically requiring to cross the entire car park, so she might be able to implant the device as she walked along the row of cars towards the office. It would seem odd if she did that, if arriving early, when there were spaces closer to the entrance. Only Gwen had a vision to the outside, from her desk's window, and she could get away with it without eliciting any concerns. Anna could easily stop and feign a problem with her shoe, just in case Gwen was casually watching.
She was lucky, when she did arrive, that most of the employees had already parked and she was able to follow through on Evelyn's and Michael's automobiles. They just happened to be parked together. Richard was not there yet and William's was on the other side. She wouldn't be able to target them without looking suspicious and decided to wait. Perhaps she could pretend that she needed to run an errand at lunch time and deploy the devices then. Still, 50% success, so early in the morning, was a great motivator.
Having accomplished her first task of the day, it was time for the next. It was time to see him.
He was there, in his office, as she walked by towards the crew room. She muttered a very non-distinct Good Morning to the general population and she was almost sure she heard him respond back. Gwen turned to greet her, making it impossible for her to swivel her head and casually seek him out. A pang of sorrow enveloped her because of this. She had really wanted to cast her eyes upon him, and the absence of this tore her up. She was happy though, when not twenty minutes later, when she was with Michael and he was showing her how to access the online learning program as part as her week's requirements, he strode in to talk to him briefly. He flashed the grin she loved so much, when Michael had his back to him. She could feel her heart skip a beat and she missed the entire point Michael was trying to make with her. Anna wasn't an expert on their aviation topics; not yet – but she was sure that his presence in the crew room was to get a glimpse of her. He'd asked Michael something that could have easily been asked via email. Or he could have called, but didn't. Anna wanted to think that he had experienced as much sorrow as she had. Just that idea, that he could concoct an excuse to be in the same room to relieve their mutual yearning made her day.
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John Bates had learned his lesson when it came to coaching less than stellar employees. Two years prior, he'd had to let go of a pilot that falsified his flight records. That was an egregious mistake. Falsifying records could get their license revoked. Safety was their number one priority. The first time it happened, he gave Mr. Sampson a talking to, as recommended by his outsourced HR Specialist, Sarah Bunting, and recorded the conversation in his personnel file. Mr. Sampson agreed that this situation would never happen again and when it did, and not a month later, he was sacked. Ms. Bunting agreed with John that Mr. Sampson had been given a fair warning and that this process would stand up in court if he were to sue him. This was a different situation, but talking to Sarah O'Brien required the utmost preparation and care. Since the situation with Sampson, he had not needed to have any counseling conversations with his personnel, but Sarah had earned herself a reprimand. When John explained his predicament to Ms. Bunting, that Sarah was a friend of Vera's and that he wouldn't put it past her to do something foolish, she suggested to either tape the session, or have a witness representing each side. With witnesses, she could not change the version of events that would transpire in this conversation.
Thus, on a Tuesday morning, John and Michael sat in the conference room waiting for Sarah and her witness. He had chosen Michael because, as a pilot, he was rarely in the office and could be neutral in any situation. He hardly dealt with Sarah and had no preconceived notions of her negative behaviors. He was also a good judge of character. They both guessed her witness would be Thomas, and their powers of anticipation were proven correct when the pair of workers sauntered in on time. Sarah looked none too pleased to be here and Thomas appeared confused and uncomfortable. John reckoned he had been coerced into the role of witness.
"So, I'm here. Say what you will." Sarah spoke loudly and directly, without much respect.
"First of all, thank you to Michael and Thomas for coming. Both of you are here to listen and to bear witness to this conversation, but will not participate in any way." Both men nodded in acknowledgment while Sarah continued to scowl.
"Sarah, are you not happy working here? Lately, you've had some errors in judgment in the handling of our clients and have not shown any remorse or concern when confronted with the situation."
"Are you saying I can't make any mistakes?" Her tone was defiant.
"No, that is not what I am saying. You don't seem happy and it is affecting the quality of your work."
Sarah shrugged and offered no comment.
"Do you have anything to say, Sarah? This is meant to be a two way conversation." John had maintained an even tone when he spoke. "I'd like your opinion on the matter."
Sarah looked up and addressed him. "I am perfectly happy here and my opinion doesn't matter. You've made up your mind already. Do what you will." Her cynical tone made John cringe. Her incredulous response was unwarranted. She wanted to give him no credit for his being reasonable, when he could have been harsher from the beginning.
"I am glad to know that you are happy here and I will confirm that I've not made up my mind on anything, Sarah. I want to get to the bottom of what's troubling you." He didn't need for her to express her inconformity with his Leadership for him to know what bothered her, but he needed her to say it for public record. She simply did not agree that he should be there and Vera was not. He doubted she would go that far, as coy as she was acting. "This session isn't to dismiss you; it's for us to find a way to work together. Thus, your opinion does matter."
He could see her relax slightly and her jaw, previously tight, took on a more natural appearance. She must have been convinced she was being let go.
"I've made one mistake and you are making a big deal out of it," finally added Sarah. Her tone was flippant.
He internally sighed with relief. Finally, he was getting somewhere. But of course, she did not pinpoint the root of her problems to be his presence and Vera's absence; she took it in the direction he had anticipated.
"We all make mistakes. I've made them and you've made them before too. I didn't call you in here because you made a mistake. I called you in here because of your attitude after the mistake was made."
"I don't have an attitude. You're wrong." Sarah crossed her arms and sat back in her chair. Every aspect of her body language confirmed the opposite. She couldn't have been generating a more contradicting image to what she was saying.
"Let me explain myself." I won't let her win, he thought to himself. "I am talking about the incident that occurred last Thursday, less than a week ago, when Daisy called in sick and Mr. Wiggleton's booking was not protected. You were dismissive when asked what went wrong. That is what I am referring to."
He could see the color in her face rise to a reddish tone. She wasn't pleased to be reminded of the event.
"Dismissive?" Sarah questioned his choice of words even now, when he had spelled out the situation.
"Yes, Sarah. If I recall, your words were – 'I'm not expected to save this company every time something goes wrong. It's not my fault that Daisy isn't here. I can't be expected to pull miracles in minutes.'"
"I didn't say that." Sarah reacted with indignation, confident that she had said no such thing.
"Sarah, there were witnesses. I have signed statements from Anna Smith and Phyllis Baxter who were with us and they agree that that was what you expressed." He signaled to some sheets of paper that were set beside him. "But, I won't turn this meeting into a he said/she said debate. What I want is for us to agree on your job description. I have printed it out for you to read and sign, just so that we are clear on what your role is."
Sarah didn't blink as Mr. Bates continued talking. She was motionless in her seat, likely wishing she were anywhere but here.
"Were you hired as Scheduling and Logistics Coordinator?" Mr. Bates raised his eyebrows as he posed the question. When Sarah nodded in agreement, he moved the paper forward, where he had underlined the specific items that made her responsible for exactly what she had refused to do.
"Can you read that out loud, please?" He gestured to the highlighted text. "Just this will be fine."
Sarah's jaw was clenched again, and for a moment, John thought she would refuse, but she said it out loud, despite her misgivings.
"Creates bookings, as requested by customers, and manages the logistics from beginning to end, including, but not limited to, helicopter and crew appropriation and sourcing of required amenities. Communicates with all departments to ensure a smooth customer experience. Makes modifications to schedules in the event of customer request or intra company situations of force majeure." She looked up with a strained smile.
"Unless you don't understand what force majeure means, I think we can both agree that your job does include saving the company, every time something goes wrong." He paused for effect, waiting for her to react. When she didn't, he continued. "Now that you have read this, if you want to continue working here, you will sign this copy, as your complete acceptance of your duties and responsibilities."
"What if don't want to sign the document?" Sarah squinted, reflecting deep thought as she contemplated her options.
"If you don't sign, it means that you do not agree with the roles and responsibilities of the position you were hired for. It means you no longer want to do the job and it means that you are effectively terminating your own employment with us."
John could hear the audible hitch in both Michael and Thomas' breathing as he made clear what her options were.
"So, you are sacking me?" Sarah's voice conveyed ire and surprise. He had just said the contrary.
"I am not sacking you Sarah. You are making the decision whether to stay or go. It's all in your hands."
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"He's such an arse and I can't believe Phyllis and Anna sold me out. They are such two-faced bitches." Sarah spat out with unhinged emotion.
"Steady girl. I've told you to keep yourself in check. Learn to play the game." He lit up a cigarette as he spoke. "Mr. Bates bested you in there. If you ask me, he won."
"Well, nobody asked you," she exclaimed. In the end, she had signed. She didn't know when Vera might be back to claim what was rightfully hers and she couldn't survive without the paycheck. She supported Vera, but she wasn't sure Vera would continue paying her salary if she were dismissed. She breathed in to calm herself and realized Thomas wasn't at fault for any of her situation.
"Even so. You know he can't sack you, right?"
"What do you mean?" Sarah was shocked to hear such a thing.
"He needs Vera's approval. I've seen the partnership papers. Strallan left them on his desk the other day. I made copies. Any hire, dismissal, change in pay status or substantial purchase requires signatures of both owners. She's still part owner. You signed for nothing." He puffed on his cigarette again.
"You could have told me this, you know, before we went in there…..?" Sarah was trying hard to contain her anger.
"It wasn't the prudent thing to do. Remember, Sarah – you need to be patient and play the game."
Sarah looked as confused as ever. "Patient for what?"
"For the tides to turn. I don't know when that will be, but something is bound to happen sooner or later." He emphasized his words, and then turned away. It was his way of confirming that nothing more would be said on the topic.
Used to his cryptic information and knowing she would get no more than that, she changed her course of conversation.
"I can imagine why Anna did it. She's eager to get my position. She would sell her soul to the devil if it meant she could take over for me. I don't understand Phyllis, though. I thought you had her in check."
"Phyllis is fine. You've no need to worry about her." Thomas said it with such assurance, and a tone of annoyance, that Sarah was confused.
"But she told on me…How is that fine?" Sarah's tone was laced with sarcasm.
"You can't very well accuse her of doing anything against you when the words you said were uttered in front of him and the intern, now can you? How can she recant when there are witnesses to her having witnessed your stupidity? Leave her alone. She's not to blame in this."
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"Gwen, can you come for a moment?" He put down the phone and waited.
John had spent the last two hours thinking about what was best for Gwen, given the new information he had. It was wrong of Richard to not give her any credit. He knew that Richard had worked tirelessly to get the account, but if what Anna said was true, it was Gwen´s words and actions that landed the account in the end.
He couldn´t just come out and state that he knew. The only other witness to this account was Anna and he couldn´t find a way to weave the information into the conversation without exposing her as the whistleblower. Gwen would never believe that now, after several weeks, Richard would come clean, especially not after he was publicly lauded for his efforts. Any suspicion on Anna would be detrimental to her work and could cause suspicion on their covert relationship. He would have to get Gwen to tell him and he´d have to be clever about it.
His assistant arrived with her notebook in hand, ready to take notes on whatever Mr. Bates wanted from her. She took her seat eagerly.
"You and I never really discussed the results of your Sales adventure. I left the event so quickly and only heard about it briefly afterwards. I thought, if you weren´t too busy, and you weren´t expecting any customers, that we could chat now."
She smiled. It was apparent to him that his question was well received.
"It was sensational. I appreciate so much that you let me have this opportunity." She was beaming and it appeared she had much to say on the matter.
"You deserved it. Was it what you expected?" he leaned back and let her talk.
"It was a lot of work. I don´t think I ever had the opportunity to sit down. We must have met hundreds of people. I finally figured out how to tell who was there for the giveaways, the participating academics who were just curious and the actual executives and decision makers. Their approach was very different. Richard mainly channeled the executives his way, while I managed the others."
"Were you able to participate in any of those conversations at all? Did you meet any important people?"
"I met Vinoth Patel from CONOCO EXPLORATIONS and Dennis Humboldt from the ENERGYBURST Corporation. I was able to listen in on one or two conversations, but it wouldn´t have been possible if we had tried for more. There were just so many people there at the same time. I don´t know how he was managing by himself before. If there aren´t two people there, when Richard is busy, we could lose opportunities. It doesn´t have to be me, and I don´t know if all events are the same, but I would suggest that you keep this formula for the future – two resources, plus somebody to be hostess, like Anna, and things would run much smoother."
He was pleased that she brought up Vinoth Patel. "I will consider it. I do think that we need to look more approachable."
After a second, John added to his last statement.
"What did you think of his work?" He hoped she would be forthcoming.
She flushed slightly and fidgeted in her seat. "He´s very good at talking to people. He did an excellent job. His Sales persona is very engaging."
She was being very kind. "Was he good to you and Anna?" He had also wondered if Gwen had seen or heard part of the assault. She was only a few feet away.
"Not any better or worse than the usual." She was straight-faced.
He couldn´t tell if she was trying to be facetious. "That doesn´t sound very nice of him."
"Richard is not a fan of mine. I don´t expect any niceties from him. He treated me well enough, given how upsetting it was for him that I was there. I was surprised, really. I thought he might be meaner, but he wasn´t."
"Was there any moment, any at all, in which you felt wronged by him?" This is it Gwen, he thought, tell me what he did to you. Tell me how he took all the credit for Vinoth´s decision.
"Wronged me? No, not that I can think of." John was not an expert on facial expressions, but he saw Gwen avert he eyes momentarily when giving her response. She was lying. The jovial spirit in her eyes was gone.
"Are you telling me the truth, Gwen? I like the way you work, and I want to see you grow here. I see a future in Sales for you. Please don´t hold anything back."
He did want her in Sales and had planned, once the partnership dissolution came through, that she should be promoted to Inside Sales representative, so that she could gain more experience before setting her out in the field. If he doubled his headcount in Sales, that might bring in more business. That and he didn´t have anybody else on staff that could take on the job with such enthusiasm. With Richard almost out the door, as would be expected when Anna made her accusation, it made sense to bolster the department with somebody with that much knowledge. She could help whatever Sales Manager he hired to take Richard´s place. There weren´t too many options of people with aviation knowledge unless he tried to poach somebody from a similar company and he wasn´t keen on stealing. She could keep the place running for a while.
"Yes, I am telling you the truth. Why would Richard wrong me? There isn´t anything to say against him." Her voice had passion in it and he sensed anxiety.
He wasn´t as clever in getting her to talk as he thought. He believed Anna, as she had no reason to invent this story and the things she said about the whole incident made sense to him. Gwen was protecting Richard and he wouldn´t understand why. He wouldn´t push her for the truth anymore. He couldn't reveal his knowledge. Not now. As soon as all was said and done, and Anna´s investigation was over, he would disclose what he knew and give her a bonus for her hard work.
"Good. I was just making sure. Thank you for all your hard work. I am sure we will talk about your role again in the near future."
The level of anxiety lessened and she looked relieved.
"Thank you."
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"Anthony, I know we can't do anything legally until the dissolution is settled, but, I've been wondering what is next for Anna, now that rotation ends this week, and I think I have the answer."
"Do you want to hire her?" Anthony looked serious, but there was a hint of happiness.
"I do, eventually." He couldn't of course, now that they had become intimate. It wouldn't be wise for either of them to work in the same place, and she had her investigative career. She wouldn't have wanted this job anyways. Anthony didn't need to know that. "She's still an intern, and will be for several more months. We don't have to make any decisions about her yet. I actually want to talk about Gwen."
"I thought you wanted to talk about Anna." Anthony appeared confused.
"Well, I want to talk about Gwen, but Anna is part of it. You see…Anna finishes the rotation at the end of this week. I could put her to do special projects, but I think it might be fairer if she takes over Gwen's position and I allow Gwen to spend some time as a Sales trainee. The London Transportation Trade Show is coming in a few weeks and I want to send her to that too. I think she ought to prepare. I might even find some Negotiating Skills training classes and set her up."
"That seems like a fine idea. Did you want to pay her more? Is that why you are waiting for the dissolution?"
"Yes. As soon as I can, I will want to promote her to an Inside Sales Representative position. We are growing and it is time that we change our structure. I have been thinking about it a lot lately and I'll want to dedicate her to our top accounts to provide a more personalized service. We almost lost Mr. Wiggleton, and CONOCO EXPLORATIONS is too important to mess up. I won't trust Sarah with them."
Anthony did not have to say anything. He understood completely where John was coming from. Sarah sat in near proximity to his team and he often heard her telephone conversations. He understood that she was there under Vera's protection, but hoped that John would change her to do something else in the near future, as she was not good with customer service and their livelihood depended on it. He was waiting for the right moment to suggest it to his boss. Now was not the time, as the dissolution would be a barrier to this too.
"And I want to give her a bonus. I have reason to believe that she helped acquire this account more than Richard would want to own up to. She needs to be compensated."
"Under the same formula as Richard?"
"I'll see to the amount in a few weeks. I need her to give me some more information and I will decide how much, then." John wanted Gwen to admit her part in getting the account before he agreed on the sum. He was prepared to pay her as much as Richard usually made. In his mind, fair was fair. Perhaps she hadn't confessed this time, but he would make her speak eventually.
Anthony was surprised at Mr. Bates' generosity. He had yet to calculate the contract's net worth, and commission for Richard was usually a flat amount, in thousand pound increments. The ratio was close to a $1000 pound bonus for every $50,000 pounds of contract. This was a major account. If he were to give her the full amount, Gwen would be able to buy a new car if she wanted, or put the down payment on a flat. Yet again, Anthony had to admire his boss. This was very kind indeed.
Just when Anthony thought that the conversation was over, he was surprised with John's generosity again.
"I have information about Edna." John looked at him with concern and care.
Anthony did not say anything, but acknowledged this with a nod. John understood it was his way of approving him to move ahead with the conversation.
"I know how much you've endeared yourself to this child. I wish that I didn't have to say this."
Anthony knew what John was going to say. He suspected little Michael wasn't his, but somewhere within, the thought that he could have a child filled him. It gave more meaning to his dull existence. He hadn't been allowed to spend much time with him, but the little time that he did, the little boy warmed his heart.
"Say it," Anthony exclaimed, resigned to hear the truth.
"The investigators have every reason to believe, through blood matching, that the boy couldn't be yours. We'll need a DNA test, for our findings to be legal, but they are pretty certain."
When Anthony made no response to this bit of information, John continued.
"It will be easier if you get a hair sample on your next visit, but if you don't want to, or can't, the investigators will do it. They have ways."
"I can't." He looked choked up. "If they promise to not hurt the child, let them do it."
"They are very kind people. I am pretty sure they can do it without hurting the child or making Edna any the wiser." When Anthony's sadness persisted, he concluded, "It's for the best, you know. You're doing the right thing."
"I know….but the right thing hurts."
0-0-0-0-0-0
What is she doing?" bellowed Charles as they followed Vera down another street. She´d been running errands, or shopping like mad, most of that morning. More than six boutiques had been visited and the whole time, Charles couldn´t imagine why she was spending that much money. How many new outfits did she need if she didn´t have a job to go to these days? He reckoned she was bored or employing retail therapy to help her against whatever rage or depression she might be facing from this situation. She didn´t look depressed or angry, though. She looked very self-possessed and walked about with delusions of grandeur.
"Well, there are no more fashionable boutiques down this Street - It´s all council buildings and the police station. She probably took a wrong turn." Elsie agreed with Charles, Vera was on a spending rampage. Elsie had only bothered to exit the car once, intent on trailing her, but quickly realized that the boutiques were too small to follow inside and Vera was not speedy with her decisions. She tried on many different outfits and there was only so much time she could loiter in front of a building before causing suspicion. She desisted, utilizing her binoculars, from the car, to continue with the observation. Vera amassed a sizeable amount of parcels and bags and for a second, Elsie thought she looked very Julia Roberts, spending and purchasing on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills from the Pretty Woman movie -except York was nowhere as chic and Vera was definitely not as pretty. There was also the noticeable absence of a dashing Mr. Richard Gere to pay for it all.
"Wait. I don´t think so. She´s parking in front of the police station." Charles had enough time to react and turn into an empty spot on the Street. They were about a block back, but they saw Vera descend.
"Is she really going inside?" Elsie was surprised and no sooner had she finished the statement, Vera disappeared into the two-story building. "You´ll have to go and follow her. I did the last time."
"Can't we do rock-paper-scissors?" The boredom was evident in his voice and there was no sense of urgency. This was the evidence that this case was dragging on too long.
"Charles Carson. Get your arse out of this vehicle and into that building immediately!" There was no contradicting his wife. When she used his full name, she meant business.
"Fine." He was already stepping out when he addressed his wife again. "What shall I say?"
"You´ll think of something, now hurry along or you'll not see anything."
What could he possibly come up with? What reason did he have to go inside? He knew the layout well enough, having been required as a witness for a case several years ago. He would have to get past the receptionist if he wanted to go inside.
He fidgeted outside the entrance for a few seconds as he came up with a reasonable excuse to access the premises. His reticence earned him a visual admonishment from his wife. She rolled down the windows of the car to flail her arms and action him forth. He harrumphed in response and went into the foyer. It wasn't the most convincing excuse, but it would do.
He smoothed down his shirt and tidied his hair as he addressed the receptionist in the information booth at the entrance. "Hello Madame. Who can I talk to about stolen property?"
The sour looking woman, obviously annoyed at the interruption, asked him coarsely, "Did you steal something?"
Feeling affronted, Charles sighed dramatically. "Is it likely that I would come in here if I had?"
"Hey, I´ve worked here 20 years and I have seen it all. Nothing surprises me anymore." Her eyeglasses were perched on the edge of her nose as she gave him a sarcastic answer.
"Well, no. I did not. I have come into possession of something that I believe may have been stolen."
"Stolen Property – Take that corridor and at the end of it, make a left. Second door on the right." She gestured towards the direction he should walk, and then looked back down towards her stack of paperwork. She didn´t acknowledge him any further, even when he responded with a "Thank You."
If he remembered correctly, the entire bottom floor, the area in which he was now traversing, had most of the civilian facing staff. A second floor housed investigators and administrative staff. Luckily, each area was well advertised. He passed by homicide and narcotics before he encountered stolen property, but he had not encountered Vera. The walkway was short and I no time at all, he had reached the end of a hall.
There were people everywhere, coming and going. There were the obvious employees, one or two private citizens like him and some folks he ventured to guess where there at her majesty's invitation.
"Psst. Silver Daddy. Over here." Charles heard somebody being called, but didn't fathom himself to be a silver anything and ignored the call. There were others in the hallway. He concentrated instead on turning his investigation elsewhere.
"Psst. Handsome. I'm talking to you. Turn around." This time, out of curiosity, he spun towards the noise, as he didn't see anybody else in the immediate audible vicinity. When he did, he caught the attention of a younger woman, in her mid-forties, with a really bad taste in clothes and even worse teeth. She was showing a lot of flesh and was wearing some very high and uncomfortable looking shoes. It didn't appear that she had run a brush through her hair in the last few days either.
"You look like you need my services. Care to join me in the bathroom for a quickie? For such a handsome looking man like you, it'll only be 60 quid."
She was a prostitute? Now her whole outfit made sense.
"Excuse me?" Was the only thing an indignant Charles could conjure to respond. Part of him was annoyed that she would solicit to him, at a moment like this, when he had a job to do, and in a place like this. A police station? He would have never imagined it. Another part of him, although he would never admit to it anybody, was mildly pleased to be called a "silver daddy". It had a flamboyant air to it, even if it was given to him by a lady of such a profession. Mostly, though, he was appalled. He'd never once approached a prostitute, not even when he was a gangly teen in the 1960's, dared by his more worldly classmates who had partaken of such activities. If he didn't then, why would he need to now? He had a wife - his goddess at home could service his needs for free - When she wanted to, of course. Why pay?
Sensing his discomfort, she continued with her verbal seduction. "Oh, don't play the offended card, big daddy. A stud like you must have needs." She had taken a couple of steps forward as she spoke and even dared to put her hand on his chest. "You know you want it. Let Sugar help you."
She put her mangy, dirty, hand on him! He could barely react. As his entire body stiffened, his eyes opened wide. She was close enough that he could smell her cheap cologne and fetid breath. It was a hideous combination. When she moved her hand up the lapels of his jacket, he reacted and pulled away forcibly.
"Thank you kindly for the offer, but, no. I don't want "it". Now, if you'll excuse me." He moved away with haste, walking briskly in the opposite direction. He turned back once; just to make sure wasn't following him and slowed his pace when he realized she wasn't. When he was a comfortable enough distance away, he stopped to reassess his whereabouts and his purpose. Why was he here? Right. Vera. She was the objective. Where was this woman?
He had walked far enough in the opposite direction to have passed into the other end of the hall, to the areas he hadn't yet seen. There were some small and hidden enclaves, but the most visible, as indicated by signage, were cybercrime and civil crime. He peeked into those rooms, scanning the entire area as thoroughly as possible. It was in Civil Crime, when he caught a glance of the orange dress she was wearing. It stood out from the insipid grey of the surroundings. She had her back to him as she sat at a desk, with a clerk, or maybe even a detective, and he was busy taking notes. He was too far away to ever catch what they were talking about. The only thing he could discern was her animated hand gesticulations. She seemed to be explaining something very detailed. She was up to something and Charles was concerned. Maybe Mr. Bates was right to be worried.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
"The police? What was she doing there?" She ran her hand over her hair, concerned. Her voice was nervous and anxious. When she received the text from Elsie to call her urgently, Anna headed to the outside, on the tarmac to take the call.
"So we don´t know a thing?" She paused. "I see. Should I warn him?" Before Elsie could even answer, she answered herself. "Of course, I'll warn him." She waited for Elsie to stop talking again. "Will do. I´ll call you if I find out anything."
Great. Abso-frickin-lutely great, she thought to herself. What the hell is Vera planning? It drove her wild to not know anything at all. To think that he might be in danger left her in a panicked state. How could she concoct a meeting now?
She was isolated and working within the confines of the pilot´s lair, or crew lounge. She was preparing to fly with Michael to take place later that week. That was perfect, really, as he was one of the final four candidates for potential lover. She could observe him more closely than the sporadic times she had encountered him. She had now flown at least three times, but according to Michael, who only knew of two, she was on board as a passenger and had most likely not observed anything. He was right. She had seen the gauges and switches and buttons, but had not asked too many questions on their purpose. She'd already spent several hours on her own, on the web-based training tool he had set up for her, and some things were beginning to make sense. The intended ride along was for Thursday and today was Monday, so she had to be able to concentrate if she were to succeed. She would be embarrassed if she could not master the expected knowledge, yet, this new bit of information left her on edge. The thought of Mr. Bates dealing with police stunted her learning. Who could think of pitch and bank angle gauges at a moment like this?
She would have to worry about the technical components later. Now, she needed to go to him as discreetly as possible. After a slight moment of hesitation, she convinced herself that she would go straight to his office. She worked here, didn´t she? There was no reason that she could not be seen there. Nobody had any reason to believe their conversation was anything either than work related. Before heading out there, she wrote "I have important information regarding Vera that you should know now. Can we talk?" on a piece of paper and hid it in her pocket.
She walked across the rest of the office space and observed everybody minding their own business. Sarah was on the phone, Richard´s door was closed, and through the Accounting enclosure she could hear typing. People were working, not noticing her. Gwen was the only one absent and she didn't even worry about that.
"Mr. Bates, may I ask you a question about the emergency latch on Sophia?" She made sure her intent was clear enough, in case anybody could overhear, when she knocked on his door to get his attention. He smiled at her, since he could tell there was nobody else around. It was a beautiful smile and it warmed Anna´s heart.
"Of course. Come in." As she took a seat, he asked, "What has you stumped?" He realized what she was doing and was playing along.
She pushed the paper forward and answered the first thing that came to her mind. "Is it as easy to maneuver as the webinar states?" She furrowed her brow. She felt stupid for asking and her expression reflected that sentiment.
He looked up, after reading the note, and she could tell that her words left him anxious. He took a pen and started to write a response, but answered her in the meantime. "The latch can be quite tricky. It is more about the correct angle of movement, rather than force. Many a brute pilot has broken one during training."
Anna read, "I´ll make sure everybody is busy and I will come to you as soon as I can."
"Thank you. I thought so. I´ll go back to my learning now." She stood up to leave. She saw his insecurity coming to the surface and she tried to give him a reassuring look, but she wasn´t sure how effective it would be. She would be worried too after a note like that.
As she was walking back to the crew room, she encountered Gwen and was pulled into the kitchen. She was not given a chance to react properly to this ambush when Gwen was already speaking.
"I´m such an idiot, Anna." Gwen sported a worried look to match her words.
"Why, what have you done?" Anna reached out to touch her shoulder, hoping that her touch could calm the girl down.
"I lied to Mr. Bates to his face and I think he could tell. He´s going to hate me now."
"How did that happen?"
"He asked me if there was any way that Richard had wronged me and I said no."
Anna worried that Mr. Bates might have taken their weekend conversation about the CONOCO EXPLORATIONS account and discussed it with Gwen, but it didn't seem likely. The girl would have already said something if it had been so.
"Why wouldn´t you tell him the truth?" She hoped Mr. Bates didn´t think she had lied about it herself.
"I don´t know. I guess I am afraid that if Richard finds out that I told Mr. Bates, I will never get admitted to Sales and if I was, he would find a way to ruin my work there. I´d rather not get him in trouble, because it would be trouble for me in the future."
Poor Gwen. If only she knew what was in Richard´s future, she wouldn't worry. Anna couldn't ease her mind with this knowledge, no matter how much she wanted to help her friend.
"How do you know that he knows?"
"There was something in the way he was looking at me. I caught a momentary look of disillusionment in his eyes. He's helped me so much. I just don't want to let him down."
"Silly girl. You could never let him down. He thinks highly of you."
"He does?" Gwen was relieved to hear such words from Anna.
"Yes." Anna saw Gwen's face contort slightly.
"How would you know what he thinks of me? When did he tell you?" There was suspicion drawn on her face.
Oh Lord. How stupid of me, thought Anna. She nearly gave herself away. John had spoken very positively about Gwen during the weekend and had expressed high hopes for her further development. That's how she knew. How could she match that knowledge to the few times she'd spent any time with him that were public knowledge? And why would he ever confide in her?
Anna's mind thought quickly. "He didn't tell me specifically, but he doesn't have to. When we flew to Highclere, with Haley, he couldn't stop talking to all the people about how his assistant had organized everything. He was so proud of all of the positive comments. You did everything. It was all you. And… on our way back from dropping off Mr. Wiggleton in Manchester, he did say that you were on top of everything and he wished others in the office were half as good as you were."
Gwen's face relaxed. "He said that?"
"Yes, he did. Now, would he say that if it weren't true? Has he ever exaggerated or been false?" Anna was pleased that she had steered Gwen away. She'd have to be more careful in the future.
"No, he hasn't"
"There you go. Stop worrying. Do your job as best as you can. I doubt he's going to hate you."
0-0-0-0-0-0
Anna was so concentrated on the lesson she was taking that she didn't hear the door open, or Mr. Bates' steps as he walked towards her. She was facing the computer screen, away from the line of sight to the door. It wasn't until the scent of his cologne wafted around her that she questioned her sanity. She smelled the musky aroma, but did not automatically assume that he was in the same room with her. She convinced herself she was dreaming, her desire for him causing deceptions in her senses. She paused her learning to enjoy this delusion, to remember the way it felt to have his body flush against hers. She closed her eyes, leaned back against her chair and moaned slightly.
John heard the noise she made and he felt a tingling inside him. Lord, this was torture. He desperately wanted to touch her. He leaned in, close to her ears and whispered, "It's driving me crazy to not to be with you." His words sent a chill down her spine. At first she believed it was her senses still toying with her, but as she opened her eyes and saw him standing slightly behind her, her natural reaction was to be startled by his presence. She pushed her chair back, without much thought, bumping against him in the process. Excited and shocked, she jumped from her chair. One of her hands was pressed against her abdomen, and the other against her chest, as she sought to control her breathing.
"You startled me, Mr. Bates," she chuckled, "and I've hurt you." She was more embarrassed that he had caught her groaning alone as she remembered him. She wouldn't want him to think she was some sort of obsessive that couldn't contain herself.
"I'm so sorry. It wasn't my intention," he confirmed as he rubbed his leg. She missed hitting his hip, so, it was nothing to be worried about. Her reaction made him regret that he had surprised her in the first place. He didn't want her to think he was a stalker.
Anna surveyed the surroundings, to make sure they were truly alone before she whispered, "It's driving me crazy too. If we weren't here, I'd want to kiss you."
He grinned at her response, elated that she felt the same way. It made him feel better for being so foolish. They just stood there, grinning at each other and not saying anything. Time could have stood still and neither would object, but there was a reason he had come. Best to get on with whatever disagreeable news regarding Vera was needed to be shared.
"You said you had some news."
"I do. Should we walk outside?" she offered as an option, but was not very convinced that they should be outside. It wouldn't be natural for them to walk out together like that and William and Tom might see them.
"No, we can stay here. I made sure everybody is busy. We have at least 15 minutes before we're interrupted."
Anna looked doubtful, having working long enough in this office to know that there was always somebody about.
"Are you sure?" she asked again.
"I asked Gwen to write some letters for me and told her I needed them immediately. She won't be in here. Anthony is in the conference room with Thomas and Phyllis, reviewing the month's expenditures. I told them I needed a full report in half an hour. They'll be working like mad to get it done. I made Sarah put together a list of all of the business we've had from our top three clients in the last year, much to her disgust, and I told her I needed it in an hour. Richard is gone for the day, visiting the Wakefield Corporation in Sheffield and all our pilots are busy, so, yes, I am sure."
With his very confident words, Anna had no more misgivings about the location of their conversation and proceeded to tell him what Elsie and Pops had seen that day. His body and brain went numb after Anna's words, but he was not surprised. This was Vera, and she had threatened him before.
"There's a reason I asked for the continued surveillance and you've just confirmed I was justified in my paranoia."
Anna wasn't sure how to respond to that. She didn't consider him paranoiac one bit. "Do you have any idea what she could be talking to the police about?" was all she could conjure to say.
"Unless she's trying to convince them to repeal the non-molestation order I have against her, I have no idea. I've never hurt her, so she cannot be accusing me of assault. She couldn't possibly come up with the physical evidence for that."
The missing money that Joe had told her about came to mind. She didn't know if it had anything to do with him, but wouldn't want to assume the contrary. They hadn't discussed it on their trip either. She asked very vaguely.
"Are all your finances in order?"
He looked perplexed at the question, but answered it nonetheless. "As far as I am aware, yes."
"Then, there's nothing to worry about, is there?" Anna reached out to hold his hand and lowered her face so that he could not see how worried she was. She was not convinced by her own words and she hated not having the answers. They should have known by now what Vera was up to.
Mr. Bates was just as unsure as she was, but had nothing else to offer on the subject. He answered only out of politeness.
"I guess there is not."
0-0-0-0-0-0
Charles was already in bed, reading a novel, when Elsie came out of the washroom in the light and airy nightgown that he loved. It hugged her curves just so, and it was easy to dispose of when one was in a hurry. She was ready to sleep now and came promptly to the bed, upturning the covers to join her husband. He realized his wife had no intention of reading when she snuggled into her pillow. He didn't mind, at all. He mimicked her actions and put away his book, then turned off the lights.
His incident with Ms. Sugar had left him feeling guilty. Even though he had shunned her advances, he hadn't told Elsie about her and it felt illicit to keep it from her. He hadn't intended too. The moment he got into the car, the conversation regarding Vera took precedence and then he just forgot. Later, it was just difficult to bring it up. As his guilt increased, so did the desire for his wife. He shifted his position, to be on his side. She was lying flat on her back and it was a perfect view of her silhouette. He would never tire of it. He placed his hand on her hip and started massaging inwards – feather light touches, hoping to get her in the mood.
"You know Mr. Bates wants us to get the DNA sample for the child?" Elsie asked without acknowledging his movements.
It was not what he expected at all. Deflated, but not deterred, he attempted to ward off the conversation.
"Yes, and we'll have to think of something, but not tonight. We can talk tomorrow." He put his lips on her neck and sucked gently. He waited for a reaction, any sign that she was amenable for some quality time together. There was none.
"You know, I'm worried about Anna," was the next thing she said.
He let out a breath, disillusioned that she would still want to chat.
"Really, why?" He didn't want to have a conversation, but he couldn't really ignore her. He decided to try again and kissed her, closer to underneath her ear, where she was highly sensitive. His lips hovered in the area. This ought to distract her, but it didn't.
"I may not be her mother, but I've mothered her enough years to know her and I think she's gotten in over her head. If you ask me, she's besotted with Mr. Bates."
He pulled away to process what she had just said. Anna with Mr. Bates? They were worried once before, when the initial information regarding his sexual harassment case became known to them. Anna had defended him vehemently. They put off any conversations after that, assured that he was not a pervert.
"How so? She knows it's against our rules to fraternize with the customers." He wouldn't believe his sensible Anna could go against something so basic. She wasn't the type to go against convention and they had discussed it through the years. He was pretty sure she would never do something like that.
Elsie shifted to face him. Their night time vision had already adjusted and although it was dark, she could make out the worried crease that had developed on his forehead.
"That may be so, but that doesn't stop her from developing feelings for him."
"What makes you say that now? Did something happen?" Elsie tended to talk to Anna more than he did, and he agreed that if either of them were to pick up on changes in Anna's behavior, it would be Elsie.
"Every time we talk about him, she becomes jittery and nervous. When I told her about Vera's trip to the police station, she was shaken. I'm sure that working for him in such close proximity would create affection, or perhaps loyalty, but I get the feeling that this is more than that. She's definitely harboring feelings for him."
"And what do you want to do about it? Should we talk to her?"
"I'm not sure that would be a good thing. She would probably deny it. What we have to do is finish this case so that we can get her out of there."
Charles lay pensive for a moment, reflecting on his wife's words. They would have busy days if they were to accelerate. There was the baby DNA, continuing to trail Vera, and maybe even trailing the lover candidates. That meant a lot of time out on the street. He better get a good night sleep if they were to achieve it.
Charles shifted, intent on moving back to a sleeping position when Elsie's voice called out to him again.
"Are you not going to finish what you started?"
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Tomorrow was Thursday. It was hard to imagine that so many days had already passed since their weekend together. It seemed like only yesterday they were walking hand in hand in the forest, lying together underneath the stars, sharing delicious physical exertions. Seeing him every day in the office helped, even when they could only chance a longing glance at best. Since her slip up with Gwen, Anna had been extra careful to not let her eyes wander when he was near and he had shown restraint as well. Just knowing he was safe and close-by, was what she needed to feel reassured. Hearing his voice from a distance soothed her and gave her the patience she needed to endure their separation. Thus, she was well aware, as he was, that seeing each other again so soon was out of the question. They had talked about it before leaving the solitude of the forest. They had been given an opportunity to share amazing time together, yet neither of them believed that another opportunity would come as swiftly as this one had. It was best to be prudent and not take any further risks until a conclusive determination on his divorce came from the court.
Their separation did not mean that they could not communicate, though. They had reverted to using sneaky twitter in the meantime. Their abstract and vague tweet commentaries continued, publishing comments only the other could understand.
"CASTLE BOLTON IS AN AMAZING PLACE #manyfondmemories #wanttogoback" he posted. Anna nearly cried with emotion when she read that. He couldn't stop thinking about their helicopter tryst. It meant just as much to him as it did to her.
She responded immediately in kind.
"STARGAZING IS SO INSPIRING #manyfondmemories #wanttodoitagain." She hoped he would understand just what that weekend meant to her and that she was busy recalling her own memories. She had even used the same hashtag he had.
When she heard the notification of another tweet come in again, she was ecstatic for only two seconds. At first believing it could be from Mr. Bates, she was disappointed, then appalled, when she saw another note from her cyber-troll. Joe had not cracked the algorithm yet and they were not any closer to hacking the account. She still did not know who this person could be. incognitohelper was at it again.
"YOU BOTH WENT AWAY FOR THE WEEKEND. WILL YOU NOW HEED MY WARNING?"
Who the hell was this person who kept harassing her? The troll was achieving getting Anna anxious. She shouldn't allow herself to fall prey, but incognitohelper knew about their weekend together. Anna didn't know what to make of that. They'd been extra careful. How could anybody possibly know?
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
She pulled into the car park, excited for her trip. In about an hour, the other passengers would arrive and she would get to see one of their famous oil rig operations from beginning to end. Michael had reviewed the flight plan with her and Jack Ross would be their copilot. Her place would be on the third pull down seat, between them, so that she could observe everything they did on the trip. Questions would be allowed, but not while they were taking off or landing. Once they were in the air, they were free to talk. Their route would take them from York to the Bridlington Compound to collect more passengers, then on to oil rig #44. Anna was pleased to also get to land at the other Bates' property she had only ever heard of. Gwen had also given her encouragement and plied her with tips and recommendations, learned from her own trip almost two years ago. She was as ready as she needed to be.
She scanned the vehicles in the lot as she made her way to the office. She'd managed to slip the remaining two GPS contraptions on to William and Richard's cars just yesterday morning and it also felt good to be making progress in that respect. The investigation would get a boost now that tracking was possible.
Her eyes lit up with enthusiasm when she made it into the office. Her love, Mr. Bates, was chatting amiably with Gwen at the redhead's desk. He seemed in good spirits. The slight worried frown he'd taken to wearing the last couple of days was gone and that made her content. She had worried about taking off for a whole day when his situation was not yet resolved, but seeing him carefree this morning boosted her confidence.
"Well look at you, all dressed and ready to make your first official oil rig run!" he commented wittingly, and Gwen chuckled enthusiastically. They must have noticed that she came to work wearing the blue pantsuit she had earned when she worked in the hangar. She thought it appropriate given what she would do today. If it made him share in a joyous moment, she truly didn't care if they were making fun of her. All she wanted to was to see him laugh.
"Are you nervous?" Gwen asked when she had had her fill of laughing.
"No. Maybe a little excited, but not nervous." This would now be her fourth helicopter trip. She was no expert, but she felt steadier and knew what to expect.
"Wait, what are those people doing?" Gwen exclaimed as she looked out the window and into the car park. Two cars had assembled and stationed their vehicles right in front, but not in an actual spot designated for customers. If there was something that Gwen detested, it was disorder. She wouldn't have any of it on their premises. "These must be new people who haven't flown with us before. Let me go tell them to move their cars before they get too comfortable." She charged out before either of them could say anything.
Her very determined demeanor caused both Anna and Mr. Bates to laugh. Gwen's enthusiasm was contagious.
"So, how are you?" Anna dared asked in her flirty voice, comfortable that nobody was around to hear her. The memory of last night's tweets still fresh in her mind.
"I'm good. And you?" he returned the question, with just as cheeky a grin as she had given him. He was trying to find something else to say that might keep her in his presence just a while longer, but they were interrupted by the sound of the door opening as Gwen came back in.
"Mr. Bates," she exclaimed, and the agony in her voice could not be disguised. Her expression was pained.
They both turned as Gwen called and noticed she was flanked by two men in suits. Overdressed and sporting unfriendly expressions, they were definitely not the passengers that they were expecting. They seemed to be in a mood. Before she could say anything else, one of the two men spoke.
"Are you John Bates?" Was asked by the man who appeared to be in charge.
"Yes?" answered a hesitant and bewildered Mr. Bates, clearly not understanding who they were or what they were doing there. "How can I help you?" he added, wondering if these were new clients he needed to be friendly towards.
"You are under arrest for embezzlement."
AA/N: Oh My! What is Vera up to? What will Anna do now? Stay tuned for the next chapter.
Thank you to all the lovely reviewers and readers. Your words will surely help me get over this slump.