Happy Holidays my dear readers. Words – 9K. I left you last chapter with a cliffhanger and I think the chapters will only get more crazy from here on in….
Thank you for all the reviews, favorites and follows. I am finally up to date in thanking those that have left me named reviews. To all my guest reviewers – since I cannot thank you personally, I'll just say you are all rock stars and your comments are fabulous. I appreciate them very much.
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"Oh God Matthew, I am so happy to see you." The impeccably dressed lawyer strode into the cramped holding cell where John waited. He'd already been there two hours and all he'd been told was that there was evidence against him for fraud against his own company, yet when he'd demanded to see the proof, he was ignored. So much for his rights, he thought. He should at least be provided this basic information. His attitude did not sit well with those in charge and after, he couldn't get any of the detectives to pay attention to him. Matthew's arrival gave him a bit of hope. He was half tempted to embrace the man, but thought it not proper.
"What happened John? I was shocked when Gwen called me." His habitual amiable smile was replaced with deep etched concern. It mirrored his mood. Pleasant Matthew was replaced with no-nonsense Matthew. He hadn't seen that side of his lawyer yet, and it gave him odd comfort.
"I don't really have all the details. I've only been told that there is evidence that I was defrauding Bates Airlift, but they have not shown me anything." John couldn't help but flail his hands.
"Yes, that is what I have been told initially. I've already set up a meeting with the prosecutor. He'll have to provide everything he has against you so that we can have all the facts." Matthew observed John for any outward signs of trickery and seemed to be having trouble with what he wanted to say. "John, I have to ask and whatever your answer, I'll still represent you, but I need to know. Have you done this that you are being accused of?"
His lungs filled with air, ready to scream his denial as loud as he could. If anybody believed he was capable of this, he would be lost. Matthew meant well, he knew, and he shouldn't balk at answering. "Absolutely not," he responded with certainty. "I have not ever, knowingly, done anything to jeopardize Bates Airlift."
Matthew let out a breath, relieved to hear the truth. "Have you done anything, even innocently, that could be misconstrued?"
"All I know is that Vera visited the police earlier this week. Anna told me. She's behind it Matthew, I know she is. Vera is responsible for this. "
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Anna looked around the boardroom with desperation. Every Bates Airlift employee was assembled there. She didn't want to be here, not now. All she could think of was him and how she had failed him. She felt like suffocating under the weight of the worry she was carrying on her shoulders. Her first instinct was to run out behind him, but the policemen stopped her and Gwen from coming any closer as they put on his handcuffs. The sound of the clicking of the metal kept replaying in her mind. All Anna and Gwen could do was hold each other's hands for support - to feel grounded as they observed the whole situation. Mr. Bates was stoic through it all. He'd not fought against it and actually walked out into the foyer on his own. At no time did he make eye contact with Anna and while she understood that there were people there, she felt this as an absence in her heart. But she wasn't the important one and her feelings didn't matter. He and his future were at stake and knowing that she didn't prevent this, even when they knew Vera was up to something, made her feel responsible.
All the commotion had enticed those few others who were already in the office to come forth and others arrived in the process. His embarrassment was complete when the majority of his employees witnessed his shame. Anthony, through the shock, had the correct mindset to call out to him and tell him they would contact Matthew Crawley. Mr. Bates acknowledged this with a tilting of his head. Sarah was in shock, but there was a hint of satisfaction on her face. Phyllis appeared as forlorn as Gwen and Anna. Tom was incredibly supportive, yelling out to him that he shouldn't worry about his birds and that he would take care of all of them until he came back. The others were mostly unreadable.
Immediately after, Anthony, Richard and Michael, the higher level employees, had gotten together and discussed the situation behind closed doors. Everybody else was called in about ten minutes later.
"We - Michael, Richard and I - thought it a good idea if we all got together for a quick conversation to discuss what just happened." The three men were standing in the conference room, their faces weary with worry.
"Is it true Mr. Bates was just arrested?" asked a clueless Alfred, who incredibly, had missed the whole spectacle.
"Yes, that is true, and all we know is what the policemen said who took him. He was arrested for embezzlement, but I ask you to refrain from speculating as we do not know anything beyond that. Matthew Crawley, our firm's lawyer, has been called. He will report back to me as soon as he has a better understanding of what this all means."
"What will happen to the company now?" Gwen asked, and the red rims around her eyes gave away how emotional she was.
"Will we be sacked?" added Jimmy. His question, although impertinent, was at the forefront of everyone's thinking and was welcomed by most.
Anthony looked calm before answering. "Nothing will happen for the time being. We should all do as we would on a normal day. We don't have any answers and Mr. Bates could be back tomorrow. It wouldn't make sense for us to think this is Armageddon."
"Ha, you all think he'll be back tomorrow? You heard the police – he was arrested for embezzlement. Serves him right. He was making us think he was so pious and fair and look what he turned out to be – a thief!" Sarah offered, very confident of her words.
The whole room held their breath when she said that. He wasn't there to defend himself, but Anna felt she would explode. How dare this vulgar excuse for a woman insult him that way! She was about to shut her up, but Michael Gregson beat her to it.
The color on Michael's face reddened. He was visibly angered by the comments too.
"He may not be here to defend himself, but I will not allow you to disparage him in that manner. He is innocent until proven guilty, and I personally, do not believe him capable of doing anything against this company. He built it from nothing, and has invested his life in making it what it is. You can have whatever opinion you like, but NOBODY, will be allowed to talk about him in that manner on these premises." By the time he was finished, he had elevated his tone considerably.
Anna was relieved that Mr. Bates had loyal collaborators. Michael was one of the last four potential lovers and after his impassioned defense, she found it hard to believe that he could be the one to be going behind his back to mess with Vera.
"You're not my boss, Michael," was all she said in response. She was unfazed by his comments.
"No, but in Mr. Bates' absence, I am," added Anthony. "I have power of attorney to represent Mr. Bates in certain situations, and that makes me your boss. Everybody in this room will abide by what Michael just said." He was rarely strong in his mannerism, but his attitude and countenance showed that he meant business and was not to be contradicted.
The mood, already sour since the arrest, did not get any better after the meeting. They were all miserable, but tried to put on a pleasant face. Customers started to arrive for the oil rig run that Anna was supposed to be on and life went on. Flying so far away, on that day, as she was supposed to, was the last thing Anna wanted. She had been looking forward to this flight, but now, she would give anything to get out of it. Since he was taken away, she had been going over in her mind on how to pull away and find an excuse to leave the office. She wanted to concentrate on finding out more information, but she couldn't leave just yet. After deliberating with Anthony, then Michael, she got her way when it was decided Anna would not accompany them that day. It would be rescheduled. She had argued that if they got any news at all and "hands" were needed to help defend him, she would be more useful in the office and they agreed. She saw Michael, Jack, and a full load of refinery employees pull away on Grace and she breathed in a sigh of relief.
It was time to start looking for answers.
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Anna had managed to leave early, feigning illness, which was not too far from the truth. She was on the verge of throwing up all morning, the horror of watching him being led away, playing dreadfully within her body. She had gone as far as retching in the loo, provoked in the same way that millions of bulimics managed, by putting her finger down her throat and inciting her gag reflex. She had to make it sound as believable as possible. She hated doing this, especially since she had convinced Anthony to let her stay from the flight so that she could be of help, but she was convinced that she would be more useful on the outside. Gwen insisted she leave, and she was escorted to her car by Phyllis, who was very helpful, but whose facial expression led Anna to believe that the woman was not happy she was leaving. Anna felt as if Phyllis was condemning her for a lack of loyalty. It was strange, but Anna persisted and left anyway.
Her first reaction was to drive to Matthew Crawley's office, but she determined that it would be futile. If he was a good lawyer, which she hoped, he would be at the jail trying to get him released on bond. She had no right to call him, as he didn't know about her and Mr. Bates' involvement. He was aware that she was his private investigator, but that only went as far as Vera's infidelity. He had no way of knowing that she was willing to stay on until they got to the bottom of it. She needed to know the particulars of the case against him so that she could start working and the only way she could think of making that happen was by getting Mary and Robert to intervene. Robert was probably listed as Mr. Bates' contact, in the absence of a next-of-kin. She was desperate to get word to him too.
Once at the pub, she explained to them what had happened. Neither had heard yet.
"This has Vera written all over it," Robert sputtered angrily as he paced from side to side behind the bar. Thankfully, it was early enough in the day that there were hardly any clients that could overhear. "She threatened to annihilate him if he ever filed for divorce."
"Yes, I believe that is the case. I will continue investigating, but I need to know from Matthew what is going on." Anna turned to Mary. "Can you please call him and get him to come down here?"
"Me? Why?" She was visibly shaken at having been asked to take on this task. "Papa should call him. I've not heard from him in almost ten days. It would be awkward if I did."
"Really, Mary? You are going to worry about that now?" Robert took the words from Anna's mouth and spared her the anxiety of convincing her friend. Then he took it a step too far. "Awkward was when you started seeing him, him being a cousin and all. This is an emergency. You need to call him now."
Anna's eyes just widened in response to what Robert had said. If they weren't facing the situation they were in, she would have already excused herself and let them be. Those were private conversations not meant to be heard by anybody else.
Mary was not pleased with her father's rhetoric, but was prudent enough to not continue the conversation. She gave in easily after that. "Fine. I'll get him on the phone, but one of you has to talk to him. It won't be me." She huffed and postured discontent as she pulled her mobile from her pocket. She curled her lips in protest as she found his name in the directory and dialed.
"He'll probably see it's me and won't pick up." No sooner had she said that, when her eyes widened in disbelief. He had apparently answered. "Hello Matthew, its Mary." They couldn't tell what he was answering, but Mary smiled, bashfully and Anna could see her friend's eyes light up. Before too long, Mary answered back. "Well, that's nice to hear, but listen… I am here with Anna and my father and we were hoping to talk to you about John. Are you too busy to meet with us?" Mary flailed her hands in excitement and Anna knew that he had agreed or something just as equally exciting was happening. "Thank you. See you soon."
So much for handing him off for somebody else to speak to. Mary was a real enigma sometimes. She looked positively glowing.
"So….?" questioned a flustered Anna.
"He was driving back from the jail and is actually close by. He'll swing by quickly. He should be here in about ten minutes."
"Lucky us, then," declared Robert nervously.
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"Matthew, I mean to help."
"Well, we have a research department at the firm. They are part of our services for John. You would be overstretching yourself. It may not be necessary." Matthew was not trying to be mean, but he only knew of Anna and her Godparents as experts on infidelity investigations. They were not used to cases of this caliber and Mr. Bates needed experts.
"Matthew, I've had a head start on this. I've been embedded in his firm and have dozens of hours of Vera's conversations, copies of all of her files, and financials on both Vera and John and most of their employees. Your team will never catch up to what I have." She was trying to make sense to him. She already had the puzzle pieces and just needed to be able to put the pieces in the correct order. They didn't need somebody to amass the puzzle pieces all over again. She also doubted they had a hacker like Joseph Molesley. As annoying as he could be, nobody was better than him.
"Then why don't you turn over your material so that we can? I am sure you wouldn't want to stunt his investigation."
Anna looked horrified. The thought had never crossed her mind that Matthew might have others investigating and that she could be deemed unworthy.
"Tell him why you need to stay on this case Anna," Robert suggested. "He's bound by lawyer confidentiality. He couldn't say a thing if you did." Robert put his hand on her shoulder and she felt comforted.
Could she really tell him about their relationship? Was it in their best interest? If Mr. Bates hadn't told his solicitor, did she have a right to?"
"Wait Anna….Remember, he's not your solicitor, he's John's. I am not sure that if you say anything, he's bound to keep it to himself," Mary interjected, protecting her friend. She might have not studied law itself, but they'd both taken business law classes at school and something of what they learned popped in to her head.
Matthew just looked on as the others seemed to have this conversation amongst themselves where they all knew a secret and he was the only one who wasn't aware. It was uncomfortable.
"Is that true, Matthew?" asked Anna, glad that she hadn't spoken immediately and that Mary had the clarity to think of such an important detail.
"In a roundabout way, she is right. I am bound to protect his privilege. Of course I wouldn't just talk about anything that you want to share with me, but….depending on what you have to say, if it is told to me in conversation, and the police question me for any reason whatsoever, it is not bound by the same privilege unless you are my client and it was discussed as part of a consultation."
"Oh bother," added Robert, flustered that there were so many little details to circumnavigate. "Can't you just become her solicitor? Let's get on with it for John's sake." He opened his arms in a silent imploration, his facial expression urging Anna on.
Matthew turned towards Anna, spurred on by Robert's attitude.
"Anna, do you already have a solicitor?" Matthew asked directly.
"No." Anna answered truthfully. She'd never needed one as an adult. The last time she encountered a lawyer was when her inheritance trust fund was set up and her parent's last will was read.
"Fine, then give me a quid as a retaining fee and I'll legally be your lawyer." Matthew wondered why it was so necessary to go through this charade. What Anna had to say better be worth it.
Anna searched her bag and found a pound coin and handed it over.
"Thank you. This should be adequate payment." He grinned at his sarcasm and turned towards Mary, whose face did not reflect the same. She hadn't thought he was funny. He addressed Anna instead. "So, what is this secret that I must know?"
Anna was nervous. Telling a friend that you are involved with a man was one thing, but telling strangers made it more real and more hazardous. A friend could comfort you when something went wrong, but strangers who knew would make you feel foolish and a failure if it didn't work out. They hadn't been dating long either. She couldn't even say she was dating him, to be honest. He wasn't even her boyfriend. Still, she needed to be involved in this investigation and maybe have access to him and only Matthew could manage that. She wouldn't keep this from him.
"Mr. Bates and I are involved." When Matthew didn't react, she reckoned he didn't understand fully what that meant. "My relationship with him is that of more than business associate or friends," she added, hoping that the additional clarification made it easier to understand.
Matthew finally caught on. It was evident in the way his gaze shifted to scan the room and silently question Mary. When she didn't react to his movements, he turned again to Anna. "You are lovers?" he asked, with trepidation.
It was true that they were, but Anna had never quite heard it said that way. "Yes, if that's what you want to call it." Explaining anything further was not necessary. He didn't have to know any of the hurdles they faced, how recent their relationship was, or what they felt for one another. All he needed to know was that they were connected. "I just want to help and I just want to clear his name. I've done more than infidelity investigations if that's what worries you. I've done missing persons and the odd tracking of stolen property. I need to be involved and I need to have access to him, or I think I'll die." The emotion in her voice had reached a crescendo and by the time she finished, her voice cracked on the word die. Water accumulated around the rims of her eyes.
"I'll have to talk to him, to make sure that he agrees, but fine. I'll use you as my main investigator. I agree that somebody with a stake in the results is more motivated to do whatever it takes."
"When will he be able to come home? Asked Robert, shifting the conversation away from Anna and letting her have moment to compose herself.
"Home?" Matthew questioned.
"Yes. He has considerable assets. He should be able to post bail and be released temporarily. When he does, please tell him he can come home with me and Cora. He'll need to be among people who care for him."
"I agree, but unfortunately, the police do not. The purported amount he has defrauded is in the millions and he is considered a flight risk. John owns a helicopter company. He could go anywhere, at a moment's notice, and nobody could stop him. The authorities have ruled that he should not be granted this privilege of release."
There was a collective gasp at this news. He wouldn't be able to leave? They hadn't anticipated this setback.
"Poor John," added Mary, when Anna and Robert were rendered too speechless to say anything themselves.
"I'll want to see him," begged Anna. "I'm not sure how to manage it since our being together is a secret, but I want to try."
"I'll want to visit him too," Robert added. "He needs to know he is not alone and that we will not abandon him."
"I'll ask him when I see him tomorrow. I'll be getting the details of the evidence against him in the morning and sharing it with him later on in the day."
Knowing Matthew would see him again so soon was a godsend. She needed to communicate with him. "If I write something now, would you hand it to him?" Before he could even answer, she was already rummaging for paper in her handbag.
"Yes, I can do that."
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"He what?" bellowed Charles as Anna stood before him and Elsie.
"He's been arrested, Pops. They say it was embezzlement."
"Well, that's the end of that," said Elsie and she shrugged her shoulders.
"What's the end of that?" asked Anna, confused by her Godmother's stance. It appeared Elsie was giving up on the case.
It was not lost on Elsie that Anna looked defensive, proving her intuition right. "I mean, darling, that our case is effectively over if he has been jailed."
"It is not over," railed Anna.
Pops now began to realize that what Elsie had said the other night about Anna was true. She was emotional when she spoke of their client. He had never seen her act that way about any other of their cases. "Darling, it is over," he added. "We can wait and see what happens, but, with Mr. Bates in jail, how do you suppose we will get paid?"
"I can't believe you two would think about money at a time like this!" Anna added, more flustered than the last comment she made.
Charles and Elsie looked at each other. Wordlessly, they agreed on their approach of the situation. Anna's infatuation with him had to stop and she needed to come clean about whatever feelings she had for him.
"Darling, we are not a non-profit organization. We need to think about money all the time, since it is what allows us to live. I feel for the man, I truly do, but I am not sure that we can continue." Elsie was sweet and hoped that her pleasantness could calm Anna down.
"I will pay you to continue with the case if necessary." Anna was tense and her words bitter. She never thought she would have to get to this point with her Godparents, but she would not desist.
"We would never take your money, dear. If you feel compelled to continue with this investigation, knowing there is nothing in it for us, you would have to give us a reason to do so."
Elsie walked toward Anna, who had lowered her gaze. She lifted Anna's chin and could see her lips visibly wobbling.
"Tell us, darling, why should we continue with the investigation? Is there something we need to know about Mr. Bates?" She looked at directly into her God-daughter's eyes as Pops stared on. "Mmm? Anything we need to know?"
Water had accumulated in the rims of her eyes, giving her away more than she would have preferred. It was no longer possible to hide her truth from them and she could not continue without their help. Feeling the need for extra support, she embraced Elsie's midsection and buried her head in her abundant bosom. Her face was no longer visible to them. Elsie embraced her girl back, giving her comfort and the security required to speak her truth.
"I love him," she offered shyly, but it was just loud enough to be discerned by her elders. She started sobbing immediately after her declaration.
Elsie did not move, mindful of Anna still attached to her, but Pops did. His initial reaction was to shake his head, slowly, in agony, as he closed his eyes and rubbed his temple. Thank God Anna wasn't looking at him. He took a few steps to be closer and put his hand on her back. Even if he wasn't convinced by Mr. Bates, his little girl was hurting and he needed to be supportive. He rubbed her back gently, and listened as her sobs subsided. When she was calm, he addressed the situation. They needed to know exactly what that meant and how deep her involvement ran.
He breathed in to get a clear head and in as neutral a voice as he could conjure, he questioned her further. "Anna dear, you've been working very closely with him for a couple of months now. It would be natural for you to feel a loyalty to him. "
Before he could continue, Anna pulled back to finally face them. Her face was splotchy, but determined.
"It's not loyalty… I know I broke our cardinal rule of not getting involved with the clients, but I couldn't help it. I've had feelings for him since we met and it was increasingly difficult for me to put them aside."
Freed from the embrace, Elsie asked, "What does this mean, dear? Have you…." Elsie struggled to find the words, but the evident pain in her eyes made it clear to Anna that she wanted to know the details.
"Yes. I've slept with him."
Elsie's jaw dropped and Pops eyes widened in disbelief. Neither thought that Anna's attachment had been at this level. Sleeping with him? How long had they really known each other?
"But…he's married." Elsie reached out for her hand, trying to be supportive and understand at the same time. "Is that what you want?"
Pops added his own question which was highly different than Elsie's.
"Did Mr. Bates seduce you?" He emphasized the word seduce and there was a hint of rancor in his tone. His protective side was winning over his prudence. Part of him lived in denial and thought his little girl was still a virgin. Any man getting too close to her was a seducer, no matter how consensual her relationships were.
Annoyed at the question, Anna answered with defiance and passion. "Mr. Bates did not seduce me. I was a willing participant." She ran her hand through her hair, and then breathed in deeply, catching her breath, and wanting to answer the other questions with a clearer head. She knew that Pops meant well, but he could be infuriating sometimes. "I struggled for a while, precisely because he is married. I don't fancy myself a home wrecker. Their marriage has been over for at least a decade and nothing happened until we had the proof of Vera's infidelity. We succumbed to our feelings after he filed for divorce. I wouldn't have allowed anything before then."
"But that was two weeks ago," Elsie added as she made calculations in her head. How could it be so recent and she not know about this?
"Yes." Anna's answer was matter of fact, and showed no emotion. "It's not been long at all." Even if her relationship with him was recent, she felt very strongly for him; Perhaps stronger than she had ever felt for anyone else.
"What about him? Does he feel the same way?" Elsie didn't know if that would make a difference or not in her decision to go ahead and continue helping. The romantic side of her hoped that he did, for Anna's sake and so that Pops could reconcile his mind to this situation. Since Anna confessed the intimate nature of their relationship, his eyebrows had not come down from the high level they reached. Whenever he disapproved of something, it was evident in his eyebrows and they were as high as she'd ever seen them.
Anna calmed down. "I don't know. We've just spent this last weekend together and it was glorious. We've not exchanged any declarations, either of us, but I know he cares for me deeply. It was hard for him to do this. I could tell in every way. Neither of us made the decision lightly and nobody except Robert and Mary, and now you, know about us. I don't know about him, but I LOVE HIM and I hope that is enough for you to help me."
Elsie's heart fluttered when she heard her girl talk about love. Anna never used the term lightly. She was almost convinced.
After her declaration, Anna took each one of their hands into hers. Her eyes were filling with tears again and she could tell that Pops was softening under her touch. His eyebrows were descending to a more natural position. He was a softy, never able to hold a grudge against her for long. She didn't do it on purpose, but she knew she had him wrapped around her little finger and she could always get him to see her side and agree with her.
"We may not have gotten together under the right circumstances and I know that you probably have a lot of hesitation to get involved, but I need your help. John Bates is innocent. I know he is. He is a marvelous man and I wish you could know him the way I do. They've accused him of something I know he is not capable of. It is Vera's revenge, what's done this. He, himself, predicted this would happen. I need to clear his name and I cannot do it alone. Please…. Will you help me?"
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Elsie walked several feet behind Vera. They'd followed her to the Monks Cross Shopping complex and parked close to where her vehicle had been left. She had descended quickly and Elsie donned her favorite disguise, the colorful hijab she wore over a longer more covered dress. This outfit always allowed her to roam freely, as most of her features were not discernible in it. It was not difficult to trail her subject, especially in the type of set up for this open air shopping zone. The Stores were line up in a sort of square, with the parking in the middle, which meant you could hide among the cars and still observe anybody you wanted.
Both Elsie and Pops had acquiesced to such an impassioned plea from their god-daughter and now, here they were, only a couple of hours later, following the purported mastermind of Mr. Bates' troubles. Elsie wasn't sure that finding the God-forsaken lover was important anymore, but Anna insisted that it could all be tied together and with an absence of immediate information regarding the actual charges levied against him, it was still important for them to know exactly what Vera was up to - Who she was talking to and what she was doing - regardless if it had to do with the lover or not. Finding the lover might come of it.
Vera made her way to the Starbucks, the one right next to the Costa coffee shop and sat down at a table. Two competing chains offering the exact same products, situated next to each other? Elsie would never understand the allure of the expensive coffee fad, but judging by how full both establishments were, others were suckered into it. There was a healthy dose of customers everywhere, but not too many to obstruct her view. Standing behind a mid-sized car, two rows back, she was still able to notice that Vera hadn't ordered anything yet. That meant Elsie could wait a little while longer. She'd wait to enter when whomever she was meeting arrived. Elsie heard her phone beep and pulled it out. It was a message from Charles.
WILLIAM MASON GPS REPORTS HE IS ENTERING MONKS CROSS NOW.
What? Could they be that lucky? One of the four lover candidates here? It couldn't mean anything else but another clandestine meeting being set up in a much less private place. Perhaps, since Vera had been caught, the identity of the lover was no longer important and meeting publicly was more comfortable than the interior of a van in a car lot. Now that her husband was in prison, she could afford to be more open.
Elsie struggled in her mind to remember which one of the lot was William. All four of the men were good looking in the pictures. Was he the pilot? Or was that Gregson? Mmmm. No….. she could remember Anna saying that William was a sweet young man and he was the one that she worked with to paint the helicopter that one time she went on the Make a Wish flight. He must be the mechanic, then, the one who looked the youngest of them all. Well, it made no sense in trying to get a mental picture. If he was coming towards Vera, he'd be here soon and she'd know.
I SEE HIM NOW, she texted to Charles, when the handsome young man walked towards the coffee shop. Now she recognized him. He was definitely the young, good looking mechanic. He wasn't wearing anything too fancy and given the time it was, he must have come straight from work. It wasn't even 7pm yet. Unexpectedly, he did not enter the Starbucks, but the Costa coffee house situated right next to it instead. As did Vera, instead of ordering, he went straight in to sit down. He looked nervous and fidgeted in his seat constantly. Elsie could observe both of them and Vera looked calm and in control. It was strange really. Both of them were sitting in almost parallel tables, on opposite sides of the same wall and none was any the wiser that the other was there. Could they have gotten their appointment settings mixed up? Elsie expected one of them to pull their mobile and place a call to the other any moment now.
She waited and the minutes passed. Neither made a move and both retained their external demeanor – William was fidgety and Vera was self-assured and haughty.
Really? Are both of you so daft that you can't figure it out? Nobody was listening, yet Elsie was talking to herself and discussing this situation out loud.
"As-salamu alaykum"Elsie heard behind her and she jumped from the shock. She didn't think anybody could hear her. She turned to find a nice looking young man staring at her. She knew no Arabic, but recognized the words he pronounced as the greeting used by Muslims around the world. The way he pronounced it, it sounded like singing, beautifully spoken, and she knew he wasn't saying it only for her sake because of the way she was dressed. He must be Muslim himself. Oh Lord. The last thing she wanted to do was to offend anyone, especially by wearing traditional Muslim women's clothing. She didn't know how he would take it if he knew. Most Muslims were peace loving individuals, but the fanatical weirdoes that made up the minority lived everywhere, possibly including Yorkshire. It would be a horror to run into one now.
"As sala – alai-kom," repeated back Elsie as she smiled, sure that she had butchered the greeting and revealed herself to be non-Muslim in the process.
He looked confused, evidence to confirm what she was just thinking. "Non-Muslim?" he asked graciously.
There was no way she would pull off a convincing ruse now, not with somebody who was obviously well-versed on the customs. Somebody Christian – maybe. A Muslim? Never. It was better to concede defeat, if it could be called that.
"Yes." She looked sheepishly at him, not knowing what to expect from her confession.
"May Allah bless you, then." Bless him back, she thought. He was the non-fanatical type. Relieved, He looked amiable, peaceful even, when he said that and Elsie reasoned he must think her a nut case to be wearing Muslim clothing as a non-Muslim. He moved forward with keys in his hand and that was when Elsie realized she had been blocking his car. The car she had been hiding against, and leaning on while she spied, was his. That made it even more embarrassing.
"I am so sorry." She moved to the side to let him through and walked a few feet away in the process. The gentleman took his time leaving, and she was forced to pretend to have a purpose elsewhere. With no further direct access to both coffee store windows, she decided to just go into one of them, until she could reposition herself again. The closest was the Costa, so she went in. William hardly noticed as she paid for a bottle of water, the most affordable item in the refrigerated case and walked back out. The spot belonging to the Muslim fellow had been vacated and another car had already parked in its spot and she walked back. She was surprised to find Vera no longer inside. She had only been gone for five minutes and William was still there. Where could this woman be?
She heard her phone buzzing with an incoming text message again.
SHE'S DRIVING OUT. WHERE ARE YOU? Charles wrote and Elsie scratched her head. What had just happened?
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The piles of documents were now spread around the living room and pinned to the walls of the same space. Her bedroom was no longer big enough and she would need to branch out if she wanted to visualize all the documents she had amassed. She didn't care if she didn't sleep for days and she didn't care if Mary objected to the mess. They could live with the chaos and it was her flat. She wouldn't let him languish in prison and she wouldn't allow Vera to get away with whatever she was doing.
She was busy pinning copies of Vera's conversation transcripts to the inside of their front door when her phone buzzed alerting her to another tweet that mentioned her handle. She dreaded to look at it, knowing it was not her Mr. Bates with another sweet saying or reminder of a nostalgic moment between them. He didn't have his phone anymore, he couldn't possible tweet. That meant it could only be one other person - incognitohelper.
Reluctantly, she read the message.
eyeinthesky I HATE SAYING I TOLD YOU SO. I DIDN'T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN. TIME TO GET HIM OUT. I WILL HELP.
Wait… What? The tweeter was a friend, not a foe? Anna placed both hands on her head, covering her eyes. It was true the cyber troll was trying to warn them about something and had not actually threatened in anyway, but why would this person, if they had any information at all of an impending action, choose to stay quiet instead of coming forward? Helping was good, but they were certainly going about it in an odd fashion. And what type of help did they think they could provide if they were always only tweeting?
She called Joseph Molesley out of desperation. He was already aware of the situation, Elsie having called him as soon as Anna left their house that afternoon. He had sent her an email, asking her what she wanted him to do. She'd not responded yet.
"Hello Sweetheart," he answered excitedly and she sighed before she responded.
"Hello Joe. Have you had any luck with the mystery tweeter? I just got another message right now. It would really help if I knew who this person is."
Anna heard him make a sound of frustration. It was a cross between a roar and yelp.
"I am trying, but this opponent is really good. As soon as my logarithm starts to catch up, it speeds up the coding process and changes number letter combination that I had already discerned. It's a little annoying that it is that good."
"Alright. Thanks for the effort." There was no sense in urging him on. He sounded upset enough as it was.
"What else do you need? I heard that you might require more of my help soon."
"Yes. I am looking for some answers, but in the meantime, can you provide as much detail, again, regarding all of Mr. Bates' accounts and all of the corresponding withdrawals and deposits? You had already determined that there was something funny going on and that is precisely what I imagine Vera provided the police. Let's go deeper if we can, shall we?"
"I'll see what I can do. Hopefully, I'll have something for you by tomorrow."
"Great, Thank you."
Anna went back to the spread of papers she had accumulated. Let's see, where were we?
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"What the hell did they put in this mattress to make it so lumpy? John couldn't imagine that in the state it was in, this could be its natural form. He smoothed the lumps with hand but it didn't help much. Perhaps if he changed orientation, lying on the other side, he might encounter a smoother surface. A few minutes later, after he had turned, he discovered it was of no use. Either end, or side, was just as shoddy as the other. He imagined hundreds of different persons had slept in it to make it the lopsided entity it was today.
He sighed. He best get used to this for the next few days. It was unlikely that he would be let out any time soon. When the police arrived to take him, even with the impending menace that Vera's trip to the police station could represent, he was caught off guard. Anna was surprised too. He could barely face her, but when he glanced a look, she was weary with worry. She and Gwen were clutched together - his two most loyal girls. What would they think of him now? What was to become of his relationship with Anna? He wouldn't blame her if she never spoke to him again. There was nothing else in it for her now, so she would probably leave him. The thought made him cry and for once, he appreciated that in this dingy cell he was all alone. Nobody could overhear him sob at the mess he had made of his life. Where would he be if Callum hadn't died and if Vera had never come into his life? Would he still be in the military, maybe stationed in far off Afghanistan? Could any of his Friday night dates evolved into becoming his wife and giving him a couple of kids? He pondered how different his life could have been. He didn't know what to think. He just wanted whatever the next phase in his life would be, to start. Anything was better than this limbo.
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"John, are you ok?" Matthew was back at the prison, visiting John the next morning. His client did not appear well; the dark circles under his eyes making him look haggard.
"I'm fine. I've not slept at all and my hip could not get any rest on that excuse for a mattress that was my bed, but forget about that, just tell me what you know."
"I have the information from the prosecutor. It is currently a bit flimsy, if you ask me, but I suspect that they will shore up this charge with additional information as they prepare to charge you formally."
"What is it that I did beyond just 'embezzlement'?" John still couldn't figure it out.
"The prosecutor has a series of withdrawals from your main company account into a personal account of yours in Switzerland. These withdrawals don't abide by your company's modus operandi for distributions to owners and it goes as far back as six years and is now worth 5 million pounds."
"Switzerland? I don't have an account in Switzerland. I've never had one, to be quite honest. This is preposterous." John's temper flared. "5 million? How is this even possible?"
Matthew put an arm on his shoulder to calm him down. "Well, that's a start. We'll have to figure out how it was opened and we'll look at all the detail concerning those withdrawals."
John did calm down. The tone in Matthew's voice gave him comfort.
"We'll be called into court in a few days for a formal charging and when that happens, we will declare you innocent, if you agree."
"Absolutely," he answered with complete enthusiasm.
Matthew's mood changed. "John, I have to ask you about something." He appeared apprehensive. "Anna came to me yesterday." Matthew noticed how John averted his gaze at the mention of her.
"Oh?" he asked, very non-chalantly.
"She retained me as her lawyer just so that she could share, under confidentiality, that you and she are involved and that she intends to get you out."
John's heart fluttered. Anna wasn't chucking him out? She still wanted to be a part of this? He allowed a small smile to splay across his lips. How did he get that lucky?
"Judging by the smile, I get the feeling that you agree with what she told me?" John nodded in affirmation and Matthew continued with his questioning. "John, I am not here to judge you, but… so close to your divorce settlement and you are having an affair? That is asking for trouble."
"I agree." John had nothing to contest the statement with. It was simply not prudent, just as Matthew had explained. "It's recent, but there is something about her and well, the pull towards each other could not be stopped…." He reflected, then added quickly, "….and it didn't really start until after the papers were filed." As if it could really make a difference judicially; it did in his heart and mind, but the courts would not see it that way.
"I see." He sighed, thinking of an appropriate response. "As your lawyer, I need to make sure that the knowledge of this relationship does not get out. It can ruin a lot of things for us."
"I agree. Only Mary and Robert knew and Anna understood that we could not go public until after my divorce and the partnership dissolution was settled. She agreed to keep it private and I believe that she wouldn't do anything to ruin that."
"Even so, this situation that you are in puts that information in jeopardy. She wants to be a part of this case and help clear your name. I've agreed to use her information to help, but she wants to see you and I think that is dangerous. Your visitor list could be subpoenaed at any time and we could not justify it in any way; not even making it work related. Her cover as your private investigator would be in jeopardy too. It is up to you, but I don't agree."
John's eyes crinkled with happiness, then immediately changed to concern. As much as having her here would brighten his day, he simply could not take the risk.
"I agree. She shouldn't be here for all the reasons you state…. and she shouldn't see me like this either."
"She sent a note for you, with me. Do you want to read it?"
"Of course," exulted a nervous Mr. Bates.
Matthew handed the folded piece of paper that he had stored in his briefcase. He unfolded the neatly written document nervously, as he was anxious to hear from her.
Dear John,
He hadn't even read the missive and he was already thrilled that she had addressed him by his first name. It made this note much more intimate.
I don't have much time, so this is a quick note. I want you to know that Carson's Private Investigators, and I in particular, will do everything possible to sort this out and make sure that Vera is exposed. Getting you out is the most important job I've ever had, so you must not worry that you will be alone and forgotten. I could never forget you. No matter what happens between us in the future, this is not the place for you and I will see to that. I cannot rest until I see you happy and free.
I have asked Matthew to figure out a way to allow me to see you. I hope you will agree. I will do it under any terms he specifies.
I miss you already,
Anna
Her words did raise his spirits. She was lovely to continue on. He also noticed how careful she was in addressing their future and it seemed she wouldn't hold the power to help him ransom against some promise to be together. That made him love her even more.
John looked back at Matthew sheepishly. "I would like to answer her. Can I?"
Matthew handed him a sheet of paper and pen. "I'll have to take it to her, as I cannot approve that you use any prison services to mail or telephone each other." John acknowledged but kept writing. "Every letter is read and every call is recorded. The only way to protect you right now and not have you lose every last penny is if this never comes to light. Everything will have to be through me."
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"Matthew, I'm afraid I have a bit of a situation. I've not told anyone yet and I worry that telling John will impact his mood, but I feel I have no choice."
Matthew had called Anthony to visit him in his office, as it would be easier and safer to talk that way.
"I met with the team yesterday and I told them that they should not be worried, but they should."
"Why, what's going on?" Matthew's face demonstrated real worry.
"As part of their investigation, the police have frozen all but one of our company accounts. Since the alleged embezzlement happened from our main account, we cannot access any funds from it until all is resolved."
Matthew did not look shocked and shook his head. "I feared something like that might happen, but I've not told John because we need to spread out the shocks evenly."
"The thing is… we have another minor account, one that I always keep with some funds for a company emergency, but that does not have enough cash to fund more than two weeks of operation. Any payments we get from customers, I can start funneling into the new account, but I cannot foresee that this money could cover some large upcoming helicopter lease payments that are due. We planned for these and accrued the funds specifically from the other account. The bottom line is, we need a cash injection to be able to meet our payroll and lease obligations in about three weeks' time."
Matthew was concerned now. The last thing he wanted to see was Bates Airlift go bankrupt. He didn't think any bank would loan money to a company whose owner and CEO was being held in jail. There were not a lot of options.
Matthew feared the answer but asked anyway. "What do you suggest?"
"I hate to say this, but, we either attempt to barrow from a bank - which would likely not approve us and if they did, at a very high interest rate - and it will require Vera Bates to agree, as part owner too. I can already anticipate that she will not want to."
"And what else?" asked an impatient Matthew who already had anticipated his answer.
"…or, Mr. Bates sells part of his ownership stake and takes on a partner that has the liquidity to sustain us for at least another six months until our accounts are made available to us."
Matthew knew what that meant. For John to sell a stake in his company, he would no longer be on par with Vera and now, Mrs. Bates, as majority owner, could influence and do whatever she wanted. It didn't matter that the partnership dissolution hadn't been approved yet. She could still be lethal within that time frame.
"Would Vera be willing to sell a small partnership stake, equal to John's, so that they still keep the same percentage together?"
The wool had fallen recently from Anthony's eyes and he sighed. Before he found out about her infidelity and how she had strung him along and possibly even aided and abetted Edna, he would have believed her to be an angel. Now, he knew her to be no such thing. He didn't know the answer, but he was willing to bet that Vera didn't really care about the company. It would be in her best interest to do it, but, she had Mr. Bates against the wall. She knew he would do anything for his company.
With a heavy heart, he added, "I can ask her, but I doubt it very much. We need to prepare John for what might happen."
Matthew sighed. "There are companies that specialize in this type of investment. They look for somebody that is hurting and they offer money and then they try to increase their return on investment, no matter what destruction they make. Before you go out looking for investors that that could be more damaging than helpful, do you have any other ideas of a potential partner?"
Anthony smiled. "I do. Richard Carlisle is our man."
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A/N:
You weren't expecting that, were you? Will John have to take Richard on as his partner, despite everything he knows? Will Anna find the evidence to free John? Will we finally find out who the lover is? Answer to all these questions in the coming chapters. Stay tuned.
I'm off work until the New Year starts which will allow me to write. I will try to update with another chapter before year's end.