“Us?”

“Charlotte, myself and Michael.”

“Right, so….?

“I’ve been quite impressed with your performance….”

Really?

“Really?”

“Yes, really. I liked the way you dealt the situation out on the street the other day, and Ben in the downstairs lobby; even, dare I say it, the situation when Ben dragged you to our home, although I’ll admit, that’s with the benefit of hindsight.”

I flush. “You didn’t seem very impressed at the time.”

He rolls his eyes ceiling-ward. “Yes, I’ve never apologised for that, have I….”

“I don’t think you have a lot to apologise for, Sir. I feel terrible about it….”

“Well, get over it. It’s in the past. I want to talk about where we go from here. It seems to me that you handle yourself rather well in awkward situations and that being the case, I have a favour to ask of you.”

What’s he talking about?

“Right…. what is this favour?”

Perhaps I look suspicious. For a moment, he meets my eyes, his gaze level, expressionless; then he says, “Don’t misunderstand my motives, Kirstie. I’m not about to go dipping my nib in the office ink. It would be horribly unprofessional of me, and also, regardless of what Ben might think, I’m a married man.”

I flush. “I didn’t mean that at all.”

“Good. But for the avoidance of doubt….”

change

what is

man the lobby desk right through the day. You are in a key position. You see everyone who comes in or out of the building; workers, visitors, delivery men, couriers.… everyone. They all must go by you. You also see a lot of what passes

Choosing his words?

part

“To you?”

my eyes and ears

sip my coffee, digesting his words. “So, you want me to…. what?

you, which is to watch the people around us for any kind of threat. I think you are a ‘people-person’, good at assessing them, weighing them up, gauging their intent. That’s perfect in any case in the work you are doing. But now, it will

suspicion crawl through my stomach. “Is

feelings into consideration. Despite Marcie’s remarks to the contrary, I am not so far

has been trying to get her claws into Michael for years. It must have come as a nasty shock to her to realise that some other woman had finally succeeded where

laugh. “A woman

flashes his brows, laughter dancing

what am I watching for,

threats to Charlotte, much

that leaves me thinking of

“James….”

think you have to tell me more than that. It sounds as though you’re asking me to get

of you. Other people, myself included, will deal with

sort of

you to watch for anything that….” He holds up both hands in a gesture of helplessness, “…. anything that doesn’t seem right. Odd strangers, people behaving

me to report what

that’s all I’m asking

how do I

second panic button has been installed. If you hit that alarm, Kirstie, it will come directly to my phone, and

“Which other people?

“Michael for one….”

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