“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

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 by the building

Choosing his words?

already do naturally and as part of your job, but do it

“To you?”

my eyes and

“So, you want me to…. what?

spy. That would imply that I’m asking you to do something underhand or illegal and that’s not it at all. Really, all I’m asking you to do is something which comes easily to you, which is to watch the people around us for any kind of threat. I think

stomach. “Is

that kind of thing myself rather easily, even when I have to take Michael’s feelings into consideration. Despite Marcie’s remarks to the contrary, I am not so far

smile. “Yes, Michael did tell me what Marcie said, and it doesn’t faze me. That female has been trying to get her claws into Michael

“A

laughter

am I

to Charlotte, much more serious

words that leaves me thinking of the proverbial swan; all calm grace above water, frenzied activity down below, out of

“James….”

tell me more than that. It sounds as though you’re asking me to get involved in something

that of you. Other people, myself included, will deal with any threat you

What sort of

frustration passing over his features. “I wish I could answer that, but I can’t. In short, I want 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 out

For me to report what

all I’m

how do I

If you hit that alarm, Kirstie, it will

“Which other people?

“Michael for one….”

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