*****

I wait until I am sure and then press the button below my desk. Then I tap onto the intercom. “Francis, is Mr Alexanders there?”

“He is, Kirstie, I’ll pass you through.”

“Hello, Kirstie. What can I do for you? Is this connected to the message that just came to my phone?”

“Yes, there’s a man in the cafe over the road, and he’s watching this building; everyone that comes in and out. I thought it was my imagination at first, but he’s definitely watching.”

“I’m on my way.”

Within two minutes, the elevator doors open and James steps out, making a point I think, of walking deliberately casually. He leans against my desk, his back to the front windows propping himself with arms folded, looking down at me as if he is simply chatting.

“Can you point him out to me, please.”

“He’s just left, while you were coming down. But I caught him on my phone camera.”

“Let me see.” He peers in at the two-inch image on my tiny screen.

“I’m sorry it’s not very good. I was trying not to be conspicuous about it and I couldn’t hold the phone still very easily.”

“Don’t worry about that, Kirstie. Email it to me and I’ll take a proper look at it.”

“Can you do anything with it? I don’t know much about this image-enhancing stuff.”

“No, but I do.”

“You do?”

He glances askance at me. “There’s a reason that I’m the Technical Director here, you know.”

office. “Mrs Gillis, can you man the

*****

James’ laptop, a grainy shot

you point him

the blurred face of a fair-haired man seated by

the image is

into a

you know him?” I

long was

minutes that I noticed. I thought I was imagining things at first, but after a while I was sure

very well. May I see your phone

“My phone?”

is impatient, and he holds out his hand, curling his fingers in a ‘Gimme’

at it, back and front, looking unimpressed, then says “Unlock it please.” As I hesitate, “I don’t want to spy on your photo collection. I need to check

passcode and return it to him. He taps the screen, running through menus. After only a few moments, he comments, “Mmmm, not a fantastic model, is

“I think your pockets are a bit deeper than

raises his brows. “My apologies, Kirstie. I meant no offence. Of course, you buy what you can afford, but in this case, given the excellent

“Er, no….”

???

ordered for you with a decent camera and a lot more memory. I’d

It’s just what was being used on the desk when I started the job, to book visitors

thoughts, it would look a bit odd for me to be sitting at the reception desk….” He stands, opens the door and sticks his head out. “Francis, could you pop down to the lobby please and bring up

on the door: Francis, looking at me

James, “What’s

“kirstie-01”

at me askance. “I think we can improve on that as a password,

never really thought about it. I didn’t think the information in

he comments, jabbing at

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