Dark Secrets

by Doug Pountain

  “We normally don’t do a great deal on Sundays, but if you have anything in mind just say”.

  “Thanks Carol”.

  “How did your meeting go last night Graham”? Asked Joyce.

  There was a little hesitation before he finally replied. “Better than we expected thank you”.

  “Carol tells me that you may be interested in working for me, is that correct”?

  “Well I do want to be independent and eventually get my own place, I really can’t sponge on your good nature forever”.

  “Don’t be silly, you are more than welcome. I have to go away on business quite often and sometimes Carol comes with me but again sometimes not, and so you would make me feel much better by being here with her, plus if you did work for me the barn goes with the job”.

  “Ah well in that case I am very interested, the barn is beautiful”.

  “Alright, but let’s talk more about that tomorrow shall we? We are having some friends over later and you will be more than welcome to join us for a meal if you want, but you can talk to Carol about that later”.

  The three of them continued to lay in the hot tub for about another 30 minutes before they all got out and dried off. Joyce put her dressing gown back on, whereas Carol and Graham remained naked. They all made their way into the kitchen and had toast and coffee before Joyce decided to make her way back to the barn.

  “Thanks for the swim”. Shouted Joyce as she left the house.

  “No problem, I will come over later and talk to you”. Said Carol, bye.

  Now on her own Joyce went upstairs and had a shower to wash off the chlorine from the pool. She decided to dress and then made her way downstairs and made a pot of coffee before sitting in the window seat looking down the drive trying to make some kind of sense out of her very new life during the past 24 hours.

  Her mind was drawn back to a time that was really only hours ago in relative terms where she could so easily have been so easily killed for no reason by her husband when he was in one of his violent moods, and then she thought back to yesterday and remembered the words of Barbara at the hairdressers who tried to kill her husband and who was more than happy to go to prison for it.

  “Why couldn’t I have had the courage to do that? There must be so many women out there who suffer abuse through fear of more of the same treatment, surely this can’t be right, why didn’t I kill that fucking piece of low life shit, and his sister”.

  Joyce suddenly became aware of a new sensation starting to take hold of her, she felt a rage building within her that she realised she must take firm control over, there was not going to be any way that she was willing to put her new life at risk, unless she was going to be able to get away with it, that is.

  The phone rang again but this time she had no fear of answering, “Do you want to come over for lunch”?

  “No thanks Carol, I have imposed on you enough, I am just going to have a sandwich, but I would like to walk round the gardens if I can”?

  “That’s not a problem, I will pop over with your set of security keys and explain how they work, see you shortly”.

  About 15 minutes later Carol appeared and presented Joyce with a keyring.

  “Right, as you walk around the garden you will see small wooden posts with a white reflector on them, and on this key ring is an infrared device that you must point at the post and press once, these are the motion sensors. If you don’t press the device the alarms will go off and all the external doors and windows including those here in the barn will automatically close and lock”.

  “Wow, you do take security very seriously”. Said Joyce.

  “We need to in our business as you will find out if Graham offers you a job, but believe me it will be worth taking, but again that must be your decision, are you coming over to join us”?

  “Maybe, it’s just that I don’t want to intrude on your private lives”.

  “Alright I understand, see you later or otherwise I will see you tomorrow, it’s up to you and your decision”. Said Carol.

  “Thanks for everything Carol”.

  “I really wish you would stop saying that”. She replied.

  Joyce returned to sit at the window as she watched Carol return home, and even though she wasn’t bothered in the slightest about him, she pondered on what her husband John had thought had happened to her, and how he had reacted at having no food ready for him when he returned to that dump that he called home. Maybe his sister had gone to see him, maybe the roof had fallen in and killed them both, oh that would have been so wonderful, but I don’t suppose miracles happen like that, I should be so lucky. She suddenly burst out laughing at her thoughts which was something that she hadn’t done sporadically for a few years.

  It was now early afternoon as the sun decided to finally show itself through a few small white fluffy clouds that were present in this otherwise cold grey sky, and so Joyce decided to try her luck at going round the very large gardens without setting off the alarms. To the right of the barn was a path which led down a sloping lawn to a small stream at the bottom, and Joyce decided she would go this way first, and to be fair the posts that Carol had told her about were reasonably visible. As she approached each one she pressed the key fob and there was an audible “beep beep” to indicate all was well. She arrived at the stream and sat on a small wooden bench and watched some small fish darting about in the reeds. She couldn’t believe that a lady such as Carol who was obviously very wealthy and well connected would turn out to be such a good friend when one was really needed, Joyce had forgotten what it was really like to have someone you could trust.

  She sat there for about an hour very deep in thought before she started to get cold and decided to return to the barn by a different route, it was not that the garden covered many acres, but it had been laid out to take you on different paths around many different flower beds when they were in bloom and each bed was different, it must have been truly beautiful when all the flowers were showing their true colours in the summer. While she was walking her mind wandered, and she suddenly thought that if Graham did offer her a job and she accepted, then this environment would be a bonus point of living in the barn as the house came with the job. But what could that job be to warrant living somewhere such as this, to Joyce it was a true paradise. She slowly made her way back, and as she opened the door to the barn she heard the squeaking sound of the driveway gates opening as Carol and Graham’s friends arrived.

  Joyce closed the door behind her and looked at her surroundings, this new woman was still very overcome with happiness, the oak beams, the beautiful tiled floor, a proper kitchen and bathroom, all this could be hers, but it would all depend on the interview tomorrow. In the centre of the end wall of the lounge was a large log burner, and though her old house had one, it had always been a chore to use it. But here it cried out to be loved and used, and as such she put on a firelighter and some kindling and watched as the flames took hold before putting on some logs that were neatly stacked at the side of the fire. As the evening went on Joyce decided not to put on any lights, instead she undressed and lay on the beautiful sheepskin rug in front of the log burner, watching the flames dancing about of their own freewill behind the glass.

  It was now 10pm and Joyce made coffee and looked out of the window just as Graham and Carol’s friends were leaving, there were five of them and they hugged and kissed each other before finally getting into their car and driving away. This was the sort of life she had always wanted and had dreamed of, and to be fair like every other young couple this is what she had expected when she originally married John her husband. She hadn’t expected great wealth. But she had expected love and respect and at least some form of feeling alive. Joyce returned to the warmth of the fire with her coffee for another half an hour or so before making her way to bed, but she was also aware of how excited she was at the thought of working again, fingers crossed, she said to herself, I am going to give it everything I have.

  The next morning she awoke t
o find the weather much different, outside it was now cold and raining, Joyce looked at the clock but it was still only 7am. Her problem was that this was Monday and a normal working day and so she wanted to be ready for whatever the day would bring, but she also had no idea about Graham and Carol’s working day, what time did they start, how long did they work, so many questions but so few answers. Her mind was drawn to her interview that she hoped would take place sometime today. She made her way into the bathroom and showered and did her hair and makeup before selecting a very smart pair of trousers and a blouse that she thought would be appropriate for such an important business meeting.

  Now ready to face the day she made her way downstairs and had some toast and coffee before sitting by the window looking out for some kind of movement from across the drive, but all to no avail. It was eventually 9am before Carol finally came out of her house in her dressing gown and slippers to collect the newspaper from the box on the gate, she turned and waved to Joyce and went back into the house. A few minutes later the phone rang.

  “Good morning, can you come over please Joyce, Graham would like to see you”.

  Joyce didn’t need telling twice, and so she quickly grabbed an umbrella from the stand by the door and left the barn. But it then suddenly dawned on her that she had forgotten about the security alarms as suddenly the siren went off, and even though it was broad daylight all the security lights came on all along the drive and throughout the gardens.

  “Dam, I didn’t bring my alarm controller with me either, what a prat I have made of myself already”.

  Joyce quickly returned to the barn, but it was too late, the alarm had done exactly as Carol had said and locked all the doors. She turned and quickly ran down the drive and knocked on Carol’s window, but as she looked in the kitchen, Joyce could see her crying with laughter at her demise and embarrassment.

  “Please let me in, she shouted, it’s pissing down out here”.

  The alarm had been going for several minutes now and to be fair it was very loud, Carol finally turned it off and opened the door to let a somewhat damp Joyce into her house.

  “I am so sorry, I was so excited that I completely forgot about the alarm”. Said Joyce.

  “That’s no problem, but I bet you never forget again, having said that it was funny”. Replied Carol.

  “Not for me it wasn’t, I got all “poshed” up in anticipation of my interview”. Replied Joyce who was by now very embarrassed.

  Carol made a fresh pot of coffee and the girls sat down in the kitchen. “Have you had breakfast Joyce”?

  “Yes thank you, I had some toast” she replied trying to look unflustered by her experience, but still also a little damp, and a few moments later Graham came into the kitchen dressed in jeans and a tee shirt.

  “Wow, you look posh Joyce, are you going somewhere”? He asked.

  “I would like to think so, I had forgotten just how good it is to be properly dressed again”. She replied as her confidence started to rise after being so badly deflated only a few minutes earlier by her experience with the alarm system.

  “Well I think you look great, even if you are a little damp”. He said.

  “Right let’s go into my office and get started shall we”.

  “Good luck”. Shouted Carol as she held her crossed fingers in the air.

  Joyce followed him out of the kitchen and down a corridor before arriving at a large oak door and to one side on the wall was a keypad entry point. Graham stood in front of it while he entered his code to unlock the door. Joyce followed him into the room to find several work stations around the walls with separate computers at each point, but there were no windows and the lighting was also very subdued and this gave the large office an air of calm which Joyce found very reassuring.

  “Right Joyce, I am not going to tell you what I do or what your role would be until I find out if you have lost all or any of your skills that Carol tells me you once had when you were working, and only then can I tell you what is required if that’s alright with you”?

  “I have no problem with that at all”. She said.

  Joyce was now feeling very nervous and also very vulnerable, she wanted this life very badly, and no matter what was required she was prepared to give it everything she had, the old Joyce was, even after this short space of time dead and buried and was never to be resurrected again.

  “I understand that numbers are your thing and I am also told you are a very able mathematician, is that right”? Said Graham.

  “Yes, but I maybe a little rusty”. She replied.

  “Let me stop you right there Joyce if I may. You have just given me an excuse why I shouldn’t employ you and that isn’t what I asked for, I will do whatever I can to help you, but my work is very specific and so there are no second chances, and also please don’t expect any favours from me, so I will ask you once again, are you or are you not good with numbers”?

  This very direct question threw her completely, but her new found confidence and desire to improve her lot finally came to the fore.

  “Yes I am very good with numbers”. She now replied.

  “Right, well in that case then solve these”.

  And graham past her a notebook and a separate sheet of paper with some very complex calculations on it for her to solve

  “You have 10 minutes”.

  Graham now really put the pressure on her to perform, he wanted to know that the years of mental and physical abuse she had suffered at the hands of her bastard husband had not made “mush” of her brains, and he was not to be disappointed.

  Well within time she past him back the notebook with the completed calculations, but Graham had to check the answers with a calculator, he was good, but not that good.

  “How did I do”? Asked Joyce.

  “Not bad, but you could with some practice to improve as I know you can”.

  Joyce’s hands were now a little shaky and sweaty, she knew this interview was no were near complete and that a great deal more was to come, this was obviously not a 9 till 5. Job with an hour for lunch.

  “Right I am now going to test your powers of observation, can you stand up please Joyce”? And as she stood she also realised that her legs were also quite wobbly.

  “Right now you have one minute to look around this room and memorise as many items as possible starting now”.

  Joyce was a logical person by nature, and so she realised that any item facing her was no good as it would be too obvious, she looked all around as the seconds ticked away, she didn’t move her head to look, instead she turned her whole body so as not to give any clues as to exactly which direction she was looking in.

  “Time up, please turn around and look at me”.

  “What distance away is the door”?

  “About 3 metres”.

  “Which side is the handle as you are facing me”?

  “It is to my left as I face you”.

  “What is on the floor behind you one metre to your right as you face the other way”?

  And for the first time Joyce was beat. “I don’t know”. She replied.

  “Ok, on the photo of Carol on the wall, what else is present”?

  There was a short pause as she racked her brains trying to remember,

  “A fish, it’s a fish”.

  “Well done”. He said,

  “No not for me it isn’t, I couldn’t remember what was on the floor”.

  And she turned to look for the item she had missed, but the floor was clear, there was nothing there at all.

  “Look, let me say that most people if they are unsure of something will nearly always make something up, but by doing so it could easily be assumed as being correct. But if you work for me that’s not anyway near good enough, it has to be exactly right and not near enough, you need to be correct and not near enough”. He told her.

  Graham also went on to check Joyce for colour blindness, hearing and eyesight.

  “Right, one more thing and then we are complete f
or the moment”. And he gave her a piece of A4 paper which had been copied from a book, but all the spaces between the words were missing plus many of the words had also been written in reverse.

  “Right you have 15 minutes to decode the sheet and retype it correctly and your time started when I picked up the sheet 2 minutes ago”.

  Joyce was completely thrown by this statement and just stared at the paper for a couple of minutes before she finally began to write. The pressure in her mind was immense as she slowly decrypted the text on the sheet. Even though her future may depend on this one last test she held her composure and carried on.

  “Right stop, your time is up, let’s see how well you did”?

  “I am so sorry, I only got about three quarters of the way through, so I suppose that is the end of that then”. And the look of disappointment on Joyce’s face said it all.

  “I have failed, haven’t I”? She said.

  Graham looked at her face which now had a small tear falling from her eye.

  “This is one thing you personally have to get over without any help from anyone, you lived with that heap of shit for so long that you naturally assume you have lost. What you have to realise is that in my work your glass must always be half full and never, and I say never! Half empty, that’s for losers, do you understand”? Said Graham, now with a firmness in his voice.

  “I took that test myself and I got so frustrated that I screwed it up and threw the fucking thing on the floor in disgust, now go back to Carol while I have a think”.

  Joyce made her way back to the kitchen with her shoulders shrugged very much regretting not doing better in the tests. She now found Carol dressed and making coffee. “How did you get on”? She asked.

  “I think I fucked up”. Said Joyce.

  “Look you must not assume anything, do you realise you have been in there nearly 2 hours”?

  “It felt like much longer Carol”. Said Joyce.

  Carol looked at Joyce who was by now very deflated by her performance.

  “As I said to you Joyce, if he gives you a job it’s because he thinks you can do it, he will give you no favours because of who you are”.