Veil of Lies

by Nicky Charles

  There was a brief knock on his door and, before he could say ‘enter’, it opened.

  He bit back his annoyance as Director Higgins walked in.

  “Fielding, glad you’re here.” Higgins stopped in front of the desk and looked down at him, giving a quick nod and a perfunctory smile.

  “What can I do for you today, sir?” Fielding rose to his feet, not liking the man towering over him. Standing he was an inch or two taller than the director, a fact that had the corners of Higgins’ mouth tightening as he was forced to move his gaze upwards.

  “I read the report about the security leak. Any idea as to the source?”

  “No. Not yet.” Fielding paused, carefully phrasing his next statement. “I wasn’t aware you’d seen the report. It was only handed to me an hour ago.”

  “I keep abreast of the issues, you know that.”

  “Of course.” He nodded while inwardly frowning. Actually, the man usually said he didn’t want to be bothered with reports.

  Higgins began to wander the office, stopping to study the view, then a commendation that was framed and sitting on top of the filing cabinet. “You’re a good man, Fielding.” He tapped the certificate. “You’ve put in a lot of years at Lycan Link. Don’t wait too long to take some time for yourself though. You need to get out there and enjoy life.”

  “Thank you for your concern, but as I’ve said before, I’m hoping to stay until I get my full pension.”

  “I care about my team. Your well-being is important to me. Just remember, money isn’t everything.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  Higgins wandered back to the desk and reached out to pick up one of the thumb drives. “These are the items that caused the problem?”

  “Not exactly. The data on them is bogus.”

  “But the original information…?” He studied the item then set it back down.

  “We believe it was intercepted and destroyed, however we can’t be one hundred percent sure.”

  “Ah yes. That bear shifter and the hacker; they’re not official employees. We’d better check they didn’t keep copies for themselves.”

  “I have IT working on minimizing the potential risk. It will take some time but—”

  “An excess of precaution. Excellent. I’ll use that in my news release.” Higgins rubbed his hands together.

  “A news release? Are you sure that’s wise?”

  “There’ll be rumours. We need to let our people know we’re on top of things. That any attempt to infiltrate our system, no matter how small, will be dealt with swiftly and severely.”

  “Severely? I’m not sure what you mean.”

  “Not your concern, Fielding. Not your concern. As for this data leak, keep me abreast of any developments as soon as they arise.” Higgins turned to leave then stopped with his hand on the door handle. “And don’t forget what I said about getting out of here. It would be a shame if you kept working longer than you should.” He left, pulling the door shut behind him.

  Fielding sat down and eased back in his chair replaying the conversation in his mind. Had there been a veiled threat in Higgins’ words? Or had he been at the job too long and was getting paranoid?

  He reached for the phone, planning to set up a meeting with Reno, one of the few people in the organization whose integrity he trusted completely. Getting another perspective on the situation helped. They could meet somewhere in town and hash things out except… He paused, his gaze caught by the thumb drives on his desk. Dante was involved. How much of that did he dare share? How much could he share? Letting his hand drop back onto the arm of the chair, he reconsidered his strategy.

  It was better to keep Reno out of this as long as possible. If they seemed too cozy, how long would it be before Reno came under scrutiny?

  He scanned his office, not for the first time wondering exactly who was privy to what he said within the four walls. It was damned inconvenient having to second-guess every word he spoke. Opening his desk drawer, he swept the thumb drives inside and then pushed it shut.

  Yes, he’d handle this without Reno as long as possible. But he did need some boots on the ground, someone to do some fact checking.

  He pulled up a file on his computer and began to search his resources. They’d recently started a new unit. It was a mixed batch of shifter species, halves and even some humans who, by a twist of fate, had grown up in packs. Humans, coyotes, foxes, halves…who would have thought the day would come that they’d be part of Lycan Link?

  Lou knew it was a cliché to say life goes on but that’s what it did. Days drifted by becoming weeks and then a month. Sometimes she could almost believe the events of the summer had never occurred except there was now an empty feeling in her heart. A feeling that only disappeared at night when her dreams were filled with memories of Armand and she’d imagine his arms holding her, his voice whispering her name as he made slow, sweet love to her.

  When she’d begun living in Chicago after the attack that almost killed her, she’d missed him but now it was ten times worse. As she’d tried to explain to Roxi, it was like crème brûlée; you might see it on a menu and think you want it, however you can’t miss it if you’ve never had it. But once you take that first taste… Well, Armand was her crème brûlée and she was definitely going into withdrawal.

  She did her best to keep busy, down time giving her too many opportunities to dwell on whether or not she’d made the right choice. What if she’d returned to Stump River? What if she’d begged Armand to stay? What if, what if, what if… But she’d made her choice and he’d made his; so she started her fall courses at college, continued to volunteer at the centre and worked at the King’s Plate which was becoming a hub of activity and change. With Kathy and Jeff gone, new staff had been hired; a woman named Marisol was now the chef. She was friendly and talented, making suggestions to upgrade the menu by adding a new twist to the standard fare and more health-conscious modern choices, as well.

  “What’s this green stuff?”

  “Why is there a twisted orange slice on my plate?”

  “The mixed vegetables used to be softer when Jeff made them.”

  “Hrmph. I guess they taste better even if I do have to chew them longer.”

  Paul and Will had grumbled about the change in food, staring suspiciously at the contents of their plate but they’d eventually been won over as had the other regulars. Andrew continued to try to safeguard her against imaginary advances though the new co-owner, Ashton Blake, was more than capable of doing that should the need ever arise.

  Tall, well-built and extremely friendly, Ashton ran a tight ship. The female customers swooned over his blue eyes and blond hair despite the fact he was gay, while the men were impressed with his level of fitness and knowledge of whatever sport was in season.

  As Ashton had explained, his expertise was in investments and business management, but this was the first time he’d attempted to run a diner. However, when his business partner had presented him with the proposal, the challenge had intrigued him enough to take the risk. Mr. Henderson had willingly accepted the offer put forward and, in less than forty-eight hours, the deal was done.

  “There’ll be changes beyond the renovations,” Ashton had told them when the King’s Plate had reopened. “We want to keep our established clientele while also appealing to new customers.” He’d flashed an impossibly perfect smile at them. “That’s where you come in. You’re the front line, the first contact people have when they enter the building. Make them feel welcome, part of the family, as if this is their new home away from home. Friendly staff and great food, that’s going to be our mantra.”

  It had been a good pep talk, except Gin had quit the next day; all the positive vibes too much for her to handle. But the tired feeling that had permeated the diner for so long was fading, replaced with an upbeat spirit and more customers. New dishes, new décor, central air-conditioning, even a new shelving unit in the utility room. Lou stared at it, remembering how the broke
n edge of the old shelves had saved her. However, there’d never be a need for that again…at least she hoped not. She’d already had more than her fair share of adventures in her life.

  Shutting the closet door, she popped her head into the kitchen. It was a habit from the days of Jeff the chef. “I’m done for the day, Marisol.”

  “See you tomorrow.” Marisol barely glanced up from the meal she was plating.

  Lou waited a beat and then left to grab her purse. Marisol wasn’t as prone to chatting as Jeff had been, but Ashton certainly was.

  He always checked if she’d had any problems during her shift, if she was heading home or working at the centre. If it wasn’t that he batted for the other team, she might have thought he was interested in her. Instead, she decided he just cared about his employees.

  “We’re like a family here,” he’d told them more than once. “If you have a problem, tell me.”

  It was nice knowing someone had her back. After giving him a wave, she left the building and headed towards the bus stop.

  Aimee, one of the new waitstaff, joined her. “You heading to that centre you volunteer at?”

  “Yep.” She nodded as she took out her bus pass. “What about you?”

  “Chris and I are going to look for wedding rings. After four years together, we’ve finally decided to make it official and tie the knot.”

  “That’s great!” She made congratulatory noises as they climbed on the bus and sat down, all the while ignoring the pain that still filled her whenever she saw a happy couple.

  “Thanks, we— Oops, that’s my phone, sorry!” Aimee became lost in her texting.

  Lou stared out the window, her thoughts drifting as they so often did lately. It was October. The leaves were changing colour and Halloween decorations had started to appear in the windows of the various businesses; round orange pumpkins and black cats, witches and ghosts, spider webs and signs that said ‘Boo’. She smiled as she watched a family walking down the street. The mother had a child on her hip and briefcase in her hand while the father was carrying bags of groceries. Would her life ever be like that? It didn’t seem like a lot to want yet it eluded her.

  Maybe she was expecting too much. Maybe the perfect man who wanted exactly what she wanted, when she wanted it, didn’t exist. It was something she considered while she worked at the centre that night. The perfect man, the perfect time, the perfect place; was it just a fantasy? Perhaps you had to compromise on one of those things in order to get the others.

  Or was perfect what you made of it? The voice inside her asked.

  Maybe.

  Done for the evening, she stepped outside and did up her coat. The sun set early this time of year and there was a distinct chill in the air as the warmth of the day gave way to moonlight. A breeze stirred the fallen leaves, causing them to skitter down the road while the bare branches overhead swayed and clattered, casting odd shadows on the ground below.

  She headed towards the pool of light by the bus stop, thankful for the presence of the street lamp. Standing in the dark waiting for a bus always made her uneasy.

  “See you tomorrow, Lou!” Neil was locking the door of the centre.

  “Yep.” She nodded and shoved her hands in her pockets, hunching her shoulders as a gust of wind suddenly swept down the street.

  “Would you like a ride?” Neil never gave up, asking her at least once a week. It had become a habit and he barely slowed his step likely anticipating her refusal.

  About to give her usual reply, she paused.

  When she didn’t answer, his steps slowed and he turned to face her. She could see the hopeful look on his face, the way his thinning blond hair ruffled in the wind. There was nothing wrong with him. He was a nice ordinary guy who worked in a field she was interested in. And he lived in the city.

  “Sure, thanks Neil.” She spoke the words quickly before she could change her mind.

  “Great!” His eyes widened and he smiled, extending his arm in a gallant gesture towards his car. “Your carriage awaits, milady.”

  She allowed him to lead her to his car. There was no spark where his hand gently touched her elbow, no change in her breathing as they sat beside each other in the confines of the vehicle.

  “Would you like to stop and get a burger and fries?” He slid a look her way as he negotiated the traffic. “We could talk about the programming for the next month.”

  “Um...sure. That would be nice.” She tried to inject some enthusiasm into her voice. This was what she wanted, right? Mooning over what she couldn’t have made no sense.

  And yet, if it’s the right thing, her inner voice nudged, why does it feel so wrong?

  It takes time to get used to a change in plans, she pointed out.

  Lacing her fingers together, she pinned a smile on her face and began to talk about the weather.

  Roxi yawned and stretched adjusting how she was sprawled on the sofa, then reached for another chocolate. There was a box balanced on her stomach and she was methodically eating her way across the rows. The current one she was chewing on had nuts in it. She liked nuts…if they weren’t attached to a man.

  Scowling, she mentally cursed all males of the species and chomped down especially hard on the sweet.

  Todd had been a dick.

  An uber-dick.

  He’d had the nerve to dump her. This after she kept him around longer than he deserved, especially given the pathetic lack of food at his place! She was usually the one who did the dumping, not the other way around and the change in roles wasn’t sitting well with her at all.

  She grabbed another chocolate and bit into it, then examined the filling. Pink creamy stuff, sort of cherry flavoured. Not bad. Popping the rest of it into her mouth, she licked the sticky sweetness from her fingers.

  Wallowing in chocolate was good. She could have gone to Club Mystique and looked for a new guy except her luck there sucked when it came to men. No, she’d hang around human clubs from now on. Normal guys were easier to handle. Of course, Mystique was a good source of information, but she’d started a new job with a cleaning company and it looked like it would provide her with access to all sorts of interesting tidbits. Plus, she’d be getting the information first hand without having to worry about anyone overhearing. Exclusive rights meant more money for her.

  Yeah, that seemed like a good plan. A new job, a new source of info and a new hunting ground for a guy.

  The sound of a key in the lock drew her attention and she craned her neck to watch as Lulu entered the apartment.

  “You’re late.”

  “Sorry, mother.” Lulu stuck her tongue out at her.

  Roxi laughed. “So, where were you?”

  “Neil offered me a ride home.”

  “Neil?” She quickly grabbed the box of chocolates and flipped around so she was sitting up. “Boring as warm milk Neil?”

  “He’s not that bad.” There was a distinct lack of conviction in Lulu’s voice.

  “Hey, those were your words once, so don’t blame me.”

  “Yeah, I guess they were.”

  “So, what changed?” Roxi left the chocolates on the coffee table, Lulu’s love life currently more interesting than food.

  “Nothing. Everything.” Lulu took her coat off and hung it on the coat tree in the foyer. “I decided I need a reality check on my expectations. Wishing for what you can never have is pointless.”

  “I suppose, but…Neil?”

  “He’s a counsellor. I want to be one. We have something in common.”

  “So, you talked about work?”

  “And the weather.”

  She glanced at the clock. “For three hours? Wow. Exciting stuff.”

  “Yep. It was…interesting.” Lulu trailed her hand along the edge of the table and sighed, then wandered into the living room and dropped down into a chair. Her mouth was saying one thing, but her body language wasn’t corroborating the story.

  “Is there any zing between the two of you?”

&n
bsp; “Honestly? No.” She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. “At least not now. But it might happen. We’re friends and friendship can grow into something else if you give it a chance, right?”

  “Or it can fizzle into nothing.” Roxi shook her head. “It sounds to me like you’re trying to convince yourself the way you do before taking some gross medicine. You know, the old ‘it’s supposed to be good for me, but it makes me feel like puking’ kind.”

  “Neil doesn’t make me want to puke.”

  “Has he made a move on you yet?”

  “No.”

  “Then the puking part might still be coming.”

  “Roxi!” Lulu picked up a pillow and threw it at her.

  “Thanks.” She caught the cushion and tucked it behind her back.

  “Anyway, Armand’s been gone almost two months and he’s not coming back.”

  “But what about your crème brûlée story? You know, once you’ve had it, it’s all you want or whatever it was you said.”

  “I still want him, miss him every day but sometimes the restaurant that serves crème brûlée closes. You can stand outside with your nose pressed to the glass wishing it would open again, but eventually you have to accept that it won’t. That’s me and Armand.” She shook her head. “It was never the right time for both of us. Our stars weren’t aligned or maybe we were never meant to be… Pick whatever cliché you want. It still ends up the same. I’m in Chicago and he’s not.”

  Lulu stood and wandered over to the window, tracing a heart shaped smudge that had appeared on the window one day. Roxi had noticed it around the time Armand had left but something—more than her dislike of housework—had kept her from wiping it off.

  With a sigh, Lulu turned to face her. “Neil’s a nice guy. It’s time I gave him a chance.”