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Harriet invited Charlotte over that evening for dinner. The invitation was an unnecessary gesture, really, since Charlotte had been coming over, and staying over, most evenings. Still, Harriet didn’t want to presume that Charlotte would grace her with her company, and so she kept inviting her. Each time Harriet extended the invitation, though, a part of her wondered if Charlotte would turn her down, make some excuse for somewhere else she needed to be. Harriet felt that even though she had Charlotte back in her life, Charlotte was holding something back.
Harriet placed the orchid in the center of the dining room table. She then lit the candles that she had scattered around the room and told Navigator to dim the electric lights.
Finishing up preparing the curry just before Charlotte arrived, she felt a pang of guilt from the parallels to when she had prepared a meal for Naomi not so long ago. She prayed that Charlotte would never find out about her actions and how she had manipulated the prison governor.
The bell rang and Harriet promptly moved to answer the door. Charlotte kissed her hello as she entered, wearing a smart pair of trousers and a fitted top. Yes, as Harriet observed before, gone were the days of her too-large army-style trousers.
Harriet told her that she could wait in the dining room as she brought in dinner, but Charlotte insisted on helping. Harriet watched as she moved adeptly in the kitchen, knowing exactly from where to fetch the dinner plates and glasses. She felt a tug at her heartstrings. It felt so right, so familiar, to have Charlotte in her home. Harriet wondered if Charlotte felt the same way.
As they settled into dinner, Harriet casually asked her, “Your microchip – the tracking device – where did they put it?” She added, “I hope you don’t mind my asking.”
Charlotte held up her left arm and tapped the top of her forearm, about halfway down. “It’s here.”
Harriet nodded, and replied, “I don’t know why I asked. I suppose I was just wondering.” She knew from Erin that the tracking device was presently inactive, that it would be switched on remotely if Charlotte were to go missing or to otherwise violate the conditions of her release.
“It doesn’t hurt, if you were wondering that as well,” Charlotte said in a gentle voice.
“I’m glad,” Harriet responded.
“Can I ask you something?” Charlotte asked between bites.
“You can ask me anything. That doesn’t mean I’ll answer,” Harriet said with a smile.
“Your job… I mean, your position as an MP, is it a cover too? Like how the EBC was?”
“Ah. Well, it’s not so simple,” Harriet replied. “With the EBC, I needed that position to legitimize me, to keep me above suspicion. And although I largely hated the message that I had to air, I began to make in-roads into changing that message. So, in a way, it became more than a cover.”
“I understand,” Charlotte said. “And now? As an MP?”
Harriet chewed a bite of her dinner, thinking about how best to respond. “It’s different now. I believe in the work that I’m doing as an MP. It’s good work. And yes, of course it also has its advantages for the organization, just like my position at the EBC had. But my work in Parliament and my work with the organization… they’re not such separate worlds these days.” She felt a sting as she realized that Erin, too, had called them her two ‘worlds.’
“The meeting – with Thomas and Zoe and the others – it still seemed pretty underground to me,” Charlotte observed aloud.
Harriet nodded and replied, “With that group, yes, I feel it’s safer to keep it hidden. But the organization altogether is more mainstream these days. I wouldn’t say we reinvented it, twelve years ago, but we… evolved it… to something that can be out in the open. It’s actually its own, bona fide political party. So, now it’s something that can gain wider support.”
“So you diluted it?” Charlotte asked.
“Not at all. If Joanna did anything positive for us, though, she helped us to rid the organization of the more militaristic members – those who weren’t open to peaceful negotiation, to working within the system.”
Charlotte was quiet for a moment before she finally said, “I’ve had a lot of time to think about why Joanna did what she did. I don’t know why she, or someone else, killed Daniel… I can only guess that he tried to stop them.”
Harriet matched Charlotte’s tone, saying, “That’s as best as we can figure as well.”
“And I know it’s selfish, but over the years I kept wondering why she set me up to take the fall. And the only thing that makes sense is that she was trying to get to you, and trying to cause a sensation – to jolt people into action.”
“I believe she expected you to give up my identity to save yourself,” Harriet stated with some difficulty.
“Then she didn’t know me nearly as well as she thought she did. But then again, I guess I’m used to being underestimated,” Charlotte said with a twitch of a smile.
Harriet hesitated before asking, “Did you consider it? Did you think about giving me up to the police? I wouldn’t blame you if you did.”
Charlotte took a drink and wiped her lips on her napkin. She looked at Harriet as she replied, “Yes, it crossed my mind.”
At least she’s honest, Harriet thought. “Then… thank you for not going through with it.”
“There was nothing to ‘go through with.’ I considered it, briefly, because I considered all paths before me, no matter how distasteful. But it was never a real option, not for me,” Charlotte said, her voice wavering slightly. She took another drink and said, “Erin told me that you kept everything – the story of my arrest and imprisonment – out of the news.”
Harriet nodded and said, “It wasn’t as hard as it might sound. It was within my purview at the EBC. And it was a ready enough excuse to say we didn’t want to show any further weakness of the government, especially in light of the attack on the Prime Minister.”
“Joanna’s attack,” Charlotte said.
“Yes,” Harriet replied. She knew that Charlotte needed to process what had happened and so she waited patiently for any further questions. She felt relieved, though, when Charlotte finally moved the conversation on and began talking about her new job.
Chapter Fifty-Seven
“I was surprised to hear from you, honestly,” Naomi said, pulling two glasses out of her cupboard. “Scotch?” she asked.
“Please,” Harriet replied, surprised that Naomi was having some. She hadn’t seemed to like the taste of it when she drank it before. “It’s been a really busy time at work lately.”
“Is that why you haven’t wanted to see me?” Naomi asked, pouring the drinks and handing Harriet one.
“Naomi, it’s not that I haven’t wanted to see you.” Harriet said and drank from her glass, aware that she was treading onto dangerous territory by lying so blatantly.
Naomi swirled her drink around in her glass and watched the legs of the scotch. “Have you seen Parker since her release? You don’t have to tell me, of course. I’m sure you’ve seen her.”
Harriet could still taste the scotch on her tongue but she wanted to take another drink. She cleared her throat and said, “Well, yes, I have seen her.” As uncomfortable as she was, she knew she needed to see where Naomi was going to take this conversation.
Naomi was quiet for a moment before she looked at Harriet and said, “That was intense… at the hearing.”
Harriet asked, “Was it different than most?” She wasn’t going to give her any information.
“I meant, between you and Parker.” Naomi let her statement hang in the air.
“I don’t know what you mean,” Harriet replied.
“Harriet…” she began, a small, sad smile interrupting what she was trying to say. “I do know how to read people. And what you told me when you first mentioned Parker…? How there was this prisoner who you believed was at Drake Hall…?”
Naomi was waiting for Harriet’s reaction. Harriet replied, “I remember what I to
ld you.”
“I’m sure you do.” Naomi took a long drink, grimacing. She looked at Harriet again and said, “But it just doesn’t resonate with the way you spoke about her at the hearing or the way you looked at her, especially when she and her solicitor were saying their goodbyes.”
Perhaps Harriet was relieved that Naomi had figured out what she had, but Harriet knew better than to admit too much. Harriet said simply, “I care about her.”
“Like you care about me?” Naomi asked, knowing they both knew the answer. “You know, I wasn’t completely oblivious to the timing of it all, how you and I met just as Parker was completing her tariff. For a spell, I just wanted to believe… well… in something more, even if you are entirely out of my league. And it’s not like I didn’t get anything out of it. But now with how you’ve been acting lately, I guess that just confirmed my suspicions.”
Harriet could see the struggle in her eyes, how much effort it took for her to confront her and speak those words. Harriet knew she had screwed up by not continuing to make Naomi feel special even after Charlotte’s release. That would have been the sensible thing to do. Now she needed to do as much damage control as possible, for Charlotte’s sake. And as for Naomi’s sake…? Well, there was no making amends for that.
Harriet said, “Naomi, you’re a beautiful woman with a kind and generous heart –”
“Don’t. It’s not necessary, Harriet. I’m not the fool that you took me for.” Her gaze had hardened. “But I need you to tell me one thing. And I need you to be completely honest with me.”
“All right,” Harriet said, feeling apprehensive about what she would ask.
Naomi spoke carefully as she said, “I’d like you to give me one true and solid reason why I shouldn’t go back to the parole board and tell them I’ve reversed my recommendation, and that I’ve discovered information about your relationship with Parker that calls into question your testimony.”
Harriet considered her words and briefly weighed the likelihood that the parole board would believe Naomi over herself, a Member of Parliament. Harriet couldn’t take that chance.
She swallowed hard before looking directly into Naomi’s eyes and replying, “Because Charlotte Parker poses no greater risk to the public than I do.”
Naomi studied her for a long moment. Finally she said, “I believe you.” She hesitated for a moment then said, “I won’t say anything. But I also don’t want to see you again.”
“I understand. And… thank you.” Harriet set her glass on her counter.
She could see Naomi keeping her emotions in check as she turned and walked toward the door, opening it for Harriet. “You should go now,” Naomi said.
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Harriet entered the shop at Bermondsey Street, the small bell above the door ringing to announce her. Unexpectedly, there was a potential customer in the shop, checking out an antique rocking chair. He knelt beside it, testing the arms to apparently see if they were loose, then sat in the chair, giving it a try.
Ethan wandered over to Harriet and asked in a formal voice, “May I help you with anything?”
Without glancing at the nearby customer, Harriet replied to Ethan, “No, thank you. I’m on my lunch break and just thought I would browse.”
“Feel free. Let me know if you see anything you like,” Ethan said.
Harriet meandered over to the basket of miscellaneous knobs, pretending to examine the sometimes plain, sometimes intricate designs. She glanced over to see that the customer was walking away from the rocking chair and toward the door. She waited until he had left before she headed over to where Ethan was dusting a cabinet.
“Sorry,” he said. “It’s such a rarity to actually have a customer in here… Bad timing, I guess. Anyway, what brings you here?”
“I need to talk with Rhys and Marta. Are they here?” Harriet asked him.
“Yes. Well, Rhys is at his desk. Marta is out, though,” Ethan replied.
“That’s fine. Thanks,” Harriet said, heading for the stairs. She knew Ethan wouldn’t ask any follow-up questions.
She found Rhys upstairs, listening to jazz and tapping away at his desk computer. She could see from the projected images that he was sorting files.
He turned when he heard her approach. “Harriet, what a surprise.”
She smiled, knowing that although Rhys may have been surprised to see her on the monitors entering the building several minutes ago, he wasn’t surprised to see her enter the room. “Busy day?” she asked.
He shrugged and replied, “Not too busy to help out the boss. What’s going on?”
Harriet sat in the extra chair and crossed her legs. “I need you to do something. It’s a personal favor.”
“Now I’m intrigued,” he said with a small grin.
“I don’t want Charlie’s history – her prison sentence – to follow her. What can be done?” Her conversation with Naomi had left her rattled. She felt confident that Naomi was going to keep quiet – if for no other reason than to preserve her own reputation and keep herself from getting dragged down with Harriet. But Harriet felt like there was more that she could be doing for Charlotte to help ensure she was protected.
“Hmm,” he said, a more thoughtful look taking over his face. “Well, there’s no such thing as a false identity. Not these days, not when all our data follow us from birth onward. Well, not unless she would agree to new fingerprints, new eyeballs, injections of someone else’s blood….”
“No, nothing extreme,” Harriet said, feeling a chill at the idea of looking into Charlotte’s eyes and seeing someone else’s eyes instead.
“But I can bury the information. I can remove the flags in her file, and pile on other information so that a police officer, for example, would need to wade through file after file before getting to anything interesting or significant. So, in other words, unless it was something really serious – a security clearance or whatnot – they probably wouldn’t dig deep enough to find anything damning.”
“Yes, that’s perfect,” Harriet said.
“It’d be helpful to know what the goal is, though. I mean, who are you trying to hide her from?”
“I just… want it to be safer for her, if anyone were to stop her. Or if she were to need to make a clean break and start anew somewhere else.” Harriet felt a pang of sadness
“Oh,” Rhys said, “I see.” He didn’t make any further comment.
“So you’ll make it happen?” Harriet asked.
“Yes, of course. You ask, I do. It’ll take a bit of time, but it’ll be done.”
“Great. Thank you, Rhys.”
Rhys gave a nod in acknowledgement. As Harriet stood to leave, he said, “There’s something else, if you have a minute.”
“Go ahead,” Harriet said, leaning against the doorway and crossing her arms over her chest.
“It’s that group – the Brothers and Sisters of the Revolution…” he started to say.
“Sisters and Brothers, but yes. Go on.”
“Zoe isn’t making any real headway but I think there’s something going on there,” Rhys said with a furrowed brow.
“What do you mean?” Harriet asked.
“I think Zoe is doing everything she can, but if Joanna is behind this group… It doesn’t look like she’s interested in revealing herself to Zoe. The group is either not interested in letting Zoe into its core, or Zoe isn’t good enough… bait… to draw out Joanna. But someone else might be.”
Harriet stared at Rhys and said, “Before you suggest what I think you’re going to suggest, I want to give you the opportunity to change your mind.”
“Harriet…” Rhys started before trailing off.
“No, Rhys,” Harriet replied.
“But if Charlie went to a meeting, it might be a real chance at getting to the core. It might be a way of getting Joanna, if it is Joanna behind the group, to show herself. It might be the only way. Joanna’s been in the wind for so long, and now we might have a chance.”
“You always say that we have to do whatever it takes. And besides, maybe it’s worth it to Charlie,” Rhys said quietly, scratching at his beard.
Harriet frowned, thinking about her conversation with Erin and feeling hypocritical at how she had defended Charlotte’s right to decide her own fate.
Rhys said, “Think about it from Joanna’s perspective. If you were Joanna, and you were running this splinter group, and Charlie walked into a meeting one night, would you be able to resist making contact? Wouldn’t you want to know where she’d been these last twelve years, and where her allegiance lies? Whether she was sympathetic to your cause?”
“Joanna knows that Charlie didn’t want any part of her radical, militaristic ideas.”
“Prison changes a person. I could wait to bury that information – Charlie’s history. I’m sure Joanna’s people – if these are indeed Joanna’s people – would look into Charlie’s background before letting her get anywhere close to Joanna.”
“But if they know she’s been in prison then surely they realize that she blames Joanna – and rightfully so – for sending her there.” Harriet needed there to be a good reason – or several good reasons – for why this plan would never work.
“Or maybe they’ll think Charlie blames you,” he replied. After a beat, he added, “We can plant that idea.”
Harriet shook her head and said, “No. I’m not willing to risk Charlie going to one of those meetings.” She could feel a line of worry forming between her eyebrows as she thought about Charlotte walking into a meeting. Hadn’t she come to Rhys looking for a way of protecting Charlotte?
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