Fallen Angel, Part 1

by Podger, Tracie

  I bent down to pick it up for him, “Don’t, Brooke. Leave it,” he said.

  I’d already stopped mid crouch, my hand just touched the edge of a photograph. It was a picture of the two of us leaving the hotel that night after his business dinner. He was looking down at me smiling and I gasped as I saw my face scrubbed out with a black pen, so hard that the paper was torn. I picked it up and stared at it.

  “Please, give me the photo,” he said, his voice was dangerously low.

  I couldn’t move. I just stood staring at the picture in my hand.

  “Brooke, give it to me,” he said again, and I finally looked up.

  He’d reached out and took the picture from my hand, placing it in a file, which he then locked in a drawer.

  “What does that mean?” I asked. There was a tremble in my voice.

  “Nothing Brooke, forget about it,” he answered.

  “Forget about it, are you crazy? Why is my face scrubbed out? Who took that picture?” I heard my voice rising.

  He let out a breath, “I don’t know who took the picture, okay. Travis and I are on to it. I don’t want you to worry about it, probably some jealous ex, that’s all. Now, come on, let’s go to bed.”

  As we left the room, however, he turned and locked the door pocketing the keys. Maybe the door was always locked but it seemed a significant thing to me, he didn’t want me to go in there. He held my hand as he led me to the bedroom, and if he thought I had missed the worried look in his eyes, he was mistaken.

  Overnight something happened to me, my senses became sharper. The following morning I was completely aware, although I’d kept quiet about it, of a forced cheerfulness in the house. I was aware of the subtle glances between Travis and Robert, even Evelyn. I was aware that when we walked to the car Travis was first and Robert and I a close second, I was sandwiched between them. My nerves went up a notch, from green to amber.

  I’d sat at my desk and began to really study the people around me. Were there new faces there? I wasn’t sure. I emailed Sam to meet me for lunch. I wouldn’t tell him about the photo, he would go in to total drag queen meltdown but he would know the people there, on that floor. I’d found it hard to concentrate. I got through my work quickly and grabbed my bag. I wandered over to his desk.

  “Are you ready?” I asked, as he finished his call.

  “Sure thing, honey, let’s go.”

  As we walked out of the foyer, perhaps I was being paranoid, but I swore the security guard immediately picked up his phone. With a glance over to me, he talked to someone. I didn’t hear what he was saying of course, but his eyes followed me out of the building. We walked just the couple of yards to the deli and found a seat.

  “Tell me about the people you work with? Gabby seems really lovely,” I asked, I wanted to start with one who had all of a sudden decided to be friends.

  “Oh yeah, she is isn’t she. I think she worked in another of Stone’s companies, might be a hotel and was transferred here.”

  “Oh, when was that?” I asked.

  “Um, well, not that long ago really. I think she’s been here about a month.”

  “What about the others, no one really wants to talk to me, haven’t you noticed that.”

  “Honey, you’re the bosses girlfriend, I guess they’re all a little in awe of you. Remember, none of us have ever seen him with a girlfriend as such. I mean you see him in the papers sometimes, leaving some do or another with a bird on his arm, but the following day there will be a photo with someone new.”

  I’d nibbled at my sandwich not really with any enthusiasm while I listened.

  “Of course they whisper about you, I hear them, but because they know we’re friends, they don’t exactly open up to me either. I imagine you’ve broken the hearts of most of the females, maybe some of the men, who knows,” he said laughing.

  “It just feels odd. I don’t want to make enemies of anyone. So if you hear anything, you’d let me know, wouldn’t you?” I asked.

  “Honey, what’s this all about?”

  “Oh, I don’t know, Sam. I guess I’m having an off day, you know, new face in a new town and all that. I spoke to Michael, told him I was not coming home and that I was seeing someone else now, it didn’t go down too well, he called me a whore.”

  “Wanker. Don’t you worry about him, he’s a loser I’ve told you that. Now, Brooke, stop worrying. You’ll have a great time here and after the other night, I can see how much Robert dotes on you, trust me.”

  We finished our lunch and wandered back to the office. As I arrived at my desk I noticed I’d left my mobile there and had a missed call from Robert. I decided to text him.

  “Hi, just got back from lunch with Sam, missed your call.”

  He called me immediately.

  “Hey, did you have a good lunch? You forgot to take your phone with you,” he said.

  “I know, left it on my desk. Lunch was okay, Sam and I are going to have to find another deli, that one is getting a little boring now,” I laughed.

  “I have to go, meet me in the foyer at five, okay,” he said.

  I shut down my phone and decided to spend a little time doing some research. I knew what I was doing was wrong, but there was something going on. Whatever it was involved me, and if Robert was not going to tell, I wanted to see what I could find out myself. It was perfectly plausible an ex had sent that photo, I’d heard and witnessed Miranda, there could be hundreds of Miranda’s out there.

  I typed in Robert Stone. So many pages came up. Most were about business, although I found a few photographs showing him at some charity event or other. I could find nothing about the home, and after a good couple of hours trawling the Internet, I realised that there was nothing about him before the age of twenty-five. What had he done? Where had he been between the ages of eleven and twenty-five?

  I knew from Evelyn that she had met him aged twelve, she would know, but would she tell me? I found an old photograph of him shielding his face slightly. The article was about a business he’d just taken over, how he had turned it around and sold it for a vast amount of money. He looked so young but it was hard to tell.

  I was no investigator by any means, but the Internet was a powerful tool and I trawled through what I could find. I felt really disloyal, what I should have been doing was talking to him, but knowing how difficult that was; I felt I had no choice.

  All I was looking for was something that would confirm a long-term partner, perhaps photographs of him with the same person, someone jealous enough to scrub my face from a photo with such ferocity to tear the paper and send it to him. I wanted to believe him, but why the security? Why Travis by my side if this was just an ex girlfriend?

  I’d noticed people start to pack up and realised it was five. Shutting down my computer I made my way over to Sam, we had a drinks date with Gabby after work. I assumed Robert had forgotten when he’d asked me to meet him in the foyer.

  As I headed on out, I noticed Robert and Travis talking, their heads were close. When he saw me, a smile spread across his face.

  “Hey,” I said. “Did you forget I was meeting Sam and Gabby for drinks? I won’t be late home.”

  “Gabby?” he asked.

  “Yeah, she works in marketing, with Sam.”

  “Okay, Travis can take you, what bar are you going to?”

  “Not sure, but how will you get home? I can get a cab you know.”

  “I know you can but it’s fine, Mark will drive me home. I don’t want some strange cab driver eyeing up my girl now, do I,” he said.

  Until the previous evening, I was convinced the Travis thing was Robert just being a little insecure about us, however after the photograph incident, I wasn’t sure. Gabby strode across the foyer, having just finished her meeting.

  “Mr. Stone, pleased to meet you,” she said, offering her hand.

  “Gabby,” he said, shaking it.

  I was extremely pleased to note her eyes did not mist over; she did not all of a sudden turn
into a teenager as most other women did around him. I wanted a friend who wanted to be friends with me, not the person I was dating. He pushed his hand through my hair, around my neck, and placed his mouth next to my ear.

  “Don’t be late, I have a terrible urge to get you naked,” he whispered.

  My stomach flipped and I smiled up at him.

  Travis opened the car door for us and leaving Robert in the foyer, we drove off.

  “How about the Red House?” Sam said to Gabby. “We can have cocktails and ribs.”

  “Brooke, I know a place I think you’ll enjoy more,” Travis said looking in the rear view mirror.

  I’d got the signal and I had to play along until I knew what I was dealing with. I didn’t get to choose where I went, Travis did, or rather Robert decided.

  “Okay. Sam, let’s check out somewhere new, you fine with that Gabby?”

  We drove until we came to an exclusive looking bar with dark windows and even at that early time of the day, there was a doorman. As we pulled up, the doorman opened the car door and with Travis ushering us, we were shown straight in and to a booth away from the window. It was a wonderful place; I’d give him that. It was sophisticated with black leather seats arranged as booths. There was a huge stainless steel bar and it was full of well-dressed people, presumably like us, grabbing a drink after work.

  Once we had settled in and our orders were placed, I looked around for Travis. I couldn’t see him so I relaxed and started to enjoy the time. Gabby was great, she spoke about her life, she was born and raised in DC. After college she’d started work in one of Robert’s hotels. She was on reception at first and seemed to have such good ideas on promoting the hotel; she managed to get a transfer to head office and Jonathan’s team. She lived on her own, still searching for that elusive love of her life. She was a kind woman, gentle and fun at the same time. I thought we could be great friends.

  “So, tell me about you and Mr. Stone, Brooke, the whole company is intrigued,” she asked.

  “Oh, there’s not much to tell really,” I squirmed a little.

  “Not much to tell,” screeched Sam. “She’s the love of his life.”

  I would have to watch Sam, a couple of cocktails and he would tell the world whatever they wanted to know. I rolled my eyes at him, please get the hint, I thought.

  “Forget what Sam says, Gabby. We’re having fun right now, he’s a great guy but very private. I really don’t want to talk too much about him, I hope you don’t mind,” I said with a smile.

  Of course she understood and Sam fell quiet having finally got the message. We stayed in the bar for a couple of hours, it was fun, and I enjoyed the company. Signalling for the bill brought Travis out of whatever shadow he had been hiding in. That time we were allowed to pay. We split the bill three ways and said our goodbyes. Sam and Gabby, arm in arm, walked towards a taxi rank. I slid in the car, which was parked directly outside the bar.

  “Don’t you ever get a parking ticket?” I asked as Travis started the engine.

  “A parking ticket?”

  “Yeah, you know, one of those things us mere mortals get when we park illegally.”

  He laughed. “No, never had a speeding fine or a parking ticket.”

  I smiled and shook my head as we headed for home. I’d found Robert in the lounge, a glass of wine in his hand, relaxing back on the sofa and listening to music. When he heard me approach he stood and pulled me into his arms. He hugged me a little too tight against him.

  “Hey, I’ve only been gone a couple of hours,” I said, laughing.

  “I know, but a couple of hours is too long.”

  “Robert, we need to talk,” I told him as I sat beside him.

  “I don’t think I like the sound of that.”

  “I know for you, talking is hard, and I won’t push what you won’t tell me but I’m living here at the moment, our relationship has developed so fast. I’m not complaining,” I said, wanting to comfort him, “But I have to know something.”

  He’d sat back and rested his head on the back of sofa, his eyes closed. I could see the tension in his neck but I pushed on.

  “You’re worried about that photograph, I know you are, and since whatever it is involves me, I deserve to know too. You say it’s an ex girlfriend and you haven’t had any real long-term partners, or so you have told me, so don’t you think that a little strange? Some casual date is not going to do that, Robert. If you and I are going to make it, you have to let me in a little. If there is someone out there who is not happy about us, I need to know so I can be prepared.”

  I watched him take a sip of his wine, clearly thinking about how to reply.

  “You and Travis can’t protect me if I don’t know what I need protecting from. Take tonight, Sam recommends a bar, Travis tells us where we are going and we sit at the back far away from the windows. I’m not stupid, what is it that you’re protecting me from? It’s beginning to feel a little claustrophobic. I know I haven’t been here long but already I don’t seem to have a choice in where I go and I don’t know why. I could accept it if I knew.”

  He set his glass down and stood before holding out his hand to me.

  “Come with me,” he said.

  He led me to his office, unlocked the door, and gestured to a chair. I sat and waited. Opening a drawer he pulled out the file containing the photograph.

  “This was left on my office desk last week, hand delivered, Brooke.”

  It was a brown envelope and inside was two photographs, the one I’d already seen and one of Robert and Travis getting into the Mercedes. Although my face was scribbled out, there was no damage to the other.

  “This doesn’t make sense. Whoever this is has only damaged one photo, not the one of you and Travis.”

  “Brooke, the point is, the thing that makes me jumpy is that, I arrive at work and this is on my desk. Someone got passed security to hand deliver this.”

  “What about Gina, she put it there, it’s obvious isn’t it? She is Miranda’s friend.”

  “Gina is the obvious suspect of course.”

  “Then why not fire her, if she isn’t around this won’t happen again.”

  “Because I want to know why. Miranda and I had a few dates, maybe a little more than a few. She got a little too possessive and I didn’t view the relationship as anything more than a meal out and sex. If she got Gina involved, got her to deliver this, it’s possible that, one, Gina didn’t know what was in the envelope and, two, if she did, she thinks she has got away with it. Either way, it was a dumb thing to do.”

  “Can’t you ring her, Miranda I mean, ask her if she sent the photo?”

  “No, one thing I’ve learnt over the years is never show your hand. Never show anyone that you’re affected by what they’ve done. That’s why I didn’t want you to know, I don’t want you to show this bothers you. Travis and I are working on it, we’re monitoring Gina’s calls, Internet use, and if she is anymore involved than just a messenger, I’ll deal with her. As for Miranda, she’s history, I’ve made that clear.”

  “Does Miranda know more about you that I do?” I asked quietly.

  “No one knows more about me that you do.”

  “What about Travis and Evelyn, they’ve been around you longer.”

  “They know me, but they don’t know me. They don’t know how I feel just what I tell them I feel.”

  He’d moved towards me. He held my head in his hands.

  “Somehow you know things about me that I haven’t spoken about. I see you watch me and, you know me. In time, I will tell you everything you want to know, when I’m confident you can handle it.”

  His gaze held mine.

  “When you touch me, what do you feel, deep inside?” he added.

  I looked at him and quietly answered. “That I’ve known you before, that I’ve loved you before. You’re the person I’ve been searching for.”

  He stared at me and gently nodded in agreement.

  “Right now I don’t like
the fact that someone is taking photos of us, of you. I have enemies, Brooke, and I don’t want you exposed to that, or be used to get to me, okay. So, for now, please just do as I ask, you keep Travis with you always. If I had my way, you would be here under lock and key,” he smiled. “I know I can’t, so meet me half way here.”

  “Okay, but can we just speak about the other photo, that disturbs me more. Fair enough, if it is a jealous ex, scrub my face out, I get that, but a picture of you and Travis, doing nothing but heading to the car. That one is more disturbing.”

  “You’re right, what it says is that someone is watching us and they want us to know.”

  “You won’t tell me who you think it is?” I asked.

  “No, not until I know. What’s the point of worrying you until I know what we’re dealing with?”

  “One last question then, how are you going to keep yourself safe?”

  “Obviously you know Travis, you’ve met Mark and you know that we have CCTV around the house. No one can get in, the cars are fitted with a sensor, and only those vehicles will open the gates. It’s why I have more than one car; it would be a bitch getting in and out of my own home in a rental. There’s 24-hour security at the office, they monitor the cameras there and here. You don’t need to worry about me.”

  I sighed, I was in was America I guessed, they were more security conscious than back home, and obviously there was more to those photos, but he had told me enough, for now.

  “Are there cameras inside the house? Please tell me there are none in the bedroom.” I asked, my hands covered my face.

  He laughed. “There are cameras all over the house, but the ones in the bedroom are for my private viewing only, don’t worry.” I hoped he was joking.

  “Come with me.” He led me around the house and showed me where each tiny, concealed camera was. I would have never noticed had they not been pointed out.

  “Wave, someone is watching you right now,” he said, and seeing the alarm on my face he added, “Brooke, the people that monitor these cameras are professionals, they’re not perverts. They know what would happen to them if they mistreated anything they saw and they’re not sitting there glued to the screens. If you move too quickly, say, if you ran across the room, it would trigger a camera and then they watch. Me sliding across the floor in socks, remember? Gave them a right laugh.”