Covert Alliance

by Linda O. Johnston

  And why everyone seemed so nervous when I first got here, Alan thought.

  Plus, Kelly would get to participate at least some in this conversation—and might be able to get even more out of it about Eli and his father since she was in a better position to interpret than Alan was.

  This seemed like a good deal for all of them.

  He just hoped Kelly got here soon with their food.

  Chapter 7

  Fortunately, the restaurant wasn’t extremely busy, maybe because it wasn’t quite noon yet. Even so, Kelly did the appropriate thing and told Ella about the order for half a dozen sandwiches—she had rounded up to make it sound even better—that she had been asked to deliver to Government Plaza.

  Ella was in her office. She always smiled at customers, but the intense look she leveled on Kelly, the standard in-charge expression she used for her staff, would have made Kelly wince if she had really cared about keeping this job long term.

  On the other hand, she cared about keeping it for the short term. It gave her a reason to be here.

  “I hope it’s okay,” she said to Ella, planning to do it even if her boss didn’t like the idea. “I just figured it’s another service we can provide more often to the people at Government Plaza, not just the council members, to promote the Haven even more. Maybe do it for the mayor and his staff one of these days. I know you sometimes have outside people make deliveries, but since you had some of us take care of that special council lunch yesterday, I thought this might be a good thing.”

  Ella’s expression changed to one of amusement, or so it appeared to Kelly. “And it doesn’t hurt that it’ll give you a chance to see that security guy, Alan, again.”

  Kelly swallowed, wondering if her face was turning red. Hey, that would be a good thing, in keeping with the roles he’d suggested they take on.

  “Well, yes,” she said, giving a shy smile.

  She wondered what Judge Treena would say about this angle, as well as Kelly’s intended partial apology when she got hold of the judge. But not now. She would have to figure out a better time and place.

  “All right, let’s do it this time,” Ella was saying, “although if it ever comes up again, be sure to check with me before committing to leave the restaurant, even for a short while. Okay?”

  As if she had a choice. “Okay,” Kelly responded. She couldn’t wait to see Eli, and she might even get the opportunity to speak with him again.

  She had put in the order at the kitchen before talking to Ella, so the two cooks had the half dozen sandwiches ready just a few minutes after she returned. “It’s to go,” she told them, “and I’ll want a few bags of potato and apple chips to go with them.”

  Very soon, she was on her way. Noticing that Ella watched her leave, she didn’t even take the time to change out of her serving outfit or use a scarf or sweater to cover herself up more. As much as Kelly would have preferred doing something with her attire, it was even more important that she not offend Ella at the moment, in case she had the opportunity to do this again. But once she got out of view, she pulled off the band she wore on her short, curly hair. If only she could do something now about her skimpy skirt...

  The walk along the Blue Haven streets to the plaza didn’t take long, and the entire time Kelly worried about how best to approach her nephew this time. Hopefully, once more, he would not recognize her.

  She decided to wing it—again. She would be all bright and friendly and an excellent waitress who also had a thing going with the security guy. Oh, and she admired young men who did things to help their community. She hoped that had come across the last time she had seen Eli helping Councilwoman Arviss.

  And if there was anything wrong in that particular young man’s life, his relationship with his father, how he was being treated at home...

  No. Of course that was number one on her agenda, but it had to remain deep inside her, invisible to others, at least until she figured out a way to fix what was wrong.

  And she would fix it. Somehow.

  * * *

  Dodd had left the councilwoman’s office almost immediately, but Alan had stayed behind. Now he sat on a chair in the corner of the room, out of the way, acting as if texting were taking up all his attention.

  Not so. He surreptitiously watched the desk where the councilwoman sat at her desktop computer, reading something. No assistant or secretary was present, as seemed normal for these intern sessions. Fortunately, she didn’t question his presence—the security guys seemed to be treated like general staff here.

  Besides observing her, Alan also kept an eye on the table where her son—and Eli Grodon—sat stuffing envelopes. The two boys didn’t talk much, and when they did it was in whispers, with their heads together.

  Alan would have given a lot to hear them, but he suspected they were just trading boy talk.

  On further reflection, Alan wondered if he had done the right thing, not only by hanging here but also by calling Kelly and ensuring she would come.

  Sure, she wanted to see her nephew as often as she could. Even better, it would be good for Alan, and what he needed to accomplish here, to get Eli to reveal what was troubling him now—assuming the nice woman who couldn’t act like his aunt could befriend him anyway and get him to talk.

  Was he in more trouble with his father? Had Stan Grodon told his son to stay away from Government Plaza, and had Eli decided to defy him?

  If so, then what were their respective motivations?

  Most important to Alan was to find connections and more: the evidence he sought from the past. But Eli’s current nervousness—and that bruise—made Alan certain something was also going on now.

  It wasn’t his responsibility to make sure the kid came out of this situation safely. But that was why Kelly had broken all the rules to get here. And his responsibility or not, Alan would do all he could to protect Eli, too.

  Alan didn’t believe in breaking rules. He’d seen what chaos that choosing not to follow orders could impose not only on those who disobeyed, but worse, on those around them.

  He didn’t want to see young Eli hurt, but the kid was in the middle of it all.

  So were Councilwoman Arviss and her son. The councilwoman had apparently chosen to get involved, to help her son’s friend. But did she have any idea what she might be up against?

  Alan was here to find evidence that Stan Grodon was a killer. And those who killed would often do everything in their power to not get caught...even kill others who got in their way.

  Well, Alan would do what he could to protect all of these people while fulfilling his own assignment.

  And the fact that rule-breaker Kelly was in the middle of it? Lovely, sexy, lying Kelly? Even though, because she refused to follow rules, he should allow her to meet whatever fate Stan Grodon had in mind for Shereen, he knew he would protect her, too. And to do so—

  A knock sounded on the office door. Susan Arviss jumped in her seat.

  The two boys looked at each other with huge eyes. Fearful eyes. Expressions that suggested they both were concerned that Stan Grodon had found out they were there.

  “I believe lunch has arrived,” Alan said as Cal got to his feet to answer the door.

  * * *

  Kelly had breezed through the building’s security with no trouble and now stood in the hallway outside Councilwoman Arviss’s office, two large plastic bags in her hands.

  When no one answered the door immediately, she considered reaching into her pocket for her cell phone. Alan had said she should bring the food right here unless he texted her about somewhere else to take it. She hadn’t gotten a text. But—

  The door opened. Cal Arviss stood there. Kelly couldn’t read the expression on the boy’s round face, but it appeared flushed beneath his short brown hair, and perhaps guilty. Of what?

  “Hi. I’ve brought your lunch.” Kelly lifted the bags without handing them to the child. She wanted to ensure an invitation inside.

  “Thanks.” Cal reached toward her
for the bags, but she pretended to misunderstand. She slipped sideways and edged her way through the door and past Cal. “Hi,” she called out to Councilwoman Arviss. “Lunch delivery from the Haven.”

  From the corner of her eye, she saw Alan rise from where he had been sitting at one side of the room. So did Susan Arviss, who approached Kelly.

  Were they both going to confront her so she’d have to hand over the bags without hanging around at all? She hoped not—especially since she managed a sideways glance toward the table where Eli still sat. He was the only one here who wasn’t looking at her. That could be a good thing, although she doubted he would suddenly recognize her.

  But as he looked down at the envelopes in front of him, she couldn’t really see his face. His expression. Was he okay?

  “Hey,” she said, heading in the direction of the small table between the main desk and the one for an assistant. “How about if I help you set up this lunch? It’s only sandwiches, but some really good ones.” She made herself grin first toward Susan, then her son, and finally toward Alan.

  She barely spared a glance in Eli’s direction. She needed to act as if his presence were irrelevant, even though it was the only real reason she was here.

  “It’s okay,” Susan said. “We can take care of it.”

  But Kelly had already reached the table. She put the two bags down on it and opened the first, smiling even though what she wanted to do was leave it there, rush to her nephew’s side, hug him and ask him what was wrong and—

  “Thanks for bringing it,” Alan said. He’d pulled some cash out of his pocket to hand to her.

  “Of course,” she said. “Now, here are the selections.” She emptied both bags, placing the sandwiches wrapped in plastic in a neat row, acting in her role as server. “We’ve got three chicken clubs and three roast beefs. Potato and apple chips, too.” She extracted the small packages from the bags as well, placing one by each of the sandwiches. Only then did she look directly at Eli. She was seeing him for the second time in days! But she still did not know how best to help him...

  “Which is your favorite, young man?”

  He looked up slowly, not toward her but to the food. “Is roast beef okay?” he asked.

  “Is that okay with the rest of you?” Kelly looked from the councilwoman to her son, but not toward Alan. She was sure he would eat whichever one was left.

  “I want roast beef, too,” Cal said, now standing by Eli’s side.

  “Chicken club is fine with me,” Susan Arviss said. “But Mr. Correy placed the order. He should have first choice.” She was holding out some money, too, so she apparently intended to pay for at least part of the order. Kelly suspected Alan wouldn’t let her. And Kelly herself would be happy to pay for it all, now that she was able to be in the same room with Eli again.

  If only she could just get close and talk to him...he still kept looking down, mostly, as if shy—or sad or in pain...

  “We’re good here,” Alan said. “And in fact—you know what? One of those sandwiches is for my coworker Dodd, and I’ll have to find him and give it to him soon. But there’s still one extra, so, Ms. Ladd, why don’t you join us? Take a break from your serving, would you?”

  Kelly tried not to look too ecstatic as she aimed her gaze toward Alan. Nor would she allow herself to worry—now—what Ella might say if she found out that Kelly stayed and ate part of the lunch she’d delivered here. At least it might just look a bit like they were romantically involved.

  “That’s very nice of you, Mr. Correy,” she said. “Thank you. I’d be glad to, if it’s all right with Councilwoman Arviss.”

  “Sure. Why not? We can make it a party.” Susan, apparently buying into their facade, put down her money on the table near Alan, who pushed it back to her.

  “My treat,” he said. “Now, why don’t we all sit down for a while?”

  * * *

  Alan watched as Kelly took a place between Susan Arviss and him, not directly beside the boys. She did sit across the table from Eli, though.

  She unwrapped her chicken club sandwich and took a small bite. “Mmm,” she said. “This is good. I’m new enough at the Haven that I haven’t tasted all its food.” She looked toward Cal. “I’ve had a roast beef sandwich, though. I liked it. How about you?”

  “Pretty good,” the boy said. He finished chewing, then tore open his bag of apple chips.

  “And what do you think?” Kelly did what Alan was sure she had wanted to do all along: address her nephew. “Have you had one of these sandwiches before, too?”

  Eli nodded as he glanced at her, then back down toward the part of his sandwich sitting in plastic on the table. “I’ve eaten at the Haven lots of times,” he said. “Good stuff.”

  The bruise Alan had noticed on the boy’s face before was at least fading, and he saw no other indication of possible abuse. Unless he counted the quiet pain he read in Eli’s expression, although he could just be seeing what he thought was there.

  “Yes, it is,” Kelly said. “I like working there.” She paused. “And how about you? Do you like coming here and helping out like an intern?”

  “Yeah, I’d like to do this even if I didn’t get credit for it,” Eli said. He appeared uncomfortable now. Because this was getting slightly more personal? He glanced toward Cal as if he wanted his friend to intervene and take over the conversation.

  Kelly must have recognized his discomfort, too, since she immediately faced Susan Arviss. The councilwoman looked a little more relaxed than Alan was used to seeing her, her blond hair a bit unkempt, and she wasn’t wearing lipstick. He figured she was in her early forties. She was attractive in a businesslike way, well-dressed and good at what she did.

  “This is such a great program for kids,” Kelly said. “They get to see a little bit of how the government works while they’re doing something productive. Was it your idea?”

  The conversation shifted to the concept of what the city could do for its citizens, even younger ones. Alan participated some, asking questions as they talked about whether other council members had bought into the program yet, and how schoolteachers and administrators reacted.

  Cal piped in now and then, since he’d evidently talked to some of his teachers about what he had seen and learned here. Apparently, though, not many of the council members had started to participate in the intern program yet, and from Susan’s attitude, Alan suspected she might sometimes be criticized for what she did. But she was encouraging others to do the same thing, and a few actually were.

  Eli was quiet now, but Alan watched his gaze shift from Cal to his mother, and sometimes to Kelly or to him. He gave no indication of recognizing Kelly, which was good.

  But this was her second time in his presence since her return. She was tempting fate, especially since she and her nephew had apparently been close at one time.

  And Eli’s silence didn’t provide any insight into what was happening to him now.

  Or anything his father might be into, good or bad.

  “These guys are the only ones I’m working with right now,” Susan was saying, “although a few of the other council members are doing a little, too. I hope to expand my efforts, including to kids whose parents don’t work for the city.”

  “But that’s the case with both of these kids, right?” Kelly asked, her face the picture of innocence despite what she clearly knew she was getting into. She looked at Eli. “And does your dad do anything like this?”

  She was really pushing it, Alan thought. What did she think she’d accomplish?

  And he wasn’t about to mention how he’d heard Stan’s nastiness toward his son a couple of times since his arrival here, when he’d seen them together in the hallway.

  Eli said nothing, but took another bite of his sandwich without looking at her.

  “Eli’s dad doesn’t have any interns right now,” Susan said, her hard glance toward Kelly communicating that they weren’t to talk about Councilman Grodon. She then started talking about some of the
other council members who didn’t participate in the intern program but took on other projects to encourage kids to get involved.

  Alan realized that this meeting needed to end sooner rather than later—for young Eli’s sake, and to prevent Councilwoman Arviss from getting upset with them, assuming she wasn’t already. He waited till a slight lull in the conversation, then said, “Anyway, thanks for bringing lunch, Kelly. I’ll walk out with you now so I can give the other sandwich to my colleague.”

  She glared at him, but only for a moment. “You’re right. I need to get back to work.” She stood, too, and her gaze circled the table. “Enjoy the rest of your lunch—and your afternoon.”

  Alan let her precede him out the door.

  When the door was closed behind them, he said, “I have to go to the security office. Dodd will be there. Are you going back to the restaurant?” He said it firmly, as if it was an order.

  She nodded, then said very softly, “I know I was getting out of line there. But I have so many questions...”

  “We’ll get answers somehow,” he told her. “But this isn’t the time or place.”

  He forbore trying to kiss the sad expression off her face.

  “Will I see you later?” she asked.

  “Absolutely.” And then he turned to head down the hall. Maybe they could strategize then—or not. In any case, he would find a way to cheer her up, or at least he’d try.

  Chapter 8

  Kelly knew she had been pressing too hard. Too inappropriately. But she wanted so badly to get Eli talking about his father so she could learn what Stan was really up to these days.

  How, and why, he had been abusing his own son.

  Could she dare to get Councilwoman Arviss off on her own and ask her questions? She seemed to be on Eli’s side.

  But what if she reported Kelly’s nosiness to Eli’s father?

  Just as bad, what if she decided to back away from Eli if she believed her kindness led local citizens to question her motives—and thus potentially result in political overtones?