Covert Alliance

by Linda O. Johnston

  Taking another deep breath, she strode toward the restaurant’s front door.

  A few people were inside, though fewer than were likely to be at the Haven at brunch time. She headed toward the tall wooden greeting stand, which had no one behind it.

  She stood there for less than a minute before Dora approached from what Kelly assumed to be the kitchen. The shorter woman was also clad in a blue dress, but hers was a brighter shade and of a silky, dressier—and undoubtedly more expensive—material. As before, she walked with the grace of a model, and the smile on her face as she greeted Kelly appeared perfect and welcoming.

  Now, if she only could get the woman talking about what she wanted to hear.

  “Kelly, how wonderful to see you. Please come in and sit down. We’ll have some coffee first, then I’ll show you around and we can talk business.”

  “Hi, Dora.” Kelly smiled back broadly. “Thank you so much. This is such a wonderful place. I really hope we can work things out for sometime in the future, at least.”

  Dora led her to a small table toward the back of the place and away from the view through the huge windows—away from prime real estate for customers. Her hostess gestured toward a female server who wasn’t dressed quite as formally as the one who’d served them last night. She wore a yellow dress with matching low shoes, and the other servers Kelly saw around the dining area were similarly dressed.

  Soon they had coffee in front of them, and Dora insisted on giving Kelly a croissant like her own—blueberry and delicious. Kelly wondered what the menu price would be.

  Then they started talking.

  Can I ask about Stan yet? Kelly’s mind raced, but she told herself to be patient as she described her experience as a server, including at a restaurant in the area of her new identity, but not the actual place. Although Kelly realized that Judge Treena must know where she was—despite her still failing to call the wonderful woman who had helped her so much and explain what she had done and why—she didn’t want word to get back to the judge in such a sideways manner.

  They also discussed why Kelly had decided to move here, and how she had found her job at the Haven. Those she had answers for, since she had explained her move to Ella when she first applied for the job as just being in the mood for a change and always hearing wonderful things about California. And it was easy enough to describe why she had wanted a job in the downtown area of adorable Blue Haven.

  When they were done with their croissants and coffee, Dora rose and motioned for Kelly to join her. “Let me give you a tour,” she said.

  Kelly was fine with the idea but hadn’t yet ventured into Dora’s relationship with, and interest in, Stan Grodon. It had been too much like an interview so far, which wasn’t surprising. But Kelly would lead her into the topics she wanted to discuss...somehow.

  Dora showed Kelly the Blue View’s kitchen. It was vast and had so much more equipment than the Haven—all high-end, of course.

  And all the while Kelly pondered how to aim the conversation in the direction she wanted. She wouldn’t mention having seen Dora on a date with Stan at Tony’s Lounge—at least, not unless it seemed warranted.

  Dora showed her the multiple ovens and explained how they were used.

  “Amazing,” Kelly said. “We have a couple of large ovens at the Haven, but they’re both pretty much used for the same kinds of things. At least I think so. I mostly just go into the kitchen to place and pick up orders.” She paused to smile at Dora. “Speaking of the Haven again, I’ve seen you there with some members of city council, right? They seem very active in this town—or at least very hungry.”

  Dora motioned for Kelly to follow her, and they headed toward the nearest door out of the kitchen. “Yes, I know they eat at the Haven a lot and even order takeout for meals at their headquarters. Your restaurant is certainly convenient for them. But one reason I’m getting to know at least some members better is to encourage them to visit Blue View, maybe even throw an event here sometime soon.”

  “I get it.” Kelly’s mind swirled as Dora opened a door, and they entered a room with lockers along the walls and chairs in the middle.

  “This is the break room. Servers can change clothes in the nearby restroom, and everyone’s assigned a locker in here.”

  “That’s so great,” Kelly said. “We don’t have anything like it at the Haven.” How could she aim this discussion toward Stan, and whether Dora was really dating him? And, more important, had she met Eli, and if so, how had he seemed and what was Stan’s attitude?

  Maybe she could use her assumed relationship with Alan to get there.

  “People are really friendly here in Blue Haven, aren’t they?” Kelly made herself gush as they stood in the empty room. “I mean, well, there’s a guy who works for the security company that takes care of Government Plaza who’s been at the Haven and also at the plaza when I’ve taken food there. He’s been really nice to me.” Like, he and I are screwing around. But that was too blunt for her to say, of course.

  “Oh, really? Well, yes, people do tend to be nice to one another here.”

  “I know I’m being nosy.” Kelly looked slightly sideways toward the other woman while continuing to smile. “But you’re so pretty and you’ve got so many things going for you. Does that include a boyfriend?”

  Would Dora think she was getting too personal? After all, they weren’t friends, and all this woman, whose family owned this elite restaurant, knew about Kelly was that she wanted a job here—and if she got it, Dora would become her boss.

  “Well...kind of. I’d rather not say who, but I’ve been seeing one of those council members you’ve been serving food to.” The smile on Dora’s pretty face grew huge, and she looked down as if being coy, before aiming another glance up toward Kelly.

  “Oh, I think I know who.” Kelly’s turn to act a little coy. “I’ve seen you two together and kind of wondered.” She leaned slightly down toward Dora, even though they were alone, and said in a near-whisper, “It’s that nice, smart councilman Stan Grodon, isn’t it?”

  Dora raised her light, perfectly arched brows a little. “I was hoping it wasn’t obvious.”

  “I wouldn’t say it was,” Kelly responded. This conversation was moving just the way she wanted it to, and she had to keep herself from appearing too excited. “It’s just I saw him sitting beside you and—”

  She broke off. One of the female servers entered the room and said, “Hi, Dora. Just taking my break now. I’ve got to call my son’s school. His teacher just left me a message, even though it’s Sunday. Okay?”

  “Sure,” Dora said.

  Having this conversation interrupted—and probably ended—so suddenly made Kelly feel as if she had been socked in the stomach.

  Kelly calmed herself, though, as Dora and the server chatted for the next minute about why the teacher might have called, especially on a weekend.

  She would get her conversation with Dora back on topic.

  She had to.

  Chapter 15

  It was around eleven o’clock. Alan had been patrolling Government Plaza for half an hour this Sunday morning and would do one more round in the nearly empty building before leaving.

  At the moment he was in the wide hallway on the ground floor, walking on its shining surface in his dressy yet comfortable rubber-soled shoes that went well with his security suit and tie.

  He decided to stop in the small office used by the security team. He’d already seen Dodd wandering around upstairs when he was there, so if he ran into any of the others here they wouldn’t include his closest buddy on the job. Their boss, Nevil, had been upstairs, too, but he’d said he was leaving.

  Alan used the key card and opened the door. The room was empty except for the long tables containing the computers they used here.

  He didn’t want to take the time to get on one now. No, he would head back to his apartment in a while and could use his secure government-issued laptop to do any research he wanted.

  He hea
ded back out, closing the door behind him—and thinking, again, of Kelly. Not that she was off his mind much anyway, but right now she would be up at the Blue View talking to its part-owner Dora, trying to extract anything even the tiniest bit useful from her.

  Was she succeeding?

  If so, they would celebrate together.

  If not, well, he would do all he could to comfort her—and set them both in another direction to start improving their results. He just had to figure out what that direction would be.

  Or maybe he would follow his own orders and conscience and make her leave at last. Though that idea didn’t please him now as much as it had when they had first met.

  He saw another couple of security guys—Jorge and Prentice—walking down the hall toward him, and he waited to say hello.

  “See anything out of order?” he asked them.

  Both were around Alan’s height, though Prentice was much stouter. They shook their heads and Jorge shrugged. “Nice gig today. Not much to do like on weekdays.”

  “Well, enjoy what’s left of your time here.” Alan had decided to vacate this floor and return to the area where the council offices were. At least it was more interesting, even if no one was there.

  Only he was surprised, after heading up the steps, to see Councilman Stan Grodon walking toward him and away from his office, down the wide hall where council members and their assistants frequently roved on weekdays. But not weekends.

  Today he wore a pale green shirt with the sleeves rolled up over black denim pants—not his usual formal councilman garb. His thinning hair was even a bit mussed over his round face, and he appeared to have chosen to look like an ordinary citizen rather than a mighty government guru.

  “Hello, sir,” Alan said, playing his role to the hilt. He was alone with his target. Could he use this meeting to get something useful?

  He’d certainly be pleased to be able to tell Kelly that he had, even if she was successful, too.

  “Hello. Everything secure around here?” Grodon probably didn’t know, or remember, Alan’s name, which was fine. But he did know Alan’s role.

  “That’s what I’m checking. So far all looks good.”

  “Excellent. Keep up the good work. Oh, and you might let Hancock know we’re starting to plan another event, probably off these premises—a luncheon maybe, or something else to hobnob with some of the local citizens.”

  In other words, a fund-raiser, at least for Grodon. Alan wouldn’t ask questions now but would definitely be sure to be on duty that day to ensure security for the group—and keep an eye on Stan.

  “Thanks for the warning, sir. I’ll let my boss know.” Hancock and his closest staff were fairly much a supervisory, hands-off group who relied on grunts like Alan was supposed to be, which was fine with him. But they would want to know so they’d be able to get a group—including Alan—together for the event.

  Too bad Alan wouldn’t be able to invite Kelly as a date to whatever it was, although depending on how it worked out, she might wind up as a server.

  For now, he just nodded a farewell to the city councilman whose mind he wished he could read and continued down the hall. At the end he turned. Grodon had left.

  And Alan decided not to follow him.

  * * *

  Hallelujah! Kelly thought. Dora had invited her into the restaurant’s small office. Was she going to offer her a job?

  If so, she would have to handle it carefully, request an amount of time to consider it—and also to consider how to gracefully refuse it.

  She wanted to stay downtown, where all the action was.

  And where she was more likely to get opportunities to see Eli. But maybe she could learn more about the situation between Dora and Stan now.

  “Here we are.” Dora pushed open a door with windows that were covered inside by curtains so the office beyond wasn’t visible. She motioned for Kelly to precede her, which she did.

  Inside, she saw a relatively small room filled with antique furniture, from wooden, carved file cabinets in the corner to a matching ornate desk in the center.

  “Please have a seat.” Dora gestured toward one of the two similarly antique chairs facing the desk. The chair she sat in behind it wasn’t antique, but a modern desk chair.

  “Thanks.” Kelly complied, sitting at the edge of the chair she chose as if she were waiting eagerly for what was to come. “This is really nice.” She looked around with a smile.

  “Thank you.”

  Kelly didn’t wait for Dora to begin their conversation. She decided to continue from where they’d been when they were interrupted in the break room. “This whole place is so amazing. Has...have you brought Councilman Grodon here for a meal?” She shot Dora a cutesy little smile, as if she wanted to continue pushing their budding friendship.

  “Of course.” Dora’s expression fortunately just looked amused. “With some of his fellow council members, too.”

  “That’s great. And what about his son? I met the boy at the council offices the other day when I brought in some food.” This could be a mistake, if it got back to Stan that some mere server was getting so personal with Eli.

  But it was exactly what Kelly needed. What she was after.

  “No, he hasn’t been here.” Dora’s tone wasn’t quite as chummy as before. “Stan introduced me to him once when the kid was at the plaza and on his way out with a friend and his mother.” Then Stan was aware of Eli’s internship at the plaza, even though Eli apparently attempted to avoid his father.

  Did Eli seem okay then? Kelly longed to ask. What was Stan’s attitude?

  More questions she didn’t dare ask flooded Kelly’s mind, and Dora seemed to sense something, judging by her curious and somewhat chilly glance.

  “Anyway, the kid seemed nice enough. Maybe a little awed by his dad and his power in Blue Haven. I kind of got the sense he wanted to stay quiet and figure out what his dad wanted. Impress him, maybe. Be a perfect little angel, even at that age. Maybe I’ll see him again sometime.” Did she want to? Would she be interested in acquiring a stepson?

  If so, how would she act with Eli?

  And if Kelly had her druthers, it wouldn’t happen, since Stan wouldn’t be able to marry Dora. Not while he was in prison.

  Dora leaned over the desk toward Kelly. “Now let’s get down to business.”

  Kelly’s heart dropped. She’d learned probably all she was going to about Eli from Dora. He’d apparently given the impression of complete subservience, but little else.

  Although that did tell her something about his relationship with his domineering, cruel—and murderous—father.

  Oh, Eli, I’ll figure something out, her mind cried, even as she listened to Dora.

  “Now, here’s the thing,” the restaurant owner was saying. “I like you, Kelly. I think you’d fit in well here.”

  Uh-oh. Kelly’s mind spun as she tried to figure out how to nicely say no.

  “But like I mentioned before, the problem is that we’re already overstaffed at this moment.”

  Great! Then she didn’t need to make up excuses, at least not now.

  “Oh,” she said, trying to sound despondent.

  “I’ll certainly keep you in mind the next time we have an opening, though. They seem to come up unexpectedly, as you probably know.”

  “Yes. Sure. I’ll just hope one comes up when I can accept a position with you. Thanks for thinking of me.” Kelly tried to sound as if she could hardly wait for the job sometime in the future...maybe. “Anyway, I’d better go now. But I’ll look forward to talking with you again.”

  She rose then, trying not to look relieved, and allowed Dora to show her back into the restaurant and toward the door.

  * * *

  Alan was getting ready to leave. His job for the day here was pretty much over, so he headed down to the ground floor once more.

  There, he popped into the security office to sign out. Dodd was sitting at a computer, and the two of them exchanged quick barbs—and not
es about what they had and hadn’t seen that day.

  “You ready to leave?” Dodd asked. “I am, almost. Good day, though. I asked to be here. Sundays are pretty dead around here. Piece of cake to patrol then.”

  “It sure is.” Even though Alan was curious why he’d seen Grodon here. But the councilman could be a dedicated member of city government on top of all the questionable activities he engaged in, so maybe he’d actually done something productive here today.

  Not that Alan believed that.

  “See you tomorrow?” Dodd asked as Alan waved and started to leave.

  “Yep, see you then.”

  He walked into the hallway and toward the rear exit, to the parking lot where he had left his car.

  And he was very interested to see Stan Grodon at the far end of the lot near a car that did not look as ritzy as he expected the councilman to own.

  But a guy got out of the driver’s seat then and stood up, talking to Grodon.

  It was Grodon’s assistant, Paul Tirths, whom Alan had met but who had left town shortly thereafter.

  Alan immediately thought of something he could ask the councilman so he could draw closer to the two men—but Tirths got back into the driver’s seat, and Grodon went to the passenger’s side and got in.

  Well, Tirths was back. He was the person who’d initially been on Shereen Alsop’s side when her sister disappeared, then did an about-face without providing any ability to call him as an eyewitness or obtain any other kind of proof from him.

  But this was definitely something to talk to Kelly about.

  And to dig in further to see what useful info Tirths could provide...possibly with a little persuasion.

  * * *

  On her way back toward town, Kelly carefully navigated the narrow road with one side providing a majestic view of the water. She thought about calling Alan but decided against it. She knew he was on some kind of limited security patrol around the plaza today and didn’t want to interrupt him.