Inside Traitors

by David Allen

  Steve continued to stare out in his dazed state. He didn’t hear Christy’s question. He didn’t respond. Christy was used to this annoying peculiarity in Steve.

  “Steve, yoo hoo! Earth to Steve! Earth to Steve! Can you hear me? Are you feeling alright?” asked Christy. Her tone was loud and somewhat mocking.

  Steve finally heard Christy’s words and his head emerged from the fog. He looked up toward Christy. His mind could provide no words for him to say to her.

  “You know, you look like you may be getting sick,” said Christy. “If you are getting sick, you better stay away from me. Maybe you should sleep in the guest room tonight. I can’t afford to get sick. I have too much going on. I have way too much going on this week to get sick.”

  Steve shifted slightly on the barstool. He looked uneasy as he spoke up. “No, I am not getting sick, I’m fine,” Steve said. He tried his best to sound like nothing was wrong. “I am just running a little slow today. That’s all.”

  “Well, you can exchange the Gucci bag for the right one since you have the day off from work. You will have some extra time to do that, right?”

  “Yes, I can do it,” Steve responded. “Don’t worry. I will stop by Saks and return the bag and get the right one.”

  “It’s a Jackie O. The style of the bag that I want is called a Jackie O. Will you be able to remember that? Do you think you can get the right one this time or do I have to write it down for you?” Christy asked. Her tone was harsh, the words condescending.

  “I can remember. You want a Gucci Jackie O handbag in black. I think I got it,” said Steve. His eyes fell away from Christy. He stared at the handbag on the counter.

  Christy felt she gave Steve the proper sense of the situation. She started for the door but abruptly stopped, and then turned back toward Steve. Her forehead started to scrunch up.

  “You know Steve. You never did tell me why you were taking a vacation day today. This doesn’t have anything to do with that stupid homeless shelter project, does it?” asked Christy. “I told you that was a totally ridiculous idea. You should just drop the whole stupid thing. It’s nothing but a waste. It is a waste of time and a big waste of money. You really should listen to me.”

  Steve shook his head from side to side. “No it has nothing to do with the shelter project. I just wanted to get away from the office for a day. Maybe try to get a few things completed around the condo that I have been putting off.” Steve tried to sound sincere with his words.

  “Well, stay away from that shelter thing and don’t forget about the Gucci bag,” said Christy. “Oh, and by the way. I will be getting in a little late this evening. I am going out with the girls from the office. We are going to look for a party bus to drive us around the night of Diane’s party. I should be home by ten… It might even be closer to eleven,” she added.

  The door to the condo slammed. Steve was alone with his thoughts. He wondered what to do.

  Steve had been planning to take the day off of work. He wanted to finish up some last minute chores with the new condo. This way, he and Christy would be able to concentrate exclusively on the wedding plans. Now there were no wedding plans to be made, the chores could wait. The last place Steve wanted to be was in the condo.

  Maybe I should go into the office after all, Steve thought. I could go into the office for just for a couple of hours. I could go in and work for a half-day and then run over to Saks to return the Gucci bag.

  Steve wanted to check on the progress of the latest product testing effort and find out the status of the month end numbers. He also needed to locate a contract that had been missing for several days. The missing contract had been weighing heavily on his mind and he needed to be sure he didn’t leave the contract at the office.

  The prospect of a half-day of work was tempting. Steve had only one worry. He was afraid that since he had already informed his staff that he was taking the day off, they might feel he was checking up on them.

  The choice required only a brief mental consideration. Steve decided that he would go into the office for a half day of work after all. He would stay in his office and keep a low profile. The half-day would allow him to address the items that were on his mind and also get him out of the condo. And if he only worked for a half day, then he would have plenty of time to head over to Saks to return the Gucci bag.

  With the decision made, Steve finally rose from the barstool. The eggs Benedict breakfast still sat on the counter. Steve eyed up the offering that sat before him. His stomach no longer begged to be fed. He no longer felt hungry. The now cold breakfast didn’t even look appetizing to him.

  The untouched breakfast was just another reminder of the failed morning plan. Steve snatched up the morning dishes and sent the celebration breakfast down the garbage disposal.

  The surface of the counter bar was littered with remnants from the wrapping of the anniversary surprise package. Shreds of gold and silver tissue paper, gleaming tinsel and ripped ribbons were scattered over the entire area. The package that was earlier packed and wrapped with hope and enthusiasm was now reduced to nothing but trash. Steve gathered up the scattered paper and trimmings and unceremoniously stuffed the armload into the trash. The clean-up was complete.

  Steve picked the Saks shopping bag from off the floor. He straightened it back into shape before placing it on a barstool. The rejected Gucci bag sat on the counter. Steve picked it up and slowly turned the bag over and over in his hands. He stared at the craftsmanship. He felt the stitching of the shimmering logos. At least I like the bag, he thought.

  Steve slipped the bag into its dust cover before returning it to the confines of the shopping bag. He deposited the package on the edge of the kitchen counter near the door to the foyer. He wanted to be certain that he did not forget the package when he left for the office.

  * * *

  Steve showered quickly and combed down his wild mop of hair. He dressed in his customary business attire of pressed Dockers pants and a crisply starched Ralph Lauren button down dress shirt with long sleeves. Even on the hottest of days of the year he would wear long sleeves. He liked the look and feel of the combination and very rarely wore anything else.

  The master suite had two large walk-in closets, one for Christy and one for Steve. Steve’s closet was filled with an unending row of the same brand and same style of shirt, one right after the other. The shirts were arranged in groups by color.

  If Steve really liked a particular color, he would assemble as many as ten to twenty shirts of the same exact brand, size, style and color into his collection. Under the row of shirts was a row of pants that circled the closet. The pants, like the shirts, were all duplicates of the same brand and style. They were also arranged in groups by color.

  The repetitiveness of the clothes in the closet was broken only at the end of the upper most row of shirts. There in the corner were three dark blue suits and three yellow neckties. All three of the suits were the same color and style and by the same designer. They were Steve’s least favorite outfits but they occasionally become necessary when he had meetings with potential clients.

  Steve’s vast collection of shirts and pants was so limited in variety that his staff would often joke about his clothing behind his back. At times, it would appear to his co-workers that he wore the same outfit for two, three or sometimes as long as four days in a row.

  Office legend had the record set at nine days in a row covering a span of three separate weeks. Steve never heard the staff’s remarks about his dress. He would have cared little if he did.

  Steve slipped on his loafers and headed out of the bedroom. “Jackie O, Jackie O,” he repeated aloud. Each time he repeated the phrase he tried to come closer to the high-pitched tone of Christy’s earlier whiny voice. A smile appeared across his face as he became aware of his mocking tone.

  Christy’s morning outburst was nothing new, but Steve was under Christy’s spell. If lust is as blind as love, then Steve lost the use of his eyes six months ago. He work
ed to keep Christy happy. When she was happy, everybody was happy. If she was not happy, he knew it was most likely going to be his fault.

  Steve let out one more high-pitched “Jackie-O” as he opened the door to leave. Just then, he caught sight of the Saks bag on the edge of the kitchen counter.

  “Oh that would have been just great if I forgot the bag,” he announced. Steve grabbed up the package and headed out to the private marble lined foyer of the penthouse condo. The solid oak door shut behind him causing a rumble to roll over the marble floor and walls.

  The interior decorator had provided many high priced options for furnishing and ornamenting the grand foyer entryway. Christy wasn’t sure about any of them. She decided to concentrate on getting the living area of the condo fully decorated first. The foyer still remained bare of furniture or even pictures for the walls.

  The echo of the door closing resonated around the empty room, as Steve pressed the elevator call button. I hope Christy remembered to send the elevator back up for me, he thought. The silence of the elevator arrival bell and the hushed whine of the electric motor made Christy’s actions known. She did not.

  Steve’s mind drifted back to thoughts of his failed morning plan, as he waited for the elevator to make its climb. Suddenly, he remembered that the engagement ring was still hidden in the Gucci bag.

  “Oh Damn, the engagement ring,” Steve said aloud. “I forgot to take the ring out of the bag.” He opened the Saks bag and pulled out the Gucci bag as he reentered the condo.

  “Well, I don’t think this day can get any worse,” he mumbled aloud.

  Chapter 6 - Inquisition

  The burnt orange display of the dashboard mounted clock just turned to ten o’clock as Steve Peterson steered his Honda Civic off route 60 and toward the office of Peterson Software. The events of his failed morning plan were being played back in Steve’s mind. The Honda maneuvered along on autopilot.

  The entrance into the Peterson Software complex came up quick. Steve had to slam on the brakes or else he would have sped right by. He cranked the wheel sharply to make the turn, squealing the tires. The near-miss jolted Steve’s mind from its haze.

  The business campus of Peterson Software is located south of the main downtown Tampa business district, right on the north shore of Tampa Bay. All of the offices located on the south side of the complex have an outstanding view of the entire harbor area. Steve thought the site was the best location in the entire downtown area.

  Depending on the traffic flow, Steve could make the commute from his new Bayshore condominium to the office in ten minutes. This morning’s trip began well after the morning rush hour. It took less than seven minutes to travel the scenic route.

  Construction first began on the Peterson Software business campus a little over six years ago. At that time the area was run down and economically depressed. The business campus was the first new commercial development for the area in many years.

  Steve had been approached as part of a City of Tampa urban renewal effort. City officials heard he was planning to expand his headquarters. They presented him with a plan and an offer they hoped he couldn’t refuse.

  Steve immediately bought into the city’s proposal. The new campus would certainly bring new life to the area. Steve liked the central location. He also liked that Peterson Software would receive a gigantic tax break from the city for starting the area’s revitalization efforts. Steve thought the plan was a win-win for everyone concerned.

  Today, the area surrounding the complex has developed into a dynamic and popular business district. There is a tremendous draw for new technology-oriented businesses. The area has also attracted a wide variety of high-end restaurants and several top-notch hotels. In hindsight, the location choice for the corporate headquarters could not have been better.

  The Peterson business campus consists of three modern looking concrete and glass buildings with over fifty-five thousand square feet of office space between them. There are two three-story buildings located on either side of a five-story building. The bright white concrete exterior of the buildings provide a dramatic contrast with the mirrored glass sections. The two smaller buildings contain the corporate data center and the sales and support call center operations while the five-story center building houses the programming staff along with accounting, marketing and legal divisions.

  The original site construction plan consisted of only two buildings. The data center and the call center were both located within the same building. A sudden growth in sales and a larger than anticipated demand for support services resulted in the need for additional space only three years after the original campus was completed.

  Steve steered the Honda through the campus parking lot. Many of the employees had already arrived to work and most parking spaces were already taken. Steve drove his Honda through the circular drive that connected the three buildings. He parked in his usual spot in front of the five-story building.

  There were no executive parking spaces at Peterson Software and no assigned parking spaces except for guests. But this spot was always open for Steve. The employees knew he liked this central parking spot and always left it open for him.

  Steve reached around into the back seat and grabbed his briefcase. As he opened the door, he noticed Joe Jackson fast approaching the front of the car. Steve was happy to see Joe’s friendly face, but he was already dreading the endless barrage of questions he knew was sure to come.

  Steve maneuvered his long legs out of the car. He could see that Joe had increased his pace. He was nearly running. Steve leaned on the opened door and took a deep breath. He began to brace himself for the inescapable cross-examination.

  “Good morning,” Steve called out as he raised his arm toward Joe.

  “Hey Steve, what are you doing at the office today?” asked Joe. “What happened to the vacation day that you had planned? Is everything alright?”

  “Everything is fine. It’s just a slight change of plans. I decided to come in for a half day of work after all,” said Steve, as he closed the car door. “I just needed to get a couple of high priority items cleaned up so I can stop thinking about them.”

  Joe was surprised to see Steve at work. For the last four weeks, Steve had been confiding in him about his elaborate morning plan to ask Christy to marry him. Joe knew Steve had planned to take the day as a vacation day. Steve’s arrival at the office opened up a lot of possibilities in Joe’s mind.

  Joe had to find out what happened. He wondered if it was possible that Christy said no to Steve’s proposal. He closed in on Steve and began to grill him. He needed to hear some of the morning’s darker details. It was in his fatherly nature.

  “So…,” started Joe. “How did you make out with popping the big question to Christy this morning? Are congratulations in order?”

  “What are you talking about?” Steve responded. He was doing his best to avoid the question.

  “I am talking about the big morning plan for your marriage proposal. What did Christy say?”

  “She didn’t say anything. I never asked her,” Steve said hesitantly.

  Joe knew Steve for over twenty years. He could tell there was a little more to the story than Steve was letting on. Joe could see it in his eyes and in the way he turned his head away when he spoke. Joe wondered what secret Steve was trying to keep hidden from him.

  “You didn’t ask her? What do you mean you didn’t ask her?” Joe inquired with a voice that sounded like he didn’t believe a single word of Steve’s explanation. “What about your big marriage proposal plan for this morning?” Joe asked. The second question came in before Steve had a chance to answer the first one.

  Steve shrugged up his shoulders as his only response. Joe didn’t let up. He had to know the truth. He had to know what happened.

  “What about that whole six-month anniversary celebration with the Eggs Benedict breakfast and the engagement ring in a Gucci bag thing?” asked Joe. “That’s all you have been talking about for the last
four weeks.”

  Joe knew something was not adding up, but he wasn’t getting the answers he needed. Steve was not cooperating. He remained tight-lipped. Joe continued on.

  What do you mean you didn’t ask her?” asked Joe, as he leaned in a little closer to Steve. “I am beginning to smell a cover-up here Steve,” he said in a quiet tone. Joe gave him a nudge with his elbow.

  Steve stepped back and raised his arms. “I just didn’t ask her this morning. There is really nothing more than that. There is no big mystery and no cover-up,” said Steve.

  Steve’s tone was a bit defensive. He looked away from Joe and stared toward the ground. Joe remained undaunted. The barrage of questions continued.

  “Did she say no Steve? Did you ask her and she said no?” Joe asked. “You know it is really no big deal Steve. Hundreds of girls say no to wedding proposals every day. Do you just not want to tell me what happened?”

  “No, I would tell you if there was something to say. I keep telling you that I didn’t ask her. That’s really all there is to it. There is nothing more to say.”

  There was no doubt in Joe’s mind that Steve was not being fully honest. He had to know what happened. He tried another approach.

  “Did you at least give her the engagement ring? What about the whole Gucci handbag thing? Did you give her the Gucci handbag?”

  Steve looked up from the ground but he still could not look Joe in the eye. His mouth drooped a bit in the corners. A sagging frown took shape.

  “Joe, I really do not want to talk about it right now,” said Steve slowly.

  Joe could see he hit a nerve. He knew he was close to finding out the truth. Joe tried to control his emotion. He tried hard to mask the delight brewing below the surface of his stolid expression.

  Joe never thought Christy was the right girl for Steve. He had always been very vocal about it to Steve. Now there was new hope. Joe began to think that maybe Christy said no to Steve’s wedding proposal. He was getting optimistic that there would be no engagement, no wedding and hopefully, no more Christy.