The Island Angel

by Alex Slorra

  “I assume you didn’t create the incident or know in advance it would happen?”

  “No,” she said dryly.

  “So why did they have reason to believe you were the cause?”

  Jessica rubbed her face. She didn’t know if he would be technical enough to understand. “Apparently, the audit logs showed that my laptop accessed the affected systems. My IP address was recorded in the code check-ins as well.”

  “Okay. And where was your laptop during the times in the logs?” he asked, leaning forward.

  “I was using it to work on appraisals in my office. A colleague of mine, Chris, checked the appraisal system. It showed I had used it, but a different IP address had been recorded, which would suggest a different laptop—”

  “Two laptops, one yours used to cause the incident, and another you were using?”

  “Yes. But, that day, I definitely had my laptop. Chris thinks someone swapped out the internals, so on the outside, it still looked like mine. But it’s impossible to prove.”

  “A kind of identity theft?”

  “More like identity swap.”

  “I see.”

  “The thing is, when it was examined later, it was back to normal, with the correct hardware.”

  John remained quiet and glanced at his phone before asking another question. “Who else at Hokthorn would gain?”

  “Only those with shares in competitors. A few of us were headhunted from Genism Systems a couple of years ago.”

  “Any of them have a grudge against you?”

  “A few, yes.”

  “I’ll need their names.” He recorded the names on his phone as she spoke them. “So, what exactly have you been charged with?”

  “I don’t know. After I was dismissed, they froze my cards and bank account. I went to my brother to borrow some money but, when I was back at my flat, I saw the police. They were in the process of breaking in. I guessed they must’ve had a warrant. After that, I…well, ended up here.”

  “All right. I wouldn’t bring up the fact you saw them at your flat unless pushed to do so. As it stands, you’ve not been charged with anything. It’s best it appears you’re not avoiding arrest, but just visiting a friend. Did you know Anna before this?”

  “No. I broke down on the island.” She let the words stand, accepting she had broken down rather than the car. “I was trying to get to my ex-girlfriend in Edinburgh. She didn’t return any of my calls, so Anna put me up.”

  “I see.” He paused, staring directly at her.

  “What do you think I should do?” she asked.

  “I don’t think there’s much you can do that won’t have to happen in a courtroom. It will be a matter of building a strong enough case to ensure a jury has reasonable doubt.”

  “I see.” Jessica rubbed her eyes. “What’s the likely sentence?”

  John shrugged. “Could be anything from one to ten years. Depends on the amounts involved.” A minute went by while he tapped on his phone. “More likely ten or more. Hokthorn lost a lot of value. And…” He paused to continue typing. “There are numerous lawsuits from big-name customers, I see.”

  She dropped her head into her palms. Ten years. Not forever, but a fucking long time. Abbie will be twenty-four, Daisy dead and Kermit… Who knows, he might be immortal. Will Anna find someone else?

  “Look, Jessica. I hate to point out the obvious, but you should start acting like you’re innocent… I assume you are?”

  “Yes, of course!”

  “Okay, give me time to do some background research, allow a week, then I think you should return to your flat in London. And call the police. Once you’re charged, call me. From there, I’ll start building a case to support you. But it is very important, as far as anyone is concerned, that we haven’t had this conversation, and I haven’t visited you.” He glanced over his shoulder. “The first time we are said to have communicated has to be the call you make once you’re charged. Understand?”

  Tears started to fall, and Jessica dropped her head into her folded arms on the table.

  A hand slipped along her back.

  “It’s okay, darling. I’ll be with you all the way,” Anna said softly into her ear, before kissing her temple.

  Jessica collected her strength, cleared her throat, and straightened, focusing on John. So far, he had given away no emotions, but now there was an element of surprise edged in the lines around his eyes and mouth. “So, you’ll represent me?”

  “Yes,” he said, after a slight hesitation.

  “I don’t have any money. Nothing.”

  “I’ll pay for it,” Anna cut in quickly.

  He glanced from one to the other. “This is something we can discuss later. In the meantime, write down exactly what happened. Go back a few months before, years, if you need to. You should be trying to identify who would frame you, who had access to your laptop, and who would gain.” He slipped a business card across the table, before turning to Anna. “I thought I could take you to the Crown for lunch?”

  Jessica went rigid. Is this part of his payment?

  “I had planned for us to eat here.” Anna glanced at her and Jessica noticed the barely concealed disdain in her eyes. She also knew they hadn’t been shopping for a week and there was little to eat. “I still have some of your red wine, so if you want, go into the lounge, and I’ll pull some lunch together.” Her words rang flat but were overlaid with an artificial charm.

  John stood. “Sure. Like old times.”

  “Bastard,” Anna said under her breath, once he’d settled on the sofa in the next room.

  Jessica wrapped her arms around Anna from behind. “He’s manipulative.”

  “For sure.”

  “I’ll tell him to go.” Jessica started to loosen her hug, but Anna tightened the coupling of their arms.

  “It’s a game. We need to let him think he’s winning until you’re safe.”

  “We’ll find someone else.”

  Anna shook her head. “He’s one of the best.”

  “I…I don’t want him near you.”

  Anna turned in her arms. “If he gets closer than a yard, I’ll get Kermit to eat his balls. Although John might like that.”

  “That’s disgusting.”

  “Too much?”

  Jessica nodded. “I don’t want you to be indebted to him. Not for me.”

  “You’re strange.” Anna pushed a strand of hair away from Jessica’s eyes. “You must know by now, I’d do anything for you. Selling my soul is definitely on the list.”

  Jessica laughed. “You can sell it to me.”

  “You can have it for free, as you’re broke and beautiful.” Anna kissed the line of her jaw, before following a path to her mouth.

  “A trade then. Yours for mine.”

  “Deal. I’ll put yours on eBay. Someone will want it. I might have to list it a few times, though.” Anna grinned.

  “You witch!” Jessica pushed Anna into the fridge, pressing her body against hers. They stared at each other for a long moment, sharing a smile.

  “Speaking of witches,” Anna whispered. “Go see if the chickens have laid some more eggs.”

  Jessica furrowed her brow. “Why?”

  “Egg mayonnaise sandwiches. It’s the best I can do.”

  HE WATCHED THE two women in the kitchen with a raised eyebrow. Anna said something he couldn’t hear, but it wasn’t hard to make out the words from the movement of her lips.

  “I see,” John muttered under his breath. He was very good at reading the smallest signals between people, a skill honed in the courtroom. But with Anna and this Jessica, he didn’t have to be an expert to know what was going on. His brain raced through options, as if playing out different sequences on a chessboard, to find which move would be best.

  Taking the case could be a perceived conflict of interest, since apparently his ex-wife was in a relationship with the client, but only if it was discovered he was trying to get back with her. She never showed any attraction to
women. I guess it explains her frigidity in bed.

  He could make a phone call and report Jessica’s whereabouts. A quick separation. I have to seem to be helping. This will get me in Anna’s good books, then I’ll let the case cave in. Unethical, but it will separate the two. I then step in and reconcile Anna’s sorrow at losing her lover. He decided he’d leave after lunch and not provoke Anna any further. Funny how things work out. He smiled. The case would be an easier route to repossessing her than the one he had originally envisioned.

  Chapter Twenty

  “WE’RE STILL GOING?” Nadia Chandra asked. She’d recently joined the City of London Serious Fraud Office and was still trying to work out who was actually calling the shots. It didn’t seem to be their chief.

  “Yup,” her colleague answered through a mouthful of croissant. “Even though Adrian said to deprioritise the case, I think it’s worth a look. If she’s there, we’ll pick her up. If not, we put the case on the backburner.”

  “It’s a shame the ISP was so slow in giving us the account for the IP used to post the video, then we wouldn’t have to go behind the chief’s back.”

  “He won’t care if we bring her in.” He took a slug of his coffee. He spat it out, spraying his shirt. “Fucking hot.”

  She watched as he dabbed the coffee with his tie. “When are we leaving?”

  “That depends. Can you check the tides in Northumberland?”

  “Tides? Are we going by boat?”

  “Nope, car.”

  JESSICA HAD SLEPT so soundly that Anna had already left for work. She raised herself on one elbow. Her arms were covered with sticky notes; Anna must have used up a whole pad. Some were spread out over the duvet.

  Looking in the dresser mirror, she noticed two stuck to her forehead. Removing and reading them one at a time, she discovered most had just a few words.

  You’re amazing! Beautiful! Get up already! Property of A. Edison. I’ll miss you today <3. Too sexy! Heroine of Holy Island (underlined with squiggles). Chill today!

  There were many more. Jessica smiled, covering her mouth with her hand. “She’s nuts,” she said, chuckling. A sticky note on the bedside lampshade made a request:

  stop by and see me @ 1:30, x.

  After doing the chores around the farm and work on repairing the last of the stables, Jessica showered and headed into town.

  “Jessica!” someone called from behind.

  She turned to see Beth, running towards her. Before she could protest, Beth wrapped her in a rib-cracking hug.

  “How is your father?” Jessica asked, embarrassed by the greeting from someone she barely knew.

  “He’s a bit slow, and it will take a while for him to get back to normal. But he’s alive.” Beth gripped her arm. “Thank you.”

  An awkward few seconds ticked by as Jessica tried to work out what to say. “Beth, if you or David need help with anything—”

  “That’s kind of you… My brother, Daniel, is staying to help run the farm for the time being. But really, I owe you so much… If there’s anything you need, or Abbie or Anna.” Beth looked weary and tearful, despite her smile. The last few days had aged her thirty-something features.

  She placed a hand on Beth’s, where it still held her forearm. “Thanks for the offer.”

  Beth didn’t seem to want to leave, and Jessica felt obligated to make conversation. “I was wondering is there somewhere I can take Anna for a meal that doesn’t cost too much? It was her birthday yesterday.”

  “There’s the Crown, but the food can be dire there. When did you want to go?”

  “I was hoping Friday.” Even though she felt better now she had a plan for dealing with the police, her head throbbed with the stress of knowing there was little time left. If she took John’s advice, she should head back to London next week. At least she’d have the weekend with both Anna and Abbie.

  Beth fumbled in her handbag for her phone. “I’ve an idea. Let me make some calls, and I’ll text you. What’s your number?”

  “I don’t have one.”

  “Okay,” Beth said quickly. “Then I’ll get David to drop by later and let you know. I’ll try to sort out a place for you. Just the two of you?”

  “Yes, and thanks so much.”

  Again, Jessica was crushed in a hug, “No, honey, thank you.”

  THE DOOR OF Priory’s Cup opened, and Anna glanced over to see Jessica step inside. Her heart leapt, and the excitement lifted her out from the drudgery of her morning. Jessica looked so beautiful and mysterious. She stood out, being taller than most women, her edgy handsome features drawing attention. Anna thought back to when they had first met in the rain and wondered if it had been love at first sight. Certainly, the connection had happened then; one that would never be broken. There would be more heartache to come, but at least she knew they were in it together. She ran over to her and wrapped her arms around Jessica.

  “Ow! You’re the second person who’s tried to kill me with a hug in the last ten minutes.”

  “Are you telling me there’s someone else?”

  “What? No—”

  “Does this other person know about your boyfriend?” Anna pointed out through the misty glass of the coffee shop.

  “Boyfriend?” Jessica turned. Kermit was standing on the stone wall on the other side of the road. “At least he didn’t try to suffocate me in my sleep with sticky notes.”

  “I thought, since not much sinks into your skull, they’d make it clear you’re mine.” Anna leaned into Jessica and kissed her. “There will be a test later. You better pass.”

  Jessica’s cheeks turned red. The dozen customers in the café were all watching them. “Um, Anna, audience…”

  Anna twirled away and grabbed her coat, before waving goodbye to the owner.

  Outside, the sun was shining for a change, giving the air a taste of summer.

  Anna tucked her arm into Jessica’s. “I’m glad Linda let me work a short shift. My leg was starting to ache.”

  “We shouldn’t go far if it’s bothering you,” Jessica said when they headed in the opposite direction to their home.

  “I thought we could have a late lunch,” Anna said. “My treat.”

  On the grass near the public car park was a converted, grey Citroen HY van. A list of pizzas was written on a chalkboard next to a hatch with a narrow, varnished pine counter. Cinders and smoke vented from a stainless-steel flue pipe protruding from the van’s roof, while inside two women in black aprons cooked pizzas in a wood-burning oven.

  “I didn’t know this was here,” Jessica said.

  “They’re here every year at this time for a couple of weeks, then they travel to different music festivals. The pizzas are fantastic. Pick which one you want.”

  Jessica scanned the menu. “A Margherita, please.”

  “What? No. Look, they have all kinds.” Anna stabbed her finger at the board. “You can’t have a Margherita just because it’s the cheapest.” She slipped an arm around Jessica’s waist, nudging her closer to the menu. “How about this one?” She pointed. “Florentine, it has an egg.”

  “I like Margherita.”

  Anna kissed her cheek. “Okay, but—”

  “Hi, how are you?” The older chef with short brown hair had turned to Anna after serving a customer.

  “Hey. It’s great to see you’re back! I’ve been looking forward to this since last year.” Anna leaned against the counter, accidentally nudging a pile of leaflets and causing a number to fall into the van.

  The woman ducked down to collect them.

  “God, I’m sorry,” Anna said when the woman’s head reappeared.

  “It’s not a problem. Here.” She handed over one of the leaflets. “Perhaps you and your girlfriend might want to go. It’s in July this year, and we’ll be there.”

  Anna double-blinked, realising that someone other than herself had affirmed that Jessica was her girlfriend. A sense of warmth and belonging filled her. She then noticed the painted rainbow at the en
d of the van’s name and, how since last year, it had changed to “MacNeil’s.” She scanned the leaflet—L Fest, the UK’s only lesbian festival, camping, families, music, poetry…

  “What would you like?”

  Anna glanced up. “Um…” It took a moment for her to gather her train of thought. “Yes, a Margherita for my unadventurous girlfriend. And a Frenchfrio for me.”

  The woman released a hearty laugh, which echoed about the van’s interior. “Both are good choices.”

  The younger cook scooted around to grab a plastic container of grated mozzarella, pausing for a moment when she was introduced. “I’m Wendy, and this is my wife, Nicole.”

  Anna held out her hand. “Anna and Jessica.” Jessica came forward and shook their hands. “You changed the name on your van?”

  “Yes.” Wendy put an arm around Nicole. She wore a proud smile. “We got married in October last year, and Nicole decided to take my last name.”

  “Actually, it was because you couldn’t spell mine,” Nicole chimed in.

  “Well, congratulations,” Anna said quickly, unsure if the pair were about to get into an argument. “It must be idyllic travelling from place to place?”

  “The life of a pizza gypsy. It has its ups and downs. But mostly, it’s pretty fantastic. Of course, anything is with someone you love.”

  Nicole kissed Wendy’s cheek with a big “mwah” sound and shuffled back to the oven.

  “I better let you serve other people.” Anna took a sideways step.

  “Your pizzas will be ready in a few minutes,” Wendy said before her attention moved to another customer.

  Anna slipped her hand into Jessica’s, and they went to sit on a bench under a beech tree a few yards away. “Maybe we could go?” She handed over the leaflet. “Abbie would love it. I have some camping gear somewhere in the barn.”