Stalker, Stalker

by Therese Sullivan

  ‘Follow me, please,’ Adam said and moved through into his office. He didn’t want to take her to task here in case someone walked in. He didn’t want to embarrass her, but this had to be stopped immediately. The thought flitted through his head that she sounded more like a girlfriend who’d been stood up than a secretary whose boss was late coming in.

  He went around behind his desk, indicating the chair in front of it. ‘Please sit,’ he said as he took off his jacket, hanging it neatly on the back of his chair, and then sat down behind his desk. Eliza was still standing, watching him with a blank face. He indicated again for her to take a seat.

  She did so, crossing her legs, allowing her skirt to ride up.

  Once she was settled, Adam cleared his throat and started, ‘I think we need to get some things clear, Ms Roberts.’

  ‘Eliza,’ she said softly, her expression still controlled.

  ‘Ms Roberts,’ Adam emphasised. ‘You are my secretary, and while it’s important that we have a good working relationship, a working relationship is the only relationship we have. We must remain professional,’ he stated firmly. ‘It’s therefore inappropriate for you to be sending me texts the nature of those you sent this past weekend.’ He held up his hand when she opened her mouth to speak and continued to forestall her speaking. He needed to set clear boundaries.

  ‘I appreciate that you’re glad to be working here. But the way you show you appreciate the job is to do it well. The texting is unnecessary and unwelcome. I would prefer it not to happen again.’ Adam was aware he sounded pompous, but he needed to be clear and didn’t know how else to do it. He tried to choose his words carefully as he continued. He wanted no room for misunderstanding.

  ‘If I need you to know anything, I’ll tell you. If I’m going to be late, I’ll let you know, for courtesy’s sake. I admit I should have advised you of my late start this morning and I’ll try to do better in future, but it’s certainly not appropriate for you to take me to task over my comings and goings. You need to remember I’m your boss. Do you understand what I’m saying?’ Adam studied her as he waited for her response. Finally, she spoke, seemingly considering her words carefully.

  ‘I understand, Adam,’ she stated quietly.

  ‘I think it best if you address me as Mr Sullivan and I address you as Ms Roberts. That way there’ll be no blurred lines, or incorrect perceptions.’ Adam was firm in his response.

  ‘Certainly, Mr Sullivan. I will be more circumspect in future. There must be no misconceptions. I understand fully.’ Adam thought he detected a note of, what? Sarcasm? He decided to let it go.

  ‘That’ll be all for now, Ms Roberts. Please close the door on your way out.’

  Eliza gave Adam a small smile and sashayed out of the office, closing the door softly behind her.

  Adam watched her leave, wondering what had just happened. She had said the right words, but somehow, he felt her meaning had escaped him. There was an undercurrent that he just didn’t understand.

  He hoped it was just settling-in problems that, as they worked together, would resolve themselves.

  The rest of the day went smoothly. Eliza really was very efficient. She said goodnight nicely and there seemed to be no hard feelings.

  Adam was relieved. She seemed to be an excellent secretary, just perhaps a little over-familiar. Maybe that had been how she had worked before. If so, no wonder there had been problems.

  He needed to let her see that familiarity was neither required nor appreciated when working for him. He wanted a secretary, nothing else.

  The next couple of weeks brought no further incidents, and Adam started to relax. Teething problems after all. She had just needed to know the boundaries and now that he had made them clear, things would be fine.

  Chapter Five

  It was late in the afternoon. Adam called Eliza into his office. He had two letters that needed to be written and put in the morning’s post.

  She started the meeting sitting decorously in front of him. But as he was explaining what he wanted and showing her the reference documents, she moved around the desk, leaning over his shoulder to get a better look.

  Shirley had often leaned over his shoulder to look at something, but she never, in all the time she worked with him, rubbed herself against him.

  At first Adam thought he had imagined it, or perhaps it had been an accident. He steeled himself not to react as it happened twice more. When she breathed in his ear, he couldn’t stop his reaction. Frowning, he pushed his chair sideways, away from his desk and her, dropping the papers on the floor as he did so.

  Before he could make any comment, though, she casually picked up the papers, shuffled them back into order and, turning, sat on the corner of Adam’s desk. ‘Oops,’ she whispered with a smirk.

  Her voice when she spoke again was quite normal, as if nothing untoward had occurred.

  ‘I think I understand what you need, Mr Sullivan.’ Was that last bit purred? Really? Her voice returned to normal.

  ‘With these, I mean,’ she said carefully. She turned and with a sly wink over her shoulder, sashayed out of the office.

  Adam was left again feeling something had happened that he didn’t fully understand, but he felt vaguely unclean.

  By the time he got home he wasn’t sure if he was confused or angry. He wasn’t even sure anything had happened. She was a lot shorter than Shirley. Perhaps that accounted for the difference. Maybe she hadn’t breathed in his ear, except accidentally. Maybe the wink was because he had seemed flustered.

  He talked to Lucy about it. ‘The thing is,’ he said quietly, ‘I’m not sure if anything actually happened. It could have just been that she’s shorter than Shirley and—oh, I don’t know. Am I just making a mountain out of a molehill?’ He rubbed his hand over his face. He really was having trouble thinking straight.

  Lucy gave him a hug. Then leaned back and made him look at her.

  ‘You need to stop stressing, Adam, my love,’ she smiled. ‘If you’re uncomfortable, it’s not an overreaction is it?’ she said validating Adam’s concerns. Giving him a moment to calm, she then continued.

  ‘You said she’s been doing a good job and that you seem to have settled into a good routine. Yeah?’

  ‘Yeah,’ he admitted.

  ‘Well, perhaps it’s just that as you say, she’s very different from Shirley. She’s petite and very pretty. Perhaps she’s been used to certain reactions from co-workers and bosses and they’ve become part of her way of working.’

  What Lucy said made sense. Adam admitted as much.

  ‘So maybe you just need to stay detached and show her that it’s not something she needs in your office. I’m sure she’ll settle.’ Lucy paused and studied her husband, then grinned and added, ‘But just in case, I’ll come in tomorrow and pick you up for lunch.’

  Adam grinned back and suddenly felt much lighter. Lucy always knew how to put things into perspective.

  ‘Actually, that would be very nice, my love,’ he said as he caught her round the middle and pulled her towards him.

  True to her word Lucy swanned into the office slightly before twelve thirty. She didn’t give Eliza time to do anything, just waltzed into Adam’s office.

  ‘You can’t just walk in there!’ Eliza rose and hurried after her, buzzing, agitated. She paused in the doorway.

  ‘I’m sorry, Mr Sullivan. It won’t happen again.’ She went to grab Lucy’s arm and escort her out, but Adam stood, coming around the desk.

  ‘I hope it will!’ he said, grinning at Lucy. As usual, her smile lit up the room. He wrapped his arms around her and said quietly, ‘Please close the door on your way out, Ms Roberts.’

  Lucy giggled silently as Adam gave her a noisy kiss. The door closed, perhaps a shade louder than it should.

  ‘You can stop now, she’s gone,’ Lucy whispered.

  ‘Who says that was just for her benefit?’ he asked laughing.

  He let Lucy go and, still smiling hugely, slipped on his jacket,
then, taking her hand, escorted her from his office.

  ‘I’m taking my beautiful wife to lunch. Not sure how long I’ll be,’ he tossed at Eliza as they headed out the door.

  When he returned to the office Eliza seemed subdued. He hoped that meant she had, as Lucy intended, realised he was happily married.

  The rest of the week slipped by in the same manner and Adam relaxed.

  Adam arrived at work early Monday. He had an important meeting this morning and wanted to go over the figures one more time.

  Eliza arrived shortly after he started checking his notes. Her smile seemed genuine when she saw he was already in.

  He had been coming in later than was his wont, pretty much since she started. It seemed prudent not to be in the office with her before there were many people about.

  She walked into his office just as he picked up a small mistake in the calculations. He made the adjustment as she rounded his desk.

  ‘Is that for this morning’s meeting?’ she asked, perching on the side of his desk. He glanced up distractedly then once more concentrated on the paper in front of him, making sure there were no more errors.

  ‘I picked up a small error, late yesterday,’ she continued, swinging her leg just in view. She leaned over and went to point to the error, saw the correction. ‘Oh, you found it already.’

  She sounded almost disappointed.

  Adam looked up, realising she was sitting on the corner of his desk. He pushed himself back from his desk.

  ‘I don’t think you should be sitting there, Ms Roberts.’ Even he could hear how pompous he sounded. But he couldn’t help it. He didn’t like the familiarity.

  ‘Oh, don’t be so stuffy, Mr Sullivan,’ she pouted. ‘There’s no one else in yet. Besides, it’s not like I’m sitting in your lap, now is it?’ She gave a tinkling laugh. ‘Now that would be inappropriate, in the workplace!’

  Adam stood and moved to the window, standing with his back to it as he studied her. She seemed to be almost challenging him. Perhaps that was what it was! She wasn’t used to men not falling all over her.

  ‘I would prefer you stay on the other side of the desk, please, Ms Roberts.’

  ‘Yes, sir! Mr Sullivan.’ She exaggerated her movements getting off his desk and straightening her skirt. Then winked at him.

  ‘I know you’re right,’ she laughed, ‘but it’s so much fun to see you discomfited.’

  She strolled back around his desk and sat primly in her chair. ‘I’ll be good, at work, I promise,’ she stated softly with a laugh evident in her voice.

  Once again Adam was unsure what had really happened. He knew he was often uncomfortable with her, but he was never sure why. Every time he thought she’d overstepped the mark she made him doubt himself, but at the same time her words seemed to contain messages he just wasn’t getting.

  Adam acquitted himself well at the meeting. Arthur said nothing, he never did, but when the client complimented Adam’s work, Arthur gave a smug grin and said, ‘I only employ the best.’ All in all, it was a good day’s work.

  He stepped back into his office and as he passed Eliza’s desk he asked, ‘Any calls? Anything I have to deal with this afternoon?’

  ‘No there’s nothing outstanding, Mr Sullivan. Would you like me to bring you in a coffee?’ Eliza pushed back from her desk and stood.

  She liked to take in coffee. She’d take one for herself then get him talking. So long as she stayed on her side of the desk he seemed okay with it.

  Poor Adam, she thought, he really was a bit of a prude. Never mind, it was quite cute and something she could work on. And, actually, she didn’t mind spending the time just chatting and letting him get used to her.

  ‘No, thanks.’ Adam quickly dismissed the idea. ‘I think I might get of home. Take an early mark for a change.’ He moved quickly into his office to drop his folder on his desk, and then sailed back. ‘See you in the morning,’ and was gone.

  Ms Eliza Roberts was not happy. Not happy at all. Adam was proving to be harder to bring around than she’d expected.

  She blamed his wife of course. The woman was not as stupid as she seemed. She had realised what Lucy was doing when she showed up unannounced in the office. The woman was an unexpected complication.

  She would have to step up her campaign. Mr Adam Sullivan would soon realise where his future lay.

  She walked through to his office. Sitting in his chair, she allowed her mind to wander.

  Eliza had realised there may be a bit of work to do to win Adam back. She had not proved her commitment in the past, so it was possible he doubted her.

  But she hadn’t counted on him being so caught up with that woman. Having a child together probably accounted for that. Adam was not the type to abandon a child.

  She would have to let him see that the child wasn’t a problem. She would allow the child to remain part of Adam’s life. Maybe she would take over as his mother.

  No doubt he would be better as part of a loving unit than left in the clutches of that woman, to be used as weapon against her Adam. She would have to think about that.

  She was up for the challenge. The woman would soon realise she was no match for Eliza. After all, Adam had been hers first.

  And if all else failed, well she’d just clear the path in a more direct manner. She had already proved she was prepared to do whatever was necessary to achieve her goals. Adam would appreciate the effort. He would know he was loved, and that she was prepared to do whatever was needed.

  She smiled to herself. Yes, it would all work out.

  Chapter Six

  Adam usually took his jacket off at work, for comfort. It hung on the back of his chair ready if he needed it.

  This morning he had a meeting and needed his jacket. He had everything all ready and stood, pulling his jacket of the back of his chair, slipping it on and patting down the pockets to make sure it was sitting right. As he ran his hand over the right pocket he felt it crinkle. Pushing his hand into the pocket, he pulled out a note.

  Don’t forget the red folder. Good luck with Mr Moller. For a moment he was puzzled, then realised the note was from Eliza.

  Weird, why wouldn’t she put it on the desk? Maybe she didn’t want it to get lost in the paperwork.

  He dismissed it from his mind and picking up his folders, including the red one, headed for his meeting.

  It was a long meeting and Mr Moller was being more demanding than usual. But in the end, he realised Adam knew best and allowed things to be done as Adam had been suggesting.

  Adam was relieved. Moller had a reputation for being unreasonable. But he had been ready to defer to Adam so far. It augured well for handling his account in future, that he had again been able to effect the required changes.

  When he got home that night, he checked his jacket pockets before he hung up the jacket, something he did every night. There was another note. I was so proud of you today. Moller didn’t stand a chance. Adam looked at it and tried to decide what to think and, more importantly, what to do.

  He walked out of the bedroom, holding the note gingerly and handed it to Lucy. She read it and looked at Adam, a slight frown settling on her face. ‘Eliza Roberts, I presume?’

  ‘Mmmm. What do you think? There was one before the meeting too.’ Adam told her as best he could remember the contents of that one.

  ‘She’s definitely strange,’ Lucy murmured, studying the note as if it could explain its writer’s mind.

  ‘It may be she just has strange ways. The note itself is innocuous. Putting it in your jacket pocket is a bit weird. She’s not trying to come on to you or anything?’ she asked, looking up.

  Adam shook his head. ‘Why would she do that?’

  Lucy laughed at the genuine puzzlement on Adam’s face. ‘You’re still quite a catch, you know!’ she said tenderly, reaching up to stroke his face.

  ‘But she knows I’m married and that I love my wife.’ Adam was really such an innocent. Lucy shook her head. She wasn’t sure, b
ut she thought it may be worthwhile to put in another appearance at Adam’s work.

  ‘Try ignoring it,’ Lucy suggested, tossing the note in the bin. ‘See how that goes.’

  Adam nodded, pleased Lucy didn’t seem too worried. It made it seem less threatening, although why he should feel threatened by seemingly innocent notes, he couldn’t say.

  Lucy planned to call in and pick him up for lunch the next day. He was of course pleased to see her. She made sure Ms Roberts witnessed his greeting.

  Then, a few days later, she and Gabe surprised him, talking him into taking an early mark for a picnic tea in the park. Gabe bounced around the office, telling the pretty lady what he and his daddy were going to do in the park.

  Eliza was polite but was clearly put out by their appearance.

  Adam began finding notes nearly every day, sometimes two or three. The notes were never anything he could complain about and he could never catch her putting them in.

  So, he determinedly ignored the notes, simply tossing each one in the trash.

  The silver lining was that Lucy took to popping in and taking him to lunch. While he knew she was sending Eliza a message, it was still nice to see her each day. With Lucy’s support, he began to find it easier to brush over the strangeness of Eliza. Surely, if she had designs on him, she would realise he was happily married and turn her attention elsewhere.

  This morning, he’d told Lucy he had a lunch meeting with Jerome Knight.

  Mr Knight was a long-standing and valued client, and in recent years he had decided that the relationship between him and Adam had progressed from merely a working relationship and consequently he refused to take meetings in the office. He preferred to do business over a meal, and as an important client, what Mr Knight wanted Mr Knight got.