by Gina Blaxill
I nodded. ‘Twelve thirty sharp.’
‘So . . . if you went to his desk at twelve forty-ish, he wouldn’t be there.’
‘Yeah. But I’d have to get lucky. There are other people who work where he does. I’ve seen them in the canteen, but can’t say for certain they go at the same time every day.’
Sophie was silent for a moment. ‘What you’ll have to do is this . . .’
My eyes were on my watch. Time was passing so slowly! Or maybe it just seemed that way because I was in the filing room, halfway along the upstairs corridor between the main office and the labs.
The door creaked and Lottie came in.
‘Reece? Lunchtime.’
I took a breath. ‘I’ve only got a few files left. I was thinking I’d finish these and then come down, so I can start something new this afternoon. Seems silly not to.’
‘Are you sure? You’ve been here all morning. You must need a break.’
‘Ten minutes.’ I gave her a reassuring smile. ‘Could you lend me your pass card so I can come down when I’m done? Won’t be able to get into the canteen otherwise.’
‘I don’t know.’ Lottie sounded worried. ‘I really ought to wait. We’re not meant to lend our cards to people . . .’
‘Lottie? We’re waiting. They’ll be out of chocolate pudding if you hang about much longer,’ someone called from outside. Lottie looked at the door, then at me. I tried to look sincere and trustworthy. I must have done a good job, because after a moment’s hesitation she handed over the card.
‘Just this once,’ she said. ‘I can go down with the others. Finish up and come straight down though. You know the way to the canteen, right?’
Score! I thought as the door shut. It had been a combination of luck and forward thinking that had got me into this position. Lottie had mentioned the day before that there was a pile of records that needed filing. I’d said I’d do it, banking on my ability to convince her to lend me her pass. Actually I’d finished the filing already. It was 12.35 – my big chance.
Quietly I edged the door open.
No one was about. I hurried down the corridor to the office next to the labs, hoping that Aiden and his colleagues would have already headed to the canteen.
Outside the office I paused. If there was someone inside, how on earth could I explain my sudden appearance? Then I heard footsteps. No time to think! I thrust out Lottie’s pass. The light on the security lock went green and I stepped inside.
The room wasn’t large – three desks, filing cabinets, some cupboards. No one was there. I let out a breath, feeling the tension in my muscles ease. I knew Aiden’s desk was the one by the window. I went over, wondering where to start. There were some personal items on top of the desk – a novelty pen holder, one of those squishy stress-ball things – but nothing worth a second look.
I rifled through the folders stacked by the computer monitor. One at the bottom was marked CLASSIFIED – but it was just a stream of numbers.
Disappointed, I flicked from page to page. Maybe these were lab-trial results? An underlined title – one of the few things that made sense – caught my eye: Weight-loss development. What was that about? Unless . . . was that the new drug? I knew there were weight-loss aids on the market already, but something that really worked would make millions. I’d seen some pretty hardcore stats on the news about obesity. Apparently one in ten kids and one in four adults were obese. The Department of Health had called it an ‘epidemic’. It wasn’t just fitness levels that were a concern – being overweight increased the risk of developing all kinds of illnesses.
I shoved the file aside and tried the drawers of Aiden’s desk. Locked – but there was a small key half concealed by the pen holder. I tried it and heard a satisfying click.
There was a lot of crap in Aiden’s drawers – chewing gum, biscuits, tea bags, postcards, even breakfast cereal – but there was also a wallet and a personal organizer. I stared at them, almost unable to believe my luck. I opened the wallet first. Lunch was free for employees, so I guessed he didn’t need to carry it around. Still, what an idiot to leave it here!
I took out Aiden’s cards. Some were plastic, credit cards and gym membership, but there were a number of business cards. My dad had had some that were similar. The names didn’t mean anything to me though. Swearing under my breath, I moved on to the organizer, opening it up at the diary section and flicking through quickly to the following week. It was standard kind of stuff – Monday 7 p.m. cinema with Carl and Tim, pay deposit, a dentist appointment, Wednesday 7.45 a.m. HJP, airport, T3. ‘HJP’ meetings seemed to come up fairly often over the last couple of months. As I was replacing the organizer something slipped from it – a photograph. I picked it up. Then I froze. The door had just bleeped.
Acting on instinct, I crouched down under Aiden’s desk. I heard a noise as the door opened and the click of heels. They can’t see me, I thought. Let’s hope they’ve just come in to pick something up. They can’t know I’m here . . .
‘Reece,’ came a cool voice, ‘come out, please.’
Slowly – dropping the photo on the floor – I stood up.
Cherie faced me, arms folded.
‘Lottie asked me to . . . I mean, I was just . . .’ My mind ran dry. I didn’t see what excuse I could make. How had she even known I was here anyway? I stared at her, waiting to see what she would do.
‘. . . having a nose about?’ Cherie took a couple of steps towards me. I didn’t back away, though I really wanted to.
‘I fancied a look around,’ I said. ‘I was bored with filing.’
Cherie gestured for me to step out. As I did so she grabbed my arm, her grip surprisingly firm.
‘Turn out your pockets.’ When I hesitated, she dug her nails into my skin. That really hurt. ‘Do it, else I’ll have to myself, and that would be rather humiliating, wouldn’t it?’
She seemed like a completely different person from the friendly woman I’d been chatting to all week. There was no way I could refuse. I couldn’t get past her to the door to make a run for it either. I obeyed, thankful that I hadn’t picked up anything from Aiden’s desk.
‘This is what happens next,’ Cherie said, very slowly. Her tone was so calm that it sent a shiver up my spine. ‘You are going to go down to the canteen and tell Lottie that you’ve done the filing she supposedly left you with. You will give her back her staff pass. For the rest of the afternoon you’ll do whatever she says. No questions, no snooping. Tomorrow morning you stay home. I’ll let everyone know that you’ve phoned in sick.’ She leaned closer. ‘And you and Sophie will keep away from Vaughan-Bayard. Understood?’
She knew what we were up to. Somehow, she knew. Perhaps she had all along.
‘Are you threatening me?’ I was afraid, but stubborn enough to pretend I wasn’t. Cherie released my arm. She looked at me for a long moment.
‘How old is your little sister, Reece?’
‘What?’
‘Three, I think you said? There’s a picture of you together on your Facebook page, isn’t there? Pretty little girl – looks like you. Your mother must adore her. You live in Muswell Hill, don’t you? I’m sure it wouldn’t be hard to find out exactly where.’
There was a long, significant pause. She knows everything about me, I thought, dazed.
‘Leave my family alone,’ I said shakily.
Cherie gave me a bored look, as though I was a very stupid child who wasn’t worth bothering with. ‘Don’t push me. Now get out.’
I stepped into the corridor. As it swung shut, I saw Cherie go to Aiden’s desk, no doubt to check what I’d found.
Well, I might have been caught red-handed, but I had found out a few things – especially about Cherie. The photo that had dropped out of Aiden’s organizer had been of her.
SOPHIE
‘They’re totally blagging,’ Reece said for about the fifth time. We were in McDonald’s; Reece had filled me in on everything. The cheeseburger he’d ordered was lying in it’s wrapp
er, barely nibbled. Despite insisting he was fine, he was clearly rattled – normally nothing got between Reece and stuffing his face. And no wonder. Cherie was scary enough when she was being nice – Cherie in threatening mode must have been something else.
‘You say that, but I wouldn’t put it past them to try something,’ I said. ‘Come on, idiot, they broke into your house. Giving your mum or Neve another scare wouldn’t be hard.’
Reece picked up the burger and stared at it.
I leaned forward. ‘Reece, talk to me. If you’re scared, I understand.’
‘I’m not!’ Reece snapped. ‘I’m mad at myself for not telling her where to stick it! Bossy cow. Creeping around my Facebook page and threatening me and thinking I’m just going to do whatever she says! Got a good mind to turn up tomorrow just to see the look on her face.’
‘God, we’re going in circles! OK, you weren’t scared. But I’m not sure Cherie’s threats were empty. You don’t need to go in tomorrow, and it’s much better for us if Cherie thinks you are scared. Might be best to rain-check that barbecue too.’
‘Cherie and Aiden . . .’ Reece muttered. ‘What a dream team. We missed something really obvious there, Soph. Cherie’s Charlotte, isn’t she? Not Lottie. I’m no expert on names, but Cherie could be short for Charlotte, right?’
Slowly I nodded. ‘Cherie – Charlotte – they even sound similar. That’s got to be right. It makes too much sense not to be.’
‘Cherie must have told Aiden right from the start that I was your mate. They were one step ahead the whole time – and we played right into their hands!’
I wondered why Cherie had agreed to arrange the work experience if she knew we wanted to poke about. Perhaps she’d thought we’d approach someone else at V-B if she said no, or maybe she’d wanted to check us out. Either way, Reece had walked straight into the lions’ den.
As for how Cherie fits into this . . . whatever ‘this’ is . . . She and Aiden are – or were – in a relationship, I thought. There was no other explanation I could think of as to why else he would keep a photo of her in his organizer. Maybe their relationship was secret. I bet Cherie had got in there quickly after Danielle had died. From what Reece had said about her, she didn’t strike me as the kind of woman to hang about if she wanted something.
‘Let’s go over everything we know again,’ I said.
Reece sighed. I couldn’t work out his attitude – was he scared, reluctant or simply bored? For a second I felt bad for getting him into this, though it had been his idea to go into V-B.
I took a breath. ‘So . . . Dani starts working at V-B. She and Aiden get together. With Cherie and this other guy Patrick they come up with a plan to make lots of money, probably involving some new drug. It involves Dani getting access to some files. Whether she did that before getting out, we don’t know.’ Maybe she’d been afraid – or maybe she’d realized what they were doing was wrong. I had to hold on to that. ‘Aiden had unfinished business with Dani, because a few weeks after she leaves V-B he goes to see her in Bournemouth.’ I frowned. ‘I wonder why they haven’t got the money yet. They can’t have, else surely Aiden wouldn’t still be at V-B. He’d have got the hell out, in case he was discovered . . .’
Reece sat back in his chair, folding his arms. He closed his eyes a second, then opened them. ‘Trial results.’
‘What d’you mean?’
‘Aiden’s email mentioned waiting for some trial results. That’s not something they can rush. That’s why things are still ongoing and the deal’s not been finalized.’
How had this got so complicated? All I’d wanted was to know what had happened to my cousin. And here it was taking me into something far bigger than I’d ever anticipated – something that was scary and real. Drug trials, payments, secret data – I didn’t care about any of this. I’d happily walk away if it wasn’t for Danielle.
Reece must have known what I was thinking, because he said, ‘Aiden didn’t kill Dani, Soph. We know this for a fact. We also know that there was no one else on that balcony. If she was murdered, something clever went on.’
I sighed, wishing things were clearer cut. ‘I know Aiden didn’t kill her. The police have his credit-card receipt. That couldn’t be faked.’
‘Maybe the service station on the M3’s in on it too,’ Reece said.
I shot him an annoyed look. ‘Be serious.’
‘I am! You suspect Danielle was murdered. I’m trying to come up with theories.’
‘Stupid ones!’
We glared at each other. Realizing there was no point taking this out on Reece, I held up my hands. ‘Let’s chill. All we’re doing is getting each other’s backs up. Shall we call it a day and meet up tomorrow?’
‘OK. Half five here?’
‘You’re not seriously thinking about going into V-B again? Come on! Whether Cherie meant what she said or not, that’s just being stupid for hell of it. It’s not worth the risk.’
‘Maybe I’ll make up my mind when I get up in the morning,’ Reece said airily, getting to his feet. There was no getting through to him in this mood, I could see. I hated it when he was like this. Part of me was just a little bit impressed though.
REECE
I went into Vaughan-Bayard the next day.
Mr McIntyre was chatting with the receptionist when I came through the doors. He looked surprised to see me.
‘Hello, Reece. Donna here was just telling me you called Cherie to say you had some kind of bug.’
‘I got better quickly,’ I said.
McIntyre blinked several times, then evidently decided to let it go. ‘Well, good. Wouldn’t want you to miss out on the barbecue tomorrow. I’ve friends coming who I think you’ll want to meet.’
I bet he meant retired cricketers! I tried to get him to tell me, but he wouldn’t.
‘Patience, young man. Now, listen, I know you’ve been working hard all week, doing filing and other jobs we never get around to, and I hope you’ve found it informative. We usually give the work-experience students a cash gesture, but I thought this might be more appropriate.’
He reached into his briefcase and took out an envelope. I opened it.
‘Tickets for the test match at the Oval? No way! Thank you.’
‘I know someone who works at the ground – got a good deal. It’s not for a couple of weeks, but it’s something to look forward to, eh?’
All thoughts of Cherie and her threats were wiped from my mind. ‘Chuffed’ did not begin to describe how I felt.
‘It’s amazing,’ I said. To my embarrassment I felt slightly emotional, which McIntyre evidently picked up on, as he made an awkward ‘ahem’ sound. ‘Best thing you could’ve given me. Thank you so much.
I didn’t see Cherie until lunchtime. When I spotted her behind me in the queue I felt myself go cold. There was no way I could avoid her seeing me. Sure enough, as I was carrying my tray to a table, Cherie looked straight at me. I froze, fighting to stay composed. She raised her eyebrows – and that was it. When she’d collected her lunch she breezed past as though I wasn’t there. Somehow that was scarier than being confronted. A few chairs away I saw Aiden watching, an odd look on his face.
I wasn’t really sure what had made me so reckless. When I’d woken up, I planned on staying home. But then I’d thought of Cherie’s supremely irritating confidence and pictured the smug look that would no doubt cross her face when she realized she’d won. I bet no one had ever said no to her. I’d show her I wasn’t some kid she could intimidate.
And I didn’t want Sophie to think I was a wuss. That was hugely important – though going by how pissed off she was when I met her at McDonald’s after work, I needn’t have bothered.
‘Fine. It’s brave, but going in today achieved nothing,’ she kept saying. In the end I left, though I had intended to ask if she wanted to go bowling. When I got home Mum and Neve were doing a puzzle on the living-room floor, right as rain. Later, when it got dark, I got a little paranoid and went to the window sev
eral times in the night to check no one was outside. Nothing happened though, and on Saturday morning I was feeling on top of the world again.
SOPHIE
Cherie’s threats worried me enough to call Reece on Saturday morning. He was usually up earlier than me – he preferred doing things to lying in – but I waited until ten, just to show I wasn’t that concerned. He picked up on the fourth ring, sounding irritatingly perky.
‘Hey – newsflash! I’m still alive! So are Mum and Neve. Told you it’d be OK.’
If he’d been in front of me, I’d have smacked him. ‘Not funny.’
I heard a mumble in the background; Reece wasn’t alone. It was probably the cricket guys; he usually had practice on Saturday mornings. Suddenly I felt like I was intruding – I’d just assumed he’d be on hand to hang out today.
‘So . . .’ Reece said. I heard scuffling and the volume of voices lessened, as though he was walking away. ‘Fancy that barbecue tonight?’
I sighed. ‘Are you trying to prove how unscared and macho you are? Give over!’
‘It’ll be fine! Mr McIntyre all but said there’d be cricketers coming. I’m not missing that. Cherie and Aiden might not show. Even if they do, they won’t try anything on in a crowded place. Stop being such a worry-guts.’
Reece went on at me until I agreed to go with him – sometimes with Reece it was easiest to just do as he said. And I had to admit I was curious to see the people Dani had worked with. Only a few had showed at her funeral. Maybe someone would be able to tell me something, especially if they’d had a bit to drink.
We met at seven outside Hampstead tube station. When the lift doors opened and Reece stepped out I did a bit of a double take. I’d never seen him looking this smart before – he was generally a jeans, T-shirt and trainers person. As he came through the barriers I said, ‘Since when do you do waistcoats and trendy shirts?’
Reece made a face at me. He’d done something to his hair too – sort of slicked parts of it up. It made him look very different – and actually pretty cool. ‘Goodness sake, Soph! I told you this was a smart do. Couldn’t you have made an effort? Like, even a tiny one? I bet you didn’t even change before coming out.’
