Harlot

by Tracie Podger

  “You are repaying me. Just being here, letting me ramble about Rachel is enough thanks.”

  He rose and with a last smile, left.

  A few days later I slipped on the red dress and black shoes and walked to Paul’s office. I had an interview for the newly negotiated part-time office clerk. I was still to speak to Rose about my hours at the diner but thought I’d find out what the deal with Paul was first. I might not like the job; he might not think I was suitable.

  I found his office easily enough and was greeted at reception by an older woman. She asked me to take a seat while she let Paul know I had arrived. I tried not to wipe my sweating palms down the front of my dress, or fidget in my seat.

  Paul walked into reception and held out his hands to me, I was unsure what he wanted at first until he helped me stand from the seat.

  “It’s good to see you,” he said.

  I followed him through a set of doors to an office. Another gentleman had his back to me; he was standing and looking out the window.

  “Let me introduce Charlotte,” Paul said. The man turned.

  He had a broad smile and took a few steps toward me. His gaze ran over me, goosebumps rose on my skin and I wasn’t sure why.

  “Perfect, Paul,” he said. I frowned.

  He stepped forward and reached out with one hand. I took it in mine, shivering slightly at the coldness of his touch. I found it hard to hold his stare; it was as if his bore straight through me. He was intense, for sure.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Charlotte. I’m Richard.”

  “Thank you. I’m eager to know about the job on offer.” I wanted to get his attention back to why I was there.

  “Of course, I’ll let Paul give you all the details. I have to run.” He turned to Paul. “A very good choice, well done.”

  I wasn’t sure of the point in meeting Richard. Not that I’d ever worked in an office before, but I didn’t think his appraisal of me was part of the interview process.

  “Take a seat,” Paul said, indicating to one. Instead of taking the one behind his desk, he sat beside me.

  “Can you let me know a little about the job?” I asked.

  “We’re looking for someone who can help around the office. I know this is probably not where you wanted to start, but we’re behind on filing, typing up some letters when Rebecca is overworked. It’s menial stuff but a start, don’t you think?”

  I didn’t know who Rebecca was, and could only assume he was referring to the woman on reception.

  “I’m not sure on the typing thing,” I said. I could type, I had in school, but whether my speed was up to what they’d require, I wasn’t sure.

  He waved his hand as if dismissing my comment. “I can sort that.” It seemed he could sort a lot of things.

  “Wouldn’t there be a conflict, bearing in mind you’re looking after my case?”

  “No, it’s quite okay. Like I said, I’ll have all that dealt with shortly. Now, why don’t I show you around?”

  Was that it? Interview over? I rose and followed Paul as he walked through the small office. Rebecca, if that was her name, was the only other person there. Paul had an office, there was a spare, a small kitchen, and restroom. Outside his office was an area with a desk and computer.

  “This is where you’d sit,” he said, pulling out the chair for me to try.

  “Okay. What about hours, and salary?” I asked.

  “We can come to a suitable arrangement on hours, say four each day? The salary isn’t great to start with, minimum wage I’m afraid, but I can have Rebecca type up a contract and you can take that away to look through.”

  Having never applied for an office job before, I assumed what he was offering was the normal procedure.

  “Can I take you to lunch, to celebrate?”

  Celebrate? “I have to get to the diner shortly, but thank you. Maybe I can get those details from Rebecca and call you tomorrow?”

  “Of course, I think you’ll do wonders here, Charlotte. We can work on your case, and there’s plenty of opportunity to progress to a full-time position and a greater salary.”

  “Is Richard one of your partners?”

  “He owns the company, Charlotte. He’s a very influential man, someone to have on your side, if you know what I mean.” He winked at me, actually winked!

  “Oh, okay.” I had no idea what he meant, of course.

  Paul walked me to the front door. “How about I bring that contract over later. You’ll be at the diner I take it?”

  “Erm, yes, okay. Although I haven’t spoken to Rose just yet. I’ll do that later.”

  “I’ll be discrete, don’t worry.”

  Paul opened the door. “I’m excited, Charlotte, to have you working with us.”

  I wasn’t, yet. “Thank you, I’ll have a think on what you’ve said.”

  For the whole time it took me to walk back to the apartment, I wondered what it was about Richard that had my skin raised. Maybe it was the way he looked me over, as if I was piece of meat. He reminded me a little of some of Damien’s friends. I shuddered at that thought and decided I’d push him to the back of my mind for the moment. I needed another job to pay the rent I was expecting to receive details of, and it didn’t look like he physically worked in the office.

  “Do you think I can have a word?” I asked Rose when I walked into the diner.

  She dried her hands on a towel and grabbed the coffee pot and two mugs. We settled into a spare booth.

  “What do you want to talk about?” she asked as she poured me a coffee.

  “I have to take on another job. I was cleaning for Cecelia in return for the apartment. I don’t know what’s going to happen with rent now. I expect to pay something but need to earn more money to cover it. I don’t want to leave here, and I know you don’t have any more shifts, but I wondered if I could change my hours a little?”

  “Have you been offered anything?”

  “Well, Paul needs a part-time office help, although I couldn’t actually see how, to be honest. It doesn’t look like he’s that busy. He said I could work four hours a day, but he hadn’t said exactly what those hours would be. I wondered if I could start a little earlier so I can get to him in the afternoon. I totally understand if that’s not possible. I can see if I can find something else that fits around my shift here.”

  I really wanted her to understand that I wouldn’t be leaving the diner, but I was in a dilemma. I was working the lunchtime, which didn’t give me many hours either side to find another job.

  “I’d hate to lose you, so whatever we have to do, we will,” she said, smiling at me. “To be honest, I think Kacy is struggling to find childcare. Maybe I need to have a frank talk with her and see if we can work something out between us.”

  “I’ll talk to Beau and see what he wants to do about rent first.”

  Rose told me about Kieran’s latest culinary experiment, and we laughed when I discovered I was the only one willing to be his test subject.

  “Can I ask, about you two?”

  “Ah, now there’s a complicated subject. We were sweethearts at one time, a long time ago. We both went our separate ways, Kieran into the army and me…well, I guess I never got over him.” She leaned forward to whisper. “We’re very good friends, that’s all. He rents a room from me and bosses me around here as if he owns the goddamn place.”

  “Which, technically, I do,” a male voice said. “You see, Charlotte, I own all the buildings on this side of the street. Miss Rose here, just rents this place from me.”

  We both laughed as Kieran slid into the booth beside Rose. “Taco?” he asked, placing a plate on the table.

  “What’s in it?” I asked, it didn’t resemble any taco I’d ever seen.

  He tapped the side of his nose as I tentatively took a bite. Whatever the secret ingredient, it was delicious.

  “Mmm, that’s good,” I said, licking my fingers after devouring the whole plateful.

  With my experimenting done,
I got to work. It was a slow day out front so I spent some time in the kitchen, cleaning down units and restocking the fridge and cupboard.

  “Hey, Charlotte,” Kacy said when she arrived for her shift. She always had a smile on her face.

  “Hi, I’m just finishing up, do you want a drink?”

  Kacy grabbed her customary glass of Coke and I poured another coffee. It was one of the perks of the job, free drinks when we wanted them.

  “So, how’s the delicious Beau?” she asked with a laugh. It was the first time I’d heard her talk about him.

  “Delicious?”

  “Oh, come on. You don’t think he’s a nice piece of ass? He’s gorgeous! So mean and moody, never know what he’s thinking.”

  I laughed at her words. “Erm, no, I mean…” I felt my face flush and not because I was embarrassed. She elbowed me.

  “Aw, you got the hots for him?”

  “No, honestly, I don’t. He’s my landlord, just a friend, I guess.” I was never sure what he was.

  “Well, send him my way if you’re not interested.” She drank down her Coke and headed for the kitchen to prepare for her shift.

  I waved goodbye and left to do some shopping. I chuckled as I walked. Sure Beau was a good-looking man, if you took the scowl off his face. Maybe if he dropped the abruptness, or…I checked myself. Kacy could have him if he was interested. Her comments dipped my mood though. There had been a time when I would have loved the Pretty Woman moment. I wanted to be swept off my feet by someone madly in love with me, someone who wanted to save me from my life. It didn’t happen, of course. The thought of having sex with someone turned my stomach. I didn’t think I could have an intimate relationship anymore, not after what I’d been through. If I couldn’t offer that side of me, I doubted anyone would be interested in me just for company.

  I walked around the store, placing the few items I needed in my basket. I wasn’t paying attention to my surroundings, but something caught my eye outside the large glass window. Richard was standing with Paul. I couldn’t hear what was being said, but judging by the hand motions and the look on Richard’s face, it looked as if they were arguing. Paul had both hands raised in front of his chest, his palms facing Richard as if trying to calm him down, or defend himself. Richard turned and walked away, and Paul not only dropped his hands, but his head dipped as well. I saw his shoulders rise in an exaggerated sigh.

  As he turned toward the window, I ducked around the corner of the aisle. He could be, potentially, my new boss. I was sure he wouldn’t want me witnessing an argument he was having with his boss.

  “Would you like a hand with those?” I heard.

  I had left the store and was making my way home. I turned toward the voice.

  “Oh, thank you, but I can manage,” I said, raising the bags to show they weren’t that heavy.

  “A lady should never have to carry her own bags,” Richard said, taking the bags from my hands.

  I didn’t want him to carry my bags, and like before, my skin prickled, more so when his hands ghosted over mine.

  “Really, it’s not problem, I can manage.”

  “Lead the way, Miss Kenny. Or should I get my car?”

  I had no intention of getting into his car but had no choice than to walk home. Paul knew my address; I assumed that meant Richard might as well. I ditched the idea of walking up the path of a neighboring property.

  “Paul is looking after you well, isn’t he?” His voice was commanding, although not loud.

  “He is, thank you,” I said, guessing that, since he owned the company, I ought to thank him as well.

  “I took a look over your file, I’ve made sure that Paul knows how to have all the charges against you dropped.”

  “I wasn’t aware any more charges had been brought against me.” I stood still and looked at him.

  “Further potential charges, my mistake, Miss Kenny.” He smiled, and if you added his cold blue eyes, he had a wolfish look about him. “He’s done a lot of work for you, Miss Kenny.”

  “And I’m grateful for that.”

  “I’m sure he’ll be pleased to have you working with him.”

  We came to a stop outside the apartments. I reached forward to take the bags from him.

  “I haven’t made a decision on that just yet. It depends on whether I can work the hours around my current job.”

  He sighed. “I’m sure he, we, will be very disappointed, especially since he’s gone to so much trouble for you.”

  It took a moment for his comment to register. Was that blackmail? A threat maybe?

  “Maybe I should ask Paul not to work on my case until I’ve made my mind up.”

  “That might be a good idea. I’m sure he can work out his billing for the hours he’s done so far.”

  There was no way I could afford to pay him until the house was sold, Paul knew that. I know he’d said Beau had arranged for him to help me, but I expected that was just getting me out of the police station.

  “I’ll contact Paul today. Thank you for carrying my bags but it was completely unnecessary.”

  I left him standing on the sidewalk. I didn’t need to look to know he was staring after me. My hands shook as I inserted the key and I couldn’t get through the door quick enough. When it had shut, I slumped against it.

  I placed my shopping on the counter and picked up the cell. I sent a text message to Beau.

  When you have a minute, I need to talk to you about rent. I know it’s still so soon, and I hope that you’re coping okay.

  I cursed myself after I’d pressed send. I should have asked after him first. My message seemed a little insensitive.

  If I could find out what rent Beau wanted, I could make the decision on whether I actually needed another job. Maybe I would ask in some of the local shops, instead of considering Paul’s offer, not that I’d officially seen it.

  I walked to the window and peered out. Richard was still outside but he had a cell to his ear. I wondered why he hadn’t moved on immediately. I ducked out of view as I saw him turn his head to look up at the front of the house, as if he had sensed me watching him.

  It was an hour later that I heard a knock on the apartment door. I called out, asking who was there.

  “Beau, open the door, Charlotte,” came the reply.

  I pulled the door open, just a little, and peered through the gap. Beau looked a little better than he had the previous time I’d seen him. I pulled the door wide and he walked in.

  “You’re a little jumpy still?” he said.

  “Cautious, nothing more. Do you mind if I get a chain for that door?”

  “If you want, not that a chain would stop someone kicking it in, if they wanted to.”

  “Well, that made me feel a whole lot better. Coffee?”

  While I waited for the coffee maker to percolate, I leaned against the counter.

  “How are you, Beau?” I asked.

  He shrugged his shoulders a little. “Coping,” he said. “You said you wanted to talk to me.”

  “We need to discuss rent. I have to find a second job so, I know you might not want to talk about this right now, I just want you to think about what you’re going to charge me so I know where to start.”

  “There is no rent to pay. Not yet, anyway.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Cecelia has left provisions for you.”

  “Oh, I didn’t know that,” I said.

  “Neither did I until yesterday. I had a call from her lawyer. There are one or two things to go through before I can see her will and know exactly what it is.”

  “Was that Paul?”

  “Paul? No. She had the sense to use someone who actually knew what they were doing.”

  “Yet, you asked him to help me.” I think I might have stated that once before.

  “Only because he knows the police in Whiteling. But you’re keeping away from him, aren’t you?”

  “Well…”

  “Charlotte, I told you to stay a
way from him. You cannot trust him, at all.”

  “He offered me a job and I think I’m stuck.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “His boss, Richard, said…”

  “Wait. Richard was here?”

  “Not in here, but he was at Paul’s office and then I bumped into him outside the store. He carried my bags home for me. I didn’t ask him to, I didn’t seem to have much choice.”

  Beau seemed to have expanded in size. His chest bulged, and a vein pulsed on the side of his neck. His jaw worked side to side as if he was grinding his teeth.

  “Exactly what did he say to you?”

  “It was odd, to be honest. Paul has done some work to get my grandmother’s house back, he also offered me a job. I think, if I don’t take that job, I’m about to get a huge bill for all that Paul has done so far. And…”

  “And, what?”

  “There was another thing Paul was going to deal with for me, I don’t know what’s going to happen now.”

  “The real trouble?”

  “Yes, the real trouble.”

  “And Richard knows about this real trouble?”

  “I don’t know, I guess so. He said he’d read through my file. He creeps me out, for sure.”

  “He’s a dangerous man. Fuck!”

  Beau pushed himself from the counter and started pacing. “Pack all your belongings, Charlotte.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you can’t stay here. Now, do as I say. You won’t tell me your trouble, so don’t ask me about this, not yet. Just, for once, trust me.”

  “You’re scaring me, Beau.”

  “It isn’t me you should be scared of.”

  I stared at him. Did I trust him? It surprised me to note that I did. I walked to the bedroom and pulled the backpack from the bottom of the closet. I filled it with my belongings and then headed to the kitchen and emptied the cupboards of food and my money envelopes.

  “Am I coming back?” I asked.

  “Let’s just get you away for now.”

  “What about my job?”

  “Charlotte, we can have a conversation about this later. If Richard is showing an interest in you, you need to be away from here.”