Why Not Murder

14. Photo

14. Photo

Dog had given Maya a modified old-fashioned pager when they had seen each other last. It was a small electronic communication device that fit neatly into the center of a fist. When a signal was received the device would vibrate gently and silently. Dog had programmed it to receive and emit Morse Code. It corresponded to a similar device which Dog kept. This way the two could communicate if need be. Maya was rubbing it in her pocket like a good luck charm. The devices were also able to locate the geographical position of the other. Maya and Dog were drawing closer, each finding consolation in the other for shared grief. Maya was amazed at what Dog had achieved. She never knew he had such talents latent within him that apparently the disaster was now calling him to put to use. Dog was interested in Maya's investigation but did not ask any questions that may complicate her sense of discretion.

Maya was about to enter the building where Hudson's office was located when something she had never seen before flew about two feet over her head. She looked up and recognized that it had to be a drone but not like any other she had seen. It was the size of a small bird and shaped like a butterfly. It had sparkling colours and was quite beautiful. She watched it fly around above the main square and then she went inside to the office. Harriet was sitting at the reception and greeted her. The job really suits her, Maya thought, on feeling the warmth of Harriet's smile; hopefully Hilda was not getting too jealous.

In answer to Maya's inquiry, Harriet said that Hudson had gone home, which was very unusual for him, but he had been feeling extraordinarily tired and the doctor had told him he was over-working. Harriet said she thought it had more to do with spending additional time with the Mrs since she was expecting. Maya wondered whether Hudson knew that Heather may have been pregnant. It would have been early on and many women don't show at this stage but to a jealous eye like Winnie's it had been all too obvious.

"I saw the most amazing thing outside," Maya said.

"Let me guess," Harriet replied, "Was it a big butterfly?" Maya gave an affirmative nod. "That's the Mrs' new drone," Harriet went on to say, "she ordered it online and is totally obsessed with it. She's ordering another. It follows me to work and back and sends its signal back to the Mrs so that she'll know if there are any dangerous animals about. It would also alert me with a beeping sound. Pretty amazing aye?"

"It is," Maya responded, "Are you concerned about privacy issues at all?"

"I'm not doing anything to cause her concern and I appreciate that she cares about my safety," Harriet said, "A side benefit for the Mrs is that she knows who is coming into and out of the office. After his previous affair, I'm sure she wants to be aware of the Mr's whereabouts and actions. Apparently there are all manner of tiny electronic devices not larger than a bumble bee that can do much more than just keep an eye out. And apparently millions of them are in use and the people being watched don't even know. It's not a legal privacy issue the Mrs explained to me because already in cities there are cameras everywhere and artificial intelligence is gathering and sorting the data to be useful to the authorities. I don't know what to make of it all. It's like a network of spies looking for spies. What do you think of it?"

"Well," Maya answered, "Thing is, there is a much more powerful entity than anything human beings can create and it is watching us at all times, no matter where we are, what we are doing and no matter what our sense of judgment dictates. That power is the Greater Intelligence, known to many as God."

"True," Harriet said, "God's judgment matters more than any human's."

"How's the Mrs' health?" Maya asked.

"Still good though the nightmares are waking us all up at night," Harriet answered, "she's taken up doing some baking, not too much thank goodness as Cook feels it's an infringement on her space and ability to perform her work function. That's likely because the Mrs does not clean up after herself. She bakes at night when Cook's asleep and so she's not interfering with the oven schedule but the first night some time ago Cook was livid in the morning when she found the cleanup job waiting there instead of the usual immaculate kitchen. Cook was angry because she thought it had to be the fault of me and Hilda but then she quieted right down when she found out that it was the Mrs who had been messing in her kitchen. We thought it was funny. Cook never means anything by her anger, it's just a vent, not like the Mrs' though. She scares the daylights out of me when she is mad. She's never been mad at me thank God but when I hear her fighting with the Mr it's awful."